Fundamental Studies for "Y*oung CKristians
The Spiritual Man: His State: (1) A State of Imperfection.
having its source in “ Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 25), Rom. 6:14.
The believer’s standing is perfect his state is imperfect. Legally he is all right; spiritually he is yet wrong. a. Saints sin. John, addressing fellow believers, wrote: “ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,” 1 John 1:7-9. b, They have two Natures: A Puritan saint said, “ In every new man there are two men.” There are “ the old man” and "the new man.” We are to be "stripping off” the one and "putting on” the other, Eph. 4:22, 24. The “ flesh” in the believer "strives against the Spirit,” Gal. 5:17, A. R. V. Paul describes the conflict and its “ warring” elements in the seventh of Romans, and finds in himself: Two Laws— A Law of Sin, v. 23. A Law of the Members^ v. 23. These principles are “ warring” for supremacy. This sense of sin in the saint is not a sign that he is not such. "It is no more I . . . but sin that dwelleth” (v. 2 0 ) ; “ I myself serve the law of God” (v. 25) while I am in a life and death conflict to eject the hated ten ant, and victory is certain, A Law of God, vs. 22, 25. A Law of the Mind, v. 23.
(3) Sanctification Spiritual. a. Its Nature.
(2) A State of Conflict.
Sanctification in a second, but not a secondardy, sense is spir itual, not formal; inward, not outward; a quality, not a po sition. It is not that we be. saints but that we be saintly. It is not that we be mere ves sels “ for the Master’s use” but meet vessels for the Mas ter’s use. b. Its Author. Like every grace, it is of God. The saint’s part is to yield; God’s part to mould. “ We are His workmanship;” “ it is God that worketh in us,” Phil. 2:13; He will complete it, Phil. 1:6; Eph. 5:27; Jude 24, 25. c. Its Instruments. (a) The Spirit, Rom. 8:2-4; Gal. 5:22-25. (b) The Word, Ps. 119:9, 1 1 ; John 17:17; Acts 20:32. (c) Prayer, Eph. 6:18-20. (d) Faith, Acts 15:9. (e) The Hope, 1 John 3:3; Titus 2:11-14. (f) Obedience, Luke 17:14; Mark 16:15. T. C. H. Jjg Love One Another Twelve times, the number of aposto lic ministry, are the words, “ Love one another,” given us in the New Testa ment.
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