Bokeh

Living From Spirit – As Christ

Identity is key in living the Christian life.

  • This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased - Mt. 3:17

  • This is my Son, listen to Him – Luke 9:35

  • Jesus had to know He was a Son – Mt. 11:27

  • He lived from union, sonship – John 10:30

Saul on the road to Damascus came to himself, not only was he translated from the kingdom of darkness to light, but he also had a change of identity.

  • Eph. 1:4 – Gal. 2:20 – Col. 3:4 – Gal. 1:15-16

It is an exchange for the old I to the new I. “Yet not I but Christ” It is a shared life.

  • John the Baptist – I must decrease, He must increase. John 3:30

  • This happens at the cross

  • Death, burial, resurrection and ascension, we all are included in this finished work, walking as new creations - 2 Cor 5:17 Old passes away.

  • Norman Grub – Yes, I am Quote:

Question: were we taught this in the beginning of our journey with God?

  • Most are still the old man with a new neighbor (Resident)

  • We were preached to as still the old man in Adam with an Adamic nature.

  • Our identity was stolen, and religion kept us with a false identity.

The last thing we were told is that we were Christ, our lives are one, hidden in Him, and that it is no longer I but Him, Christ in me, as me, living through me.

  • The House Next Door – New neighbors means new traffic. People in and out that I don’t know.

  • Neighbors move out and the friends of that neighbor go too.

  • Strange if the friends kept coming...

  • What if the neighbor became someone else?

  • What happens with the friends? (Friends as a metaphor for all that attached itself to a wrong identity.

  • Depart from me, I never knew you

How new is new? Is no longer I, no longer I? Old passes away for NEW. New only comes from Spirit as Christ and our union. It’s called newness of life. This new life comes with new drives and desires, causing us to live and move from a new being.

  • What caused the old habits and ways of being?

  • These cannot be overcome by will power and self-effort

  • This would be Jekyll fixing Hyde.

  • The whole old identity must go, thus the death.

  • A whole new identity must be realized, thus the resurrection

  • A whole new way of living transpires, thus the ascension.

This is organic and effortless.

  • Religion will never accept organic

  • Its built-on rules, regulations, principles, steps, secrets and keys.

  • True Christianity is organic, it’s a person, it can never be about us ever again, but our union with Christ as Christ living life still in the body (flesh).

  • Yet not I but Christ.

You are Christ and Christ is you. Can you grasp this? This is radical, this is beyond anything any religion can offer, let alone make up.

  • Your life is hidden in Him, He now is your life. Col. 3:1-4

  • This is truly a new and living way. Hebrews 10:20

  • All things become new 2 Cor 5:17

Because our identity was never changed after coming to know the Lord, our address didn’t change, and we kept the same friends, always fighting the same urges, passions and desires.

  • The drunk under the bridge scenario; I’m a drunk, I have these passions and desires, I am a bum with friends that are just like me.

  • UNTIL, someone opens his eyes that he is a lost nephew of royalty, and he has an inheritance; wealth, fame and honor await him.

  • Does he change? If he believes who he really is...

  • He will have a new life, all things will become new, and he will live according to who he has always been.

Put to death, Mortify your friends

  • Col. 3:1-5 – mortify in the GK is to make lifeless. (No life) non-existent