In other words, those who believe in Jesus, repented of their sins, confessed that He is the Lord and that we're separated from God because of sin, baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and now living for Jesus, they are "dead to themselves". We shouldn't live for self anymore. It's not what "we" want but what "God" desires. It is a "sin" to do what SIN wants you to do. It is the opposite of the Great Commandment:
"And He said to him, " `YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' "The second is like it, `YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' " Matthew 22:37-39 (nas)
Jesus gave this Great Commandment. Hey! Come on, man! Here Da man, Jesus! It's a commandment; a command for us believers to follow. Now, the first is, Love the Lord by worshipping Him! "`YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Matthew 4:10 (nas)
And the second, probably the most difficult for everyone to follow, as commanded by the Lord Jesus, Love Your Neighbor AS YOURSELF! Beautiful, huh? It doesn't matter if someone you know is annoying, intimidating, rash, rude, self-seeking, backstabber, and the list goes on again! But we end up questioning God, ""And who is my neighbor?" Luke 10:29 (nas) In Luke 10, a lawyer, apparently a Jew, asked Jesus this question after hearing Jesus give them the two greatest commandments. Jesus told a story about a man being beaten by robbers and left on the road to die. He used three different men with different backgrounds: a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. Both the priest and Levite (Jews) did not help but passed this dying man except for the Samaritan. Remember, the Jews hated the Samaritans but Jesus is using this to pinpoint who they (Jews) are to love, even their neighbors (the Samaritans in the north)!
Remember you are "dead to self". You're not, "you" anymore but Christ is in you (Galatians 2:20)! If Christ is in you, you're seeing people through the "lens of Christ". Would Christ belittle others? Would He gossip against others? Would He try to ruin the reputation of others? "Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude." Ephesians 4:31 (cev) Because "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." Romans 8:8 (niv) You cannot please God this way. You're not only hurting yourselves but you're hurting the church (believers) by talking, thinking, or acting this way! So what do we do? Well, if you've been a Christian for a long time, you need to realize you're going through this "elementary teachings all over again.." and that you're still stuck on milk. Open your hearts, people! Taste that the Lord is good, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,.." 1 Peter 2:2 (niv) Grow further from this evil behavior! See, even though, you're dead to self, let the Spirit of God grow up in you! So stop sinning profusely, whether always been bitter, or self-seeking, or backstabbing, or gossipping, or being negative, we need understand one thing:
"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.." Romans 6:6 (niv)
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;.." Ephesians 4:22 (niv)
Don't be what you had been before you gave your life to the Lord in baptism and buried your old live in His death! If you're the same "ole person" before Christ came into your life, it is like you "unearthed your old life, attitude, personality traits" from the grave and buried Christ away! You have exchanged eternity for separation (death), again! That's uncalled for! It is like going back to the grave of those you know and taking whomever out of the coffin which is full of death and dead bones. No! We are a new creation! We are a new person of God whom have been clothed in Jesus "..and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:24 (niv) "..and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 3:10 (niv) You're created to be like God with three things:
1. True Righteousness (toward people)
2. True Holiness (toward God)
3. Renewal of Knowledge - with emphasis - IN THE IMAGE OF ITS CREATOR!
Those who have put off the old man have put it off with its deeds; and those who have put on the new man must put on all its deeds (James 2) --not only to have good principles but act them in a good conversation (talking about great things of God, positive things, encouraging things). The new man is said to be "renewed in knowledge", ..because an ignorant soul cannot be a good soul.. Without knowledge the heart cannot be good because the person is "alive to self" (self-seeking, sinning), Proverbs 19:2.
Jesus told His disciples that if He doesn't die on the cross, He will remain as only one seed. But if He dies, He spread the good news throughout the world, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24 (niv) In other words, if you remain as you are "alive to self", the world will not see God in you. But if you are "dead to self" giving up all of your old practices and self, then the world will see the light in you, prayerfully, will become curious in how you came to be "dead to self" then eventually will "die to themselves" as well!
But that's up to all of you, believers. Is "The Dead Self" in you? Is Christ, who is alive, in you, today!?
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