"Leaving Dead Things Alone" - Pastor John D. Putnam
November 02, 2025
Pastor John D. Putnam
In this week’s message, Pastor Putnam calls the church to a Holy separation—to stop reaching back for the things that Christ has already buried. Drawing from Romans 6:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, Pastor Putnam reminds us that “the wages of sin is death,” but through Jesus Christ, we’ve been made new. From the laws of Leviticus to the ashes of the red heifer, he unveils a powerful truth: death was never meant to be handled. What we touch spiritually—our habits, our relationships, our attitudes—can either defile or renew us. With urgency and compassion, Pastor Putnam challenges believers to quit handling the “dead things” of their past: dead habits, dead relationships, dead attitudes, and dead desires. For when we cling to what Christ has already cleansed us from, we risk becoming unclean again. But when we let go—when we leave the graveyard behind—we step into resurrection life. If you’ve been struggling to move on from your past, revisiting what God has already forgiven, or wondering why your walk with Him feels heavy, this message will remind you that true salvation brings true life change. Today, it’s time to leave the dead things behind—and step into the new life that Jesus Christ has prepared for you. To hear more about what God is doing in Sheboygan County and beyond, visit us at posc.church!
Episode Notes
Main Point: When God delivers you from sin, don’t go back to the things He already buried. Leave the dead things alone.
- God created humanity for eternal life and fellowship with Him, but sin introduced death—both physical and spiritual.
- The Old Testament law declared that anyone who touched something dead became unclean. In the New Testament, this becomes a spiritual principle: contact with “dead things” (sinful habits, relationships, or attitudes) defiles the believer.
- Jesus came to deliver us from the death of sin and give us new life through repentance, baptism in His name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
- Revival and holiness cannot thrive when we keep returning to the graveyard of our past. True freedom comes when we separate from what God has already buried.
Key Scriptures:
- Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
- Leviticus 21:1 – “There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 – “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord… and I will receive you.”
Major Themes:
- Sin Brings Death – Death is both physical and spiritual; every sin leads to decay and separation from God.
- God’s Cleansing Plan – Through repentance, baptism, and the Spirit, Jesus removes death’s power.
- Old Things Are Gone – Once God delivers us, He calls us to let go of the habits and relationships tied to death.
- Death Causes More Death – The longer we handle “dead things,” the more spiritual disease spreads.
- Separation Leads to Life – Holiness means staying free from what once bound us.
Reflection Questions:
- Are there “dead things” in my life—old habits, attitudes, or relationships—that I’ve gone back to?
- Have I truly allowed the new life Jesus gave me to replace what once defined me?
- What would it look like for me to “come out from among them” and live fully alive in Christ?
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