01.03. Chapter III - THE OLD NATURE AND VICTORY OVER IT
Chapter III - THE OLD NATURE AND VICTORY OVER IT Discovery of a sinful nature In the happy enjoyment of the new nature with its desires Godward, the young Christian is soon disturbed by the discovery of evil still present in his heart. In spite of love for the Lord and desires to please Him, the young convert finds that evil desires are also in his heart and mind. This is a disappointing but true discovery which every Christian has to make for it is verily true that the evil nature which we were born into the world with still remains in the Christian after being born again of the Spirit of God.
Experience of Romans 7:1-25 In reading Romans 7:1-25 we find that our experience of the discovery of evil within us is somewhat like that described in this chapter where the personal experience of what the flesh in the renewed man is under law is delineated, "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Romans 7:21-23). The converted person thus discovers that he has two natures, the new nature of the inward man and the evil nature of sin. One is human and polluted, the other is from God and holy and sinless.
One also learns that when one does what the new man hates, "it is no more I [the converted person] that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (Romans 7:17). The sinful nature that still dwells in the believer is the source of all the evil thoughts, feelings, passions and actions which the new nature hates.
Furthermore, the believer experiences that his evil nature is not any better since he was saved than it was before salvation and that it cannot be improved upon or changed. "The carnal [fleshly] mind, is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). We have to learn the lesson of Romans 7:18 "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing." This is a hard lesson to learn, but it must be learned if one would have settled peace about the old nature and have vic tory over it.
Crucified with Christ In Romans 6:6 we read: "Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with (him), that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin" (New Trans.). Here is something vital which God would have us know, that "our old man has been crucified" with Christ. The term "the old man", found but three times in Scripture, expresses what the believer was in his past state as a responsible sinner - "the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts" (Ephesians 4:22). This state has been met and judged in the death of Christ upon the cross. Christ has so fully accomplished deliverance for the believer that the believer can identify himself by faith with Him on the cross and see in His death his own death as a responsible sinner before God. Thus we can say with the apostle Paul, "I am crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). By faith we can look back to the cross and say, "Our old man has been crucified with Christ". This gives rest of heart and a true sense of power against sin. "Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:9-10). This is an accomplished fact for the Christian and as we realize this by faith the practical result will be "that the body of sin [indwelling sin] might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin" (Romans 6:6). Power to overcome indwelling sin is by believing these truths of the death of the old man and the existence of the new man before God. Because God says, "ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3), the believer mortifies, that is, he puts to death practically, everything that is inconsistent with the death of Christ (Colossians 3:5).
"God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). In the Person of Christ, our substitute on the cross, God condemned sin in our flesh, our sinful nature, and judged it there once and for all. He not only died for our sins, but for that root principle of evil in us, sin in the flesh, and has "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26). The condemnation of sin in the flesh by the just judgment of God is the doing away with it before God by Christ’s sacrifice. This act is effective for everyone that believes in Jesus who accomplished it.
Thus we are not to try to improve, eradicate or "burn out" the old nature of sin within us as some would teach. We should accept God’s condemnation and judgment of sin in the flesh in the cross of Christ and rejoice that it too has been put out of His sight. He does not forgive sin in the flesh, though He forgives our sins, but has judged and condemned it. A New Standing In the cross of Christ our old standing before God as children of Adam’s lost race came to an end. There we died under the judgment of God executed upon Christ our substitute. As believers in the Savior who died for us, we are now associated with the risen and glorified Christ and have a new position before God in Him. God no longer sees us as standing before Him in our sinful nature. He no longer sees us in connection with the condemned life of the first Adam, but in the risen life of Christ the last Adam. He is not looking at our sinful nature which the young convert is some times occupied with and so distressed about. God sees the believer IN CHRIST, "accepted in the beloved" and "complete in Him" (Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 2:10). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). This is the Christian’s new standing before God and the realization of this is a great comfort to one troubled by the discovery of his sinful nature and occupation with it. Knowing that God is done with our old man and does not see us as such anymore, helps us to be done with the old nature too and not to be further occupied with it.
Reckon Yourselves Dead unto Sin
Knowing that God reckons our old man as dead with Christ, we are told: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Our Lord" (Romans 6:11). We are to reckon like God does, owning that we have died with Christ and are risen with Him and thus dead to sin.
Though our old nature is still very much alive with in us, we should refuse to listen to it or obey it when it would make its voice heard, making us to think this or that or telling us to do what would be displeasing to God. We must treat it as a dead person that has no right to live or be listened to. It must be kept in the place of death and we must ever remember God’s death sentence upon it. This is the way to practically reckon ourselves dead unto sin and alive unto God.
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Romans 6:12). Though sin still dwells in us, we are not to let it reign in us or rule there. We should not obey it in its lusts.
Yield Yourselves unto God
"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God" (Romans 6:13). Here is the third point of vital instruction from Romans 6:1-23 - yield your members unto God as servants to righteousness. Once, we were the servants of sin, but now we are made free from the bondage of sin by our Savior and therefore should yield ourselves to Him and serve righteousness. We need to recognize the Lord’s claims upon us and realize that we are His and should serve Him. The apostle tells us: "ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). As one yields oneself to the Lord and serves Him, one, while doing so, escapes temptation to serve the flesh, for one cannot do two different things at the same time, that is, serve the Lord and the flesh too. Therefore it is good for the believer to do something for the Lord and get his heart occupied with Him and His things. In doing so he is yielding his members as instruments of righteousness unto God and will find himself above the power of the evil nature.
Power in the Holy Spirit The power to put down the old nature and keep it in the place of death is found through the Holy Spirit, "if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13 New Trans.). We find that we are helpless in ourselves to put down the evil nature within us for it is stronger than the new man. But, by the help of the indwelling Spirit of God, who strengthens us with might (Ephesians 3:16), we are able to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh and keep it under control. This is the secret of victory over the old and sinful nature - victory by the power of the Spirit.
We are exhorted to "Walk in the Spirit [heed the voice of the Spirit and do through His power what He tells us to do], and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). The Holy Spirit in the believer is like a strong man living in a house where there is a bad roomer that must be kept under control. This bad roomer is stronger than the owner of the house and overcomes him, but the strong man helps the owner keep the bad roomer locked up and under control. The bad roomer we may liken to our evil nature. If we let the Holy Spirit have control of our lives, He will keep the old nature down and give us victory so that we do not walk after the flesh hut after the desires of the new nature.
Practice Self-Judgment and Confession
If one has listened to the flesh, yielded to its desires and done evil, the Spirit of God within is grieved, com munion with God is broken and one feels miserable. The Spirit of God is then not free to act for us in putting to death the deeds of the body, but is grieved because we have slighted Him and given way to the flesh. The only way of restoration is to judge ourselves before the Lord and confess to Him our wrong. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (1 Corinthians 11:31). "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un righteousness" (1 John 1:9). Self-judgment and confession should be practiced daily for we will always find something in our hearts and lives to judge before the. Lord. When we judge ourselves we take sides with the Lord against ourselves and against what is displeasing to Him and have the promise that He will forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we do not practice self-judgment, God must chasten and judge us "that we should not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:32).
Maintain a Good Conscience
Connected with self-judgment is the maintenance of a good conscience which is very necessary for victory in the Christian life The apostle Paul said, "herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men" (Acts 24:16). The only way we can have a good conscience before God and man is to walk in the truth and if we have failed in this, self-judgment and confession must be exercised before God and man. "Maintaining faith and a good conscience; which (last) some, having put away, have made shipwreck as to faith" (1 Timothy 1:19 New Trans.). If a believer gives up seeking to maintain a good con science, he will make shipwreck of faith and have a ruined Christian life and testimony.
"If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:20-22). Such is the happy result of a good conscience before God, and the opposite is true, if a believer’s conscience and heart condemn him he must constantly reckon himself dead unto sin, yield himself unto God, walk in the Spirit, and practice self-judgment if he would enjoy a good conscience to ward God and man. Do not Feed the Old Nature
Ere closing this talk, we would remind our readers that, if our old man is crucified with Christ, and our old nature should be kept in the place of death, it follows, then, that we should not feed it, but rather starve it. Romans 13:14 tells us to "make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof." If we heed the cravings of the old nature and feed it with what it likes, we make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust, it is thereby strengthened and becomes strong and will soon reign over us.
We saw in a previous talk that we need to feed the new nature so that it will grow strong and develop. In doing so we will starve the old nature, for what feeds the new nature will starve the old nature, as they each desire different food. As an illustration, we may picture a dog and an eagle chained together. What would feed the dog would starve the eagle and the dog would have the mastery, but if the eagle were fed, the dog would starve and the eagle would become strong and mount up on high, carrying the dog with it, so with ourselves if we feed the old nature or the new nature.
Summary The foregoing subjects which we have discussed in connection with "The Old Nature and Victory Over It" are, we believe, some of the vital and Scriptural essentials for a happy and victorious Christian life. The true Christian life can only be lived and enjoyed as the Christian realizes that the old man has been crucified with Christ and that his sinful nature has been condemned by God at the cross, and as he reckons himself dead unto sin and yields himself unto God and walks in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As taught by the Spirit, the believer realizes his new position of acceptance be fore God and man by walking in the truth and practicing self-judgment and confession in regard to any fail ure therein.