The Bible is a spiritual book that was written by men that were indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The trouble starts when people that are not indwelt with the Holy Spirit come on the Forum and try to figure out what the bible is saying through their own natural reasoning. They are not Christians, but they think that they are. A Christian is one that has come to Christ as a repentant sinner to be saved by him. He is not trusting in any kind of religion, doctrine or works to save him. He is trusting in Christ and in Christ alone to save him. It is to these that God imparts his Holy Spirit. All of the rest are in their natural state.
"Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God: that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teaches: comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED" 1 Corinthians 2:12-14.
The Christian lives in two worlds, the world of the flesh and the world of the Spirit. He is both a sinner and a saint at the same time. He is in Adam and in Christ at the same time. He has the nature of Adam, who is a sinner and the nature of Christ who was without sin. These two natures are at odds with each other. Paul wrote about this in the seventh chapter of Romans.
""Now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would do I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me" Romans 7:17-19.
What Paul is telling us here is that the Christian life is a struggle. The Spirit wants to do good, but the flesh wants to do evil. There is no solution to this problem, it will continue until death. During the 70's there were numerous seminars on how to overcome indwelling sin, but none of them worked.
THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF THE GOSPEL.
In the Gospel we are complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10. The condition for receiving the Holy Spirit is that God must see you as perfect and complete in his Son Jesus Christ. Paul said,
"That I might be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ; the righteousness which is of God by faith" Philippians 3:9.
The righteousness that is of God by faith, is the righteousness that is only by faith. In the New Testament faith in Jesus Christ counts for righteousness. Not works or obedience, just faith, Romans 4:5. We are justified by faith and by faith alone. If you add anything to faith it is no longer by faith alone. It is by faith alone because it is by Christ alone, Romans 3:26. We are saved and MADE righteous by the action of another, Jesus Christ. Jesus in our name and on our behalf offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience according to his holy law, Matthew 5:18. It was his life that was lived for our justification.
That was not enough. Something had to be done about our sins and the sins of the whole world. If Jesus did not atone for every sin in the whole world then Jesus is not Lord. The reason that God accepted Jesus back into heaven is because all sin had been atoned for. God was well pleased with his Son Jesus Christ and seated him at his own right hand, a place of honor and respect and then made Jesus, "The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords" Revelation 19:16. As far as God is concerned sin, death and the devil have been abolished, Colossians 2:15. It is only because all sin has been atoned for that we can be saved. So that now, those that do nothing more than call upon the name of the Lord can be saved, Romans 10:13.
"Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God: that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teaches: comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED" 1 Corinthians 2:12-14.
The Christian lives in two worlds, the world of the flesh and the world of the Spirit. He is both a sinner and a saint at the same time. He is in Adam and in Christ at the same time. He has the nature of Adam, who is a sinner and the nature of Christ who was without sin. These two natures are at odds with each other. Paul wrote about this in the seventh chapter of Romans.
""Now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would do I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me" Romans 7:17-19.
What Paul is telling us here is that the Christian life is a struggle. The Spirit wants to do good, but the flesh wants to do evil. There is no solution to this problem, it will continue until death. During the 70's there were numerous seminars on how to overcome indwelling sin, but none of them worked.
THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF THE GOSPEL.
In the Gospel we are complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10. The condition for receiving the Holy Spirit is that God must see you as perfect and complete in his Son Jesus Christ. Paul said,
"That I might be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ; the righteousness which is of God by faith" Philippians 3:9.
The righteousness that is of God by faith, is the righteousness that is only by faith. In the New Testament faith in Jesus Christ counts for righteousness. Not works or obedience, just faith, Romans 4:5. We are justified by faith and by faith alone. If you add anything to faith it is no longer by faith alone. It is by faith alone because it is by Christ alone, Romans 3:26. We are saved and MADE righteous by the action of another, Jesus Christ. Jesus in our name and on our behalf offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience according to his holy law, Matthew 5:18. It was his life that was lived for our justification.
That was not enough. Something had to be done about our sins and the sins of the whole world. If Jesus did not atone for every sin in the whole world then Jesus is not Lord. The reason that God accepted Jesus back into heaven is because all sin had been atoned for. God was well pleased with his Son Jesus Christ and seated him at his own right hand, a place of honor and respect and then made Jesus, "The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords" Revelation 19:16. As far as God is concerned sin, death and the devil have been abolished, Colossians 2:15. It is only because all sin has been atoned for that we can be saved. So that now, those that do nothing more than call upon the name of the Lord can be saved, Romans 10:13.
