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An immediate dying to sin would require immense faith. We have all these illustrations because this is not an exercise that we need do just once. This may be a long process, and we may need to do it over and over again before we understand and accept what is happening. It is good to use all the Biblical illustrations mentioned, because they represent different sources and areas of sinfulness, e.g. material, physical, intellectual and sensual. Also using the different images means that the meditations do not become a mechanical repeating of the same thoughts, but the different pictures bring new insights of need to be dealt with.

We must recognise that we have looked at only one side of our transformation. We have considered the putting to death of sin in our lives, the taking off of old filthy clothes, loosening the chains of captivity, breaking the mould of our worldly life pattern and being melted and refined of impurities. This is only half the story, the negative side, the taking away of the old nature. We must move on to the positive side, that is the receiving of the new nature. As well as being broken and melted, we have to be remade and reshaped by the Holy Spirit into something different, something more and more like the character of Jesus. Released from captivity, we have to move into freedom, the freedom of life in Christ. We have to put on new clothes, the pure, clean, white robes of divine righteousness. Dying to the old way of life, we have to be born again to the new way of life, which is life in Christ.

These two processes belong together, and go on side by side. They are like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. To try to separate them, to concentrate on the first and ignore the second can be dangerous. Luke records a story of Jesus about a man, likened to a house, from whom an evil spirit is driven. Nothing is put in its place, and the 'house' remains empty. The evil spirit wanders around to find a new home. Failing, he returns to the empty house, which he reoccupies, taking seven other evil spirits with him. We need to heed the warning in this story. Showing how the 'emptying' and 'filling' can proceed together, we can use a non-Biblical illustration. Picture a glass full of dark liquid. If a little of the liquid is poured out and the glass is topped up with pure clean water, the resultant liquid is slightly less dark. Doing this repeatedly makes the liquid in the glass lighter and cleaner. In a similar way the overcoming of our sinful nature and our growing in goodness can proceed together step by step.

We shall be dealing with the positive aspects of Holy Spirit transformation in part 6. However, before that an important decision has got to be made. This is the climax of our journey. So important is this decision, we have placed it here, right at the heart of our repentance, our turning round, our new birth and new life in Jesus, our transformation and salvation. If you have not yet finshed reading Luke's Gospel do continue with that. It is very important to have a clear picture of Jesus, his life, character, teaching and ministry, because he is our model, and it is into his likeness that the Holy Spirit wants to change us. I would urge you at this stage not to rest or give up, but be eager to press on, because this is where everything comes together.