Joined with Christ: In Spirit

you now exist not in the flesh rather in spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you, now the one not having the Spirit of Christ doesn't exist of him (Romans 8:9)

Being joined, united, in communion with Christ is a theme throughput the new testament. It has deep meaning and even mystery. We begin with being joined with Christ spiritually. The new covenant, a new will established by the death of Jesus, thus it is called the covenant in his blood, introduces a new way to enter the kingdom of God, by new birth of the Spirit. It also introduces the promise, established on a better oath by the sacrifice of Jesus who gave himself up on behalf of the church, that atones for and appeases God's wrath toward sin and introduces the promised Holy Spirit. Therefore, if you have been born a new, the Spirit of God exists in you and just as it comes in Christ's works, it is the Spirit of Christ and because they exist three as one. So in the new covenant which brings redemption and a new birth we are joined spiritually with Christ.

and some of you existed these [fornicators, idolators, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, swindlers, greedy, drunkards...] but you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

When we were dead in our trespasses and sin God was rich in mercy through his great love and made us alive, raising us and seating us in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:2-5). Now, we were dead spiritually walking around in a fleshly body and having a soul, but God made us alive, gave us new birth, sealed, adopted us of the Spirit, when we heard the gospel (Ephesians 1:14-5; Romans 8:15-16; Ephesians 1:13-14).

now, if Christ is in you, though the body is dead through sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness (Romans 8:10-11)

We still live in a body in which sin dwells, we await our salvation, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 7:16-24; Romans 8:19-24). The body is still under the law of sin and death, thus dying, but we are free from condemnation by the Spirit of life that dwells within us (Romans 8:1-4). We have a testimony of the Spirit, and blood that we exist redeemed and adopted children of God. There is a third that testifies of water, we will go into this more as we continue our discussion on being joined with Christ into his body and death.

for it says the two exist one in flesh, now, the one joined of the Lord exists one spirit (1 Corinthians 6 17)

As children of the promise (and not all those who are descendants of Abraham are children of the promise, Romans 9:7-8) we have received the promised Holy Spirit. We are joined with Christ spiritually. This as children we know God and that are sins are forgiven, having testimony of Spirit and Blood. Now, as we mature becoming sons we are led by the Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh. So along with the Spirit and truth, the truth of baptism were our unity with Christ in his death makes useless the flesh, so we are alive to God becomes a reality also in our bodies as we are joined in his suffering and death. We are joined with Christ in spirit but in this same scripture and that in Ephesians 5, there is a great mystery of how we become joined with Christ in body...

The Crucible

" The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies ." 1 He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. The definition of zeal is great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. It is this time, to arouse zeal, shout, raise a war cry! As Paul writes, " In diligence not lagging in spirit being fervent serving the Lord ." 2 Our energy comes in the bond of brotherhood, formed in the crucible of combat. A crucible is place of severe test or trial, it is derived from Latin crucibulum ("night-lamp, metallurgic melting-pot"), and is a derivative of crux ("cross"). 3 The Bible speaks of the crucible of the cross for Jesus and for those who follow Him. The purpose of a soldier is two-fold; to accomplish the mission and to care for one another, as commanded. Each soldier has a role to play on a team. Without knowin...

One Grace

" moreover, One, to each of us has been given Grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ ." 1 Grace is a founding principle of Christianity. It is by Grace we grow into the fullness of Christ through faith; " to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. " 2 Without Grace we will never reach this fullness. The weakness in the Law was it attempted to do it in the flesh, and people failed over and over, so God in His infinite wisdom, unveiled this mystery, through faith in Christ we have grace to boldly approach His throne of Grace, to receive grace and mercy as needed! This gift of Grace is properly understood by examining this verse in three parts; moreover, One Grace, to each of us has been given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ . First, we understand, One grace, it is easy to miss the One, and this verse is translated in different ways, I believe it says One Grace and i...

Those He Calls He Equips

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen . Hebrews 13:20-21 When God calls us he equips us, the God of Peace, the one who brought us from the dead by the blood of the Eternal Covenant, will equip you so to do his will. So in this concept of being equipped, we see the calling being irrevocable. "For it is God who works in you to Will and to act on behalf of his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13 God called you, he's working in you equipping you to work on behalf of his good pleasure. "So that the man of God may be complete fully equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:17 . In Hebrews 12 we read God disciplines those he loves, so that we share in his holy character, as the scriptures...

Word Of Life

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. " 1 Jesus is the Word, He was in the beginning with God. 2 All things were made through Him. He is the Word and Light of men, the way, the path, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 4 Thus we can say as the Psalmist, Jesus, the Word, is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. 5 "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." 6 Concerning the Word of Life, " the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life ," Proclaimed, that our joy may be complete, a glory like that in the beginning, fellowship with the Father, with one another, and with his Son Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot...

Truth All Around You

Stand then girding your loins in truth and putting on the breastplate of righteousness. * How can a soldier stand in battle if he has not been prepared, trained? How can a house stand if it has been built on sand? How can we stand against spiritual forces if we have not been prepared? Our battle is not against flesh and blood so in regards to such, what good is armor to a child or how can one stained with dirty clothes stand with a defiled conscious? To stand one must be prepared, be his workmanship, someone prepared beforehand to do battle. For this purpose you begin girding your loins in truth, putting on truth, wrapping truth all around you. ... girding your loins in truth... * The word girding is perizōnnymi (from peri "about, around" and zōnnymi "put on") meaning around about put on. Often gird your loins with truth is translated as putting on a belt. Surely we can say truth holds on the garments and confidence in truth is important in standing. I like th...

Hypocrisy and Self-righteousness

“ Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you ” Matthew 7:1–2 In Mathew 7 Jesus is speaking out against hypocrisy, he coins the term, it is exposed as a very serious sin. Because of their hypocrisy these religious leaders were leading his people astray. Today it is the same, it is a top reason why people do not attend a church. Of course we blame the sinner and hear cute little sayings like, come join us you will fit right in... which makes light of the situation. On a more serious note, Jesus gives seven woes to the Pharisees, he even warns them of hell fire and damnation, for their hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Hypocrisy is basically pretending to be something you are not, it is not to be confused with our imperfection. Our righteousness is found in Christ alone, not in self. Hypocrisy and self righteousness is usually seen by others when we in our own righteousn...

Formed Into The Same Image

because those he foreknew also he predestined, to form to the image of His Son, to the extent He exists the firstborn of many brethren . * The word for form in this verse is σύμμορφος ( symmorphos ) from sym "same, with, or together" and morphos "form or shape." We are being formed, shaped into the same image as Christ. This word has the same root word morphos as in transformed, μεταμορφόω ( metamorphos ) from meta "among, with, after" and morphos "form or shape." Into the same form as Christ we are predestined. Adam was a living soul, but Christ was a life giving Spirit. Adam was formed in the image of God but that image was corrupted. In Christ we are formed a new, so that image is being restored. To be a Christian is more than just doing good works, more than just going to heaven, we are called to be formed into an image after Christ, Christ like. who will transfigure our lowly bodies into the same form as his glorious body, according t...

Feed On Me

"Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me." 1 This "living" Jesus speaks of is eternal or everlasting Life but what does this mean? Is this life an after life in heaven as traditionally taught or something we begin to experience here on earth? We read that Life is in knowing, a personal experience, " this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent ." 2 We receive the Spirit of life when we first believed, but the true disciple of Christ is known by abiding, these have learned that Life is in eating the bread of Life and drinking living water. Life is in Christ, all else has become as rubbish but to know Christ, and the Life he gives, "so also the one who feeds on Me will live." "So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples. and you will know the truth, ...

The New Living Way

The New Living Way "... Now, at the present released from the Law, having died in that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of Spirit and not the old written code " -- Romans 7:16 Paul states that we are now united to Christ in his death and also raised with him into newness of life. What held them captive was sin but also the Law, it was a guardian until the appointed time God would send a Messiah (see School Master ). Paul uses the metaphor of marriage to describe how we are released from the Law; like a wife whose husband dies, now she is released from the Law and can marry another, so also have we died with Christ and are released from the Law and bound to Christ in a new covenant. The purpose of this is that we live in a new living way of the Spirit and not fleshly through the old written code or Mosaic Law. " So then brothers, you also have died to the Law through the body of Christ to the extent you exist by creation of another, the one raising you f...

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