Written by Ricard Moore:
Currently an imate of the Arizona correction system.
There has been some confusion concerning the flesh and the sin nature. Even some very fine writers whom I respect greatly seem stuck on this point. The fact is the sin nature or principle resides in my flesh. I know this because I can pass it on to my children. So how is this not in conflict with the teachings of the Christ-life, which frankly are from
God and not from man? Allow me to provide some clarification, if I may. Please pay attention to the language and terminology closely. I could say it no better. It is “not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Cor. 2:13).
(1) “Sin” is a spiritual energy that is active in our flesh enslaving our will and infecting and darkening our heart and mind (soul.) Its source is Satan (John 8:44). This is the spirit-nature of fallen man (Eph. 2:1-3).
(2) This activity has been “rendered entirely idle” (destroyed, Strong's #2673) in the born-again. We have died to sin (to this principle in our flesh, the Satan nature). Our relationship with the flesh has been severed (Rom. 6:6; Col. 2:11).
This has effected a perfect exchange of natures from flesh to spirit, Adam-to Christ, sin-to-righteousness, Satan-to-God (2 Peter 1:4; Acts 26:18; Rom. 8:4-10).
(3) The activity of Satan in the born again has been relegated to an outer thing. The influence of the sin-nature, “sin in the flesh,” call it what you want has been “reduced to inactivity” (Strong's #2673) in
regard to the inner life. In every meaningful sense, it is Satan out and Christ in as the spiritual life (nature) energizing the human. Let us not resist the testimony of the scriptures. They do not leave us in doubt, if we will but listen to the Holy Spirit.
As I have said before, we still have flesh, but we are under no obligation to the flesh. The lust of the flesh is the remembrance of our sinful ways. It is the mind where the residue of sin resides, as a powerless ghost as long as it’s not falsely identified as you. These are the truths that make identification work as
God intended (Eph. 4:22-24).
So wherein lays the confusion? It is when we do not see the birthing, which renders null and void all human reasoning, and the scriptures may give their testimony. I hope I have provided some clarification. Let us not have Christ competing with Satan, or some “human nature,” of which there is no such thing.
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in
the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his” (Rom. 8:9). “And if Christ be
in you, the body is dead because of
sin; but the Spirit is life, because of
righteousness” (Rom. 8:10).
I was fellowshipping with a brother one day on the subject of grace. This fellow did not know the message of Christ in us. He brought up the term “divine influence upon the heart,” which I recognized as a
definition from Strong's. Later that day as I thought about our conversation, the Holy Spirit led me in some very clear thoughts concerning grace, the Strong's definition,
and this message of Christ in us. I would like to share them.
Grace obviously has many facets. Ultimately, it is the saving work of. Christ, which is all of Him (John 19:30) — his death and resurrection (for us and as us). But we are looking specifically at grace as His divine enabling in our lives. Grace
is a perfect system (from start to finish) but how does it all work?
“That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith” (Eph. 3:17).
Contrary to much popular teaching
we've been exposed to, we do not get a new heart at salvation. We get a new spirit (Christ). This spirit has to enter our heart. This comes through relationship (yielding/
learning/obeying) — loving God
(1 Peter 1:22; Rom. 5:5). Scripturally, this is called the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:6), and men would do themselves a great service if they understood the gospel in this way. The heart is the seat of affection and desire. When Christ is dwelling in the heart (through unreserved trust), He produces the transformed desires where we only want to do what pleases God.
This is the spirit of Christ reigning in man as his very own spirit, the two have become one (1 Cor. 6:17) as the liberation of the human being (Eph. 3:17-19). So, back to my conversation with my brother. “Divine influence upon the heart?” You bet. But grace is simply and finally, Christ (in you) — God's gift in whom all fullness
dwells and in whom we are complete (John 1:16; Col. 2:9-10). It is a person we have received in his fullness the moment we believed (Col. 2:6).
That's grace! Sad to say, most people are ignorant of this because the Holy Spirit has not had the liberty to reveal Christ within them. Most people think the Holy Spirit is Christ, but this is not so. This is
why the true grace of God remains hidden to most believers. Be that as it may, the culmination of God's grace is Christ dwelling in the heart — which is a human who is free to do what he wants (astounding!).
Oh, how far religion and humanity are from understanding the true grace of God and the greatness of our Father. These are the sacred truths of grace —which is God
changing who we are based upon his kindness towards us (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17) - in spite of ourselves.
Currently an imate of the Arizona correction system.
There has been some confusion concerning the flesh and the sin nature. Even some very fine writers whom I respect greatly seem stuck on this point. The fact is the sin nature or principle resides in my flesh. I know this because I can pass it on to my children. So how is this not in conflict with the teachings of the Christ-life, which frankly are from
God and not from man? Allow me to provide some clarification, if I may. Please pay attention to the language and terminology closely. I could say it no better. It is “not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Cor. 2:13).
(1) “Sin” is a spiritual energy that is active in our flesh enslaving our will and infecting and darkening our heart and mind (soul.) Its source is Satan (John 8:44). This is the spirit-nature of fallen man (Eph. 2:1-3).
(2) This activity has been “rendered entirely idle” (destroyed, Strong's #2673) in the born-again. We have died to sin (to this principle in our flesh, the Satan nature). Our relationship with the flesh has been severed (Rom. 6:6; Col. 2:11).
This has effected a perfect exchange of natures from flesh to spirit, Adam-to Christ, sin-to-righteousness, Satan-to-God (2 Peter 1:4; Acts 26:18; Rom. 8:4-10).
(3) The activity of Satan in the born again has been relegated to an outer thing. The influence of the sin-nature, “sin in the flesh,” call it what you want has been “reduced to inactivity” (Strong's #2673) in
regard to the inner life. In every meaningful sense, it is Satan out and Christ in as the spiritual life (nature) energizing the human. Let us not resist the testimony of the scriptures. They do not leave us in doubt, if we will but listen to the Holy Spirit.
As I have said before, we still have flesh, but we are under no obligation to the flesh. The lust of the flesh is the remembrance of our sinful ways. It is the mind where the residue of sin resides, as a powerless ghost as long as it’s not falsely identified as you. These are the truths that make identification work as
God intended (Eph. 4:22-24).
So wherein lays the confusion? It is when we do not see the birthing, which renders null and void all human reasoning, and the scriptures may give their testimony. I hope I have provided some clarification. Let us not have Christ competing with Satan, or some “human nature,” of which there is no such thing.
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in
the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his” (Rom. 8:9). “And if Christ be
in you, the body is dead because of
sin; but the Spirit is life, because of
righteousness” (Rom. 8:10).
I was fellowshipping with a brother one day on the subject of grace. This fellow did not know the message of Christ in us. He brought up the term “divine influence upon the heart,” which I recognized as a
definition from Strong's. Later that day as I thought about our conversation, the Holy Spirit led me in some very clear thoughts concerning grace, the Strong's definition,
and this message of Christ in us. I would like to share them.
Grace obviously has many facets. Ultimately, it is the saving work of. Christ, which is all of Him (John 19:30) — his death and resurrection (for us and as us). But we are looking specifically at grace as His divine enabling in our lives. Grace
is a perfect system (from start to finish) but how does it all work?
“That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith” (Eph. 3:17).
Contrary to much popular teaching
we've been exposed to, we do not get a new heart at salvation. We get a new spirit (Christ). This spirit has to enter our heart. This comes through relationship (yielding/
learning/obeying) — loving God
(1 Peter 1:22; Rom. 5:5). Scripturally, this is called the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. 4:6), and men would do themselves a great service if they understood the gospel in this way. The heart is the seat of affection and desire. When Christ is dwelling in the heart (through unreserved trust), He produces the transformed desires where we only want to do what pleases God.
This is the spirit of Christ reigning in man as his very own spirit, the two have become one (1 Cor. 6:17) as the liberation of the human being (Eph. 3:17-19). So, back to my conversation with my brother. “Divine influence upon the heart?” You bet. But grace is simply and finally, Christ (in you) — God's gift in whom all fullness
dwells and in whom we are complete (John 1:16; Col. 2:9-10). It is a person we have received in his fullness the moment we believed (Col. 2:6).
That's grace! Sad to say, most people are ignorant of this because the Holy Spirit has not had the liberty to reveal Christ within them. Most people think the Holy Spirit is Christ, but this is not so. This is
why the true grace of God remains hidden to most believers. Be that as it may, the culmination of God's grace is Christ dwelling in the heart — which is a human who is free to do what he wants (astounding!).
Oh, how far religion and humanity are from understanding the true grace of God and the greatness of our Father. These are the sacred truths of grace —which is God
changing who we are based upon his kindness towards us (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17) - in spite of ourselves.
