When you are past the initial stage of getting to know Christ, you realise there are a lot of things you can’t handle in your own power. If you have reached this point or not, this is a good time to speak about dying to the flesh as the principle for rebirth in God.
If you’ve ever heard or read the story of Adam and Eve (if you haven’t, you can find it here), you will observe that they went out of God’s will and committed sin for pleasure in the flesh. That single act instituted the Adamic nature spread to all men originating from them.
The adamic nature is referred to as the quest to satisfy the flesh over God’s will. Although you and I are constantly improving our relationship with God, there’s still some leftover of that nature in us. This is where the application of dying to the flesh comes in.
Dying to the flesh is giving up the nature of sin to embrace the rebirth in Christ. I John 3:9 states that ‘Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.’ Dying to the flesh is the principle for rebirth in God because there’s no space for sin to breed.
Rebirth in God
Just like how someone asked Jesus if you need to re-enter your mother’s womb to be reborn, I’m sure you’re pondering on it. And like Jesus’s answer, No, you don’t need to. All you need do is: Let go of the nature of sin and take up the things of God. Letting go of sin means to invite the spirit of God to take control in your life.
In 1 John 5:4, John states that ‘For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?‘ The person being referred to here is you, if you will believe in Jesus, then you can overcome the world.
How did dying to the flesh become the principle for rebirth in God? When you are at a new school and you want to learn something new, you try to forget some of the old things that are irrelevant to make space for the new knowledge. That’s how this is.
Here are some tips on how to die to the flesh everyday:
Death to sin
When Jesus died for you and I on the cross, His blood cleansed our sins, making a way for us to align with God’s will for us. The book of Romans 6:7 says that ‘For he who has died has been freed from sin.’
God is reminding you and I that although Jesus died on the cross, you still need to acknowledge it with your actions. If you continue in sin despite knowing this, you’re not willing to die to the flesh for a new beginning in God.
‘Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ‘ Romans 6:11-12
Being Intentional about God
In Matthew 26:41, the Bible reminds us that although our spirits are willing, our flesh is weak. Applying it to this, you realise that to serve God or even surrender your will to Him, needs being intentional. Although something inside you wants it, you just can’t get your body to achieve that.
Despite all the challenges, you may come across, God’s grace is more than enough to help you. If you ask, He will give you the grace you need in dying to the flesh and becoming intentional about Him.
‘For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.’ Romans 6:14
Thy will be done on Earth
When Jesus gave us Our Lord’s prayer, the verse that stuck out to me is that God’s will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. In the same way, you need to ask God to let His will be done in your life and your situation.
Everyday, you learn to let God’s will be done and not yours because God’s will isn’t the same as your will. It takes surrendering your will to Him and actually leaving it with Him. May God help you to withhold nothing!
‘Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. ‘ Luke 17:33
Read the previous article: Romans 13: A guide on submission to Government
