The true body of Christ is reborn at the beginning of his walk, not the end of it. If anyone is in Christ he IS a new creation. Our faith in Him acquires everlasting life at the beginning of our walk. We are not waiting for the reward of life at the end of our life here, we have it now. Read it for yourself in John 5:24.afaithfulone4u said:
The demons believe alright, will not possess salvation because for one thing, it is not offered to the fallen angels. It is offered to those born after Adam.
But in regards to faith, it is not faith that is the requirement for salvation. Faith is not a qualification for life. Humility is the qualification. Faith is merely the method by which we receive from God. The demons took the same path that Lucifer did, in following a personal agenda that was self serving and self exalting. No amount of faith can disguise this agenda. In fact, this allows for one advantage in God's rendering sin a non issue. Sin is merely the symptom. It is not the cause. In removing sin by way of the sacrifice of Jesus, the real issue can be brought to the forefront.
This is where the subject of the law comes in. Keeping law is not really the issue for contention. The real issue is the same as it always was. It is in the motive for our actions. It is in our agenda. Those who are self serving will not be able to hide behind faith. This is the wisdom in God's giving us life at the beginning. What this does is gives us the opportunity to serve the interests of others because our own interests have been already taken care of. If our survival is assured, then we have no need to be motivated towards our survival.
The new life in us frees us up from self serving agenda. We are complete in Him (Col.2:10). We have already been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet.1:3). We are partakers of the divine nature (2Pet.1:4). We are joint heirs with Jesus (Rom.8:17). We are positionally seated with Him in heavenly places ( Eph.2:6). We have a new man, our new spirit, which has been created righteous and holy, possessing the nature of God (Eph.4:24).
All these things are a gift to us from God so that we are free from any excuse in regards to our agenda. If one is keeping the law, or doing anything at all, to attain or gain any of these things, this will expose their true heart. This will expose the real issue on many levels. One such level is trust. Eve was tempted to take the fruit out of a self serving result, in that that she was lied to about the integrity of God, resulting in a lack of trust in Him.
So are we going to trust God for our life or do we believe a lie that we are left to try to gain life through our own efforts or resources?
Again, this applies to the law, not in whether we will obey it, by what it is we are attempting to accomplish in our obedience.
Here is a clue. We are told that love does not seek its own. What this reveals about love is that it is not self seeking or self serving. So how is it that we can even come close to fulfilling love if we are consumed with lack? In order to have the tools to love one another with genuine love, it follows that our own interests and needs must first be met. For example, do we give to the church or to the poor, by enticement that it will cause financial gain in our life? Even a hint of this latter kind of motivation will taint the genuineness of the love behind giving. Is it therefore more wise to have us serve out of lack or out of fulness? Which one of these two is the message that we are receiving? Do we have...or do we lack? Which one is the best motive for keeping law? To express life and love, or to attain life (and love)?
One last remark about this. The works that we do in Christ have a new handle; a new name. They are called fruit. In nature, the purpose of fruit is to carry seed to the ground in reproduction. This is what all life has in common, and what defines life. Life reproduces. If it doesn't, it is worthless, as in the fig tree that was cursed by Jesus for not bearing fruit.
A tree does not bear fruit to become the tree. It bears apples because it already is an apple tree. So in terms of bearing fruit, we cannot give what we do not already have. We are not working for future gain. We are expressing the life that is in us. What does God need from us? What can we first give to Him to be repaid? (Rom.11:35).
The question remains...what will be our motive for serving, loving, obeying, responding...to express what we have or to gain what we lack? To this , I will exhort all who may read this...quit believing the lie that we lack anything from God!!! God can be trusted. The promises are yes and amen! All things that come from Him are freely given (Rom.8:32) (1Cor.2:12 (NKJ)).
