New Life: The first opus of His Grace.
A person who has become a Christian, is actually and truly a different species than before conversion. Prior to conversion, Homo sapiens is flesh and soul (body and mind). That man-being is a wonderful, exquisite creation; but incomplete. Upon renewal, a man actually becomes fully human as G_d ever intended him to be. He becomes flesh, soul, and spirit (body, mind and spirit). This spirit was dormant – even dead – in a man before regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
- Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. 2 Cor 5:17 (ASV)
- But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Peter 2:9 (ASV)
This now-spiritual man is the only kind of human able to understand and live the Christian life. His spirit is that part of Him who can truly interface with the spiritual realm, and the truth poured out by the Holy Spirit into our lives. And GET THIS: as we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at conversion, we can actually Live in communion with G_d on a continuous basis.
Our bodies and souls tried to do it before conversion. Some actually were able to form a rough approximation of spirituality, but it fell short of the real thing. “Soulish pseudo-spirituality” goes by another dirty name: “Religion.” And religion always blows up and falls short of truly knowing Life in G_d. That dead man that made up religion, will stay dead and exist eternally separate from G_d in hell.
- The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ASV)
But! The new complete-human in Christ is wonderful. He is actually imbued with The LIFE of G_d Himself.
- for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:28 (ASV)
In Him:
- We Live – spiritually
- and move – physically (flesh, body)
- and have our being (soul, mind, intellect)
Again, this new Life is the first opus (great work) of G_d’s incredible Grace towards us. He does not just come to fix up, or even revolutionize, our prior existence. He actually makes us into a different breed of being. This being is now truly alive. Alive with the Life that spoke the Universe into being, that formed Adam from the dust, that breathed life into that clay.
This Life is more than a higher existence. G_d created existence as a mere construct for infinity and eternity. This Life is more than being. Being is just existing within existence. The full meaning of the term Life cannot be captured by words, however Life’s sense can be “felt” in terms like: “is,” “are,” and “am.”
Do not misunderstand me beloved, we are ever under submission to the Great I Am, but we Christians do, in fact, have Life in Him. We can say “i am.” Not deity, i only speak of that Life which we now Live…
In Him, we are ageless, potent, mighty beings of light imbued with actual Wisdom, strength, virtue, truth, honor, peace, goodness and joy. We are capable of great good under the auspices of His perfect purposes.
The adversary would have us believe we are still bound to the ever-defeated life cycles of Homo-sapieans. It is just not true. Oh yeah, the flesh and mind are still there, but they are overwhelmed and infused by the new spiritual man. They, in fact, can be made to live in subjection to the spirit – by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
- But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 (ASV)
Beloved, we believers are beautiful subjects of His Kingdom. His Grace has given us Life. That Life robes us in His Righteousness, fills us with His Peace, and endows us with His Power. We are an altogether different breed, and it is glorious to behold.
Oh, do stop worrying whether its true… Enjoy!
