Some of the Benifits

Placed as a Priest

“But you are a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a set a part nation, a people unto a possession, in order that you should proclaim the excellencies of the one having called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“and you yourselves, according as living stones are being build up, a spiritual house into a set a part priesthood, to bring spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.” 1 Peter 2:5

Placed as a Son

“ having marked off your bounds unto the placement of sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, accord to His good pleasures.” Ephesians 1:5
Galatians 4:1-5 “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the placement of sons.”

Complete in Christ

“ and you are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers.” Colossians 2:10. In Christ, we are complete before God. We do not need to add to our righteousness, purity, godliness, or humility to be acceptable to God. All that Christ has done and who He is, God reckons to us.

The Promise of Rest

Hebrews 4:1-10 “Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; 5 and again in this passage, "They shall not enter My rest." 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” This rest is not referring to a Jewish rest, but rather the rest that we find in Christ. A rest from our work to gain salvation. All that we are and will be is reckoned to us in Christ.

Seated in the Heavenlies

“and having been raised together and seated together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:6.

Part of a New Creation

“For you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has set before hand in order that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“Therefore, sin anyone is in Christ; a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“for in Christ Jesus circumcision has not strength, neither un-circumcision but a new creation.” Galatians 6:15

The Righteousness of God

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own out from a quality of Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness out from God on the basis of faith,

Sanctified

1 Corinthians 1:2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

Redemption

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,

Romans 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Provided One Spiritual Gift

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 1 Corinthians 12:25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

Romans 12:4-8 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Liberty in Christ

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Galatians 2:4 But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.

Inlawed to Christ

1 Corinthians 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.

Part of the Building of God

Ephesians 2:21-22 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Accepted in the beloved

Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Made Near to God

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Dead Together with Christ

Romans 6:1-11 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 ¶ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 delivered Himself up for me.

Raised together with Christ

Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Colossians 3:1-2 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
Romans 6:4-11 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 ¶ For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Made one with Christ and with one another

John 17:21-24 hat they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. 22 "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me. 24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.
Romans 12:4-5 or just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 1 Corinthians 12:25 hat there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

Made Saints

1 Corinthians 1:2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
Philippians 4:21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

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The Better Promises

“But now we have obtained a different ministry, by as much as He is a mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” Hebrews 8:6

Not only has our position changed, we are under a different covenant that is based upon better promises.

The Holy Spirit: In the upper room, Jesus spoke of a change in the relationship the disciples would have with the Holy Spirit. “the Spirit of truth, which the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him, nor can it experientially know Him. But you experientially know Him because He remains along side of you and will be in you,” John 14:17. The Holy Spirit would no longer be beside them; rather, He would be in them. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit never indwelt a person. He came upon them and controlled their actions so they could prophesy or rule. Under the New Testament, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and fills him or her up where he or she is lacking in the fruit of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you are the Holy of Holies of God and the Spirit from God dwells in you?” We are the house of God and the Holy Spirit now dwells in us. God the Father also indwells believers because we are His dwelling place. “and what agreement does the Holy of Holies of God have with idols? For you are the Holy of Holies of the living God. Just as God said, I will dwell in them and walk among them and I will be their God and they will be my people.”

The Holy Spirit also assists us in our Christian life by filling us up where we are lacking. Ephesians 5:18 “Stop getting drunk with wine, in which is no savingness ( no saving frame of mind), but be filled up (where you are lacking) by the Spirit.” Rather than controlling our minds as He did under the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit only fills us up where we are lacking concerning the fruit from the Spirit. He only does this when we are framing our minds on the things above.

The Holy Spirit also seals us until we receive our full redemption. “in whom also you, having heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, in whom also having believed you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13

The promise of the Holy Spirit indwelling us alone makes the content of our salvation completely different from the content of salvation for the Jews and saints of Old. We have the better promises. Not only do we have the better promises, saints of other dispensations will not receive their promises until we receive ours. “And all these, having testified through their faith, did not receive what was promised because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made complete.” Hebrews 11:39, 40

Life is another promise that we have received. “Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ through the desirous will of God according to the promise of life, the one in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 1:1. The life that is in Christ Jesus is resurrection life. “Don’t you know that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be rendered ineffective, that henceforth we should not serve the sin nature. 7 For he that is dead is freed from the sin nature. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead died no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto the sin nature once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God. 11 Likewise you reckon also yourselves to be dead indeed unto the sin nature, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:1-11

God counts or puts to our account that we have died to our sin nature because we have died with Christ, and are alive unto God, in Christ, to walk in newness of life. We are not dead. We are alive. We are no longer slaves to our sin nature, which produced the works of the flesh in our lives. Now we are a slave to righteousness. “but thanks to God that you were slaved to the sin nature but you heard and responded out from the heart into that form of doctrine to be learned and practiced which was delivered, and having been made free from the sin nature you were made slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:17, 18.

Resurrection life is eternal life lived out. At salvation, the Holy Spirit regenerated our spirit, Titus 3:5. He joined us to the divine essence, 2 Peter 1:4, and all three member of the Godhead indwelled us, 1 John 4:15. The Holy Spirit also placed us into the body of the Christ, a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 12:13. We have eternal life because we have the Son of God, 1 John 5:12. We can live out this life because God has put us in a position where He counts us to have already died to our sin nature and to be raised to walk in newness of life before Him. Resurrection life is living according to the fact that you are now alive to God.

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Spiritually Minded

How your mind is framed directly affects your actions. When your mind is framed on the things above – your position and possessions – your actions are going to line up with who you are in Christ. The Holy Spirit will also begin to teach you how to feel at ease in Christ and produce fruit in your life. “and the anointing, which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not have need in order that anyone should teach you concerning all things, and is truth and is not a lie, and just as he taught you, abide in Him.” 1 John 2:27. As we follow the context, John is stating that the Holy Spirit is our true teacher and that He teaches us to feel at ease in Christ. As you frame your mind on who you are in Christ, and line up your opinion of yourself to what God’s opinion of you is, the Holy Spirit will begin to put things together for you. “which things also we speak not by the doctrine of wisdom of man’s words, but we speak in the doctrine from the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual words with spiritual things.” 1 Corinthians 2:13.

What you frame your mind on directly affects what you are able to receive. When you are framing your mind on the things of the Spirit, you are using your new mind, Romans 12:2, and are able to receive the things from the Spirit.

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Carnally Minded

1 Corinthians 3:1 “and I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as spiritual, but as carnal, as inarticulate babblers in Christ.”

The Corinthian saints were not growing in their relationship with Christ because they were emanating the flesh, or carnal. There was strife, divisions, and envy among them and they were walking, governing the manner of their lives, according to men, not according to who they were in Christ.

Walking according to the flesh is a problem that all Christians can face many times throughout their lives. As a matter of fact, we tend to frame our minds more of the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit because prior to salvation, the things of the flesh were the only things we thought. “But the soulish man is not able to receive the things from the Spirit of God, for they are foolish to him and he is not able to experientially know them, because they are spiritually examined,” 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Framing your mind according to the desires of the flesh will produce the works of the flesh in your life. “Now the works of the flesh are manifested, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, religious superstitious awe, enmity, strife, zeal, inner burning angers, rivalries, dissensions, factions, envy, murder, carousing, and things like these…” Galatians 5:21

By producing the works of the flesh in your life, you are acting as though you are still in Adam. Your are not considering who you are in Christ; rather, you are seeking to fulfill the desires of your flesh. When a Christian is producing the works of the flesh, he or she is acting just like an unsaved person.

Someone that is carnal will not grow in his or her Spiritual life. “For the result of the framing of the mind concerning the flesh is death, but the result of the framing of the mind concerning the Spirit is life and peace, because the result of the framing of the mind concerning the flesh is hostility towards God, for it is not subject to the law from God, nor does it have the ability to be subject to the law of God. So the ones being in the flesh are not able to please God.” Romans 8:6-8

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Framing your Mind

In Colossian 3:1, 2, Paul instructs us to set our reflective thinking, or frame of mind, on things above. “Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your reflective thinking on things above, not on the things of the earth.”

Reflective thinking, in Colossians 3, is the type of thinking that we do every day while we go about our daily duties. We frame our minds in different ways depending upon how we perceive ourselves; how you identify who you are in your own mind. Our reflective thinking directly affects how we perceive ourselves. Our reflective thinking needs to be focused on things above so that our frame of mind, how we perceive ourselves, is affect in such a way that it lines up with how God identifies us in His mind.

Remember, old things have passed away, all things are new, 1 Corinthians 5:17. The way we recognize ourselves needs to change to match who we really are now in Christ.

What are the things above? Things are not persons; they are your position and possessions. You do not focus your mind on an imaginary Jesus – you have not seen Jesus so you cannot truly imagine what He looks like. Use your renewed mind, Romans 12:2, and focus on the things that relate to who you are in Christ now.

There are two area in which you can frame your mind: the flesh and the Spirit. Romans 8:4, 5 “The righteousness of the principle of the Spirit is made full in us, the one not governing their manner of life according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, for the ones walking according to the flesh, set their reflective thinking on the things of the flesh, but the ones walking according to the Spirit, they set their reflective thinking on the things of the Spirit.”

I used the word “principle” rather than “law” because within the English language we have four words to explain one Greek word: laws, regulations, principles, and standards. Each one of these has a distinctly different aspect. There are manmade laws and regulations; however, we also use the word “law” for things that happen because of the nature of something; principles. The laws of nature are those things that happen because it is natural for them to happen. The Greek word is expressing this meaning in Romans 8. Christians are not under any quality of law – rules regulating your life and status before God, Romans 6:14 “for the sin nature will not lord it over you. For you are not under any quality of law, but under grace.”

The law of the Spirit is not referring to a set of regulations for the Christian but rather the natural result that comes from walking by the Spirit. When you frame your mind on who you are in Christ, you are relating to the Spirit. As you begin to feel more and more at ease in your position in Christ, the Holy Spirit will begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life. When you frame your mind on the things of the flesh you are relating to the flesh and naturally produce the works of the flesh.

Framing Your Mind

2 Peter 3:14-18 Therefore, beloved, looking for these things, spotless and blameless in him, be diligent to be found in peace, 15 and consider the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, experientially knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and experiential knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him is the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Grace does not stop at salvation. Remember, grace is an attitude whereby God gives us benefits without considering merit. Christians share in a quality of the divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4; are immersed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13; are placed as sons, Ephesians 1:5; are legitimate children of God, 1 John 3:9; are righteous before God, Romans 5:1; just to name a few of these benefit. Now, we are going to look at how to use all of our benefits that God has given us in our daily lives.

Although we do not have our full redemption yet, the body and soul are waiting to be saved until we receive our full redemption, our position has changed. We are no longer in Adam, no longer considered condemned in God’s mind. We are now in Christ, and not only in Christ, but totally complete in Christ, Colossians 2:8-10. Now, in order to benefit from this change, we must alter our frame of mind to match what God thinks about us, because how we frame our minds directly affects our actions.

Partaking and Sharing

Partakers in the Divine Nature

When the Holy Spirit joined our spirit to God’s essence, we became partakers of His divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4 “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of a quality of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

Nature is the combination of the essence and attributes of a person or thing. John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Attributes are natural abilities that the essence can perform. God’s attributes are: omnipotent, omniscient, holy (set apart), righteous, goodness, love, and truth. We share in a quality of His nature, which is expressed in us by the Holy Spirit when the fruit of the Spirit is produced in us.

Sharing the Mind of Christ

Remember, the spirit relates to our rational part, 1 Corinthians 2:11. The part of us that has the ability to intuitively know things. Due to regeneration, we now have a renewed mind. Romans 12:1-2 “ I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this legal age, but be transformed by the renewedness of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” This renewed mind has the ability to think the thoughts of God. In other words, we now have the ability to receive the things from the Spirit, which we did not have the ability to receive before we were saved. 1 Corinthians 2:16 “For who has experientially known the mind of the Lord, the one knit together with him? and we have the mind of Christ.”

A Legitimate Child of God

The Seed of God within Us – a legitimate child of God

There is a distinct difference in Scripture between a child and a son. Often times due to the miss-translation of the Greek words, the difference between child and son is obscured. When the Holy Spirit immersed us into the Body of Christ, He placed us as sons. Many translations say “adoption of sons”, however, when you are a true child, you cannot be adopted.

1 John 3:9 “ every one born out from God does not habitually sin, because His seed remains in him and he does not have the ability to habitually sin, because he is born out from God.” God’s seed is in everyone that is born out from God. John is speaking to Christians in his letter and directly addresses them in verse seven of this same chapter. My little children… . We have the seed of God within us and are born out from God and are therefore legitimate children of God. We are not adopted; rather, we are placed as sons.

Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"”

Galatians 4:7 “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Hebrews 2:10 “ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

Romans 8:17 “and since children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”

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Regeneration - the other side of Salvation

Regeneration

Spirit baptism – being placed into the Body of Christ- is not the only major thing that happens when you are saved. The Holy Spirit also regenerates you. Regeneration happened in your spirit when the Holy Spirit gave you life.

Humans are tri-part creatures. We have a physical body, a soul, and a spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

The spirit is the part of us that has the ability to understand, 1 Corinthians 2:11 “For what man intuitively knows the things of a man expect the spirit of the man in him?” Intuitive knowledge is the type of knowledge that is referred to as head knowledge.

The soul is our emotional part and the physical body is the part that we use to express the immaterial parts.

Regeneration happens in the spirit. When we expressed faith at Christ through gospel for salvation, the Holy Spirit placed us into the Body of Christ, and regenerated us, Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

A Christian's spirit is joined with God’s spirit and the Godhead indwells him or her, 1 Corinthians 6:17. “but the one joined with the Lord is one spirit.” We are now the temple of God. “Don’t you know that you are the holy of holies of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16.

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Sonship

Not only are we placed into the Body of Christ, reckoned to have died with Christ and to have risen with Christ to walk in newness of life unto God, we have within the Body of Christ a position. This position has to do with how God treats us. To understand how this works we need to go back to the Roman era, and look at the position of a child within the family structure. When a male child was born into a Roman family, that child, although he would be the heir of his father’s household, was treated in the same way as a slave, Galatians 4:1 “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ from a slave, being lord of all…” The father chose the time when the child would become a son. Son in our society refers to a male child. Son in the Romans society referred to the position the child held within the family. As a child, the male child was not treated any differently than the slaves, however, when the father considered it to be the right time he placed his child as a son, which meant he was now over all the household. Only the father himself was above the son, Galatians 4:2 “…but he is under tutors and stewards until the appointed time of the father…”

The Greek word that is often translated “adoption” means “the placement of sons.” It is a combination of two words: "son" and "to place."This word is referring to the position or status of a child within the family.

The Jews, who were under the Mosaic Law, were treated as children. The law controlled every aspect of their life, Galatians 3:23, 24. We, however, are not treated as children because we are placed as son, Ephesians 1:5 “having our bounds marked of unto the placement of sons through Jesus Christ into himself, according to the good pleasures of His desirous will.”

As sons, we are no longer under any quality of law, Romans 8:15 “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again, but you have received the Spirit of son placement, whereby we cry Abba, Father.”

In Christ, whether you are male or female, the Holy Spirit has placed you as a son. Remember, in Christ there is no difference between us. Although we have a position within Christ, we all hold the same status. There is no Male or Female, there is no Jew or Greek, there is no Slave of Free Man, we are all equal in Christ, we are all sons, Galatians 3:28.

You were taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. You now have a position in Christ as a son – a place of privilege where you are not under any quality of law. Now let’s look at the other side, Christ is you.

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Clothed with Christ

We are now clothed with Christ. God no longer sees you in His mind as one who is condemned in Adam. Now you have put on Christ as an outward garment. “For as many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ as an outward garment” Galatians 3:27. All that Christ is, is now reckoned to you in God’s mind. One day, we will be completely like Christ, “Brethren, now we are the children of God and it has not yet appeared what we shall be. We intuitively know that when He appears we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is,” 1 John 3:2. Our complete redemption is so absolute that God already counts us to have it. When God looks at you, He sees Christ and that is therefore how God thinks about you and in this frame of mine God relates to you. God’s opinion of you is equal to His opinion of Christ because you are in Christ. Now, we need to act in this way. “Be renewed by the Spirit in the workings of your mind, and put on the new man, the one created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:24. Act in accordance to who you really are.

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Definitions

The truth – seeing things are they really are.

Holy – separated or set apart.

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The Old and the New

Now that we are in "The Christ", old things have passed away and all things have become new. 2 Corinthian 5:17 “Since someone is in Christ; a new creation, the old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” What are the old things and how has everything become new? We find the answer to this question in Romans 5:12-21 among other places. Sin came into the world through Adam, which brought with it death. Because all are in Adam, death was passed onto all mankind. This death is referring to physical death. “Because of this, just as through one man the sin entered the world and through the sin, the death, and thus death passed unto all men, on account of all have sinned… .” Unfortunately, physical death is not the only thing that we inherited from Adam. We also inherited spiritual death. Romans 5: 15 “… But not according as the trespass thus also the gracious gift. For since by the one trespass the many died, much more the grace from God and the free gift by grace in the one man Jesus Christ abounded unto the many.” As a result of spiritual death, our nature has been warped. We now possess a nature that seeks to do those things that lack in character rather than what is righteous and good.

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Nature

The nature of anything is the essence and attributes of that thing. Essence is the underlying structure or substance. (God is Spirit, John 4:24)
Attributes are the natural abilities of the essence. We have the ability to think, communicate, express emotions, etc.
The combination of the essence and attributes is the nature.

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Two Deaths?

In Romans 5:12-21 Paul writes of a death coming from sin and a death coming from trespass. A trespass and a sin are completely different so they could not have brought about the same death. In the book of James, how a sin comes about is stated . This helps to show why sins and trespasses are different. “Let no one say when he is solicited to do something lacking in character (tempted) that he is tempted from God. For God is not tempted with that which lacks in character and He Himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when from his very own desires he is dragged away and lured out. Then the lust conceives and bears sin and sin , when it is complete brings forth death.” James 1:13-15

At this point we need to define what exactly sin is. 1 John 3:4 “all the ones doing the sin also do lawlessness, for the sin is the lawlessness”. Sin is equal to lawlessness. When a person is acting as through God has no standards by which he or she is to live, this is sin. Sin was distinctly spelled out under law; Christians are not under any quality of law. However, this does not mean Christians have no standards. Christians are to live out from their new nature not from their sin nature.It all starts with a temptation, a solicitation to do something that is against your nature or lacks in character. There are three main areas were these temptations come from, which we will study thoroughly later in this study. A desire comes into your mind, whether from you or from one or your enemies. You make this desire your own – it become desirable to you. At this point, no sin and no trespass have happened. You can refuse the desire. It may be desirable; however, you may still determine that it is not something you will do. A trespass happens when you determine to do the desire that lacks in character – lust conceives. Sin has not happened because the act has not been performed. Mark 7:15 “There is nothing from outside of a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.” 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee immorality. Every sin that a man commits is exterior to the body, but fornication is a sin against his very own body.” The determination to fulfill the lust eventually births act, which is sin.

When Adam trespassed, he determined in his mind to eat the fruit handed to him by his wife knowing that he was disobeying God, 1 Timothy 2:14 "and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being thoroughly deceived came to be in transgression." This brought about spiritual separation from God. Physical death, however, did not come until Adam actually ate the fruit, which was his sin.

These deaths brought about condemnation. When The Holy Spirit placed us into The Christ all this changed. Our position in Adam and the condemnation that comes with it is gone. These are the old things that have passed away that Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Unfortunately, physical death and the sin nature were not removed from us when we were taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. They will be when we receive our full redemption. Because they have not been removed at this time, we still physically die and have a nature that tends to do things that lack in character. However, there is hope. Now that we are no longer in Adam, we can live in newness of life unto God, rather than as slaves to the sin nature because we now also possess a new nature.

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What is Death?

The word death means separation. When a person dies, his or her soul and spirit are separated from their body. Spiritual death is when our spirit is separated from God. This is how all men are born because we inherit this death from Adam. Being spiritually dead makes it impossible for us to receive the things of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “ But a soulish man does not receive the things from the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him and he does not have the ability to experientially know them.”

Baptism

Spirit Baptism

Baptism is a very important part of the Christian life. Through Spirit baptism, we are placed into the Body of Christ. In the Body of Christ, we receive certain benefits that directly affect how we live. In this chapter, we are going to look at baptism and the Body of Christ.

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What does baptism mean?

The word baptism is not translated in most translations, rather, it is transliterated. Transliteration is the practice of taking a word from one language and substituting its letters with the letters of another language. The Greek word is "baptizo" and the English word baptism is a transliteration not a translation of this Greek word. Baptism is taken from the original word and altered for our language. (Because we do not use ending on our words to express the different cases – in, to, at, etc. – the words are not identical, rather, baptism is altered to a noun form (baptisma) that fits into the English language.) All this is to say that the word baptism in most translations is not actually translated. Therefore, to understand what baptism is, we need to translate it.

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Through investigating how the word is used, we can determine the true meaning. The word baptism was used for the dipping of a garment into dyed, or the tip of a sword into a bowl before battle. The word Baptism carries the idea of immersion, not of sprinkling. When John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordon River, he was submersing them into the water.
When you were saved, you were immersed (baptized) into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit we all were baptized into one Body, whether Jew or Greek, whether slave or free man, we were all made to drink by one Spirit.” The Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ, which is Spirit baptism.

The Body of Christ is a new creation that was made by God on the day of Pentecost – the day the Holy Spirit came to reside upon the earth in believers, Acts 2. Within this new creation, some changes have happened that are important to understand. 2 Corinthian 5:17 “Since someone is in Christ; a new creation, the old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” Many translations have “a new creature”, however, the word here is creation and is translated by many of these same translations as “creation” in all other sections were it is found. We are not a new creature, we are in a new creation. This creation is referred to in Scripture as The Christ. In The Christ, Christ is the Head and we are the Body, Ephesians 1:22, 23.(I am using "The Christ" because in Scripture an article is often before the word Christ, which helps identify a reference to the body of Christ, Christ as the head and the church as the body.)

Water Baptism

Water baptism is a representation of your death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. The immersion into water represents your immersion into the Body of Christ. In Christ, God counts you to have died with Christ and to have risen with Christ. You are alive unto God to live a life that is no longer bound by the sin nature but rather is a slave to righteousness, Romans 6:4-11.
What is the purpose of water baptism? Water baptism does not clean away our sin, the blood of Christ does that. Water baptism is for our conscience before God. 1 Peter 3:12 “which now an antitype (a figure) even baptism saves us, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but an appeal of a good conscience into God, through the resurrection of Christ.” Water baptism saves us from a bad conscience before God.

Feeling At Ease

In John 15, Jesus speaks about the vine, the vine dresser, and the branches. Jesus is speaking about a new relationship that Christians will have with Him and God the Father. Christ will be in us and we will be in him. “…Abide in me and I in you… .” Our Christian life and relationship with Christ is likened to a vine and its branches. The branches depend upon the vine not only for life, but also for the ability to produce fruit in the same way we depend upon our position in Christ in order to produce the fruit of the Spirit and live out our new life.

John 15 :1, 2, 4 “I am the true vine and my Father is the farmer (Vine dresser). All the branches in me not bearing fruit, He lifts up and all the branches bearing fruit he cleanses in order that it should bear more fruit … abide in me and I in you. Just as the branch does not have the ability to bear fruit from itself except it abide in the vine, in a similar way you are not able to produce fruit expect you abide in me.”

Feeling at ease in the Vine

The word “abide or remain” is one of the Greek words for occupying a space. Abide carries the idea of feeling at ease with where you are located; it is the type of feeling that you have when you are in your own home. You are comfortable with where you are. Abiding in Christ not only has to do with how comfortable you are in your position in Christ, but also with who you are in Christ. As we mature in our Christian lives, we should become more and more familiar and comfortable with who we are in Christ. As we mature and live from our position in Christ, the Holy Spirit begins to produce fruit in our lives. The more comfortable we are in Christ, the more the Holy Spirit will show the life of God through ours.

Learning how to abide starts with learning about what happened at salvation. How did our lives change before God? We need to understand what God’s opinion of us is now in order to feel comfortable with who we are before Him. In salvation, two changes happen simultaneously: our position is changed, and life is given to us. Our position before God is changed through baptism. We are given life through regeneration.

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The Foundation of your Salvation

What do you base your salvation upon?

A proper and strong foundation is necessary to support what is built upon it. Whether it is an augment or a building, the strength of the foundation determines how well what is built upon it stands up to criticism. The Christian life is no different in this aspect. The foundation for your salvation is what determines the strength of your salvation. What are you basing your salvation upon?

In 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 Paul reminds the believers in Corinth how they were saved. “For I delivered to you first that which I also received, that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the scripture, and that he was buried, and that he raised on the third day according to the scripture.”

In verse 2 Paul states that this is the gospel through which you are saved. The word “through” has the idea of the agent by which something is done. We are saved by directing the faith that the Holy Spirit gives us, towards Christ, through this Gospel, Philippians 1:29; 1 Corinthians 3:5.

This is a solid foundation because your salvation depends upon what Christ has already done, not upon what you are or will do. Also, because we receive this salvation by faith through grace, it is not based upon works, but rather grace.

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I am not using the word forgive here because I want you to understand the distinction between what happened in the Old Testament and what happens in the New Testament with sin. The blood of goats and bulls covered sin, in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, our sins are not covered up, they are sent away.

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Grace is God’s attitude by which He provides a benefit without consideration of merit. In other words, you cannot earn grace because it is not given on the bases of your works. As a matter of fact, works and grace do not mix in any way, Romans 11:6.

Jesus had to die because it was His blood that provided a means for sin to be sent away. Hebrews 9:22… without the shedding of blood there is no sending away (of sins). Hebrews 9:28 Christ was delivered once for all concerning the sins of many. Without the shedding of Jesus’ blood for your sins, your sins would not be sent away. Because grace does not overlook sin, or the penalty, Christ’s death made it possible for God to express grace towards us. Grace does not look at the work or value of the one graced, however, that does not imply that grace must be shown to everyone. It would not be a righteous act by God to show you grace by ignoring your sins. The condemnation upon you had to be dealt with before grace could be given.

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Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of accomplished deeds not seen, Hebrews 11:1
Faith gives hope substance; hope is based upon a promise, Romans 8:23, 24. Faith is therefore an expression of our trust in a promise that God has given us. Faith is not blind, it gives substance to our hope in a promise from God.
Faith in the blood of Christ is taking God at His word concerning Christ’s blood – that through the sacrifice of Christ, our sins are sent away.

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Christ’s death showed that God has been acting righteous towards sin, even when it appeared that He was overlooking sin, Romans 3:25, “Whom God set before, a propitiation (satisfaction) through faith in his blood, into the demonstration of His righteousness because of the passing over of sin previously committed.”

The resurrection is also a very important part of salvation. If you leave out the resurrection, you leave out the proof of our justification. Romans 4:24- 5:1, “but also because of us, those it is about to be imputed to, the one believing on the one having raised Jesus our Lord out from among dead men, who was delivered because of our trespasses and raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith we have peace with God… .” Christ was raised because of our justification. The resurrection is proof that we are righteous before God.

Now, as if this is not enough proof already, God provides even stronger proof that our salvation is secure. Our salvation is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13, 14 “In who also, having heard the word of true, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also you believed having been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of your inheritance, until the full redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.”An earnest is a guarantee that you will receive the entire purchased item. We were purchased by the blood of Christ, Acts 20:28, and given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee to receive our full redemption. The Godhead cannot be divided. God cannot default on our salvation without losing His down payment, which is one of the members of the Godhead. This is the concept that God is expressing here. The foundation of your salvation is so solid that one of the members of the Godhead is the guarantee that you will receive full redemption.

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not out from you, it (salvation by grace through faith) is a free gift from God, not out from works, in order that no one should boast,” Ephesians 2:8, 9