For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified.
Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15: 21-22, Concordant New Testament
I was once again reminded this week of who it is that I truly am. In days of old, I would perceive the fact that others would not speak to me as something having to do with me. These are the inner voices of condemnation which we sometimes resurrect within us. The truth is, when these voices raise their ugly head these days, I know exactly how to deal with them. There is a current ad playing on television for some fitness company with an excellent tagline. The message..."Those voices inside your head, you're the only one that can hear them!" How true! All too often we waste our time and energy on people and things which don't really represent who it is that we truly are. We have the wrong mindset. So, who is it that we really are? We are the representation of the Father who we are in union with. Now, some might ask, "Are you saying that you're God?" Look carefully at what I said, I am the REPRESENTATION of the Father Whom I am in union with. I remain in Jesus and I remain in the Father {Johns Account 14:20}. This is who I am. It is God who created me in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}. It is also God Who, from the dust of the ground, created my flesh vessel and breathed into it His breath of life {Genesis 2:7}. This might be a bit difficult to comprehend, since too many people base their identity on their physical appearance. Think of it, we spend millions of dollars each year in our quest to have a better physical appearance to our flesh vessel. I have separated the flesh from our true identity for a reason, to better describe who it is that we are. We know from the scriptures that we are not in flesh, but in spirit {Paul to the Romans 8:9-17}. This is our true identity. Our God created flesh serves the purpose of being the container for His spirit as well as our own. In this we can say with confidence that God LIVES THROUGH US. It is known in some Christian circles that the world will see God through those who know Him. It is God who lives through us. This is our union with Him {Paul to the Romans 8:29}.
Yet you are not in flesh, but in spirit, if so be that Gods spirit is making its home in you. Now if anyone has not Christs spirit, this one is not His. Now if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness.
Paul to the Romans 8: 9-10, Concordant New Testament
Remember those voices in your head? You are the very likeness of God, what is it that man can do to you to you?{Psalm 118:6} For its part, the mainstream church has not done anything to reinforce our true identity in the Father. On the contrary, the church will argue that such sinners as we can never be in the Father. That might work if you are still living in the belief that sin is an issue in your life. But the truth is that Christ Jesus took care of that issue on the cross. Jesus BECAME SIN that it would be done away with {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. Jesus gave Himself that we would no longer BE SLAVES to our sin {Paul to the Romans 6:6-11}. The mainstream church keeps the sin issue alive because they need it to survive. If you feel that you have sinned, where is it that you will seek the forgiveness of God? In the church. The church will promise that you can indeed be "closer" to God. The church will tell you that if you work hard enough that you can "Be like" Jesus. The issue with the church is that our approach to God is based on what we can or cannot do. The apostle Paul tells us differently. It is Paul who proclaims that our salvation has nothing to do with our own efforts but everything to do with the love and grace of God {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}. The mainstream church continues to ignore the truth that it is God who lives through us. That we, as His creation, live in union with He and Christ. This is who we are. The fact that we may have never heard this gospel of truth or have somehow forgotten it does not take away from who it is that we are in the Father.
For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is Gods approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting.
Paul to the Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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