True Spirituality | The Centrality of Death ~ Part 4
This sermon emphasizes the centrality of death in the Christian life, drawing from Ephesians 2:2-3 to highlight our former conversation "in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." The speaker urges believers to "put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts" and "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." This transformation requires a "renewing in the spirit of your mind," which necessitates dying to oneself, to the flesh, and to sin, in order to "be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The sermon uses the analogy of a seed needing to die before it can grow to illustrate this principle of death before life in Christ. It also addresses the pervasive influence of modern technology, suggesting that society is "hypnotized by the devices we have," making individuals "addicted" and "totally dependent on those things." This addiction is presented as a "stronghold" in the mind that needs to be torn down for God to work freely. The speaker challenges listeners to identify their own "mammon"—anything loved more than God—and to confess their worldly attachments. The message concludes by reiterating that "without faith it is impossible to please him," and that "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." True faith involves believing and obeying God's Word, even when it calls for abstaining "from all appearance of evil." The ultimate desire for believers should be "that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh," urging a serious, sacrificial commitment to God rather than complacency or convenience.