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Overcoming Sin Through Regeneration

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 30, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 38.

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Overcoming Sin Through Regeneration

By Editor

IN a note last week we adverted to the fact that passion, in its bad sense, is the product of sinful and inherited tendencies in the flesh, together with an agreeing mind. This is the case with the unregenerate; the mind is always in harmony with the body, and passion is the result. Rom. 7:18, 21, 23. The sinful flesh is ever "on top." But not so with the individual who is born of God, and has received the Spirit of God. Eze. 36:26, 27. He is born of God that he may overcome. 1 John 3:4. He overcomes, or is "transformed" to the image of Christ, by the "renewing of the mind" (Rom. 12: 2); so that whereas before his regeneration the flesh ruled, and the mind and will were subject to all of the temptations of the enemy through the weaknesses of the sinful flesh, now, after his regeneration, the mind is renewed, the carnal mind taken away, and the Spirit of Christ in the man now controls the body, and sets the individual free from the law of sin in the members of the body. Rom. 8:2. The individual, through the power of Christ, puts to death the deeds of the body (Rom. 8: 13; Col. 3:5); keeps under the body (1 Cor. 9:27); suffers through the flesh in thus doing (1 Peter 4: 1); but in this suffering he ceases from sin, and keeps the righteousness of the law. Rom. 8:4. He does all this by faith in the Son of God. His faith puts Christ in his place, and through the power of the new life, the infirmities of the body rise not to victory. Gal. 2:20; Rom. 8:4. Jesus had the sinful flesh, but no answering desire in the mind, hence no passion. He never yielded for one moment in thought or deed to the tendencies of the flesh, therefore never sinned. His pure soul abhorred the sin, till the very flesh was brought into subjection to God. He condemned, or overthrew, sin in the flesh. Rom. 8:3. The same power is freely vouchsafed to all his disciples.