Written by Llewellyn van der Merwe.

Fellowship around a Huge Fountain

I have a few thoughts to share about Romans 6 -8

First we will look at Romans 6:6

I think it holds so much truth in one verse that many have missed the richness that it holds. First It says "knowing this" so the Gospel if preached in the Spirit of God will help men to know "this" and we will get to the "this" but as you will see many don't know "this" and so I must conclude that they have not understood the salvation that comes from God.

So what is "this" well it says that "our old man is crucified with Him" man did you read that, it says "is" and when "with Him" that is past, it goes on to say “that the body of sin might be destroyed” now this is what people overlook. It says “might be” that is future. There is the "old man" and there is the "body of sin" one is crucified and the other is going to be destroyed because of the first being true. So old man is not flesh or body of sin these are two separate things. The one is destroyed and the other is being destroyed if we life in Romans 8:2.

Let me explain why I say that they have not understood the salvation that comes from God. {read more}
Reading Titus 2:11-12 we can clearly see that the true salvation message teach us to reckon ourselves indeed dead unto sin and alive unto God.

Now you see it says “that henceforth we should not serve sin” Listen it says “serve sin” this is because the body (your body) is called the body of sin or the flesh or the law of sin. Serving this body or flesh means to allow it to lead you and therefore “you serving its desire”. This is also called, to walk in the flesh or to serve sin. Romans 7:21-24 is where we find the understanding that the law of sin and the body of death is the same thing, because first he says "law of sin in my members", and then cries for deliverance from the "body of this death".

Wonderful then to read how this body of sin can be destroyed. "Reckon yourselves dead indeed unto sin" Romans 6:11-13

First because the old man (my old unruly man or enemy of God) is crucified with Jesus. The part of me that loved sin and hated God, the dead me that did not want God "ME". This is fully destroyed at the cross of Jesus the day I am regenerated through His Holy Spirit (born again). I am already a new man in Christ, but I am still in this body, and here in we find a war with the flesh who still wants its old ways but we have learned enough to know that these ways are wrong, therefore when other report that they saw us angry or were offended we deny that we have these struggles inside of us. Thinking hey I am a new man, this is not me, this is partially true and yet falls short of honesty and humility. Yet Paul who is honest and fort coming in chapter 7 makes it clear that as a Christian that what (he - as new man) wants to do (he - as flesh) does not do and what (he - as new man) does not want to do (he - as flesh) is doing... then concluding that it is not him but sin that dwells in his members, then crying O who shall deliver me from this body of death. Many would have us believe he was not a Christian at this time and yet to me chapter 6 is the theory and 7 the proses of application of this theory, and 8 the beautiful fruit of this death to self.

The second, the scripture says in Romans 8:2 that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" Now law is something that has consistency, it always says the same thing. So the law of sin always is against to law of the Spirit, yet the law of the Spirit makes me free from the law of sin or you could say from the body of death or the flesh. The law of the Spirit makes me free from the hold or grip that sin has on me or over me. So what is the law of the Spirit?

In light of the law of sin the law of the Spirit draws us to God, the law of sin draws us to sin but the law of the Spirit unto holiness. What stops this law of the Spirit in us or why does so few really live this in reality? good question.

Scripture says that we are not under the law only if we are led by the Spirit Galatians 5:18.

Strange to me that so many today say they are not under the law, and yet walk in the flesh.... that is a lie! To walk in the Spirit is not some high ideal for the Christian, it is normal Christian life! Yet we are in so much unbelief that we make others and ourselves think it is something we will only reach one day, this two is a lie! Galatians 5:24 says that they who are truly Christian have crucified the flesh, this means they hate the flesh and anything that smell of flesh... when they see it in their members they cry to God who showed it to them. They have come to a final and total abhorrence of the flesh, and when they see it in themselves (for it is hiding) as Paul did they know it is not what they want and therefore know that it is not them, but sin in their members. I mean Paul admitting to the struggle he found as he set out to mortify the deeds of the body. Like most we are often not aware of the deep hypocrisy that linger in our flesh and so at some time the Lord shows us these things in our flesh, at first we are shocked at its discovery and may even question our salvation or worse deny that it is there. But this is normal and what is of utmost importance is that we hate what we see. The hate for sin is so important that without it I think the Lord will not mortify the deeds of the body. One can almost say if you still love your sin you stand in danger to be give over to its will and destruction. Yet the true Christian has a great anguish over it and will cry and groan that God will mortify these deeds of the body, they don't want to follow its feelings nor is suggestions and so find that they are walking in the Spirit as Christ walked and kept Himself from sin. 1 John 2:6

The mortification of the body of sin is a suffering. Let me explain. I will use some real life examples (sorry sisters):

Man sees a immodest woman, he turns away for it tempts him to lust. At that very moment something in him is crying to look again, and that! right there is the suffering that we are to embrace. This is the very place where the whole doctrine of sanctification hits the reality. Hey I know some of you may not have this kind of struggles and praise God, but we all have something that can be seen as things that strongly tempts us. Yet if looking away or turning away from that sin is all we do then we have lost the fight. You are to mortify the deeds of the body, what deed? the cry to look again is the deed of the body. That is the law of sin in your members. That must be mortified, that means to put to death, to take away. So seeing deed and turning away is only the beginning, now to the throne of God we must go with those things.

Because if it is still there it must be mortified. How? through the Spirit Romans 8:13 This brings us to a big big issue! How do you mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit? I have asked so many this question and have found very few really know what to say. This to me shows that they have not understood the plain simple truths of the Gospel.

Lets look at this. The new age and the revolution of immorally buy Aleister Crowley and Madame Blavatsky has let men indoctrinated with so many false and blinding concepts that spirituality is some strange feeling that makes you feel this or that way. Where the true Spirituality is nothing to do with tinkling experiences but God working. So that means men expect some great experience or feeling and therefore Jesus said " An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it"

The Spirit is God, and so to mortify the deeds of the body is asking God like we read in Psalm 18:3 " I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies." That is so simple that the proud stumble at it as I did, and struggle thinking God must do some great thing. When in reality He has already done it in Christ Jesus and now trough the prayer of faith apply that victory to us. That is if we hate, absolutely hate our own life Luke 14:26. If we go on to read Psalm 18 we see God shaking the heavens and mountains to come to our rescue. This He really did, look at the run up to the cross and all that God did to prepare a nation for His Son to come. So one can see that He heard our cry in eternity and it moved Him way before we even knew we needed to be rhescued. Psalms 18:6-17 I weep seeing his great love for me. Yes I know this speaks of the day of the cross as well. But we can't forget that that day was also our day. The day where God saved us in His Son. So I marvel with tears of joy at his extreme love for us.

Hebrews 4:16 says it so beautiful "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." When is the time of need, that moment we are tempted that very moment! That is when we should run to the throne!

Yes we suffer but it says in 1 Peter 4:1-7 again to us that this is wonderful. He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. O Brothers these truths are burning in me and I cry unto the Lord to share this with more who are seeking God with all their heart. There is so much more to share but for time sake I will stop here for now, and would love to hear your thoughts.