NetChaplain said:
Not yet. Most of my Dispensational exposure for the last twelve years has been mostly Miles J Stanford, who over the years has gleaned through many such teachers from the last three centuries and W Nee is included in some of his compiled materials.
Nee has much good applicable teaching, along with many other deeper-truth teachers, but it appears in his materials that he does not accept the ongoing existence of the sinful nature within the believer, but rather mistakenly, as many others are, admits of the "terminating of the old man" upon its crucifixion, which is not generally accepted within the teachings of dispensation.
My understanding is that the crucifying of the sinful nature (Rom 6:6) "is" ongoing until the first resurrection, meaning it is not dead to us, though we are dead to it (Col 3:3) concerning its rein (Rom 6:12, 14). Otherwise the believer would be void of the internal conflict of the "new man" and the "old man" (Rom 7:14-25), along with the Holy Spirit's opposition to it within the believer (Gal 5:17). I believe it is important to know that though this conflict exists, it does not effect our unity with God, but it does effect the condition of our fellowship with Him.
Understanding the position of the "old man" determines the understanding of the condition of the believer, which is tantamount for spiritual growth in Christ, as is the case concerning many other misunderstood Bible doctrines, which is so prevalent among many of today's believers.
Though many Christians at this time lack understanding in many spiritual-growth teachings of Scripture, it doesn't affect their essential teachings concerning salvation; but rather, it slows the spiritual-growth progression. As before mentioned, the union of the believer and God (salvation) cannot be altered, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29 NKJV), but the fellowship in the union is altered by our understanding of the spiritual-growth principles in Scripture.
I don't think your view is consistent with what the Scriptures actually state.
I'd like to first make the point that it does not matter what I believe for...
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
What the Scripture asserts is what matters. My opinion is just that, "an opinion." What is important is that "my opinion" is conformed to the truth revealed in Scripture.
Paul wrote this...
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
It does not say "is being crucified" or that the "body of sin is being destroyed." Rather is says "is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed" and it is in the context of "serving sin."
In the very next verse Paul states very clearly...
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Paul does not say "dying" but "dead."
Likewise Paul writes...
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
In that verse Paul does not say he is "being crucified" he plainly states that he "is crucified."
Likewise later in his letter he writes...
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Paul did not write that the flesh is "being crucified," rather he writes that is "has been crucified."
Another related passage written by Paul is this...
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
It is in the circumcision of Christ that the body of sins are put off. We are buried with Him (Col 2:12, Rom 6:4) in order to be raised with Him. For this to occur a real death must take place and not a partial death.
A partial death or gradual crucifixion of the flesh would be a double-minded state where one is attempting to serve two masters and Jesus said such a thing is not possible.
Mat 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Light and darkness do not mix.
Paul is pretty clear on this when he discusses grace and the new birth in Rom 5:20-21, Rom 6:1-7.
First Paul establishes that when sin abounds that it is indeed true that grace abounds even more which is a demonstration of the mercy and longsuffering of God. Yet Paul asks the question of...
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
His answer is...
Rom 6:2
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Paul then explains how we die with Christ, having our old man crucified with Him in order to have the body of sin destroyed and it is through this that we are set free from the bondage of sin. Hence...
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Paul then goes on to explain the acting out of this condition by teaching...
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The above is the walk of a true Christian. It is through the blood of Christ that we are released from the dominion of sin (wages of sin is death) and have our consciences purged, but it is through us dying with Christ that we are set free from the literal bondage of sin.
You see Jesus Christ purchased us from sins dominion by His blood and this gives us the opportunity to change masters. It is through repentance and faith that we forsake the one master in order to be a slave to another which is Christ.
Paul teaches that whom we actually obey reveals who we actually belong to.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
It is by the grace of God that we have the opportunity to access the free gift of eternal life but we cannot access if we refuse to change whom we serve. Whom we serve reveals whom our true master actually is.
Look at what paul wrote there...
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
In that passage "being made free from sin" was resultant of "obeying from the heart." This is Paul describing the shift from one master to the other. Jesus already purchased us and has given us the Minsitry of Reconciliation but we have to do our part and actually enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Christ in order for true reconciliation to take place (Heb 10:19-22). This is why John would write...
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The cleansing can only take place if we walk in the light as He is in the light. It is impossible to walk in the light unless the old man is crucified once and for all. The rebellion to God has to cease.
Remember to be reconciled to God is to be returned to favour. We are the offending party, not God. Thus we have to forsake that which is an offense to God, namely rebellion. It is the old man who walks in rebellion, carnal and sold under sin.
As new creations in Christ we have been redeemed from all iniquity and made pure and thus we can be taught like children by our Father in heaven. God leads and we follow and the end result will be holiness without which no-one will see God.