This was a great question asked by
@Soverign Grace on another thread.
Romans 8:9 "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."
Simple truths, simply exressed.
You are in the Spirit of so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Some say that you have to "get into the Spirit", or "get into Christ", the simple truth is that if Jesus lives in you, you are now "in the Spirit".
Many will want to argue with this. But this is the simple, straightforward Word of God.
We need to form our mental definitions from the truths in Scripture.
This is why the notion of the "sin loving Christian" is ridiculous! Of course Christians don't want to sin!
Because Christ in me = me in Christ. According to this very simple verse.
We are in the Spirit.
So . . . why do we not enjoy the life in the Spirit?
We don't think we can. After all, we still sin.
We lack confidence before God because we base our understanding of our relationship with God on how we feel about ourselves instead of what God says about us.
It affects how we think, how we feel, and how we act.
God declares that we are forgiven, justified.
God declares that we are brand new people who are righteous and holy.
God declares that He has no condemnation against us.
God declares that nothing can ever separate us from Him.
God declares that He loves us, cares for us, made us because that was what He wanted to do. He saved us because that was what He wanted. And He lives with us because that is what He wants.
God does not base His relationship with us on how we feel about ourselves.
God lives in the reality that He creates.
He expresses His truth in His Word, and all He asks is that we believe it.
Yes, of course, true belief - true faith - same word in the Bible - true faith changes us, and we live better lives according to our understandings of works. Our lives look more like Christ.
But we do stand not in works, or some supposed righteousness from ourselves, but we stand in grace. And we enter that grace through faith, and not through works.
And so it is of grace entirely. And it has to be! Who could ever think that in this fallen flesh we could stand with God in our own right! What hubris!
It has to be by grace, so that it can be by faith.
To realize . . . God has nothing against you, His beloved child, you, the spirit child of God. And God is your Able Father Who can teach you how to take the control over your body of flesh, as He gave the ability in making you new, no longer a part of that body of flesh.
To realize . . . all sin is from that flesh . . . who is no longer me . . . I am His, and He is mine, forever!
This is the grace in which we stand.
And guess what? In this, sin just melts away. Law empowers sin. Faith overcomes. Grace is Grace to Stand.
So remember . . . your loving Father is always with you, doting on you, so in love with you . . . He made you to love and be loved . . . and Jesus is always making intercession for us . . . why?
I believe it is because God wants us to be with Him here now in love and in joy.
Much love!
Mark