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Tuesday, December
30, 2008
The Grateful Dead
John 12:24-26 Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone:
but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life
shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto
life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am,
there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
honour. (KJV)
As we talked yesterday about the seed, a
spiritual seed that takes living Spiritual waters to allow it to grow, something
that has to take place first in order for that process to begin. If one
chooses the things of this life, then like verse 24 says, they abide alone
walking a path the Lord is not asking them to walk. However, if one is
willing to die to self and their own desires, that is when they will find a
new life in Christ, one no longer influenced by their lower natures and its
desires. Our Lord set the example for us to follow, first by dying on a
cross, then resurrecting, now seated at the right hand of the Father. The
Lord is basically asking us to do the same things as well; die to self and
our own desires, resurrect, and to be seated in a heavenly place with
Christ, setting our affection on those things which are above.
Romans 6:3-6 Know ye not, that so many of
us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection: (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. (KJV)
Again, many are called but few are chosen
and used by God, because few are really willing to lay down their lives in
order to find a new life that is in Christ. While many will tell you of a
baptism involving a carnal ritual, those that truly know the truth and what
it takes to walk in the Spirit know that the true Spiritual baptism Paul is
referring to is a way of life, which begins with a death. Like a seed, we
have been planted in the likeness of His death which was by crucifixion,
the likeness of which we are instructed as followers of Christ to crucify
our own affections and desires. It is then, that just like with Christ, a
new man is resurrected walking a path which is by faith and no longer by
sight or any other outward sense. This is the true baptism our Lord desired
to see His people baptized and immersed in, something designed for new life
to the believer by overcoming and dying to our old nature.
Romans 6:7-9 For he that is dead is freed
from sin. (8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also
live with him: (9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no
more; death hath no more dominion over him. (KJV)
To our own understanding it sounds
contradictory; in order to live I have to die. Verse 8 is quite specific in
the fact that, now if I be dead with Him then I am able to live with Him.
It is when you get out of the way that the Lord can have His way; and that
seed within you which is Christ, the Word of God, can take root and grow.
Death has no more dominion to those in Christ, no longer letting ourselves become
separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (KJV)
The only way you will be able to walk in
the Spirit is by becoming dead to the things of this life and its contrary
influences that it can have on a believer if they continue entertaining
their old lusts. That law of sin and death is spiritual, thus why it takes
a new law of faith to overcome it and be set free. How free are you really;
you know, like when the Lord tries to speak with you and you don’t have
peace when you continue to go down a path the Lord is not asking you to go down
knowing the peace of God is no longer going with you? The more you train
your Spiritual senses to discern both good and evil, the more you will
abide in the peace of God and will not fall back under arrest of the old
law of sin and death.
John 15:4-8 Abide in me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no
more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast
forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into
the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (8) Herein
is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples. (KJV)
Very similar to what we started out with;
unless that seed die, it will abide alone. However, once that seed dies it
is able to bring forth and bear the fruit of the Spirit, now walking with
our Lord and staying in good standing with Him. Do you know where you stand
today and what realm you are really abiding in the most? You wonder why you
don’t have peace, and where did all that fear come from? Most likely it is
a result of you hanging onto things the Lord asked you to let go of; the
things of the flesh that you think will bring you peace will actually draw
you farther away from the path of life. Again, we see that being baptized
into Christ is not some silly ritual from the old law, but rather it has to
be a new way of life if you truly desire to abide and stay in good standing
with the Lord.
Galatians 2:20-21 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. (21) I do not frustrate the grace of
God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (KJV)
I am crucified with Christ; a continual
process that Paul found kept him in good standing with God, a true baptism
that is a way of life and not some dead ritual. Your new life with Christ
needs to be one of faith, hearing the Lord for what He is asking of you
personally and then following through in deed as well. You can go play your
little church games with the many who are still trying to find life in an
old law that was done away, or you can be one of the few who are willing to
hate their own lives because they have found something so much better in
the realm of the Spirit. For myself I have found that pleasing the Lord is
the only thing worth dying for, which the more I let go of this life the
more I am able to partake of the new life. We can truly consider ourselves
the grateful dead.
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