Paul writes in his letters of three different deaths and resurrections, which are part and parcel of our Christian experience. The first is the death to sin and subsequent life to God, which happens to all Christians by virtue of our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. By it we share in the benefits both of Christ's death (its forgiveness) and of his resurrection (its power). This is inherent in our conversion/baptism.
The second is the death to self, called variously taking up the cross, or denying, crucifying or mortifying ourselves.... This death is not something which has happened to us, and which we are now told to 'reckon' or remember, but something which we must deliberately do ourselves, though by the power of the Spirit, putting our old nature to death. Indeed all Christians have done it, in the sense that it is an essential aspect of our original and continuing repentance, and we cannot be Christ's disciples without it. But we have to maintain this attitude, that is, take up the cross daily.
The third kind of death and resurrection ... is the carrying about in our bodies of the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our bodies (2 Cor 4:9-10). Plainly the arena for this is our bodies. It refers to their infirmity, persecution and mortality. It is in this connection that Paul could say both 'I die daily' (1 Cor 15:30-31) and 'we face death all day long' (Rom 8:36). For it is a continuous physical frailty. But then the 'resurrection', the inward vitality or renewal from the life of Jesus within us, is continuous too (2 Cor 4:16).
To sum up, the first death is legal; it is a death to sin by union with Christ in his death to sin (bearing its penalty), and the resultant resurrection with him leads to the new life of freedom which justified sinners enjoy. The second death is moral; it is a death to self as we put to death the old nature and its evil desires, and the resurrection which follows leads to a new life of righteousness in fellowship with God. The third death is physical; it is a death to safety, a 'being given over to death for Jesus' sake', and perfect in our weakness. The legal death was a 'death unto sin once and for all', but the moral and physical deaths are daily--even continuous--experiences for the Christian disciple.
John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, IL: 1986), 280.
5 comments:
So, the legal death leads to freedom, moral death leads to righteousness.
What does death to safety mean?
Kamfai, I have now included more content from Stott's book in my post to clarify the three different deaths and resurrections that Paul writes in his letters.
I see.
I do feel the infirmity, both mental and physical, when I interact with Chinese non-believers at workplace. Now I think I need to focus more on the "resurrection" part.
What do you mean that you feel the infirmity when interacting with Chinese nonbelievers? Can you say more?
I'm not sure if I have shared with you before.
Lunchtime usually with 4 colleagues from mainland China. They each represent a different type of non-believers. It makes my heart sink when I think about them.
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