A most glorious
phrase to me in Romans 6 and worth pondering deeply is this one:
"...but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as righteousness to
God. For sin shall not have dominion
over you..."
I know that Paul expands this thought throughout this
chapter, actually throughout several chapters (and in other epistles). His emphasis is life in Christ - alive from
the dead.
The identification we possess by faith is the most critical
part of the Christian walk. I can so
remember years ago the Holy Spirit "whispering" something to me in my
twenties. I don't think I really knew or believed yet it was the Holy Spirit. But I was headed to a pastor's office for
"counseling." Oh how I
remember the emotional struggle and turmoil of my being. I truly thought I was the worst human being on
the planet. I can guarantee if that is
what a person thinks, struggle will occur.
The question is - where was/is this coming from?
Within/without? Who/what is behind it?
There was a test I had taken to see how I viewed
myself. On a scale of 0 to 10, I was at
a three. Hmm, 7 points to go. Yet, the answer was not in my working on
doing more stuff to "feel" better about myself. Isn't that what we do? Find more activities, something on the
outside to fix it?
Heck no. The answer was/is
discovering the Truth of God in Jesus Christ.
It's the only answer.
So here I was headed for his office, and inside my heart I
"heard" one word: appropriation. I realize now in looking back there was a
"dual" thing going on in my life.
The confusion of my head (soul: feelings, thoughts, etc.) and the Person
of the Spirit (Jesus Christ) dwelling inside my heart.
However again, what/who was behind the confusion?
I had enough perception about my own being that I could
honestly recognize something going on like this. Part of the problem really, was that I was
not strong in the Lord. It's like I
could almost "hear" the Word of Life inside my spirit/heart - but it
seemed that the soulish feelings of the lies were stronger.
Now later Paul says this:
"The Word is near you and in
your heart, (that is, the Word of faith which we preach). Romans 10:8
The centrality of our being is our human spirit where Christ
dwells. He is the Truth and speaks the
Truth. Jesus Christ is the Word, the
Living Word of God. Jesus Christ is the
Life - He is for Real, He is Alive and a Living Person who indeed came to live
inside our hearts. He can never speak a
lie. His Spirit is leading in life and
righteousness - nothing else! He cannot sin.
So part of the problem is not knowing and understanding HIM
in me as Life and Righteousness - Teacher, Lord, Friend, Vine, Fruit-Bearer -
the list is endless.
So now Galatians makes more sense as to why Paul admonished
them for having "begun in the Spirit," and thinking their lives were
being transformed by something of human origin - religion, "trying"
to do stuff again to be accepted in the Beloved, etc. a/k/a unbelief.
He was definitely pointing back to the fact that CHRIST came
in - here again, is God's definition of Himself/His Son: Redeemer, Life, Righteousness, Deliverer,
Conqueror, Faith, God's Beloved, Approved of God, Satisfaction of God, Head of
the Body, Lover, Peace Giver, Counselor, Strengthener, and that list is
completely inexhaustible.
So years later, I can "see" with greater clarity
what all really was going on in my being, concerning God's Word of Life and
Truth. And I believe it is the same
thing that happens with all the saints of God in some form or fashion.
The facts I have come to realize is that when Christ came in
our hearts, we changed. That is the
Truth. The spirit man was dead as a
doornail. Christ came in who is Life. He, from the first day His Spirit came in my heart
(and yours) has called me His - daughter of God, bought back and brought back
from the dead, just like He was - and God's workmanship (created in Christ
Jesus). No condemnation.
Therefore this identification, appropriation through faith
in the first part of Romans 6 is critical and crucial. Paul also addresses it a little differently,
(but same truth) in Galatians 2:20.
We were crucified with Christ, buried with Him, raised up
with Him, seated with Him in the heavenly places. As it says in verse 5 - "if we have been united with Him through baptism into death, that
JUST AS Christ was raised from the dead by the GLORY of the FATHER, even
so WE also should walk in the newness of LIFE (His)." In verse 8 - "if we died with Christ, we
BELIEVE we shall also LIVE with Him (by Him)." The one step always is to jump in with
faith until the TRUTH and understanding is formed in us by Him.
To be continued. And
we shall conclude with what the struggle is that Christians call our
"flesh."
In His Love,
Sue Gaither
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