No frills here. Let’s get straight to the point…where the rubber meets the road.
The subject of death to self is often misunderstood by many and there is no easy way to express this topic. In this modern era of religion some have turned the actual "crucifixion of self" into a gradual process that is never received in this life. What a sad tragedy and so very harmful to a life of victory in Jesus! So often scriptures are wrenched (out of context) using terms such as dying daily, or the outward man perishing day by day as the inward man is renewed. This misconception has caused many people to fail God and has caused many people to fail to understand what "death to self" according to the Bible actually is.
Death to self is really living in Jesus without hindrance from the inner conflict caused from the old man. Without Jesus man cannot "die" to this old man anyway. Only intervention from God Almighty gives the believer in Christ a yearning or desire to experience what "crucifixion to old man" really is. Death to self actually occurs like Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ". I am… is an actual present tense experience of getting rid of the Old man completely. Sinful men get forgiven in regeneration… but the old self still exists. Children of God recognize more is needed because the Holy Spirit shows this believer in Christ that “death to self” is needed. Crucifixion of self is revealed by the Spirit of God. When crucifixion of self is realized by the believer…it can actually occur and/or be experienced.
Self relates directly to what the Bibles terms as the flesh. Flesh is a physical Biblical expression of being controlled by the Adamic nature. Flesh as told in the Bible is an enmity against God so get that clear in your thinking. The flesh has led more people to Hell than the Devil himself. As a matter of fact if the Devil knows that self rules you… he doesn't have to bother with getting your attention. You are doomed anyway and most likely Hell bound. You can't really live happy in Christ if self is dictating you. You've got a war on the inside and a struggle on the outside. You're miserable. What kind of life is this? Not victory in Jesus. You are not an over-comer.
Death to self is when the old life is gone. Death to self is when you don't show the old life anymore. The Holy Spirit convicts a sinner… but reveals crucifixion of self to a believer after regeneration. Another glimpse of Calvary comes to the believer. Not a glimpse of Calvary to bring the new birth but a glimpse of Calvary to bring a death to the Old man. Death to the old can come; “at one stroke” if you get rid of this mindset that death is not a gradual process. Get process out of your mind. Crucifixion is an actual death. The self life is over, gone, not shown anymore!
Terms such as planting or burying the old life simply means, “It’s gone” and “not shown anymore”. On the other hand…Sinning religion caused from self is actually, “Hell on Earth”. What a life of misery! Back and forth, in and out of relationship with Christ, up and down, to and fro in sin and out…like the waves of a raging sea. Is this what you call living, or happiness, or joy in the Spirit of Christ? Who are you kidding? Joy can become “full” only when you die to self. Real living… is death to the Old man and not only his deeds but also his existence.
The object of sinful man is finding personal forgiveness of sins through faith alone in the sacrifice of Christ.
The object of a believer "after" Salvation and forgiveness of sins is found... is death to self (or what the Bible terms as the Old Man).
Without death to the old self you will never find real life in Christ. If you don’t think crucifixion of self can be experienced in this life, “It won’t be”. If you do believe that self can die or be put off…The Spirit of God will come upon you and destroy that existing body of sin per Romans 6:6. The Holy Spirit takes your life over completely in sanctification. Crucifixion of self is the path to being sanctified completely in this life. What is sanctification? It’s simply getting rid of self completely, in this life by the Indwelling Spirit that comes through baptism. Where sin and self used to dwell…now is taken over by a baptism with the Indwelling Spirit. Now, you’re totally given! Now you’re totally filled! Now there’s no more self! Now, you’re empty of self! Now, you’re filled with the Spirit! Look at Pentecost you will see what happened to the Apostles. Their hearts and lives were revolutionized by the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. John the Baptist spoke of such in Mat. 3. Malachi spoke of such in the third chapter. Ezekiel spoke of such in chapter 36. It’s what God said in the Bible!
This is not a human concept. This is not an ideal conjured up by Rick Roehm. This is not an opinion. Simply put, “its truth from the Holy Scriptures”. Sometimes truth can be painful because it cuts to the chase. Don’t take my word on it. Find out what death to self really is in the Bible. Then you will find out what living in Jesus really is. Regeneration, crucifixion of self, and sanctification are 3 distinct acts that are actually experienced in this life. They all take the child of God into, “Heaven on Earth”. The heart is prepared and always ready for physical death or the Rapture. Clean and purified. Rid of sin. Rid of self. No more double mindedness. Single minded. Christ centered. Happy! Blessed and sold out to Jesus. Then you will be just like this writer where people will say, “Here comes Rick Roehm again. All he wants to do is talk about Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. They’re right!”
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