Hot Mess - Another Marriage

Stacy Warner
You may remember this past weekend (and 10 inches of snow ago), that pastor Matt Graves and his wife Corey discussed their marriage, as well as some biblical based marriage, advice.

The bible also discusses the fact that, if you are a believer, another marriage has taken place. That marriage is between you and Christ. This union and its importance in your spiritual walk and right standing before God are discussed in Romans 7.

Historically, when a man and a woman get married, the bride changes her last name. In other words, her past existence has been altered forever. Her person-hood is now identified with the groom. This is exactly as the believer is seen after salvation. The past existence has been forever changed into something new.

This new existence has forever changed your relationship to sin. Namely, that it is utterly broken. You are now not only free from sin from a legal standpoint, but you are also free from sin from a bondage standpoint. I generally look at a believer’s view of sin and righteousness as falling into one of three categories:

1. Legalism. That idea that once saved, you must now and forevermore “work to earn it”.

2. Antinomianism. The idea that since we are saved by grace, we can sin as much as we want. This is addressed in Romans 7.

3. Liberty. The idea that the price of sin has been paid…past, present, and future. Therefore, it has no claim over you and no power over you. The life you live is now “in Christ” (Colossians 3:3, Galatians 2:20, etc.).

The past existence has been forever changed into something new.

Remember, your “actions” of righteousness are generated and executed from only one place. I believe Philippians 2:13 sums it up as well as any verse. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” In other words, in the long run outside of the Holy Spirit working within you, you won’t want to and you can’t please God (Romans 7:15). The way was made and paid for. All that is required of you is to stand in it.
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