For Ye Are Dead
To truly live, we must die with Christ, letting His death be applied to our nature and depend on Him for every breath of our new life.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the necessity of dying to self through the cross of Christ, highlighting that true transformation cannot be achieved through self-effort but through surrendering to Jesus. He points out that many in the church struggle with their old selves, attempting to overcome their sins without fully embracing the death that Christ offers. By placing ourselves at Jesus' feet and allowing His death to be applied to our nature, we can find rest and accomplishment. Simpson encourages believers to consider their old selves as dead and to depend on Christ for their new life, much like a newborn relies on its mother.
Text
This definite, absolute and final putting off of ourselves in an act of death is something we cannot do ourselves. It is not self-mortifying, but it is dying with Christ. Nothing can do it but the cross of Christ and the Spirit of God. The church is full of half-dead people who have been trying to slay themselves for years and have not had the courage to strike the fatal blow. Yet if they would just put themselves at Jesus' feet and let Him do it, there would be accomplishment and rest. On the cross He provided for our death as well as our life, and our part is just to let His death be applied to our nature as it has been to our old sins.
When we have done this we must leave it all with Him, think no more about it and count it dead.
Recognizing it as no longer ourselves, but another, we must refuse to obey it, or fear it, to be identified with it, or even try to cleanse it. We must consider it utterly in His hands-and dead to us forever-and depend on Him for every breath of our new life as a newborn baby depends upon the life of its mother.
Sermon Outline
- The necessity of dying with Christ points: - It is something we cannot do ourselves - Requires the cross of Christ and the Spirit of God
- The church's struggle with self-mortification points: - Half-dead people trying to slay themselves - Lack of courage to strike the fatal blow
- The role of Jesus in our death and life points: - Provided for our death as well as our life - Our part is to let His death be applied to our nature
- The importance of leaving our old self behind points: - Recognize it as no longer ourselves, but another - Refuse to obey, fear, or identify with it
- Dependence on Jesus for new life points: - Consider our old self utterly in His hands - Count it dead to us forever
Key Quotes
“The church is full of half-dead people who have been trying to slay themselves for years and have not had the courage to strike the fatal blow.” — A.B. Simpson
“When we have done this we must leave it all with Him, think no more about it and count it dead.” — A.B. Simpson
“We must consider it utterly in His hands-and dead to us forever-and depend on Him for every breath of our new life as a newborn baby depends upon the life of its mother.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Let Jesus' death be applied to your nature, and then leave it all with Him.
- Recognize your old self as no longer yourself, but another, and refuse to obey, fear, or identify with it.
- Depend on Jesus for every breath of your new life, just as a newborn baby depends on its mother.