With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
One of the most difficult realizations of knowing Christ Jesus in us is having the faith to know that we remain in Him even when our lives get complicated and messy. The author Wayne Jacobsen speaks of sticking to Christ like principles such as responding with love when those around us seek vengeance, or living with Christ like integrity while those around us seem to be loosing the morals we know to be right. This line of thinking, of course, leads the believer to strive to exhibit these Christ like attributes. I mean, who wouldn't desire to live as Jesus lived? To be holy, upright and true? Isn't this the goal of all who desire to follow the church narrative and "Be like" Jesus? But hold on, aren't we human after all? As humans, aren't we susceptible to those same questionable behaviors which we see in others? We may be believers in Jesus, we might also have that realization that we are in Him, but how does that work out when life gets complicated? Well, if we're smart, we realize that despite all that life brings us, we still remain in Him. That Jesus remains despite all we go through, or put ourselves through. The apostle Paul recognized this as he declared his iconic passage in Galatians. Paul realized that it was not he who lived, but Jesus. Knowing this is key to understanding our own life in Christ. No matter what life throws at us, Jesus remains. Now, for those who have not the realization of Christ in them this might sound a bit far fetched. How could Jesus ever reside in sinful man? Eventually we're going to mess up, right? Again, we turn to the realization which Paul received. Paul, undoubtedly one of the most sinful men of his time by his own admission {1 Timothy 1:15} understood that the old man he once was had been crucified upon that cross with Christ. The church narrative loves to preach that ALL have sinned and fallen short of His glory {Romans 3:23}. However, my concordant translation describes this verse a bit differently. According to the concordant translation, all have sinned and are WANTING of the glory of God {Romans 3:23 Concordant Translation}. Yes, I once was a sinner. However, it is Christ Jesus who became sin on my behalf that I should no longer be a slave to it {Romans 6:6}.
So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! There has come new!
2 Corinthians 5: 17, Concordant New Testament
Is there such a thing as the phantom pain of being in sin? Well, apparently the mainstream church does not believe in such things. For those who are unaware, a phantom pain is a medical condition which afflicts those who continue to feel as if they are sick when in reality they aren't. The best way which I can describe this phenomenon is with the example of one who has for one reason or another lost the use of a arm or leg. This person may continue to feel as if there is a pain in the affected limb even though it no longer exists. Welcome to the reality of sin. Sin is a phantom pain. Paul speaks clearly that Christ Jesus has given Himself that sin would be defeated {Romans 6:6}. It is through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that our sins have been erased from our history. If we were to come to the throne seeking the Fathers forgiveness (Yes, many continue to do just that) we might be surprised when the Father asks, "What sin are you referring to?" The answer, of course, is the phantom pain of sin. As I have said, the institutional church loves to preach that we need to seek the Lords forgiveness for whatever sin we feel we might have. When I was still in the church, I would literally spend time in prayer thinking of what sins God might recognize in me. Sin was a real deal issue. When a dear friend introduced me to the revelation of Christ in me I had more questions than answers. How could Jesus ever be in a sinner? Would He leave me at my first screw up? I have no doubt that all who attain the revelation of Christ Jesus in them will have similar questions. The reality is that Jesus died to deal with the sinner I once had been. What remains is the child of God who dwells in Christ each day. No matter what twists and turns our lives may take, this reality never changes.
Now if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness.
Romans 8: 10, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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