 No matter how bad we are, God always accepts us as His children because of our reliance on Christ. Then why not keep our old way of living, even if it’s filled with sin? Why change? Let’s learn from Romans 6:1-18.
First, know your old-self. Before coming to Christ, we typically have something or someone we treat as paramount. When we can’t get them or when we lose them, we blow up in anger, we are paralyzed by fear, or we lose interest in life. Examples of these idols include our family, abilities, wealth, reputation, friends, achievements, beauty, and health. Inherently, all these things can be good. But as our desires for them become excessive, they become our security/value/life/meaning. We live for them, and they become our idols that rule and destroy us (v12, 16). Don’t let that happen. Second, know your new-self. As Christians, we are united with Christ, engrafted in Him at the roots—into His death and resurrection, seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father (v3, 5; Colossians 3:1). We are reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5), a power similar to the power that will one day renew the cosmos (Matthew 19:28). We no longer need worldly thing for our lives to be secure and meaningful. We don’t have to settle for small ambitions, like inner peace or small pickups. Instead, we can know who we are and set our hearts on things above (Colossians 3:1). Third, know your self-in-transition. Our old-selves are dead with Christ. We are no longer ruled by sin (v6). But it is difficult for us to break from those deeply-ingrained habits and desires. Also, we don’t fully trust God. What would fully obeying Him bring? Won’t we miss out on many things? How to change? We must constantly remind ourselves that we are new creations, with the almighty God living in us (v11). Constantly think about what Christ, the almighty God, did for us, giving up everything to suffer for us (Philippians 2, Mark 10:25). Never forget this selfless love. Trust Him, the almighty and loving God who is infinitely wiser than us. And offer yourself to this loving God. A Tim Keller’s sermon summarized https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/perfect-freedom-5497/ 为什么要改变生活方式? 因为信赖基督, 无论多么糟糕神都接纳我们成为祂的儿女。那么，为什么不能保留过去的生活方式，即使它充满了罪恶呢？为什么要改变？让我们从罗马书6：1-18中学习。 首先要了解旧我。 在接受基督以前，通常我们都有一些视为最重要的人或物; 当我们无法得到或失去时，很多时就会勃然大怒，因恐惧而瘫痪或对生活失去兴趣。这些偶像包括我们的家庭、能力、财富、声誉、朋友、成就、美丽和健康。 这一切本身也许并没有问题，但如果我们对其过分渴望, 它们便成为我们的安全依赖、价值、生命或意义。我们为它们而活，使之支配和毁灭我们（罗马书6：12，16。）不要让这种情况发生。 其次要了解新我。 我们作为基督徒与基督联合，藉着祂的受死和复活，与祂一同坐在父的右边（罗马书6：3，5；歌罗西书3：1）。 我们被圣灵的大能更新（提多书3：5），这能力就像有一天要更新整个宇宙的能力一样（马太福音19：28）。 我们不再需要世界的事物或人来保证安全使生命有意义。 我们不必只是安心于寻求小小的祈望，如内心的平静。相反地，我们知道自己是谁，并且思念天上的事（歌罗西书3：1）。 第三，了解自我转型。 旧我已经与基督同死，我们不再被罪所辖制（罗马书6：6）。但我们很难打破旧我那根深蒂固的习惯和欲望。 而且，我们并不全然相信上帝, 畏惧完全信服神会带来什么, 可能会错过许多. 那我们当如何更新呢? 必须不断提醒自己是新造的人，全能的上帝住在我们里面（罗马书6：11）。 时常思想全能的基督为我们所做的事, 祂放弃了一切为我们受苦 (腓立比书2，马可福音10:25)。永远不要忘记这无私的爱。 相信祂，这位全能慈爱又有无穷智慧的上帝。让我们把自己献给这位慈爱的上帝。
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