Truth That Sets Free 2 of 7 (Edmund Spieker)

Does our identity in Christ change our thinking patterns?  Well, it should and we’ll talk about that today on MemCare by Radio.

Welcome once again to MemCare.  I’m Scott Hollinger again with you this week and with me once again today is Edmund Spieker.  We’re back to another program in Edmund’s series Truth that Sets Free.  Today’s meditation is entitled, ‘Why will my identity in Christ change my thinking pattern?’

Edmund, welcome once again and please let us hear what’s on your heart.

Thanks, Scott.  The chance to bring our listeners a message of encouragement and hope is a real privilege to me as well.

We talked the other day about who we become after accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and we concluded that meditation by saying that the Bible affirms that when we receive Christ by faith, as our Saviour, we become children of God.  We receive eternal life – new creatures - receive a new heart and become heirs in the kingdom of God with Christ.  The new name for the believer in the Bible is ‘saint’ because we are separated for God.  The apostle Paul writes about the position of the believer very extensively.  At one point he makes the amazing statement ‘I have been crucified in Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God Who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.’

Paul makes here a distinction between his old man, or old nature, before Christ came into his life and Paul became a new creature when, by faith, he accepted the cross as a means for his salvation.  He also speaks about his condition of still living in the body and how he lives by faith in the Christ that redeemed him.

Let me say it from another angle.  Our redemption through Christ’s death on the cross involves 3 main phases.  It’s salvation, when we accept Him as our Saviour, it’s sanctification, or discipleship when we follow Him, and it’s glorification.  Salvation happens when we are born again by faith and receive the right to become children of God.  God gave us the gift of spiritual life that had been lost because of sin.  Sanctification is the growth process, or the phase of discipleship.  Jesus speaks about this faith when He says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Now, glorification is the third phase and starts the moment we depart from this world to be eternally with Christ.  The Bible speaks about that phase as wonderful beyond our imagination.  Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not entered the heart of man, God has prepared for those who love Him.

Edmund, as we think about these truths even though we may hear them they’re still amazing.  When you think deeply about them, I think it helpful to just repeat again that our salvation, our sanctification and our glorification are all part of the great act of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Edmund, in what way will this Biblical truth change our thinking pattern?

Well, in the book of Romans, among other cardinal truths the Apostle Paul writes about the nature of the new life in Christ.  He appeals to the mind of the believer and challenges him to understand and to know what happened when he was born again and was justified by faith in Jesus as his Saviour.  He says, “Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with; that we should no longer live as slaves to sin.”  The Bible affirms that Christ carried on that cross the sin of the world.  This also means that Christ carried on that cross your and my sin.  In other words, He died for my body of sin, my old self, my fallen nature.  Before Christ came into my life I was without a relationship with Christ.  I was dead in my spirit.  I was in a hopeless predicament.  I could not free myself from my sin nature.  I was a slave to sin, but that position has changed.  I’m a new person now.  I’m a new spirit.  My old person who was in Adam, the old family position, is crucified with Christ.  I’m free and I need to know that!  I’m in a new family.

Well Edmund, would there be any other way to illustrate this critical and yet mind-boggling truth?  I think that some of our listeners might be struggling right now to grasp the fact that a believer in Jesus Christ is a new person while he still seems to be outwardly the same person that he was before.

Yes.  We touched definitely an important issue here and we need the help of the Holy Spirit to fully understand what it means.  Therefore the Bible speaks to the believer that he needs a renewal of his mind.  You might want to read what the Apostle Paul writes to the Romans,

“I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is – that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Thanks, Scott.  Now back to the theme – Why will my new identity in Christ change my thinking pattern?  Because I was born by the Spirit of God into a new reality.  From the old kingdom of sin and lost-ness, I was brought into His kingdom of peace and light.  The Bible says that the natural man does not understand the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him because they are spiritually appraised.  But, through salvation, I have a new identity in Christ and the Bible says that His Spirit indwells me.  I call God Abba, Father – dear Daddy.  Allow me to illustrate this with a story.

It’s a very simple, childlike story but it helped me much as I was struggling with this same truth.  This illustration might also help to further clarify why we need a change in our thinking pattern.

Here’s Miss Miller.  Young, very much liked in her town.  She had so many qualities but she was always spending more money than she had and then got deeply indebted.  Her credit was ruined and wherever she appeared in public someone would remind her of her outstanding bills.  Her life was becoming frustrating.  She was afraid to go out.  But then, Miss Miller met this attractive, handsome man called Rockefeller.  He liked her too and can you believe it?  Mr. Rockefeller is rich!  This part is that Miss Miller and Mr. Rockefeller started dating and got married.  After their wedding former Miss Miller gets back to see her old friends and sure enough there are a number of her creditors who beleaguer her asking her to pay the outstanding debt.  As she has done so many times before, she’s ready to excuse herself when suddenly she realizes, ‘I’m no longer Miss Miller!  I’m Mrs. Rockefeller!  If they need money they should talk to my husband.’

We have been purchased by Christ.  The Bible says we are like a bride to Him.  That should change our mindset.  We must never return into our old debts and sins.  We are called to a life of holiness in the power of His Name.

Well Edmund thank you very much.  I really appreciate and enjoyed the story of Miss Miller who married Mr. Rockefeller.  THE Rockefeller.  It’s a great illustration of how our identity changes when we look at it from that perspective.  These are simple and powerful truths, friends, and our theme today was, ‘Why will my identity in Christ change my thinking pattern?’  I hope it was an encouragement and help to you.