Clarification on 'Salvation' from Sin

This post is a clarification on ‘Salvation’ from Sin.

I believe that Christians can be grouped into two categories: the Regenerated, and the Carnal (1 Cor. Ch. 3 vs. 1). In this passage Paul says, “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. The word ‘spiritual’ here is pneumatikos in the Greek, which means regenerate.

God has graced both groupings of believers with the honor of having a ‘positional’ standing in His family. For instance both groups are justified because of Christ’s sacrifice, and I believe will therefore ultimately join the Father in the New Life.

In my previous posting, ‘Salvation’ from Sin, what I was attempting to say is that I believe a taste of the New Life is available to us while on Earth, not just for when we make it to Heaven. I wanted to propose that ‘salvation’ (as used by Paul) means to be truly set free from the slavery of sin, where this state of regeneration is evident in our earthly lives. Where the Holy Spirit brings us from the state of ‘positional’ regeneration to ‘actual’ regeneration. Whereas believers we mature from the carnal state of being to the spiritual state of being. I’m not saying that we will achieve perfection while on Earth, but simply suggesting that salvation from the bondage/slavery (addictions, or any sin that holds us in captivity: like lust, pornography, drugs, fear, doubt, pride, and etcetera) is available to those who persevere in lifting their gazes up to Him with hope. He will deliver in time. These are prayers that He will answer.

For this maturation to happen we need to die with Christ in order to partake in His resurrection. John 12:24 says that a seed will only produce fruit if it first dies. Jesus then says that to find life we first must lose our lives vs. 25. After we pick up our crosses, a symbol of dying daily, we will then be lifted high into the wings of His resurrection glory! And this is when, I believe, that He will freely flow from our bellies as rivers of living water (John Ch. 7, vs. 38).

The death will happen when the Holy Spirit does a transformational work on our hearts and spirits. True deliverance can only come from Him. It can’t be achieved by our soulish striving and works. At times all we can do is to continue asking Him for freedom; and He will then bring us into circumstances where that freedom becomes our reality. It’s prudent to realize when one of these circumstances is knocking on our door, and to embrace the trials and tribulations as opportunities for true regeneration.

Then His resurrection power will be all the more unhindered within us!