tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335447839268943304.post3822832291110246585..comments2010-10-02T10:36:02.953+09:00Comments on Neon Cross: Cracking the Code of the WorldJosh Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12921739492225874175noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335447839268943304.post-48130991114035095862010-10-01T04:11:48.857+09:002010-10-01T04:11:48.857+09:00I have to say, I struggle with the notion of leavi...I have to say, I struggle with the notion of leaving the 'old man behind' since it is me and its all I know, besides, behavior is deeply ingrained in us by upbringing, culture etc. What do you make of addiction or men of great faith falling flat in their faces in repetitive sin? <br /><br />thanks for blogging.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335447839268943304.post-70983364869732568012010-09-21T12:44:52.552+09:002010-09-21T12:44:52.552+09:00That is the great question isn’t it? How does he ...That is the great question isn’t it? How does he do it? The answer is, I think, a long one. But a thumbnail sketch looks like this: By faith in Christ we receive a new state and nature in him. This state, which exists by union and fellowship with Christ, is what the scriptures call the new man. This new man is endowed with power, privileges and qualifications that are altogether absent in man apart from Christ. He is the man who lives in and through the fullness of Christ. <br /><br />The Christian life is all about (to put it in biblical language) putting off and dying to the old man (the man who is spiritually dead, corrupt and beholden to the law) and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, in all of his fullness. It is learning to die to the killing letter of the law and learning to live and walk and work according to gospel principles and the Spirit of Christ in us. It involves partaking, by faith, in all of the powers and benefits that come from union with Christ. It entails learning to live and move through life wholly in this way. We often get confused because we think that dying to the old man simply means “stop doing bad things and start doing good things.” But this is not it at all. If anything it’s this thought that keeps the boot of the old man on our neck. <br /><br />There is a sense in which our union with Christ, even in this life, is perfect and complete. We are one Spirit and one flesh with him. However, there is another sense in which, experientially, our enjoyment of Christ is imperfect. This is in part true because the faith, by which we partake of and appropriate the saving benefits of Christ, is mixed with much unbelief in this world. The warring between the Spirit and flesh, the new man and the old man is why we feel such terrific tension in this life.<br /><br />So, you’re right. We will not know experientially the perfect fullness of Christ in this life. Here we know it by faith, and live and move according to faith. In the age to come we will know the all-surpassing fullness perfectly by sight.<br /><br />There is so much more that must be said on these things and I hope to explore them in great depth in future posts. I really think that one of the great problems is that we say things like “walking by the spirit,” “living by faith” etc. without having the least idea what those things really and truly mean. But I think that there are solid biblical answers. So, keep asking great questions and maybe we can find some great answers together.Josh Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12921739492225874175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8335447839268943304.post-15031508521224988462010-09-20T13:07:09.041+09:002010-09-20T13:07:09.041+09:00Josh, I agree when you say fullness is what God gi...Josh, I agree when you say fullness is what God gives (i am paraphrasing here) but how does he do it is my question. What becomes of the desires misdirected or of the evil hearts?? Do we ever, Christ and us, come to complete unison apart from in Heaven?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com