Part 16 of 17 

 

“…The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus…” (Rom 8:2a)

The misplacement, misuse, and misunderstanding of the Holy Spirit have kept many Christians from seeing and enjoying the essence of Paul’s “the last gospel,” which is the indwelling of the “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

It is the Lord Jesus Christ, as “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” who indwells the human spirit of every believer – now as “that Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is “that Spirit”…

Christ is of now the One Spirit of God.

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

READ THESE FOLLOWING John 14:16-20 CAREFULLY –

Note that “The Comforter” of John 14:16-20 is the “Spirit of Truth.” The Truth is Christ (see Jn 14:6).

Upon His ascension, Jesus returned in His Spirit-form, as the reality of Christ. Christ is now in a form that is now able to indwell and be one with every believer's human spirit.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷Even (that is) the Spirit of truth (Christ is the truth, see Jn 14:6); whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Obviously it is Jesus who at that time dwelled “with” them (v17) and Jesus said He shall be “in” them (v17).

Upon His ascension, Jesus returned in His Spirit-form, as the reality of Christ, now in a form that is able to indwell and be one with every believer's human spirit. 1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Note that the “He” and “Him” (“the Spirit of Truth”) in verses John 14:16-17 (above) are changed to the “I” and “me” (Jesus) in verses 18-20 (see below).

John 14:16-18-20  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

¹⁹Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

²⁰At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.   

• In v16 & 17 the Lord refers to “the Spirit” as “he,” but in verse 18, the pronoun changes to “I.”
• Jesus was saying the “he” is the “I,” who is to return as “the Spirit of truth,” as “the Comforter.”
• The Spirit that Jesus spoke of in v16-17… is He Himself as the Spirit of Truth (Gk., alethia, reality)

While in His physical human form, Jesus could not indwell the believing disciples, but in His Spirit form He is enabled to indwell the human spirit of “as many as received Him.”

We can also see here below, in Rom 8:9-10, that the terms “Spirit,” “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” are one and the same as “Christ” himself in v10. Paul tells us that “in Him (in Christ) dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9). Jesus Himself said He and the Father are One; they are One in the One Spirit.

            Romans 8:9-10 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.   Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Most Christians have not known that the Holy Spirit who is joined to their human spirit is nothing less than the “Spirit of Christ” (v9), which is Christ Himself. Christ in His Spirit-form now indwells every believer’s human spirit – these two (2) spirits are now one (1) spirit, for eternity. 1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. John 3:6 … that which is born of the Spirit (God’s) is spirit (the believer’s). There were 2 spirits, our human spirit and also the “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” but now they are one in us. 1John 4:13 … we dwell in him (in Christ), and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

The believer is “in Christ.” Col 3:3 … your life is hid with Christ in God. And, Christ is in the believer.

1Cor 12:13 by one Spirit are we all baptized (baptizmo, whelmed, placed) into one body (of Christ), whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

Note the 2^nd half of 1Cor 12:13 above. Every believer is placed into “the body of Christ” and also “made to drink into one Spirit.” This means we not only are we “in Christ,” as our objective standing and covering to count us as righteous, but we also have taken the Spirit of Christ into us as our new righteous life. We’re in Christ, and now He, as “the Spirit,” is in us. These two terms are used by Paul over 100 times. Now, not only is our “life hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3), but Christ’s Spirit is joined to our spirit. 1 Cor 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Thus, we who have received Christ now may enjoy a mutual abiding - we in Him, and He in us.

In fact, the believer receives “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a) into his human spirit at the moment he receives Christ – at the moment of his salvation. This true life or real life (Zoë, God's spirit life) is only "in the Son." 1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life (Zoë, spirit life), and this life is in his Son. ¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.