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I would like to make clear from the start of this writing, I know that God is; thinks; and acts in a literal sense. If God said believers are dead to sin, He believes this because He sees us through His Son. Man does not fugitively see himself dead to sin because he sees himself through his actions as being alive to sin. God sees believers through faith; but believers do not see themselves as God does.
Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:2
God forbid. How shall we, that are “dead to sin,” live any longer therein?
Romans 6:7
For he that is “dead” is “freed from sin.”
How should we as believers understand the scriptures that teach we are dead to sin? If a believer is dead to sin, how is it possible for them to commit murder, fornication, steal, and lie or do anything contrary to what God's Commandments say? James and Paul sum it up and teach exactly what it is the believer is committing through their acts of disobedience to the law as they understand it (Jam. 4:17; Rom. 14:23; 1 Jo. 3:4).
How then can the bible teach that man's sins has been cancelled, they have been blotted out, taken away, put away, believers are dead to sins, believers are freed from sins, believers are blind to sins, they are sanctified from sins, made perfect from sins, saved from sins, delivered from the sin nature, healed from sins, cleansed from sins, should not have a consciousness of sins; etc. How do we as believers understand this?
Consider this in the "Metaphoric" sense instead of the "Literal" sense; knowing that God has said the "Just shall live by faith" (Gal. 3:11). Believer recived God's word by faith and not by what we see.
Metaphoric definition used:
A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.”
When scriptures teach that man's sins have been atoned for, by placing the sins of the world upon the body of Jesus Christ, this is speaking metaphorically; not literally (especially in the mind of man). A man's past, present or future actions/sin cannot be transferred literally. The act of sin comes from the heart and mind of man. However, in God's mind sins are transferable, because He sees sins in the spirit; as a spiritual disease which leaves a stain on the hearts of men; this is why God has given believers a new heart and spirit which cannot be defiled by sin (Eze. 36:26). He has cleansed man; not because of man's works of righteousness, but because of how God determined man's actions to be through Grace.
By God instituting the ritual of atonement under the Mosaic Covenant, it freed His mind from the sins the people have committed and reconciled man back unto Himself. Sin separated man from God (Isa. 59:2); but through the atonement of Jesus Christ, God has cancelled and blotted out the sin of the world "literally" from His mind; but in man's mind sin is still exist as literal. This is not the faith of God!
Those that believe they still sin are not agreeing with what the principle of God's word has said concerning sin. If Christ died for our offenses and was raised from the dead for our justification (our Righteousness and innocence from sins), and God has acquitted man having imputed Righteousness unto him, why do believers look at their works of sin; yet God is not? In the believers mind many believe they sin, unfortunately, they are yet in their sins because they believe this.
1Co 15:17 If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins
A believer that thinks they still sin are not walking by faith; boldly confessing they are yet in their sin. Christ cannot be raised from the dead and yet a believer still sins. By these believers own admission they are yet in their sins; therefore, their faith must be in vain; according to 1Co. 15:17.
Romans 3:4
...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Romans 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:2
God forbid. How shall we, that are “dead to sin,” live any longer therein?
Romans 6:7
For he that is “dead” is “freed from sin.”
How should we as believers understand the scriptures that teach we are dead to sin? If a believer is dead to sin, how is it possible for them to commit murder, fornication, steal, and lie or do anything contrary to what God's Commandments say? James and Paul sum it up and teach exactly what it is the believer is committing through their acts of disobedience to the law as they understand it (Jam. 4:17; Rom. 14:23; 1 Jo. 3:4).
How then can the bible teach that man's sins has been cancelled, they have been blotted out, taken away, put away, believers are dead to sins, believers are freed from sins, believers are blind to sins, they are sanctified from sins, made perfect from sins, saved from sins, delivered from the sin nature, healed from sins, cleansed from sins, should not have a consciousness of sins; etc. How do we as believers understand this?
Consider this in the "Metaphoric" sense instead of the "Literal" sense; knowing that God has said the "Just shall live by faith" (Gal. 3:11). Believer recived God's word by faith and not by what we see.
Metaphoric definition used:
A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.”
When scriptures teach that man's sins have been atoned for, by placing the sins of the world upon the body of Jesus Christ, this is speaking metaphorically; not literally (especially in the mind of man). A man's past, present or future actions/sin cannot be transferred literally. The act of sin comes from the heart and mind of man. However, in God's mind sins are transferable, because He sees sins in the spirit; as a spiritual disease which leaves a stain on the hearts of men; this is why God has given believers a new heart and spirit which cannot be defiled by sin (Eze. 36:26). He has cleansed man; not because of man's works of righteousness, but because of how God determined man's actions to be through Grace.
By God instituting the ritual of atonement under the Mosaic Covenant, it freed His mind from the sins the people have committed and reconciled man back unto Himself. Sin separated man from God (Isa. 59:2); but through the atonement of Jesus Christ, God has cancelled and blotted out the sin of the world "literally" from His mind; but in man's mind sin is still exist as literal. This is not the faith of God!
Those that believe they still sin are not agreeing with what the principle of God's word has said concerning sin. If Christ died for our offenses and was raised from the dead for our justification (our Righteousness and innocence from sins), and God has acquitted man having imputed Righteousness unto him, why do believers look at their works of sin; yet God is not? In the believers mind many believe they sin, unfortunately, they are yet in their sins because they believe this.
1Co 15:17 If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins
A believer that thinks they still sin are not walking by faith; boldly confessing they are yet in their sin. Christ cannot be raised from the dead and yet a believer still sins. By these believers own admission they are yet in their sins; therefore, their faith must be in vain; according to 1Co. 15:17.
Romans 3:4
...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.
1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.