There is a vast difference between us putting away sin, and the Spirit putting it away from us. If the believer could put away sin, where would there be the need for Crist and the Holy Spirit in this service. The Spirit uses the Life of the Lord Jesus to do everything from rebirth to growth in Christ (Eph 4:15). The Son does whatsoever the Father desires (Jhn 5:19); and the Spirit does whatsoever the Son desires (Jn 15:26; 16:13).
It finally is that it’s Christ who “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb 9:26); and it’s the Spirit that “mortifies the deeds of the body,” which is how the believer “mortifies” the earthly “members,” which are of the old man (Rom 8:13, Col 3:5).
Miles Stanford says that “the cart must not be put before the horse. It is not for the believer to put sin out of his life—that is the work of the Spirit. The yielded life is not a prerequisite for His fullness, but its result! We came to the Lord Jesus just as we were, with all our sin; we are to come to the Spirit just as we are, with our spiritual need” (“The Green Letters” by Miles Stanford, pg. 276). One can “live in the Spirit” but not “walk in the Spirit” until He shows how we are to ever rely of Christ’s expiation for the sins of our old man (which Christ puts “away”).
All sin we attempt to put from us without the Spirit’s work is retained, but until we learn the “walk in the Spirit,” the motive to put away the sin is proper, but yet ineffective. We are forgiven for all sin, all the time (1Jn 1:9); but God works in us to know His way of removing sin is via His Son and Spirit, when we rely on Them in our faith, that it is done upon confession and repentance.
The sin is put away, and the source of sin is present; but we are no longer are part of it (Ro 8:9 – fully sanctified).
It finally is that it’s Christ who “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb 9:26); and it’s the Spirit that “mortifies the deeds of the body,” which is how the believer “mortifies” the earthly “members,” which are of the old man (Rom 8:13, Col 3:5).
Miles Stanford says that “the cart must not be put before the horse. It is not for the believer to put sin out of his life—that is the work of the Spirit. The yielded life is not a prerequisite for His fullness, but its result! We came to the Lord Jesus just as we were, with all our sin; we are to come to the Spirit just as we are, with our spiritual need” (“The Green Letters” by Miles Stanford, pg. 276). One can “live in the Spirit” but not “walk in the Spirit” until He shows how we are to ever rely of Christ’s expiation for the sins of our old man (which Christ puts “away”).
All sin we attempt to put from us without the Spirit’s work is retained, but until we learn the “walk in the Spirit,” the motive to put away the sin is proper, but yet ineffective. We are forgiven for all sin, all the time (1Jn 1:9); but God works in us to know His way of removing sin is via His Son and Spirit, when we rely on Them in our faith, that it is done upon confession and repentance.
The sin is put away, and the source of sin is present; but we are no longer are part of it (Ro 8:9 – fully sanctified).
