Living Union

[WordSword]

When I realize that I am in living union with the Lord Jesus Christ I am so identified with His interests that they become paramount to me. Few know it. Every distinct truth has its own characteristics. Christians in general are characterized by the knowledge of Jesus as their Savior; they praise God for the blessings of salvation. But the leading characteristic of union is, that your individuality is combined with the Lord Jesus; you belong entirely to another. The bride is merged with the Bridegroom.

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Pet 3:18). The man (old man, e.g. sinful nature—NC) under judgement has been removed* in the condemnation of the Cross, and you are brought to God as a new creation*. All that stood against you has been cleared away to God’s infinite satisfaction, and like the prodigal son, you are at home in the Father’s house. The Son of God has fully accomplished this infinite work, and here you must begin.

There is a grievous leaven in the church today, a great defect in the preaching of the Gospel. The Savior’s death is presented to the soul after the manner of the Law, where the pious Jew found relief for his immediate sins, but he still retained himself, the man which is at enmity to God. The illustration of a man pressed for the army, and finding a substitute to stand in his stead is not the Gospel.

The Gospel is that you are under the judgment of death, and that the Lord Jesus Christ has borne the judgment, not that you should keep the man who was under judgement, but that you should be completely severed from him (it—NC) in your death with Christ. “Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” The being who sinned* must go in judgement - not forgiven, but crucified (Rom 6:6—NC). It is not renouncing your bad works; every Christian would be ready for that; but are you ready to see all that is nice and amiable in you under the judgement of God?

The man who was under the judgement of God has been judicially terminated in the Cross, and the Man Christ Jesus so glorified the Father in the most distant spot, that He was “raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.” He is glorified, and now the Father is free to go out to the most distant spot, to a Saul of Tarsus, and receive him to Himself. He who measured my distance is the One who is the measure of my nearness!

The present issue is, “Is the man who was under the judgement of God, and who is removed from God’s eye in the Cross of His Son, gone from your side*? It is not only that you believe that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, but that you are now on the field of battle as clear as He is. “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 Jhn 4:17).

How are you free from the dominion of sin? You have died (the old man is only crucified but not dead—NC) with Christ unto sin (Col 3:3). You have changed your man; you have passed in death from Adam to Christ. You have died with Him who died unto sin* and you are one with Him in His resurrection and ascension* (presently positioned with Him in both, they being inevitable to occur—NC). Hence you are told to believe—“Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11). The Spirit progressively makes your reckoning a reality. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Rom 8:2; Gal 5:1) – (also, God—through “the Spirit Himself”—will always confirm to us that we are His children – Rom 8:16—NC).

- J B Stoney

 

 

Poster’s Opinion:

* “removed”: restrained but not eradicated.

* “new creation”: new nature added.

* “the being who sinned”: you in your old nature – Rom 7:17, 20.

* “all that is nice and amiable in you”: everything we might ignorantly consider to be good but actually isn’t.

* “gone from your side”: e.g. no longer dominating you, of which all reborn will eventually learn.

* “have died with Him who died unto sin”: only the Lord Jesus can “die unto sin.” This makes the believer “dead unto sin,” and how could one die unto that which he is already dead?

Will one born again ever have the desire to sin?—impossibly no! (Phil 2:13). This means those who profess faith and live (whether now are eventually) “after the sinful nature” have yet to undergo God’s “work” in them. This would be the result of never having been born again because He “conforms” all who are redeemed (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).

 

 

Excerpt from MJS devotional for Oct. 13:

“Our Father is ‘a very present help in trouble.’ We may be sure that He who permits the suffering is with us in it. He was even in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). It may be that we shall see Him only when the trial is past; but we must dare to believe that He never leaves the crucible.”

http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

[frienduff thaylorde]

Just came by to say hi Sword o the Lord.   

[Wayne222]

What do you mean never have the desire to sin. Paul said watch that you dont fall. So a Christian can fall to sin. We can dirsire to. But we don't have to give in to sin .

[JTC]

I have to agree with Wayne. We still have some desires to sin. The longer you're a Christian, and if you're serious about it, these desires leave. But not all at once, it takes time. In my 40 yrs I only got rid of 1 sin right away. And that's not a boast it's pathetic. It would be nice if all desires to sin left. It doesn't work that way.

[Sower]

7 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

What do you mean never have the desire to sin. Paul said watch that you dont fall. So a Christian can fall to sin. We can dirsire to. But we don't have to give in to sin .

 

1 hour ago, JTC said:

I have to agree with Wayne. We still have some desires to sin. The longer you're a Christian, and if you're serious about it, these desires leave. But not all at once, it takes time. In my 40 yrs I only got rid of 1 sin right away. And that's not a boast it's pathetic. It would be nice if all desires to sin left. It doesn't work that way.

Sin is pleasurable, to the flesh.  Obedience is pleasurable to the mind. My flesh desires sin. My mind desires obedience.

Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (the mind)
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (the flesh)
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Rom_7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Php_4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

[warrior12]

We have to differentiate between the flesh and the spirit and how a born again christian is  viewed as in the entire chapter of Romans 8.  Yes, when we are born again we are a new creation in Christ, the former things are gone and the things of the Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes reality as you study and hear the word. 

It does not mean that all your fleshy nature and the sins attached to them has totally vanished but the your Spirit has been perked or given a new life which was dead as to our adamic sin nature. Our spiritual man sees things that before our salvation was veiled and now a new reality is in play with the realization that  the carnal and the spiritual man are real and only the christian can perceive that truth.   Paul lays it out in Romans 8 vividly.

We have this body of sin till we die and though sanctification is at work to mature and sanitize the christian as he walk in his journey, there is a foe is also call the crafty one that is determine to throw you some curve balls and those can be terrible at times.  You cannot outfox satan to say, but you have to learn to rely on all that you have come to see as truth and place your anchor there and deep too [ Jesus Christ].  Trials and temptation will always be there and it is our spiritual man  that that carries us and encourages us in the journey.

Romans 8   King James Version (KJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

[warrior12]

In 1st John, sin is shown as how it affects the christian ,the consequences and it does matters.  So the christian ignoring sin and not using the graces avaliable to him to seek out forgiveness have to examine his life.  Again sin is in the world and we are surrounded by it, and as long we have the flesh we are in it's path too.  How we deal with it is how 1st John addresses it.

Verse 9 below is striking, because it plainly says that a born again christian "cannot sin ".  How the christian put that into context in his life is how he will deal with guilt ect, because the whole sentence is a stern and demanding one that if not examined with other scripture may turn you into a monk.

1 John 3   King James Version (KJV)

⁸ He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

⁹ Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

¹⁰ In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

 

Edited October 15, 2017 by warrior12

[4LdKHVCzRDj2]

10 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

What do you mean never have the desire to sin. Paul said watch that you dont fall. So a Christian can fall to sin. We can dirsire to. But we don't have to give in to sin .

I agree.

But we have to believe, to seek help and understanding. Ask to God, and He will give it to you:

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”" - Luke 11:13

 

And it comes the problem of "hearing the flesh", we can overcome the flesh by the Spirit:

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." - Galatians 5:16-17

 

The works of the flesh are a pure waste of time, it is so selfish, wasting your time by doing what it desires profits nothing:

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." - John 6:63

 

We are no longer slaves of the flesh, no longer slaves of sin. Then they have no dominion over us anymore.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." - Romans 6:12

 

When the desire to sin comes, reject it.

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." - James 1:13-14

 

We as Christians are not under dominion of the flesh anymore. He who is in us is greater and stronger than all.

We have to believe, to fill our minds with good things, reject every kind of evil, do not pollute our minds. Remember, we are temple of the Holy Spirit.

"But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." - Romans 6:17-18

 

I understand some of you may be struggling with sins... I suggest you pray to God about it, that you know that you do not have the obligation to do what it desires or accept it. We were bought at a price, we belong to Christ now.

"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:20

 

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." - 1 John 2:1

 

God bless you in Jesus' name!

[Wayne222]

1 hour ago, 4LdKHVCzRDj2 said:

I agree.

But we have to believe, to seek help and understanding. Ask to God, and He will give it to you:

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”" - Luke 11:13

 

And it comes the problem of "hearing the flesh", we can overcome the flesh by the Spirit:

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." - Galatians 5:16-17

 

The works of the flesh are a pure waste of time, it is so selfish, wasting your time by doing what it desires profits nothing:

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." - John 6:63

 

We are no longer slaves of the flesh, no longer slaves of sin. Then they have no dominion over us anymore.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts." - Romans 6:12

 

When the desire to sin comes, reject it.

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." - James 1:13-14

 

We as Christians are not under dominion of the flesh anymore. He who is in us is greater and stronger than all.

We have to believe, to fill our minds with good things, reject every kind of evil, do not pollute our minds. Remember, we are temple of the Holy Spirit.

"But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." - Romans 6:17-18

 

I understand some of you may be struggling with sins... I suggest you pray to God about it, that you know that you do not have the obligation to do what it desires or accept it. We were bought at a price, we belong to Christ now.

"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:20

 

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." - 1 John 2:1

 

God bless you in Jesus' name!

I think you may be truthful to yourself if you say you don't have sins still. We should never sin. But if we do we have a advocate with God that is Jesus speaks on our behalf. We are more sinful then we think. I strive to be holy. But I fall short a lot of times

 Thank the Lord Jesus is my righteousness with God. But don't get me wrong I know as we progress we will become more like christ. We dirsire to be like him.

  

[JTC]

I find the reality of over coming sin is it comes with time. I've been a Christian some 40 yrs so now I cringe every time I see sin. I have not overcome all of them yet, it's a constant struggle. But they make me feel physically ill. I'll even say I think 1 reason my health is so poor is because I live in an area where sin is rampart. I keep telling God these people don't know they're sinning so please have mercy on them.

Since more and more Catholics are reading the Bible than ever before I have high hopes that in 50 to 100 yrs Catholicism will totally change. I've known so many Catholics that want to be close to God and they think the church is teaching them what the Bible says to do. But it's not, but they don't know this. When the age of man finally ends God will have a God sized problem on His hands. Only God will be able to know who deserves heaven and who doesn't. We could never figure it out. I think you have to gain some maturity in the Lord just to figure that out.