Post by decided on Aug 7, 2007 18:55:09 GMT -5
The Resurrection Life
But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11).
Is this text speaking primarily of our future resurrection, or the
quality of Christ's resurrection life in us who truly believe? Consider
both blessings.
Resurrection life in the future
One of our senior citizens remarked recently that she knew three people
who died that week. She had three funerals to attend! For the child of
God, however, "But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." (1 Thess.4:13).
Although grief is valid "Jesus wept." (John 11:35), the believer is consoled
by the promise of a bodily resurrection at Christ's return "For our conversation is in heaven; for whence alsso we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working thereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself." (Phil.3:20,21).
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
(2 Cor. 5:8).
Our eternal life and present spiritual life are based on the miraculous
resurrection of Christ. He assured the disciples, "...because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19). His victory over death assures us of our
victory over death. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (physically died - 1Cor. 15:20).
As the firstfruits were the pledge of the remainder of the
harvest, so Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of our
resurrection.
Resurrection life in the present
At first glance the text of Romans 8:11 seems to be focusing on this
same biblical truth - the hope of bodily resurrection of the believer.
The context, however, seems to indicate that the "life" promised here
is the present possession of the child of God. Verse two affirms that
"For the law od the Spirit of life in Christ jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans chapter eight emphasizes the wonderful, abundant life that God
wants His children to experience now. It is this abundant life that is
possible because of our union with Christ at salvation "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were babtized into Jesus Christ were babtized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by babtism 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 the wenness of life." (Rom. 6:1-4).
We are free from sin's dominion and the law's condemnation!
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14) "THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which is in Christ jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (8:1).
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise...The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, accoring to the working of his mighty power," (Eph. 1:13,18-20).
It is this resurrection life of our Savior that we need to rely on for
the challenges of daily life "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me...For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be save by his life."
(Gal. 2:20; Rom. 5:10).
Let us claim thispromise of Romans 8:11; "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." and walk by faith. This assures us of God's
overruling providence "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose." (8:28) and unfailing love "32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (8:32-39).
We are encouraged by the assurance that this mortal body
will someday be transformed into an immortal one that we can
appropriate the resurrection life for the challenges of our daily
walk.
But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11).
Is this text speaking primarily of our future resurrection, or the
quality of Christ's resurrection life in us who truly believe? Consider
both blessings.
Resurrection life in the future
One of our senior citizens remarked recently that she knew three people
who died that week. She had three funerals to attend! For the child of
God, however, "But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." (1 Thess.4:13).
Although grief is valid "Jesus wept." (John 11:35), the believer is consoled
by the promise of a bodily resurrection at Christ's return "For our conversation is in heaven; for whence alsso we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working thereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself." (Phil.3:20,21).
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
(2 Cor. 5:8).
Our eternal life and present spiritual life are based on the miraculous
resurrection of Christ. He assured the disciples, "...because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19). His victory over death assures us of our
victory over death. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (physically died - 1Cor. 15:20).
As the firstfruits were the pledge of the remainder of the
harvest, so Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of our
resurrection.
Resurrection life in the present
At first glance the text of Romans 8:11 seems to be focusing on this
same biblical truth - the hope of bodily resurrection of the believer.
The context, however, seems to indicate that the "life" promised here
is the present possession of the child of God. Verse two affirms that
"For the law od the Spirit of life in Christ jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans chapter eight emphasizes the wonderful, abundant life that God
wants His children to experience now. It is this abundant life that is
possible because of our union with Christ at salvation "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were babtized into Jesus Christ were babtized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by babtism 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 the wenness of life." (Rom. 6:1-4).
We are free from sin's dominion and the law's condemnation!
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14) "THERE is therefore now no condemnation to them which is in Christ jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (8:1).
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise...The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, accoring to the working of his mighty power," (Eph. 1:13,18-20).
It is this resurrection life of our Savior that we need to rely on for
the challenges of daily life "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me...For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be save by his life."
(Gal. 2:20; Rom. 5:10).
Let us claim thispromise of Romans 8:11; "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." and walk by faith. This assures us of God's
overruling providence "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose." (8:28) and unfailing love "32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (8:32-39).
We are encouraged by the assurance that this mortal body
will someday be transformed into an immortal one that we can
appropriate the resurrection life for the challenges of our daily
walk.