Putting on the New Man

I think we did a good job of saving the soul and identifying the new creature in the previous chapter. But now let us look in the 7th chapter of Romans. Paul uses this chapter to teach a very good lesson on salvation regarding the disposition of the flesh.

This is of the utmost necessity because we need to understand the role the flesh or body plays in this great salvation. I promise that if you stick with me here, you will see salvation through the eyes of the Father and never have to struggle with sin and suffering again.

Romans 7:1-4

1. Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

The church at Rome had a lot of Jews in it, who had converted from Judaism to Christianity.

2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Paul uses the old Jewish law of marriage to teach salvation. (I need to emphasize here that this is not the law of marriage for the church. Let us take note of the fact that he started out addressing those who know the law. But we are no longer under the law, we are under grace and truth.) However Paul uses this scenario from the law to further explain the mystery of putting on the new man.

“For the woman which hath a husband is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives.” I want you to insert some different characters here. Where it says “husband” put “ body.” And where it says “woman” put “soul.”

For if the soul was given a body, then the law of creation binds the soul, to it. As long as the body lives, the soul must use it to express itself. This is the law that governs the fact that man is a living soul. As long as the body is alive, then the soul is bound to it and not another.

When the body dies it will return to the dust; thus at death it is released from the penalty of sin that must now be faced by the soul. But the harsh reality is that the soul will enter into eternity having to give account for the deeds done in the body. At that point the soul will either go to heaven or hell. So if the soul wants to live, its body has to live too.

Just as that woman is bound to her husband as long as her husband lives; so are we bound to our flesh, as long as it is alive. But the body is under the same captivity as the soul. The spirit of iniquity lives in it; but more than that, it initiated the law of sin in our members. Therefore, we were bound to a body of sin and death.

3. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Again I must say that Paul did a wonderful job of teaching salvation, using the Jewish law of marriage. Just as the woman is free from the law of her husband, so are we dead to the law of sin when our body dies. What this really means is that the motions of sin that were working in the body because of the spirit of iniquity dwelling in the flesh is of no more effect, because the body is dead. (Again I remind you that when the soul was taken out of the flesh and placed in the Spirit, the body died, in that it had no more spirit in it.)

The soul enters into eternity. It is in that heavenly place called Christ or the Holy Ghost. Because the woman’s husband is dead, she is also dead to the law of marriage and now she can be married to another.

The scripture declares that we are also dead to the law by the body of Christ. Let us slow down here a minute and determine the true meaning of this passage. The soul is secure in Christ the Holy Ghost. It also states that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall quicken our mortal bodies. The word quickened means to bring alive. The Holy Ghost brought our mortal bodies alive again.

This quickening is possible by the indwelling of Christ in our flesh. We are in Him and He is in us. Isn’t that what Jesus asked the Father to accomplish? But there is more.

John 17:2

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

This is another part of the salvation mystery. Jesus testifies that the Father has given Him power over all flesh. This means that He is able to dwell in human flesh again and maintain power over it. The scripture that bears witness to this great truth is:

Romans 8:1-3

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Jesus Christ is able to initiate a law in the flesh; the law of the Spirit of Life; which makes us free from the law of sin and death that once worked in the flesh. Therefore as long as Jesus is living in the flesh it will not sin against God. It is the holy temple of God. The Father has quickened it alive again unto righteousness. Jesus is able to condemn sin in the flesh because he is living in the flesh.

Romans 8:10

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

1 Corinthians 12:27

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

The body is no longer a body of sins, but it is now the Body of Christ. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones (Ephesians 5:30).

However, scripture must be rendered in light of all scripture. The old man was a body of sin and degradation. But when the soul was removed from him, he died. But now Jesus has entered that same body and made it his own.

Though we are given stewardship of the flesh, the body belongs to God. It is the body of Christ.

I want you to consider for a moment Jesus living in an earthen vessel just as He did over 2000 years ago. John considered this fact when he wrote:

1 John 3:9

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

My fellow ministers, hear the Holy Ghost here. When Jesus quickened our mortal bodies from the dead, the body was born again. Therefore when Nicodemus asked if a man had to reenter his mother’s womb to be born again, the answer is no. The man simply has to be raised from the dead again. That which is born of the spirit is spirit. The soul is a new creature; it has become a quickening spirit. But the flesh, though quickened alive again unto God and righteousness is still flesh.

However, it is only the likeness of sinful flesh because the circumcision of Christ has removed the spirit of iniquity; and the law of sin and death which was initiated by the spirit of satan can no longer operate because Jesus remains in this body. Therefore, it is a new man and it cannot sin. This point is further indicated in the following scripture.

Romans 8:15

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

We did not receive the spirit of iniquity again in the salvation experience. Therefore we do not have to fear not being able to please God. The spirit we received in the flesh is the Spirit of Life. It is Jesus Christ who came into the body and remained there. Once again it is impossible for the body to sin. It cannot sin as it did before in fulfilling the lust of the devil. It is the body of Christ and Christ has already overcome sin. Thus, it is ludicrous to say, “I could live holy if it were not for the flesh.” The flesh is holy; it is the temple of God. It is a New Man.

Matthew 9:16-17

16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Just as the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary to prepare the body she would bring forth for the righteous seed, so also did the Father prepare this flesh to receive the new wine that was coming down from heaven. The soul is in Christ and Christ is in the body therefore they both can be preserved.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hear the Lord saints. When Christ Jesus dwells in the body, it becomes a new man. Therefore the soul is free to be married to him. Yes, the body of Christ is the new man to whom we are now married. It has been circumcised, sanctified, and made holy. Therefore, it is able to receive the new wine.

Colossians 3:5-11

5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6. For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Ephesians 4:22-24

22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Galatians 3:27-28

27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

The scriptures above clearly portray Christ in the flesh as the New Man. We are instructed to put Him on. This phrase, “put on” means to be clothed in. Just as the soul was clothed in the body of sin, it is now clothed in the righteousness of the New Man.

Each one of us are clothed in the Body of Christ. We have put on the New Man. Just as we bore the image of the earthy so are we now clothed in the image of the heavenly. Yes the body is still flesh and blood but it is also the body of Christ renewed in knowledge and true holiness.

One day it will go back to the dust and we will be clothed upon with our new bodies waiting for us in the heavens. But until we are changed for this mortal to immortality, let us not usurp authority over Christ and begin to use his body to satisfy the lust of our souls. Again, lust would not exist if we cause our eye to remain single.

Now every born again believer can truly say, “I have put off the old man and his affections and lusts. The body of sin has been destroyed and I am now married to a New Man and His name is Jesus.”