Living in Christ
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Paul was 100% dedicated to being USED by God.
Because of his dedication, God accomplished great things through Paul's life.
Many souls were saved and many still learn through the words Paul wrote through the inspiration of God.
If Paul died, he would be with God and the persecution he was suffering at the hands of unbelievers would end.
To live, God would continue to bless those Paul came in contact with.
Because of his dedication, God accomplished great things through Paul's life.
Many souls were saved and many still learn through the words Paul wrote through the inspiration of God.
If Paul died, he would be with God and the persecution he was suffering at the hands of unbelievers would end.
To live, God would continue to bless those Paul came in contact with.
Romans 6:5-11
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self[SUP]a[/SUP] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free[SUP]b[/SUP] from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Capisce?
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self[SUP]a[/SUP] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free[SUP]b[/SUP] from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Capisce?
I almost never do this but I think this is a great definition of Paul's meaning...from gotquestions.org..
Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Most people focus on the second part of the verse, “to die is gain,” and contemplate the joys of heaven. But we should not overlook what comes before. The importance of the phrase “to live is Christ” cannot be overstated. In all honesty, this phrase should be central to every Christian’s life.
In this statement, the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ. From the time of Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Christ. Paul’s singular aim was to bring glory to Jesus.
“To live is Christ” means that we proclaim the gospel of Christ. Paul preached in synagogues; he preached at riversides; he preached as a prisoner; he preached as an apostle; he preached as a tentmaker. His message was constant: “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He brought the message of Christ’s sacrifice to kings, soldiers, statesmen, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He would preach to literally anyone who would listen.
“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and say. The church benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). What would Jesus do? That’s what we want to do.
“To live is Christ” means that we pursue the knowledge of Christ. We want to know Christ better and better each day. Not just a set of facts about Christ, but Christ Himself. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9). We cling to the promise of our Lord in Mark 10:29-30 that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.
“To live is Christ” means that Christ is our focus, our goal, and our chief desire. Christ is the center point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is our life.
Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Most people focus on the second part of the verse, “to die is gain,” and contemplate the joys of heaven. But we should not overlook what comes before. The importance of the phrase “to live is Christ” cannot be overstated. In all honesty, this phrase should be central to every Christian’s life.
In this statement, the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ. From the time of Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Christ. Paul’s singular aim was to bring glory to Jesus.
“To live is Christ” means that we proclaim the gospel of Christ. Paul preached in synagogues; he preached at riversides; he preached as a prisoner; he preached as an apostle; he preached as a tentmaker. His message was constant: “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He brought the message of Christ’s sacrifice to kings, soldiers, statesmen, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He would preach to literally anyone who would listen.
“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and say. The church benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). What would Jesus do? That’s what we want to do.
“To live is Christ” means that we pursue the knowledge of Christ. We want to know Christ better and better each day. Not just a set of facts about Christ, but Christ Himself. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9). We cling to the promise of our Lord in Mark 10:29-30 that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.
“To live is Christ” means that Christ is our focus, our goal, and our chief desire. Christ is the center point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is our life.
This ties in with Christ's command which was to "make disciples". So we are to be disciples. A disciple is a follower, and a follower does that what he sees him Master do.
The Bible says that Jesus was (a) filled with the Holy Spirit and (b) went about all Galilee (1) teaching in their synagogues, (2) preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and (3) healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Mt 4:23).
While we may not have the power to heal physically, there are other kinds of healing which we can minister and administer as indicate in Luke 4:18,19:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me
(1) to preach the gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Bible says that Jesus was (a) filled with the Holy Spirit and (b) went about all Galilee (1) teaching in their synagogues, (2) preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and (3) healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Mt 4:23).
While we may not have the power to heal physically, there are other kinds of healing which we can minister and administer as indicate in Luke 4:18,19:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me
(1) to preach the gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
No no no, not faith in the Son of God, I now live by the faith OF the Son of God.
HUGE DIFFERENCE.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; YET NOT I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."
It's not me living anymore, Christ lives in me, I've been crucified with Christ.
"Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh HAS CEASED FROM SIN: that he NO LONGER should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, BUT TO THE WILL OF GOD." -1 Peter 4:1-2
"Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh HAS CEASED FROM SIN: that he NO LONGER should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, BUT TO THE WILL OF GOD."-1 Peter 4:1-2
Colossians 3:
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Romans 6:8-11 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
[SUP]9 [/SUP] knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
[SUP]11 [/SUP] Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
[SUP]8 [/SUP] Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
[SUP]9 [/SUP] knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
[SUP]11 [/SUP] Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
New International Version
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New Living Translation
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
English Standard Version
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New American Standard Bible
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New Living Translation
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
English Standard Version
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New American Standard Bible
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Jesus came on earth, first of all for our salvation but also to give us example.
To be in Christ is to live in Christ and as Jesus said, "I have given you example
that so you should do also." Salvation is His free gift to us and with our acceptance
of that, we become children of His. After that it is up to us to become fulfilled in
life by growing in spirituality and holiness. The human condition is not perfect so
we are not perfect. However that should never allow us to stop striving for perfection
even knowing that we will never achieve in this life. The nearer we come to Jesus
the deeper the Spirit grows within us. The deeper that Spirit grows within us the
less we we live in the flesh; the more we live in the heart of God. Our relationship
with God is a journey of life. We either surrender ourselves to Him or we continue
to live in the flesh. That is up to each of us. As we continue to absorb all the love He
pours out into us, the closer we come to Him. Of course we will never be Christ but
when we continue to grow, we will never be other than Christ.
To be in Christ is to live in Christ and as Jesus said, "I have given you example
that so you should do also." Salvation is His free gift to us and with our acceptance
of that, we become children of His. After that it is up to us to become fulfilled in
life by growing in spirituality and holiness. The human condition is not perfect so
we are not perfect. However that should never allow us to stop striving for perfection
even knowing that we will never achieve in this life. The nearer we come to Jesus
the deeper the Spirit grows within us. The deeper that Spirit grows within us the
less we we live in the flesh; the more we live in the heart of God. Our relationship
with God is a journey of life. We either surrender ourselves to Him or we continue
to live in the flesh. That is up to each of us. As we continue to absorb all the love He
pours out into us, the closer we come to Him. Of course we will never be Christ but
when we continue to grow, we will never be other than Christ.
One of the largest deprogramming we do is showing people they posses personal saving faith....it is because of this verse and others that the eternal security specialists cling to a false hope...they do not believe in personal saving faith and in that context, I would agree with them...Yep, using Jesus faith to get me out of the fire...the sad part is when Jesus says.....I exercised my perosnal Faith to get to and lay on the cross for you...where was yours?
In Romans 12:1-2 NIV, Paul gives what I call the anatomy of commitment:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Since everything we do is expressed through our bodies, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The concept of a living sacrifice is interesting because it sounds like a contradiction.
In the mosaic system, a sacrifice was killed. Yet Paul wants us to remain alive We are literally to be walking dead people. How is this possible? Paul's understanding of his own life helps us here when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)
If you were to ask Paul what his goals in life were, he would probably have said, 'I don't have any . Dead people don't set goals." If you were to ask him what his dreams were, he would have responded, "Dead people don't dream." But if you were to ask him what God's goals and dreams for him were, no doubt he could have talked all day long, because even though Paul was dead to himself, he was alive to God.
God's goals had become Paul's goals. God's desires had become Paul's desires. The only life he had was the life of Christ. This is why no one could intimidate this Brother.
You must be dead to yourself and alive to Christ. This is called a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Which can only be done by faith in Christ and his Finished Work, i.e., The Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allows the Holy Spirit a legal right to help you in every capacity...including dying to self, and the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If his enemies threated to kill him, he could say, "To die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) If they said, "No, we're going to let you live," he could answer, "That's fine. "to live is Christ."' (Philippians 1:21b) If they said, "We're going to whip you," he could say, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
If Paul died, he would go to be with Christ. If he lived, he would serve Christ. And if he suffered, he would get more reward from Christ. Therefore, since his whole life belonged to Christ, Paul's attitude was that it really did not matter what happened to him.
This kind of commitment is so important that Paul calls it our "spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NLT)
Pastor Tony Evans - No more Excuses
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Since everything we do is expressed through our bodies, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The concept of a living sacrifice is interesting because it sounds like a contradiction.
In the mosaic system, a sacrifice was killed. Yet Paul wants us to remain alive We are literally to be walking dead people. How is this possible? Paul's understanding of his own life helps us here when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)
If you were to ask Paul what his goals in life were, he would probably have said, 'I don't have any . Dead people don't set goals." If you were to ask him what his dreams were, he would have responded, "Dead people don't dream." But if you were to ask him what God's goals and dreams for him were, no doubt he could have talked all day long, because even though Paul was dead to himself, he was alive to God.
God's goals had become Paul's goals. God's desires had become Paul's desires. The only life he had was the life of Christ. This is why no one could intimidate this Brother.
You must be dead to yourself and alive to Christ. This is called a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Which can only be done by faith in Christ and his Finished Work, i.e., The Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allows the Holy Spirit a legal right to help you in every capacity...including dying to self, and the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If his enemies threated to kill him, he could say, "To die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) If they said, "No, we're going to let you live," he could answer, "That's fine. "to live is Christ."' (Philippians 1:21b) If they said, "We're going to whip you," he could say, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
If Paul died, he would go to be with Christ. If he lived, he would serve Christ. And if he suffered, he would get more reward from Christ. Therefore, since his whole life belonged to Christ, Paul's attitude was that it really did not matter what happened to him.
This kind of commitment is so important that Paul calls it our "spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NLT)
Pastor Tony Evans - No more Excuses