Understanding Sin and Salvation in Christ

We come back for the third time to the consideration of this tremendous and most vital statement. We are considering it as we are working our way through this Mighty eple and we are reminding ourselves that the Apostle introduces this statement in these three verses in order to bring out the great idea which he has started expanding in the previous chapter, namely that we as God's people should realize the greatness of his power to us that believe. [00:01:01]

The Apostle is helping us to come to such an understanding and he says what we need to do is to measure this great power and the way to measure it, he says, is this: first of all the depth out of which God has had to raise you and then the height to which he's taken you, and as you understand the depth and the height you'll have some conception of the exceeding greatness of God's power. [00:02:38]

We must know the depth from which we've been raised if we are to understand this power, and again I suggest that it's because of the neglect of this doctrine of sin, the biblical doctrine of sin, and a failure to understand it truly that so many have such a totally inadequate conception of the greatness of this great salvation. [00:04:01]

The Apostle describes our state and condition in sin, what we were like before this power took hold of us, and what he says is that we were dead, spiritually dead, and in that state of deadness were entirely subject to and the victims of the power of the principle of evil that is in this world. [00:03:35]

Man's life according to the Apostle in a state of sin and outside Grace is a life of trespasses and sins. You were he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Man's life apart from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is just a life of trespasses and sins. That sums it all up. [00:07:05]

The Apostle obviously is concerned about shades of meaning here, otherwise he wouldn't have used the two words. He's done so quite deliberately. What is a trespass? Well, a trespass is an outward transgression. The actual root meaning of the word is that it's a falling away from the true and from the upright. [00:07:36]

The desires of the flesh, while inherently good, become sinful when they dominate and control us. This includes basic human needs and instincts, which must be kept in check to avoid becoming lusts. The desires of the mind encompass intellectual and emotional pursuits that can become lusts when they absorb and govern our lives. [00:28:45]

The Apostle is saying that in general man lives his life of trespasses and sins because he's governed and controlled by the lusts of the flesh, flesh in a general sense. What do you mean by lust, says someone? Well, again, of course, a very important term. A lust is a strong desire. [00:21:10]

The whole problem with which is dealt with in these various Epistles. Well now then let's look at the terms. What is the meaning of this term flesh? It's a very important term in the New Testament and it's very important that we should understand clearly what it means. [00:13:38]

The desires of the Mind are as much an expression of the lusts of the flesh as are the desires of the body. How does this show itself? Well, I'd give you a general definition by putting it like this: anything which tends to control and to absorb and govern your attention and your activity is a desire of the Mind. [00:34:06]

There is only one thing that can deal with a situation like this. It's the thing I mentioned at the beginning. It is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us that believe. It's what Thomas Chas called The Expulsive Power of new affection. [00:47:39]

It is only the power of God in the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit that can deliver us, but blessed be the name of God, it can, it does, it will. Sin, know the depths, the foulness, the ugliness, the power of it all. There is only one place of safety and that is ever to be looking unto him. [00:47:39]