Those who are in Christ Jesus

[amadeus]

amen, those you will wish to be one day are risking their lives in schemes of peaceful resistance. They aren't seeking healings and dying of old age, see, because they usually don't make it to old age lol.

I have been blessed in that I am 73, but that doesn't make me special, does it? God gives each of us an allotted time to accomplish what we will. Within limits it is up to us: For Him or not are the two choices I see, whether we live 20 years or 100 years.

 

[Armadillo]

"Christ i like; Christians, not so much." Gandhi

imo if you want to manifest Christ in the world, stop talking about Jesus.

I don't get it...what am I missing here?

 

[amadeus]

bbyrd009 said:

"Christ i like; Christians, not so much." Gandhi

imo if you want to manifest Christ in the world, stop talking about Jesus.

Armadillo said:

I don't get it...what am I missing here?

I would say he meant to be as Jesus is/was rather than simply talking about Jesus. Talking is not bad, but while we are speaking the manifestationof Jesus in our own lives should not be missing.

 

[bbyrd009]

I don't get it...what am I missing here?

well, we are assured that we are "saved" because of some stuff we did umpty ump years ago in a building, and then qualified to go "tell other people about Jesus," automatically inviting the new "convert" into assuming themselves as superior to others, if you get me, and this is not what those Scriptures mean imo.

iow you pretty obviously get it already, and bam if you feel led to tell people about Jesus then do so, but you also--just as obviously, can't say how i know this though--recognize that Christ is Spirit, and you manifest Him, whereas the other might easily be made out to be essentially lip-service.

so don't get me wrong, i still tell people about Christ, sometimes, when they ask, but i count the asking more important than the telling, if you get me. Iow it is usually some situation where i am not taking advantage in a manner that strikes whoever is asking as "would have been perfectly acceptable," and they are curious why i am not taking the advantage, so i might say, "well see how that will be perceived from _______'s pov; or some might call it 'Jesus' or religion or whatever, but yikes what a mess that is, right, imo the Spirit of Christ is manifest when i consider the feelings of, and even protect the advantage of this guy whom we both perceive is kind of a jerk and would not hesitate to take advantage of me if the situation were reversed."

 

[Armadillo]

I would say he meant to be as Jesus is/was rather than simply talking about Jesus. Talking is not bad, but while we are speaking the manifestationof Jesus in our own lives should not be missing.

You mean emulate as Jesus is/was while the Holy Spirit manifests in you or the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life through the gifts/fruits?, 2 Peter 1:8. Do we not as Christians already have a divine nature?, 2 Peter 1:4. Aren't we already like Jesus in this world? 1 John 4:17. Godliness only comes out as we increase in the knowledge of who Christ is, in us. If we don't talk about Jesus and learn of Him, how else will the fruit grow? Why does the Apostle Paul not talk about what Jesus' lifestyle was on the earth? He knew being a Christian isn't about the emulation of Jesus but about His life living through us because of His resurrection, 1 Corinthians 1:23.

For the Ghandis that don't like Christians but like our Christ, well....perhaps those Christians were emulating, those Christians didn't know who they are in Christ.

 

[Armadillo]

so don't get me wrong, i still tell people about Christ, sometimes, when they ask, but i count the asking more important than the telling, if you get me

I thought the post was about not sharing and talking about Jesus to other Christians, sorry. I didn't know you were making a reference to witnessing to unbelievers.

 

[bbyrd009]

i would not even go so far as to label anyone "unbelievers" now--nor "Christians," etc for that matter--as that to me is just another form of duality, another way to engage in subject/object relationships, but yes.

i'm sure that sounds strange, but in a world where Hitler can claim to be a "Christian" too, i guess "strange" maybe starts to make sense. "Christians" seems mostly a way to grab all the best seats at the table, the way that is usually defined.

 

[amadeus]

You mean emulate as Jesus is/was while the Holy Spirit manifests in you or the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life through the gifts/fruits?, 2 Peter 1:8. Do we not as Christians already have a divine nature?, 2 Peter 1:4. Aren't we already like Jesus in this world? 1 John 4:17. Godliness only comes out as we increase in the knowledge of who Christ is, in us. If we don't talk about Jesus and learn of Him, how else will the fruit grow? Why does the Apostle Paul not talk about what Jesus' lifestyle was on the earth? He knew being a Christian isn't about the emulation of Jesus but about His life living through us because of His resurrection, 1 Corinthians 1:23.

For the Ghandis that don't like Christians but like our Christ, well....perhaps those Christians were emulating, those Christians didn't know who they are in Christ.

We may have a new man in us, but is the old man dead? The old man no longer has the dominion, unless we are quenching the Spirit in us all of the time.

"Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be." James 3:9-10

They ought not to be, but they are. A person who gives beautiful testimony in a church service which bless everyone hearing it, then a few minutes later driving home is cut off by at an intersection by a careless or drunk driver. He turns and without thinking about it and effectively and strongly curses that other driver with the same mouth that testified.

Jesus paid the price so that we could be without sin and so that we could follow the Holy Spirit to overcome all of the things within us that lead us to repeatedly sin:

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." I John 2:16

The world for you and me is within this little lump of clay formed in a man and corrupted by sin. It still has those three enemies within fighting to regain what was lost when we met the Master. When we quench the Spirit, the enemy wins again, even if only for one moment or one sin.

 

[Armadillo]

"Christians" seems mostly a way to grab all the best seats at the table, the way that is usually defined.

Believers, Christians can call themselves "a royal priesthood" too, 1 Peter 2:9. Aaron's priesthood passed through the blood to his sons and a Christian priesthood is through the blood of Jesus. Jesus is our high priest, Hebrews 4:14.

 

[Armadillo]

We may have a new man in us, but is the old man dead?

Yes, the old man is dead and that's why when you "sin", it stinks.

 

[amadeus]

Yes, the old man is dead and that's why when you "sin", it stinks.

Everyone around us walking in his flesh without the Lord is dead. They have no Life in them as Jesus clearly said here:

"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead." Matt 8:21-22

They were dead as were Adam and Eve and all of their offspring until Jesus brought back Life for "whosoever will":

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen 2:16-17

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

 

[Armadillo]

Does the believer have to carry the old dead man around? Are believers sinners and saints? What does it mean to quench the Holy Spirit? Perhaps a new thread in the debate forum? We may not agree on the answers to these questions. :)

 

[Helen]

"Christ i like; Christians, not so much." Gandhi

imo if you want to manifest Christ in the world, stop talking about Jesus.

Paul met the Lord Jesus on the road.
After that , Paul always spoke of Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus.
Jesus was here just 33 years ....Christ Jesus is the glorified risen Lord.
Who was, and is , and is yet to come.

That still ruffles some Christian feathers. They still want the sandal footed Jesus, rather than Jesus Christ with eyes as flaming fire....

 

[bbyrd009]

Believers, Christians can call themselves "a royal priesthood" too, 1 Peter 2:9. Aaron's priesthood passed through the blood to his sons and a Christian priesthood is through the blood of Jesus. Jesus is our high priest, Hebrews 4:14.

ha well He is if you are, but i don't see any Christians sweating blood much, and neither am i tbh. I'm just praying i don't hear "remember, in your life you had all the good things," and frankly i don't see how i am going to be able to avoid that, as privileged as i am.

 

[bbyrd009]

After that , Paul always spoke of Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus.

not disagreeing, but my impression is that ppl came specifically to listen to Paul, being a father as he was (and we are not), iow Paul was not proselytizing strangers.

Paul also gave up his cushy, privileged life, his mansions, and his hottubs and babes, just walked away from all that, to become a wanted man with a price on his head too

 

[amadeus]

Does the believer have to carry the old dead man around? Are believers sinners and saints? What does it mean to quench the Holy Spirit? Perhaps a new thread in the debate forum? We may not agree on the answers to these questions. :)

We do not have to, but for most part all of us do, because we really do not want to surrender of the death in to the Lord. We like them too much. If we really could unconditionally and without ceasing surrender all to Him, the old man would be finally and completely dead. It is our own choice, but in order to do all of it and do it right we need help. Help is available.

I am not much on starting new threads. I will leave that to you or another.

 

[Helen]

Does the believer have to carry the old dead man around? Are believers sinners and saints? What does it mean to quench the Holy Spirit? Perhaps a new thread in the debate forum? We may not agree on the answers to these questions. :)

There is a good new thread going now..I have learned a lot. It's called -
'As He Is' Very good...it is clearing up some things for me :)
“As He Is”

 

[bbyrd009]

perhaps those Christians were emulating, those Christians didn't know who they are in Christ.

so then it becomes obvious that the definition of "Christians" toggles back and forth, according to what we want it to mean. If they don't know who they are in Christ, how can they be Christians?

 

[Armadillo]

so then it becomes obvious that the definition of "Christians" toggles back and forth, according to what we want it to mean. If they don't know who they are in Christ, how can they be Christians?

Possibly, yes, it can be toggled. I spent many years calling myself a Christian not knowing the first thing about what being "in Christ" meant and also during those fruitless years I didn't even know Jesus is God. Was I a Christian? I thought I was.

 

[bbyrd009]

Yes, the old man is dead and that's why when you "sin", it stinks.

hmm