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Proverbs of a 40 yr. old man
The circumcision of the old nature. When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision, the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So, you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Amen. I have a young cat that is struggling with the flesh. I haven't yet spayed or nurtured the cat which I will be soon. But it groans and meows trying to fulfill that urge of the flesh. We have that same problem with our sinful nature, we are no different from the animals with these fleshly desires. And it more than just the sensual flesh, it's the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes. Without the Spirit of God we would and His mercy we would be like beasts of the fields. Look at King Nebuchadnezzar one of the greatest kings to ever live, but because of his pride God humbled him in this way: That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws. Dan. 4:34. In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.” As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. For people and animals share the same fate, both breathe, and both must die. So, people have no real advantage over the animals. There are many false teachers that are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Understand this as a new creation in Christ: You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Don't live from that fleshly urge to please yourself, please God with your renewed heart and spirit of obedience. We have the Spirit of Christ Jesus living in us so that we can please God and not our corrupted physical body of flesh we live in. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Through the power of the Cross Jesus can cut away our old nature and give us His Perfect life to live from for all eternity. He will put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Sin is no longer our master, for we no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, we live under the freedom of God’s grace. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. But those will live by the flesh and practice wickedness, teaching others to do so as well. Because of these sins, the anger and wrath of God is coming.
Study Eph. 4:22
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