Real Christianity Dying to Self and Alive in Christ
So we’re continuing our 4-part series on Dale’s New Book Real Christianity: How to be bold for Christ in a culture of darkness.
If you missed last week’s episode we are are covering all eight chapters in a 2-per-show format. We’re not actually talking much about the content of the book as we are building on the content of the book. So don’t feel that if you listened to these episodes there is no reason to buy the book. There’s lots of meat in this little book that we’re not discussing here on the show.
I wanted to read a few reviews that I saw on Good Reads and Amazon just to let you hear what other people are saying about this book.
This from Amanda Thomas: “Get this book, it will change your life by changing your heart. It’s a must have. No matter where you are, or what you have been through, what you have done, or where you find yourself in life. It does not matter. You need what is written here, everyone does. I’m going to get a copy for everyone I know this year for Christmas. It’s really that good.”
Alisha says, “ This book is 5 inches wide, 7 inches tall, and 10 feet deep. A must read.
I agree with these comments. I think this is a short and powerful book that is worth adding to your library.
So we covered chapter one and two in the previous episode. Today we are tackling chapters 3-4. Chapter 3 is titled “Dedication and Death” and we get to discuss the idea of an altar in Scripture. Dale, this title can seem to be a bit intense. Can you tell us both what you mean and where you got this idea of dying and dedicating yourself to God?
So this is one of my favorite chapters in the book. I’m not going to talk about much of the content from the chapter but I am going to add to the discussion I already started in this chapter.
In the book, I argue that many in the church have confused the altar call of a softly strummed guitar where God accepts you as you are without the biblical call for repentance and death.
We have to remember, an altar in the Scriptures is not a friendly place. It’s a place covered in blood. In the Old Testament it was a stack of stones. In the New Testament it was a wooden cross. Today, we have lost what it means to come to the altar.
Instead of dying and repenting, We are made comfortable to remain how we are and who we are. That is not the narrative of the Gospel that a Jesus presents.
So let’s talk about this idea of dedication and death. This is not a rare theme found in the New Testament. In fact, it’s everywhere. I’m going to read you a few passages that display this idea for our understanding.
- Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (dedication) as a living sacrifice (death), holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
- Galatians 5:24 “And those who belong to Christ Jesus (dedication) have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.(death)”
- Matthew 16:25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life (death) for My sake (dedication) will find it.”
- Colossians 3:3 "For you have died (death), and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Dedication)”
- Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ (death); it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God (dedication), who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
This entire concept of dying to the flesh or “picking up our cross” as Jesus would say is the first part of a two-part process.
Death is related to repentance while dedication is related to belief and devotion and obedience. Jesus and John the baptist would often say, “Repent and believe.” Again, this follows the pattern of die to yourself and dedicate yourself to Christ. Turn from your sin and turn to Christ!
But Jesus adds another element to this discussion of death and dedication. We can’t just discipline ourselves to change our behavior and religiously dedicate ourselves to his preferred demeanor.
This death and dedication isn’t merely religious behavior modification. It’s supernatural rebirth. It’s regeneration.
He says we must be born again. As you heard in my recent episode on self-love. None of us are born right and that’s why be must be born again. But what does it mean to be born again? Also, what is Jesus really talking about when He says we need to be be born again?
John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
- So this is a story of Nicodemus asking an obvious question to the claims and ministry of Jesus,
- Basically, he’s saying, “You talk about the kingdom of God being near. How do you enjoy or see or experience this Kingdom?”
- To which Jesus answers with verse 3
- This is a big statement because the Jews thought their birth in the line of Abraham as Abraham’s seed was sufficient.
- This is why Jesus said in Matthew 3:9 “And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.“
- Your birth, even a birth in the seed of promise, is not sufficient. You need to realize that your current state is useless. You are depraved and dead. Im about to lay the axe head at the roots of the entire Jewish religion.
- You need to be renewed, have the law stamped on your heart, regenerated, and be born of water and of the spirit. You need to spiritually die through repentance, get baptized, and be born again of the Holy Spirit.
- This is how you will have eyes to see and ears to hear. This how you can experience the kingdom of God!
- 1 Peter 1:23 “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;”
Have you died fully? Or have you partially died? Have you truly said, “Father, not mine but your will be done” Are you still primarily seeking your will for your kingdom?
So as Dale mentioned, the altar represents the moment of justification through Christ, but it does not represent the life-long sanctification through relationship.
So in this next chapter is titled, “Abide or Depart” and we’re going to look and see what Jesus claims is the central ingredient to being in a loving relationship with Him.
So Dale, a lot of people want to strengthen their relationship but we often go about that either in the wrong way or in just one of many right ways. For example, some people go to the mountains and sit in nature hoping to get closer with God. Some people pray because they get to talk to God. Some people read the Word because they get to hear from God. Some people like to worship because they want to feel close to God. But if real relationship is built on love, what does Jesus tell us about how to love Him?
This is a really great chapter that centrally talks about what it means to abide in the vine and to abide in His word. But today, we’re going to touch on another point I mention in this chapter.
John 14:15 ESV “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- The greatest way to show your affection for God is by keeping His commandments. This is actually Jesus is preferred way for us display or love and devotion to Him.
- I want to point out that you can’t keep a commandment that you are unaware of. I think many of us disobey in ignorance. Now we do have the Holy Spirit who comes to convict us of sin, righteousness and judgement (John 16:8) and who will also teach us all things (John 14:26).
- But the Holy Spirit doesn’t overtake us and turn our relationship with God into some robotic experience. We co-operate with the Holy Spirit. This is why the Scriptures teach us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit.
- Ephesians 4:29-30 " Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
- So there is God‘s sovereignty and then there’s man’s responsibility. God plays a part by convicting and you play a part by choosing. But part of man’s responsibility is to make yourself familiar with the commands your Lord has given to you.
- 2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly driving the word of truth.”
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
- I think King David (author) said it nicely. Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."
- Do you want to know the Law of your Lord so that you may not transgress against Him. Now, I’m not preaching self-righteousness. There’s no amount of righteous law keeping that can get you or keep you saved. Jesus keeps us saved. But I’m talking about holy living. I’m talking about obedience. I’m talking about listening to Jesus when He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- Now, obedience is not the only way to love God but it is the best and first way to love God.
- Here’s an example from my own children. If you love me, you’ll listen to me. When they don’t listen to me, I feel dishonored. I feel they are not pursuing my will but their will. I don’t feel like they care about me or trust that my ways are better and wiser than their ways. I feel that they are in rebellion to my rule and reign in their lives.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
- God is looking for a yielded heart and a diligent seeker of Him. He loves children who are so concerned and even disturbed at the idea of ignorantly or accidentally disobeying their Father. For this reason, sons and daughters who love their Heavenly Father pray regularly, they read the word regularly, they worship regularly, but most of all they discipline themselves to keep the commands of their Lord. Not because it saves them.
- But because of the overwhelming gratitude they have for the saving work of Christ.
Guys, this book has so much to offer to the church. For me, I think it really helps clarify what it means to wear the title Christian. It put clear words to the theology I can sense but not always communicate. So if you would like to pick up a copy you can do that on Amazon or Audible but if you would like to support our ministry it would be a blessing if you bought it at Shop.RelearnChurch.org. We also have a 60-page study guide that you can use individually or complete with a small group.
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