Before Christ

Bill Brinkworth

When Christ saves a soul, there is a tremendous amount of work done that we do not always see. A new spiritual life is begun, and the old ways should be behind that soul. The old ways were before Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Before people were saved, no matter who they are, were slaves. They may not have mindfully planned to be servants, but they were enslaved. They were:

Slaves to self.
They did what ever felt good to themselves. "Gimme, gimme, gimme," was their selfish attitude. "Me first," they lived. "Who cares what happens to others, just as long as I make out okay," they believed.

This is why we are commanded: (Colossians 3:5-10) "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:" Die (mortify) to your self gratification and other acts of selfishness.

Slaves to sin.
Before the spirit controlled one's life, it was common to think:
"Can't live without that cigarette."
"I need a drink to think."
"I need to lie to cover up the past lies."

John 8:34 "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."

See in this verse what the lost did, and what he is expected to do now that he is on the Heaven-side of Calvary:
Ephesians 4:22 "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

Slave to sin's fruits.
Don't be deceived; there is a price tag on all sin. AIDS is the wage from the sin of fornication, homosexuality, and adultery. Cirrhosis of the liver comes many times as the consequences of drinking. Lung cancer can come from defiling the temple with smoking. The sins of lying and dishonesty reap loneliness, being cut-off from others, mental illness, and guilt. Consequences may be slow in coming, but there are often visual wages from sin.

Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Slave to Satan's whims.
Because a unsaved person is not a child of God, like many would have us believe, they obey their father, Satan.
John 8:41 "Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

Ezekiel 11:19 "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD."

Slave, without a saved soul.
There is a price tag on our slavery. That cost is one's eternal life in hell.
Romans 6:20 "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Ephesians 2:1 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"

There can be freedom from slavery. By acknowledging one's sinnership, and accepting God's only Son's death on the cross, as payment for our sin, we can have God's promise of Heaven and freedom from sin. The hard part, even after we're saved, is listening to the new Master and not the flesh.

 

December 27, 1992

  The Fundamental Top 500