Do
We Follow “Christ In You” Or, “Jesus
of Nazareth,” Outside of You?
By Arthur J Licursi
In this paper I want
us to consider the implications of what the Apostle Paul has to say in
2Cor 5:16b in reference to the Jesus of Nazareth, who lived in the flesh.
2 Cor. 5:16b … though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet
now henceforth know we him no more.
Paul here on this
matter tells us that we are to no longer know Christ after the flesh (as
Jesus of Nazareth). How could Paul say this? It is because Paul’s
mystery Gospel was in accord with the eternal plan of God – to
have His life, that is in the resurrected Christ, come to indwell
all believers, both Gentile and Jew; thus making one new body, of those
who then are neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal 3:28). They are the members of
the Body of Christ (Col 3:11), one new man. True to this, have you ever
noticed that Paul never references in his many epistles anything Jesus of
Nazareth did (e.g. no miraculous signs) or said (e.g., no beatitudes)
during His terrestrial ministry to Israel, except regarding Jesus’
death, burial and resurrection.
Paul tells us
that Jesus, who is the Lord, is now the Spirit who indwells the
believer’s spirit. 2 Cor. 3:17a Now
the Lord is that Spirit: ...
Col. 1:27
To whom God would make known what is
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory: Romans
8:8-10 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But 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. 10And
if Christ be
in you, the body is
dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Paul says we need
to heed the “Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2) who now is in us, in order to walk
according to Christ's moment by moment leading. Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of
the flesh. Galatians 5:25 If we (since) live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit.
This paper contains is
a list of stark comparisons when we consider the characteristics of the
life of two kinds of believers. One "way" issues in rest
and peace, while the other “way” leads to frustration.
1)
To the believers who follow Christ within their spirit as He now is (1Cor
6:17, Col 1:26-27), as the indwelling life of the believer, Christ is
alive, right now, indwelling their spirit. They enjoy rest and peace. Romans
8:6b the mind controlled by the Spirit is life
and peace;
2)
To those believers who follow the historical words of Jesus of
Nazareth, trying to decipher WWJD and imitate Him, the Christian life
seems a trial, an impossible task.
The historical Jesus of
Nazareth was then, and is now, separate from people, outside of them –
but we now have the resurrected “Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus” within us, with His moment by moment
leading. We are not to imitate Jesus of Nazareth, but rather we are to
yield to the sense of Christ alive within us.
This paper may provide
help for those who need to see the fallacy and impossibility of
endeavoring to follow what Jesus of Nazareth said. Thankfully, resurrected
Jesus is now the indwelling Christ. Acts 2:36b … God
hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
A change has happened - Jesus is now the Christ who is, "the
life-giving spirit" (1Cor 15:45, Rom 8:2a) indwelling “as many as receive Him” (Jn 1:12), as “the Spirit of life” (Rom 8:2a)
Thus, the core
of our subjective, personal, understanding of Paul’s mystery Gospel is
seen in the truth of the mystery (secret) gospel revealed first (Eph
3:1-12) to Paul, Col. 1:26-27
Even the mystery (secret)
which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints: 27To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope
of glory:
“Christ
in you” is “the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” indwelling us individually, that He
might also indwell His body, corporately. This indwelling of His body
members, which we are, then makes us “the
church, which is His body” (Eph 1:22-23), “the
body of Christ.” The term
“body of Christ” is spoken of by no other Bible writer. Christ
possesses this body by His literal indwelling as the Spirit of life in
each body member. Having Christ in is, we now have His life as our life
(Col 3:4a, Gal 2:20). No denomination can confer His indwelling – He
simply must be received via a believing faith (Acts 16:31). Having
received Him by faith (Col 2:6), we are to walk daily in the very same
manner, by faith, believing that He has come to dwell in us as our life.
We, as Abraham was, are those who are not
of works, but rather, of faith. Romans
4:5 But to him that worketh
not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness.
The implications of
Paul’s revelation of the mystery (Rom 16:25) of the indwelling of the
life of the resurrected Christ in the members of His body members, “the church, which is His body” on earth, stands in stark
contrast to the core of the teachings that are taught by most all
so-called “Christian” churches, denominations (sects). Most ignore
Paul’s revelation of the indwelling Spirit of Christ and rather they
promote Jesus of Nazareth, “according to the flesh,” as He was as a man when He came to be
the “minister of the
Circumcision” (To the Jews, Rom 15:8). This Jesus of Nazareth was,
and still is now, outside of those He spoke with, yet they preach Jesus of
Nazareth is to be followed by the members of His body by attempting to
mimic Him and to do all the things Jesus said the
Jews must do in order to gain the Messianic Kingdom on earth. This
sets up the Christian to try and follow the Jesus of Nazareth, who is
outside the believer, as one being yet separate from the believer. Christ
came to be our spontaneous indwelling life, not a pattern for Christians
to imitate, except in His trust of the Father’s life that was in Him.
Most ignore the literal union we already have with Christ, by “Christ
in you.” We see this error clearly in religion’s promotion of the
concept of WWJD (What would Jesus do?) We rather should be walking daily
by “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” who is alive in us, right
now.
Thus, Paul admonishes
us to “walk in the Spirit,” “walk
according to the Spirit,” and to “yield”
to the Spirit alive in us, empowering us. Since Jesus came to die and rise
as “the life-giving spirit” (1Cor
15:45), wouldn’t it be wise to deny self-effort and yield to His
indwelling Spirit of life?
The following table
lists many characteristics that contrast the view of two types of
Christians.
- Those
who walk by Christ as the Spirit of life, in them as their life (Gal
2:20).
- Those
who walk by trying to obey and imitate Jesus of Nazareth, who is
outside of them.
The implication of a
believer not seeing the truth of Paul’s gospel, of Christ’s indwelling
the members of His body, which we are, is that they are prevented from
enjoying the benefits of Christ who is their overcoming, powerful and
righteous life of peace. Such ignorance of this truth limits the believer
to the cycle of trying and failing,
because, since they do not yet know and trust the resurrected ascended
Christ who indwells them, they “try
to do” and live “for” God
by their impotent self-effort. My prayer that all believers may come to
see “the revelation of the mystery (Rom 16:25),” which is “Christ
in you the hope of glory (Col 1:27)”
I pray in agreement
with Paul’s prayer of Ephesians 1:17-18, that as Paul had a revelation
of Christ in Paul (Gal 1:16), so should every believing child of God needs
a revelation of Christ in them. That revelation is the singular most
important key to living the Christian life. Consider Paul’s prayer.
Ephes.
1:17-18 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,
may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him
better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called
you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in
the saints, (NIV)
Contrasting View of People Related
According to Either of the Following
|
CHRIST
IN YOU as the Spirit of Life
|
-
JESUS OUTSIDE of YOU. the man
|
|
Christ is all
(Col 3:11b), as we simply submit to His lordship as He reigns from
within.
|
Self is trying
to be like Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, self’s effort thereby is the
center & focus
|
|
Based upon
revelation to Paul (Gal 1:6, Eph 3:3)
|
Based on Old
Testament Scripture (Act 3:24)
|
|
Follow Paul’s
revelation of “Christ in
you” (1Cor 4:16, 11:1)
|
Follow the Law
of Israel & Jesus of Nazareth’s instruction to the Jews, while
He was on earth.
|
|
Makes us living
members of “the body of
Christ” (1Cor 12:27), His Temple
|
Basis is the
church systems of men’s traditions and religions
|
|
Relationship
based on Christ indwelling each and all believers as His temple
(2Cor 6:16b)
|
Relationship
based upon the traditions of the
organizations, institutions, and systems of men
|
|
Believers are
organically born into God’s literal family (Eph 3:15)
|
People join or
are voted into membership
|
|
Based upon a
living organism (1John 5:11-12)
|
Based upon an
organization
|
|
Take the name of
Christ (Rev 2:13)
|
Take the name of
their denomination or sect
|
|
Christ centered
(John 6:57)
|
Self-centered
|
|
Live by the
Spirit (2Cor 3:6)
|
Live by fleshly
self-effort
|
|
Heaven oriented
(Philip 3:20)
|
Earthly
oriented, “thy kingdom come”
|
|
Based upon pure
grace and faith (Eph 2:8-9)
|
Based upon grace Plus works
|
|
Overcomes sin
(1John 5:4-5)
|
Empowers Sin
(1Cor 15:56b)
|
|
Issues in the
enjoying His life (Zoë, Spirit)
|
Issues in death
(1Cor 15:56a)
|
|
Based on faith
alone (Gal 3:11)
|
Based upon faith
plus works
|
|
“Being” who
we are in Christ (2Cor 5:17)
|
“Doing” to
try to be like Jesus
|
|
Issues in
“rest” (Heb 4:8-11)
|
Promotes
“works,” a “burden”
|
|
Issues in light
(1John 1:17)
|
Leaves one in
darkness
|
|
Makes one
dependent, humble (2Cor 1:8-9)
|
Feeds pride,
haughtiness
|
|
Liberty (2Cor
3:17, Gal 5:1)
|
Bondage
|
|
Has Christ as
Head (Col 1:18)
|
Has religious
Authorities
|
|
Spirit-led (Rom
8:14)
|
Led by
regulations and principals
|
|
Spirit-sensitive
(Gal 5:16, 25)
|
Deny the Spirit
– preferring non-rightly divided Scripture (2Tim 2:15)
|
|
Authority is the
Word & the Spirit (2Cor 3:6)
|
Authority is
man-made doctrine
|
|
Work by obeying
the lead of indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom 8:16)
|
Work according
to the planned program of the organization
|
|
Accomplish by
the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22)
|
Accomplish by
Self-effort, vowing and trying
|
|
Makes One Body
(1Cor 12:27)
|
Makes many
divisions, sects, denominations
|
|
Worship in
Spirit & Reality (John 4:24)
|
Program, liturgy
& outward praise
|
|
Preach Christ
crucified, resurrected and now “in you” (Col 1:27-28a),
according to the revelation of the mystery (Rom 16:25)
|
Promote WWJD,
“How to” seminars, workshops, traditions, personal views,
opinions
|
|
Answer to God as
Father
|
Answer to
religious authorities
|
|
Gain revelation
of the spirit (Eph 1:15-18)
|
Have imagination
darkened (2Cor 10:5)
|
|
People conformed
to image of Christ
|
People conformed
to image of men’s doctrine
|
|
Count all things
loss for the knowledge (experiential knowledge) of Christ (Philip
3:8)
|
Counts numbers
of people and money
|
|
Lay down their
life (1John 3:16)
|
Organization
protects itself
|
|
Members decrease
(John 3:30)
|
Increase in
power, position, reputation
|
|
Wait upon the
Lord (Gal 5:5)
|
Organizes and
work the program
|
|
Seek and gather
unto the Lord (Col 3:1)
|
Seeks numbers
and a people to gather unto itself, “our church”
|
|
Seek the eternal
habitation of the Lord in the heavenlies (Col 3:1)
|
Seek to build
buildings, organizations “to make a name.” (as with Babylon)
|
|
Follow Paul’s
commission “to make all men
see the revelation of the mystery” (Eph 3:9), and the ministry
of reconciliation. (2Cor 5:18-19)
|
Erroneously
follow the Great Commission given to the Jews for the Jews.
|
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