How steadfast are we in the faith?

We have been forewarned by the apostle Peter saying; “Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;” He then encouraged believers by saying; “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

It must first be noted that the main reason for stumbling is through being led away with the error of the wicked. And so the admonition is to; “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2: 15).

But the sad reality is that, most believers professed to be steadfast in Jesus Christ, but blatantly rejecting the word of truth, as though having faith in Jesus Christ as a person relegates them from the responsibility of being obedient to the word of truth.

So let us take a very close examination of our own steadfastness in four inseparable integral aspects of our Christian life, taking first of all into consideration the fact that“Truth”.is the most important criterion or building block of our steadfastness.

The first most important consideration is the fact that we are a New Creation:

For it is written; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” Also, “for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails anything, but a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15).

But the big question however is what are the old things that have passed away?

The old things that have passed away are as follows:

• The old man with his deeds and lustful desires

For we have been duly instructed saying; “If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”  (Ephesians 4:22).

We have also been admonished saying: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:5-9).

Therefore, the big question is, are these works of the flesh still being manifested in our lives as believers? Remember, we are admonished to “examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith: Test ourselves. Do we not know ourselves that Jesus Christ is in us? ---unless indeed we are disqualified:” For, if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 11:31).

One clear and absolute indication to prove that Christ is living in us is stated as follows; “If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”. In other words, the body is now insensitive to sin (the transgression of God`s laws and the desires of the flesh), but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (the keeping of God`s commandments) (Romans 8:10):

• The spirit of man

For we have been admonished saying; “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others” (Ephesians 2:1-3).

The spirit of man was dead, separated from God because of sin (transgressing the laws of God) as eluded to by the prophet Isaiah who wrote; “Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59: 1-2).

• The carnal mind

The third old thing that has passed away is the carnal mind, with this regard we have been duly instructed saying; “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” And that, “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are to him foolishness; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14).

• The deceitful heart

With regards to the heart we have been instructed saying: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? Now the plan that God has for His people is to give them one heart, put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh (Jeremiah 17:9, Ezekiel 11:19).

Now, what are the all things that have become new?

The all things that have become new are the same old things that have now been renewed in order to fulfill their original purpose, which is the exact opposite to their counterparts. For example:

•  A new creature/man

The new creature/man unlike the old man which according to the Psalmist David, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me:” In contrast, we have been admonished to; “ put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and that we put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians :4:22-24). •           

•  A new spirit

With the old spirit, it was dead because of transgression and could not understand the things of the Spirit: But now, we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1Corinthians: 2: 12).

And the rationale for the new spirit is clearly stated as follows:, “ I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 11:.19-20).

• A new mind

In contrast to the old carnal /fleshly mind that is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. The new spiritual mind is subject to the law of  God, for thus says the Lord; “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).

• A new heart  

In contrast to the hard stony heart, and one that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, believers have now received the assurance saying; “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. And you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

So then what is the radical or diametrical difference between the old man or the life which is in accordance to the flesh and the new man or the life which is in accordance to the Spirit!

The diametrical difference between the old man and the new man is a being that is no longer antagonistic to the laws of God, but is now a new creature that is living in harmony with the laws of God. For we have been clearly admonished saying; “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin (transgressing the laws of God), but the Spirit is life because of righteousness (obedience to the laws of God) (Romans 8:10).

Therefore, if we allow ourselves to be led away by the errors of the wicked and are not steadfast and firmly grounded in the truth, we can only blame ourselves, because truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.