The One Who is Apart from Sin

2004-11-01 23:19

The one who is close to sin is from below, but the one who is apart from sin is from above. Sin has something to do with the one from below, but not with the one from above.

The Bible says, "The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46)."

As it is written, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17)," the law has something to do with the son of man, but grace and truth with the son of God.

Therefore, the law is the law of sin, but grace and truth are the law of righteousness. The Bible says about the ministry of condemnation and the ministry of righteousness, "For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory (2 Corinthians 3:9)." The ministry of condemnation is what is fading away, but the ministry of righteousness is eternal.

The Bible says again, "And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts (2 Corinthians 3:11)!"

On the way to salvation, he who is born according to the flesh is with him who is born according to the Spirit, as there were together Esau and Jacob in Rebekah's womb. And I see the old life who is close to sin, bringing into captivity the new life who is apart from sin. The Bible says, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death (Romans 7:24)?"

Now there are also Esau and Jacob in me, and there is always a good fight in me, as it is written, "But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now (Galatians 4:29)."

When the old man wins the fight by the law of sin and death--works, he boasts and is proud; when the new man wins the fight by the law of the Spirit of life--faith, he overflows with thankfulness and praises.

The Bible says, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith (Romans 3:27)."

When the Lord Jesus was sent as the only begotten Son of God, he came in a natural body close to sin, and he finished his work of forgiving all the people in the world all their sins once for all by his own blood, and he went up to God the Father. So the Bible testifies, "And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:18)."

However, when God again brings his firstborn into the world, he will not come in a natural body close to sin, but in a spritual body, a glorious body apart from sin.

Therefore, the Bible says, "so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:28)."

As the Lord will come again apart from sin, those who are also apart from sin and eagerly wait for him will see him. The Bible says about it, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14)."

Because a whole burnt offering is still being accomplished in me, the old man whom God hates still remains in me as a vain form. However, the new man whom God loves, with a true heart in full assurance of faith, apart from sin, is also in me as a substantial form. It is written, "God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:4)." From now on, I will not be in the flesh but in the Spirit, putting to death the deeds of the body because the arm of the Lord upholds me who God sees is good.

If anyone is not in the flesh but in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit of truth, he is the very radiance of God's glory--the child of God. I wish everyone were like this. Thank you, Lord.

Brother of the End, Kim Yun-gu.