DISCIPLESHIP OR LEGALISM?

Sound teaching heard today
Leaves much to be desired;
The same clarity on salvation,
For discipleship is required.
Sanctification's been neglected
Since our life we must lose; (Matt. 16:24,25)
Between the flesh and spirit
Is left up to us to choose.

Systems of theology
Can a bane or blessing be;
The scriptures may be twisted,
With a system to agree.
Faithfulness to God's Word
Insures the Spirit's moving:
Being crucified with Christ,
And the flesh's reign reproving.

The 'old man' is dead and gone, (Rom. 6:6)
With the body of sin destroyed; (Rom. 6:6)
As we yield to sin's power, (Rom. 6:13)
The flesh is yet deployed.
The 'old man' was our taskmaster
When to Satan we were alive;
As it's dead to Satan, alive to God,
In the Spirit we're set to thrive. (Rom. 8:9)

Absent a spirit in our makeup,
There is nothing to be crucified;
So an alternate explanation
Must deal with that which died.
When we're dead and raised with Christ,
Our doing proceeds from being;
Since our 'new man' is who we are,
Christ in us others are seeing.

Since we are dead to the law (Rom. 7:4,6)
And alive to God in Christ Jesus,
All glory goes to Him
As the world, in Him, sees us.
Thus, sanctification is reality,
Not a doctrine to be defended-
Christ is us, the hope of glory, (Col. 1:27)
Not effort that is expended.

                   

-  C. R. Solomon 6-22-08