Why Sam (sin) is still around

Say your father owns a multibillion dollar company. Do you think he would just turn over his “kingdom” to you with no experience when you are 8 years old? 21 years old? 35 years old? 50 years old? I seriously doubt that. He would want you to go through the various levels of the company so you have a sound understanding of how the company is run. It would probably take many, many years before he turns to you and says, “Son, I had it, you got it”. Now, Jesus said,

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 KJV

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 1 Cor 6:3-4 NASU

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ just as I have received authority from my Father. Rev 2:26-27 NIV

Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. Rev 20:4 NASU

Do your honestly believe our Father would just turn over His kingdom to immature children? Salvation is just the beginning. Paul says,

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Eph 4:13-14 NASU

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 1 Cor 13:11-12 NIV

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 1 Cor 14:20 NASU

The author to the book of Hebrews says,

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Heb 5:12-14 NASU

How can we possibly rule in His kingdom unless we learn to conquer and rule in our own earth, our own physical bodies, and the sin that dwells within. Jesus says that apart from Him we can do nothing. Jesus doesn’t shrink down and come to live in our hearts. He is the Word that was made flesh. When he says apart from Him we can do nothing, he means that apart from the same Word that was made flesh, which He is, we can do nothing.

We grow from children to maturity by recognizing we ARE a new creation in Christ and the new creation that I am is at war with that sin nature/entity. Therefore, when this body manifests sin (and it will), it is not “I” who caused this manifestation but sin living in me. And the real “I” will fight the sin in my members until it is cut off at the roots. Corruption must put on incorruption and mortality must put on immortality. Then, and only then, can it be said that death is swallowed up in victory (I Corinthians 15:54)!

We need to recognize and proclaim who we are and understand that the sin that dwells in me does NOT define nor change who I am.