All Doves:

In this post on what Paul defines as being "In Christ" we move from whom we are "in Christ" and what we are "in Christ.  We will look at Romans 8:7-11 and how it defines the carnal mind, as an enemy to God and is in rebellion against the Law of God.  Therefore carnality will always bring God's displeasure and rob the believer of genuine peace.

The law of sin and death is in operation in human nature, but that law is counteracted by the law of the Spirit of life.  The presence of Christ Jesus within is a higher law than any other; it can permeate all our motives and inner most desires.

The Law could not meet our need.  In itself the Law was good, but man, being carnal, was without power to obey it.  Someone has said that the anchor of the Law was strong in itself, but it could not hold firm in the soft earth of the heart.  God did not change the principles of righteousness, but He made provision for changing human nature by sending forth a new spiritual power which was released through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit is able to produce a righteous life in us by Christ's work at Calvary.

We have died to the first Adam to be united to the last Adam.  We have died to sin, the old master, to be raised with Christ Jesus, our new Master.  We have died to the old husband, the Law, to "be married to another", our heavenly Bridegroom -(Romans 7:4).  "There is therefore now no condemnation."

Through union with the risen and glorified Savior, a new power - the Holy Spirit - enters human nature to subdue sin.  Through the Spirit of righteousness which the Law required is fulfilled in us (not by us), because we walk in yieldedness to the Spirit.

My responsibilities in light of these facts implies that by faith I must reckon that it is so!  I must see myself as God sees me!  What do I have?  What do I possess?  We need to ask these two questions as we grow in our faith in the risen Savior.  In Christ:

    I have every spiritual blessing -(Ephesians 1:3).
    I have eternal life, an eternal relationship with God -(1st John 5:11;1st Corinthians 15:22; and Romans 6:23             where "through" could be translated "in").
    I have a glorious salvation -(2nd Timothy 2:10).
    I have a rich inheritance -(Ephesians 1:4; 1st Peter 1:4; Romans 8:17).
    I have a glorious future -(Ephesians 1:4-5).
    I have a heavenly position - seated with Him -(Ephesians 2:6).
    I have a higher calling -(Philippians 3:14).
    I have the hope of eternal glory -(1st Petr 5:10 where "by" = "in").
    I have God's perfect righteousness -(2nd Corinthians 5:21; 1st Corinthians 1:30; 6:11).
    I have sanctification of holiness -(1st Corinthians 1:2; 1:30; 6:11).
    I have God's wisdom -(1st Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3; and 1st Corinthians 2:16).
    I have redemption or freedom from bondage -(Ephesians 1:17; Colossians 1:14; Romans 3:24; 1st Corinthians         1:30).
    I have security -(Romans 8:1).
    I have complete forgiveness -(Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1st Corinthians 6:11 - "washed").

    When our life is "in Christ", He inspires new desires and new affections.  A holy life gives evidence that our old life is now "in Christ".  Though a saved person can and at times may yield to the flesh, he is not "in the flesh", the domain of sin.  He will not practice a walk in the flesh.  This goes to my points about "A Christian may sin but does NOT live in sin".  The life in the flesh can be lived by the cultured, educated, and refined, as well as the murderers, thieves, and harlots.  Every Christian has the Spirit of Christ.  At the moment of our new birth we were placed "in Christ" and He in us.  This is the instant aspect of sanctification.  This experience does not make it impossible for us to have fleshly attitudes or deeds, but it does make it possible for us not to have them.

Te process by which we are being conformed to the image of Christ -(Romans 8:29) is the practical continuing aspect of sanctification.  The Holy Spirit is doing in us what He has done for us.  We do not grow into sanctification, but we grow in sanctification.  Note that point closely.  It is often misunderstood by Christians.

All human activities that center around self are in the flesh.  As the hub of our life changes from self to God we begin walking in the Spirit instead of in the flesh.  The walk in the flesh brings death or separation from God.  The carnal (flesh) mind resents the will of God.  It opposes God and loves to have the self pampered and praised.  No matter how good a person might be, no matter how benevolent one's work might be, if self has the center, such a person "cannot please God".  But if the Spirit of God is in us, we are enabled to live above the desires of the flesh; if we do not have the Spirit of Christ we do not belong to God.

The Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit.  Every believer has the Holy Spirit within, but not every believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit baptizes the repented  sinner into the body of Christ -(1st Corinthians 12:13); this is salvation.  Jesus Himself, and no one else, baptizes the believer in the Holy Spirit -(Acts 1:3) as all four Gospels declare; this is the baptism in the Holy Spirit -(Acts 2:4).  Even if a believer has not been baptized in the Holy Spirit, he has the Spirit; this should make it easy for him to allow Jesus to pour upon him the fullness of the Spirit -(Acts 2:33).

When Christ Jesus is in us we have life - even though our bodies are doomed to death - because of the active principle of righteousness.  The redemption of the body, which is still under the curse, is future.  The implanted righteousness of the Spirit possesses the human spirit, but physical death prevails over the body.

Every human dies physically because of Adam's sin.  It seems God has allowed the body, even of the saint, to suffer, grow old, and die, to constantly remind us of our need to draw our spiritual life from Him.  Just as we do not have natural life within ourselves except as God gives it, as we have no spiritual life apart from Him.  If the human being dies spiritually it is because of the person's own sin, not Adam's.

Romans 8:10-11, contrast the human body and the spirit.  The body dies physically because of the person's own sin, not Adam's sin, but the spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit becomes a living power.  The indwelling Spirit is a guarantee of a future bodily resurrection.  Not only are we delivered from the law of sin -(Romans 8:3-8), we shall be delivered from the law of death.

In the next segment, we will conclude this study of what it means to be "In Christ".

May your faith grow in His knowledge.

God bless,

Pastor Bob