Men, we want to be good and do good for those around us. Yet deep down, we all know there is a struggle within us that we cannot fix on our own. The challenge is this: we were born into sin. At birth, before we ever had a choice, we were governed by our sin nature. This inner nature wars against us as men—an unseen battle in the heart and mind. Some men appear outwardly to do better with this sin nature than others, but in reality, we are all dealing with the same cards we were dealt at birth, the same inner nature that wars against us as men.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
(Ephesians 2:3)
This, as we all know, is our flesh. As long as we live, it will impact both our internal man and our external behavior. Some men totally surrender to their inner struggles. Others attempt to fight the inner man—the flesh—while trying to adopt outward disciplines or behavior to be acceptable to others around them. But at our core, we are born slaves to our sin nature.
No matter how hard we try to clean the outside of our cup, we are still men who are born into sin. While this may seem wrong, harsh, or even unwanted, not all is lost. If ALL men were born with a sin nature, then ALL men need the same internal and external FIX.
The beautiful part of our condition is that we have been given a gift that will cure both the inside and outside conditions. Christ Jesus took the penalty of our sin and all men’s sin to the Cross. And by faith in Him as the Son of God, we are now made righteous.
We are justified and made clean and acceptable in God’s eyes through His Son, Jesus’ sacrifice. We can in no way earn this, nor can we work our way into Heaven. God sent His Son to take the whole penalty of our sin.
Through Christ Jesus, we are now complete, and it is only by faith in Him that this happened. We need not boast, because He did it all. In fact, He paid the price for our sins before we were even born. God, in His goodness, knew before we were placed on earth that each of us would be born into this sin nature.
So, what do we do with this great gift? We simply accept it by faith. What about the outside—our outward flaws and imperfections?
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God not only justifies our inner man, but He begins to shape our outer life to reflect the spiritual change taking place inside us. This is the work of sanctification, driven by the Holy Spirit who takes up residence in us at salvation. We are sealed, marked, and now called children of the Most High.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
(Ephesians 1:13-14)
As children of the Most High, while He sees us as sons and daughters, He wants the outward to change as well. Once the inside is sealed and secure, the outside needs to represent who we are in Christ. Like a prince being prepared to be king, we are being prepared and even have an earthly assignment. The Spirit of holiness is now in us, and we are called to sonship. We’re not simply saved; now that we are children of God, He wants to show us off and use us. By faith in Him, we are given both grace and sonship.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
(Ephesians 1:4-5)
While God doesn’t see our sins anymore, the outward impact of our old, sinful patterns, the flesh, is often felt. As a man, before being made new, I formed habits, some evident to others, some only to myself. Through the very Spirit of God, He began to work from the inside out. We are now sons of the Most High. He has now brought us into a royal priesthood. Our background and conditions of our past life may still exist, but we are no longer abandoned to live out this short life on earth, knowing that death awaits us. We have been born into royalty, and the God who called us wants to use us to show others this great gift that awaits them.
As sons, how should we act? Should we boast in our high position? Should we take credit as if we have done something or even deserve it? No, now we take humility in our high position and calling because we did nothing to earn it. Since we have such a great grace bestowed on us, should we continue to live as we were? No, because we have been chosen, set aside, and marked, we strive to live as those who have been called. Grace covered and crucified our old sin nature, and now the Holy Spirit abides in us to walk in His steps. We may still live in the flesh and even have war wounds that are evidence of that nature, but we are sons who have not only a destination but a purpose.
God, through His grace, didn’t just save us, but He left us here as evidence of His goodness. We celebrate in His goodness, yet never boast in what we have done because it’s ALL Him! We have been given His grace, and He adopted us into sonship! We long to be with Him; yet while on earth, we eagerly work to honor Him until that day!
Have a great day.
SL Thomas
RTM