With the Spirit of Christ now living in us we are a new creation.1 This new creation has never previously existed. Even Adam never had the Spirit of Christ living in him. We are now children of God, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if we share in His sufferings (self denial) in order that we may also share in His glory.2
Here are 5 Scriptures that show that Christ lives in us by the Holy Spirit and there are over 200 Scriptures to show that we are in Him:
“When God ….. was pleased to reveal His Son IN ME …” (Galatians 1:16)
“Christ lives IN ME” (Galatians 2: 20)
“Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is IN YOU” (2 Corinthians 13: 5)
“I myself may be IN THEM” (John 17: 26)
“Christ IN YOU, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1: 27)
Christ is formed in us by the Holy Spirit until we have the fullness of Him and we are conformed to the likeness of Him.
Again many Scriptures reveal this. Here are some:
“until Christ is FORMED in you” (Galatians 4: 19)
“that you may be filled to the measure of all the FULLNESS of God” (Ephesians 3:19)
“attaining to the whole measure of the FULLNESS of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 13)
“For those God foreknew He also predestined to be CONFORMED TO THE LIKENESS of His Son” (Romans 8: 29)
Please note that it is not trying to imitate Christ. It is not trying to be like Him. It is a participation of Christ as His Spirit works in us bringing about the fullness of Christ in us. The more we have Christ formed in us (by the Holy Spirit) the more we will be like Him. It is the natural outworking of the Holy Spirit working within.
It is not something we can do. We cannot form Christ in us. We cannot become “born again” ourselves. We cannot be a new creation by ourselves. So we cannot have Christ formed in us by ourselves. We cannot bring the fullness of Christ into ourselves. We cannot be conformed to the likeness of Christ ourselves. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit.
It is gloriously and majestically true that the Holy Spirit can work in us the very nature of Christ. As we obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings and yield to His leading, Christ is formed in us until we have the fullness of Christ. This is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we submit to His teaching, corrections and discipline.
“For it is God who works IN YOU to will and to act according to His good purposes.”3 The whole process from beginning to end is by the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ. Apart from Christ we can do nothing.4 There is no boasting on our part for we can do nothing about bringing the fullness of Christ into our lives.5
As Christ increases in our life we decrease. He cannot live in fullness in us if we are full of self. If we are to be the dwelling place of God, then we are to be nothing in ourselves. We do not look for reputation.
We do not try to make an impression. We do not stand on our own dignity. We do not give prominence to ourselves. All our self importance must go. All our desire for recognition must go. God seeks the lowly and contrite of heart, those who are humble in spirit, a servant’s heart.6
We must learn to be content whatever the circumstances.7 We must trust in God to work in us as He pleases, as He desires8, in accordance with the plans He has made for us, to bring us into conformity with the purpose of His will.9
(1) 2 Corinthians 5:17 (2) Romans 8:15-17 (3) Philippians 2:13 (4) John 15:5 (5) Galatians 6:14 (6) Matthew 20:26 Isaiah 57:15 (7) Philippians 4:11 (8) John 3:27 (9) Ephesians 1:11
Post published in: Faith