A Hard Saying
Do you know what it means to live in Christ and for him to live in you?
When Jesus said “I am in the Father and the Father in me,” he was describing a relationship that was unique. He mentioned it on several occasions, even extending it to include his followers, “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:10-11,20). Do you understand what this means? Do you appreciate the implications of such a relationship?
Who Can Understand?
At a Passover during his ministry, Christ said to his audience, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him”. Many disputed amongst them-selves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:56 and 52). They did not understand the symbolic significance of Christ’s flesh and blood, nor did they appreciate how Christ would live in them, and conversely, how they would live in him. As a consequence many said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” and they - “went back, and walked with him no more” (John 6:60, 66).
Believing
Do you believe Christ when he said that you can be part of that unique relationship? Or, is it a hard saying for you as well?
Many think the phrase ‘living in Christ’ is merely about submission and dependence on him. Naturally these are part of the Christian way of life, but there is a deeper and more profound concept being revealed that many of his followers did not perceive. Comprehending spiritual concepts does not come naturally. It requires God’s help to understand the things of God.
Understanding
Later Jesus promised his followers that after his death he would send the Holy Spirit to help them understand. And the Book of Acts records that he did indeed keep that promise (John 14:16-17, 26 and Acts 2:1-4).
The Apostle Paul explains how the Holy Spirit helps us to understand, “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no-one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God,” (I Corinthians 2:11-12).
A Mind Like God’s
The spirit of man that Paul mentioned imparts intellect that enables man to understand the things of this world. It is our conscious awareness, our individual persona, the very essence of who we are. It enables us to process and store knowledge, to reason and make choices, form opinions, attitudes and to experience emotion.
Similarly the Spirit of God is the intellect, mind and persona of God. God is spirit and He is Holy (John 4:24, Psalm 111:9). The Holy Spirit is not a third person – but is the Spirit of God. The Spirit His very mind and essence - the same mind and spiritual essence that is in Jesus Christ (John 14:11). Christ is Holy and is Spirit – “now the Lord is the Spirit,” - the spirit of the living God (II Corinthians 3:17).
Although Christ and the father have the same Spirit they are separate beings. At baptism a small portion of the same Holy Spirit is placed within us, not only to give understanding of things spiritual, but also to develop a mind like God’s (II Corinthians 1:22, 5:5 and Philippians 2:5). It is through His (God’s) Spirit that he dwells in us (Romans 8:11, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:5).
Nowadays we understand how genes from both human parents combine to produce a child. A likeness to the parents is often apparent in the physical characteristics and nature of their children as they grow. We can see the characteristic of the parents in the child and conversely we can see the same characteristics the child has in the parents. Sometimes the likeness is so profound that having seen the son one has seen Father, which is exactly what Christ said of himself and his Father (John 14:7-10). Jesus was talking about the spiritual nature of his Father reflected in himself. Eventually that same nature will be reflected in us.
Renewing
The spirit received from God combines with the spirit of man renewing the mind to form a new person (II Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15). Paul talked about the ‘old man’ prior to baptism and the ‘new man’ afterwards. The old man with his worldly ways is symbolically crucified, or put to death, with Christ at baptism (Galatians 2:20).
From that point on we “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). We “put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him” (Colossians 3:9-10). Equipped now with a new spiritual perspective that is aligned with God’s, we can “be renewed by the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in righteousness and true Holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24). We take on the same nature that can be found in both Christ and the Father. As the old man diminishes, day by day the nature of God increases (II Corinthians 4:16).
Answering a question from Nicodemus, Christ said, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Baptism is the birth by water. By complete immersion the old man is committed to the depths from which the new man arises. The spiritual birth takes place at the resurrection when the individual is raised as a spirit being. He went on to say, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you ‘You must be born again,’” (verses 6-7).
Having already developed a mind like God’s, the body will be resurrected as spirit in an instant at a specific time (I Corinthians 15:52). But the mind needs to be prepared beforehand because that is not something that can occur instantaneously. It takes a lifetime of careful preparation to bring the mind to spiritual maturity. The process is much like that of a child developing in its mother’s womb until it is ready to be born. Between baptism and resurrection is the time when crucial changes need to take place to prepare the mind (Romans 12:2). At the time of Christ’s return we will be ready for our spiritual birth, to be resurrected complete with a spirit body (Mathew 24:30-31).
Growing
Over time we grow in grace and knowledge toward the fullness of the stature of Christ as he is formed in us (Ephesians 4:13, Galatians 4:19). This is what God proposes for all of mankind – it is the purpose of our existence here on earth. He is preparing us for His Kingdom. It is through the Holy Spirit that both the Father and Christ live in us. We remain as physical human beings, but we share the same spiritual nature of mind as both Christ and the Father. God can recognise that nature, or likeness of mind in us. That is why He refers to us as sons and daughters (II Corinthians 6:18, Ephesians 2:19).
Meaning Revealed
Those called by God, who are willing to repent, submit to and depend on him for every need will be given His Holy Spirit upon baptism (Act 2:38). With the help of that Spirit the true meaning of Christ’s teaching will be revealed to us. The Spirit not only gives us understanding, it is the very mind and essence of God Himself that converts our mind to become like His. Both the Father and Christ are Holy Spirit and it is through that Holy Spirit that they dwell in us.
Do you now understand what Christ was revealing to his followers when he said, “I am in my father and he in me ands I in you”? It is very encouraging if we find the words that confused so many of Christ’s audience are no longer a hard saying. Having a mind that comprehends true spiritual concepts is sure evidence of Christ in us.
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Last modified: 01/13/08
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