Short Teaching · Gospel for Life

D1: God’s Transformation of Man

~9 min read

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Saturday, September 27, 2014

D1: God’s Transformation of Man

Miscellaneous Scriptures

I. THE UNREGENERATE MAN (Unmixed, sinful condition): Who a person is without Christ - “Unrighteous”

Romans 8:5a - I was “according to the esh” = esh = not the tissue which covers your bones and m ﬂ ﬂ It is that which is sinfully weak and falters before God (and loves to be such before God). I was “acc to that” = that sinfully weak and faltering condition before God was my standard I lived by. Romans 8:5b - I set my mind on the things of the esh” = mind = who I am inwardly before God as a thinker, pond ﬂ meditator, etc. I took my thinking self and set it according to the standard of that sinfully weak and faltering esh. Notice my mind and my esh are not in con ict, but rather in agreement.

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Romans 8:6a - My “mind set on the esh” was death = that is a dead condition before God. ﬂ Eph 2:1 “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.”

Romans 8:7a-b - My “mind set on the esh was hostile toward God ﬂ and as such I did “not subject myself to God’s law.” In that condition I was only a hostile rebel b who was sinfully weak, Romans 8:7c - “I was not even able to do so (subject myself to God’s law)”. In condition I had no built in equipping to do God’s bidding.

Romans 8:8 - That person, that condition is called “in the esh,”

ﬂ 8:8, and as such a person that one cannot please God. So putting a change of environment before that condition will not help; new rules will n help, new friends will not help; church will not help; etc. All of them worthless because none of thos address the condition and are powerless as long as that one stays in that condition.

Summary: That is an unmixed condition (in death, hostility, rebellion, inability, cannot please God) - unmixed in regards to death - no trace of life. Unmixed in regard to hostility toward God - no trace honor for God. Unmixed in rebellion - no trace of obedience. Unmixed in that there is no disagreem between the esh, mind, will, heart, the deeds and the equipping. Unmixed in that there is no con i ﬂ ﬂ within, no friction, no disagreement. The NT calls that the “old man.” That is what I was before C

Walk through part of the chart: Eph 2:3 - “ esh and mind” have common/uni ed desires; in agre ﬂ ﬁ with one another; and we indulged in them. . . Eph 4:17-19 - mind, 4:17; understanding, 4:18; heart, 4 whole self given over to sensuality, 4:19. All in agreement. No friction; disagreement. Phil 3:18-19 - “appetite/belly,” 3:19; “glory,” 3:19; “minds,” 3:19. All in agreement. . .
Walk through Key Descriptions: A condition in which D1 has absolutely no use (like a slug has use fo cellphone.)

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II. THE REGENERATION EVENT: “Declared Righteous”

Walk through this section on the chart: “God’s answer/solution to that condition is: . . . .”

Regeneration is accomplished By God in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel (theological summaries of the gospel. . .). “Declared Righteous”

Regeneration EVENT Components:

New birth, new life, new creation

: Jn 3:3-8; 2 Co 5:17; Ep 2:4-5; Ti 3:4-7.

Positional sanctification (set apart unto God)

: 1 Co 1:2, 30; 6:11.

Justification (declared righteous):

Ro 3:21-25; 5:1, 9; 1 Cor 6:11; Ga 2:16, Ti 3:7.

Imputation (believers credited with God’s righteousness, Jesus credited with believers’ sin) 2 Co 5:21; Ph 3:9.

Adoption: Ro 8;14-17; Ep 1:5; Ga 4:4-7.

Union with Christ

: Ro 6:3-14; Ga 2:20; Ep 2:5-7. Expiation (sin removed):

Jn 1:29; Co 2:14; He 9:26-28.

Propitiation (wrath satisfied):

Ro 3:25; He 2:17; 1 Jn 2:1-2; 4:10.

Redemption (bought with Jesus’ blood):

Ga 3:13; 4:4-5; Ep 1:7; Co 1:13-14; 1 Ti 2:5-6; Ti 2:14. Reconciliation (at peace with God): Ro 5:10-11; 2 Co 5:18-20; Co 1:21-22.

Forgiveness:

Ep 1:7. The “old man” crucified”:

Ga 2:20; Ro 6:6.

Regeneration EVENT Benefits (unchangeable, objective realities, secured by God for the believer at conversion):

Loved by God:

Co 3:12. Indwelt by the HS:

Ro 8:9; 1 Co 6:19.

Indwelt by Christ:

Ga 2:20.

A member of Christ’s body: 1 Co 12:27. Members of one another:

Ro 12:5. Confident access to God:

He 4:16. Under grace:

Ro 5:2, 21; 6:14. Saved from God’s wrath:

Ro 5:9.

Free from condemnation:

Ro 8:1. Unable to be separated from Christ:

Ro 8:35-39.

Peace with God: Ro 5:1. The fruit of the HS:

Ga 5:22-23.

Citizenship in heaven:

Ph 3:20; Ep 2:6-7.

III. THE REGENERATE MAN (Mixed condition - process of progressive renewal): Who a person is in Christ - “Being made r

Jn 3:3-8; Ti 3:4-7; Ep 2:4-5 . Now, back to Rm 8:5b. Who are you in Christ now? We are those who are “according to the Spirit.” We are those “who set their minds according to the Spirit” (standard) Rm 8:6b “Mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” What a contrast to the old man.

Rm 8:9a - “In the Spirit” rather than “in the esh.” Being in the Spirit does not mean that we are not in uenced by the esh, but ﬂ ﬂ ﬂ no longer “in the esh” like we used to be (we are not in an “in the esh” condition anymore)! ﬂ ﬂ Rm 8:9b - “Spirit of Christ dwells in you.” Con ict with the esh and sin!

ﬂ ﬂ Rm 8:10 “Christ in you. . . body dead because of sin. . . spirit is alive because of righteousness” = could not be a clearer description of a mixed cre THAT is the new creation in Christ, not the one in heaven or at the resurrection, Rm 8:11. Rm 8:6b “is life,” 8:10 “spirit is alive.”

So what? Rm 8:12. You are under obligation in this new creature condition to do what? Not to live according to what your sinfully weak esh says, but live according to the Spirit!

ﬂ Rm 8:13 = “Putting to death the deeds of the body” - that is what it means to live today in Christ. That is the foundation you that supports your ght against sin or your ight from sin. Our foundation in Christ is designed ﬁ ﬂ support a radical ght, con ict, friction and supports your ight from sin.

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Walk through this condition on the chart. “The mixed condition of the regenerate man is character by:” AND “The mixed condition of the regenerate man requires:”
Summary: Use the Key Descriptions on the chart. . .

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IV. THE HEAVENLY MAN (Unmixed, sinless condition): Who a person will be with Christ - “Made righteous”

1 Cor 15:50 - I will be in an “imperishable” condition = incapable of being corrupted, of perishing. N of corruption or that which is perishable within.

15:52b, 53a, 54a. 1 Cor 15:53

I will put on a condition marked by “immortality” = no trace of that which can die or taste death.

15:54b. 1 Cor 15:54c-55a - In that condition with Christ “death will be swallowed up in victory” = it will be a condition marked by tot complete victory - victory in particular over death. No trace of anything like a tie with death, no trac close call with death. Only the presence of total victory over death. No trace of death nor death’s victories. 1 Cor 15:55b - No trace of death’s sting. Before death comes, it stings. Before a poisonous o creature kills, it stings - death follows.

1 Cor 15:56a - What is death’s sting? “The sting of death is sin.” In that condition with Christ some will be no trace of sin. Unmixed holiness, purity, righteousness - no trace of sin, nor its stinging e ec ﬀ leads to death.

1 Cor 15:56b - Where does sin get the power to usher in death when it stings? “The pow of sin is the law” = God’s laws, set before the sinner condemn the sinner and that is what gives sin power. That power is one of condemnation for disobedience - that is the power in sin which stings f death. In that condition with Christ, no trace of that power from unful lled, disobeyed law.

ﬁ 1 Cor 15:57 - That condition is one of total and complete victory with Christ, because of Christ.

Summary: That condition with Christ one day will also be an unmixed condition. One that is not mixe with perishable or corruptible qualities. Unmixed life - no trace of death. No trace of death’s forme victories. No trace of the sting of death by sin. No trace of the powerful poison of sin which is disob disregarded law. So, before Christ you were in an absolutely hideous, unmixed condition. Some day Christ you will be in an absolutely glorious unmixed condition. So what are you now in Christ?

Walk through “The heavenly man” part of the chart. . . Including Key Descriptions. . .

OBSERVATIONS (between the 3 conditions and the regeneration event):

Let me make some observations. What you are

today in your union with Christ is NOT the unmixed condition of the old man. That has passed away and can never be your condition again (unmixed in death, hostility toward God, rebellion, unequipped, mind and esh in agreement against God, etc.). ﬂ Union with Christ means you can never go back to that unmixed condition. You are a new creature is di erent than that one.

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But there is something else equally true today. Today you are also not living in that ultimate unmixe condition with Christ (unmixed in that there is no presence of sin at all, no trace of disobedience to t law of God, nothing corruptible about you, nothing perishable about you, etc.). You may today, des be there with all your heart; to face your week in that ultimate condition - but you can’t. Not havin condition available yet is as much the design of God as it is that you can never go back to your old condition. New creature status in Christ now is NOT that ultimate, sinless one you will have then wit Christ.

The old man was not a mixed condition. The ultimate condition you will be will not be a mixed condition. But today, it glori es God that He put you in a mixed condition - one who desires Christ, ﬁ ability to obey, and so much more, but also still sins. That is a NEW condition you never had before that is a better condition than what you were before. And it is not as good as the condition you will some day.

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Clari cation: First the Christian life (the new creation) can be thought of from two di erent, but equa ﬁ ﬀ true vantage points: Your position and your practice. Your position, that you have now before God, is NOT one that is mixed and getting better. Your position before God is perfect, or “righteous.” God declares sinners to be positionally righteous in His sight on the basis of faith. That declared righteousness canno weaken nor improve. But consider your practice or walk with Jesus Christ. It is not perfect, but mixed - Your righteous behavior is always mixed with some degree of unrighteousness. And that is you - pe in position but imperfect in practice. And in that condition you nd yourself with new desires for Jesus ﬁ and obedience to Jesus that you never had before. And you nd that you have equipping, strength ﬁ power from God to obey and do what is right. And in that condition you also nd indwelling sin han ﬁ around. Indwelling sin is no longer the rebel prince commanding you everywhere, but rather it is a r peasant wreaking havoc in the village that is your life. So - all of that: a perfect righteous position before God, new desires from God, new equipping from God to obey, and indwelling sin still lingering all pu together makes you quite a mixed creature. MUCH friction. MUCH con ict within. MUCH disagree ﬂ Again, remember NO friction, con ict, disagreement within the other two conditions.

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V. Conclusion: The discipline of shepherding your heart to God in His Word!

God has saved us into a condition that provides, requires, demands strength and grace for shepherding yo heart (think “key descriptions”).

Why did God do it this way? The ght, the process, the waiting brings glory to Him in a way that going fro

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unmixed condition to the other unmixed condition never could. . . 2 Corinthians 4:7.

What will happen in this new man condition if you do nothing? Accept this sooner than later: Sin requires you do nothing for it to grow within you. Righteousness, holiness of life requires that you labor greatly for growth within.