ICS Daily Devotions
A New Creation in Christ
Romans 6:18-19 (NKJV) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness
Before we received Christ into our lives, we used to have a sin nature thus were slaves to sin. Our master was the devil who influenced our minds, our thinking, our principles and attitudes. We allowed bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, malice, envy, strife and divisions to rule our lives hence the result was a chaotic life. We lived carnal lives that wanted to be independent of God as evidenced by adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions and heresies. We presented ourselves to be slaves of impurity and disorder.
The moment we believe in God with our hearts, we are delivered from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light and we are no longer slaves to sin because Jesus has made us new creations in His image. God liberated the spirit of man from sin by making him into a new creation. Whenever we are tempted to sin or to make a choice, the Holy Spirit will prompt us and show us the right direction. When we make the correct decision, then we walk in holiness and righteousness. We are able to make the right choice because we have become the slaves of righteousness and have a different nature than before. Our minds are renewed.
Ephesians 4:23 -24 (NKJV) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
We should be walking in a completely different lifestyle after we have accepted Christ in our lives. We need to be conscious of the righteousness and the holiness that we have in Christ and walk out the daily life of holiness through the help of the Holy Spirit. Our spirit is created in true righteousness and holiness because of our position in Christ. The Word instructs us to walk in the Spirit so that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. We should not allow the devil to control our lives, the Bible says in James 4:7 (NKJV) Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Who does the resisting? We do!
We are able to bear the fruit of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control because we have crucified our passions and desires of the flesh on the Cross. We are a new creation with a renewed mind in Christ!
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Sermon Series: Holiness
