DM#18: Our spiritual position and physical condition

Doctrine of the Mysteries #18

Our spiritual position and physical condition

Read the five verses below slowly and carefully and then compare the first two verses to the last three. There is a HUGE difference in how Paul describes the believers at Corinth.

1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus, CALLED SAINTS, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

1 Cor 1:30 But of Him YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who became for us wisdom from God —and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION and redemption—

1 Cor 3:3 ...for YOU ARE STILL CARNAL. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

1 Cor 5:1 It is actually reported that THERE IS FORNICATION AMONG YOU, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife!

1 Cor 5:2 And YOU ARE PUFFED UP, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

Do you notice a difference? Paul is writing to the Christians at Corinth, a city infamous for its immorality. The last three verses reveal the low spiritual condition of the Corinthians, the fact that they were still carnal Christians, full of pride and still babes in the understanding of spiritual things. BUT, Paul calls them 'saints' in the first verse! Did you get that!

What ‘work’ will survive at the Judgement Seat of Christ

What ‘work’ will survive at the Judgement Seat of Christ

1Co 3:11-15  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  (12)  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  (13)  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  (14)  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  (15)  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

So many of us think that when we stand before the judgement seat of Christ, we will be judged by what we did in this life. The Bema Seat of Christ has got nothing to do with what you did in this life. It has all to do with what you know. It is essentially a judgement of one’s knowledge concerning Paul’s doctrine and your growth in it.

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 

The Journey: Part 13 - Established in the Doctrine

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 13 - Established in the Doctrine

The purpose of Romans to Galatians is to establish our faith according to Paul's gospel. Notice how the book of Romans ends,

Rom.16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

Romans to Galatians is about establishing you. It has to do with laying the foundation of your faith. It's to take your faith and to establish it according to Paul's gospel, and this is in accordance to the commandment of the everlasting God. God has commanded all men to be in obedience of faith to what He has made known,

Rom.16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The Journey: Part 11 - Let Us Settle Our Spiritual Position in Christ

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 11 - Let Us Settle Our Spiritual Position in Christ

The letter of Romans is written to existing believers who have already been saved by the gospel of grace. In this regard, Paul is now laying a strong foundation that will keep believers stablished (stable) in the faith, so that they will not be tossed to and fro by all manner of false, man-made doctrines.

In the previous posts of this series, labeled, "The Journey", we have covered key topics from Romans chapters 1-7. In summary these topics are as follows,

Christ in You vs. You in Christ

Concerning believers in the grace gospel, Paul says these two things: (1) you are in Christ, and (2) Christ is in you.

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:" – Colossians 1:27-28

The phrase "Christ in you" is found in Col 1:27, and in the next verse every man is presented perfect "in Christ Jesus" (Col 1:28).

What do these seemingly opposite but similar sounding statements mean?

What's the difference between 'you in Christ' and 'Christ in you'?

 

Being In Christ Part2 201127

What does it REALLY mean to be 'In Christ'?

According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, when you hear the Gospel and respond positively to the faith that wells up inside you, and you call upon God, ---in that moment you are sealed into the body of Christ (in Christ) by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.12:13) and you become a new creation (or a new creature, KJV 2 Cor.5:17). But, notice the word "if" in the verse. This makes it conditional! It is only if we are in Christ that we are a new creation! In order to understand what "a new creation" means, we need to dig into what is means to be "in Christ".

Inspirational Quote

Q-A: What does it REALLY mean to be 'In Christ'?

Q-A: What does it REALLY mean to be 'In Christ'?

Read the shaded verses below slowly and carefully and then compare the first two verses to the last three. There is a HUGE difference in how Paul describes the believers at Corinth.

1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,