Many Christians want to live the resurrection life. But they are not willing to give up their lives in the world and die to the flesh. Walking in the resurrection life without dying is the message that many churches preach. They say, and make you believe, that the gospel won’t cost you a thing, and you may stay the way you are and live the way you want to live. But does Jesus confirm this doctrine? What does the Bible say about the resurrection life? Can you live the resurrection life without dying?
What did Jesus say about the resurrection life and following Him
Jesus said, that whomsoever loves his own life in this world and wants to save it, shall lose it. And whomsoever hates his own life in this world, and loses his life for His Name sake, shall find eternal life (Matthew 10:39, 16:24-25).
Despite what many preachers say, Jesus says, that if you want to follow Him, it will cost you your life. If you don’t take up your cross and follow Jesus, you are not worthy of Jesus and can’t be His disciple. (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34, Luke 9;23; 14:27).
Only when you have a personal encounter with the true Jesus Christ and Jesus and His holiness confront you with your sins, sinful nature, and fallen state, you will hate your own carnal life and are ready to lay down your carnal life and follow Jesus.
If you are willing to lay down your life, you will be able to follow Him and not any time sooner.
If you are not aware of the evil and the destructive influence and effect of sin and your sinful state, you shall not understand the work and purpose of the cross and the necessity of regeneration and sanctification.
As soon as it cost Christians something, they walk away
Many churches don’t preach the necessity of regeneration and sanctification anymore. Because this is not a very popular message, that Christians, who are still the old carnal man want to hear. As soon they preach a message of repentance, sanctification, and the removal of sind, people become offended, angry, or upset and leave the church.
As soon as it cost something and things are expected of people, they walk away.
Let’s take for example ‘tithing’. When you talk about tithing with Christians, many times you will notice the resistance in this area. You will hear the many reasons that exculpate Christians to tithe.
But if Christians are not willing to give a part of their income to God, why would they give their life to God? (Read also: When money becomes your god).
Most Christians only want to receive blessings from God and walk in the supernatural, without having to do anything.
This is not something new. This already happened to Jesus, who had thousands of followers. Thousands followed Him because of the manifestations; the signs and wonders. (Read also: Following Jesus for the signs and wonders).
But when Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God and spoke hard words to the people, many people turned their backs and walked away.
Eventually, only 120 of all those thousands of followers were willing to obey Jesus and His words. They waited in unity in prayer in the upper room, for the promise of Jesus; the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus didn’t change His message for the people
The only difference between Jesus and modern preachers is that Jesus stood in the service of His Father and was led by God and His will, and not by the people and their will.
Many preachers preach, what the people want to hear, instead of preaching what God and His Word say. Because the more people are carnally caressed, the more people will come. The more people will come, the more members a church has. And the more members a church has, the more fame and money the church gets.
The old man always wants to hear and receive new things
The old carnal creation loves new things, wants to hear and receive new things all the time, and is sensitive to new (Christian) trends, doctrines, and supernatural manifestations. The devil knows this and gives the people what they want.
He says, what they want to hear and gives what they want to receive. He continuously emerges new Christian trends and doctrines, which derive from the experiences of people, and focuses on the carnal people and the supernatural. Meanwhile, these doctrines will slowly lead the believers astray from the Word.
The selfmade gospel focuses on spiritual manifestations; signs and wonders.
It teaches methods and techniques to experience spiritual manifestations and receive material blessings, while the lives of many believers stay unchanged. They remain carnal, walk after the flesh, and persevere in sin. (Read also: Can you keep sinning under grace?).
However, the gospel shouldn’t revolve around spiritual manifestations and works. But the gospel should revolve around the One, from Whom the works originate, namely Jesus Christ; the living Word.
Prophecies, signs, and miracles may never become the focus point and center of a Christian.
Believers shouldn’t follow signs and wonders
Believers shouldn’t follow signs and wonders, but they should follow the believers instead. Jesus said, if you keep your eyes on signs and wonders, you will be deceived.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before (Matthew 24:23-25).
Paul also warned the church of the Thessalonians. He wrote: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)
The true gospel of Jesus Christ
The true gospel of Jesus Christ, which calls for repentance, the removal of sins, living a holy life after the will of God, and having a fear (awe) of God, is seldom preached. Why? People don’t want to give up anything, but only receive.
Who wants to hear a message that will cost you your life? Who wants to hear a message that commands you to lay down your own life and abstain from the things of the world? Why would you wanna die freely to the flesh, if there is a way to keep living after the flesh like the world, and walk in the resurrection life and do signs and wonders, by following and applying carnal methods and techniques?
Many Christians have gotten so used to this modern gospel, that they are not able to hear and bear the truth of God’s Word anymore (John 8:44, 2 Timothy 4:4).
As discussed in previous blog posts, many preachers and spiritual teachers, change the words of the Bible. They mix them with their philosophies, which are created by the knowledge and wisdom of the world and derive from their experiences and the will, lusts, and desires of the flesh.
They preach their own carnal words. Instead of submitting to the Word and preaching the words and the will of God.
That’s because many are not willing to put off the old man. Therefore, they don’t preach the truth of God anymore. Because the truth confronts them with their sins and iniquities and that’s not what they want.
They don’t want to be confronted with their sins and feel guilty.
God sent a strong delusion
Because they are not willing to submit to God and obey His Word, God delivered them to a reprobate mind. He sent a strong delusion, that cause them to believe their lies. And so they preach these lies to the visitors of the church.
They preach motivational sermons, combined with self-help and wonderful promises, that revolve around carnal man, prosperity and riches of people and how they can walk in the supernatural and do great signs and wonders.
Their charismatic words touch and move the emotions and feelings of the people. They quote Scriptures to substantiate their doctrines. However, they only forget one major thing, They forget to mention and preach about the conditions.
Many preachers forget to preach about the conditions of living the resurrection life
It’s just like an (online) discount coupon or code, which you receive and want to use, but doesn’t work when you check out. Not until you read the conditions, you find out why the discount coupon or code doesn’t work. If you don’t meet the conditions, your discount coupon or code is useless and worthless and you shall not get the discount.
It’s the same thing with the Word; with the promises of God, His blessings, and living the resurrection life, that is preached. If you don’t meet the conditions, you shall not receive and walk in the true resurrection life.
The Bible is a manual for the new man, who has become a new creation in Jesus Christ.
All the things, that are written in the Word of God are meant for the new man. The Word is the mirror of the new man (Read also: God’s Word is a Mirror).
The Word is very clear and says, that the new man can’t arise before the old man dies.
By the grace of God and His love for people, God sent His own Son Jesus Christ to this world. So that through His death and resurrection, every person can become a new creation by faith in Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him.
Salvation is free for everyone. The entrance is free, but there is one condition. The condition is, that you have to become born again. There is no other way to enter the Kingdom of God, than by becoming born again in Jesus Christ.
The new man can’t arise and live the resurrection life unless the old man dies
It’s impossible to live as the old man and receive the wages of the new man. The Holy Spirit can’t dwell in the lives of unregenerate people; sinners. Sinners belong to the world (darkness) and live in rebellion to God and disobedience to His Word.
You can’t live the resurrection life, without dying first. This doesn’t mean the natural process of dying, carnal death, and the resurrection after death. But this means the process of becoming born again in this life on this earth.
It means, that you have to die in Christ in the flesh (spiritually) and that your spirit, who was dead (due to sin), is raised in Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you receive the Holy Spirit.
Except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (John 12:24-25)
Jesus gave us the example of the corn of wheat. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die before it can bring forth much fruit. Jesus referred first of all to His death and resurrection. But this process also applies to those, who want to follow Christ.
As long as the corn of wheat doesn’t die, but abides alone, it shall not bear fruit. It’s the same with many Christians, who remain carnal and keep their own lives, and use a false gospel for their carnal enrichment
They don’t win souls for Jesus Christ, because they focus on themselves.
Because they focus on themselves and are busy with themselves, they don’t see the needs of the world. They don’t see the people around them, who are lost. (Read also: Bring the lost home!).
Many Christians don’t see the destructive influence and effect of sin. They don’t see the increasing power of the devil and death, who reign in the lives of many people.
No, they let it be and assume everything is all right and they don’t want to interfere in matters. They are tolerant and allow everything. All that matters to them is, that they have a pleasant life, without hardships, resistance, and persecution. And that they can enjoy the things that this world has to offer.
Many Christians don’t don’t die and live the resurrection life and because of that souls are lost, instead of saved and living the resurrection life
Many Christians don’t take up their cross and follow Jesus. Instead they stay the old unregenarate man, who lives after the flesh and listens to the world. Because of this, they stop the truth and the life of Jesus Christ.
Due to their selfishness and the fear of telling the truth of the Word of God, many souls are lost. (Read also: Are you bold enough to preach the truth of God?).
That’s why regeneration is necessary, so that you (your flesh) don’t stand in the way and you can live the resurrection life in Christ. And by faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, you will stand in the truth and take a stand for Jesus Christ; the Word, and preach and bring the Kingdom of God to the people. Because only through this, souls be saved and redeemed from the power and destructive work of the devil. They’ll be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Resurrection, and live the resurrection life.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
