What readers are saying about Jim's book...


"With profound insight, compassion, and solid biblical support, Jim resurrects one of the most forgotten and overlooked truths in our day."

~Dwight Edwards, author and advisor to Larry Crabb


"Still the best book on the theme out there."

~Alice F.; Arizona

*Read more reviews on Amazon...

Prone To Wander Myth

Buy Jim's book.

 What if your heart is no longer 'prone to wander?'  What if God is more interested in releasing a noble goodness He's already placed within you, rather than pressuring you to be more 'holy?'  Discover the book by Jim Robbins.

good and noble heart resources

 

 

 

 

Get Jim's Newsletter

LISTEN OR WATCH
CONTACT JIM
Follow this blog.
Search this blog
« Why the Dinka and Nuer tribes pull their children's permanent teeth out... | Main | Why reassuring grace isn't enough... »
Saturday
Apr142012

Our old nature is not in remission, it's been removed.

As I pointed out in my last post, there's a big difference between "reassuring grace" and "replacement grace." 

While "reassuring grace" says that we can "live loved" and that "God isn't disappointed with us,"  replacement grace offers us the real change we needed.  Reassuring grace is a welcomed relief, but not the cure.

Our dis-eased nature [heart/spirit] - the thing that led us astray in the first place -  was completely removed when we said 'yes' to Jesus:

  • It's not about a touch-up, but a transplant.

  • It's not about incremental improvement, but a dramatic deletion.

  • It's not about remission, but total removal.

  • It's not about symptom-management, but eradication of our sin-stained nature.

Then why do Christians still sin?  Because residual attitudes and patterns of sin - left over from before we met Jesus  - can still operate in our bodies...  like a residual infection from an amputed limb.  Sin may still operate in our bodies, or "members" as Paul says, but not in our new nature [heart.] 

[Paul describes "sin" as an alien force in our bodies:  A force that can operate within us, but is not us.]  Those left-over habits and patterns of thought live in our bodies, not in our hearts now.


Because the ruined heart that used to hold us captive has been surgically removed by Jesus, our God-given new heart is now our ally and not our enemy.

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

Reader Comments (2)

As one who still struggles to understand, has it been removed, or is it just dead? And even being dead, doesnt it still show its face regularly? I'm thinking Romans 7 here.

April 14, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJohn

Hey John. Great question. The old nature is gone forever. The old man isn't rearing his ugly head any longer. It's dead [no longer functional] because it's gone.

The real question I think you're asking is "Then why do Christians still sin?" Referring to Romans 7, twice Paul says, "It is no longer I who sin, but sin living in me." He separates his new nature from the "sin living in him." That sin no longer resides in his heart, but lies in his body.

Here's a podcast series I did with author Andrew Farley that addresses it. It's a really important question. Thanks for asking. The series is called, "God Without Religion." You'll see it has three parts. http://www.robbinswritings.com/podcasts/

April 14, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJim Robbins

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>