This is a follow-up of the previous chat on spiritual adultery. In this episode, I offer five common ways that spiritual adultery comes to us and exhort that you not flirt nor negotiate nor try to convert those who who tempt you, but flee from them.

Adultery is all too common today among both our secular and religious leaders. For Christians, sexually adultery is most often a symptom of spiritual adultery. Here we consider spiritual adultery- what it is and how to avoid and even flee from its seduction.

How do you know you are in Christ- In this Serenity Break we examine the apostle John's direct, clear answer- -This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.-

One of the most important aspects of the Christian life is to understand our union with Christ as the bride of Christ. And this means we are not under law. To seek acceptance and favor with God on the basis of law at any point in the Christian life is therefore to commit spiritual adultery against our Groom, Jesus Christ.

In this Serenity Break episode, we consider that to be crucified with Christ means have died to the world. We have the same relationship with and to the world as does any corpse in a funeral home. We do not respond to the world's values and ways, but instead walk as Christ did. This will also mean being hated by the world as it hated Christ. We have to stop trying to get the world to like Jesus, and approve of us.

It is a geat gospel truth that the old self is crucified with Christ. This truth is essential to spiritual maturity and health. For it means we no longer live on the basis of what pleases us, but what what pleases the one who died and rose again on our behalf- Jesus Christ.

The great paradox of the Christian life is tthat it begins with our death in that we were cruciifed with Christ. We must undeerstand and embrace this great reality in order to be spiritually healthy and mature. This means we died to sin. Our relationship to sin has changed from willing slaves to sin, to now being joyous overcomers. It is against the Christian nature to sin, and we are no longer obligated to act on it. We are dead to sin.

It is basic to the Christian life that you reckon your old Adamic self as having been crucified with Christ. The old self is dead. This means you hold absolutely no legitimate claim to your self interests, for the life you now live is the life of Christ in you. Paradoxically, this is the beginning point for knowing the only life worth living.

Who you are in Christ is not subject to the weather, the economy, physical health, or relational status. If you are having a bad day it is not because somehow who you are in Christ has changed. In fact, if you pause to remind yourself of who you are in Christ, it may go a long way to brightening even the darkest hour.

This is an encouragement to take a -Serenity Break.- This new series is similar to the -5-Minute Counselor- series, but with a special emphasis upon who you are in Christ and how to work out the life of Christ in you.