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!

The Glory and Power of God’s Word within Us

The Glory and Power of God’s Word within Us

Paul provides some valuable insights into what will happen at our transition from these earthly ‘tents’ (flesh bodies) to our heavenly ‘building’ (spiritual, eternal bodies), 2Cor 5:1.

First, we must know that there are bodies for different purposes, for different environments, and which emit different levels of glory. Read the following passage to get the context,

1Co 15:39-43 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

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,

The Journey: Part 5 - Justification through Christ

Start here at the Introduction: The Journey Begins

The Journey: Part 5 - Justification through Christ

The topic of justification is often complicated by theological attempts to explain what happens in the spiritual context of a person's salvation. Though I do want to get a bit deeper into this topic in this post, it is notable that it can also be a very easy topic if one simply receives it by the same faith that brought you to salvation in Christ in the first place. To dive into this post let me start by defining the word justification from a Biblical stance.

What is 'Justification'

The Stages of Christ's Ascension and Return (Part 4)

In Part 3 of this post series, we had a look at the continued ascension of Jesus from the clouds (the position in which Stephen saw Jesus in Acts 7:55-56), to the position in light which He occupied according to 1 Tim.6:16. Between these two scripture references, it clearly identified Jesus in two different places. However, I won't be dogmatic and claim that these two positions are separated by the "waters above the firmament", but based on my current convictions, I'll illustrate it as such in my diagram below. (The purpose of the diagram is simply to show the eventual symmetry between Christ's ascension and return. I don't claim it to be accurate in depicting locations or positions in the heavenly ascension). 

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,