The Spirit Of Christ

2010-04-22 21:06

The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God is the eternal life. This life is in the Word, and this life is the true light of men. The Bible said, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men." (John 1:3-4).

The words of Christ the Son of God who became flesh is the words of God the Father. These words are spirit and they are life. The Bible said, "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:26). And also, "He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." (John 14:24). And also, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63).

The Word, the eternal life, was originally one, but it became two, not one. And these two work as one in agreement. And so it is written, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Genesis 1:26). The two lives, that is, the two Words worked as one.

And so the Bible said, "Jesus said to them, 'My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.'" (John 5:17). And also, "but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." (Hebrews 1:2).

God did not want to give this eternal life only to Jesus Christ. If He had done so, it would have resulted in only two lives. But He wants to give the same life to the many sons who are conformed to the likeness of His Son.

It is written, "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:11). And again, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:22-23). "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29).

This eternal life is not just for Jesus Christ. And therefore the Bible said, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." (John 1:4).

Therefore, those who do not have the Spirit of Christ do not know the things of the Spirit. They have only the sinful mind, and so they cannot escape from the punishment of death and fear. The life of God and the peace of Christ do not live in them. It is written, "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:6).

Therefore, the Bible says about those in whom the Spirit of God lives and those who do not have the Spirit of Christ, "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Romans 8:9).

The Word of Truth said, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17). Because God and Christ His Son are the Spirit, if anyone is in Christ, his flesh and blood from below has been crucified with the body of Jesus, and now he is a child of God from above, he is a new creation, he is freed from sin, and he is a freedman.

Therefore, the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:6-7).

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Amen. Thank you, Lord.