1 Peter 2:1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
The name of Jesus is the legal name by which the battle was won. It is the endorsement on the terms of sin and death’s surrender. When we come to Christ, we must first surrender our old lives – our old man – our sinful nature to Him. This surrender is a surrender to victory, because sin was defeated. Sin resulted in death. Therefore, you can’t lose. You’re already a “loser” so to speak. Set to inherit eternal death. When you surrender to God, you are actually surrendering your death to Him, so that you may receive His life. Sure, the Bible talks about being a living sacrifice. But wasn’t Jesus the one last sacrifice – once and for all? So, what are we to be sacrificing? WE ARE SACRIFICING DEATH!
The sacrifice was to die. Jesus, as our sacrifice, died. He sacrificed His life, so that we could be the sacrifice that lives. We gave up our old life (which was dead) – that was our sacrifice. Our old man died through crucifixion and was buried with Christ, so that we may inherit the life of Christ. What do we sacrifice? We sacrifice sin and death. We put aside sin, anger, malice, fornication, lying, deceit, murder, hatred, etc. All these things were sacrificed so we could inherit righteousness. When righteousness entered, these things (the sin nature) were evicted. So, if we are a living sacrifice, we are, in essence, the living dead. Or a better way to put it may be: we live even though we died through being resurrected with Jesus.
Upon rebirth, God puts us into Jesus – literally. We are in Him. When God looks at us, He sees the son of His love – Jesus. In Him, we’ve become one with Him. We take on His nature and characteristics. Our minds are renewed to the point that we now have His mind and we think like Him. We’re capable of the same works He did. He’s the head. We’re the body. We are called by His name, and rightfully so. We have become one with Him. We are “in His name!” When we ask anything “in His name” we will receive it. Why? Because the Father loves the son. Because the Father is glorified in this. This is good news! As He was – so are we – NOW! We’ve received His authority. As His agents, we’ve been authorized to continue His work. Repossessing what is rightfully His, because He holds legal title to everything. Title to healing, money, joy, happiness, clothes, shelter – you name it – it’s all His. The enemy is trespassing on what belongs to Him – and on what belongs to us – since we are joint heirs.
Ephesians 4:22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
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