Walk in the Newness of Life Rom. 6: 4 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

People have the idea that getting saved is about going to heaven when you die.  Our 100% sure tract asks, “If you died today are you 100% sure that you would go to heaven?”  I listened to a young man give his testimony regarding some major health problems he has endured.  He said he wasn’t afraid to die because, “I know where I’m going when I die.”

But salvation is so much more than changing your destination after death from hell to heaven.  It is walking in newness of life.  Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” [Jn 10:10].  So, how can we walk in newness of life?  

We can walk in newness of life because:

We are crucified with Christ – Rom 6:6-11 – there is no resurrection if there is no death and burial first.  When Adam and Eve sinned, death came [Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12].  This death affected their entire being, spirit, soul and body.  The spirit affected by death that day, Eph 2:1, 5.  The soul was affected by death [Rev 21:8].  The body affected by death [Rom 6:23].

So, when Christ died on the cross he fixed everything that was affected by death.  When we get saved, we are immediately made spiritually alive [Jn 3, born of the Spirit].  Our soul will live forever with Jesus because it is now placed in him [Eph 2:6].  And our body will die but be redeemed and glorified [Rom 8:23; Phil 3:21].

When we get saved, we “have” eternal life which takes us back through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ [Rom 6:3-6].  We are literally crucified “with” Jesus.  In other words, we have already gone through the effects of physical death with him.  Rom 6:8 “we be dead with Christ.”  Rom 6:7 “he that is dead is freed from sin.”  So, Paul says, “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” [Rom 6:11].

We are alive unto God through Jesus Christ – Rom 6:11 – we have new life.  We have eternal life now.  See Jn 3:16, 18, 36.  There are only two categories of people on earth.  There are those who are condemned and there are those who are justified.  If you are justified, you have eternal life.  If you are condemned, you don’t have eternal life.  You’re not waiting on judgment.

Read Rom 7:21-8:4.  When we are saved, we have two lives running simultaneously, affected by two different laws.  We have the life in the flesh under the law of sin and death [Rom 8:2] running down here.  And we also have the life in the Spirit under “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” [Rom 8:2].  Paul puts this all together in Gal 2:20.  Christ lives in you.  So, reckon yourselves to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord [Rom 6:11].

We can yield ourselves unto God – Rom 6:12-19 – to yield to God means to “obey” God [Rom 6:16-17].  And when we yield unto God and serve God then we are not controlled by sin in our bodies.  In Gal 5:16 we can walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  1 Cor 6:19-20 we can glorify God in our spirit and in our body.  

You see, the trouble in life comes when we try to fulfill the carnal desires of our flesh [Gal 5:17].  Most Christians think, I have my eternity settled; now I will live my life and do as I please until I get to heaven.  A young man trying to decide what to do about a lost girlfriend asked what he should do.  I said, “Find out what God says and do that.”  Well, if he does, he will have to give up that girlfriend and that is not what he wants.

See, there are two lives running simultaneously.  The carnal life under the law of sin and death and eternal life under the law of the Spirit; under grace.  Carnal Christians try to serve their carnal desires and get God to bless their carnal desires [spouse, career, possessions, etc.].  God wants us to serve his spiritual desires.  And when you do, you die to your carnal desires.  You yield to God.  And thereby you walk in newness of life.  You will never obtain by fulfilling your carnal desires what you can obtain by obeying God.  And what you obtain by obeying God will be far better than anything you can obtain by trying to please your flesh.

Conclusion: When Jesus saved you, his desire was to guide your life, not ride along as a passenger.  When you let him drive, you begin to find out what he meant when he said “and that they might have it more abundantly.”  If you are inclined to take the wheel while Jesus is driving, then get in the backseat.  If you are inclined to tell the Lord how to drive, like a backseat driver, then get in the trunk and shut up.  Let him drive!