No Longer I, But Christ In Me
The inherent nature of man to be continually pursing that which his heart desires is something which is readily identifiable across human culture and history. There are two basic states in which the heart loves. It can be a love for an object or concept which is at a distance, and thus becomes a state of desire. Or it can be a love of which the thing desired is possessed, which then becomes a state of indulgence (Chalmers).
The human mind and body go to work daily and readily to fulfill these loves of the heart. It is consumed with obtaining these desires, which give the individual identity and purpose. When the heart is devoid of such desires as can happen when one retires from a profession, such is the strength of desire of the heart to pursue something that no amount of previous success and achievement can possibly assuage it.
It is not enough then simply to preach repentance of sins and abstinence from misconducts. For if only ask of others and ourselves to give up those things which our hearts pursue, yet give them nothing to fill the void, the task will be unfruitful and painful. If the mechanism of the heart is left with nothing to pursue or work towards, but instead is left with desert, the attempt to turn from the desires of the heart will be futile.
We must then exchange the old desires and loves with new, more powerfully intoxicating and capturing than that of the old desires. This must be done through love, kindness, and gentleness, in order to offer a taste of the spring of life which flows out of the regenerated heart. Left to our own corruption and powerlessness, this is an impossibility. One might turn from one sin to pursue another, but by no means does man alone have the capacity to forego sin and be righteous.
The only way for us to exchange our old desires with new ones is by finding a new passion for the heart, and the only way to find righteous desires instead of depraved is through the grace and love of God through faith in the atoning work of Christ Jesus, who paid for sin that our hearts pursue. This faith has been gifted to us, since it was not something we deserved or merited. Since we have then been forgiven much, our hearts see the new desire for Christ, and we love much. In so doing the one who now lives in this flesh is not the one who died with Christ, who nailed my old heart to the cross, but it is now Christ who lives in me and gives my heart the desire to follow after him, exchanging my old desires for new ones.
1 John 2: 15-16 - "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world."
Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Ephesians 2:8 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
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