3 Questions on the Crucified Life

Before we ask and answer these 3 questions on the cross, we should remember foundationally that  …

The number 1 truth: the old self must die with Christ before any real transformation can take place.  We must present ourselves as a living sacrifice for there to be any renewal and conformity, no longer conformed to the world but to Christ. Conversely, Law is the great antagonist to transformation. Rom 12:1-2

1.       Why did Job and all New Testament Saints have to be stripped?

All persons entering the new birth, new creation and new man nature (Eph 4:22-24) must be stripped of the old man nature.  Job was a prototype of this truth. Job was a good man but all good and evil (from the tree of such in Gen 2 and 3) must be stripped off.  We are then free to be reclothed with the Tree of Life, Christ, the new man nature.  We must put off the fallen good and evil nature of Adam and put on Christ and His new nature. This happens thru the stripping of the cross.  The experience of being stripped means being emptied out and it means LOSS!  Loss of security, comfort zone, control, health, job, family, wealth, friendships, prestige, power, position, sources of pleasure, order, clarity of thought, understanding of your situation, ability to cope, etc, etc. Salvation is not something you do.  It is something that happens to you and your response to that is faith.  Loss happens to us.  Satan is always the cause of loss.  Loss or death leads to resurrection gain, gaining Christ. Phili 3:4-11. In order to live for God we must put on the Christ-nature of God. Only then can we live out the virtues of God, the fruits of the Spirit and the Sermon on the Mount.

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