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Question One: "What has changed in
me?"
| "Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17) |
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| A. |
Body - not new, but we will get a new
one
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| B. |
Soul - not new, but in the process of being renewed
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| C. |
Spirit - New
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| "Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the love of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life, for as we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." (Romans 6: 4-6) |
So, what has changed in me? I have received a new
spirit.
Question Two: "If I am a new creature, why am I still sinning?"
| A. |
Though indwelling sin no longer rules the spirit, it still affects the body and soul.
The principle of sin: |
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"I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of sin which is in my body."
(Romans 7:21-23)
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| B. |
Through temptation and the world system, Satan works through the principle of sin to lure you to choose to walk after the flesh rather than according to the Holy Spirit.
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| C. |
We are saints who have chosen to sin. We have chosen to act inconsistent with our new identity.
It is important to remember that there is hope to stop the sinning process. We need to remember that sinning is a choice, and that we have the mind of Christ.
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"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16)
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Realize that what is true about us is what God says rather than what we think or feel.
If I am a new creation, why am I still sinning? As a believer, I still have to deal with indwelling sin, Satan, and the world system.
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This teaching is a summary of lesson four of Pneumanetics. Pneumanetics is a philosophy or model on which we base our biblical counseling. It is a course to train Christians in ministering to others.
This teaching is also included in lesson three, "Seeing Ourselves As God Sees Us" in our workbook,
"Be Transformed".
© 1973, 1998, 1999 Scope Ministries International, Inc.
Jim Craddock, Founder and President Emeritus
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