Living and Walking in Christ Alone

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen."  Hebrews 13:20

According to the Scriptures, mankind is divided into two kinds of people:  Flesh or spirit.  Adam or Christ.

Flesh is death.  Spirit is life.   Flesh produces evil (though disguised as good).  Spirit produces fruit -God's fruit.

It is Christ, the living Person of God, Who became life to our spirits. 

"And you hath He quickened - making alive - who were dead...(in flesh)."  Ephesians 2:1

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the power and will of God, very clearly expressed in Galatians two modes of operations.  Walking in flesh or walking in Spirit.

He strongly asked the Galatians why, after having received God's Spirit (because they had believed and received the message of Christ - the Gospel) - were they going back to the fleshly mode of walking.

They stopped walking by faith and trust in the living God.  (Notice I am using the word "walking."  For once we are made alive in Christ, it is now about how we walk).

Instead the Galatians turned back to acting "spiritual" outwardly - mimicking righteousness - not bearing fruit from God's Spirit.  We do this through faith in Christ.

How did they end up going back to this?

They forgot WHO was dwelling in them now - how they became alive in the first place in Christ - but now in Whom they were to walk.

They forgot that it is the Spirit of Life who came inside their spirits to be life.  They were to now live by His Life producing fruit and by daily faith in the Lord - the Spirit of God - not the flesh working/trying to produce pseudo righteousness by some other means.

Paul told them he had received this Gospel of Glory by revelation.  In all of his letters he underscored over and over again that those who have been placed into Christ are now in the Living One - He is the all and all. "As you therefore have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in Him."

Jesus Christ is the Author of our faith, the Finisher of our Faith, the Life, the Spirit, the One who forms Himself inside our hearts, the One who is Head over all things, the One Who can and is making us what GOD wants us to be - shaping us, growing us in the spirit, teaching all true knowledge - oh my, the list goes on.

Mankind does not want to come to the Living God.  Mankind as flesh wants religion.  That is the essence of flesh.

For in religion there is no reporting to a living God.  There's no real Person to deal with or talk to or have "be in your face" so to speak.

Can Christians get caught up in this?

Well, if not, then why did Paul have to write a letter to the Galatians?  Or how about Colossians where he said to them that many had returned to the principles of the world (a/k/a religion) and not holding fast to the HEAD, from WHOM ALL the body is nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, GROWS with the increase that is FROM GOD.

Yes, Jesus is Life - so we are not growing by fleshly means - as though something coming from us as the vessel.  Grace is for growing in spirit.   We are to agree with God and reckon our flesh dead.  Romans 6

The true church of God listens, yields, seeks the living God and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is the Head over the Church; it is our call then to DAILY listen and to know Him.

There is NO act of our flesh that can make us what God wants us to be from beginning to the end.  It is looking at, believing in, trusting in, abiding in, yielding to, the Savior and Lord in our hearts WHO is Life, Truth, and the Holy Spirit.

This is worth repeating over and over again - because our enemy, the devil does not want us to apprehend the reality of Jesus Christ. 

"Thank you dearest Father for causing us to be strengthened in the inner man where Your Son dwells - that we may be so strong in Him and in His life.  For the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead, dwells in us! Amen."

Sue Gaither