Continually Renewing Our Nature — Derek Melton

New Life Through Union with Christ

Verse one in Colossians. And again, I'm going to be reading this morning out of the new living because I believe it to be more discernible to you. Since you've been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven where Christ sets at the right hand in the place of honor and power.

And so it talks about we've been raised to a new life. This is a miraculous work of grace. We once were lost. Now we've been saved. We've been rescued. The very hand of almighty God has snatched us from the fire.

We've been pulled. We've been plucked out of the kingdom of darkness. We've been transplanted into the kingdom of God's dear son. The new nature that God has given us has overtaken an old nature that was formed after the similitude of Adam and in and with to the stamp of his transgression upon it.

But we've been given a new nature with the with the stamp and the mark of Christ upon us. But listen to me, that's not the end. There are so many circles out there. They talk about, well, you come to Christ, you get this new nature, and then you've got your ticket to heaven and then everything is going to be fine.

No, but that's the beginning and not the end. That's the beginning of a new nature that Christ has put on the inside of you that is continually in a state of renewal, a renewal. Listen, we've been given a new nature and that new nature by the grace of God.

As we learn more and more about Christ, as we mature more and more in and through Christ becomes new, afresh every day. That's why if you neglect the feeding of yourself, the word of God, which is the manifestation of Christ, you're not going to have the renewing of the nature.

You're going to be stuck in the rut. You're not going to you're not going to be that vibrant, overcoming, victorious Christian that Jesus Christ has ordained and demanded that we be. God didn't save you just to get you to heaven.

Christ as the Source of Christian Victory

We are to be an authoritative figure type, as it might be upon this earth. We are to be a victorious group of people, but victorious through and in Christ, not in some mental state where we're trying in our best efforts to be victorious.

No, but we're so filled with the riches and the righteousness of Christ that victory is synonymous with us because of who's in us, not because of efforts that we're trying to bring to pass. The person that is in fellowship with Christ has a righteousness that is oozing out of his pores, but it's not something that he is in his conscious effort trying to do.

It's just who Christ is in him and it's flowing forth from him. And we don't do that so much because we cut ourselves short with the intimacy with Christ being shortchanged. And that newness of that life that Christ has promised us that that he's promised to renew afresh in us isn't renewed because that knowledge of Christ is sometimes delinquent because of our part being shortchanged.

Salvation, Sanctification, and Daily Submission

Let me tell you something. Salvation begins with God and it ends with God. There's something in the middle called sanctification that you must yield yourself to. There must be something on the part of man that goes after God.

God woos us in the new birth. He draws us unto himself. He, by his grace, by his power, saves us all by his grace, all by his work, all by his will. We're so dead in our sins. We can't even do nothing except just be dead.

He rescues us. He saves us all by his hand and all by that special power named grace. He works that in us. But then we're born again by his power, by his might. But then there's a process of maturing and growing and going from one glory unto another as we continually submit ourself.

And submission is a choice on your part. My wife submits to me by her own choice. It's not by her choice. No longer is it submission. But she submits to me by her choice and we have to make a choice to submit ourself to Christ and listen to me in a daily relationship and a daily relational grace with him.

And so as I set your sights on the realities of heaven, that's not in so much talking. I'm just talking to you plain folks today. It's not so much talking about putting your thinking about the place of heaven.

It's not talking about we're going to go when you're dying so much as it is talking about having your mind up on the things that pertain to the kingdom of God. It's a kingdom mindset. It's that we're that we're pilgrims here on this earth and that we really call nothing down here home.

God has a place for us. But while we're here, our thoughts are upon the things that are eternal, that matter in the eyes and in the mind and the heart of God. We give ourselves to things that are not temporal in nature, but that are eternal in nature, such as other people.

Such as you. You know, the people of God should never really lay up for themselves treasures on this earth. The Bible strictly forbids the pursuit of of of and the love for physical things. And that is so rampant in Christianity today, cultural Christianity, that we pursue.

A doctrine according to desire. Instead of a doctrine according to truth, there are more good men destroyed by wealth than blessed by it. And there are more and more warnings in the word of God against against wealth and the love of it than there are warnings against any other kind of sin.

You go and read in James and you read about the warnings against against riches and it makes you tremble. And I have a hard time following some of the direction of some of these ministries that have made monetary gain an idol in itself.

So it's talking about a mindset that when you start living for the purposes of God, it's not just living, you know, like, oh, I just can't wait to get my mansion on those streets or pay with gold. Listen to me.

You know why the streets are paid with gold? Because it has no value there. You don't have to buy cheeseburgers in heaven. They're just provided and they don't have any cholesterol. And there's no Lipitor there.

No Crestor, no Asinopril. There's no high blood pressure. There's no arrhythmia of our hearts to beat funky. We're going to be filled with strength. That's not what it's talking about. It's talking about while we're here, we need to let the principles that govern the kingdom govern us.

So it's talking about, is it OK for us to ponder every now and then about heaven? Yeah. You know what the most important thing is, is that we're mindful about our father's business because that Jesus set that example before us.

Christ as the Believer's Real Life

And I was going to verse two, let heaven fill your thoughts. Don't only think about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died for your real life is hidden with Christ and God. And when Christ, who is your real life like this, when Christ is your real life, like, listen to me, your best life now is not your real life.

Christ is your real life. Christ is your real life. Listen, if you're going to read any books, read books that exalt Christ, not books that talk about your best life. Now, beloved, your best life now is a life that's wrapped around, filled with an overflowing by Jesus Christ.

Listen, what is it profit if you gain the whole world, if you manage a dozen companies, if you have a dozen houses on every beautiful beachfront all across the world, and you are an unprofitable servant?

Well, but there is more to this life than what we see with our natural eyes. Christ is our real life. It's not something that we do on Sundays. It shouldn't be any way. Jesus is as much in me and through me and, and, and saturated coming out my pores tomorrow than he is today.

The same. There's no disruption in this consistency, in this lifestyle. Jesus isn't something that I do. Jesus is who's in me. And whenever I seek the face of God is because he's on the inside of me and I am one with him and I am in my beloved and he is mine.

It's not something that I'm practicing on Wednesdays. He's not something that I'm preparing for to speak to you on Sundays. He's just in me and I am in him. And we together, we're one with one another.

Christianity is not a religion that I practice. Christianity is the spirit of Christ in me, the hope of glory. It's not something that I'm putting my hand to beloved. It is my hands. He is in me. My heart is filled with him.

The cross is not something I look to or wear around my neck. The cross is within me. It's the life I live. It's a daily denying of myself, taking up the cross, following Jesus Christ, putting you before me, putting others before me, putting him before me.

I'm last place. That's the cross. And sometimes that's not so much fun. The beloved is the glory. God's glory always comes from the cross. So when Christ, your real life is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all of his glory.

Putting Sin to Death

So put to death, sinful and earthly things lurking within you. It's a night. Now check this out. It's talking about we're a people that they're living a new life because Christ is on the inside of us.

And he starts talking about sinful things lurking within us still. And you thought at the new birth that everything was gone out. Let me tell you what Jesus cancels out the power of sin. He cancels out the wage of sin.

What sin really has makes you a deserving center of hell. The penalty of sin, he wipes it out. But I don't think you're ever going to find in there that he wipes out the existence of it. Victory over it, he promises us.

We don't have to obey anymore. The lusts that are in the flesh, the temptations that come, we don't have to obey them. The beloved, they still come. It says, put to death, sinful or an earthly things lurking within you.

But they lurk within us. But the thing is, by God's grace and power, which is vivid and living on the inside of us, we no longer have to obey their suggested suggestions. Have you ever told the devil, I don't think I'll do that today?

That's exactly right. You know, these things that are lurking within us. What about sexual sin? You know, Linda got up and prayed over fathers that the power of the Internet and it's pornography broken.

Beloved, listen, it destroys the very fabric of Christ in us. It is. Listen, we can have victory over it. And I know with men, it's a big it's a big deal because we're so site oriented and God's put this gift on the inside of us to be attracted to women.

Thank you, Jesus. Beloved, we have but we have to bridle lust. God has given me the desire for a beautiful woman and glory be to God. He gave me one. And listen to me in that desire for a beautiful woman now is to be honed in and locked up on one woman.

And her name is Stacey Lynn Melton. Not Stacey Lynn Couch Melton, Stacey Lynn Melton. She has my name. I'll never call my daughter Lindy Melton Morehead. She is Lindy Morehead from last Saturday on because I conferred and that name has been conferred.

It's been passed from not melt any longer, but now it's more head because they have become one. And that headship is honored when her whenever she takes his name. But the death sinful earthly things that are lurking within you have nothing to do with sexual sin.

Sounds to me, Mike, like you have a choice in the matter. Impurity and lust and shameful desires. And listen, don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. And God's terrible anger comes up on those who do such things, talking about those people and talk to the people that are walking in this new life.

You used to do them when your life was still part of this world, but now it's time to get rid of anger and rage and malicious behavior and slander and dirty language. Don't lie to each other for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all of its wicked deeds in its place.

The Continual Renewal of the New Nature

You have clothed yourself with the brand new nature. Listen, this is what I want to hit on strong. There has been a clothing with a brand new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ who created this new nature within you.

You know, I've read several different translations of that passage, and they all have the same meaning using a little bit terminology differences to bring out and illustrate points. I believe this is so strong when it says Christ gave you a brand new nature and it's continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Jesus Christ.

You've got a brand new nature at the new birth. You once was a citizen of this world, but now you're a citizen of the kingdom of God. You had the stamp of Adam, and by the grace of God, that stamp has been broken off of you.

You have a brand new heart. You have brand new desires, a brand new nature that Jesus Christ gives to you, and he is living on the inside of you. The life you live now, you live by the faith of the son of God who loves you and has given himself for you.

But that new nature, beloved, has to be renewed continually for it to be a conquering, advancing, and victorious Christ-like nature. As you learn more and more about Jesus Christ, and I'm going to show you in the scriptures how that takes place in Ephesians chapter four.

The Church's Ministry Gifts and Christian Maturity

Turn back a little bit to your left a few pages. Aren't you glad you have those boys talking to come into church today? Thank God for children. They're the heritage of the Lord. The Bible says you've got to have a heart like a child before you can enter the kingdom.

Thank God for the little guys. And you wouldn't be blessed to meet all of us nuts if you didn't come down here. We're just bananas for Jesus. Verse 11 says this. He is the one who gave these gifts to what?

The church. The church. That's the people of God when they come together. The people of God make up the church, not the building, not the denomination. It's the people in love with Jesus Christ, insanely in love with Jesus, saturated with the love of God by the Holy Spirit of God, as it says in Romans 5 .5.

He gave these gifts to the church, their apostles, their prophets, their evangelists, and the pastors, and the teachers, and their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and to build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to the unity of our faith and the knowledge of God's son.

So this new nature is being renewed as we what? Learn more and more about Jesus Christ. Now we see God has given some gifts to the church, whereby these opportunities to learn more about Jesus Christ manifest.

God's given gifts to the church. He names five of them, and one of them's a pastor. The other one's a teacher, the evangelist, the prophet, the apostle. God has placed these gifts intact that we might learn more and more about Jesus Christ.

Does that mean that you can't learn about Jesus Christ on your own? Doesn't mean that at all, but God gives gifts to the church to help us in this area. You know, here you hear the pastor talk week in and week out.

We need to be here to hear the word of God. Need to be a part in the midweek service. Well, listen to me, if you could keep every dime in your wallet, that's fine with me, but be here for Christ's sake.

That you might come to the full knowledge and stature of the son of God, that you might be one of the members of the body of Christ that make the body of Christ beautiful. Beloved, the equipping of God is here.

The knowledge of Christ is being taught here so that your nature that Christ gave to you can be perpetually and continually renewed. We should walk out of this meeting place every week, biweekly, so encouraged, so built up, so filled with the knowledge of Jesus Christ that beloved, we just can't stay away.

That our nature is being renewed, that the very knowledge of Christ that we're being taught by the ministry gifts that God has placed and sewn into the local body, the local assembly is so rich and so life giving and Christ emanating that we're just bubbling on the inside in our spiritual man.

And what I realized too, that sometimes when way team me team messages are taught and preached, that the carnal mind that wages war against the spiritual mind can become frustrated, can even become bogged down.

But the spiritual man on the inside is being fanned with a flame until that spiritual man is white, hot, brimming with life and overflowing and conquering that carnal man that's trying to wage war. And let me tell you, the younger being the spiritual man will be an authority over the elder being the natural man.

And the natural man will be a servant to the spiritual man and all of your day long as your nature is being renewed as you obey the word of God and submit yourself to the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is a revelation of who Jesus Christ is.

Your nature is going to be renewed. Oh, beloved, this generation is weary to see a church that's filled with men and women of God that are brimming with with or with the God ordained kind of life. This generation that we're living in is is hungry to see the church rise up.

The Bible says that all of creation is in groaning, awaiting a manifestation of the sons of God, as it says in Romans eight. They're about groaning in travail to see the church arise. And beloved, I'm concerned the church is not arising because the church is not submitting to the knowledge of Christ that comes through God's ordained methodology, that he has established in the church, that they might know Christ.

And again, listen to me, friend, don't take me wrong. I am not saying that the pulpit ministry takes place of the of the personal meetings with Christ. But I am telling you that if you rob your life of the God ordained means to have the full awareness of Christ imparted into your life, you're going to remain infantile in your faith.

You will never be advancing and nor will you be conquering in the name of Christ. You're just going to be a defeated and another defeated religious person. That does not bear witness to the truth that does not bear witness to the authority in Jesus Christ and the power of his name.

The Church's Power in Acts

God has ordained, my friend, that the church be strong. You do not find anywhere in the book of Acts a church that's being conquered by any opposition, by any foe, by any circumstance, by anything that's coming against them.

They locked them up in jail and they're hanging in shackles on the wall, kicking their little feet and praising Jesus. And God just opened the door and set them all free. You see miracles, you see Peter walking and even his shadow falling across people that were sick and those people got up and were healed.

It was his shadow. Why? Because the life giving power of the spirit of God was within that man of God that was wholly submitted to and surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ. So a pastor, I believe that was for the apostles and not for us.

What Bible are you reading? Jesus said greater things than these shall you do greater things than these shall you do. Beloved, listen, the problem is not with Jesus. The problem is us and our trust in him.

Then we will no longer be like children forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like truth.

Instead, we will be, we will hold on to the truth and love becoming more and more in every way like Christ. How beloved this is all talking about the gifts that God establishes in the church to give the revelation of Christ, which is what the gospel to the people of God that were renewed inwardly were renewed inwardly.

Our spiritual nature is renewed, empowered, renewed and empowered until the church becomes such a force on the earth that not even political powers can deny it. But you see that in the book of acts, that the political powers that we can say nothing against these men.

We note that they have been with Jesus. They're ignorant and they're unlearned, but they've been with Jesus. And there's something about them that we cannot denounce that we cannot deny. They've been with Jesus.

Even the political powers are subject to the church of the Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. The church is not a group of people. It's the live. It's the living presence of God upon the earth, the essence of Jesus Christ upon the earth.

And beloved, we have a responsibility before God to position ourselves underneath the preaching and teaching ministry of the gifts that God has placed in the local church that we might draw from those gifts, not the men, the gift that we draw from the gift that we'd be no more children, that we might mature and grow up in the full stature of Christ as our nature is being renewed.

Our nature is being renewed. Listen, the imprint of Christ is becoming so pronounced that we can't really even see anymore that old stamp of Adam that used to be there, that used to hold dominion, that used to assert authority, that used to hold power.

We can't even see its shadow anymore because there's such a pronounced image of Christ upon you. And don't sit back there and think, oh, I wish the pastor could just be that godly. The pastor sitting up here going, I wish the people just could be that godly.

The word of God is saying people be that godly. Amen. Submit yourself, submit to the ordinances of the Lord and our savior, Jesus Christ, the full stature of Christ until we come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge and the knowledge of God's son that we would mature and be full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Jesus Christ.

Sowing to the Flesh or the Spirit

We've got to be so so intent and so careful about what we're sowing into our lives, what we're placing into our hearts. I was just reading this morning over in Galatians. If we sow to the flesh and that flesh still in you, you don't have to obey it, but it's still there.

Anybody here that doesn't have that? Because I want to see you walk through that wall because you're in a glorified body. The flesh lusted after the spirit and the spirit after the flesh. These two are contrary one to another.

Our choices are never free from this, from, from these two, the flesh and the spirit. But beloved, what we sow to the flesh empowers the flesh, what we sow to the spirit empowers the spirit. Turn with me there to Galatians, if you don't mind us, to your left again a little bit.

Chapter five, verse 16 says, so advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. What does that mean, Becky? That means that you're going to have an option of either living by the new life in the Holy Spirit or living by the life that we've always known.

And sometimes we always follow what's familiar. And so the opportunities that Christ set before us, and sometimes we miss it, don't we? Sometimes the things of the flesh are more familiar and familiarity breeds complacency, and we just fall into the same old, same old rhythm that we've always been in.

And we wonder why things aren't going any better. Well, we're not living to the potential that Christ promised us in his word. I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Look at me. Look at me. It's not that we try to quit doing things to where these things quit taking control of our life. It says we begin to live and to make choices along to the patterns of the new life Christ has placed within us.

And then we won't be doing those things. No winner does it take to say to quit it. It says to start something else. Start living according to the life that Jesus Christ lives in you. Start following the desires of the Spirit that are on the inside of you.

Even though the flesh is still talking, even though the flesh is still familiar, we must listen to the voice of the Spirit of God that's always compatible with the word of God and start obeying the word of God.

And then, beloved, listen. Flesh begets flesh. Spirit begets spirit. We sow ourself to the Spirit. We're going to reap the Spirit. We're going to reap power from above. You feed the flesh, the flesh will reign.

You feed the Spirit, the Spirit will grow and it will reign. And, beloved, if you continue to live by the flesh, you'll die. But if you, by the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the flesh, you'll live. This is not that complex.

Guarding What Enters the Heart

But, beloved, what are you feeding? We know we're here, we're talking about a new nature being, being, renewing itself to where we are really being redefined as God's people, a mirror of God's image to our generation.

But, beloved, just because the word of God says that we'll be a people that mirror the image of God doesn't mean that you will. What are you placing in you? What are you sowing into your heart? What are you allowing to come in through the window of your eyes?

What are you allowing to come in through the hearing of the ears? What are you, what are you allowing to come in through the practices of life? Because they are what are defining you. They're defining you.

You don't have to obey the thing, the patterns of old that were corrupted and wicked and evil. You are no longer slaves. You are no longer subject to them. Beloved, we are freemen through Jesus Christ and we now have the power to pursue the Lord Jesus Christ and to follow him and obey him and be changed into his similitude or likeness.

We have that within our ability by Christ's power and grace at work within us as we, as we learn more and more about Christ. But, beloved, you can't learn more and more about Christ if you don't submit yourself to it.

You could have made a decision to stay home today, I guess. Turn on Dr. Phil and get a fill of junk. You could have watched Oprah. I'll barely leave that one as mine was going somewhere that probably wasn't good.

You could even stay at home and learn about how to have your best life now. I'm not going to leave that one alone, but you're here and you're hearing the good news about Jesus Christ and there's something taking place in the realms that are not seen with the natural eye.

Something taking place deep within the very, the very depths of your heart, the depths of a new nature that God's placed on the inside of you. You're being changed. You're being redefined, not after the image of Adam, but after the image of Christ being redefined.

That new nature is being renewed. You're being empowered from within to be an emulation of Jesus Christ into a world that doesn't know Christ, but yet longs for him. Beloved, every, every God-hating and rejecting person in the deep of their heart is longing to know Christ because they long for the beautiful.

God's put it inherently within us to long for the beautiful, and there's nothing beautiful other than Christ and that which comes from him. Beloved, we're to be a reflection to this generation. And beloved, my concern is that for so long we've been reflecting ourselves instead of reflecting Christ.

It's coming to the full stature of Jesus Christ has been held captive only in the pages and not been birthed out into the practicality of our lives. As we submit ourselves to the gospel of Christ, that we become more and more like him as that nature on the inside of us that he gave us and he clothed us with is being renewed into his image and being, and being built up on the inside of us to where we more and more reflect the heavenly and less and less reflect the earthly.

The Works of the Flesh and Fruit of the Spirit

But beloved, we got to guard our heart. Why are we feeding? What are we submitting ourselves to? What are we yielding to? What are the eyes feasting on the ears hearing or the hands attached to? What is the lifestyle wrapped around?

The old sinful nature loves to do evil. Verse 17 says, which is opposite from what the Holy spirit wants. The spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the simple nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting with each other and your choices are never free from this conflict.

But when you are directed by the Holy spirit, you are no longer subject to the law. When you follow the desires of your simple nature, your lives will produce these evil results, sexual immorality, impure thoughts on and on and on.

But when the Holy spirit verse 22 controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us loved and joy and peace, patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control.

Here, there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have nailed the passions and desires of the simple nature of the cross and crucified them there. If we are now living by the Holy spirit, let us follow the Holy spirit fleeting in every part of our lives.

Let us not become conceded or irritate one another or become jealous of one another. And he goes on to talk about in chapter six, the same discourse. You understand this was written as a letter and there were no chapters and verses when this was written, right?

That was put in here so we could find spots. This is an unbroken and a harmonic letter to a church talking about restoring people that are fallen to sin. Verse seven says, don't be misled. Look at it with me.

Remember you cannot ignore God and get away with it. You'll always reap what you sow. Those who are living only to satisfy their own simple desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. Those who live to please the spirit will harvest everlasting life from the spirit.

So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged or give up because we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially our Christian brothers and sisters.

The Church as a Refuge for a Broken Generation

Beloved, we got to guard what we're putting in and we got to guard our intake. We got to guard our, our, our, our outtake, you know, what's coming forth from us. It all needs to be checked and guided by and filtered through the word of truth.

What we say, what we do beloved, it's important what we put in. It's important what we feast upon. And the word of God gives us an admonition. If we are to mature, if we're to be the people of God that God's called us to be, that God has placed gifts into the church.

He set them within the church that we might have an attain the knowledge of Christ. And it's by the knowledge of Christ, the new nature is continually being renewed and empowered and changing from glory to glory and to the likeness of Christ, which the church is supposed to be on the earth.

And it's not by our power. It's not by our might, but it's all done by the Holy ghost. As we are responsive to him, led by the spirit of God. Why? Because we belong to him. We're the children of God responding because of ownership.

I can call out to my kids. I can say, Hey, and they'll both stop, talk, turn and look, but your kids won't. They're responding to ownership. Pastor Tim can do that with his children and his voice. So wait, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Everyone has kids will just stop and turn and look back at their daddy. It's that way with us, with the spirit of God, the word of God says, Hey, and we stop and we obey and we listen because of ownership.

We're bought with the price, the price of the blood of Jesus Christ. It's a new birth. You've been given a new nature, but love it. That new nature craves renewal. That nature that you have, that's of Christ.

That is Christ on the inside of you craves renewal until you come to the full stature of the image of Jesus Christ and beloved. You're not there, nor am I, but beloved, we have this hope that when we see him, we will be as he is.

And every man or woman that has this hope, but listen, purifies himself. Even as he is pure, we will be like him. But love, we've got to go from one glory into another. We must continually submit ourself to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm not negating your intimate time with Christ. It is imperative that you have it daily, but love it. I'm talking about the gifts that God has ordained and set to the church to teach us the knowledge of Christ.