The Jesus Life

 For me to be living is Christ, to be dying, gain.

Philippians 1: 21, Concordant New Testament 

Have you ever wondered just what it would feel like to live in the presence of Jesus?  Has it ever been your desire to be with Him forever?  As a church going believer, I was taught that the only way I could be in the presence of the Lord would be if my life ended here on earth.  Until that point I would be tasked with preparing myself for that day when the Lord would welcome me with open arms.  This would entail living my life right being as close to holy as I could.  After all, how could Jesus ever accept a sinner into His presence, right?  This is the institutional church theology I grew up believing.  As a result, I came to accept from an early age that being in the presence of Jesus was reserved for only a few devout Christians.  How could I, a sinner, ever be worthy of Jesus?  The closest I could ever get is to "Be like" Him.  Of course, being like Jesus isn't being Jesus.  However, one day I was introduced to the words of the apostle Paul by a dear friend.  In the words of this apostle of Jesus, the Lord was closer to me than I had ever known.  It is Paul who tells of the indwelling Christ in our lives {Galatians 2:20}.  Either I missed the Sunday where this was preached, or the mainstream church has yet to speak to this truth of Christ Jesus in us.  Either way, I now know that I do not need to settle for simply being like Jesus.  I now know that it is Jesus who, as Paul points out, is my life {Philippians 1:21}.  Using the logic of the mainstream church, I believe that we can accept this revelation brought forth by Paul.  After all, isn't Paul considered one of the most influential of the early writers?  Are not Paul's writings used as examples of Godly living in the years following the death of Jesus on the cross?  What I'm saying here is that the words of Paul can be trusted as being true.  Therefore, if Paul speaks to the indwelling spirit of Christ in us, then that is where Jesus is.  Yet, sadly, the institutional church has missed the boat on Paul's message of the truth of Christ Jesus.  The church is quick to point out that these words of Paul are simply related to Paul and he alone.  It was Paul's revelation that the spirit of Jesus remained in him, yet that has no bearing on the rest of us.  Therefore, we accept the words of Paul as part of the gospel, but only those we agree with.  Anyone else see something wrong with this approach?  This is how the mainstream church pushes aside the truth of Christ Jesus in us.  

In this was manifested the love of God among us, that God has dispatched His only-begotten Son into the world that we should be living through Him. 

1 John 4: 9, Concordant New Testament 

One amazing fact about the apostle Paul is that he was raised in the laws and texts of the Jewish faith.  He was, in fact, a zealot determined to rid the land of the early followers of Jesus.  He was, in his own words, a "chief" of sinners {1 Timothy 1:15}.  In my opinion, no better man could have been chosen to spread the word of redemption we have in Christ Jesus.  Imagine the reaction of the man on the street when this former critic of the early church began speaking of the love and forgiveness of Jesus.  Only the Father could have produced such a turn around in the life of Paul.  What can we learn from this?  You might consider yourself unworthy in some way.  You might not believe that you could ever be in the presence of Jesus.  Neither did I believe.  Then I was introduced to the words of Paul and the revelation of the Father was revealed in me.  This is the same revelation which the man Saul received on the road to Damascus {Acts 9:1-8}.  This is the revelation that the Lord desires for all of His children {John 17:21}.  The Jesus life is about living with the knowledge that we have been put to death on that cross with Christ.  All which remains is Jesus.  Paul realized this truth as he spoke of his own life being Christ {Philippians 1:21}.  It's that simple.  That is the Jesus life.  Our realization that we, as individuals, no longer exist.  Our realization that all which now remains...is Jesus.  

~Scott~