Now, the one joining to the Lord exists one of Spirit.*
This is a very profound verse that covers others aspects related to union, fellowship, and communion in Christ. The word for one in this verse is related to union, meaning one virtually by union. The word for joining is from the word meaning glue, meaning bond (cleave), adhere to (literally, "glued together"); to cleave, join to; (figuratively) intimately connected. It is also used to mean uniting of wounds, which could imply in His wounds we are healed through union, joining. Joining is related to the concepts of union, intercourse, and communion. A man leaves home to be joined with a wife.* Sexual Intercourse joins bodies, "Do you not know the one joining to a harlot exists one body?"* Joining in body through marriage is consummated through intercourse. The word intercourse is used to express joining sexually and non-sexually as in people connecting, exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings which is also called communion.* Joining is communion, and union with Christ.
For if becoming united in the likeness o his death, existing still more the resurrection.*
Becoming is another interesting word which implies growth; to come into existence; to be born, produced, grow. This concept fits well with the meaning of the word united, of being one with; planted together; grown together, closely entwined or united with. If these definitions are truthful representation of their original meaning then being united in the likeness of his death, implies a growth process, in which a union, a joining together occurs. This is the definition of communion as an act or instance of sharing.* The drink is a sharing (fellowship, communion, participation; contribution in aid) in his blood, and the bread we break is a participation in His body.* What participation in body but a participation in His death? His body is a "contribution in aid" as by his wounds we are healed. Some teach only a participation in his resurrection but we become united in His death, a participation in his death as we are joined with Him in His sufferings, as we suffer putting to death sin in the flesh.
This is a very profound verse that covers others aspects related to union, fellowship, and communion in Christ. The word for one in this verse is related to union, meaning one virtually by union. The word for joining is from the word meaning glue, meaning bond (cleave), adhere to (literally, "glued together"); to cleave, join to; (figuratively) intimately connected. It is also used to mean uniting of wounds, which could imply in His wounds we are healed through union, joining. Joining is related to the concepts of union, intercourse, and communion. A man leaves home to be joined with a wife.* Sexual Intercourse joins bodies, "Do you not know the one joining to a harlot exists one body?"* Joining in body through marriage is consummated through intercourse. The word intercourse is used to express joining sexually and non-sexually as in people connecting, exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings which is also called communion.* Joining is communion, and union with Christ.
For if becoming united in the likeness o his death, existing still more the resurrection.*
Becoming is another interesting word which implies growth; to come into existence; to be born, produced, grow. This concept fits well with the meaning of the word united, of being one with; planted together; grown together, closely entwined or united with. If these definitions are truthful representation of their original meaning then being united in the likeness of his death, implies a growth process, in which a union, a joining together occurs. This is the definition of communion as an act or instance of sharing.* The drink is a sharing (fellowship, communion, participation; contribution in aid) in his blood, and the bread we break is a participation in His body.* What participation in body but a participation in His death? His body is a "contribution in aid" as by his wounds we are healed. Some teach only a participation in his resurrection but we become united in His death, a participation in his death as we are joined with Him in His sufferings, as we suffer putting to death sin in the flesh.
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him so that the body of sin rendered powerless, that we are no longer enslaved to sin. For the one dying freed from sin.*
If the body of sin can be rendered powerless and if the body of Christ is joined in body to a harlot, in sexually immorality as the statistics suggest is true, then we are not united in the likeness of his death. Oh, do we want to participate in His life but we can not bypass joining with Christ in His death. Jesus was perfected in suffering, "bringing many sons to glory perfected, the champion of their salvation, perfected through suffering."* And we have fellowship with Him in suffering being conformed to His death.* And know Him and the power of His resurrection through participation in His death. You see, we run the race setting our on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter, the champion who ran and finished this race. The way He ran, as God desired, gives us an example as to how we run.*
Now, if Christ in you, though the body is dead to sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness.*
Understanding the concept of joining is helpful in the race we run, the upward call in Christ Jesus. It is our purpose and destiny to run this race, as we are adopted by God as His children to an inheritance, which includes the promise of heaven, but also we are chosen and predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Christianity means to be Christ like and the race is primarily about this purpose and upward call. It is growing up into our salvation, as the seed of God dwells in us we will grow up to bear fruit of righteousness. Perfection is growing up, also called maturity, and what is needed to produce maturity is endurance. In endurance is where joining to Christ is beneficial and necessary. Maturity comes in presenting the body a living sacrifice, the body for the Lord, and endurance is needed to produce maturity. The outcome of the proving is worthy of the trial; wholeness, lacking in nothing, mature in Christ. Joining with Christ helps us endure the proving which produces maturity.
not knowing that presenting yourself to whom obedient existing slaves of whom you obey? either of sin to death or obedience to righteousness.*
In Spirit we are virtually one in union with Christ. But the body in which sin dwells is against the spiritual, so the body is presented/given in submission to the Lord. Whatever you submit your body to it will obey. As a child of God you have a new nature and are indebted to righteousness. All things are for us, but not all things are beneficial. If I obey my body, the desires of the flesh, I will be overpowered by that which I submit my body to, thus obedient to sin.* We see a clear separation of the concept of body and spirit. In Spirit I am a child of God, not a slave nor servant. In my body sin dwells so it is a slave to whom is master. The law of faith, that is according to grace, doesn't nullify but fulfills God's righteousness in us who are spiritual and mature in Christ. We will rule over sin through grace. God's holiness is not at question in grace, as Jesus condemned sin in the flesh. Also giving us the right to become children of God, of Spirit. In the body is the judgement of sin. Are we not dying in the body? is not the sin of Adam and God's punishment of sin still in affect? Yes, but the Spirit frees us from the law of sin and death so though we live in a body in which sin is judged and condemned, we will be raised into newness of Life. To be raised into newness of Life, one must possess the seed of righteousness which grows up to bear fruit of righteousness, thus the Spirit is Life through righteousness. "But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead through sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness."* The Spirit operates not on its own but through rightoesness, thus the outcome of consecration, which grows one up to bear fruit of rightoesness, is Life. In other words the fruit of life depends upon the fruit of righteousness being brought forth.
so too also consider yourselves existing dead to sin, now, alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin doesn't reign in that your body to the extent obeying its desires.*
Understanding the concept of joining is helpful in the race we run, the upward call in Christ Jesus. It is our purpose and destiny to run this race, as we are adopted by God as His children to an inheritance, which includes the promise of heaven, but also we are chosen and predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Christianity means to be Christ like and the race is primarily about this purpose and upward call. It is growing up into our salvation, as the seed of God dwells in us we will grow up to bear fruit of righteousness. Perfection is growing up, also called maturity, and what is needed to produce maturity is endurance. In endurance is where joining to Christ is beneficial and necessary. Maturity comes in presenting the body a living sacrifice, the body for the Lord, and endurance is needed to produce maturity. The outcome of the proving is worthy of the trial; wholeness, lacking in nothing, mature in Christ. Joining with Christ helps us endure the proving which produces maturity.
not knowing that presenting yourself to whom obedient existing slaves of whom you obey? either of sin to death or obedience to righteousness.*
In Spirit we are virtually one in union with Christ. But the body in which sin dwells is against the spiritual, so the body is presented/given in submission to the Lord. Whatever you submit your body to it will obey. As a child of God you have a new nature and are indebted to righteousness. All things are for us, but not all things are beneficial. If I obey my body, the desires of the flesh, I will be overpowered by that which I submit my body to, thus obedient to sin.* We see a clear separation of the concept of body and spirit. In Spirit I am a child of God, not a slave nor servant. In my body sin dwells so it is a slave to whom is master. The law of faith, that is according to grace, doesn't nullify but fulfills God's righteousness in us who are spiritual and mature in Christ. We will rule over sin through grace. God's holiness is not at question in grace, as Jesus condemned sin in the flesh. Also giving us the right to become children of God, of Spirit. In the body is the judgement of sin. Are we not dying in the body? is not the sin of Adam and God's punishment of sin still in affect? Yes, but the Spirit frees us from the law of sin and death so though we live in a body in which sin is judged and condemned, we will be raised into newness of Life. To be raised into newness of Life, one must possess the seed of righteousness which grows up to bear fruit of righteousness, thus the Spirit is Life through righteousness. "But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead through sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness."* The Spirit operates not on its own but through rightoesness, thus the outcome of consecration, which grows one up to bear fruit of rightoesness, is Life. In other words the fruit of life depends upon the fruit of righteousness being brought forth.
so too also consider yourselves existing dead to sin, now, alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, sin doesn't reign in that your body to the extent obeying its desires.*
Joined with Christ I will overcome the body. We join as an individual and collectively in the Church, called the body of Christ, so that we grow up into Him, joined in Spirit, brought together in His body.* We are joined in union with Christ in Spirit and are joined with Christ in body, individually. When the Church is joined together it grows up into a holy temple in the Lord, "for whom the whole body, joined and brought together through all aiding ligaments, that according to working of each individual part, makes the body grow, to build itself up in love."* The growth of each individual part causes the body to grow. Or said another way, the growth of each individual will cause the Church to build itself up. In this race when endurance is needed we learn to join with Christ so that we grow up into maturity. In joining with Christ is intimate intercourse, union, and fellowship. The joining in Christ individually produces the same type of joining in the body, in union and fellowship in Christ. The outcome of the one in union, joined with Christ, is maturity, fruit of righteousness and life. "Now, set free from sin, servants of righteousness."* If free from the empowerment of sin, one experiences life. "Now, at present, free from sin, now servants of God, the fruit you have; to the extent of consecration, now, its goal is eternal Life."* The purpose of joining is to endure, overcome sin, which produces consecration; a people set apart, holy unto God. The outcome of consecration is Life.
and possessing endurance, having its intended perfection so that existing mature and complete, lacking in nothing.*
Joining with Christ has much meaning and related concepts. I did not try to give understanding today in all this but I hope that you will understand that maturity in Christ comes through endurance and the way to endure is to join with Christ. It is being united with Him in suffering so to experience wholeness, to be healed by His wounds. This intimate, personal intercourse, and communion with him allows us to endure so that we become mature, whole, lacking in nothing. The proving, this temporary affliction is nothing compared to the glory of transformation, becoming like Christ. Join with Christ.