The Scandal of the Gospel
In my last blog, I unpacked the scandal of the gospel:
By Christ’s championship alone, we are already like Christ, one with Him, without a sin nature, complete and poised to partake of His divine nature. *If you have not read my previous blog, I encourage you to do that first before you continue reading on.
Wow! No wonder the gospel is the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that rocked the religious world and still rocks it today!
Nature or Identity Crisis?
So, you may ask, “If I am just like Jesus and don’t have a sin nature, why I am still sinning?”
I broached this last time. What we struggle with are the mindsets, programs, strongholds, and habits that are part of a predilection to sin, but not a nature. The sinful nature was done away with on the cross, but we were born into a fallen world with something called the “deeds of the flesh” (Romans 7:17, 19; Romans 8:13). This is where we do what we don’t want to do and do not do what we want to do. It is the state where we do not know who we really are, and do not understand what was really done on the cross for us with Christ identifying as us.
Our problem is an identity and mindset problem – not a nature problem.
This is good news because we can overcome identity issues and mindsets, whereas we cannot overcome a nature!
Transformed Transformers
The word says to be transformed or transfigured (Greek: metamorphoō), yes really, by the renewing (Greek: anakainōsis)of your mind. The word renewing means to renew or renovate. This means the old, fallen mindsets or programs need to be scrapped and replaced with new mindsets and programs in line with the mind of Christ.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2, NASB)
Getting in Right Relation with the True You!
If you relate to yourself as a fallen being, you will act out of that false identity! As a man thinks in his heart so is he. (Proverbs 27:3)
Ephesians 4:22-23 gives a two-step solution.
Firstl, lay aside (or make a decision) to quit relating to yourself in a deceitful (delusional) way! The old fallen sinful self is a false self!
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Second, put on the true new self which looks just like God (imagine that)!
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (NASB)
The Greek for “put on” is the word, “endyō” – oh I can’t wait to share this with you! It literally means, “to sink into, put on, clothe oneself”. The reality of who you are is the likeness of God: “As He is so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).
So, what do you do?
You “sink into” the reality of who you are, (just like Christ), just like you would sink into a robe that is comfortable and fits you perfectly!
Prophetically, garments always refer to identity. This is why you are clothed with a robe of righteousness, because you have been made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 61:10)! It is simply who you are right now because of the championship of Christ alone!
You are now working the salvation from the inside–out that is already complete on the inside of you (Philippians 2:12). You are chock full of Christ’s glory (Colossians 1:27). YOU are being unveiled, revealed or “manifested” as a son or daughter of God!
Manifestation of the Sons and Daughters of God
Romans 8:19-22 (NASB) says
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Your unveiling is so pivotal that creation literally groans for it!
And this is where we will pick up on our next blog!
When do you start to love yourself when you hate yourself and can’t love yourself or anything about yourself.i hear the holy Spirit say it will take time bc you’re not forgiving yourself or others.but he’s say I know you don’t want to hear this right now but you are love by me your mentor and others.just take it baby steps and I believe with my helped when you’re ready and by your mentor helped you will in time learn to love yourself but it’s understandable why you think this he’s trying not to gave up bc I know where you’re at now and it concerns me.
You learn to love yourself babystep by babystep. Yes this will ultimately require you forgiving yourself – but that is also babystep by babystep when you are ready. God does not “try to give up”. Because He is Love He never gives up. I am not sure what you mean by “I know where you’re at now and it concerns me”.