Christ living in us

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me.”

If Christ is living in us, the motto of our life cannot be the same as earlier. The emphasis is given to “I am crucified and I no longer live” which means, all our desires, ambitions and plans are dead and buried making way for a newer person to start executing His plans. The previous verse says that through the law, we are dead to the law so that we might live to God. We are not reporting to the law or the law keepers but to the law maker who has started a direct relationship with us. The law was not an unnecessary commitment to us, it lead us to Christ so that we could die to it and move towards a higher commitment that is directly to God. This commitment is not partial, but complete. Live to God is living to only serve the purpose God has in us.

First, Paul removes the authority of men who condemn, then the law and finally the self (I). The law was there to correct me so that “I” would live. Now on, it is Christ being the one to live and so, the law has no authority on me as it does not fulfill the real purpose. The crucifixion puts to death the “I” along with every condemnation this “I” carried. So, we are free from condemnation only if we are living to God. This living to God is being available for the personal make over by God.

John 14:18 is an important promise that again mentions the purpose of our existence. Jesus comes to us so that we are not orphans. This is a guardian and mentor’s role He is taking. Jesus emphasizes the fact that we are orphans if He is not residing in us. This is in the same context as Jesus is the truth. Every other direction is a lie and we may feel comforted, but we still are orphans. The apostles had forsaken their lives and so, they were scared for real to live without Christ. It is important for us to have a similar dependency towards Christ to understand that Christ is the truth.

In 14:19, Jesus mentions that these people who love Him and are supported by Him will be the only ones who can see Him. The world cannot see Jesus because there is no love there. Intelligence does not go in sync with seeing Jesus. This vision of Jesus is not just salvation, but an understanding that Jesus is happily living in us and this would make us want to live more. We would survive for Jesus to manifest Himself.

Then, on that day when we see and live for Jesus, we would understand that Jesus is completely inside His Father and performs His will only. We who love Jesus are protected inside Jesus and we do what His will is. We also understand that Jesus lives inside us so that we protect His life inside us. This is our responsibility as much as God the Father fully authorized Jesus to rule His kingdom; we should allow Jesus to rule us. The relationship between us and Christ is mutual and closely inter-depending. We limit our lives inside Christ and receive everything from inside. This relationship can be understood only when there is tremendous love. This is again mentioned in John 17:23 where we declare to the world that we live in Jesus if we are one with unity and through that, we show that we have the Father’s approval and love.  We receive the Father’s presence inside us only when we love Jesus and keep His commandments. The Father sees this as our love towards Him.

According to 2 Cor 5:17, salvation and regeneration happens only when we are inside Christ. Our boundaries are Christ Himself and this submission changes us. Our happiness, riches and everything else would be in Christ. And Paul commands here, “behold” everything is new. We cannot be changes unless we cautiously listen to the Christ inside us for regeneration.

1 Cor 3:16 and many other verses point to the fact that we are temple of God. A temple is not just another house, but a very distinct one. This is set apart for a single purpose that God would live there. A temple hosts only persons who are there to worship or renew their relationship with God. It is being built and maintained with reverence more than plain houses. A temple is distinct in looks.

In Eph 3:16-19 we read that Jesus dwells in us so that we will be firm in love and truly understand the love of Christ. This love passes all knowledge and we are gifted to know this along with the saints. This dwelling in us is the riches of His glory. Christ is not seen in the world, but the world should see Christ and the Father’s love through us. For this all the riches of His glory has been poured upon us as Christ lives inside us. This is again mentioned in Colossians 1:27. This should be the nature of ministry we do. As per Mathew 10:40, people receiving us should receive Christ himself and not the self.

The benefits are seen in Acts 9:5, we see Christ defending us as He is hurt when we are hurt. It mentions that we are goads that push others into salvation. Our life hurt others into salvation. If they hurt us, it hurts them back and God would be there to defend us.

According to 2 Cor 13:5, we are disqualified if Christ is not in us. We are thrown away from the race at any stage if this basic condition is not met. Christ living in us is not a gift or choice. This is a condition that we need to forsake all our desires and plans and let Christ take over.

Justification by Faith

Galatians 2:16 ”knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

This verse is in the context of Paul’s emphasis on liberty from the law. He attempts to remove every belief and even adherence to some laws. The process of justification by faith should be the primary teaching in churches as Jesus was very particular about this.

Justification

To be justified is a much higher privilege than being forgiven.  Romans 5:1,2 explains what it means to be justified. We have peace and access to grace and glory. We are considered as righteous as the law has been completely fulfilled through the death of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is given to us as we have received the judgement and with this pain and humiliation, we would not sin anymore. This is what true repentance is. If there is no repentance at the cross, there is no justification.

Faith

Now, faith is defined as the assurance and conviction of things hoped for and unseen (Hebrews 11:1). Faith comes without evidence. If there is no faith, God is required to keep convincing us by miracles and signs which becomes a relationship where only God is working to improve.  God has given his biggest contribution for this relationship by sending His Son. No relationship works if one person has to keep proving to the other, we need to build trust and expect trust. This is the same with God and us. There is no relationship or faith if we depend on Pastors, prophets or evangelists.

Justification by faith

Justification by faith is the doctrine which cannot be accepted in a secular world where we are focused on our needs. The secular world has different standards and requires a person not to harm others and live a prudent life. This does not serve the purpose God has with us. Being good is not right as per the Father, being faithful is.

In Romans 3:23-26, we read that God’s righteousness is demonstrated when he passed over our previous sins and then again when he justified us by our faith in Jesus. These are two distinct processes and reasons why Jesus was set apart as a sacrifice of grace. The death of Jesus has bought us forgiveness and our faith in Him makes us righteous. And in both these processes, God’s righteousness is displayed. That is, God’s righteousness is when we love him. This is why Jesus had given this commandment as the highest in Mathew 22:37. This commandment was not part of the Ten Commandments which were considered as the most important. In Deuteronomy 6:5, we read this commandment as a summary or a purpose of the Ten Commandments.

As per Galatians 3:22-25, the law just was preparing us for the correct justification. The Old Testament brings us to Christ. Every law was given to us for us to understand how important the death of Christ is to mankind. If the OT was not given to us, we would have just received grace without dignity.

Examples in OT

Hebrews 11 is the chapter that clearly explains this doctrine to us. Abel brought the firstborn and the best ones to the Lord and Cain did not bring the first fruits. This was an action of faith where you have strong faith in the Lord and give the best, whereas bringing just something for tradition’s sakes is hated by God. Enoch pleased God by showing his faith by believing in the existence of God. We know about Noah, Abraham and Sarah on their total trust in God.

All these men were not just good, but were focused in their relationship with God. This is a dependent’s life. In Genesis 15:6 we read that this faith was accounted as righteousness. This was after Abraham’s obedience in going away as per God asked him and after his communion with Melchizedek. This is the righteousness God defines. We are not expected to be just good in a secular way, but close and faithful to the Almighty. This relationship only matters in the universe. Not being good to mankind or world peace.

Boasting

Romans 4:2, Romans 3:27 explain how boasting is excluded completely in this justification. Jesus appreciated faith everywhere, but nobody in the Bible boasted on their faith. This is the essence of Christianity where everybody is equal.

The importance of Christ

From Gal 2:20,21 we read that the relationship with God and us changes after the death of Christ. We surrender completely to God saying that we do not live, but it is the life of Christ that is living. All desires and purposes focus of the needs of the one who lives. I live because I have faith that Jesus loves me and has died for me. 

Liberty in Christ Jesus

Galatians 2:4 “And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage)”

This verse is about a situation where some fault finders had come to the church in Galatia to check if there were any compromises. The liberty is often misunderstood among believers. We think that we are not allowed to be free and not allowed to enjoy our life. Sometimes it is just the opposite and worldly enjoyment is translated as our freedom. Both these are extremes and are not in line with what God has promised and delivered to us.

Bondage

Satan has been successful in making us believe or want a different thing as freedom in this new age. We do not want to be monitored and followed and we seek privacy as a very important right as part of citizenship. We have started believing that that freedom is a right to sin. The truth is the opposite as in John 8:34-36. When we sin, we become slaves. This arrangement of slavery is not permanent. Slaves do not abide forever and are transferred or sold to other masters. These transfers do happen constantly and there is no relief unless any of the masters is good. The only possibility of a good master is Jesus Christ. We need to understand that if we sin again, then we again serve our old master and reject and dishonor our freedom. We have the right to live without sin.

Liberty

The liberty is that we are not bound to any law. Rom 8:1,2 says that “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death”. There was a law that said that whoever sins would die. This law has been invalidated and we have a new law that says whoever believes shall live. There is a very large difference between these two laws. The first law was given to preserve righteousness. The second law is given to create righteousness. We know that the Old Testament is a shadow of things to come (Col 2:17) which means that it was not the righteousness that God had intended for. The actual amount of perfection comes through Jesus Christ because He, the new Adam only had brought forth righteousness and thus life to all of us.

Law

This is a law. The law defines that there is life only in Christ Jesus. Living anywhere else is not identified as life but as being dead. We can see a lot of references where Jesus calling others as dead and believers as living (Mathew 8:22, 22:31,32). If we accept this as the only life, there will be no pursuit of anything of the world. The law is described as of the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. This means that the law states that Life in Christ Jesus is being executed by the Holy Spirit. We are expected to walk according to the Spirit as in Romans 8:1. Also when we receive the Holy Spirit, sometimes we think that He takes over us completely. This is not freedom when we are bound by Him. God is so righteous that the Holy Spirit is given to us as a helper for free living and this is through teaching and not by ordering.

The walking according to the Spirit is also a part of freedom which we enjoy. Bondage does not let us progress or move. We have to be stagnant there. Freedom makes us walk. But even this walking can be according to the flesh or the Spirit.

We are not bound to any law but are bound to the Holy Spirit. This is the reason that we are required to judge ourselves and not others. The Holy Spirit leads us each in his different ways as every baby’s growth is unique.

In Christ Jesus

The important rule here is that the liberty is in Christ Jesus. We have everything we need in Christ Jesus and not in this world. This world tries to enslave us whereas Christ has a new life for us where we are free and inherit everything He has. Christ did not inherit the riches of the world. A good sign of a person who is in Christ is that he always walks in the Spirit discerning everything and does not take human decisions. Fleshy decisions are not necessarily sinful, but may lead us away from God or discourage men from coming closer to God. This condemnation is what God has abandoned. The verse is precise that we are free from the law of condemnation.

Heirs

Romans 8:15 says that we are sons and joint heirs with Christ. This is a wonderful freedom. A son is not bound by law in his home, but is bound by relationships and the family’s reputation. Even if nobody has the right the question the son, he does not sin because he loves his family. A son has responsibilities. As in 1 Corinthians 10:23, the son has permission to go have fun outside, but will seek edification and things that are suitable for the family. There is a lot of forgiveness in the family because God sees us as his own children. Also we have to remember that we did not inherit this sonship. We were adopted when God looked at our misery and was merciful. It is not right for adopted children to be arrogant but be grateful throughout our lives. Romans 8:17 says that sons suffer with Christ and are glorified with Him. This suffering is freedom. We choose to suffer and not suffer by bondage.

In Galatians 2:5, 6 we can see Paul’s determination in holding up the gospel. There will be people who come inside the church and add unnecessary rules. Paul calls them as false brethren. They look just like brothers but have evil intentions. If we seek other’s condemnation in the church, then we are that false brother.  We need to ensure that everybody is encouraged towards Christ and in Christ. We are not required to follow traditional customs just because seniors recommend them. Paul saw nothing good in those who regard high of themselves. An older son is not highly regarded than a younger son but has high expectations from the family.

Our freedom is not our right to do whatever we want. The freedom comes to us only when we receive our inheritance from God through His first born Jesus Christ. This freedom came to us with a high price paid by Jesus Christ. Though we are not bound to condemnation, our sincere love and gratefulness should outrun all our personal desires and choose to suffer with the first born.

Revealing Jesus in Us

Galatians 1:15,16 “ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,  to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,”

This is an introduction Paul gives about himself to the Galatians. He mentions about his strong commitment to Judaism and how this faith led him to persecute Christians. But, God had different plans about Paul. God wanted Paul to preach Jesus among the Gentiles by revealing Jesus in him.

God is pleased

The first lesson we learn is that God was pleased to reveal Jesus in Paul. This event did not happen when Paul was strong in his traditions. God was pleased when two of God’s required events happened. When Paul was separated from his mother’s womb and when he was called by the grace of God. This chosen from the mother’s womb can also be read in Jeramiah 1:5. This was the first word that came to the prophet at his youth and he agreed immediately.  Paul is boasting here that God who had chosen and called him, is pleased.  

Image of His Son

In the OT, separation was not for everybody, but as per Rom 8:30 this separation is there for every Christian. When we read verse 29, we can understand that predestination, calling, justification and glorification are all meant for the purpose of conforming to the image of Jesus. This is the purpose of Jesus’s arrival and suffering. Jesus is perfectly holy, but He requires a family of who He should appear as the firstborn. We read the emphasis on this in verse 28 where this conformation is His purpose.

This is the order of Christian salvation: foreknowing, predestination, calling, justification and glorification. There are some lessons we learn here.

1. God is pleased when we are progressing in this order.  If we accept the calling towards glory, God is pleased with us and he gives us the ultimate blessing of Numbers 6:25 which is His face shining upon us. God looks at tiny details in our life. We always have believed that we are good person in overall. Small and tiny mistakes have been fatal in many biblical incidents. Here, as soon as Paul has decided to follow Jesus, God is pleased.

2. Accepting a call is the only action that is expected from us. Apart from this the whole responsibility is of God. This acceptance is displayed with one characteristic based on verse 28 : Loving God. If one have really honored this call, he would love God immediately. We do not accept by claiming, but by loving.

3. The start of ministry does not provide or require glorification. Paul was just chosen and then called and immediately God is pleased and makes him a minister for the Gentiles. This ministry was the highest responsibility in all Christianity. Justification and Glorification are parts of a person’s ministry or growth in Christ. Most of us take a different stand here and delay doing God’s work because we are not grown up as the other seniors are. Paul and Jeremiah both started their ministry at a very early stage.

Ministry

The start of ministry requires Jesus to be revealed in us. If we try to show ourselves and our talents off in ministry, then we are faking and providing a different perverted gospel. Again glory or the final prize is the face of God shining upon us, but as soon as we are saved, Jesus starts revealing in us. If this hasn’t been experienced, we haven’t accepted our calling and God is still not pleased with our commitment with Him.

Human Intelligence

The model Paul uses for his initial steps at Ministry is that he did not confer with flesh and blood. Planning with flesh and blood means that he did not make human decisions at all. Paul gives an emphasis that he did not even look for senior opinions in this regard. This directs us towards looking for God’s training and decisions in everything. Human intelligence does not help in God revealing in us. We should strongly pursue God’s revelation. Also we understand the personal interaction God gives us.  We should not use anybody as a medium for our relationship with Him.

Traditions

The word Judaism is mentioned only in verses 13 and 15 in the whole bible. Paul has placed this as a religion which is against anything that pleases God. Jesus cannot be revealed in us if we do anything traditionally. Paul says that all his education did not help anywhere in his relationship with God. We should always ask God for revelation in our prayers. This revelation was first given to us and then happens in us.

Glorifying God is us

In verse 24, we see the result when Jesus starts revealing in a person. People who were scared were glorifying God because of the change. Our transformation should be evident before the universe and should be encouraging to fellow believers.