If we choose to live according to our sinful, dead body, we will die. What does this mean? It means the eternal life that God had given us when we received Christ will be withdrawn. We have not sown to the Spirit of God but have lived our life in the desires of our flesh and soul. When the Lord returns our body will not be redeemed.

We shall die!

It is our responsibility each day to cooperate with the Spirit of God in putting to death the sinful actions of our body. The Spirit leads us from one area of darkness to another. As we walk in the Spirit we do not fulfill the lusts of our flesh. We subdue our fleshly, soulish desires by the power of God.

The sons of God are those who are led by the Spirit in the warfare against the sinful passions of the physical body.

If we live in victory over our flesh and soul, if we overcome their desires, we will be fed with the hidden manna. This means the body and blood of Christ will be fed to us in the invisible spirit realm.

If we do not live in victory, carelessly neglecting our salvation, yielding to our fleshly nature and ignoring the prayer and meditation in God's Word that are essential to nourishing our new inward nature, we will die spiritually.

This is the meaning of the parable of the virgins. Those who were careless, who did not provide enough oil, were turned away at the coming of the Lord. The "oil" represents the Life of the Holy Spirit. The "lamp" represents the Word of God. It was not enough to be theologically correct. They had to be filled and remain filled with the Spirit of God. Only then could they go to be with the Lord at His coming.

We have been warned by the parable of the sower that it is possible to have the Life of Christ germinate in us and then die.

We have been warned by the Lord that if we do not abide in the Vine and bear the fruit of Christ's image we shall be removed from the Vine; removed from Christ!

Hebrews and Jude warn us about starting out from Egypt and then dying in the wilderness.

There are other warnings also. But how can this be? If upon receiving Christ we die with Him, are resurrected with Him, and then ascend with Him to the Father, how can it be that the Life of Christ can germinate in us and then die? How can it be that if we do not abide in the Vine we shall be removed from Christ?

How can it be that we can start out from Egypt and then die in the wilderness?

Once having risen with Christ, how is it possible to turn from the way of righteousness so our latter end is worse than if we never had received Christ in the first place?

How can these things be possible?

I don't know. I do know the Scripture is clear that if we do not choose to be the slave of God, of righteousness, if we do not refuse to permit sin to rule our actions, we shall die spiritually.

To be continued.