Angelic Conflict part 294: Reigning in life – Rom 5:12-21; 8:1-11; 3:13-18; Gal 2:20; Joh 7:38-39; 2Pe 1:1-8.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 294: Reigning in life - ROM 5:12-21; 8:1-11; 3:13-18; GAL 2:20; JOH 7:38-39; 2PE 1:1-8.

 

ROM 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

 

Again we have a first class condition so this is not an "if" of doubt but of certainty.

 

Giving life to this dead mortal body is nothing less than a miracle, wrought by Christ on Cavalry - resurrection life.

 

This is nothing short of the believer's triumph in living moment by moment in the resurrection life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

First, the name of the Holy Spirit is given as the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead. The Holy Spirit is therefore presented to us as the Spirit of resurrection life. This links Him with the truth that is presented in the second verse of this chapter where we read that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death."

 

God is multiplying every means of expression to bring to us the wonder of the life that is now ours, and to help us see how infinite and eternal that life and power are for us.

 

We know that the Holy Spirit is within us, and that our bodies have become His temple. We have not been granted some idle power or decrepit might. The one who dwells in us is none other than the Spirit of the Heavenly Father, the Almighty God who raised up Jesus from the dead.

 

Jesus was His name before the resurrection. Certainly He was and always will be the Christ or anointed one, but the name Christ Jesus is not used of Him until after the resurrection.

 

The name Christ Jesus is not used until after the resurrection. Putting Christ first in the name emphasizes the finished work and resurrection and so emphasizes victory and life.

 

Christ rose and walked right into the midst of all who were against Him. God raised Him from the dead at a time when all the powers of religion, the Roman Empire, and satan were set against Him.

 

If the Spirit can raise Him from the dead in the midst of the greatest opposition against one man to ever exist in history then can He not give life to your mortal body?

 

Shall not the triumph of resurrection in the body of Jesus insure the triumph of resurrection and eternal life in our own bodies, now, in time?

 

Let's not wait for eternity but rather live now in the gifts that are ours in Him.

 

GAL 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

 

Future glory? Yes. But also present triumph, and assured to us by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In that resurrection there is victory and power for us even now, in spite of the fact that we are living in mortal bodies. Life has come within them. This dying sheath covers that which shall live forever. And in the midst of death we are truly in life. The bodies are mortal but that which dwells within the body is life.

 

The certain presence of this life must have its result. That result is triumph which is assured by this promise.

 

It is a tragedy to have such a treasure within and let it remain dormant by ignoring it and setting our minds on the things of the flesh and the world system.

 

Remember Israel, who was set free from the bondage of Egypt, and used their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.

 

It is a grand concept, and one that is worthy of God. The sphere of the victory of life is to be in the midst of death. It is as though He announced that a feather would lie quiet and still in the midst of a howling hurricane.

 

Our text declares that God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, and that it is His own Spirit who is dwelling in us to give life within our mortal bodies. Think of it!

 

What was this body, and what has this body become?

 

ROM 3:13 "Their throat is an open grave,

With their tongues they keep deceiving,"

"The poison of asps is under their lips";

 

ROM 3:14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness";

 

ROM 3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood,

 

ROM 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,

 

ROM 3:17 And the path of peace have they not known."

 

ROM 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

 

Can even God do anything with such an anatomy of corruption?

 

Our text cries out that the purpose of God is a daily transformation in these very bodies of death. This dust forms the walls of the temple of the Holy Spirit. This clay makes the platform for the exercise of God's glory.

 

This throat, once a grave, has now become a flowing fountain; this tongue which once used deceit now speaks the truth in love. Under these lips where once poison was stored lies the refreshing spring of the grace of God; the cursing and bitterness of this mouth have been banished by songs of praise and the sweetness of gratitude. These feet, once swift to shed blood, are now swift to proclaim the glories that flow from the blood of the Redeemer. Salvation and peace mark our ways; we know no other way than the way of peace, and before our eyes there is the loving fear of God.

 

We now are the proof of Christ's own prophecy,

 

John 7:38-39

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'"  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

And so we have the fountain of life springing up, even in the midst of these mortal bodies.

 

All of God's treasure in these earthen vessels, and surely the excellency of this transcendent power is of God and not of us!

 

2CO 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;

 

The choices are ours while the power is His.

 

ROM 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — 

 

ROM 5:13 for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

 

ROM 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

 

ROM 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

 

ROM 5:16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

 

ROM 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

 

Death reigned through Adam. The believer reigns in life through Jesus Christ. Life doesn't reign, but the believer reigns in life.

 

ROM 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

 

Christ's sacrifice on the cross not only made possible "justification," but also "justification of life."

 

Justification is not merely a legal term that describes our position before God; but it results in a certain kind of life.

 

"Justification of life" in ROM 5:18 is parallel to "be made righteous" in ROM 5:19. In other words, our justification is the result of a living union with Christ. And this union ought to result in a new kind of life, a righteous life of obedience to God. Our union with Adam made us sinners; our union with Christ enables us to "reign in Him."

 

ROM 5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

 

There is something here below the surface, for vs. 19 is not simply a reiteration of previous verses. The word "made" can be translated by 15 different Greek verbs. Let's look at this one.

 

"made" - kaqi,sthmi[kathistemi] = to set down, to set in order, or to appoint. In every case in the NT it refers to being appointed to a position of authority.

 

I will prove this by example:

 

MAT 24:45

"Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge [kathistemi] of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

 

MAT 25:21

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge [kathistemi] of many things, enter into the joy of your master.'

 

ACT 6:3

"But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge [kathistemi] of this task.

 

ACT 7:7

and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor [kathistemi] over Egypt and all his household.

 

TIT 1:5

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you

 

HEB 5:1

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed [kathistemi] on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;

 

2PE 1:8

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render [kathistemi] you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2PE 1:1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

 

2PE 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

 

2PE 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

 

2PE 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

 

By the promises of God we become partners or in fellowship with [koinonos] the divine nature/new creature.

 

Then Peter goes on to write that because we are partners with a divine new nature for this very reason we are to supply some things.

 

2PE 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence [earnestness, zeal, haste], in your faith supply moral excellence [virtue], and in your moral excellence, knowledge;

 

2PE 1:6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness [well devoted];

 

2PE 1:7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness [philadelphia], and in your brotherly kindness, love [agape].

 

This list is building one quality upon another.

 

Love

Brotherly love

Godliness

Perseverance

Self-control

Knowledge

Virtue

Faith

 

I cannot see that Peter is making an extensive list of BD 101, 102, 103, etc. For though we see similar things like "faith, hope, love, and the greatest of these is love," this list is not repeated. It would seem that Peter is revealing to us that some virtues or fruit is foundational to other virtues or fruit.

 

I cannot synthesize a complex molecule in the laboratory if I cannot synthesize the simplest molecule. Building one virtue upon another will render us, or appoint us to neither be useless or barren nor unfruitful.