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It has been inspiringly said that “there was never a time when believers were not on the Father’s mind”! In their spirit and soul believers have been “raised with Christ” (Col 3:1). This is the present reality in experiencing part of the “Resurrection,” for we are in the death and resurrection of His Son in our spirit, by which He “has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3).
This part of His resurrection presently provides rebirth and “quickens” (Eph 2:8, 1; Col 2:13) our soul and spirt unto the union of a “new man,” e.g. a new nature which “is created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). The final experience of His resurrection will be when we are raised in a new body “when He shall appear” (1 Jhn 3:2), in which our present body which remains (Rom 8:11) will be “changed” (1 Cor 15:51, 52; 1 Thes 4:16, 17).
In our present condition we have a “new man” coexisting with our “old man” within a “corruptible” body. In our final condition we will have the same new man—but in an “incorruptible” body (1 Cor 15:53), and the old man will be eternally absent! No sinful nature, no sin. No sin, no interruption of love and peace with our God the Father and with our Lord the Son—all through Their blessed Spirit (Jhn 14:16; Rev 22:17), via the new nature (Eph 3:16). As this love and peace shall be then, so can it be now—in our conscience—in knowing that there’s no sin that God has not already taken into account which has not already been addressed “by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13).
We are not walking in the faith of Christ’s expiation for our sinful nature when we do not realize our permanent separation from the “old man.” Though it is in us, we are not in it (Rom 8:9), thus God does not regard us after it! When there is that concept or feeling of guilt, there is not that walk (understanding) of faith in His reparation for us from sin! Nevertheless, be encouraged, for this guiltless condition in the Lord Jesus does not come from our faith but from His Cross-work. The walk of our faith here, and everywhere, is presently for the sake of our conscience concerning “irrevocable” (Rom 11:29) peace with God. It is “through faith,” “by” which the “grace” of salvation is received (Eph 2:8), thus it must be the same concerning all the promises of God if we are to “walk in the Spirit,” not just “live in the Spirit” (Gal 5:25). Though believers live in a guiltless position they cannot walk in it if they do not know it!
We will not be any more redeemed or saved in our spirit and soul in eternity than we are now, but we will be void of the old man, thus the “Resurrection” for which we await has only to do with the new body, and the power of “death” will be no more, for it shall be “cast into the Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:14). Death which came by the commission of sin (Gen 2:17) will be eternally banished by the “remission” of sin (Heb 10:18), by which we are in our spirit “perfected forever” (Heb 10:14)!
Let us contemplate more on what God thinks of us than on what we think of ourselves, in order that we may be most readily prepared to receive, apply and share in the “comfort of the scriptures” (Rom 15:4).
-NC
This part of His resurrection presently provides rebirth and “quickens” (Eph 2:8, 1; Col 2:13) our soul and spirt unto the union of a “new man,” e.g. a new nature which “is created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him” (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). The final experience of His resurrection will be when we are raised in a new body “when He shall appear” (1 Jhn 3:2), in which our present body which remains (Rom 8:11) will be “changed” (1 Cor 15:51, 52; 1 Thes 4:16, 17).
In our present condition we have a “new man” coexisting with our “old man” within a “corruptible” body. In our final condition we will have the same new man—but in an “incorruptible” body (1 Cor 15:53), and the old man will be eternally absent! No sinful nature, no sin. No sin, no interruption of love and peace with our God the Father and with our Lord the Son—all through Their blessed Spirit (Jhn 14:16; Rev 22:17), via the new nature (Eph 3:16). As this love and peace shall be then, so can it be now—in our conscience—in knowing that there’s no sin that God has not already taken into account which has not already been addressed “by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13).
We are not walking in the faith of Christ’s expiation for our sinful nature when we do not realize our permanent separation from the “old man.” Though it is in us, we are not in it (Rom 8:9), thus God does not regard us after it! When there is that concept or feeling of guilt, there is not that walk (understanding) of faith in His reparation for us from sin! Nevertheless, be encouraged, for this guiltless condition in the Lord Jesus does not come from our faith but from His Cross-work. The walk of our faith here, and everywhere, is presently for the sake of our conscience concerning “irrevocable” (Rom 11:29) peace with God. It is “through faith,” “by” which the “grace” of salvation is received (Eph 2:8), thus it must be the same concerning all the promises of God if we are to “walk in the Spirit,” not just “live in the Spirit” (Gal 5:25). Though believers live in a guiltless position they cannot walk in it if they do not know it!
We will not be any more redeemed or saved in our spirit and soul in eternity than we are now, but we will be void of the old man, thus the “Resurrection” for which we await has only to do with the new body, and the power of “death” will be no more, for it shall be “cast into the Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:14). Death which came by the commission of sin (Gen 2:17) will be eternally banished by the “remission” of sin (Heb 10:18), by which we are in our spirit “perfected forever” (Heb 10:14)!
Let us contemplate more on what God thinks of us than on what we think of ourselves, in order that we may be most readily prepared to receive, apply and share in the “comfort of the scriptures” (Rom 15:4).
-NC
