Study Guide
IN CHRIST
2,578 words, about 13 min read
Greetings, to my fellow-laborers in the Body of Christ. Although we have been given the vocation of procuring more sons, we have allowed sin to remain within us and have thus been hindered from going forth in ministry. This sin consists of pride, lust, wantonness, secret hope, unforgiveness, iniquity and our own personal agendas. We are the children of God, but these things are contrary to all that He is. Why do we allow them to remain in us? Some would argue, “We do not allow them, they just remain.” Even after going to the altar time and time again, asking God to purge us of these, they still remain. In this study, we will learn why?
I. THE GIFT OF GOD
First, we must go back to our beginning.
John 17:24
24 Christ besought the Father in this manner: Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
In The Amplified Bible, the same reads,
24 Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
This is our beginning. It was not the conception of the fetus or the natural birth we experienced. Before all these things happened, we were in the bowels of the Father. The Father, before the foundation of the world, gave us to Christ. This is the origin of every child of God. Now it is necessary to establish our origin, so that we may destroy the independent mindset. The fleshy mind (carnal mind) has a problem with this fact. It finds it hard to believe that we were given to Christ to glorify the Father and for that reason alone. However, the fleshy mind feels that it has a right to another agenda. You see, in Christ’s agenda the flesh does not receive anything. It must accept self-denial. Let us back up a bit in this same chapter.
John 17:20-21
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be ONE; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be ONE IN US: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
In these verses, Christ is praying for the Body of Christ, those who would believe on Him. This includes us, the latter day Church. Whereas now we are connected to the first twelve disciples, the early Church and that great cloud of witnesses that have gone on before us. The prayer also asks that we would be one in Jesus and the Father. The giving of the Holy Ghost accomplished this in us. It made us one with Christ, the Father, and one another. However, the un-renewed mind of the flesh opposes this. The fleshy mind (carnal mind) wants its independence, its own agenda, its own reasoning, its own desires and its own route. In essence, the flesh wants to live its own life. It wants a life that is not connected to millions of others who co-exist in the Body. Why is this? Well, let us go further into Christ’s prayer before we answer. In the next verses it reads:
Suggestion: I think that this highlighted area makes the fleshy mind stand alone as though it was not saved or affected at salvation, can it be set in the mystery (oneness) so saints can know that the mind just needs to submit to Christ??
John 17:22-23
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be ONE, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me
This is the glory God had given our Lord. HE WAS IN CHRIST. When we receive Christ we also receive the Father, hence making us now one with Christ and God the Father, as it pertains to our spiritual make-up. Now in this study, you see the words “one” and “they” quite often. This is where the mind of the saints work against them because Christ prayed that we would be made perfect together. This forces us to have relationship with each other and in these relationships we are being made perfect. There is no other way to perfect love in us, except through relationships with the rest of the Body of Christ. Now for scripture confirmation look with me to Ephesians 4:16
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Now the Amplified version:
16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in LOVE.
We need one another’s supply if we are to come to perfection. This perfection is defined as the fullness of the stature of the man Jesus Christ. Yes, we are our brother’s keeper. This is even made clearer in these next verses.
Ephesians 4:13-15
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
This takes away the flesh’s independence and connects us to the rest of the Body. So, how do we deal with the mind? So far we have learned:
1.We were given to Christ before the foundation of the world.
2.Christ prayed that we may be one in Him and the Father and one in the Body of Christ.
3.Through this oneness we would be made perfect.
Now for the Sons of God this is our beginning and end. Nevertheless our struggle lies in the in-between (the coming into perfection).
Suggestion: we were created perfect and holy and righteous, it is our belief in what God has done, embrace it, it's not a process??)
Now consider this if you will. What if every limb in your body had its own mind? Supposing your toes, feet, legs, arms, hands, etc., could think for themselves? What would your life be like? First of all, you would have no coordination. In having all those different minds in your limbs, they would produce their own desires, agendas, opinions, motives, etc. You would be as a man who is paralyzed, unable to move because the minds that are in your limbs would never be on one accord. This would be total chaos. This is why your mind is not accepted in the Body of Christ. Christ is the head of the Body and the members of the Body are to be led by Him and His mind alone. This alleviates chaos. Walking in your own mind separates you from Christ and the Body. You must make your mind accept this to be true and when it does receive it as the truth, you must agree to submit to it.
II. THE LAW OF SIN vs. THE LAW OF THE MIND
Suggestion: I do not know if this romans 7 scripture should address the saints in this way??