CHRIST IN US
With this thought we pass to the last of Paul's studies of our relationship to Christ. He showed that our life IN 'Christ is dependent on our having the spirit of Christ in us, for that spirit is our source of life. "If any man has not the spirit of Christ," he wrote, "he is none of his" (Rom 8:9) or, in other words, only that which possesses the spirit of "life" can exist in the "living" Body of Christ. Paul gloried in the knowledge that "Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20), and in his first letter to the brethren at Corinth he affirmed that "we have the mind (the holy disposition) of Christ."
Paul also showed that if we are to have the privilege of Christ dwelling in us, we must expect to attract to ourselves the same sort of criticism and undergo the same ostracism and humiliation which fell upon him. He reminded us that we have consecrated to a life of sacrifice, during which we must expect to suffer without fighting back. Paul also identifies this aspect of his new life with that of his Lord, and described his own experience as "always bearing about in the body the dying [literal, the putting to death] of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body" (2 Cor 4:10) or, in other words, just as our Master, who was without sin, sacrificed his whole life, so must we do likewise, and by cutting out all else, make room for our Lord to dwell in us.
With similar thought Paul described himself as "a bond-servant of Jesus Christ." The bond-slaves of Paul's time had the brand-mark of their owner. In the same way Paul looked on the scars of the ill treatment he had received as "the marks of Jesus" in his body. (Rom 1:1; Gal 6:17) Paul regarded it as a great privilege to be his bond-servant and he invites each one of us to "suffer hardship with me ... as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim 2:3) and gave us as a guide the simple standard, "If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a bondservant of 'Christ." (Gal 1:10) He obviously did not regard it merely as a duty, but as a great privilege. He lived in the spirit of Christ's consecration, "I delight to do thy will, O God," and did not believe in suffering with a heavy heart.
The Apostle also set us an inspiring example in his attitude to his bond service. To Paul, affliction was evidence that the Father thought him worthy to share in full the life of Christ, and thus it was a cause for rejoicing. In the letter to the "saints IN Christ Jesus at Philippi" he emphasized this privilege that "it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer in his behalf." (Phil 1:29) This one many who profess faith in Christ forget about.
"Yea, he wrote to the youthful Timothy, "all that will live godly IN Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim 3:12) Perhaps this rejoicing demonstrates above all else the spiritual vitality of the Apostle. When in company with Silas he had suffered physical ill treatment, been thrown into jail and deprived of all outward source of comfort, he did not react with heaviness of heart, but "sang praises unto God." “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake," he wrote to the Colossian brethren," and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions (sufferings) of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake." (Col 1:24) There was also a challenging note in his attitude to adversity.
He posed the question as to whether these afflictions shall prove so trying as to "separate us from the love of Christ?" "No," he replied, not "tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword . . . in all these things," he triumphantly concludes, "we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." - Rom. 8:35, 37, R. V.
If we would emulate the great Apostle let us first follow his example and make sure that the working out of our consecration keeps us living IN Christ Jesus. This is the only source, not only of our new life, but also of our strength, our joy and our confidence. Paul sums it up for us in a very few words in the eighth chapter of Romans, ". . . "ye are… in the spirit (IN Christ Jesus), if so be that the spirit of God dwells in you.... If any man has not the spirit of Christ he is none of his.... If by the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God these are sons of God . . . heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him." - Rom. 8:9, 13, 14, 17, R. V.
Continued with next post.
With this thought we pass to the last of Paul's studies of our relationship to Christ. He showed that our life IN 'Christ is dependent on our having the spirit of Christ in us, for that spirit is our source of life. "If any man has not the spirit of Christ," he wrote, "he is none of his" (Rom 8:9) or, in other words, only that which possesses the spirit of "life" can exist in the "living" Body of Christ. Paul gloried in the knowledge that "Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20), and in his first letter to the brethren at Corinth he affirmed that "we have the mind (the holy disposition) of Christ."
Paul also showed that if we are to have the privilege of Christ dwelling in us, we must expect to attract to ourselves the same sort of criticism and undergo the same ostracism and humiliation which fell upon him. He reminded us that we have consecrated to a life of sacrifice, during which we must expect to suffer without fighting back. Paul also identifies this aspect of his new life with that of his Lord, and described his own experience as "always bearing about in the body the dying [literal, the putting to death] of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body" (2 Cor 4:10) or, in other words, just as our Master, who was without sin, sacrificed his whole life, so must we do likewise, and by cutting out all else, make room for our Lord to dwell in us.
With similar thought Paul described himself as "a bond-servant of Jesus Christ." The bond-slaves of Paul's time had the brand-mark of their owner. In the same way Paul looked on the scars of the ill treatment he had received as "the marks of Jesus" in his body. (Rom 1:1; Gal 6:17) Paul regarded it as a great privilege to be his bond-servant and he invites each one of us to "suffer hardship with me ... as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim 2:3) and gave us as a guide the simple standard, "If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a bondservant of 'Christ." (Gal 1:10) He obviously did not regard it merely as a duty, but as a great privilege. He lived in the spirit of Christ's consecration, "I delight to do thy will, O God," and did not believe in suffering with a heavy heart.
The Apostle also set us an inspiring example in his attitude to his bond service. To Paul, affliction was evidence that the Father thought him worthy to share in full the life of Christ, and thus it was a cause for rejoicing. In the letter to the "saints IN Christ Jesus at Philippi" he emphasized this privilege that "it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer in his behalf." (Phil 1:29) This one many who profess faith in Christ forget about.
"Yea, he wrote to the youthful Timothy, "all that will live godly IN Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim 3:12) Perhaps this rejoicing demonstrates above all else the spiritual vitality of the Apostle. When in company with Silas he had suffered physical ill treatment, been thrown into jail and deprived of all outward source of comfort, he did not react with heaviness of heart, but "sang praises unto God." “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake," he wrote to the Colossian brethren," and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions (sufferings) of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake." (Col 1:24) There was also a challenging note in his attitude to adversity.
He posed the question as to whether these afflictions shall prove so trying as to "separate us from the love of Christ?" "No," he replied, not "tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword . . . in all these things," he triumphantly concludes, "we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." - Rom. 8:35, 37, R. V.
If we would emulate the great Apostle let us first follow his example and make sure that the working out of our consecration keeps us living IN Christ Jesus. This is the only source, not only of our new life, but also of our strength, our joy and our confidence. Paul sums it up for us in a very few words in the eighth chapter of Romans, ". . . "ye are… in the spirit (IN Christ Jesus), if so be that the spirit of God dwells in you.... If any man has not the spirit of Christ he is none of his.... If by the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God these are sons of God . . . heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him." - Rom. 8:9, 13, 14, 17, R. V.
Continued with next post.
