WHY JESUS HAD TO COME INTO THE WORLD?
Because of the fall of man, all of mankind are born in sin and become sinners in their own right.
Look at the world and see the consequences of sin. The world tries their utmost best to stop evil by daily creating new laws and to encourage good works but without avail, it is only getting worse.
The reason for this moral deterioration of humanity is because sin (the flesh), is stronger than ANY law man or God can make.
Rom 8:3 “For what the law (of God) could not do in that it (the Law) was WEAK through the flesh (sin), God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of SIN: He condemned sin in the flesh (in the natural body)”
THE SINNER
Take note: SIN in the natural body is called ‘the flesh’. The inner-man who is in the body of sin, is a sinner and lives a life of unrighteousness (sin) because he is under the law or nature of sin and death.
Rom 3:23 “for all (inner-men) have sinned and fall short of the glory (likeness) of God,”
The reason God sent His Son into the world is to DELIVER the body from sin and SAVE the inner-man from sinning. This is why Jesus Christ is called, the Deliverer and Savior of the world.
Jesus came for one purpose only and that is to deliver and save mankind from all unrighteousness
For this reason Jesus was born like all men in a body of sin (as the Old man — last Adam); was crucified and raised in a new body without sin (as the New man — second Man). This was done to allow God to judge sin (in the body of Adam) and create a new body without sin (the body of Christ) in order for man to live free from sin.
During His life, Jesus overcame Satan and sin as a human and then destroyed the body of sin/the Old body on the cross. In the same process Satan and sin was also judged by God.
Jesus said in Mat 12:29 “Or how can one (Jesus) enter a strong man's (Satan’s) house (the body of sin) and plunder his goods, unless he first binds (overcomes) the strong man? And then he will plunder (destroy) his house.”
FAITH
When the body of sin died on the cross, all inner-men who believe the Gospel were set free to continue their lives in the body of Christ. To make this freedom from sin a reality for the believer here and now in this life, God made the Holy Spirit available to replace sin in his natural body. The Holy Spirit is also God’s promise (to the inner-man) of an eternal life in the new body of Christ. This is the grace of God made available to all who will believe!
In order for sinful man to partake of the grace of God, he or she is called to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ. Salvation from sin can only be received by grace through faith in Jesus and not by works.
Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
The diagram below illustrates the NEW BIRTH. It is an absolute FACT that can be EXPERIENCED.
THE DELIVERER OF THE BODY
Through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, God CALLS all sinners to repent of their sinful ways; to believe in Jesus and what God has done in Christ for them. The inner-man who turns to God will receive FORGIVENESS of his past sins (because of the blood of Jesus) and the HOLY SPIRIT who REPLACES sin in his body. He then is no longer in the body of sin but in the body of Christ.
Once the inner-man is freed from the body of sin and in the body of Christ, he or she has no reason to live after ‘the flesh’ because he or she is in ‘the Spirit’.
SANCTIFICATION OF THE INNER-MAN
The inner-man who was under the law of sin and death became a sinner in his own right. Now that the inner-man is born again in a body without sin, he is under the law of the Spirit of life.
Rom 8:2 & 4 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has MADE ME FREE from the law of sin and death, that the righteous requirement of the law (of God) might be fulfilled in us (Believers) who do not walk according to ‘the flesh’ but according to ‘the Spirit’.”
Rom 6:22 “But now having been SET FREE from SIN, and having become slaves (servants) of God, you have your fruit (the Holy Spirit) to (perfect) holiness, and the end (thereof is), everlasting life.”
CAN YOU NOW SEE THAT SANCTIFICATION OF THE INNER-MAN IS A MUST NOT AN OPTION?
THE SAVIOUR OF THE INNER-MAN
Although the inner-man is delivered from sin in his body, he still sins frequently because of his or her old habits. The inner-man now has to learn obedience to the law of the Spirit because to commit sin in the body of Christ is not allowed. SINNING is unacceptable to God the Father and that is why He commands the inner-man to perfect holiness in this life to be worthy of the new body in the resurrection.
2 Thes 1:5 “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, THAT YOU MAY BE COUNTED WORTHY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, for which you also suffer;”
Heb 12:14-15 “Pursue peace with all people, and HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD: looking carefully LEST ANYONE FALL SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD…”
1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and NOT BE ASHAMED BEFORE HIM at His coming.”
For more clarification on the sanctification process of the inner-man, go to Chapters 8 and 10 in our study guide “Sons of God sin not” Free download available at www.sinnot.org