16) Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified.
17) But
if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found
sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18) For
if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19) For
I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20) I am
crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I,
but Christ liveth 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.
21) I do
not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come
by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
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hen
we understand the purpose of this life, we can walk differently than those
without salvation. The fact that “Christ liveth in
me” should be cause to rejoice, but for many it is not so. Why? Because it is
difficult for man to recognize that God has the right to be in control of those
whom He has redeemed.
Scripture
tells us that Jesus died and rose again that through our submission, He could
be in full control and live in us. Yet, people decide
that they have rights simply because they have an identity. From where did we
get our existence or anything else that makes us alive? We are not independent
of the God by Whom we were saved. If we really
remember from whence we have come, why then do we try doubly hard to do the
opposite of what He requires?
Once
we have been born again, we become spiritual beings—24 hours-a-day. This only
becomes difficult to accept when we try to operate as a natural being and live
for ourselves.
Another
major problem arises when we try to live saved by
memory, which is an impossibility. Your memory will fail; but one who has
hidden the Word and precepts of God in his bosom will find that the light of
Jesus shows in every aspect of his life.
It
is not just a “nice idea” or an option that Christ live within us, but an
absolute necessity according to scripture. By dwelling in us, Jesus has given
us the right and privilege to live to the pleasing and glory of God. When we
are tempted to return to living in the flesh, we need to remind ourselves that
Jesus Himself redeemed us and we, therefore owe Him our debt.
In
order to have an active part in God’s plan and be pleasing to Him, “self” must
be out of the way—eradicated! This also includes the fleshly will and attitude,
neither of which are conducive to holy living nor will be tolerated by a holy
God.
Perhaps
causing confusion in the minds of saints is the constant “struggle” there seems
to be between flesh and the Spirit. Although warnings abound in scripture,
redeemed Man tends to feel that he cannot help but follow the urges of the Old
Man. Would it help to recognize that our Old Man is not supposed to live any
longer? It is the right thing to ignore how one used to act, think, feel and
react and count that those things don’t “count” any more. It’s as simple as
that.
Though
Christ does, indeed, live in one who has been redeemed, only those accepting
Him and yielding to Him will be justified and therefore be able to enter into
Heaven. So you see, as in driving a car, one must “yield” first in order to be
given the “right of way.”
Particularly
during this Easter season, we need to understand the importance of
“Resurrection.” One need not get hung up on whether we celebrate this event on
the correct day or not; but the most important thing to know is that He has now
arisen in our lives.
If
there ever was a time of testing it would seem that we have entered such now.
Particularly in these “last days” it seems that the harder the Lord tries to
prove us, the more we resist and the more problems we have. Will we ever
realize that what we profess to be can only become a reality through testing?
The
reckoning oneself dead to sin (Romans
Christ
living in us is to be cause for celebration rather than mourning. The control
that He gains means that He controls what and how much comes to us as well as
our personal lives. As much as we might not like what is allowed to come to us,
we need to consider what could come. We would all truly then have occasion and cause
to despair.
Christ
becoming alive in us conferred upon us all the rights we deserve or will ever
need. Despite how we may look at our earthly, momentary “irritations,” we will
reap benefits greater than any this world could ever offer.
Christ
has not come to reside in man and leave him in mediocrity. Everything about us
is to “advertise” the abundance of an abundant God. We are to be witnesses of
the fact that Christ is greater than any power of the enemy. How? By standing
up in the Spirit and denying the devil the right to control us, our
circumstances or situations.
It
is unlikely that one in whom Christ is alive and well will readily succumb to
the tricks and devices of the enemy. So, he preys on those who have little
confidence in their salvation or their God. He identifies them most readily
through their tendency to complain and conduct themselves like weepy children.
He know he has found a “good thing” when he finds one willing to cast blame on
someone else and complain.
The fact that “Christ liveth in me” is not to be taken lightly. In that He had to die to be able to make this a reality, we should be willing to “die” that His sacrifice be not in vain.