NOTE (1/12/18): We’re all learning and growing.  Some of the stuff I’ve written in these old posts may no longer be exactly what I believe or think, or at least may not be articulated the way I’d do it nowadays.  I preserve them in an attempt it to be transparent about my journey, and in the hopes that readers may still glean some insight from the core ideas found here.  Thanks for journeying with me!

Sorry for the cliche title, but don’t worry – it won’t be what you think it is.

Over the past year I’ve been learning a lot about the implications of this thing that Paul wrote to a church back in the day in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation – the old has gone, the new has come!” I want to get to talking about what’s going on here and why, but I want to put this up first for those of you who have been church-goers all their lives. Because, to be honest, a lot of what churches has taught us about who we are and who God is, isn’t Biblical. It’s actually kind of scary. I’ve even found songs by Christian bands out there that I can’t listen to anymore because stuff in them isn’t true.  And if we don’t understand the truth about ourselves and God, it’s going to be a huge struggle to do anything for Him, because at the root, we are human beings – not human doings.

I don’t know where to begin, actually. There’s a lot of good news to share! But let’s begin.

Jesus, in His inaugural speech, said this: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” He knew who He was.  He knew what he was made to do. Some people thought he was arrogant for talking like this – “Haven’t we, like, known this guy all his life?”  But being misunderstood didn’t stop him from rocking the face of the planet.

Here’s the trip: as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).  That’s a big deal.

Listen – there’s a lot of false humility going around. We somehow think that the more we talk about how unworthy we are against how worthy God is, it makes us more spiritual. The truth is – humility is putting what God says about us above what we think about us. And here’s what God says about you, if you have made him Lord of your life:

You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). You define God’s righteousness!

You have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

You have been chosen to stand holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 1:4)

You are dead to sin (Romans 6:11). It says “count yourself dead to sin”, and if you look up what count means, it means to take into account a fact.

Your sinful nature with it’s passions and desires are crucified (Galatians 5:24)!

That’s just a small sampling.  I’ve read these verses many times before, but to really understand the implications of them is something quite different.  So I have gotten together some videos and links that have helped me to get this – to understand how amazing God has made us. Realize how important this is, because as someone thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 3:27).  If you think you’re a load of junk, you’ll act like it. And God didn’t make junk. He made people who are like Himself. So whenever someone insults a painting, they insult the artist as well. So let us truly understand who we are – not in arrogance but in truth!

Here’s Kris again, and Bill Johnson sharing on these subjects about dealing with our old selves, which so much of the body of Christ thinks is still alive and that they are fighting with.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFk-HxAj2LE&w=480&h=385]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUybZblmxLc&w=640&h=385]

A big question, then is this – “Okay, so if I am dead to sin…why am I still struggling with it?”

Romans 12 says we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind. This means that we have to realize what is in our new creation selves, and what isn’t! As long as we think that our new natures are still capable of thinking bad thoughts and doing bad things, we are powerless to stop them. The devil’s tactics are smoke and mirrors.  A false reality. He doesn’t want you to realize who you are. Because when you realize it, you will be able to recognize when the devil is trying to get you to agree with him, and you will shut him down.  He will try to make you think that you still like dirty movies or dissing people or whatever, but you will say, “DENIED!”  See – not everything that comes into your mind is your thoughts.  The devil can say things, but is only empowered by your agreeing with him, just like he had no power in the Garden of Eden until our ancient grandparents listened to him.

So what I’m saying is, if you’re tempted to sin, realize it’s not you, because the new you likes to please God.  Just say to the devil, “I know it’s you.  And you ain’t talking to me no more!” Realizing it’s not us sure will get rid of a lot of guilt and shame, and the thoughts will leave.  See, God’s plan for us isn’t for us to just not sin – He wants you to change the world through Him.  When we are thinking in terms of what we can do rather than what we’re not supposed to do…life is amazing!

Okay, hope that made sense.  I know it was somewhat disjointed and I didn’t cover every angle of it, but I figure if you want to know more you will ask.  Perhaps post questions on the comment form underneath – you might be wondering the same thing that a lot of other people are as well!  So yeah – take this to God and rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) – means weigh these words against what the Bible’s message says as a whole. Find out what was in Jesus’ life and what wasn’t – since Jesus is perfect theology.

One more thing – I got a set of declarations about the truth of who we are according to Scriptures that I declared over myself every morning for a month, and it really helped renew my mind.  You can find them here.  Check them out!  Bam!

That’s all for now.  I got to play beach vball yesterday for 3 hours by the ocean…wish the Sr Guys vball team was there!  Alrighty, till next time. Live it real.