I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV)
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:10-11 ESV)
"Thus, if you do not see your complete mortification in him, sin will reign in you. No sin can be crucified, either in heart or life, unless it be first pardoned in conscience, because there will be lack of faith to receive the strength of Jesus, by whom alone it can be crucified. If it be not put to death in its guilt, it cannot be subdued in its power. If the believer does not see his perfect deadness to sin in Jesus, he will open a wide door to unbelief. And if he be not persuaded of his completeness in Christ, he gives room for the attacks of self-righteousness and legalism. If Christ be not all in all, self must still be looked upon as something great, and there will be food left for the pride of self-importance and self-sufficiency. So that one cannot grow into the death of Christ in sensible experience, farther than he believes himself to be dead to sin in Christ. The more clearly and steadfastly he believes this, as the apostle did — 'I am crucified with Christ', in proportion will he cling to Christ, and receive from him greater power to crucify sin. This believing view of his absolute mortification in Christ, is the true gospel method of putting sin to death in our own persons."
"If you be not complete in Christ, you can never be complete. Seek for the death of sin where you will, it is not to be found but in his death. Try to conquer it upon any other principle than faith in his death, the very attempt is sinful and proves that you are under the law.
"O fear not, then, to lay the whole weight of your salvation upon Jesus."
~ William Romaine (1710-1795) from The Triumph of Faith, modernized.
Image credit above: Nigel Jones, photograph of tomb effigy of knight from the Crusades, located in Haccombe St Blaise church.
Comments