How to Consider Yourself "Dead to Sin"

Source: Desiring God

Martyn Lloyd-Jones commenting on Romans 6:11, So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We are told to realize, and to hold before ourselves and in our consciousness constantly, something that is already true of our position or status. It is not an exhortation to us to do anything with regard to sin, but to realize what has already been done for us with respect to our relationship to sin. It is an exhortation to us to remember what is already true of us; it urges us to realize what has already happened to us as Christians, those of us who are joined to the Lord Jesus Christ. And what is true of us is that we are already in an entirely new position and standing with respect to sin.

This is something which we have to believe solely because the Word of God teaches it. You do not 'experience' your position, you are told about it and you believe it. That is what justification by faith alone means. We have this Word of God which tells us that this is God's way of salvation; and we have nothing but the Word of God. As we have seen, we have all got to do what Abraham did, as the Apostle has already reminded us in chapter 4. We must just take the bare Word of God, believe it, submit to it, and act upon it. That is what we have to do with this statement.

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In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin
but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11

Born & Born Again

不知从何时开始

我渐渐的不说 “生日快乐”。

已经对生日渐渐的开始没有感觉，

没有兴奋，没有惊喜。

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Jesus answered,
"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
John 3:5-6

Time of Distress

I don't know why I feel so stress and anxious.
Although I have many free time,
yet I am not able to finish anything productive.
Not able to use time more productively.

And feeling stress with someone who cannot take criticism,
someone who choose to use silence and coldness to show his stress.
Yet You taught us to forgive and love each other.

I want to seek You,
yet my flesh seeking after other worldly things.
Prone to wonder Lord I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love.
O Lord, how much I am in need of you,
yet how rebellious I am, seeking not after you.

Take my heart Lord, take and seal,
seal it for Thy courts above.

Do Not Fear

Trials and difficulties are something that we always faced in our life. No one likes it. Yet it exists, and God permits (or in fact, decree) it to happen, because it is written, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father." (Matthew 10:29) There is a reason why these unpleasant things happen, because we as creatures with this sinful nature, tend to forget our Creator and Giver when things goes too smooth.

Indeed when I was in my hometown during summer holiday, things go so smooth that I admit I didn't remember much about God, I tend to take things for granted. When trials and difficulties come when I arrive back to the place I study (and came to Christ), I realised the insufficiency of my own power, and this is when I call out to God. Though we have this sinful nature, yet we need not hesitate to come to Him and call upon Him, because it is written, You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." (Lamentations 3:57)

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Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.
But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves
but on God, who raises the dead.
2 Corinthians 1:9

Past. Present. Future.

Even the local medical schools provide better learning materials,

but Russia provides better learning environment.

In Russia, this is the place where I learn to be independent.

In Russia, this is the place where I gain my confidence.

Not self-confidence, but confidence in God.

Even though in local medical schools the lecturers feed you with information,

but in Russia I learn to feed myself with knowledge.

Moreover God gives me the thirst for Him,

and feed me with His Word.

Even though in local medical schools they teach you not to make mistakes,

but in Russia I dare to make mistakes, I dare to fail, 

and learn from my mistakes and failures. 

Even though local medical schools provide good lessons and tutorial,

I will not appreciate them, if I never been to Russia.

I don't regret going Russia, in fact I am glad to go there.

 If I never been to Russia, I will not be who I am now.

God uses my past, to shape my present, to fulfill His will in my future.

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昨天的我，成就今天的我。