Philippians 3:12
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
When paul spoke of his "I" it was "I" Christ now, no separation. He nolonger lived but Christ lived in him. Paul spoke from the perfection union that came from being born again (birthed) and finding out about it. Learning, gaining, revelation knowledge, Spirit taught knowledge.
If the believer is going to be what God created them to be, at some juncture in their walk with God the "I" will be changed from just a me doing something to Christ being the doer in me. His life becomes your life and the old life and way of doing things (self effort) is swallowed up, over shadowed by the very life of another in you. If is something you come to, you decide to give yourself to the knowledge of who you are.
Who are you? You are a created being perfect in the image and likeness of God. You did not loose your image and likeness at the fall. You lost the ability to express the perfection the way God designed it. The cross restored your perfection by Christ. So he takes out the old and replaces it with the new. Very simple process, it you can ever get your mind to see it. The old was Satan-sin-nature (he was the sinner from the beginning the scripture says, not you), and replaces it with the God nature (Christ). You were a sinner by nature not by sinning, you will sin because of the nature but that was not what made you a sinner, it was your nature. And you were held accountable even though it wasn't you so to speak, you partook just as you can partake today of the God nature. Your old Satan-sin-nature is dead, but your mind is completely alive and must be renewed to the new Christ in you God nature.
Romans chapter 7 is a good place for you to learn how nothing changed without the death of the old husband. Paul uses the law analogy of marriage because there was no separation and divorce from the husband and wife by the law. The wife is the soul-mind and the husband is the old man (Satan-sin-nature). The wife could not leave, she could not divorce, she was subject to her husband, unless he died or until he died (the cross). First seven or so verses should be carefully read and studied, it is very clear and plain for your understanding. Now the wife was free to marry another even Christ, what a powerful passage of understanding for the believer because it is so keystone to their understanding.
I don't understand why Paul is so hard for believers to grasp sometimes but they could really do themselves a favor if they could get a hold of Paul's message. He runs so deep in revelation and understanding that if Ephesians chapter one could be properly read and understood it would be the only chapter in the bible you would need to know for the plan and purpose for all things, and what God and is doing in the world.
Everything can be summed up in Ephesians chapter one, what a masterful job our father has done through the written word and his Spirit to relate himself to humanity and more so the born again believer.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
When paul spoke of his "I" it was "I" Christ now, no separation. He nolonger lived but Christ lived in him. Paul spoke from the perfection union that came from being born again (birthed) and finding out about it. Learning, gaining, revelation knowledge, Spirit taught knowledge.
If the believer is going to be what God created them to be, at some juncture in their walk with God the "I" will be changed from just a me doing something to Christ being the doer in me. His life becomes your life and the old life and way of doing things (self effort) is swallowed up, over shadowed by the very life of another in you. If is something you come to, you decide to give yourself to the knowledge of who you are.
Who are you? You are a created being perfect in the image and likeness of God. You did not loose your image and likeness at the fall. You lost the ability to express the perfection the way God designed it. The cross restored your perfection by Christ. So he takes out the old and replaces it with the new. Very simple process, it you can ever get your mind to see it. The old was Satan-sin-nature (he was the sinner from the beginning the scripture says, not you), and replaces it with the God nature (Christ). You were a sinner by nature not by sinning, you will sin because of the nature but that was not what made you a sinner, it was your nature. And you were held accountable even though it wasn't you so to speak, you partook just as you can partake today of the God nature. Your old Satan-sin-nature is dead, but your mind is completely alive and must be renewed to the new Christ in you God nature.
Romans chapter 7 is a good place for you to learn how nothing changed without the death of the old husband. Paul uses the law analogy of marriage because there was no separation and divorce from the husband and wife by the law. The wife is the soul-mind and the husband is the old man (Satan-sin-nature). The wife could not leave, she could not divorce, she was subject to her husband, unless he died or until he died (the cross). First seven or so verses should be carefully read and studied, it is very clear and plain for your understanding. Now the wife was free to marry another even Christ, what a powerful passage of understanding for the believer because it is so keystone to their understanding.
I don't understand why Paul is so hard for believers to grasp sometimes but they could really do themselves a favor if they could get a hold of Paul's message. He runs so deep in revelation and understanding that if Ephesians chapter one could be properly read and understood it would be the only chapter in the bible you would need to know for the plan and purpose for all things, and what God and is doing in the world.
Everything can be summed up in Ephesians chapter one, what a masterful job our father has done through the written word and his Spirit to relate himself to humanity and more so the born again believer.
