Part VIII of VIII - Our Proper Relationship With God

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Freedom From Sin's Power.

Every human is born of Adam having his viral infection with the Sin-nature Paul calls “sin in their flesh” (Rom. 8:3). This came by Adam and Eve’s defying God’s one instruction not to eat of ‘the Tree of Knowledge’ that came with the warning of death. That Sin initially brought spiritual death, separation from God, and if not remedied it ends in physical “everlasting destruction” (2Thes. 1:9). This Sin-nature is the nature of “the liar” himself, Lucifer, Satan, the Old Serpent. This nature is inborn to every baby born and is the root of all defiance and sin against God. This nature came in accord with the words of the Serpent who deceived and tempted the woman, Eve, saying if they ate of the forbidden tree, they would “be as gods knowing good and evil.”

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5 (KJV)

It was through Adam’s eating of that tree that all humanity is born infected with the ‘false idea’ that they are “independent” free willing people, as gods of their own lives. But the truth was that humanity was usurped to be under to the dominion of the Sin-nature resident in the bodily flesh of all men... as slaves of Sin.

So, how can man become free of the dominion of Satan’s Sin-nature? Of course, the answer is to be found in the Cross of Jesus Christ and the knowledge of the Truth thereof.

The lesson we must learn is that we, even as grace-believers, must always live being dependent upon the life of God, which is in Christ, as the Spirit of life, as the real Christian within us. To help understand this problem of our independent self’ and its remedy, we must understand Paul’s words in Romans 7:1-6.

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2For the woman which hath an husband is Bound By The Law To Her Husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is Loosed From The Law of her husband. 3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man [i.e., Christ].” (Romans 7:1-6

4Wherefore, my brethren, ye (as the woman who lives independent, taking the position of husband) also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; (so) that ye (now as a dependent woman) should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead (Christ), that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

To understand Romans 7:1-6, we first must see that we as His “redeemed” believers are now intended to live as “female” to the Lord as male. We, whether man or woman, are all intended to be as female to His maleness, as the life-giver, the progenitor of life. We are the perfect polar opposite and well suited to bear His life…. but we must remain as dependent females in our mindset, living, and activities. He takes the lead.

However, when we try to live the Christian life by self-effort and even trying to keep religious law (which we are no longer under (Rom. 6:14), we are living apart from seeing our dependence upon our living grace-filled relationship with the Him. It is He who is THE Christian within us. Losing sight of this fact, we’ve then “fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4). We’ve wrongly assumed the masculine position in our relationship with Him and nothing we can do is fruitful.

Thinking of a magnetGod as the male, as the positive (+), and …we must remain as a proper dependent recipient of Him, being the as the negative (-) to His positive (+).

Only then can we live in proper union with Him. When we assume the position of the “positive” we repel the Lord. There cannot be two males, or +’s, in the proper union that can bring forth the fruit of His life

Here below are 4 possible relationships between man and God, as seen metaphorically by the poles of a magnet.’

1) Before the fall - Adam was dependent upon God, as female, receiving all from God; food, security, etc.

- Here God is the Positive (+) magnet pole; perfectly suited to Adam who was as the negative (-) pole.

Only opposites poles of the magnets ATTRACT, bringing UNION with God.

2) After the fall of Adam, mankind became independent of God,’ taking the position of the male, positive (+).

But God always remains (+). There can be no union between 2 positive magnet poles, they REPEL.

3) Man “In a dependent UNION with Christabiding submitted to the indwelling life of the Lord.

- God always remains (+) and in union with man being dependently receptive as the (-), as the female.

Man is thereby restored to union with God in a dependent submitted position, as female to God.

4) Man “In Christ,” but still foolishly choosing to live ‘independent of Christ,’ by ‘independent self-effort.’

- God remains (+), BUT Man reassumes the position of the male (+) thus repelling God’s life and power.

Thus, a saved believer’s union with Christ’s life and power to live righteously is broken by man.

Man’s proper place is to remain (abide) as the female to God’s maleness; man as the (-) to God’s (+). Only in this union can the fruit of God come forth in the believer’s life.

Note also that the 1st “ye” of Rom. 7:4 is us as anindependent woman having assumed the masculine role of “the Husband.” But as masculine, we cannot bring forth fruit of God, He is repelled by our independence.’ But the 2nd “ye” of Rom. 7:4 is us as a properly dependent woman to the Lord, she can bring forth “fruit unto God.” Note also that “the law” was the husband’s law (v2) that is us as the “Old Man of Rom 6:6. But in Christ, We as The Husband Or “Old Man” Have Been Crucified with Christ; then we as the woman are thereby freed from the law of the husband [v2] and restored to our ‘dependent’ relationship.

Now it’s simply for us to abide in our loving ‘dependent’ union with Him, trusting “the Law of the Spirit of life”

A Summary of Our Choice:

In summary, Romans 7 gives us Paul’s own experience in the past, yet after his conversion. Her we find Paul’s frustration that plagued him after his conversion, when he wanted to live righteously.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin [as the evil nature], taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence [sinful desires]. For Without The Law Sin Was Dead. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin [Sin-nature], taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin [nature], that it might appear [become apparent as] sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might Become Exceeding Sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal [fleshly], sold under sin. (Rom. 7:7-14)

 Note how, “the strength [Gk. dunamis, power] of sin is the law [‘commandment,’ above].” (1 Cor. 15:56b)

This above is all in the past tense telling us how Paul suffered by the law. All the laws, all the commandments of God were external, except one. They all said, “Don’t kill, steal, and don’t be idolatrous, keep the Sabbath.” The tenth one was a spiritual one - “Thou shalt not covet....” This is what must have caught Paul and convicted regarding something in his experience. He didn’t steal, he didn’t murder, and he didn’t worship idols. But with “Thou shalt not covet!” he saw that he was trapped in Sin. That is Paul’s own personal past experience of which he writes for our learning.

In Romans 7:14 Paul speaks of his present experience. He has changed the tense. Look he has changed to “I AM” in V14, changed from “I WAS in V9, 10, 13. Up to there, it was “I was.” Verse 14 says,

 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I AM carnal [fleshly], sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14)

This now is the experience of every one of us when we are not living according to the new paradigm of Romans 8. Romans 8 is the chapter of “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” which makes us free from the operation and power of “Sin and death” in our flesh. In Romans 8 we are under no condemnation at all.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 (KJV)
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)

Paul’s frustrating and helpless situation presented in Romans 7 is the inevitable experience of a Christian who tries to run his life out of his own resources, independent of “Christ.” We can go back there at any time we choose. But we ought not to live in Romans 7; we are to live in Romans 8. We go back to Romans 7 when and if we leave our per place in Romans 8.

So, the question is where will we live, according to which spirit – do we live according to the Sin spirit in our flesh or the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” in our spirit? I’d rather live in Romans 8. But if I go and pay a visit to Romans 7 again, then my daily experience will be slavery, suffering, frustration and hopelessness. When I stop walking by the Spirit, and begin to walk by my own self effort, I am back in Romans 7 again. This is why Paul makes these statements to the Galatians.

Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk in [live by] the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are NOT under law.

Galatians 5:25 Since we live [have life] by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 

How can this all be viewed if we are to live this out as we ought in the world today? With regard to the former dominion of Sin over us, we can consider that we have had a change of employers. Most of us have changed jobs in our careers, so we can relate to this truth in this way. We formerly were employed by Sin. Sin had me employed to do whatever Sin, as my manager, desired for me to do. We then were powerless toward righteousness. We also were egocentric in our thoughtswhat I want, what I think, and what I feel. Having the indwelling “Spirit of life in Christ” as our new life we have the self-giving nature of the Godhead. We’ve gone from being self-getters to be self-givers.

Now we know and believe that we “died to Sin,” ceasing being employed with that former boss who was there overseeing us. Now we have a new superior serving “the body of Christ.”  We may still get memos in our shot into mind from the “sinful flesh” but we can consign them to the trash. Paul said we can cast down those imaginations that exalt themselves against my new found knowledge of the truth of God. I AM FREE from Sin’s authority in my life. Instead of being paid with pain, hurt and shame, I am now rewarded with the enjoyment of “the riches of Christ” as I simply trust and walk in union with Him.

This then is how we are to view the impulses and temptations of the flesh. We are not responsible to reply to such memos or messages from the flesh – they don’t apply to us any longer. We have a new relationship with Christ as our innermost life, as our inward guide as our source for living. Christ manages us from within, not by a written code of Law, but by the “Law of the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:1). We also have the innermost sense of His indwelling “life.” He is faithful to alert me when I may be about to go wrong. If I fail, He still loves me, for His grace is ever-present. With there now being “no more condemnation.”

At one time we served Sin by constraint, unwillingly, contrary to our knowledge of what is right. Now we serve the Lord willingly, being constrained by the bands of His love. Consider this example and illustration;

Exodus 21:5-6 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

No doubt this above is that to which Paul refers when he writes 1Cor 7:20-24 and 2Cor 5:14-15. A Hebrew man in the Old Testament may have bought and kept a servant (slave) to serve him. A bought slave had to serve the master for six years. In the seventh year, the slave could go free. However, if the slave said he loved his master and preferred to not go out free, the master would bring him to the judges and to the doorpost, where they would bore his ear through with an awl (a piercing tool). Then the slave would willingly serve his good master forever.

Now that I am aware of my place as being utterly dependent upon Him, I stay close to Him; I abide in union with Him – I believe in Him. “Believe” from the Greek means, “trust in, cling to and rely upon.” That is what I do. That is my only work.

John 6:29 Jesus answered …This is the work of God, that ye Believe On Him Whom He [The Father] Hath Sent.

Day by day now, I am learning this new way of living. I’m free from the old paradigm of trying to serve God by self-effort, under condemnation, and of trying to earn His love. Now I know He loves me unconditionally, so I just love Him who is as my new hu