Lesson 11: Jesus is Saving Us
Questions 3 and 4
"Following the prince of the power of the air..." Every person by nature is under the rule and reign and leadership of the devil. We are born captives to his will, his plan, and his purpose. We are slaves. Satan energized us when we lived in disobedience. "He (Satan) is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God" (Ephesians 2:2).
But through the cross, we become mastered by Jesus Christ and come under the powerful influence of grace. We are forgiven of our sins, and we are being saved from the power of the devil. It is not that we can't be tempted, for surely every Christian faces temptation even as Jesus did (Hebrews 4:15), but the cross breaks the power of sin so that we do not have to be dragged into it. Through the cross, we have a new master, Jesus Christ, and a new motivating principle called grace.
Question 3. Who are you following? Are you still captive to the enemy in some ways, or are you captivated by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Disobedience" One of the greatest changes those who take refuge in the protection and power of the cross experience is that of being saved from daily disobedience. When God draws us to the cross of Christ for salvation He gives us a new heart, writes His law on our heart, puts His Spirit within us, and causes us to walk in His ways (Ezekiel 36:25-27). We find that we have a new power at work within us, whereas once the devil was "at work in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2), now God's Word is "at work in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Question 4. Is your life characterized by a desire to follow and obey Christ, and with the power to actually do so more and more?
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Gratifying "the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind" This is depravity. It is following our impulses to satisfy the demands and sinful cravings of our mind and body. The cross teaches us to crucify the lusts of our flesh, not gratify them. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there" (Galatians 5:24). Through the power of the cross, we are being saved from "giving in" and instead taught to "resist to the point of shedding blood" (Hebrews 12:4) just as Jesus did.
Question 5. In what specific ways are you now being saved from gratifying the lusts of your flesh?
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