Put On part 3
Tonight I want to link three memory verses together under the umbrella of put on the New Man--which, as I hope we're starting to see, doesn't mean changing into the New Man. It simply means putting on what God has already put on us. Getting comfortable in our new (true) skin, with our new (true) nature. And the only way we'll ever get comfortable being who we really are is by giving ourselves (and each other) grace to learn and grow. Maturity is a process. You have to wear clothes more than once, or wear shoes more than once, before you break them in. Ok. So look at 1 John 3:9 to start, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." That's where I want to start. The New Man CANNOT sin. Because He (yeah, I capitalized that on purpose, Jesus is the New Man, Jesus is our true identity and He gets the capital H) is a believer. And sin is unbelief. So by definition a believer cannot sin, because a believer cannot unbelieve. But what are we believing? The truth of course. The truth that God is love and He loves you. The truth that, "There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). This is so important. So key. Because, unfortunately, a lot of "religious folk" spend everything they've got condemning everything they can find. Including themselves. Especially themselves. But guys, what about grace? You know, mercy? And the best definition I've heard of those two terms goes like this, "Mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don't deserve." You know, like getting a second chance after you've royally screwed up. Because there is no condemnation. Look at our final verse, about the woman caught in adultery. Literally caught red-handed. The religious folk ready to stone her to death. Then this happens--Jesus happens. Jesus tells him who is without sin to throw the first stone. Then He asks the woman where her accusers are. He asks if anyone has condemned her. "She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:11). Do you smell what I'm cooking here? Jesus wasn't telling her she better not sin again. He was empowering her to stop. By NOT condemning her. By letting her know that there is no condemnation for those in Christ. By letting her know that once you believe its impossible for you to unbelieve. You're not destined to sin. That's a myth. You don't have to believe everything you think. You can set your affection on things above. On things like mercy, and grace, and forgiveness, and... love. You can put on all these good things. You can put on the whole armor of God. And you can let the rest of it--even the accusations of others--roll off you like water off a duck's back. You can always be who you are, no matter what's going on around you. The fire in you is always hotter than the fire you're in. You simply have to know and believe that you are who God says you are. Not a sinner, but a saint. His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased!