IF CHRIST IS IN YOU - PART 2

THURSDAY 15 AUGUST 2024

If Christ is in you, you must constantly apply the understanding that you are called to live your Christian life through the Spirit. 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."

Based on the context of the above versified reference, we can understand that a born again Christian does not live in the realm of the flesh, even though he is in a world constantly inspired or motivated by carnal confidences and desires. So the true born again Christian lives in the Spirit, in a crooked world, because the Spirit of God indwells him. But why did Paul still say in the referenced Scripture: "But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin...? 

Here it implies that due to the fallen human nature (Adamic nature), your physical body is subject to death. So even as a born again Christian, no matter how long you live here on earth, your corporeal or natural body, in all its materiality assessment, will surely die, and suffer decay, even in the best burial ground. As long as the earth remains, you won't live forever in the physical body, and although you die at a very ripe old age, it still denotes that your body is subject to death because of the consequential effect of Adamic nature.

In today's world, when it comes to humankind longevity, let me assume that the average human life span is 120 years, and there may even be some news report of persons who will live or have lived past 120 years. However, here is the point: the human life span will definitely come to an end. Moreover, to delve further into the context of the versified reference, in order to drive home this conclusion about the human body being subject to death because of sin - with an accurate understanding, lets consider the (NLT) rendering which reads, "And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God" (Romans 8:10).

In another way, the same rendering can mean, "If Christ lives in you, even though the body is as good as dead because of the effects of sin, the Spirit is infusing you with life, now that you are born again, and are right with God." However, this won't happen if you live a life animated by the flesh, which is in favour of the fallen, corrupt nature. Christians who live or function in accordance with the flesh, have their minds focused on the matters of the flesh. But if you are a Christian who lives a godly life animated by the influence of the Spirit, it denotes that you truly belong to Christ, and your mindful focus is on the works of the Spirit who exerts and demonstrates the indwelling presence of God in your life. Got it?

Beloved, it's not enough to acknowledge that you belong to Christ. The conceptual and weighty demonstration of this truth must be evidently seen in your life, in terms of having the Spirit dominate your human life, and it is particularly remarkable to see it as the beneficial effects of Christ's atoning sacrifice - in the life of a born again Christian. Having appraised my sense of belongingness to Christ in a cogitative manner, I thank God abundantly that we are called to a different kind of life under the new covenant in Christ, which is the life of the Spirit. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 3:16;  John 5:24; Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:8;1 John 5:13.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the truth-unwrapping exploration of the mystery of living a Spirit-led life, marked by enthusiastic devotion. I'm forever grateful that I have the Spirit of Christ, meaning that I completely belong to Christ, and I'm called to lay hold on eternal life and continually experience the brightness of divine glory, in Jesus' Name, Amen.