Who You Are In Christ, Conjoined to Christ - I Cor, 6:17
Bob Eckel · Feb 17, 2008
Who You Are in Christ, No. 07
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926053141404

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

OK, thanks for putting some of the other teachers on the spot here. All right. Can everybody read the handouts? It's big enough. I guess we'd ended up back to back. Right, Margaret? So everybody's got two pages. All right. I haven't been here the last four weeks. We were gone and then I was sick. And I get those papers. Absolutely. Right after class. They're in the coffee room. Randy, you know where they're at.

Class you're in today, if you don't know it, is Who We Are in Christ. This is, I think, lesson seven, correct? I didn't put the number up because I didn't think it was really relevant. By the way, all of these topics are just really crucially important. And that's why the class is being held. Who we are in Christ is really everything to do with living the Christian life. I mean, it's everything to do with everything, actually. And this is out of Chafer's book.

And ultimately, he said at the beginning of his commentary on this particular section, is the essential doctrine of union with Christ appears as the basis of many of these riches of divine grace. And again, there are 33 lessons. And the lesson today is entitled Conjoined to Christ for the Judgment of the Old Man. Now, when I looked at all of these various topics that are covered under these 33 riches of divine grace, I found that 32 out of 33 related to this important truth. So when he says many, I would say almost all.

And the only one that I thought was an exception was redeemed, because I look at being redeemed as kind of you know, made righteous by our sins being removed, and maybe that's an oversimplification, and in a sense you could maybe move redeemed into this list too, that conjoined to Christ the judgment of the old man. The fact that the old man is the source of all our sins makes redemption itself really kind of could raise this to 33 out of 33 if you want to bring redemption. I kind of left redemption short of this list, but we're not going to sit here and talk further about this. The issue is being conjoined to Christ for the judgment of the old man has everything to do with who we are in Christ.

Now, we're going to turn to Romans 6, 1 through 10. We're going to read that. open our Bibles here and we're going to look at this very carefully because this is really the foundation of our lesson here today. And I'm reading from the New King James, so forgive me everyone. Roger has given me permission to read on the New King James. Again, J. Vernon's one of my favorites, and he's a new King James guy here. All right, verse 1, chapter 6.

What shall we then say? And by the way, that kind of relates to the end of 5, where it says, moreover the law entered that the offense might abound, that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That is, sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. So now we begin. What shall we then say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

By the way, this comes up all the time, doesn't it? I mean, if God's grace is so great, I'm just going to live a life of sin. Everything's been taken care of. I'm free to go ahead and live a sinful life because it's all been paid for. In a sense, that's true. It's not in a sense, it is true. I mean, if you think about all the sins we have, which is really sourced in the Adam nature, how are you doing there?

I mean, we continue to fall short of God's glory. So the question that Paul asks here, should we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid or let it not be. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer in it? Know ye not that as many of us were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death, therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death, that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also shall walk in newness of life. Now, just pause there a second. How many believers believe that they were co-crucified with Christ and buried and risen with him in newness of life? I would bet a minority of the body of Christ really understand, accept, and can speak about this important truth. Don't you? Think that that's true. But it seems like it takes in my own life. It seems like it took a time for I became a believer.

Actually, about four years of age, it took it took almost 10 years before I ever asked me to read through Chapter six of Romans. What that says, I said, I don't have a clue. I have a clue what chapter 6 is telling me, because it was never taught. I never heard about it until you come across somebody that has understood it. And it's an incredible passage, but it's kind of locked away.

I think, in a way, you have to grow and grace the knowledge of Him. And at some point, the Lord is gracious, and you see that. And sometimes, your dear brothers and sisters may never see that. And that's not room for you to boast, but it is room for you to encourage them to see it, if the Lord would And that would be the case.

So Ruthie, what do you think somebody would say, what does the cross mean to you as a believer? What would be the simplest and most straightforward answer somebody could tell? If they were asked the question, what's the cross? It means Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Yeah, okay. True, right? Jesus died on the cross for my sins. And we'll get back to that a little bit later, but I mean that's kind of elementary Christianity, that's all milk stuff. But this, by the way, is as much of a foundational truth as our sins being forgiven.

Isn't it that we were co-crucified with Christ? Really relevant in terms of this class today and 32 out of 33, at least, maybe all of them that are also part of these 33 beaches of divine grace. But are you co-crucified only if you believe With Christ? Are you co-crucified with Christ only if you have faith in Christ? What do you think?

Well, I think... I don't know. That's what I'm asking for. Well, let's get to a more basic question that relates to Calvary. Did the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ take care of the sins for the entire world for all time? Yes. Yes. Okay. Does everybody enter into that truth? No. What do you need to enter into that truth? Right. So do you think the second condition is any different? The Adam nature has been crucified for all time before God. We need to accept that truth by faith to enter into it.

Now, if you turn to Hebrews 2.14, you get a hint that Satan, in fact, his eternal punishment was because of what's already happened. Let's read. We're not through with Romans 6 here yet.

So Randy, get Hebrews 2.14. Will you read that for us?

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Satan's cast! The eternal punishment is already there for Satan. It's kind of like the believer being co-crucified with Christ and that before God we're perfect and righteous and complete, but yet we still have a sin nature. It's kind of like Satan's still alive and well, but the eternal damnation of Satan himself has already been rendered. So back to your question. Only by faith do we ultimately enter into this issue of being co-crucified with Christ.

Yes? You just used the word render. Just say what that means in that application. Render means kind of counted as true, accepted as valid, and in place. But not completely. What am I trying to ask you? He's rendered, defeated, but he still has freedom. That's what I'm trying to sort through that part.

Okay, the analogy of being, I'm not sure I'm sharing this perfectly well, but the idea of being on a ship that's left the shores of Europe and it's on the way to the States and the captain's found to be guilty of treason on board. Ultimately, there's a court on ship, ultimately, and he's rendered into the prison on the ship, but will not be, in fact, ultimately punished eternally until he reaches the other shore. He has no power anymore. A new captain's appointed. I mean, the captain's been judged, found guilty, and now is put behind bars.

That's the way we are in our old man. I mean, God sees us as righteous. He doesn't see Adam. Adam's behind bars. Now, we give him too much time and place. But the concept is, before God, we're perfect and holy and righteous, conjoined to Christ for the judgment of the old man. Adam's guilty and sentenced and imprisoned awaiting death when our bodies leave, our souls leave our bodies, earthly bodies. He has no power before God. Satan has no power before God. He's been declared done at Calvary. That was the victory of all time.

I mean, there are events to follow. But as believers, we enter into the truth of Hebrews 2.14. Read it again, Randy. Let's read 2.14 again. Make sure we understand what it says.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hardly anything for that. Yeah. Well, I mean, that's something that's helped me over the years is that word rendered powerless.

It's the same word as in Roman six, six, which is made powerless. It's the same. You think about it to two of the foes of the Christians have been rendered and operative or put offline positionally. the body of sin of the sin nature might be rendered powerless. The same concept. So Satan is not dead, but he's been rendered powerless as our own nature has been rendered powerless.

But we can activate it. We can stir it up again, if you will. And the whole class to follow is going to be about this whole kind of, if you will, battleground that we have as believers between Adam and new nature. And that's what we experience day in and day out. The reason we come to Holly Hills Bible Church is because this aspect of the truth of the word of God is taught here.

I mean, if I remember when I got saved, I was really just so unbelievably blessed by knowing that my sins had been forgiven. And I must admit, for the first maybe 9 to 12 months, I worked to pay God back. and I finally got weary, because I couldn't do enough, there wasn't enough time, I felt like there were issues I should have been doing that I didn't do, and I had thoughts with Edgar that didn't seem right with my new Christian belief, and I don't know, you kind of get worn out by Adam, and that's what we're going to talk about today. Adam will wear out, and he can never please God anyway, so ultimately coming into the idea that, oh by the way, what's this Romans 6 stuff all about? And so that's what our class is about today, what this Romans 6 is all about. So let's continue, verse 5.

For if we've been planted together in the likeness of his death, again, co-crucifixion, burial, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection, the new life. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, and that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." Oh, really? Have you checked yourself out lately? Okay, now again, positional truth.

Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more. Death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once, but in that he lives, he lives unto God. And when we're identified with Christ, this is all as true of us as it was the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act of faith. This is something you work on. This is something you believe. Were we co-crucified with Christ? And the answer is yes. Now we're going to stop short of 11. We're going to come back to 11 here in a few minutes. But let's just rest there. Does anybody have any questions? Stan, about this important truth.

Okay, and Joe, it talks about Satan going before God and The reason he's doing that is because he's reporting on Job. Okay, so if Satan is rendered powerless, then he does that for the rest of the world, but for the Christian, he has to report to Jesus, right? Is that true?

See, I don't know if I've ever thought about it quite that way. I'm trying to get a concept in my mind here, a picture of this powerless person, because as far as the rest of the world, those who don't believe, is he still powerless? Well, to the unbelieving world, no. He's the prince of this world, right? Total control of the world system.

Right. So, for us, as believers, if he does repent, it's just kind of passed off as him. I covered that sin, right? Yeah. So, that's why he's powerful. I'm not sure he's even given an audience. You know, he's totally... I mean, he's a non-issue. He's a believer. He's a believer. To God. I mean, as far as what God... God doesn't even consider him, because as far as God is concerned, he's been dealt with. That's what I was trying to say. That's why he's powerless. Sure.

Hebrews 2.14, right? He's rendered powerless. That's for the body.

The dominion that God gave man has been going on in the main service. In Genesis, God gives man the domain of the world. And then man forfeits that when he eats the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. And that is why we needed to be identified with Christ, so that we could reject the lost dominion and take up Christ's dominion with him.

I don't know if that helps clarify things, but not being under Adam means that we're not under... But see, Stan, I'm thinking, to get very directly to your question, I don't see Satan going and kind of reporting on my activities down here. I mean, we're positioned in Christ. He'd like to. Satan has no ability to influence or even inform God about us. God doesn't even see our sin anymore. Isn't that wonderful? No question. God gave the devil the world.

He's trying to corrupt us and here we are trying now to get corrupted because we have faith so that is our redeeming. Right. Whatever. Think of the word. It's our redemption. I forgot what the passage is I'm trying to think of but it's the whole thought of Satan's going to and fro through the world to see who he can deceive and rather than being believers. What separates us from God?

Three things. Your sin nature, your old man. All right. That's been taken care of. We've been co-crucified. We're righteous before God and in fact positioned to Him. Unbelief. Well, but that's all kind of, Adam's about unbelief, right? So the Adam nature is one. What are the other two? The world. The world system, cosmos. The world system we live in, which is whose domain? So there's the third. So Satan, the world system, and our old man all separate us from God.

All three, we read about Satan, Hebrews 2.14, he's a done deal before God. He's powerless before God in terms of us. Our old man's been crucified. We just read it. Buried with him with baptism unto death. Risen with him in the years of life. Wow. Neat stuff.

And then the world system, the world system can still impact us, but I always say to myself, we live, we're in the world, but not of the world, right? This is kind of a, Sharon, my late wife, used to have a sign on the refrigerator. Heaven's my home, but Earth's simply my business address. I mean, in a sense, you know, we go to work, then we come back to our house, and the heavens are home.

We're citizens of a different kingdom. So all three of the things for the believers really is in a position of potentially separating us from God. But for God, none of these things have any power. Our citizenship's in a different land, Adam's been crucified, and Satan's been eternally, you know, judged and will be ultimately punished.

Yes, dear? I had no idea we're halfway through. This is great. This is not a new concept to the Jewish people because the Day of Atonement and when they presented sacrifices, that was the beginning, as my friend used to say, the Day of Atonement worked until you had your first bad thought. Then you start the whole cycle. How did you do yesterday on that stuff, Stan? So this, and like it says in Hebrews, Jesus, it's great.

It's forever. That passage is not like bulls and goats where you have to do it every time. The blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin, right? So this is the continual thing. But the concept is basically the that's different with Jesus. It's a continual present tense ongoing.

Whereas with the bulls and the goats it happened once and then you had to do it again later on to get the full effect of it. But it's not a new concept to the Jewish people. To the Gentiles it was. But in a sense it's the only thing that would work for the Gentiles because we don't have a ceremonial system, atonement and all the rest Is it not? But it's a continual, ongoing, never stopping present tense. Said it well. Yes, Doc? I've got a note here that to the believer, Satan is put out of business. True. That's well stated. Shall we end prayer? Out of business to the believer.

All right, let's move on here a little bit now. What does this passage not address? And I'll answer it for us since we need to move on a little bit more quickly. It doesn't deal with, this Romans 6, 1 through 10 passage doesn't deal with self-judgment by self-crucifixion.

And I think again, where I started as a believer, I was crucifying myself time and time again for not doing everything I could, having bad thoughts, you know, all the kinds of things would get wrapped up in the old man. By the way, we're going to come to this, Adam never changes. The second thing, it's not a ritual baptism. This baptism unto death isn't water baptism or immersion or any other thing. It has nothing to do with what the organized church calls baptism. So those two things this passage clearly doesn't relate to.

Why then does it say Oh yeah, right. Good question, Bob. So the cross was not sins only, but our sin nature was also crucified. I mean, that's the essential truth. And until you grasp this truth, identification can never be really understood or applied, can it? I mean, if we don't understand that the old man, the Adam-nature is the source of sin, we can never go beyond that.

And what happens when we do? Well, you know, the fact that this has happened allows God to now righteously deal with that nature as judged. And so now we enter into a whole new potential life in Christ. So if the sin nature was crucified and God sees the old man as dead, then why are we not more victorious at our walk?

I mean, I think that's a very basic applied question. Some thoughts. Because of our sin nature. Okay. I mean it's so hard. It's hard because there's turmoil in ourselves. There's what? Turmoil inside of us. Because we shouldn't do certain things and we do them anyways. At least I do and it's horrible. You're not the only one. Anybody want to add to that? It's a pretty complete statement, isn't it?

Isn't it all about your faith? You know, once you take your... you stop believing and stop having faith in what God has done for you, then it seems like... I mean, because I think the whole... I mean, God will test your faith, I guess. Oh, really? Don't you think? Oh, absolutely. So, I think that's the whole... But let's say you're in a position where you're struggling with something and you're tempted to move into the world system and let Adam get pleased. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to go over here and I'm going to plug in faith. How are we doing there? Does that work? That worked for me. I think maybe Bill means like when you decide to put your, when you choose to put your faith in the old man.

That's natural, isn't it? Yeah, that's natural. So we still seem to think that Adam, that Adam nature is some value, don't we? I mean, all the time, I don't know about you, but all the time this is an issue. And we're going to come back to this, but it doesn't mean let go, let God. I mean, we got to make sure we clarify that. And by the way, this Adam nature in terms of his value in each one of us, is that conscious or is it subconscious or is it both? Are you people, do you ask these questions to yourself? I mean, what's living the Christian life all about? Working harder at it? Well, I think the question is almost a bad question.

Because really, as we've discussed in many different classes over time, it's relationship. And relationship is I think it's conscious and subconscious. I was going to say I think that the way we function physically and psychologically is a pattern that we get into as we grow up. Once we become baptized and we make this change change. Our conscious and our subconscious remains basically the same.

We still see our errors. We still think that's bad. We have to, as Paul said, we have to literally walk through this process of being died, buried, and resurrected and positioned in heaven. We have to look at ourselves from the heavenly position and not from the worldly position. Because this hasn't changed for us. We still think the same way. We still have the same conscience.

And my question to you is, how's your self-improvement project going these days? I mean, that's what it's all about, isn't it? But I think the important truth is Adam never changes. Does everybody agree with that? Is anything about your intrinsic human qualities any more capable or less capable than it ever was? It's lurking in us, right? It's always in us. It is.

So, you know, I've heard it debated as to whether or not we need to kind of study the atom nature more so we can see more clearly what the bright light's all about. I think there's some truth about, as we grow in grace, the light gets brighter, which makes the darkness more revealed for what it is. You understand what I'm saying there? You know, Adam actually seems more capable to me sometimes than he was ten years ago.

Randy? My own experience is that when you're in the lofty heights of relationship, the fall seems a lot farther. As you grow, you realize how devastating the fall is. Certainly not any more reformed, no matter how many self-help books or get-things-done books. And for Christians, if you go to a Christian bookstore, how many kind of self-help books, self-esteem books do you see? It's unbelievable. Boy, that's not the path.

In a sense, whether subconscious or conscious, when we think about Adam and putting ourselves under his rule in our lives, we're working with the concept that improving Adam really is a concept of legality. It takes us back under the law system, doesn't it?

Romans 3.19, now we know that what things the law says, it says to them that are under the law.

By the way, this could be the Mosaic law or it could be, you know, the 613 Israeli laws or it ultimately could be a legal system you apply to yourself. That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. So, you know, Adam can only be found guilty again as we render him power to live the Christian life. It's a legal system to live in the flesh, to try to please God. So how does the law or law system relate to us?

Well, Galatians 3, 23 and 24 says, but before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up under the faith, which would afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. And by the way, This same principle, I think it's a principle that God uses now to grow us in grace, isn't it? I mean, essentially think about that as our salvation, meaning coming to a saving relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. But what about now? When we subconsciously or consciously apply a legal system to our behavior as believers, don't we look at that as a schoolmaster to bring us under Christ too? Everybody okay with that as a concept?

Well, because as soon as you put yourself on your law that I shouldn't be doing this, I should be doing this, this and this, then you realize quickly, again, that you can't do that. It's not going to happen. And then you chastise yourself again. Well, I did it again. Whipping the old man, right, into shape. So what next then? Well, that's why I promised to you that we were going to look at I wrote these in the text. Let's look at this together, Romans 6, 11-14.

Paul declared the fact that Adam had been crucified, we've been co-crucified with him and buried with him in baptism into death, risen with him unto newness of life. And here's the command, likewise reckon, it's an imperative, ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that you should obey it in the lust thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead. and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace." Wow. Okay. Sounds good. Now let's put that on.

And we have, fortunately, God's given us the Holy Spirit to lead us in all this truth. You know, Adam had no Holy Spirit, and as believers, the Holy Spirit really, the flesh is in battleground against the Spirit-led light. This is something that we experience on an earthly basis. Don't forget your position. Before God, we're in Christ. But down here, we live in a world system wherein, in fact, there is a battleground between the Spirit and the flesh. So the Holy Spirit's given to us both the reveal and express the Christ nature.

Let's turn to Romans 8 verses 1 through 4. Jamie, maybe you could read that, but let's make sure we understand what precedes that. Oh, wretched man that I am, right? Who shall deliver me from the body of this sin? Romans 8, 1 through 4. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.

Okay that last phrase in verse 4 is also in verse 1 should be omitted from there. I think you know the important thing about verse 3 for what the law could not do and that it was weak. Weak's a poor term here it's impotent meaning no strength. Okay the law has no strength. Weakness is we get this idea, well, a little bit of strength.

I'll go this far and then God will help me along the rest of the way. How many times do you pray for God's help? Oh goodness. God in his providence and domain can ultimately be in a position of helping us along a little bit as we do the rest. I don't think so. I mean, we have responsibilities before God and faith. We can't ignore that faith aspect. But that's where we're spirit led.

Let's turn to John 15, 12 through 15. And Christ said it the best in terms of what the role of the Holy Spirit is in this process of living the Christian life. Larry, could you read that please? John 15, 12 through 15. This is my commandment. I think I maybe I gave you the wrong... Now, it's chapter 16. Make that correction in your notes, this is a mistake. Okay, John 16, 12 through 15. John 16, 12 through 15. Correct.

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. So when he, this very proof comes, he will guide you into all truth, For he will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall take of mine, and shall disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are mine, for therefore I said that he takes of mine, and he will disclose it to you.

OK, great. So, the Spirit is in the position of leading us and the act of faith. So this is really something that we must believe. We must believe our position, we must believe that before God we're righteous, the Adam nature's been crucified, and then the Spirit's in a position to ultimately bring us home with that truth. Now, as we talked about earlier, Ruthie, the question I sent to you is, we believe our sins have been forgiven. That's easy, right? I mean easy. The point is that every believer of he or she can't say, gee, my sins have been paid for. They're probably not believers. But anyway, so that's pretty easy.

And that someday we're going to be with the Lord. That's something that is kind of a warm pillow for a tired head. Right now, we're here, but then ultimately when we die, we're going to be with the Lord Jesus Christ eternally. But what about now when we're so often finding ourselves falling short of living the Christian life? How should being free from the law be applied?

Well, let's turn to Galatians 3.25.

We're no longer to be under a school mask. So we begin with understanding the truth of what God has revealed. and then 325 says, but after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Remember the law was a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, and I think in the Christian experience, again, that legal system can be a schoolmaster to make us realize how impotent Adam is. The Bible says, but by faith, after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Again, you can interpret that narrowly, and I choose to interpret it more liberally, and it can apply to the flesh nature now in terms of how we grow in grace. And we're married to another. Let's turn to Romans 7. This is after that great discussion of the marriage relationship, which has almost nothing to do with marriage, but has the idea of who we're married to.

So in Romans 7, verse 4, it says, Wherefore, my brethren, ye are also become dead to the law. Realize that, everybody, we're dead to this legal system. And we're dead because of the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, and that we should bring forth fruit under God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful impulses which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now that we're delivered from the law, that being dead in which we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

So that's kind of an imperative. That's not something we kind of want to think about and just ponder here. So to be conjoined reflects our position. The title of today's lesson is Conjoined to Christ for the Judgment of the Old Man. So we see ourselves as co-crucified, co-buried, co-risen, and positioned at the right hand of God.

Here's the issue of citizenship. For our citizenship's in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We dealt with that concept about 20 minutes ago. Citizenship. If this is where we have our citizenship, then what next? So we get into this realm of fully accepting our position as to where we're at. Now we've got to apply that positional truth to our condition. So Colossians 3 says, if we are risen then with Christ, we seek those things which are above. Where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Setting our affections there, not on things here. For you're dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Now what does that mean as we think about applying that? Looking at things above, our affections on things above rather than here.

Somebody do an application for me. Maybe from something I've observed in someone else, or even from their own lives. Does that mean you can't have a warm home? Part of it is to see the trials and temptations of this life. from a heavenly perspective, saying, in light of who I am in Christ and what Christ has done for me, look at it from that viewpoint rather than saying, I'm down here, kind of on my own, I gotta call to God for help sometime when I can't quite make it myself. It's a totally different perspective. I'm with Christ.

He cares for me. He loves me. I'm in this wonderful relationship with Him. And I see that, and I say, well, if that trial has come, that didn't happen by accident. My father, who loves me, has allowed that to happen. It may be a terrible trial, or a terrible difficulty. We see it from that perspective. That's where he wants us to be.

Just like with family members, when difficulties come, Many times you'll get with your family and try to, you know, cull together, in human terminology, but God wants us to realize what we have in Him and trust Him through those situations and live the Christian life from that perspective rather than saying, well, I've got to kind of make it my own until things get bad and then I'll call out. That's the way a lot of Christians think of their Christian life. Are you at the point in your Christian walk where you're welcoming trials?

Well, occasionally. Occasionally I will see that. We saw that with Hal a lot. Hal was great. Occasionally I will see that. We really saw this played out with Hal. The way he was anxious. You know, I mean he was. That's how Paul was. Paul wasn't at all angry. Yeah, and I think the concept here is along with what Roger said.

Setting our affections on things above allows things of this earth system that we are exposed to day in and day out to be put into perspective. I mean, it's partly the hope of where we're going, but it's our citizenship. And when we're really robust citizens of the heavenly kingdom, then we can put earthly things into perspective. And to some extent, that's realizing Adam for all he ain't worth.

Yes, Dave? I hope I can express this to them. I have a lot of cognitive problems today, but putting this in relationship to what they're talking about in church in Genesis. Okay, since Jesus is the new Adam, Okay, and since not only our sins, but our sin nature, and the source of our sin nature, Satan, has been judged and made powerless, we now walk in a relationship like Adam did, with God, prior to the fall.

Different. Similar, but very different. Why is it different? Adam was innocent, right? Not righteous. I understand that. But he still had a relationship with God. He did. That was a one-on-one because he didn't have the fault. And all that stuff has been judged now, right? Absolutely. See, this is big for me because I always saw this as sin being judged. But when you say the sin nature and the fact that also Satan has become powerless, you're talking about the whole train of events being made powerless.

And so living here on earth we still live under our mind and our conscience living in this world system. But we're actually positioned. in a relationship that can only be understood through faith. When our citizenship is fully realized, 20-20 vision is the only thing we have. We have perfect vision. And that perfect vision is in heavenly places. And that's why Colossians says, seek those things that are from above. And that really reflects all of Christ and who he is and how we stand in his righteousness as we go our day-to-day experiences.

Baba, I just love that term, our life is hidden. I can't even say it. Our life is hidden with Christ and God. I've forgotten the Greek word for hidden, but it's just that talks of this relationship, which is so intimate. Just like you might think of a mother and her child, they're in a relationship that is impossible. I think the mother-child relationship is something that men have a tough time understanding. I know I do. I cannot fathom that mother-child, it's just something that And I think it mirrors what we have with the Lord.

It's just an incredibly intimate description of our position in Christ and what we have. We can count upon Him. We can trust Him. Good point. Let's continue now. I have a few important things to say. Not meaning that what I haven't is. So how's this walk carried out then? What's this life in Christ look like? Let's think about that just a little bit. Recognize that in him all things have been made new.

2 Corinthians 5.17. We're new creations. So before God we're new. We're new creations in Christ Jesus positioned above. So part of this life needs to look like a new creation.

Now if you're talkative or if you're shy or if you're kind of athletically inclined or not, I mean the point is that who we are in the physical body and kind of what our characters are in terms of the way we kind of carry ourselves really doesn't change after you're saved. Marg was animated before she was saved and she is now. And this is good. I love her.

You don't suddenly totally morph into a whole different person, but your relationship to God makes you new. So we're new creations in Christ Jesus. And we're created under good works. This isn't kind of a life that by the way doesn't show up here. I mean, God says that for his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Just a reminder, Paul establishes doctrinal truth as to who we are in Christ before he gets into the logistics of walking the life, right? And when you look at Ephesians, Ephesians 2 gives you a hint of walking life even before we get into 4 through 6. But the concept is, is who we are once we know that, we know what the life should look like and it looks like this. And then Paul gives us more detail what that life looks like. And that the works of the flesh are not justified.

Galatians 2.16, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law, nor is the believer, but by the faith in Christ Jesus. Even if we believed in him, who 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. And we don't get additional merit here by putting ourselves under a legal system and kind of walking the Christian walk as we think it should be walked. The ways of the old man and law are worthless before God, before we're saved and after we're saved.

And this was interesting, I don't know if you read the devotional, the Hungry Heart series, but here was yesterday, just as I was working on the lesson, as conviction of guilt goes before non-justification. When you come to be saved, you know you're being saved from something. And guilt's often a motivator. So the experiential knowledge of self goes before sanctification. And that's this idea of learning Adam and what he's all about ultimately increasingly drives us to the Christ nature and drives us to the truth of who we are in Christ. No effort clears the guilt and no effort affects the growth. Profound. But both to and in him we are a sweet fragrance, for we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, and the walk is not ours but his.

Philippians 1.20.21 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, for me to live as Christ and die as Cain. And I said earlier, either way you win here. There's no disappointment either way.

So does that mean we need to let go and let God? I think this is often where this theology leads to, let go and let God, and he's just going to show up. No. No. No. And no, what happens when we let go and let God? Good old Adam shows up again. Remember, he never changes. So when we let go, we don't actively live by faith in this truth of who we are and where our position is. We ultimately allow Adam to show up. And part of this is we need to quit focusing on ourselves to examine our walk. I.e., how am I doing today?

So that sounds kind of wild and crazy. And something I used to use in the home and I still do, Margaret gets bored by this, but in raising children you say it's not what you do, but it's who you are. And once you know who you are, then what you do is evidence of who you are. Right? We need to know who we are in Christ. And then it's not about what we do. Once we know who we are in Christ and we live actively by faith of who we are, then what we do is evidence of who we are.

Is that point clear? Well, because our behavior changes. Well, right, and the Spirit's great at that, isn't it? The Spirit's wonderful because He lifts us up, He encourages us, He bears the fruits of the Spirit. But He also convicts. And that conviction is just simply to confess and move on because we know our sins are already taken care of. Should we continue in sin that God would forgive? Absolutely not. The principle of grace is to recognize our sin and realize it's been taken care of. We need to respond actively by faith and let him do the rest.

2 Corinthians 3, 17 and 18. Now the Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into his image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit. And 1 John 5, 4, love this verse, for whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world.

And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith built. I mean, our faith overcomes the world. This isn't just something, let go, let God, he's going to overcome the world. No, it's our faith that overcomes the world. And the faith is in the truth of being conjoined to Christ, knowing Adam has been judged and eternally cast out. So the final working principle, conjoined, not a biblical term by the way, you can't find conjoined in the Bible, but obviously Schaeffer felt comfortable using it because it relates to the relationship of the believer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

First Corinthians 6.17, but he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him, and I don't think There's probably any verse that I could find that really reflects what this concept of being conjoined really is. We're one with the Lord. That's conjoined.

And in that, that position increasingly becomes our condition. Everybody okay with this really critically important lesson? And I don't know that it was taught as well as it should be. But anyway, this is so critically important for us to realize. And it relates to everything we do day in and day out.

Let's go close in prayer. Father, your truth is profound but yet so simple. The request that you have for us is to really believe all that you've written. And what a humbling opportunity to see that what we think of ourselves and how we're performing is not really what you have for us. It's entering into a relationship that has been secured, guaranteed, and ultimately made perfect by your great will and love.

And we're thankful for the fact that as we walk the Christian walk, that ultimately we learn that in our flesh comes no strength, no power, and no merit. That in fact, in him is the life And may we continue to seek those things that are above where our life is hid with Christ in God. In Jesus' name we pray.