The word, marinate, means to soak or immerse in a marinade, a sauce typically made of oil, vinegar, spices, and herbs to flavor or soften it. Don’t you love a perfect cut of beef or piece of chicken or fish marinated expertly, grilled or smoked at the right heat for the correct duration of time. For me, it is an expertly marinated piece of beef…yum!
Without realizing it, each of us have been marinated by this world. We were born with a sin nature that has a propensity to enjoy the world system and the lusts of the world. Our will is spring loaded to follow the ways of the world. When people are around you, they can “taste” who you are. What marinated you? I know for sure, these certain things have marinated you… family of origin, past experiences, friends or lack of friends, self-talk, personality type, what you watch and who you listen to. Your being has been soaked, immersed, saturated, soused by this world, and you have a certain “taste” that is very difficult to change…almost impossible.
This is what’s so dynamic about Jesus. He explained to a religious leader of His day, Nicodemus, what it would take to be changed, to “re-marinate” his being, in John 3:3, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Jesus explained to Nicodemus that it was impossible for a human being immersed in the ways of this world to radically change on his/her own. He must be “born again”. Jesus knew that He would live a sinless life, die on a violent cross to bear our sins, three days later be resurrected, ascend to heaven seated at the right side of His father, then send the Holy Spirit (One like Him…God Himself) who would live inside of us to guide and radically change our lives. In essence, the Holy Spirit living in us makes us new.
- Corinthians 5:17 states this way, “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” The Holy Spirit living in you makes you new!
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “God made him who had no sin to be sinfor us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Once we are born again having allowed the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our lives transforming us, we have the ability to grow, fundamentally changing who we are. The life that we live on earth is enabling Him to clean up all the stuff that resides in our unconscious mind (our flesh), washing away the marinate of this world. This is called the process of sanctification. How do we continue to change who we are? John 8:31&32 tells us, “Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching (meditating on His Word), you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Hebrews 4:12 says that” the word of God is alive and active (full of energy). Sharper than any double-edged sword (surgeon’s scalpel), it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Meditating on His word, allows God to go deep into our soul, our mind cleaning up the worldly marinate making us brand new. Brand new is a refreshing, awesome taste. Let Jesus marinate you not the world.
Barnabas Man 