The believer lives in a world with its own philosophies, principles & mode of behaviour. As a result of varied social interactions & other activities that he is engaged in & exposed to on a daily basis, there is the tendency for the believer in Christ to pattern his lifestyle after the system of this world. This however should not be the case, as the lifestyle of the man in Christ should be formed solely from the written word. That is to say that it is the Word that shapes the conduct, character & behaviour of the man who has received Jesus as his Lord & saviour. Praise God!
Prior to the moment a man receives Christ, he had lived a life characterized by his sin-nature & the worldly influences surrounding him. He/She lives and acts in a way that seems appropriate to his beliefs & convictions. But however at new birth, a man receives the life of Christ, the indwelling of The Holy Spirit. There is an immediate & authomatic change in the nature of that man, as he receives the nature of God, the Divine nature. 2 Peter 1:3-4 “According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great & precious promised: that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.(emphasis mine). The believer thus is imparted with the life of God. How? because he/she has been born anew(again). Just as a new born baby inherits the DNA of his father, the attributes, traits, character & behaviour of his biological parents, so the man in Christ recieves all that is in God through His Spirit that indwells us. That’s why John wrote in John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. We thus become sons of God & as sons we replicate the character & attributes of our Father. John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become THE SONS OF GOD, even to them that believe on His name. Hallelujah! We are sons! We have the nature of our Father.
Having therefore received the nature of God, the believer is made righteous, 2Corinthians 5:21 “For He had made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”. Jesus was made sin, so I can be made righteous, therefore the believer in Christ is righteous. The writer of the book of Hebrews affirms the fact also that the man in Christ has been made holy, Hebrews 10:9-10 NLT renders it this way “Then He said here I am, I have come to do your will. He sets aside the first, that He may establish the second. Vs 10 And by that will, WE HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF THE BODY OF JESUS ONCE & FOR ALL. The believer has been made holy once & for all, how? through the sacrifice (offering) of the body of Jesus Christ.
So friends, the Lifestyle of the believer stems from the facts of who he has become by his identification with Christ. We cannot teach the believers conduct, character and behaviour outside of his nature. The believer lives a righteous life because he has been made righteous. He/ she is not doing good works to be righteous, No! He is doing good works because it is in his nature to do good works. The believer lives holy because he has been made holy. He is not doing what he is doing to become holy, rather he/she has already been made holy and he/she simply acts out his nature. This is why it is so vital for the man who has just received Christ to grow in the knowledge of who he is in Christ. That is why people will ask after Salvation, what next? After salvation the next thing is spiritual growth. When a man receives Christ, his spirit man is instantly changed. But no change occurs in his body or mind. The believer thus has the tendency to continue living just like an unbeliever, doing same things he/she used to do prior to his being born again. Living as though nothing happened because he has not come to the realization of who he has become. However this realization begins to dawn on him as he begins to learn the word, he begins to renew his mind, he begins to be transformed from the inside out.
Apostle Paul writing in Romans 8:1-2 said: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable & perfect will of God. Paul is saying here that having been made righteous & holy, we present our bodies, same way. Then it becomes the believers responsibility to begin to re-train, re-educate, re-instruct his mind which will bring about a transformation in in conduct & character. The believer doesn’t have to continue conforming to the standards of the world, their should be difference in his lifestyle prior to salvation and now.
Glory to God.
I’ve been made righteous