And You Are In Him

Colossians 2:8 – 10 Amplified Bible

⁸ See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

⁹ For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].

¹⁰ And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

Since we became Christians, we have trended in thought that we cannot be easily deceived by unscrupulous people or even the world’s system, or maybe that is just my issue. After all, I have “the Mind of Christ” I think, “and He guides me”. Lately, God has been showing me that I have deceived myself by spending most of my time, thought time, on worldly things. And since the “world” is run by our notorious adversary, the “father of lies”, how can I not be caught up in some of his deceptive practices. 

All our lives, from birth to the present, have been spent living in and being educated by the worldly systems, and our five senses have taught us to trust them rather than trust God. In turn, our spirits were receptive to the things of the world, and fully complied with the teachings of “sin nature”. We in turn relegate those things we see, hear, taste, feel, and smell as the only truth, such as, “I have to see it before I can believe it”. Or, “I heard someone say”, and the list goes on. We accept those things as truth, because we live in a physical environment. Sadly enough, even with God in us, we allow this world to rule over us, therefore living our lives thinking that it is on track (actually according to worldly standards), when it is a life of defeat. By defeat I mean, living outside of our true purpose, a tree planted in a garden of fertile soil and producing little or no eternal fruit. 

What I have briefly described (could be expanded into an entire book) is living from the soul (mind, will, emotions). While the spirit has been reborn, the soul has not been transformed into the “renewed” mind as indicated by Paul: Romans 12:2“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”.

But being born again, becoming a new creation, we have the power to resist those worldly things, and go in a new direction, towards a meaningful and eternal life with God the Father, through the door of the cross of Jesus the Christ. The door is open to everyone who will listen and follow Jesus… then comes the renewing of the mind…. transforming of the mind by reading and studying the Word of God.

Proverbs 4:20-24 (Expanded Bible)

 

²⁰ My ·child [^Lson], pay attention to my words;
   listen closely to what I say [^Lbend your ear to my speech].²¹ Don’t ·ever forget my words [^Llet your eyes slip];
   keep them always in mind [^Lguard them in your heart].²² They are ·the key to life [^Llife] for those who find them;
    they bring health to the whole body. 
²³ Be careful what you think [^LAbove all that you guard, protect your heart],
    because ·your thoughts run your life [^Llife flows from it]. 
²⁴ Don’t use your mouth to tell lies [^LHave nothing to do with a perverse mouth];don’t ever say things that are not true [^Lkeep loose lips far from you].

The transformed mind, in this context, is studying, meditating on, and living the “Word of God”, and being filled with the “Holy Spirit”, so that His Wisdom, His guidance, His strength, His ability, is a vibrant, living, reliable attribute that governs one’s life. “Christ in you, the hope of Glory” Colossians 1:27

Interjection:

(With a birthday coming this month, I had been thinking about my life and entertaining thoughts of things I would or would not change, and also about my age. Then I heard a voice say “you know your spirit doesn’t age nor lose its power. Christ, the Holy Spirit in you has not aged! It is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead”[Romans 8] It has been the instigator or power behind and in every miracle ever performed, from healing of the sick to raising Jesus from the dead to every miracle today. That same spirit, through Jesus created everything on and in the earth”. Indeed, something to think about when we approach life today.)

I actually marvel at myself that I am so hardened in my mind that I can see the benefit (not all benefits) of living in in Christ, yet a part of me does not want to “change”… spiritual laziness. I’d rather settle for the status quo of shameful victimhood, than stand as a conqueror, because I have believed the deceptive lies of the devil; “it’s too hard”, or “you can pray later”, or “what will people say if”, or “I’m too busy”. Get the picture?  Yet whenever I listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His direction or exercise His wisdom, good things happens to others first, then to me. As a result, I act surprised when God says, “well didn’t you ask me for that?” So, at times, when the answer does come, I marvel at the how, and when it happens.

Therefore, I’m learning patience and trust. Maybe it’s trusting in Him, by faith believing Him and in Him, and being patient beyond my “worldly self”, to live up to that trust and faith. I trust Him to deliver whatever He wants to deliver, and He trusts me to act according to His word and direction. By His presence, He gives us all we need to withstand anything the adversary throws at us. His wisdom is more than enough to recognize the works of satan and defeat him. If it’s destructive, it comes from the devil; if it’s blessing, it comes from Father God. If it is anger or revenge, it’s from the devil; from God comes love and kindness. 

It is in Christ! And if we are in Christ, we (the spiritual we), have that same nature… same characteristics as the Christ…. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power]. Col 2:10

Revelation 1:8, 18 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,”[c] says the Lord,[d] “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”….    (18) “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

My prayer today, for all believers is that we come to the full and complete understanding of who we are in Christ; that we are not so involved in the world that we are concerned mostly with temporal things and lose sight of eternal things.  God’s commandments say; “to love Him with all our hearts and minds (our being) and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We all fail at these commandments, and hopefully recognize it and repent, because we have a Savior that has said in 1 John 5:14-15:  “14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 

Who are you in Christ? Are you listening and adhering to the world’s reasoning instead of God’s Word?