I encountered a believer the other day that I would describe as typical in my experience.  In this meeting, they would explain their childhood trauma, rejection issues, and loneliness and then say what their needs were.  As I listened, I realized this was a soul still under the law of sin and death!  Interestingly this was not a baby believer but one who teaches and influences many on various platforms. 

I was frank in saying that this conversation was entirely self–centric, with no mention, let alone a boast, of who the Lord Jesus Christ is in our lives!

I added that I would gladly tell her what I believed was needed to share if she wanted to hear.

She said, ‘no thanks,’ and said she did not ask for my ‘opinion.’ 

This type of believer is willing and enjoys ‘fellowship’ in the Lord on their terms.  They especially like to be heard and validated in their suffering by how they have endured, making sure we all know they are victims.  I know this one well because I was once like this!  Our life stories, no matter who we are, will always have someone or many who have done us wrong.  Some of us have come out of extraordinary and horrific circumstances.  This is not the argument.  The question is, who are we testifying? 

As believers (and followers) of Jesus Christ, we need to remind each other when we get ‘me’ focused and distracted.  How grievous it is when you are refused to speak – Life to suffering souls such as this. 

The deception that keeps many believers remaining under the law of sin and death is they have not yet died – to themselves. 

Romans 5; tells us all that Christ death means to us and what He has bought in how we can now glory in our afflictions!  Then Romans 6; tells us how we are to respond to His work on the cross, which is to reckon ourselves dead along with Christ.  Going on to Romans 7, we can read how life is full of futility, hardship, and torment when we try to do the work of the law in our own flesh – that there must be death for the receiving of the resurrection life!  This is where many believers live out their Christianity, doing what they do not wish to do and what they wish to do; they do not do…all the while soaking in tremendous guilt and shame!  They are under condemnation- why?  Because they have not reconciled themselves dead but are still very much alive and living according to the lusts and fear of their flesh! Romans 8 summarizes that as believers in Christ whose blood has bought us, we no longer live according to our past lives, our hurts, or let our feelings and emotions rule us, nor do we look to others to soothe our flesh.  We live by faith – in Christ and join Him in death and in Resurrected Life as His Spirit teaches us – what is THE TRUTH. as we get this, we are able to receive deliverance from out past, as the Lord leads us through His Word.

My response to this poor, tormented soul was only to share (and remind) the good news of Jesus Christ! 

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:1-2.