Beloved, God did something remarkable for us, which was to judge sin once for all through the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. How? He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering for us. And so Christ condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Therefore, there is no longer any atom of condemnation for those who have been raised from death with Christ and have resurrected with Him into the newness of life. More below!
Reference: Romans 8:9-10 New International Version (NIV)
"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness."
If you are born again, you are now positioned to function beyond the realm of the flesh, meaning that you are born of the Spirit in the realm of the Spirit. Interestingly, Paul added, "if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you." Why mention that? He said that so you can personally examine yourself to know whether you are born again. So Pauline insistence introduces or points us to a self-check assessment, because if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
But if you examine yourself, and acknowledge that indeed you have the Spirit of God, then affirm or declare that you are born again, which is indicative of a confident assurance, effectually vital from time to time. Why should a born again Christian examine Himself? It appraises the image and identity of who you are, as well as your sense of belongingness, because anyone who does not have the Spirit of God living and active in them, do not belong to Christ.
Then the next point of great emphasis is something that must settle well in your mind and spirit. And that is: Even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because of righteousness, meaning that you now live by the Spirit, not by the flesh which will eventually die and decay. And the Spirit's modulation in your new life denotes that the energy or relevance of your ordinary human life has been eclipsed, overshadowed and transcended by the power of the Holy Spirit. Got it?
To that effect, Pauline epistolary expression numbered as Galatians 2:20 stated: "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NLT). And here is what happened to Paul: He began to experience the exertion of controlling influence of the Spirit as a result of Christ in Him. In the same manner, it is the Spirit of Christ that gives us life because of His righteousness and divine nature installed in our spirit.
Beloved, you are no longer functioning based on the life of the flesh, because Christ has taken over. If Paul the apostle, trained himself to live according to the Spirit, this is also a consistent training expected of every born again Christian, bearing in mind that we now have and should live a Spirit-led and controlled life on a permanent basis. So we must yield ourselves completely to His remarkable guidance because the sinful nature of our mortal bodies has or had been condemned in the flesh of Jesus, when he was crucified on the cross.
I therefore urge you today to reason and function like Paul by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full control of your spirit and mind. In other words, yield unreservedly to His tremendous ruling or governing impact - in every aspect of your life. That way, you'll experience the life of the Spirit and peace that come from the divine nature at work in you - to their full revelatory extent, which is the glorious effect of the fruit of this knowledge. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!
I am a born again Christian because I have the conviction of divine nature in my spirit. Hence, I belong to Christ Jesus, and the Spirit of God that dwells in me bears witness to this truth because I'm constantly filled with Him. I'm unequivocally and palpably a heavenly man, and I live by the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, which I declare in my world on a regular basis. Hallelujah!
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