But not only
must the new nature be fed, it is equally necessary for our spiritual
well-being that the old nature should be starved. This is what the apostle had
in mind when he said, "Make not provision for the flesh, unto the lusts
thereof" (Rom_13:14). To starve the old nature, to make not
provision for the flesh, means that we abstain from everything that would
stimulate our carnality; that we avoid, as we would a plague, all that is
calculated to prove injurious to our spiritual welfare. Not only must we deny
ourselves the pleasures of sin, shun such things as the saloon, theatre, dance,
card-table, etc., but we must separate ourselves from the worldly companions,
cease to read worldly literature, abstain from everything upon which we cannot
ask God’s blessing. Our affections are to be set upon things above, and not upon
things upon the earth (Col_3:2). Does this seem a high standard, and
sound impracticable? Holiness in all things is that at which we are to aim, and
failure to do so explains the leanness of so many Christians. Let the young
believer realize that whatever does not help his spiritual life hinders it.
Here, then, in
brief is the answer to our question, What is the young Christian to do in order
for deliverance from indwelling sin. It is true that we are still in this
world, but we are not "of’ it (Joh_17:14). It is true that we are
forced to associate with godless people, but this is ordained of God in order
that we may "let our light so shine before men that they may see our good
works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven" (Mat_5:16). There
is a wide difference between associating with sinners as we go about our daily
tasks, and making them our intimate companions and friends. Only as we feed
upon the Word can we "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ" (2Pe_3:18). Only as we starve the old nature can we expect
deliverance from its power and pollution. Then let us earnestly heed the
exhortation "put ye off concerning the former conversation (behaviour) the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the
spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man, which, after God, is
created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph_4:22-24).
Above, we have
dealt only with the human side of the problem as to how to obtain deliverance
from the dominion of sin. Necessarily there is a Divine side too. It is only by
God’s grace that we are enabled to use the means which He has provided us, as
it is only by the power of His Spirit who dwells within us that we can truly
"lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and
run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb_12:1). These
two aspects (the Divine and the human) are brought together in a number of
scriptures. We are bidden to "work out our own salvation with fear and
trembling" but the apostle immediately added, "for it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phi. Rom_2:12-13).
Thus, we are to work out that which God has wrought within us; in other words,
if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal_5:16).
It has now been shown that salvation from the power of sin is a process which
goes on throughout the believer’s life. It is to this Solomon referred when he
said, "The path of the just is as a shining light, which shineth more and
more unto the perfect day" (Pro_4:18).
As our
salvation from the pleasure of sin is the consequence of our regeneration, and
as salvation from the penalty of sin respects our justification, so salvation
from the power of sin has to do with the practical side of our sanctification.
The word sanctification signifies "separation" — separation from sin.
We need hardly say that the word holiness is strictly synonymous with
"sanctification," being an alternative rendering of the same Greek
word. As the practical side of sanctification has to do with our separation
from sin, we are told, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2Co_7:1).
That practical sanctification or holiness is a process, a progressive
experience, is clear from this: "Follow . . . holiness without which no
man shall see the Lord" (Heb_12:14). The fact that we are to
"follow" holiness clearly intimates that we have not yet attained
unto the Divine standard which God requires of us. This is further seen in the
passage just quoted: "perfecting holiness" or completing it.
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