Fish out of Water 2
John 3:3-6 3 (AMP) Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the
You are spiritual if you are born again. If you are not born again, then you are bound in the realm of the flesh and the physical limitations of this world. Those born again are born to function and live in the realm of God’s kingdom which is primarily spiritual in nature.
His kingdom includes all the universe and beyond but it is the realm of the Spirit that rules the physical world.
So what is the significance? Paul writes about the frustration of the natural man under the law and the carnal man (born again but living under the law):
Rom 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. (NKJ)
There are two applications we can make from these verses:
1) This is the natural man “under the law”. Every person is born the first time “of the flesh”. He’s subject to the laws of the flesh. He’s physical. Now the physical itself is not wicked or evil but the physical is subject to corruption because of sin. He knows what is right but can’t faithfully do it. He knows what is wrong but can’t consistently stop himself from doing it. He has no power over anything in this realm.
2) A second application is that of the man born of God but living “in the flesh”. He’s indulging his carnal nature and wondering why he’s bound by sin and death. Simple, he’s a “fish out of water”. He’s a spiritual being living in a foreign element—the flesh. He’s designed, and equipped to live “in the spirit” by faith. He can’t survive very long “out of water”.
A. Here’s the dilemma many find themselves living in!
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. (NKJ)
You can delight in the law of God after the mind but the law in your members will bring you into captivity. You can acknowledge that the law of God is good and right and of great value but the law gives you no power or ability to keep it. It shows you the right and wrong but delivers from nothing. That is a real delusion—to acknowledge the good of something but unable to appropriate any of the promises.
The first reaction of a person when confronted with his flesh is to deny it. “I’m a good person.” “I don’t hurt anyone.” Etc. But that’s not the issue! The issue is the world they’re living in.
The world of sin, darkness, death, disease does not lead to life and never will no matter how good a person is. And there are lots of good people living in that world. It takes a death and a birth to change worlds.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, (NKJ)
Sin is condemned in the flesh and the law cannot deliver through the flesh. You can’t “try harder” to serve God. That is the way of the Pharisee, the lawyer, the legalist. To walk “in the flesh”; “after the law” is to walk in the midst of sin’s strength.
1Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (NKJ)
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (NKJ)
Till a law is given no wrong can be done. Till the law is declared by an authority it has not power to condemn.
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (NKJ)
Rom 7:8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
The law is spiritual and holy but without power to control the flesh! All it can do is condemn. The flesh is at enmity (hatred, antagonism, hostile) with the law and not subject to the law. The mind that serves the flesh is not subject to the law of God.
Rom 8:1-2 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. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (NKJ)
Rom 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?
So because Jesus died in our place, He satisfied the demands of justice from the law and we are, therefore, no longer bound by it.
II. Dead to Sin, Alive to God
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (NKJ)
If you refuse to believe then you are under the law and not under grace. You will die in your sins because you’ve rejected the only payment for them—Jesus Christ. Your life is doomed to frustration, etc.
This event took place long before you and I were born and is the real condition of all men since the cross. For a man or woman NOT to believe that—is to bring the wrath of God on them.
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