If we would be resurrected with the Lord Jesus, if we would attain the out-resurrection from the dead that will take place when the Lord appears, we must come to know the Lord, the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

Sometimes it is taught that we are "identified" with the death of the Lord and with His resurrection. While this is true it can lead to a false conclusion. The term identified can lead to the idea that our relationship to the death and resurrection of the Lord is conceptual, mental, theological. We can subscribe to the idea that we have died and been raised with the Lord and then continue in our adamic, animal existence.

We prefer the term union. We enter into a living, tangible union with the death of the Lord and with His resurrection. In so doing we are released from four bondages.

We are released from the authority of the Law of Moses.

We are released from the guilt of sin.

We are released from the power of sin.

We are released from slavery to our self-will.

We are released from the authority of the Law of Moses because we have died with Christ, and the Law does not govern the dead.

We are released from the guilt of sin because the blood of the Lord Jesus paid the price for our transgressions. The blood satisfied the justice of God. The soul that sins must die. Jesus died in our place and we escape the penalty.

We are released from the power of sin when we confess our sins and repent of them. As we do, the power of the Holy Spirit overcomes the power of the indwelling sin and we are able to keep from practicing it.

Deliverance from the compulsions of sin is a major aspect of the Christian redemption. However it is the fourth area of redemption, release from slavery to our self-will, that is the crucial aspect of our salvation as sons of God.

The original sin was not adultery or bearing false witness or stealing or profanity or murder. None of these had as yet entered the new creation, although they may have been active in the heavens among the followers of Satan.

The original sin was self-willed disobedience. Adam and Eve obeyed their self-will in place of the will of the Father. Through their disobedience, sin was able to enter their personalities, in particular their bodies, and bring them into slavery to sin.

Sin resides in the members of our body because we are descendants of Adam and Eve. Before we come to Jesus our spirit, soul, and body are cut off from God because of the sin that dwells in them.

When we receive the Lord Jesus all of our sins are completely forgiven. Also, we no longer are under the authority of the Law of Moses. Now we are authorized to begin the process of removing the sin from our personality.

Our inner nature is alive because of the righteousness given to the inner man by the Holy Spirit. Eternal life always is the result of righteousness.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit [spirit—inner man] is life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)

To be continued.