

Experience

THE REALITY OF CHRIST

Copyright @ 2004 Thomas F Dreyer

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying recording or any other information storage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing.

Bible references are from the New King James Version.

ISBN 0-620-32374-4

First Edition 2004

Electronic Edition 2014

The First Edition was published by Truth Publishers as a Paperback Edition under the title "Experience the Reality of Jesus Christ".

I dedicate this book to my wife who walked the path with me.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

John 4:24

# A Word from the Author

This book is a description of the revelation Jesus gave me as I searched for his presence and reality. It is not a theoretical, hypothetical, or academic treatise, but the result of practical experience as he showed me how to live in his presence. It has been written to help you to discover and experience his presence and reality. You are meant to experience all Jesus did for you and to experience him as a reality in your daily life!

Please do not read this book with the intention of coming to a better understanding of Jesus. Read it with the purpose of experiencing his reality. When you come to the end of it you should say, "I do not understand everything, but Jesus has become real to me." This is a textbook for living. Keep it at hand. Once you have read through it refer to it as often as you need to and read any part at random to refresh your spirit with. My prayer is that you will come to discover the truth and reality of Jesus Christ in your everyday living.

Thomas F Dreyer

# Prologue

For most of my life I was searching for the reality of Jesus Christ. I have always been convinced that to be a Christian means to experience the presence of Jesus as a daily reality. I experienced his presence once when I was still young and after that could not be satisfied with anything less.

My searching took me along various routes. I studied the Scriptures diligently. I went to a theological seminary and finished my degree cum laude. I studied the Bible for years and discovered that Jesus' presence and reality was not to be found in the Scriptures. I became a pastor and missionary. I served the church and 'worked for the Lord' thinking that if I did what he expected of me I would experience his presence. I visited various churches. Whenever there was a hint of Jesus doing something in a church I would go and look for him. I travelled to different countries and read many books. I refused to be content with anything less. But I found no Jesus.

I searched for him and he found me! After years of searching Jesus brought me to discover his presence and reality by living in the spirit. This is what this book is about - how to discover and experience Jesus' presence and reality by living in the spirit!

### The Truth and the Reality of Jesus

To accept Jesus only as the truth could never satisfy me. For many he is the truth, but only the truth. They believe in him, believe that he is somewhere, most probably in heaven, but they have never experienced his presence as a reality in their lives. They have accepted the Biblical account of his life, or some interpretation of it, but they have never experienced him as reality. Although they know of him, heard of him, and have been taught about him, they have never experienced him. He is no more real to them than he is to those who do not believe in him at all.

Jesus is the truth, but he is also reality. He wants us to know him as the truth and experience him as reality. We experience his reality when we experience his spiritual presence. We cannot experience his physical presence as the disciples did when he lived among them. It is only possible for us to experience his spiritual presence as the disciples did after his ascension. His spiritual presence is Jesus living in us through his Spirit. A Jesus who is only the truth and not reality is an incomplete Jesus.

### The Flesh and the Spirit

Jesus came so that we may know him as the truth and experience him as reality. His truth is found in his earthly ministry, his reality in his heavenly ministry. His truth was revealed through his life in the flesh. His reality is revealed through his life in the spirit. His life in the flesh was his life as a human being spanning some thirty years on earth. His life in the spirit is his life as the Son of God spanning eternity. He gave his flesh, his temporary, earthly, and human existence as a sacrifice on the cross to retain his spirit, his divine, and heavenly existence as a gift for all who were to become one with him.

THE TRUTH OF JESUS IS FOUND IN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY, HIS REALITY IN HIS HEAVENLY MINISTRY.

We also have a life in the flesh and a life in the spirit. The first represents our temporary, earthly, and human existence and the second our eternal life. These two ways of living coexist as long as we live our earthly lives.

Our flesh is our life as human beings. When we live in the flesh we live a life according to ourselves. We do everything ourselves and depend on ourselves for everything. For most of us our whole lives have simply been a matter of living in the flesh. We were born in the flesh, have been taught how to live in the flesh, and have strengthened and exercised our flesh. We have come to know our flesh, its strengths and weaknesses, and its abilities and limitations. We have come to rely on our flesh for it has become the source of our understanding, of every decision we make, every action we take, and every feeling we know.

To live in the spirit means exactly the opposite of living in the flesh just as 'spirit' is the opposite of 'flesh'. It means that another does everything for us. Instead of relying on ourselves we rely on another, on his abilities and gifts, his wisdom and knowledge, and his power and resources. When we live in the spirit we have come to rely completely on Jesus to do everything in and for us. When he does everything in and for us we have come to live in the spirit and experience his presence as a reality.

Many people know little, if anything, of this life in the spirit. For those who have heard of a spirit-life it means nothing more than, perhaps, going to church, saying prayers, believing in God, and doing good works. They do not know what the spirit-life consists of. Most people are not even aware that a different way of living exists.

What is 'living in the spirit'? Why is it important to live in the spirit? How is it possible to live in the spirit? In this book you will discover the importance and meaning of living in the spirit. You will discover how you may live in the spirit and experience the presence and reality of Jesus. And it will change your life. Instead of experiencing guilt and shame for your sins you will experience God's forgiveness and cleansing. Instead of being afraid of God's wrath, you will experience his love for you. Instead of battling endlessly with sin, you will experience victory over sin and your sinful desires and habits. Instead of trying to please God through endless religious efforts, you will experience rest in Jesus' perfect work for you. Instead of being sold out as a slave to the world system, you will experience a freedom from the world. When you live in the spirit you discover the reality of Jesus!

### God's Greatest Blessing

God's greatest blessing to you is to enable you to live in the spirit. When you live in the spirit Jesus makes real to you everything he has accomplished for you.

When you live in the spirit you discover that you have no sense of sin, but only of God's presence. You have no anxiety, but are filled with faith in him in whose presence you are. You have no needs because you are with him who has met all your needs. You have no anger, but experience his love for all people. You have almost no prayers, but are filled with worship. You have no confusion, only clarity. You have no questions before him who is divine wisdom. You do not walk in the fog, but in clear daylight. You discover that sin no longer has authority over you, but that Jesus does through you what pleases him. Your life-long battle with sin is something of the past. Victory over sin beckons around every comer. You discover that all striving has come to an end, all effort has ceased, and all toil and labour have vanished. You have entered God's rest where he has met all his own requirements on your behalf. You discover that he has done everything you need to live in his presence.

You discover that God watches over you, leads you, takes care of you, fills you with himself, and performs through you the works that please him. Because you are in his presence he is real to you. You are aware of his overwhelming and glorious presence.

WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE SPIRIT JESUS MAKES REAL TO YOU EVERYTHING HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOU.

### What Jesus Came to Do

Jesus came so that we may know him as the truth and experience him as reality. He is the truth, but he also wants to be real in our lives. He has come to do all so that we may experience his reality and live in his presence as forgiven, cleansed, righteous, and holy children of God!

We call this Jesus' work of salvation. This work, although it is one work, consists of two parts. The one has to do with the truth, the other with reality. The truth has to do with everything Jesus did for us during his earthly ministry. He removed our sins, delivered us from our bondage to sin, from the sinfulness of our human nature, from the law as a means of pleasing God, and from the world. He did this work for us during his earthly ministry and it culminated in his crucifixion. This part of his work happened in the past. It is finished.

Reality describes everything Jesus does through his heavenly ministry. This is his present ministry through which he makes everything he accomplished for us during his earthly ministry real in our lives. Our forgiveness of sins, our deliverance from sin and our sinful nature, our deliverance from the law, the world, and our human nature - it all becomes a reality in our lives through his heavenly ministry. This is his unfinished work, which he does in us every day.

Jesus starts this work in us the moment we become one with him. When we become one with him all he has done for us becomes true of us. When he then brings us to the life he intended for us, the life in the spirit, it all becomes real to us. In the spirit-life the truth of what Jesus did for us becomes our reality and experience.

JESUS HAS COME TO DO ALL FOR US SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM AS THE TRUTH AND EXPERIENCE HIM AS REALITY.

### Truth and Reality

For too long Jesus has been proclaimed only as the truth and not as reality. He is the truth, but he is also reality. Many people question his truth because they do not experience his reality. We need to know Jesus as the truth and experience him as a reality!

To be ignorant of his truth is to live a pauper's life without knowing the wealth belonging to us. This is to be robbed of divine blessings that may transform our lives. We need to know Jesus as the truth! Not to experience the reality of Jesus is to live a pauper's life knowing that somewhere there are divine blessings intended for us, but to be unable to reach them. We need to experience Jesus as reality!

For a long time, Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, victory over sins, and all such spiritual truths had been true to me. I believed in their truth, but did not experience their reality. After Jesus enabled me to live in the spirit everything changed. Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, victory over sins, prayer, in fact everything there is in Jesus, became reality to me.

JESUS IS THE TRUTH. HE IS ALSO REALITY.

### Experienced by so Few

Sadly few people experience this spirit-life. Instead, they experience life as an uphill battle, an effort to survive. Some try to hold on to some faith while others have abandoned it completely. Some defend the Bible as the truth, others the Koran or other holy books. Still others question these 'truths'. Some serve God as best they can. They excel in their efforts. Their religious activity seems to hold things together for them. They seem to have all the answers. But of a real Jesus there is no evidence.

While we spend most of our lives suffering and searching God has something totally different in mind for us. We experience agony while he wants to fill us with divine peace. We feel so distant from him that we doubt his existence while he wants to be so close to us that we may live in his presence. We experience spiritual death while he wants to give us life. We battle with self-effort while he wants to take our place and do everything for us. We spend our whole lives searching while he wants to give to us freely every day!

To go from the truth to reality is experienced when you go from a life in the flesh to a life in the spirit.

# Part 1 Jesus Cleanses Us through His Blood

## 1 Three Basic Keys

The starting point to the spirit-life is the total cleansing of our sins. Before we come to that we first need to look at three important keys to Jesus' presence and reality in your life.

### The Key of Faith

The gospel is a matter of faith from beginning to end.

Without faith it is impossible to believe in God and trust him. Faith links us to him and through faith he lives in us.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. When we have faith he is pleased with us. When we live by faith we satisfy his heart.

Without faith it is impossible to receive from God. Faith is the channel through which he gives us everything. Whatever he gives us he gives through faith.

Without faith it is impossible to live. Faith is the key to spiritual living just as the absence of faith equals spiritual death.

FAITH IS THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH GOD GIVES US EVERYTHING.

#### Given by God

The good news is: faith is not something God requires of us, but something he gives to us! We cannot produce faith. No matter how hard we try, unless God gives us faith, our own efforts will vanish like the morning dew. In fact, Jesus himself is the one who begins and completes our faith. He not only gives it, he also sustains it and brings it to fruition in us.

You can only have faith when God has given it to you. Often people try to believe only to discover the futility of it all. Sometimes they are encouraged, even rebuked, to believe and then left empty-handed and discouraged. You cannot manufacture your own faith! You can only be given faith!

You don't need to ask God for faith. Faith is not something that exists independently or has any value on its own. Faith always exists in relation to God and what he has told you or given you. When you ask him for anything he will answer by giving you faith. Then you will have faith and you will be called a person of faith who will live by that faith trusting him!

FAITH IS NOT SOMETHING GOD REQUIRES OF US. IT IS SOMETHING HE GIVES TO US.

#### Proof Given

When we ask God for anything he answers either by granting our request or by refusing it. If he grants our request he gives us faith as proof of his answer. If he refuses our request he withholds faith from us and we know that his answer is "No". God will always answer us either by giving us faith or by withholding it from us.

Even if his answer is "No", it will always be to our advantage. In his divine wisdom he knows the past and the future, he knows us, and he knows what is best for us. We will always receive the best from his hands even if it is not what we desire.

If his answer is "Yes", he will give us faith to prove that he has given us what we asked of him. Faith given by God is the assurance he gives to guarantee and prove that he has done or given something. When God gives us faith in answer to prayer he gives us the proof that our prayer has been answered and our request has been granted. Even though we do not see it at first we have the guarantee.

It can be likened to someone who pays an amount of money into your bank account and then forwards the deposit slip to you as proof that the payment has been made. While you do not see the money yet, the deposit slip proves that the payment has been made. If you could see the money the deposit slip would not be necessary. Faith fulfils the same function as a deposit slip. It is the guarantee God gives to prove to us the existence of something invisible. God gives it as proof of what we have received while we are waiting for it to be seen. Faith precedes physical sight and sight follows faith. If you see something you do not need any proof of its existence!

Faith is the bridge between something given and something delivered. Some time may elapse between the giving and the delivery. This is the time you live by faith with the proof in your pocket until the delivery arrives.

God promised Abraham a son and he believed God. He received faith as proof that God had given him a son. But it was years before Isaac was born, years in which Abraham had to live by faith and not by sight. During those years God refined Abraham's faith and removed everything impure, every self-effort, from it. God fulfilled his promise to Abraham and Sarah only when they were too old to do anything about it.

How often do we ask God for something and when he answers by giving us faith we throw away the deposit slip! When we do not see the answer to our prayers immediately we stop believing and discard the proof God has given us. When you ask God for anything he will always answer you by giving you faith. Be on the lookout for the deposit slip! It has the same value of the thing asked for!

FAITH PROVES TO US THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US WHAT WE ASKED OF HIM.

#### Given in Our Heart

Please note that faith is given in our heart and not our mind. 'Heart' is a different word for 'spirit'. My 'heart' is my 'spirit'. We believe with our heart, our spirit, and not with our mind. The mind understands, the spirit believes. Faith is to believe something, not to understand it. Faith is a function of our spirit while understanding is a function of our mind. Faith operates in the spirit where it is given, sustained, and brought to completion by Jesus.

Many people try to understand the gospel and when they do come to some understanding think they have become believers. Others don't come to any understanding at all and then turn their backs on the gospel. We need to see that Jesus is not to be understood, but to be believed in with our heart.

Often the church wants to help people to understand the gospel and tries to explain spiritual truths that can never be understood, but only believed. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the message of the Bible are spiritual truths and not logical truths. They relate to the spiritual world and not to the logical world. There is a spiritual world and a logical world. The first is the world of God and the angels, which cannot be understood logically, but can only be believed spiritually. The logical world is the world of the mind with its endless quest for understanding.

When you receive faith from God you will become aware of it in your heart. You will be aware that he has answered your prayer. His peace will flow into your heart and you will find rest in Jesus. You will be at peace. All anxiety, all self-made plans, and all self-effort will vanish like the morning dew. Only one conviction will remain, "Jesus has given it. I have received it. It will be seen."

Because faith operates in our spirit, which is eternal, faith is not bound by time limitations. Faith acknowledges that God has already given us what we ask of him. Faith always says, "I have received", not "I will receive." Once proof is received the answer will become reality. What is given in eternity will happen in time. Sometimes it happens immediately, sometimes it takes longer. But however long it takes to come to fruition you have the guarantee that it is given. It is done! Hold on to the proof God has given you!

We are time-bound and therefore we usually want to receive something immediately. If we do not see the answer to our prayer immediately we become downhearted and want to lose faith. We need to see that once we have received faith we have already received what we asked for. We should then continue to trust Jesus and thank him until we see it.

WE BELIEVE WITH OUR HEART AND NOT WITH OUR MIND. THE MIND UNDERSTANDS, THE

HEART BELIEVES.

#### The Value of Faith

The most valuable thing Jesus will ever give you is faith. Faith is the key through which he unlocks all the riches the Father has for you. Whatever you are to receive from Jesus you will always receive it through faith. Whether it is forgiveness, love, peace, joy, healing, or provision... the list is endless, he will always give to you through faith.

When Jesus gives you faith the very thing for which he gives you faith will become real in your life. If you are given faith to believe that he has forgiven all your sins, it will become real as you live with this faith. If you are given faith that he has given you the spirit-life, it will become a reality through this faith. Faith is never taken back once it is given. It may come under siege, be fought for, even suppressed, but you will not lose it. Once given it is yours to treasure and live by.

THE MOST VALUABLE THING JESUS WILL EVER GIVE YOU IS FAITH.

#### The Battle for Our Faith

Once you are given faith be sure that a battle for your faith will begin. Be aware and awake  Because it is so precious the devil will do anything to rob you of your faith. He knows its value. If he can destroy your faith he has robbed you of the very thing the Father has given you. His main purpose is to prevent us receiving faith and living by it.

The world will oppose your faith because it operates by the mind and not by faith. Your friends and family who live by sight and not by faith will put pressure on you to do the same because they do not know the value of faith. At times these battles may be ruthless and relentless. They may become so fierce that you despair even of your life. But however intense the struggle may seem to you, victory is secure in Jesus. He will bring you through to victory. He not only gives you faith, he also brings it to fruition.

When these battles come do not fight them yourself. Turn to Jesus and ask him to protect the faith he has given you. He has come to do all for you including the securing of your faith!

### The Key of Prayer

The second key that unlocks Jesus' presence and reality is the key of prayer. God wants us to ask him for whatever we need. Instead of working for it, we just need to ask. But we have to ask. If we do not ask we will not receive.

#### Pray Expecting Faith

The prayer that the Father answers is the 'prayer of faith'. The prayer of faith is the prayer that ends in faith. It is the prayer that continues until you have received faith from God that has answered your prayer.

When you pray to God about anything, continue to pray until you receive faith from him - faith as proof that he has answered your prayer. Once you have received faith you will be filled with gratitude to the Father for what he has given you and your prayer will change from asking to praise.

Be on the lookout for God's answer, it will always be faith.

#### Keep on Praying

We need to know when to stop praying. To stop praying before God has given you faith is to pray in vain. Prayer has no value in itself. To say prayers just for the sake of saying prayers is to waste your breath. God does not want to listen to our prayers. He wants to answer them! Prayer only has value when faith is received.

Therefore, we need to keep on praying. We need to pray until we have received faith from God. How often do we stop praying before we receive faith from God! Do not stop! Pray until you receive faith! Praise God for this wonderful truth! He wants to give to you! He will give to you! Don't quit on him

To 'keep on praying' does not mean that we should repeat our requests endlessly before God. We generally need to mention it once and then wait on him with a prayerful heart to give us faith. How many prayers he would have answered had we but waited for the answer! How many prayers did we waste because we were in a hurry to carry on with our lives

God will answer you sooner rather than later. He will usually give you faith while you pray. Sometimes he will even give it before you pray. At other times he will let you wait. How glorious to wait for him!

There may also be times of wrestling with God in prayer. These are the times we call out to him and hold on to him like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood. At such times we have to hold on to God until he brings us through and gives us faith. Our attitude should be like that of Jacob when he wrestled a whole night with God and in the morning refused to let him go unless he blessed him. The blessing came immediately. Sometimes God wants us to express our urgency by wrestling with him. But more often it will not be necessary to wrestle with God. It will be sufficient to mention your needs and wait for him until he gives you faith.

CONTINUE TO PRAY UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED FAITH FROM GOD.

#### Obstacle to Prayer

The one obstacle that may hinder your prayer is selfishness. If you pray for selfish reasons God will not give you what you asked him for. Apart from being selfish you may ask God for anything.

When you pray for anything more than what you need, you are praying selfishly. Jesus did not die on the cross to boost our ego, to increase our wealth, or to spoil us with luxuries. He did not rise from the dead to bring our personal plans and schemes to fulfilment. He died and rose from the dead to bring us to the spirit-life and not to satisfy our flesh.

For anything else we may confidently go to God in prayer. He is usually quicker to answer our prayers than we are to receive faith. Often he will pour faith into our hearts while we are still praying. He seldom keeps us waiting!

#### Why God Answers Prayers

God does not have any favourites among us. He wants to give to all irrespective of who they are. He has only one 'favourite', his Son Jesus. He does not favour religious people above unreligious people, the rich above the poor, or vice versa. He accepts all people as they are.

Some people try to find a reason in themselves why God should answer their prayers. They come to God with some self-made faith, some good work, or good intentions. "Lord, you know I love you. I pray regularly, I read my Bible, I go to church, and give to the poor. I do not envy my neighbour... so Lord please, answer my prayer." These are the 'goody goodies'. They think they are good enough that God should answer their prayers. Needless to say, God does not answer such prayers.

You may ask, "But why not?" Simply because God does not give anything to us on the basis of who we are or what we have done, but only on the basis of what Jesus has done!

There are also people who never come to God in prayer at all. No matter how hard they try, they never find any reason in themselves why God should answer their prayers. These are the 'baddies' - people who think they are so bad that God will not even listen to them. All they find in themselves are reasons why he should not answer their prayers. Needless to say, God is waiting for prayers of people like that! They have to see that he gives because of Jesus and for no other reason!

#### The Most Important Prayer

Nothing changed my life as dramatically as one specific prayer, the prayer for divine wisdom. We do not need to live one moment without divine wisdom. We do not need to resort to human wisdom. Divine wisdom is available to us, just for the asking.

Anyone can ask and receive wisdom from God. There is only one provision: he only gives through faith. Without faith there is no wisdom. But he is more eager to give us wisdom than we are to receive it. Just ask him for wisdom and receive faith in your heart that he has answered you. Sometimes you will know his answer immediately and at other times it will take a bit longer. But even if you do not know his answer immediately, once you have received it through faith in your heart you will eventually know it!

#### Divine Wisdom

Divine wisdom is totally different from human wisdom. Divine wisdom is God's answer to a question, problem, or situation. While human wisdom is based on the past, divine wisdom takes the future into account.

You have to know what God will give you when you ask him for wisdom. He will give you more than just a theoretical answer or solution to your problem. When he gives you wisdom he gives you Jesus, who is the Wisdom of God. Whenever you receive wisdom from him about anything you will always receive Jesus

When you receive Jesus as God's wisdom he comes into your situation to change it and bring the solution into reality. His wisdom is not a passive 'knowledge of the solution'. It is the solution itself and is always dynamic. It will not tell you God's answer. It will be his answer and it will change your situation from 'problem' to 'solved'. Jesus, the Wisdom of God, will do it for you.

You may always ask God for his wisdom irrespective of what your situation is. He will give it to you through faith. No other prayer is to be answered so certain. It is the one prayer that he guarantees he will answer. I have always received divine wisdom whenever I asked and received it in faith. Every time I received wisdom from him my life was dynamically changed. Jesus became real to me and effected God's change in me and my situation. Sometimes the change was hardly noticeable, at other times it was dramatic, but he always answered!

### The Key of Receiving

The third key we have to look at is the principle of receiving. One day when I was walking into the bathroom God spoke to my heart, "It is more important to receive than to understand!" Why he spoke at that moment I do not know, but since then I have discovered the power of that word.

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO RECEIVE THAN TO PERCEIVE.

#### Faith over Mind

You may have noticed how many prayers are prayed and how few prayers are answered. We have even come to expect God not to answer us! We have come to believe that God only wants to listen to us and not give to us! We pray for the sake of praying! We have come to put a value on prayer. We think that God wants us to pray because he wants to listen to us! No, he wants us to pray so that he can give to us! We should put a value on receiving

When our prayers are not answered it is not a matter of God not giving, but of us not receiving. He does give, but we do not receive. His hands are open in giving, but ours are closed to receiving. The explanation for this is twofold.

Because we do not know what to expect from him we do not notice when he gives and do not take what he gives. As we saw previously God gives faith in answer to prayer. We need to be on the lookout for faith, receive faith from him, and treasure that faith as the very thing received.

GOD MEANS TO ANSWER PRAYERS AND PRAYERS ARE MEANT TO BE ANSWERED.

We also fail to receive from him because of our quest for understanding. We are preoccupied with understanding. Instead of receiving from God through faith we want to understand! Understanding has become a barrier preventing us to receive from God.

Let me explain. When we ask Jesus to cleanse us of sin so that we will no longer be aware of it, we try to understand. We argue this way and that and try to grasp it with our minds. We ask ourselves, "How does it work? How does he do it? What about the sins we continue committing?" And so we try to understand.

When we ask God for anything else we also try to understand. We try to understand why, how, or when he will give. If we do come to some understanding we are content and think that we have received, but we have only come to some understanding in our minds! We have not yet received faith in our hearts!

We do not receive from God with our mind, but with our heart, our spirit. It is with our heart that we receive through faith what he has in store for us even though we do not understand it. It is with our heart that we believe!

If you want anything from God you have to receive it, not understand it. He wants to give to you, not explain to you, unless, you have asked him to explain something to you. Even then you have to receive it from him with your heart! In your prayer include a sentence such as, "Lord, I do not understand it, but I receive it through faith in my heart..."

For too long the Christian church has been trapped by this quest for understanding. Instead, the church should excel in receiving. For too long the ministry of the church has attempted to explain things that cannot be understood, but can only be received through faith. How many people have given up hope because they could not understand! God does not want to explain to us, he wants to give to us! We just have to receive! Without receiving we will have nothing!

WE DO NOT RECEIVE FROM GOD WITH OUR MIND, BUT WITH OUR SPIRIT.

#### Receiving Faith

You will discover that every time you ask God for anything he will confirm it to your heart by giving you faith. Faith will flow into your heart and you will know that you have received it from him. Once you have received faith from him, it is yours forever. It will grow like a seed that has fallen on good soil and one morning you will wake up and discover new growth in your life. What you have received will be there for all to see!

However, the seed that falls on the rocky soil of your mind will be lost before the day is finished. Nothing lasting will ever come of it. It may spring up quickly, but will not grow deep or bear fruit. Be on the lookout for his answer! It will always be faith!

## 2. Completely Forgiven!

Jesus has come to enable us to live in the spirit where we can experience his presence and reality. The starting point to all this is the total cleansing of our sins. He came to cleanse us of our sins so that we will not be aware of them!

### Complete Forgiveness of Sins

Forgiveness of sins is, apart from your natural birth, the most important thing that can happen to you. It is the moment that determines your eternal destiny. Once you have received forgiveness of sins, your destiny is eternal life with God. As long as you have not yet received forgiveness of sins, your destiny is eternal death without God.

Once you have received forgiveness of sins nothing you have done previously counts anymore. Everything you have done or neglected to do is forever erased. Nothing that happens in your life after this moment can change the forgiveness you have received.

That your sins are forgiven for eternity will remain true irrespective of your experiences afterwards. The devil will attack you with accusations and your conscience will assist him. You will experience times of doubt and even fear. But your eternal destiny is secure in the forgiveness you have received from Jesus.

You may say, "How is it possible for me to be totally cleansed of my sins? Forgiven perhaps, and then only if I confess, but totally cleansed?"

We need to see very clearly that Jesus did only one work of salvation. He went to the cross once. His blood was shed once. He did not do one thing for the forgiveness of our sins, something else for the cleansing of our sins, and still something else for the removal of our sins. All this is just different terminology emphasizing the completeness of his forgiveness, which happened through his one act of salvation.

Forgiveness without cleansing is no forgiveness at all, just as cleansing without the removal of sins is no cleansing. Forgiveness is the cleansing of sins and cleansing is the removal of sins. When your sins are forgiven you are cleansed of them and when you are cleansed of them, they are removed, all through the one sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

You should also note that Jesus' sacrifice was for all your sins not only for some of them. When Jesus forgives you, he forgives you all your sins. When he has forgiven you, he has cleansed you of all your sins. When he has cleansed you, he has removed all your sins.

If he has cleansed you, your sins are removed forever! You will not be aware of your sins! The forgiveness Jesus gives is complete forgiveness

You may also ask, "How is it possible not to be aware of my sins? I am so conscious of them!" You could not ask a more important question. Let us look at this more carefully.

### The Value of the Blood

In Old Testament times sacrifices were offered to God for the atonement of sins. This happened every day through the service of the priests in the holy place of the temple. In addition, on the Day of Atonement, once a year, the high priest would slaughter a goat and a calf and bring the blood into the most holy place of the temple to present it to God as a sacrifice of atonement. This sacrifice was for the collective sins of the people including those committed in ignorance.

This happened continually for ages, which shows that those sacrifices and offerings did not and could never take sins away! Those sacrifices never cleansed the sinner of his sins. In fact, it reminded him of his sins! Every time a sacrifice was made it reminded him of the sins for which it was brought

BUT JESUS - Jesus brought one sacrifice, once and for all, which was sufficient not only to remove sins forever and completely, but also to cleanse the conscience of guilt so that the person cleansed would not even be conscious of sin! If his sacrifice were insufficient he would have had to bring another and another until he had accomplished the removal of sins. But it was not necessary because God accepted his one sacrifice as sufficient payment for all sins.

When Jesus was crucified he went as High Priest into the heavens, into the presence of God, and offered his blood as a complete sacrifice for the sins of all people of all time. That God accepted his sacrifice was proved beyond all doubt by Jesus' resurrection. He returned from heaven as proof that God had accepted his sacrifice just as the high priest returned from the most holy place to the people waiting outside the temple.

We need to see the value of Jesus' blood. God accepted Jesus' blood because the blood of a goat or calf could never pay for the sins of man. Jesus came as man to pay for the sins of man. God accepted a man's sacrifice as payment for man's sins. He also accepted Jesus' blood because it was the only human blood not tainted by sin. Jesus was born holy and lived a holy and righteous life in which he obediently fulfilled all God's requirements. When he offered his blood to God it was uncontaminated by sin. It was holy blood and God accepted it without hesitation.

There is no substitute for blood. Even today in our highly developed scientific age a substitute for blood has not yet been developed. There is no substitute for Jesus' blood. Only his blood cleanses from sins.

God accepted Jesus' blood as complete payment for our sins. No other blood could fulfil his requirements. It satisfied him, why shouldn't it satisfy us? He accepted it as sufficient payment, why shouldn't we? When Jesus forgives and cleanses you, you will not be aware of your sins. Your guilty conscience will be cleansed and changed into a good conscience. You are not meant to live with a consciousness of sins at all! Some people think it is good to be constantly aware of your sins and to be burdened by guilt and shame. Nothing could be further from the truth! A guilty conscience will prevent you from living in the spirit and experiencing God's presence!

JESUS CAME TO CLEANSE US OF OUR SINS SO THAT WE WILL NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF THEM.

### Receiving Forgiveness

You may ask, "Why am I still aware of my sins?" Perhaps because you have never received forgiveness! You may say, "But I believe in the forgiveness of sins!" Yes, but you have never received forgiveness! You may say, "But I have prayed many times and asked God to forgive me!" Yes, but you have never received forgiveness!

You have to see that Jesus is the one that has to forgive you, cleanse you, and remove your sins. You need to go to him in prayer and ask him to forgive you all your sins, to cleanse you completely, and to remove them from you forever. He will do it. He came for this very purpose.

Please also accept that when you ask Jesus to forgive you, you have to receive from him! So many times he gives, but we do not receive! You need to receive faith in your heart that he has forgiven you all your sins through the blood he presented to his Father. Your prayer should end with thanksgiving and praise!

To receive forgiveness and cleansing from Jesus is not an intellectual or emotional action, but a spiritual action. It is not through intellectual assessment or emotional feelings that we receive from Jesus, but through faith received in our spirit. Intellectual insight and emotional feelings will only last till the next insight or feeling. Faith received from God, however, will last for eternity!

Receiving forgiveness of sins is something that happens to you. You will be aware of it. It is a moment of awareness. You will experience God's peace and his love for you. You will be conscious that Jesus has forgiven and cleansed you. You will know that you are clean. How long this moment lasts is not important as long as it happens!

"Will Jesus forgive me?" Ask him to forgive you! When he does he will confirm it to you by giving you faith. You will know that he has forgiven you. Ask him and wait for him until he gives you faith. Do not let go of him until you have received faith! His blood is sufficient to eradicate all the sins of mankind. Do you have more sins than that?

Find some place where you will be alone and ask Jesus to forgive you. Wait until he gives you faith as proof that he has forgiven you your sins. Once you have received faith you may go from there rejoicing. It is done! Your sins are forgiven! Forgiveness is yours forever!

### Living in the Spirit

Lastly, we also need to consider that the reason you do not experience the cleansing of your sins may be that you do not live in the spirit, but in the flesh.

You have asked and received and even experienced Jesus' forgiveness, but somehow it has evaporated. You are still aware of your sins even to the point of desperation. You still do not have victory over sin. You battle with sin, but it is a hopeless battle. No matter how much you try or how hard you fight, you still surrender to sin.

I know what you are talking about. I have been there myself. The battle is sometimes so fierce that you seem to lose hope in life itself. Now you need to remember! The forgiveness you received from Jesus is yours for eternity even though you may not always experience it! The truth is found in the sacrifice and blood of Jesus and not in our experience. Experience comes through living in the spirit.

Although you may not experience it, it is still true! Once you received faith in your heart as proof of Jesus' forgiveness it became true of you! But you will experience its reality only when you live in the spirit.

THE TRUTH WAS REVEALED THROUGH THE SACRIFICE AND BLOOD OF JESUS. EXPERIENCE ITS REALITY COMES THROUGH LIVING IN THE SPIRIT.

### Continually Forgiven and Cleansed

Jesus our High Priest removed our sins completely and forever through his blood. But as we live as human beings we discover that we still commit sins and no amount of struggle seems to change that. I start the day with the best intentions, but at the end of the day I am ashamed of myself, not only for what I have done, but also because of who I am.

Take heart! Jesus has provided a remedy - living in the spirit! When we live in the spirit we live in God's presence. In his presence are Jesus and the blood he presented to his father for our sins. As we live in God's presence, the blood continually cleanses us of all sin and unrighteousness

This is what you will experience when you live in the spirit. You will not only have victory over sin, but you will also be continually cleansed of sin. If you commit sins while living in the flesh you will experience God's forgiveness and cleansing the moment you live in the spirit again!

### The Message of the Church

It is the privilege of the church to preach this message of complete forgiveness of sins. So often, however, the church seems to be at a loss as to its purpose and destiny. If anything it is at least to preach this message.

This message is the heart of the gospel. It is for this that Jesus came. It is for this that he died and rose again. It is at the cleansing of our sins through his blood that we meet the crucified Jesus and the risen Christ! Through his blood our sins are forgiven completely and forever! Through his forgiveness and cleansing we are united with him for eternity! Through our union with him we can experience his reality in our lives! This is the heart of the message entrusted to the church.

The church is often at a loss as to what its message should be. It preaches human wisdom, human psychology, human philosophy and religious principles. It preaches human responsibility, social responsibility, and ecclesiastical tradition. It preaches morality and puts burdens on people's shoulders. It seldom preaches the gospel of Jesus crucified, the gospel of complete forgiveness through his blood.

While the church often seems to be at a loss as to what its message should be, the pews of churches are filled with people burdened by guilt and shame and struggling with sin. These people should be carriers of the message, but they themselves have not even heard it.

Even if the church preaches Biblical truths it does not necessarily preach the truth. The Bible, although it is true, is not the truth. Jesus is the Truth and the truth is preached only when Jesus is proclaimed.

## 3. One with Jesus!

Let us now consider some very important implications.

### Cleansed of All Sins

Once you have received faith from Jesus that he has forgiven and cleansed you, you are cleansed of all sins for eternity, including those you are still going to commit! The blood of Jesus, which was shed long before you committed any sins, is the complete remedy for all your sins! This is the truth, in spite of what you may experience

If you have not received forgiveness from him you are not cleansed of your sins and you will not go to heaven. You are still under the wrath of God, in spite of how good your life may be, how religious you may be, or whether you are a member of a Christian church. You need to receive forgiveness from him! Unless he washes you, you will not be clean!

Some people think that you need to confess your sins to God before he will forgive you, that unless you confess you will not receive forgiveness. We need to state very clearly that the confession of sins is not a condition for the forgiveness of sins. Rather, if you are troubled by sins and you confess them to God you have the assurance that he has forgiven you! But even without the confession of your sins they are completely forgiven when you receive forgiveness from Jesus.

Others think that you need to repent of your sins before Jesus will forgive you. They think that you have to stop sinning before you will receive forgiveness. This is untrue and simply impossible. If it were possible for you to stop sinning then you would not need forgiveness at all. Repentance is not to stop sinning, but to turn your attention away from your sins and look to Jesus to ask and receive forgiveness from him!

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN CLEANSED OF SINS FOR ETERNITY!

### Belonging to Jesus

Once you have received faith from Jesus that you are forgiven and cleansed you belong to Jesus! Change of ownership has been effected. You no longer belong to yourself, the world, the devil, or anyone else. You have been bought with a price paid in full. Jesus paid the price with his own life! He now owns you. He may now do with you what pleases him.

What pleases him is to change you into his own image to the glory of his Father! This is true of you irrespective of what you may experience!

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO BELONGS TO JESUS FOREVER!

### One with Jesus

Once you are forgiven and cleansed you have become one with Jesus! He has grafted you into himself. From now on you are in him. What is true of him is now true of you. When the Father now looks at you he sees only his Son Jesus and through Jesus allows you into his holy presence forever! This is the truth

Jesus came to include us in himself! This is the wonder and mystery of the Christian message. We are one with Jesus! This is the Father's way of saving us from our sins and from the power of sin, from the law and the world. Jesus, everything he has done, and everything that has happened to him has become ours according to our union with him!

This unification with Jesus, which takes place the moment we receive forgiveness from him, is a spiritual unification and a spiritual reality. It is our spirit that is united with him. Because it is a spiritual reality and true of us, we experience its reality only when we live in the spirit and not when we live in the flesh.

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO IS UNITED WITH JESUS FOREVER!

### One with Me

Once you are forgiven and cleansed Jesus has become one with you! Through his Spirit he has made your spirit his home forever. He has come to live in you, that is in your spirit! No longer will you search for him because he will be ever present! No longer will you need to shout his name, but you may whisper it in your spirit and he will hear

Jesus lives in us from the moment we receive forgiveness of sins. This is the Father's way of imparting Jesus to us. It is a spiritual reality and we experience it when we live in the spirit.

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE IN WHOM JESUS LIVES FOREVER!

### Given the Holy Spirit

When you receive forgiveness from Jesus you also receive the Holy Spirit who comes to live in you. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and of Jesus. It is through their Spirit that they now live in you. It is their Spirit of whom you become aware when you live in the spirit.

The promise of God is that as you turn to Jesus you will receive both forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit simultaneously. It is impossible to receive forgiveness of sins and not to receive the Holy Spirit at the same time. He is the one who ministers forgiveness to us!

The interpretation of the gospel that separates the forgiveness of sins from the receiving of the Holy Spirit is not true. The one is impossible without the other. When you receive forgiveness from Jesus you also receive the Holy Spirit. Both the receiving of the Holy Spirit at the moment of our forgiveness and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are gifts we receive when we become one with Jesus. Receiving the Holy Spirit has to do with his indwelling our hearts. The baptism of the Holy Spirit has to do with our empowering for ministry.

Irrespective of your view on these gifts, you will only experience them when you live in the spirit.

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT!

### Part of Jesus' Church

When you are forgiven and cleansed you have become a member of Jesus' body, his church! This is the only way to become a member of his church, a member not for life, but for eternity

You should note that to be part of Jesus' church has nothing to do with membership of a local Christian church. His church is his body to which all forgiven people of all time belong. It is the universal and eternal church of Christ. It is possible for you to be part of his church without being a member of a local Christian church. It is possible for you to be part of Jesus' church and belong to a local church. It is possible for you to be a member of a local church and not belong to Jesus' church because you have never received forgiveness of sins.

It is through forgiveness that Jesus makes you a member of his church. It is through forgiveness that he grafts you into his body. It is not the other way round. A person who has not received forgiveness from Jesus, who has not been cleansed of his sins, is not part of Jesus' body.

Some people think that you are born physically into Jesus' church. Because your parents are members of a church, you automatically become a member of Jesus' church at your natural birth. This is not true. You only become a member of Jesus' church at your 're-birth' or spiritual birth. This happens the moment you receive forgiveness and cleansing of your sins from Jesus.

Others think that you become a member of Jesus' church when you become a member of a Christian church and that you then automatically receive forgiveness of sins. Some even think that you become a member of Jesus' church and receive forgiveness of sins when you are 'christened' or baptized. This is all wrong. You become part of Jesus' church only through forgiveness of sins and never through baptism or membership of a local church. When you receive forgiveness from Jesus, freely, by grace, and through faith, you become one with him and part of his church, forever. Only then should water baptism and membership of a local church follow. Forgiveness is the basis of it all!

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO IS PART OF JESUS' CHURCH FOREVER!

### A Child of God

Once you are forgiven and cleansed you are born again and a child of God! You will notice that something has changed - you are not your old self, you are different. Others will notice this too and you may tell them that you have been forgiven and made one with Jesus!

Once you are forgiven and cleansed, you are God's forever! Nothing will change this. No matter how difficult the rest of your life may be, no matter how many obstacles you may encounter, nor how many accusations the devil may bring against you, YOU ARE A FORGIVEN AND CLEANSED CHILD OF GOD! This is true of you for all eternity! And when you close your physical eyes for the last time you will open your spiritual eyes to behold the glory of your saviour Jesus and the glory of your Father

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO IS A CHILD OF GOD FOREVER!

### Given Everything

Let me emphasize this. When you receive forgiveness from Jesus you become one with him, you are part of him, and you are in him. This is true of you for eternity. Through your union with him you share in everything that is in him, even the resurrection of your body on the day of his return! In him you have already received everything the Father wants to give you! It is all yours! There is nothing left to be received! Forgiveness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, baptism in the Holy Spirit, the spirit life, healing, protection, provision, your daily bread... Whatever you are to receive from Jesus was given you when you became one with him! You already have it all in Jesus! Jesus is the beginning and the end of it all! This is the truth.

A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS RECEIVED EVERYTHING IN JESUS!

### Truth and Experience

When Jesus forgives and cleanses us through his blood we enter into the realm of the truth and all that we have according to our union with him is truthfully ours. This is true of us for eternity whether we are aware of it or not!

God, however, has more in mind for us. However wonderful this truth may be, he wants us to experience it daily! He wants us to experience the truth! He wants all that Jesus did for us to be a reality in our lives!

This happens when we live in the spirit. When we live in the spirit Jesus makes all that we have in him real in our lives. In the spirit the truth becomes reality. When we live in the spirit we enter the realm of reality and all that we have in him becomes ours in reality and experience!

Now you know that a Christian is not someone who has given something to God or who has done something for him. A Christian is someone to whom God has given everything and for whom God has done everything in Jesus Christ!

# Part 2 Jesus Delivers Us through His Cross

Jesus came to give us all we need to believe his truth and to experience his reality. The truth of Jesus is found in his earthly ministry and his reality in his heavenly ministry. His truth was expressed through his life in the flesh while his reality is expressed through his life in the spirit. His life in the flesh is his life as a human being. His life in the spirit spans eternity. He gave his flesh, his temporary, earthly, and human existence as a sacrifice on the cross to retain his spirit, his divine and heavenly existence as a gift for all who were to become one with him.

The truth is historical. It is past tense. It happened when Jesus lived in the flesh until he was crucified. It is completed! Nothing will change it just as history cannot be changed. The truth you are now going to read about cannot be changed or altered. It forms the basis of our experience of Jesus and is true of everyone who has been united with him!

## 4. God is Not Angry Anymore!

When Jesus forgives and removes our sins through his blood we are made one with him. Once that has happened we are delivered from the anger of God and from his punishment.

Man's position is this: because of our sins we are separated from God and have no access to his presence. We are under his wrath and on our way to eternal condemnation. This is true of every person on earth. This is true of every person outside Jesus.

We all, though, seek God's forgiveness, presence, and peace. We hunger to be united with him in love and accepted by him as his own. We do this in different ways, each represented by a religion of which Christianity is one of many. Followers of each religion seek ways to please God so that they may escape from his anger and his eternal punishment.

Not all of us are honest about our longing for God, not even to ourselves. But it is there for all to see in our continual attempts to live an acceptable life while we try to escape the condemnation of our own conscience.

### Separated from God

Man is separated from God with no access to his presence. What separates us from him either comes from within or from without.

From within our sins separate us from God and his presence. Our sinful nature and our 'flesh', our humanity, prevent us from entering and living in his presence. Jesus came to remove all these hindrances for us.

From without we are kept separated from God by misleading messages that do not show Jesus as the only way to God. These messages may originate from many different sources, even from distorted Bible messages that do not point to Jesus as the only and complete way to God.

#### Not the Bible...

Some point to the Bible as the way to God. They say, "We come to God through the Bible". No, we do not come to God through the Bible, but only through Jesus. He is the only way through whom anyone may come to the Father. The Bible directs us to Jesus and Jesus directs us to the Father of whom he is the complete revelation.

For many it is impossible to think of God or to have a meaningful relationship with him without the Bible. They live in a relationship with the Bible instead of a relationship with Jesus. They say, "We know God through the Bible." No, we only know about him through the Bible. We only know him personally through Jesus.

The Bible is not the problem. What we do with the Bible is the problem. We have made the Bible the mediator between God and man and have allowed the Bible to take the place of Jesus. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.

The early Christians did not have a Bible as we do. There were only a few Old Testament manuscripts in Jewish synagogues and some New Testament manuscripts circulating among the different churches. These Christians did not live in a relationship with the Bible, but in a relationship with Jesus himself. When they were faced with any problem they went directly to Jesus and heard the answer from him. We, though, more than often seek our answer in the Bible or go to the church and the church enquires from the Bible. How much do we miss!

#### ...But Jesus!

We need to distinguish clearly between Jesus and the Bible. The Bible is not Jesus and Jesus is not the Bible. Jesus is the Son of God whose existence is from eternity. The Bible only came into being some 2000 years ago although parts of it date back much further. The Bible gives us a divine inspired testimony of Jesus. It tells us about Jesus, who he is, what he has done, and from where he came. It tells us to go to Jesus for salvation and life. In this it acts like a road map or a road sign showing us the way to go. The Bible is not the way, but shows Jesus as the way. To occupy ourselves with the road map, or to stay at the road sign, will not bring us to the presence of the Father. How many Christians spend their lives studying the road map and never experience the reality of Jesus. We need to enter the way

Although the Bible, because of its divine inspiration, is true, it is not the truth. Jesus is the only one who may be called 'the Truth'. In fact, that is one of his names. Similarly, although the Bible is divinely inspired and true, it may not be called the 'Word of God'. Jesus is the only one who may be called the 'Word of God'. That is another one of his names. However valuable and precious the Bible may be to us we may never promote it as equal to Jesus by calling it by one of his names.

Jesus is the Word of God! How glorious to see this. It is through Jesus that God speaks to us spiritual and life-giving words. The written word will never be able to impart spirit and life. Spirit and life are only found in Jesus

### Reconciled with God

There is only one way back to God, his forgiveness, acceptance, love, and presence. It is the way he provided for us. No other way is acceptable to him. No other way makes provision for a sacrifice that would meet his requirements and satisfy him.

The way he provided for us is Jesus. Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life. God gave his Son to deliver us from his anger and punishment and to reconcile us to himself.

When Jesus forgives and removes our sins through his blood we are made one with him. Once that has happened we are delivered from the anger of God and from his punishment, which is eternal condemnation. We have no sins left for which he will punish us! We are made one with his Son and he will never punish his Son with eternal condemnation!

Once your sins are forgiven God is not angry with you anymore!

## 5. We Cannot Continue Sinning!

There is a difference between the sins we have committed and that were forgiven by Jesus and sin as master that rules our lives. Jesus came not only to forgive and cleanse us of the individual sins we have committed, but also to set us free from sin as master.

Just as with the forgiveness of sins this is part of Jesus' one work of salvation on the cross. It is already true of you if you have been united with Jesus. It just needs to become real! You will experience this when you live in the spirit.

### Sin as Master

Sin had entered the world through Adam and since then has ruled over all Adam's descendants. All people have been born in slavery to sin.

Sin has been a proper slave master. It enslaves people from a very young age to work for it. Sin also pays each slave his wage. The wage it pays for the work done in its service has been the same since Adam and has been the same for all. It is death. When you live in slavery to sin you experience spiritual and physical death.

### Removed From his Power

Jesus came to set us free from the power of sin. He has not yet removed sin, which he will do when he returns. In order to set us free from sin's dominion he incorporated us in himself so that all that happened to him became true of us.

Your union with Christ at the moment of your cleansing makes you a co-partaker in his death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven. What happened to Jesus happened to you! When he died you died with him. When he was buried, you were buried with him. When he was resurrected, you were raised with him and ascended with him into heaven. You are now seated with him in heaven! This is true of you even if you do not experience it

The moment you died with Jesus sin lost its dominion over you. Sin only had power over you as long as you were alive, but when you died with Jesus it lost every hold it ever had on you. You became dead to sin.

This is true of every person who is one with Jesus. It is, however, seldom experienced in daily life. Instead, we experience enslavement to sin. We sin continuously and have no choice in it. We sin even when we don't want to.

This, however, changes when you live in the spirit. Then you begin to experience that sin is no longer your master. You do not have to acknowledge its authority or power. Instead, you can now ignore it or just simply say "No!" to it.

When you live in the spirit you experience the truth that you are no longer a slave to sin!

WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS, HAPPENED TO YOU!

### A New Master

In fact, you are now enslaved to a new master, the one who redeemed you from sin and its wages. You now belong to a new owner, the Lord Jesus Christ, who set you free from sin by taking you with him to his cross. Your new master does not pay wages. He gives freely and what he gives is called 'gifts'. His gift to you is life eternal

Whereas in the past you submitted your body to the demands of sin, Jesus will now use your body for his service. Sin has had its way in you despite the many objections you raised. Jesus will now to a greater extent have his way in you even if you sometimes protest against it.

Again we must stress this. This is true of all who are united with Jesus. But it only becomes real in your life when you live in the spirit.

### Set Free From My Sinful Nature

Jesus' one work of salvation is a complete work of salvation. He has removed everything that hinders me in my relationship with God and prevents me from living in his presence. This includes my sinful nature.

I need to see two different sides of myself, the one sinful and the other human. Both are obstacles preventing me from entering into God's presence. Both have to be dealt with by Jesus. He removed my 'sinful nature' by taking it with him to die on the cross. He overrules my human nature, my 'flesh', by enabling me to live in the spirit.

I need to see my sinful nature as it is. I sin because I was born a sinner. I am not a sinner because I sinned. This is true in the same way as it is true that I am human being because I was born a human being not because I act like one. A chimpanzee that has been trained to act like a human doesn't become human because he acts like one. I was born a sinner like every other human being ever born into the human race. Only Adam and Eve became sinners by choice. You and I had no choice! We inherited our sinfulness in the same way as we inherited our humanity. We were born sinful human beings.

To bring me to the life he intended for me Jesus had to redeem me from my sinfulness. He did this on his cross. Because I became one with him, what happened to him happened to me! I was crucified with him and my 'sinful nature' was included in his crucifixion. My 'sinful self' died with him on the cross and was removed eternally

"But, why am I. .?" Yes, I know, why are you still discovering your old sinful self in you, desiring to sin? Because, although it is true that Jesus delivered you from your sinful nature, you will only experience it as a reality when you live in the spirit. Thank Jesus that he dealt with your sinfulness and hold on to the truth, reality will come to you!

JESUS ONE WORK OF SALVATION IS A COMPLETE WORK OF SALVATION.

### Set Free From the Law of Sin

When I live in the flesh, a human life, I discover the law of sin. This law functions like a natural law. The law of gravity, for example, rules that a stone thrown into the air must fall back to the ground. It has no choice.

The same is true of me as human being. I must sin and sin continuously. I have no choice. There is nothing I can do to prevent me from sinning. The law of sin overrules my own intentions. This is true of every human being.

There is also another law, the law of the spirit. This law overrules the law of sin. If I hold the stone in my hand, I overrule the law of gravity. When I live in the spirit the law of sin is overruled. When I live in the spirit I am set free from the law of sin and experience victory over sin.

### Sin and Man

We need to see the relation between sin and man.

Sin is a reality in the life of the person outside Jesus. He sins continually, is aware of it, is accused by his conscience and the law and is held in slavery by sin and his sinful nature. He even delights in sinning and tries to suppress his conscience. This is his daily experience.

This is also, sadly, true of him. He is under condemnation for his sins. Outside the blood of Jesus there is no forgiveness and outside the cross of Jesus there is no deliverance. That is, unless he turns to Jesus.

Sin is also a reality in the life of the person who is one with Jesus, but who still lives in the flesh. He sins continually, is aware of it, is accused by his conscience and by the law, and is held in slavery by sin and his sinful nature. He tries not to sin, but his sinful nature makes this impossible. This is his daily experience.

This is not true of him, however. Although he sins, he is not held responsible for his sins. The Father has forgiven him! Jesus has set him free from sin, his sinful nature, and the law! This is the truth about him although it is not what he experiences in the reality of his daily living.

How many people who have received forgiveness from Jesus have been living under condemnation because of their sins? They experience guilt to such an extent that it becomes almost unbearable. If you are one of them you need to see the truth - you are completely forgiven and delivered from the power of sin! You only need to live in the spirit to experience the reality of your forgiveness and deliverance.

For the person who is one with Jesus and who lives in the spirit sin is not a reality. For this person everything he has in Jesus is real. The forgiveness of his sins and victory over sin is a daily reality. He has been delivered from sin and his sinful self. This is not only true of him - it is also his daily experience

In the Father's eyes anyone who is one with Jesus cannot continue to sin and if you live in the spirit you will experience this as a reality.

## 6. We Don't Need to Do Religion!

Jesus came to set us free so that we would be completely free. In order to do this, he had to set us free from the law as well.

Jesus incorporated in his life on earth and his death on the cross a threefold deliverance. Firstly, he fulfilled all the demands of the law for us by living a righteous life. Secondary, he was convicted by the law and sentenced to death for all the sins we committed under the law. Thirdly, he took us with him to the cross so that we could die to the law and not be under its jurisdiction any longer.

### The Law and Man

#### Stating God's Requirements

The law states the requirements man has to fulfil to please God. God gave his law to Israel through the mediation of Moses and included in it the Ten Commandments. Israel understood clearly what God required of them.

Although God gave his law to the Israelites, he has written its content in the conscience of every man. Everyone knows God's requirements and when he has transgressed them. In fact, in spite of his own good intentions, he knows that he will never meet those requirements.

The law does not only refer to the law given by God, it also refers to any other religious duties, whether Christian or non-Christian. Whenever you are told, "You must do this...God wants you to do this...God wants you not to do that...", you find yourself face to face with a legalistic religious system.

#### No Forgiveness through the Law

The law or whatever other religious system there is puts the responsibility on man to serve and please God and holds man legally responsible for his way of living. The law functions on the principle of obedience. It demands, by its very nature, obedience to its requirements and punishment for disobedience.

It makes no provision for forgiveness, but only for death as punishment for failure. If it could affect forgiveness it would cease to be the law. In this way the law has become the source of condemnation and death for man. Because no one can keep the law, the law condemns everyone to death, everyone that is not one with Jesus.

THE LAW NEVER FORGIVES, IT ONLY CONDEMNS.

#### No Righteousness through the Law

The law will never bring man into a right relationship with God. No matter how dedicated anyone is to its requirements, they are impossible to fulfil. They just succeed in keeping man a slave working for a freedom he will never acquire. His commitment will never meet the required standard. It is like trying to reach the end of the rainbow, it is always slipping away.

The problem, though, is not with the law, but with man. Man's sinfulness is the reason he cannot keep the law and live according to its requirements. In fact, the law exposes man's sinfulness and his inability to live according to God's requirements. The harder he tries to meet them, the more he discovers his own unrighteousness. He discovers, "No matter how hard I try, I cannot fulfil the requirements of the law." He discovers that he cannot through fulfilment of the law gain access to the presence of God. No one has ever been able to keep the law, no one except Jesus.

Man has also to discover that he doesn't need to fulfil the requirements of the law \- they have been fulfilled on his behalf!

### The Law and Sin

Sin has been in the world since Adam, but was only known as sin after the law was given. Without the law sin would still exist, but it would not be known as sin. The law exposes sin for what it is - it shows its existence, intentions, actions, nature, and its punishment. The law defines sin as the transgression of God's requirements.

The law not only identifies sin as sin, it also creates an environment in which it stimulates sin in me. When I try to live according to the law, the law instead of suppressing sin creates sinful desires in me. When the law forbids me to desire my neighbour's house, it creates by this commandment this very desire in me. If you tell someone not to do something you arouse in him the desire to do exactly that. In this the law acts like a stimulant to expose the presence of sin in me.

The law is not able to suppress sin in me or prevent me from sinning. The problem is, again, not with the law, but with me. My sinfulness prevents the law from giving me victory over sin.

### The Law and Jesus

When you are one with Jesus you are united with the one who fulfilled all the requirements of the law on your behalf!

#### Living a Righteous Life in Our Place

Jesus lived a righteous life on our behalf. He lived a life of complete obedience and fulfilled all the requirements of the law. When you become one with him, his obedience becomes your obedience and his righteousness becomes yours, as if you yourself had completely fulfilled all the requirements of the law! What he did for you was credited to you as if you had done it yourself!

When you are one with Jesus the law does not determine your relationship with the Father, your union with Jesus does. You are one with Jesus and what is true of him is true of you. The Father now sees you in his Son and accepts you just as he accepts Jesus

What you still do in the flesh as a human being, on your own, is irrelevant to God. What you do in the flesh, within or without the law, will never please him. Only what Jesus has done pleases him. Once you are one with Jesus, the Father is as pleased with you as he is with Jesus!

JESUS FULFILLED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW ON OUR BEHALF!

#### Punished on Our Behalf

By its nature the law demands obedience and that disobedience should be punished. Obedience to the law is not only to be obedient to every commandment, but also to be obedient to the intentions of the law. The punishment for disobedience is death. No person has ever been able to obey the law or live up to its demands. Our sinful nature forbids it. Before we were old enough to understand the requirements of the law we had already transgressed it and once there is transgression there is punishment. Punishment for transgression of the law is death, which is eternal separation from the presence of God.

When Jesus was crucified he was crucified in my place. The law condemned him to death for my disobedience. Because of my union with him his punishment became mine! Furthermore, because I was crucified with him I was punished in him for all my sins as well! There is no punishment left! God pardons me forever from any punishment in terms of the law! This is all true of me because Jesus died for me and included me in his death.

JESUS WAS CONDEMNED BY THE LAW TO DEATH ON OUR BEHALF!

#### Delivering Us from the Jurisdiction of the Law

When you are united with Jesus you are united with him in his death and at that very moment you died to the law. As with sin, Jesus does not remove the law, he removes you and me through our union with him from the law. When you died with Jesus you died to the law and the law, though still in existence and applicable to all those outside Jesus, does not apply to you! You are no longer under its jurisdiction! You do not need to keep the law

Because the law is still in existence many people think that we should keep the law or at least use it as a guideline for our lives. They reason that because the law, especially the Ten Commandments, indicates God's requirements for us we should at least try to live according to it. This is simply impossible because anyone who is one with Jesus died to the law! Just as it is impossible for a corpse to keep the law or to be kept accountable by the law, so it is impossible for anyone who is one with Jesus to keep the law! The law has never been a guideline that we should try to follow. Instead, Jesus came to do in us whatever the Father requires of us. This happens when we live in the spirit.

JESUS DOES NOT REMOVE THE LAW. HE REMOVES US FROM THE LAW.

### The Law and Religion

We also need to see the relation between the law and religion. Religion is 'man serving God'. In religion the emphasis is on man and his efforts to serve and please God. A religious person wants to do what he believes God requires of him. Through commitment and obedience he sets out to satisfy God. This is true of every religious person whether Christian or non-Christian.

The law defines the religious requirements man has to fulfil. The law prescribes how he should serve God. Without a law, whether Christian or non-Christian, there can be no effort to meet the requirements. Christianity, though, is not a religion, but many people who call themselves 'Christians' have turned it into a religion. Jesus did not come to introduce a new religion or even the true religion. He came to do exactly the opposite. He came to deliver man from religion! He came to set man free from the obligation and burden of having to serve and please God!

This is why Jesus clashed with the religious leaders of his time. He wanted to take their religion – something they regarded very dearly – and the hold they had over people through it away from them. He wanted to remove the very thing through which they had tried to impress God for centuries – their own efforts to keep his law and serve him.

Instead of their religion and religious efforts Jesus presented them with something totally different. He presented them not with a religion or a religious system of which they could be in control, but with a person – himself! He presented them with the only true alternative to religion: a person who has met all God's religious requirements for them and in whom they can be found complete and lacking nothing!

What he said to them was in essence, "You do not need to satisfy God any more. I will do it for you. You can put your religion and religious duties aside. They are no longer needed. You can come to me and have everything in me." He came to replace their religion with himself. For this he was rejected and crucified.

Most of the religious people of his time rejected him as the alternative to their religion. They would rather stay in the comfort of their own religious duties even if they were not sure whether that would ever satisfy God.

We need to see clearly that Jesus did not come to enforce the law or to present us with a new law to keep. He came to fulfil the law! He came to meet all its requirements to the complete satisfaction of the Father. Neither did he come to confirm an existing religion or establish a new religion. He came to fulfil every religious requirement for man and deliver man from the dreadful obligation to satisfy God, an obligation he could never fulfil!

The new that Jesus brought was not a new religion with its own sets of rules, which could be called 'Christianity' after its 'founder'. Instead, he came as man's substitute and representative. As substitute he took our place on the cross and died for us. As substitute he wants to take our place in our daily existence and live for us. As our representative he represented us on the cross and represents us daily before his Father.

Today Jesus says the same to us. "You don't need to satisfy God. I have done it for you. You can put your religion and your religious duties aside. It is not needed. I have fulfilled the law completely for you. You can come to me and find everything you need in me." Christianity is not a religion! Christianity is a person!

JESUS CAME TO REPLACE RELIGION BY A PERSON - HIMSELF!

### Two Dispensations

We can also talk of two dispensations, the old and the new one.

The old dispensation is the one that started with Adam. It is the dispensation of 'this world' or 'this age'. It is the dispensation of the law and the flesh where man tries to meet God's requirements as prescribed by the law and discovers his inability to do so.

The inevitable consequence is God's wrath and punishment and man's condemnation and death. In this dispensation sin reigns over man and death is the culmination of man's inability to conquer sin and meet the requirements of the law. This is the dispensation of man's separation from the presence of God.

The new dispensation comes with Jesus. It is the dispensation of 'the world to come', or 'the age to come'. It is the dispensation of grace where everything is given freely. It is the dispensation of the spirit where man discovers Jesus' ability to meet all God's requirements, as prescribed by the law, on his behalf and in his place.

The inevitable consequence is peace, forgiveness, deliverance, and life. In this dispensation Jesus reigns over man and eternal life is the culmination of Jesus' ability to conquer sin and meet the requirements of the law on man's behalf! This is the dispensation of man's restoration into the presence of God.

Jesus came to remove the first dispensation of the law and human effort, which prevented us from entering the spirit-life and experiencing God's presence. He came to introduce the second dispensation of grace and divine substitution where we receive everything from him, including the spirit-life, freely by grace.

Jesus does this by including us in himself. In him we are part of the new dispensation. The old dispensation no longer applies to us. Everyone that is not found in him, though, is still part of the old dispensation. Jesus will eventually bring 'the old age' to an end when he returns to judge by the law all those who are still part of the dispensation of the law.

We don't need to do religion!

## 7. We Cannot Follow the World!

Jesus came to set us free so that we can be free indeed. In order to accomplish this he had to deliver us from the world as well.

The world we live in exercises tremendous influence over our lives, thinking, values, and behaviour. We are told what to think, feel and decide. It is as if we are sold into slavery to the world that controls our thoughts and actions. We are not free to think and act as we want to, or as the Father wants us to. Most of the time, we are not even aware of this influence. Jesus had to deal with the world as well in order to set us free.

### The Present World

In essence the world system is a legalistic system operating by the law of work. This law rules that man is rewarded according to the value the world puts on his work. By this it keeps man in slavery. Man has to labour endlessly to meet all the requirements of the world system.

Some of these requirements are compulsory, others are voluntary. For man to meet these obligations and all his needs, he has to labour endlessly. In the end it becomes a vicious circle from which there is no escape, except through death. It is through death that Jesus delivered us from the world! Jesus came to set us free from the world system by removing us through his cross from its influence and by overruling its law of work by his own law of grace.

### Delivered from the World

Jesus delivered us from the world, again not by removing the world or changing the world system through revolutionary means. He did it through his cross, his one work of salvation! Through that one work he set us free from our sins, sin, the law and the world.

He did not remove us from the world, but removed the world from us. He did this by including us in his death. We died with him and through our death with him we died to the world. The world no longer has any hold on us. We no longer belong to the world. We belong to another, to him who set us free.

This is true of everyone who has become one with Jesus. Just as we are set free from sin and the law we are set free from the world and at exactly the same moment - the moment when Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished!" Sins, sin, the law and the world have lost their power

This is true of you if you are one with Jesus, but you may not experience it. In fact, you may experience exactly the opposite. You may either be caught in a web of poverty or a web of wealth through which you are enslaved. You may just be an average person surviving the demands of the world by labouring endlessly.

It may be true of you, but you do not experience it. This experience comes when you live in the spirit. Then you experience the reality of your freedom in Christ from the world and its tentacles. Hold on to the truth, reality awaits you!

Please note that it is not our work, our labour that is the problem, but our enslavement to the world and everything that keeps us in bondage. We work as slaves and not as free men! Freedom does not come through wealth, which is just another form of slavery. It only comes through Jesus.

JESUS DOES NOT REMOVE US FROM THE WORLD. HE REMOVES THE WORLD FROM US.

### Its Law Overruled

Jesus came to overrule the legalistic nature of the world by giving freely. No payment is due and no labour required. All has been paid for by the one who now gives freely. He paid for it! We can receive it!

Jesus came to set us free from the world system and its law not by removing our ability to work, but by introducing the principle of grace, which overrules the system of reward. Man was created to find fulfilment in his work and his caring ruling of God's creation. He was never meant to be a slave working for a wage. He was meant to be a ruler working for the fulfilment of his destiny and purpose. Everything was given him! All was his!

Jesus came to restore this. He brought an end to the relationship between work and reward by introducing a new relationship, that between work and grace. The Father will give you whatever you need, freely, by grace, irrespective of your work or input. You no longer need to work for a reward, but to fulfil your destiny! Tell him what you need, receive faith in your heart, and he will give it to you.

If you are one with Jesus his Father has become your Father and you have become his child. He knows what you need even before you ask him. He will give to you abundantly. Only selfishness will hinder your prayer. If you have received faith in your heart and you don't ask for anything selfish, it will be given to you

### Delivered from its Ruler

The devil, alias Satan or Lucifer, is called 'the prince of this world'. He rules over the world system. It is his domain. The world is in his power. Through his legions of demons he influences and controls individuals, nations, and events through fear, disease, disasters and death as far as he has been given authority.

The truth is that Jesus challenged Satan and his demons, brought them to light, and proved his authority over them during his earthly ministry.

The truth is that Jesus disarmed them. He healed the sick and removed fear. On the cross he removed from Satan the power Satan had through death.

The truth is that Jesus judged Satan, convicted him and sentenced him to eternal death. He is now awaiting imprisonment, which will happen at Jesus' second coming.

Real life seems to contradict this. So few of these truths are seen and experienced. Satan seems to have a roaring time. He roars like a wounded lion awaiting his final deathblow! When you live in the flesh you are vulnerable and exposed to his intimidation. You live in fear of disaster and death. You are sometimes more aware of his evil than you are of Jesus and his glory.

Once you live in the spirit, though, you live without fear of anyone and without fear of death. You live in the presence of Jesus who fills you with faith, peace, and joy and experience victory over Satan.

## 8. All Done!

By virtue of our nature, which is flesh, we can never deliver ourselves. There is nothing we can do to deliver ourselves from our sins, sin, the law, or the legalistic system of the world.

There is nothing we can do to deliver ourselves. We can bring no sacrifice, no amount of self-effort, toil, labour or commitment, and no amount of self-separation from the world or from sin. We need someone from the outside to deliver us, someone divine who is able to satisfy God and his requirements. At the same time he needs to be someone human who is able to act on our behalf, to represent us before God and present us to him.

Jesus did all this! Through his one work of salvation he removed all that separated us from God and restored all that we had lost through that separation. Through the one act in which he offered his life to the Father he accomplished it all! Jesus did everything for us. He accomplished in his earthly ministry everything we will ever need. He did everything for us through his death, resurrection and ascension. It is done! It is completed and complete! Nothing will ever be added to it!

This is the good news: Jesus did it all. He removed everything that kept us from the presence of God, our loving and accepting Father. He dealt with it in his flesh during his earthly ministry and it ended with his death on the cross. Nothing will change or alter it.

It is like an inheritance of which we are legally the heirs and which has been paid into a bank account on our behalf. It is done. Whether we are informed of this or not, it is done. Yes, we have to be informed; we have to be told what Jesus did on our behalf. We must know the truth!

It is just as important for us to experience in reality all that was given us! This happens when we live in the spirit. Then all that is ours in Jesus becomes part of our everyday experience.

We need to see the complete and completed work of Christ on our behalf and in our place. It is all his work, nothing our own. It was done before we were born. This is the truth and it is found in Jesus. It exists outside the Bible, the church and even outside us. It exists in Jesus!

WE NEED TO SEE THE COMPLETE AND COMPLETED WORK OF JESUS ON OUR BEHALF.

Jesus himself, who is the Truth, will validate it. Even this is his work! He does this when he makes the truth a reality in our lives. The revelation of the truth during his fleshly existence was his work. The validation of the truth in my spiritual existence is also his work. He does it all. When Jesus validates the truth in my life I experience the truth as reality. Before that it is truth that exists outside me. It is truth in him, not in me. But when Jesus makes it real in my life, it becomes truth known, it becomes truth in me.

Let us summarise it. Because of our union with Jesus whatever we did was credited to him as if he had done it. For this he was crucified. Whatever he did for us are credited to us as if we have done it. For this we can live. He did for you everything the Father required of you. He did it on your behalf and it is credited to you!

Jesus did everything we need in our lives! He did it all!

WHATEVER YOU HAVE DONE IS CREDITED TO JESUS AS IF HE HAS DONE IT. WHATEVER JESUS DID FOR YOU IS CREDITED TO YOU AS IF YOU HAVE DONE IT.

# Part 3 Jesus Makes It All Real In Our Spirit

Now we come to the wonder of living in the spirit! We have looked at what Jesus did for us in his one work of salvation on the cross. We have seen the riches of our inheritance, which are ours according to our union with him. They are ours and that is the truth!

Let us now proceed to the other important aspect of Jesus' work - to make all of this a reality in our lives. Whereas his work on the cross is historical and was accomplished for us through his blood, this is his work in us. It is present tense and is done in our spirit through his Spirit.

Just as it was his task to accomplish all for us so it is also his task to make it all real in us. The truth is his work. Making it a reality in our lives is just as much his work. We could do nothing about the truth so we can do nothing about making the truth part of our daily experience!

For too long the church has focused on the work of Jesus as it relates to the truth, to all he did for us during his earthly ministry some 2000 years ago and has ignored to a great extent the work of Jesus as it relates to the reality of our present existence. For too long the church has made the work of Jesus as it relates to our experience our own responsibility. Needless to say, man has never and will never be able to fulfil responsibilities that can only be fulfilled by the Son of God himself.

For too long the church has made man responsible for Jesus' work in us by preaching something like: "Jesus died for us. We should live for him." "God gave us his Word, the Bible. We should live in obedience to it." "Jesus said that we should love our enemies. We should obey him and do what he commands." "God said that we should be holy as he is holy. We should see to it that we fulfil his command."

We forget so easily that there has never been a person on earth able to fulfil any of God's requirements except Jesus. There will never be such a person unless he turns to Jesus and asks him to do in, for and through him what God has intended for him!

The church has used the Bible to put responsibilities on man that he could never meet and never had to meet because Jesus came to fulfil it all for him and in him. The church has directed people to the Bible. Instead the church should, like the Bible, direct people to Jesus. Jesus is the one who has to do all in us! He is the one who has to meet every requirement of God in us! That is his work as the risen Christ. When he does this we find ourselves in his presence experiencing his reality as the Christ! It is then that we have come to live in the spirit.

Let us now look at some important principles of the spirit-life, which we find in the relation between the truth and reality, in the history of God's dealing with Israel, in the covenants, and in the temple.

IT WAS JESUS' WORK TO ACCOMPLISH ALL FOR US. IT IS ALSO HIS WORK TO MAKE ALL REAL IN US.

## 9. Truth and Reality

We need to know the truth of Jesus. We need to know what he accomplished for us on the cross. It is ours for eternity and nobody can take it away from us. However, we also need to experience the reality of Jesus as the Christ. We need to experience in ourselves, in our daily living, what he accomplished for us.

### The Crucified Jesus and the Risen Christ

The truth has to do with the crucified Jesus and his work for us on the cross. It has to do with his finished work. Reality, on the other hand, has to do with the risen Christ and his work in us. It has to do with his unfinished and ongoing work. He died on our behalf. Now he wants to live in our stead.

We cannot experience the crucified Jesus. Our experience is in the present while Jesus' crucifixion is in the past. We can only experience the risen, living Christ, and never the crucified Jesus.

The reason we do not experience the reality of Jesus is that we look for it in the crucified Jesus. We will never find reality there. We will only find the truth there. We will find the reality of Jesus only when we look to him as the risen Christ and his work in us.

THE TRUTH HAS TO DO WITH THE CRUCIFIED JESUS AND HIS WORK ON THE CROSS FOR US. REALITY HAS TO DO WITH THE RISEN CHRIST AND HIS WORK IN US.

We look for the reality of Jesus in the crucified Jesus because he is the only Jesus we know, the only Jesus we have been told about. We only know the truth of the crucified Jesus and his work on our behalf and not the reality of the risen Christ and his unfinished work in us.

For the most part the church has only preached a crucified Jesus, "Jesus died for our sins." This is true, but it is not all! It is only part of Jesus' work. It represents only the truth of his work and not the reality of his work. The church should preach a complete Jesus who is found in both the crucified Jesus and the risen, living and glorified Christ!

When the church does preach the risen Christ it tends to limit him to his physical presence and work in heaven. His spiritual presence and work in us is largely neglected. This is due to a misunderstanding that the risen Christ, after his ascension, has been in heaven while the Holy Spirit has been on earth with us. This implies a separation between Christ and the Holy Spirit, which is untrue. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ through whom Jesus the Christ does everything.

Although since his ascension Jesus has physically been in heaven, he has also been living spiritually in his followers. Jesus' ascension was his physical ascension to his throne in heaven. He ascended with his crucified and resurrected body. His authority with which he reigns from his throne, is based on the marks of the suffering embedded in his body.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, on the other hand, was the risen Christ who came to live spiritually in us, that is, through his Spirit in our spirit. This is where we find the reality of Jesus as the Christ.

For the truth we look to the crucified Jesus and for reality we look to the risen Christ. It is when we look to the risen Christ to bring to reality in us the work he did for us on the cross that we discover and experience his reality. When he does in us all he did for us he becomes real to us and he becomes our experience.

FOR THE TRUTH WE LOOK TO THE CRUCIFIED JESUS. FOR REALITY WE LOOK TO THE RISEN CHRIST.

### The Holy Spirit

#### Through the Holy Spirit

Jesus has to do all in our lives. He is the one who secured our salvation for us during his earthly ministry. He is also the one who makes his salvation a reality in our lives. He does all this through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was conceived and released into and empowered for ministry through the Holy Spirit. He preached, drove out demons, and healed the sick through the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave himself as a sacrifice on the cross through the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit he was resurrected from the dead.

On the day of Pentecost he poured out the Holy Spirit through whom he lives in every believer and has since built his church through the Holy Spirit. Whatever Jesus does he does through the Holy Spirit. Jesus has never done anything without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

He established the truth during his earthly ministry through the Holy Spirit. He also makes the truth a reality in our lives through the Holy Spirit. What he did for us he did through the Holy Spirit and what he does in us he also does through the Holy Spirit.

Whatever Jesus does, he does through the Holy Spirit. When Jesus enables you to live in the spirit, he does this through the Holy Spirit.

#### In Our Spirit

We also need to see that Jesus makes his salvation a reality in our spirit. My 'spirit', my 'heart', is the place where Jesus lives and works. I enter into his presence in my spirit, I pray from my spirit, and receive faith to believe in my spirit.

Jesus does not live in my mind. I will not experience his presence and reality through understanding even if I were able to understand everything about him or think about him all day long.

Neither does he live in my emotions. I will not find his presence in sadness or happiness even if I cried or laughed all day.

Nor does he live in my willpower. I will search in vain for him even if I would commit myself to the most rigorous discipline.

Jesus only lives and works in my spirit. This is where I have to look for Jesus and where I will find him.

It is in my spirit that I experience Jesus' presence and reality. He and everything he has done for me becomes reality in my spirit. When I live in my spirit I find myself in the same 'room' with Jesus and discover that he has done all for me, that he is my all, and in him I have been given all.

Living in the spirit is about my 'spirit life' as opposed to my 'flesh life'. When I live in my spirit I live in Jesus' presence where he, as the High Priest, does everything in me and for me through the Holy Spirit. My spirit is the place where Jesus lives and works through the Holy Spirit!

### Our Position

Truth and reality have to do with position. It is a matter of where we are and where Jesus is! The truth has to do with our position in Jesus. Through the cleansing of his blood we are united with him for eternity. We are one with him. We are in him. This is the truth and it will never change. It is eternal and exists outside us in Jesus.

If you have received forgiveness through his blood from Jesus you are in Jesus. This is your position. You are a forgiven, cleansed, holy, and perfect child of God, and heir to the new heaven and earth. This is the truth. It is not affected by anything, least of all by your experience of it.

Reality, though, has to do with Christ's position in us. He has come to live through his Spirit in our spirit. He has come to make a reality in us all he did for us on the cross. This is reality. It exists in me and although my experience of it may change from hour to hour it will never affect the truth.

If you have received forgiveness from Jesus through his blood your experience that you are a forgiven cleansed, holy, and perfect child of the Father depends on Christ's work in you! It is when you look to Jesus to do this work in you that you will experience the truth in yourself and will live in the spirit.

THE TRUTH HAS TO DO WITH OUR POSITION IN JESUS. REALITY HAS TO DO WITH CHRIST'S POSITION IN US.

We need to see that both these works are Jesus' work. Just as he died on the cross for us, he now wants to live in us. It is all his work! Just as the truth of his cross could never be our work so the realization of his cross in our lives could, and will never, be our work. It is all his work. There is nothing we can do, but ask and receive from him, freely, by grace, to do this work in us as well.

If you do not always experience the truth it does not mean that it is not true. It is true for eternity and because it is true of you, you may ask Jesus to make it part of your daily experience. We often make the mistake of believing our experiences. We tend to believe what we see, feel, and experience. But our faith should not be in our experiences, it should be in the truth! Because the truth cannot change, my faith can rest assured in the truth. But my experiences do change and if my faith depended on my experiences my faith would change from hour to hour.

The truth is the basis of our faith while reality is the outcome of our faith. God gives us faith that is based on the truth and is proof of the truth. It is through our faith in the truth that God changes the reality of our lives.

### What We Should See

We have already received everything we need in Jesus. There is nothing that we will ever receive from him that we were not given the moment we were united with him! This is the truth and this is what the Father sees!

The Father sees Jesus' work and what we were given in him. He sees Jesus' work as complete and finished on our behalf. He sees us as his forgiven, cleansed, righteous, and holy children who will inherit the new creation. He sees us as perfect and complete people through the work of his Son. This is what we are in his sight. He sees the truth about us.

Our experience, though, tells a different story. Most of the time we experience exactly the opposite. We experience ourselves as sinful, struggling, doubting and imperfect people, hoping that by some miracle we will go to heaven.

We do not see what God sees! We see what we experience instead of seeing the truth! Our perspective is from the earth, his is from heaven. Our perspective is 'flesh'. His perspective is 'spirit'. We see ourselves outside Jesus. He sees us in Jesus.

The flesh cannot perceive the truth or the spirit. When we live in the flesh we see with the eyes of the flesh and the eyes of the flesh see only flesh. The flesh sees us and others around us as flesh, as sinful human beings.

But when we live in the spirit we see with the eyes of the spirit and the eyes of the spirit see only spirit. The eyes of the spirit see us as we are in Christ, as perfect cleansed children of the Father. The eyes of the spirit also see others around us, who are one with Jesus, as perfect cleansed children of the Father.

We need to live in the spirit to see and experience the truth.

## 10. Jesus Wants to Do All for Us

It is against our nature, our flesh, to be dependent. We, our flesh, our humanity, want to be independent. We want to do our own thing, own our own things, think our own thoughts and speak our own mind. In fact, we hate to be dependent on anyone.

Jesus has to change all this. He has to take us from a fleshly life of independence and bring us to live in the spirit in a position of complete dependence on him. In the spirit we do not rely on ourselves, or anyone else, but on him alone. We receive everything from Jesus and nothing from the Bible or anyone else. He has become our only source of divine blessing.

The journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness after they left Egypt tells us what it means to be completely dependent on Jesus, what it means to live in God's presence, and what it means to live in the spirit.

### Egypt, Where the Journey Starts

Israel worked as slaves in Egypt. It was not easy at all. It was so difficult that they cried to God for help. In Egypt they were dependent on themselves and had to work as slaves for every morsel of bread.

Egypt relates to a life in the flesh where we are dependent on ourselves. It is the place where we get to know ourselves as we are and our flesh as it is. We come to know our position, that we are living a life of slavery, building an alien empire. We come to know our limitations, that we are unable to deliver ourselves from this slavery. We come to know our need for someone to deliver us!

When you live in the flesh, according to your human nature, you live a life of slavery. You work for another and receive no reward or praise. You receive only beatings from the slave master's rod. When you live in the spirit you live a life of freedom. You find everything in Jesus and receive blessing upon blessing from him!

### The Journey through the Wilderness

God took Israel on a journey through the wilderness where he led them with his presence and showed them that they could trust him and rely on him as their sole supplier.

#### The Blood of the Lamb

Israel's journey started with the blood of a lamb. The Israelites had to slaughter a lamb, cook and eat it, and put its blood on the lintel of the doors to their homes. When the Angel of Death visited Egypt to kill the first-born sons, he passed over the lintels where the blood was. The blood of the lambs saved the children of the Israelites from death. The blood was the sign of life to the angel that another had given his life for them and had already died for them.

The blood also gave the Israelites access to live in the presence of God. As they travelled through the wilderness he led them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They lived in his presence all the days of their journey.

Our journey starts with blood, too. It starts with the blood of the Lamb Jesus. His blood saves us from the punishment for sin, which is eternal death. His blood is the sign of life that another has given his life for us, another has already died for us.

When we receive forgiveness of sins from Jesus we not only receive forgiveness, we receive Jesus as well. We become one with him and he becomes one with us just as the lamb became one with the Israelites when they ate it as part of their Passover meal.

The blood of Jesus also gives us access to the presence of the Father day and night, that is, continuously. We may live all the days of our lives conscious of his glorious presence because of the blood of Jesus

The Israelites for ages afterwards had to eat the Passover to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt. In the same way Jesus wants us to commemorate our unity with him by partaking regularly of Holy Communion. We have become one with him! We commemorate this by eating the bread, his 'flesh', and drinking the wine, his 'blood'.

#### The Red Sea

The journey continued with God taking Israel miraculously through the Red Sea in which he buried the Egyptian army. Israel could not go back to Egypt. The road behind them was closed. They faced the wilderness with only God to help them!

The Red Sea relates to our baptism in water, or through water, which cuts us off from Egypt, from a life in the flesh, and brings us face to face with the wilderness and complete dependence on God.

We need to see that Jesus cleanses us with a twofold cleansing. He cleanses our spirit with his blood and he cleanses our bodies with clean water. The first happens when we receive forgiveness from him and the second happens at our baptism. The first he does with his blood and the second he does with water.

It is important to recognize that both these events are spiritual events. Both relate to the spiritual world and represent spiritual truths. Forgiveness represents the spiritual truth that our sins have been removed and our spirit cleansed. Baptism represents the spiritual truth that our sins have been removed and our bodies cleansed.

We also need to see the sequence of these events. It is first forgiveness, then baptism. It is first the cleansing of the spirit, then the cleansing of the body. It is first the blood, then the water. Without forgiveness baptism has no spiritual meaning or effect. Forgiveness is the basis of baptism.

In this sense water baptism - to go through the Red Sea with God's people - is not an optional event in the Christian life, but a necessity. It is not necessary for forgiveness - it follows after forgiveness - but it is necessary for a life in the presence of Jesus.

To live in the spirit and experience Jesus' presence we have to receive the cleansing of our spirit and also the cleansing of our bodies from him. To be with God's people on God's side of the sea we have to go through the water. There is no alternative route.

Please note as well that water baptism has nothing to do with a person's age or church membership, but only with the receiving of forgiveness from Jesus.

#### Into the Wilderness

God took Israel into the wilderness where he provided for them and took care of them. He supplied all their needs, led them, and brought them to the fulfilment of their destiny. In the wilderness he was life to them. He supplied them and their livestock with food and water. He delivered them from their enemies. He was their shield against the heat of the day and the cold of the night. Without him they would have died in the wilderness.

He supplied them with...Jesus. Jesus was the rock from which he gave them water to drink, and Jesus was the manna from heaven, which they had to gather each morning. He was the angel that went ahead of them to lead them. Jesus was with them and he was all to them

The wilderness is the transition period in which Jesus takes us from a life in the flesh to live in the spirit. It is the time it takes Jesus to transfer us from Egypt, our life of self-reliance, to the Promised Land, our life of dependence on him. Jesus' purpose with the journey is to deal with our flesh, our desire to live independently from him. He has to remove it before we can live in the Promised Land.

Yes, it does take time. How long it will take Jesus to take each person through the wilderness will differ. It may take weeks, months or even years. For Israel it could have been forty days. In the end it turned out to be forty years. Ask Jesus to finish the work he has begun in you when he led you out of Egypt. Ask him, receive faith from him, and trust him. He will do it.

In the wilderness two things become clear about our dependence on Jesus. The one is our complete dependence on him for our survival. Without him we will die of hunger and thirst. We need him to provide for us. The other is our complete dependence on him for his guidance, his plans and purposes. We have no choice but to follow him and allow him to have his way in our lives. In the wilderness Jesus is the one who is in control.

In the wilderness Jesus shows us that he will take care of us. In the wilderness he gives us faith to trust him for everything. He has to do all for us and give us all. The wilderness is our road to the Promised Land. There is no other road.

LIVING IN THE SPIRIT IS TO LIVE IN A POSITION OF COMPLETE DEPENDENCE ON JESUS.

#### Unto Death

The Israelites brought something with them from Egypt they could not take into the Promised Land. It was their longing for Egypt, their life in the flesh. In their hearts they detested their dependence on God. They longed for their 'independent' days of slavery in Egypt.

God had to rid Israel of their slave mentality, their desire to return to Egypt and live 'independently' from him again. He did that in the wilderness. When they eventually crossed into the Promised Land Israel was rid of every 'Egyptian' heart.

In the end there was only one way God could deal with Israel's longing for Egypt. It had to die. All those who left Egypt, in whose hearts Egypt lived as a memory and a longing, died in the wilderness. Israel could not enter the Promised Land as long as 'Egypt' was alive in their hearts.

Very often we, like Israel, think back to the days in Egypt longing for the pleasures and desires of the flesh. Like them we forget the harshness of the slavery and the beating of the slave master's rod. It is in the wilderness that Jesus rids us of the desires for a life in the flesh.

Sometimes we, like Israel, fall back into self-reliance, trusting the flesh to provide its own god. We melt our gold and make our own calf to lead us further. It is in the wilderness that Jesus rids us of any dependence on the flesh. It is in the wilderness that he deals with our 'Egypt', our flesh, and takes it out of us.

Jesus has only one way to deal with our flesh. It has to die. It has to be crucified, to be put aside, and rendered helpless. We cannot enter the spirit-life as long as we long after the flesh. It has to come to an end.

#### The End of Self

It is when you come to the end of trusting yourself that you start to experience the Father's provision for you. It has been like this throughout the ages.

God promised Abraham a son, his own, who would be his heir. But it was only when Abraham was very old and with Sarah barren and too old to conceive, that he gave them a son. It was only after Abraham had exhausted all his own plans and resources that God gave him Isaac. Isaac was a son, not according to the 'flesh', but according to the 'spirit', not according to Abraham's abilities or plans, but according to God's grace. Abraham had to come to the end of relying on 'self'.

Moses, with so many resources available to him as a prince in pharaoh's palace, could do nothing to help his own people suffering from slavery. His own fleshly (human) efforts to help them ended for him in exile. It was only when he became a stuttering nobody, with no self-esteem, working as a forgotten shepherd in a forgotten land, that God called him to redeem Israel from Egypt. Israel's deliverance from Egypt was not according to the 'flesh', but according to the 'spirit', not according to Moses' abilities or plans, but according to God's grace. Moses had to come to the end of relying on 'self'.

That is how it must be with you and me. It is when we come to the end of trusting ourselves, to the end of our flesh, and have exhausted all our own plans and resources that God will bring us into the position where he will do all in our lives.

IT IS WHEN YOU COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF THAT YOU START TO EXPERIENCE GOD'S PROVISION FOR YOU.

#### The Disciples

Jesus did the same with his disciples. He brought them into a position of complete dependence on him. For three years they walked with him, listened to him, followed him, and learned to trust him. They did not know where they would sleep, where they would go that day, or the following day, or what they would eat. They just had to be with him all the time.

After his ascension it was still the same. They were as dependent on him as they had been before. The only thing that changed was that they were now not dependent on his physical presence, but on his spiritual presence - his presence through his Spirit in their hearts.

They still had to depend on him to lead, to provide, to minister healing, to add to the church and to build his church. Jesus did it all. They were but spectators, witnesses, of his presence and work. He led the way and they followed. He fulfilled his plans and purposes in their lives. He was in control. Like the Israelites in the wilderness they were witnesses to the mighty and glorious works of God!

We share the same privilege the disciples had after Jesus gave them his Spirit at Pentecost and came to live through his Spirit in their hearts. Before Pentecost he lived amongst them, but not in their hearts. After Pentecost he lived in them as he lives in us once we have received forgiveness from him.

Living in his presence, completely dependent on his provision, protection and guidance - this is the Christian life. Without him we will die. Without him we will be lost forever.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS TO LIVE IN CHRIST'S PRESENCE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON HIIM.

### The Promised Land, Where the Journey Ends

God heard Israel's cries and delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He took them to Canaan, the Promised Land, the land overflowing with milk and honey. There he gave them everything, houses they had not built, fields they had not ploughed, and vineyards they had not planted.

Canaan relates to our living in the spirit where we receive everything freely from him. For this no work is needed, all is given freely by grace. It is when we live in the spirit that we have entered the Promised Land. The Promised Land is where Jesus has become everything for us and we receive blessing upon blessing from his hand. It is where we live in his presence and enjoy all the blessings of his work on our behalf. It is where we have come to rest in him and from our flesh.

### Jesus as the Lord

We need to see Jesus clearly. He is the one who takes us from Egypt to the Promised Land, from a life of self-reliance to a life of complete dependence on him.

As Jesus he gave himself as a sacrifice on the cross to deliver us from our sins, from sin and our sinful nature, from the law, the world, and from ourselves. We need to see and know him as Jesus. He came to cleanse us of our sins once and for all through his blood and made our deliverance true. He did this by changing our position from outside him to part of him. This is the truth.

He is also the Christ. As the Christ he makes our deliverance a reality by enabling us to live in the spirit. We need to see and know him also as the Christ. He does this again by changing our position from a life in the flesh to a life in the spirit. This is reality.

He is also the Lord. As the Lord he is the one who is in control of our lives and fulfils his plans and purpose in us and through us. He is our only provider for everything, our only source of life. We need to see and know him as the Lord who is in complete control!

We need to see and know him as the Lord Jesus Christ!

## 11. God's Contract with Us

God is so serious about his relationship with man that he is prepared to enter into binding contracts with him. These contracts are called covenants. There are two main covenants through which he has entered into relationships with man, the old covenant and the new covenant. These covenants contain important principles about living in the spirit.

### The Old Covenant

#### Its Terms

The old covenant is the contract between God and Israel and includes the Ten Commandments. In this covenant God put forward everything he requires of man, every blessing he will receive for keeping the covenant, and every punishment he will receive for breaking the covenant. "Keep my commandments, and I will bless you. Disobey them, and I will punish you.

When God and Israel entered into this covenant Moses acted as mediator between them. He represented God with Israel and Israel with God. He sealed the covenant by sprinkling the blood of a bull on the Israelites when they accepted the covenant.

The blood signifies the seriousness of the contract. God agreed to fulfil his side of the contract ("I will bless you.") even if it would cost him his life. Similarly, when the people of Israel accepted the contract they agreed to keep their part of it ("Keep my commandments.") even if it would cost them their lives.

Israel could not keep their part of the contract and it cost them their life as a nation. They were taken into captivity where they lost their nationhood.

#### Its Purpose

The purpose of the old covenant is threefold.

Firstly, it is to state God's requirements for man to live in a restored relationship with him. Through sacrificial death and the shedding of blood man needs to be reconciled with God. Through obedience man has to live a life of righteousness and holiness in commitment to God and in a relationship with him.

Secondly, it is to expose man as sinful and incapable of ever meeting these requirements. This covenant relates to the flesh and its purpose is to show man that he is flesh (human), and that his flesh (humanness) will never meet God's required standard.

Thirdly, it is to show man his need for Jesus. Because he is incapable of fulfilling God's requirements he needs someone else to fulfil these requirements for him. He needs someone who is capable of meeting every requirement of God. Only one person could fulfil this requirement, Jesus the Son of God.

#### Its Scope

Although God made this covenant with the people of Israel, everyone has to meet his requirements in order to live in a restored and blessed relationship with him. He has therefore written its content in the conscience of every person.

Everyone knows his requirements and knows when he has failed to meet them. His own guilt testifies to it. He also knows, despite his continued efforts, that he will never be able to meet these requirements on his own.

#### Its Effect

The old covenant could never bring Israel into a restored relationship with God. Al the bloodshed in the offerings could not cleanse the spirit of sin. In fact, it only led to condemnation. Israel was punished with death in exile because of their inability to keep the covenant.

The same is true of every other person. God's requirements are the same for all people. Because no one can meet them, the result is the same for all people - death as punishment.

The old covenant not only condemned people to death for the sins they have committed, it also prevents people from discovering Jesus. As long as people try, in terms of the old covenant, to please God on their own, it prevents them from discovering what Jesus did for them in terms of the new covenant. Even the reading of the old covenant has the effect that it prevents people from discovering Jesus.

### The New Covenant

#### Its Terms

In the new covenant God undertakes to fulfil for man everything he requires of him and to bless him with every spiritual blessing. He did this through the life, death and resurrection of his Son. "Jesus will keep my commandments for you, and I will bless you."

In the new covenant God undertakes not only to keep his side of the contract, but also to keep man's side of the contract. He did this through his Son who became man. In this covenant Jesus acted as mediator between God and man. As the Son of God he represented God with man and as human being, the Son of Man, he represented man with God. As man's representative he fulfilled all God's requirements for man so that man might receive all God's blessings.

This covenant was also entered into by means of blood. God agrees to fulfil his requirements for many even if it should necessitate the shedding of blood. It did require blood, the blood of his Son. Jesus sealed this contract with God when he shed his blood on the cross. He also seals it with man by 'sprinkling' his blood spiritually on everyone who receives forgiveness and cleansing of sins from him.

When Israel accepted the old covenant Moses sprinkled them with the blood of a bull as a sign that the agreement had come into effect. When you accept the forgiveness Jesus gives you through the new covenant, he sprinkles your spirit with his blood as a sign that the agreement has come into effect.

By 'sprinkling' your heart, your spirit, with his blood, Jesus cleanses your spirit and conscience of sin, guilt, and shame. This happens when you receive forgiveness and cleansing from him. It is also called 'rebirth' or man's spiritual birth.

GOD UNDERTAKES TO FULFIL ALL HIS REQUIREMENTS FOR US THROUGH HIS SON.

#### Its Purpose

God's purpose with the new covenant is to make provision for someone to meet his requirements on behalf of man. Through Jesus' sacrificial death and blood man can be reconciled with him and receive forgiveness and cleansing of sin. Through Jesus' obedience man can receive a life of holiness in a personal relationship with the Father.

While the old covenant relates to the flesh and its purpose is to expose man for who he is, sinful and incapable of ever meeting God's requirements, the new covenant reveals God's provision to meet his requirements on behalf of man and bring man into a restored and whole relationship with him.

#### Conditions Fulfilled

Both Moses and Jesus acted as mediators between God and man. The difference between them is that Jesus was not only a mediator, but also a substitute. He not only represented God with man and man with God, he also fulfilled the conditions of the covenant for man - something Moses could never do.

When he died on the cross Jesus fulfilled all the conditions of the old covenant and through our union with him we share in the new covenant as if we have fulfilled all the conditions! Jesus presented us with a finished contract in which he had already fulfilled all the conditions on our behalf! There is nothing we need to add to it! It is signed! It is finished! In fulfilling God's requirements Jesus made the old covenant out of date for everyone who has become one with him. What is outdated will disappear with his second coming.

#### Blessings Received

As our representative Jesus not only fulfilled all God's requirements for us, he also received all God's blessings on our behalf! After he fulfilled God's requirements on the cross, the Father blessed him, as man's representative, with all spiritual blessings!

These included his resurrection and ascension into heaven. On the Day of Pentecost when he poured out the Holy Spirit he again blessed God's people with all the blessings of the new covenant. Therefore, if you have become one with Jesus through the forgiveness of your sins, you have come to share in all these blessings according to your union with him! It is yours! You have already received it all in Jesus!

These blessings include the forgiveness of our sins and our deliverance from sin, the law and the world. They include the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the spirit-life, and the resurrection and ascension of our bodies with him into heaven on the day of his return! They include these and all other spiritual blessings there may be in heaven. They are ours for eternity! In Jesus we have been given all the Father will ever give us! We have been blessed with all his blessings! This is the truth! This is the good news of the gospel

All God's blessings are given us when we become one with Jesus. Our experience of their reality comes when we live in the spirit. Hold on to the truth!

IN JESUS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN ALL THE FATHER WILL EVER GIVE US!

#### Its Scope

Whereas the old covenant was a covenant between God and Israel, the new covenant is a covenant between God and Jesus and every person included in him. When Jesus sprinkles our hearts with his blood we not only receive forgiveness and cleansing from him and become one with him, we also enter into the new covenant with the Father! Through our union with Jesus we have not only fulfilled all the Father's requirements, we have also come to partake in all his blessings, which the Father poured out on Jesus!

If you are one with Jesus, this is true of you for eternity - you have been blessed with all God's blessings! But it is only when you live in the spirit that you will experience it in reality.

#### Its Effect

The blood of the new covenant is the blood of Jesus poured out for the forgiveness of sins. His blood cleanses us of all our sins for eternity and gives us access to the most holy place and the presence of God. It cleanses us of a guilty conscience so that we will not be conscience of any sins. His blood makes all who have received forgiveness from him cleansed, holy, and perfect children of God for eternity

### External and Internal

In terms of the old covenant God was worshipped externally through rituals in the temple and 'on the mountain'. In terms of the new covenant this was changed. God is now worshipped internally through faith in the spirit. The old covenant was written in letters on stone tablets, the new covenant is written by the Holy Spirit on people's hearts. Moses sprinkled the blood of the old covenant externally on the people. Jesus sprinkles the blood of the new covenant internally on people's hearts.

This is one of the reasons Jesus clashed with the religious leaders of his time. They had something they could see and touch. He presented them with something invisible and untouchable. Their worship required time, effort and sacrifices. His worship required nothing but to receive everything freely.

These two covenants relate to man's flesh and spirit. External worship is done in the flesh while internal worship is done in the spirit. External worship is visible and touchable while internal worship is invisible and untouchable. Man is responsible for external worship. Jesus is responsible for internal worship.

When we live in the flesh our worship is done externally and is visible and touchable. When we live in the spirit our worship is done internally in our spirit and is invisible and untouchable. This is true of man as well as the church. We need to see that God's presence is not found in the flesh, in external manifestations, but in the spirit through the internal working of God's Spirit. When God met Elijah on the mountain his presence was not found in the storm, nor in the earthquake, but in the stillness. How often do we seek God in visible manifestations while his presence and work are to be found in his invisible work in our hearts?

### Mutually Exclusive

The old and the new covenants are mutually exclusive. We can relate to God only in terms of one and not both.

When we are faced with any of God's requirements, we can respond to them either in terms of the old or the new covenant. If we respond in terms of the old covenant we try to meet them ourselves. If we respond in terms of the new covenant we look to Jesus as the one who met them for us and will meet them in us. We then just have to stand and watch the salvation the Lord will work for us and in us!

God requires of us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. We can respond to this in terms of the old covenant by trying to do it ourselves or in terms of the new by turning to Jesus and asking him to do it for us. It will be a perfect work in God's eyes.

If the Father has entered into the new covenant with you through the blood of Jesus you relate to him only in terms of the new covenant and never in terms of the old covenant. If you do not relate to him in terms of the new covenant you automatically relate to him in terms of the old covenant. You then have to meet all the requirements of the old covenant and God will judge you accordingly.

### Comparison

Let us compare these two covenants.

  * One covenant is called old, the other new.

  * The old covenant, which is put aside by the new covenant, will come to an end when Jesus returns. It was given only for a limited period. The new covenant is given for eternity.

  * The old covenant is the covenant of the law. The new covenant is the covenant of grace.

  * The blood of the old covenant put an obligation on Israel to fulfil God's requirements at the expense of their lives and brought condemnation and death. The blood of the new covenant is poured out at the expense of Jesus' life and brings forgiveness and life.

  * The old covenant was given to show man his need for the new. It reminds him of his sins and his inability to be set free from sin and meet God's requirements. The new covenant does the opposite. It removes man's sin to the extent that he is no longer aware of it. It sets him free from sin and puts him in the position where all God's requirements have been met on his behalf.

  * The old covenant could not effect change in man. In fact, it brought man's sinful nature to light. The new changes man. Man's sinful nature is dealt with and put aside. He is given a new heart or spirit and is given God's spirit and is enabled to live in the spirit.

  * God says to man through the old covenant, "Meet my requirements and you will live. Fail to meet them and you will die." Through the new covenant he says to man, "I have met all my requirements on your behalf through my Son. Receive him and you shall live. "

  * In terms of the old covenant you have to work for what you receive from God. In terms of the new covenant you only have to ask and receive from him through faith.

### The Bible and the Covenants

The Bible contains important information about these two covenants. Though its information is not limited to these covenants, these covenants make up the bulk of the Bible's contents.

The division of the Bible into an 'Old Testament' and a 'New Testament' bears testimony to this. Although the Old Testament contains mainly information about the old covenant, it also contains vital information about the new covenant. Similarly, although the New Testament contains mainly information about the new covenant, it also contains vital information about the old covenant.

Add to this the fact that the Bible provides this information not in legal format, but in historical, prophetic and poetry formats and it is easy to understand the confusion among many Bible readers who do not recognize the important differences between these two covenants.

They read the Bible as one 'book of God' and accept everything therein as applicable to them. When they come across his requirements they set out to fulfil them. When they come across his promises they accept them as automatically valid to them. In this way they actually read the whole Bible in terms of the old covenant.

They fail to see the difference between the covenants. They fail to see that all God's requirements and all his promises are fulfilled only in Jesus! Through our union with him we share in his fulfilment of God's requirements and in God's blessings. He met all God's requirements so that we can receive all his blessings!

Most of what is written in the Bible is either written in terms of the old covenant or the new covenant. If it is written in terms of the old covenant, it is written conditionally and the emphasis is on man. "You have to do it." If it is written in terms of the new covenant, the emphasis is on Jesus. "Jesus did it for you and he will do it in you."

We come across numerous requirements in the Bible, which it seems, we have to fulfil.

"Love your neighbour as you love yourself."

"Be my witnesses to the ends of the earth."

"Give to the poor and do not accumulate wealth for yourselves."

"Do not be angry or jealous."

"Have faith! Believe!"

Most of the time, we are told what to do and not how to do it. The 'what' we have to do is clearly spelled out. The 'how' we have to do it is not always so clear. However, if we keep the terms of the two covenants in mind, the 'how' is also very clear. In terms of the old covenant we have to do it all. In terms of the new covenant we simply have to ask Jesus to do it in us, for us and through us, and he will do it! Jesus has met all God's requirements so that we may enjoy all his blessings.

ALL GOD'S REQUIREMENTS AND ALL HIS PROMISES ARE FULFILLED ONLY IN JESUS.

## 12. In the Most Holy Place!

God told Moses to build a tabernacle, or temple, like the one he showed him when he was on Mount Sinai. The temple he showed him was the temple in heaven, God's dwelling place, and the place of his presence. Moses was to make a replica of this heavenly temple.

Apart from the replica Moses had to build there are also two other replicas of the original temple. The one is man, the other the church. We will give attention to all three replicas of the original temple.

### The Earthly Temple

#### Its Construction

Moses had to build the tabernacle, apart from the outer court, with two distinct sections, a first section, or holy place, and a second section, or most holy place.

In the first section, or holy place, the priests had to serve daily in various ways, bringing offerings and sacrifices, burning incense, and lighting lamps. They had to do this repeatedly every day.

In the second section, or most holy place, the high priest had to bring blood as atonement for the sins of the people once a year on the Day of Atonement. He entered the presence of God in the most holy place and presented the blood to him. He had to do it repeatedly every year.

This construction and these services of the temple relate to the two covenants. The first part, or holy place, relates to the old covenant where the emphasis is on man's repeated efforts to please God. These efforts never succeeded in pleasing him and had to be done repeatedly, all to no avail.

The second part, or most holy place, relates to the new covenant where only one sacrifice would be enough to please God.

#### The Once-and-for-all Sacrifice

Jesus came to bring the once-and-for-all sacrifice that pleased God. When he was crucified, he went into the most holy place of the original temple in heaven and presented his own blood to the Father.

As proof that the Father accepted his blood, he returned from the Father's presence with his resurrection to bless us with eternal salvation. Because his sacrifice pleased the Father, it was brought only once. Never again was it necessary for Jesus to bring an additional sacrifice.

#### The End of the Holy Place

In doing this Jesus brought to an end the need for any other sacrifice, whether in the holy place by the priests or in the most holy place by the high priest. He came to remove the holy place to open the way so that we can enter the most holy place and the Father's presence.

Jesus brought to an end the need for man to try and please God with repeated acts of service in the holy place. Because his one sacrifice satisfied God, we no longer need to engage in endless acts of service and sacrifice! We can rest from our own efforts in his complete and accepted sacrifice

Jesus brought to an end the efforts with which man had to meet the endless list of requirements of the law and the old covenant. The blood of Jesus puts the law and the old covenant aside. When you are one with Jesus, united with him in his sacrifice, the law and the old covenant no longer bind you in any way! You do not need to keep the law! Jesus kept and fulfilled it for you!

Because you are one with Jesus, his obedience has become your obedience. The Father regards you as one who has already completely kept the law through your union with Jesus. Because you are in Jesus, the law or old covenant, or endless service in the holy place no longer applies to you. You do not need to serve him! Jesus did that completely on your behalf!

If you are not one with Jesus, you are still subject to the law, the old covenant, and service in the holy place. You will engage in endless efforts to satisfy God. Sadly, your efforts will all be fruitless because Jesus has brought this dispensation to an end. You are busy with something that does not function any more.

Jesus has brought to an end the necessity for man to satisfy God. He became the man who completely, once and for all, satisfied God on man's behalf. We do not need to serve God ourselves in any way! Jesus did it all! When we are in him, we are found to be complete, lacking nothing!

JESUS HAS BROUGHT TO AN END THE NECESSITY FOR MAN TO MEET GOD'S REQUIREMENTS.

### The Human Temple

Man is also called a temple. Just as the original temple in heaven, of which man is a 'replica', man consists of a 'first part' and a 'second part'. The first part is his 'flesh' and the second part his 'spirit'. This is apart from the 'outer court', which is his 'body'.

The first part relates to the holy place in the temple and represents man's continuous efforts to satisfy God. The flesh is man in a never ending process of trying to meet God's requirements. The emphasis is on 'self', on man looking inward and finding his resources in himself. "I will do it."

The second part relates to the most holy place. It is not only God's dwelling place, but also the place where only the high priest is allowed to serve. The spirit is the place where only Jesus, the High Priest, serves. He does whatever is to be done in the spirit. Man cannot serve here and will never be allowed to serve here. The emphasis here is on Jesus, on man looking outward and finding all his resources in Jesus. "Jesus did all for me and he will do all in me."

This is what Jesus came to do. He came to bring our reliance on the flesh to an end in order that only our spirit will remain. He came to bring to an end any self-effort on our part. He came to put us in a position where we no longer need to satisfy the Father or serve him. In fact, Jesus, the High Priest who came to live in us is now the only one serving in our spirit. He must do all there is to be done in our lives. It is all his work, none of our own. He will do it, because he is the faithful High Priest in our temples where he serves.

We need to distinguish clearly between 'living in the flesh' and 'living in the spirit'. When we live in the flesh, we live in our holy place. When we live in the spirit, we live in our most holy place and in the presence of the Father.

When we live in our flesh, we ourselves are doing everything as the priests did in the holy place. When we live in our spirit, Jesus does everything for us as the high priest did in the most holy place.

When we live in the spirit, we have left our holy place, our flesh, our self-doing-it-all, behind. We have entered our spirit, our most holy place and the Father's presence. Behind us is the self-life. In front of us is the Christ-life, is Christ doing everything for us, in us and through us.

When we live in the spirit we are aware of God's presence. In the flesh we will never experience his presence because he does not live in the holy place and has never lived in the holy place. We will find Jesus only in our spirit, our most holy place, where he does everything in us and for us. What a glorious discovery!

We can either live in our flesh, or we can live in our spirit. We cannot live in both our flesh and spirit simultaneously. We cannot be in two rooms at the same time. We can only be in the holy place or in the most holy place. When we do not live in the spirit, we live in the flesh. When we do not live in the flesh, we live in the spirit.

We need to see that because of Jesus' work, we no longer need to satisfy or serve God. He removed the 'holy place' in order that only the 'most holy place' will remain. This is true not only of the earthly temple, but also of the human and church temples.

AII we have to do is ask him to take us into our 'most holy place' and the presence of the Father and to serve as the High priest in our spirit, which is his dwelling place. There he will do everything for us. It is for this purpose that he came. When he has done it, we will find ourselves living in the spirit experiencing Jesus, the Christ, as reality.

JESUS MUST DO ALL THERE IS TO BE DONE IN OUR LIVES.

### The Church as a Temple

God meant the church to be a temple as well, his temple, and a replica of the original temple in heaven. God meant the church to reflect the 'most holy place' in heaven as the 'holy place' was no longer needed and has ceased to function since Jesus' crucifixion.

The church is not meant to be a holy place where man is engaged in endless human activities serving God, 'bringing sacrifices and offerings', 'burning incense', and 'lighting lamps'. God never meant the church to be a hive of human activity where he is served continuously. He never meant the church to be a holy place. The church is meant to be the most holy place where only Jesus, the High Priest, serves.

The church was never meant to run programmes, youth and senior citizen programmes, programmes for singles, for couples, for single parents, for women, for men, for pre-schoolers and for school leavers. However good and helpful these programmes may be, they are just social programmes. They will meet the social needs of the people, but not their spiritual needs.

The church is meant to be the most holy place where only Jesus serves. When he serves, he will meet the spiritual needs of everyone, and how well he will do it!

#### The Early Church

This is how it was in the early church. Jesus was at the centre of his church. He led, guided, served, and controlled this 'instant', supersized church of about 10,000 members with only twelve apostles and seven deacons through whom he worked. The church was his body, the sum of all who were united with him. He was in control of his body as we are in control of our bodies. Everyone in the church, including the apostles and deacons, lived in complete dependence on him. They waited for him and trusted him to act and do whatever he wanted to do.

They were as dependent on him as they had been during the three years of his earthly ministry. He made every decision, led them, provided for them, and preached through them to the multitudes and to the few. He healed the sick and performed miracles. He was in control. He did everything!

The early church was his temple with Jesus himself serving as the High Priest in the most holy place. The church was the most holy place then and is still meant to be the most holy place today!

The church today needs to ask Jesus to bring them out of the holy place and into the most holy place, receives faith from him, and he will do it. Jesus will do it. They will not need to do a thing. They will not dare do a thing, because if they do, they will still be in the holy place, in the flesh.

#### The Church and the Truth

The truth is that the church is a redeemed community, the body of Christ, of which he is the head. Everyone who has been cleansed by his blood has been grafted into his body. This community lives in love and unity, sharing in the life of Jesus and sharing it with the world in which they live.

The truth is that the church is the bride of Christ, the new humanity of the new creation created in and through Jesus. It receives its existence, its purpose, its meaning and its life from Christ. The truth is that the church is a community whose core existence is its communion with Christ.

But, these truths are very rarely experienced. They are said to be true, believed and pursued, but reality shows little of them. Like man, the church will experience its Christ-life only when it lives in the spirit.

The church is above all a spiritual community. Its communion with Christ and with each other should be spiritual. It should take place in the spirit.

#### The Church and Reality

The church will never achieve what it is in truth, but has to receive it from Christ. It will only experience the reality of its position by receiving the gracious gift of living in the spirit from Jesus.

The church can never have communion with Christ in the flesh. All its fleshly efforts, all its programmes planned and run by man and for man, are done in vain. It is not activity, however noble and desirable, however much derived from and in line with the Bible that should distinguish the church. It is the presence of its Lord and head and his activity.

Sadly the church is living in the flesh and its humanity displayed for all to see. The only remedy is for the church to receive from Jesus the spirit-life.

#### The Unity of the Church

The church is the one body of Christ, united with him as its head and with each other through their union with him. There is only one body of Christ, only one church. This is the truth.

Yet, we see many different churches, even in the same city or town. They live separately from each other, sometimes even in hostility. They boast about their own accomplishments as if they are worth anything before God! They refrain from speaking to each other, from praying together, and from expressing their unity through participation in Holy Communion. Reality shows us many different and separated churches.

The explanation for this should be clear to everyone. We see so many divisions because churches are living in the flesh. Man is in control and does everything in the church. Each church or church group lives in terms of its own agenda, its own plans, and its own resources. Human wisdom reigns and human intellect dominates.

The more a church boasts about its accomplishments, the more it displays a life in the flesh. Every separation and hostility is nothing but an expression of naked flesh. It is only when churches come to the maturity of living in the spirit that we will see an end to divisions. Churches need to see their fleshly efforts as worth nothing and ask Jesus to do everything for them. Then we will see Jesus bringing churches to experience and express the unity they truly are. Just like individuals, churches need to live in the spirit to experience in reality what they are in truth!

#### The Ministry of the Church

The church spends much time and effort to understand and define its role and mission in the world. This is usually called 'the ministry of the church'. We need to see, however, that the church has no ministry in itself. If the church were meant to be the holy place, then it would have a ministry. But the church is meant to be the most holy place, where only the High Priest serves, where Jesus as the Christ does everything in and for and through the church.

Jesus alone has a ministry, an eternal ministry. His ministry has always been to fulfil the will of his Father. It was like this at creation when the Father created all things through him. It was like this when Jesus became man and gave his life for mankind.

It is like this at present with Jesus serving as the High Priest in the presence of his Father. It will be like this when Jesus comes at the consummation of the ages to usher in the new creation.

Jesus alone has a ministry in, through and for the church. The church is the purpose, the means and the result of his ministry.

The purpose of his ministry is the establishment of the church as the new humanity who will inherit the new creation. He does this by adding to the church all those who are united with him through forgiveness of sin.

The means of his ministry is the church through which he ministers his forgiveness and proclaims his truth.

The result of his ministry is the church living in union with him in the reality of the spirit-life.

It is Jesus who has to minister forgiveness to all. It is Jesus who has to reveal his truth to all. It is Jesus who has to enable the church to live in the spirit. Jesus has to do it all!

The church is only the receiver of his grace. When the church receives the grace from Jesus to be the most holy place, living in the reality of his presence, the church will be the vessel in Jesus' hands through which he will fulfil his purpose of preparing the new humanity to receive its inheritance.

The focus of the church should never be on itself or the world, but only on Jesus. Jesus' purpose is not to transform the world, but to replace the world. The church does not have a mission towards the world. Jesus has a mission towards the world. The church is only the instrument in Jesus' hands through which he adds everyone belonging to the new humanity.

#### The Presence of Jesus

The essence of the church is the presence of its Lord and the presence of its Lord is always real. If he is present, there will be an awareness of his presence. On the contrary, his absence is also a reality. If he is not present, there will be a consciousness that he is not present.

The presence of the Lord in the life of the individual and of the church is not merely a being there. His presence implies his complete involvement, living his life in and through the individual and the community. It presupposes Jesus being in total command and control bringing his purposes to fulfilment. All of this only happens when we live in the spirit, in the most holy place. The Lord is spirit and the spiritual can never be accomplished in the flesh or by the flesh. If Jesus is present in the church and in control of the church, the face of the church will be that of Jesus. How it will manifest in every locality will be up to him.

### The Beauty of it All

When the high priest entered the most holy place in the temple, he entered into God's presence! It was as if he entered the most holy place of the original temple itself. The replica temple on earth was the contact point with the temple in heaven!

When we live in the spirit, we live in the most holy place of our temples. It is as if we had entered the most holy place of the original temple itself! My replica temple, my spirit, has become my contact point with the most holy place of the original temple. When I live in the spirit, I live in God's presence as if I have entered the most holy place in heaven!

When the church lives in the spirit it lives in the most holy place and will find itself in the presence of God himself! These earthly replicas are the 'doors' God has given us to his presence! Let us enter boldly!

## 13. Leaving the Flesh-Life Behind

Now we come to reality, which is found in me, in my present existence, in Jesus touching and changing my life. Reality has to do with my present human existence. It has to do with me and the presence and work of Jesus as the Christ in me.

### My Flesh

We need to see two different sides of ourselves. The one is the sinful me and the other human me. Both prevent me from living in Christ's presence. Both my sinful nature and my human nature, also called 'flesh', are obstacles for living in God's presence. Both had to be dealt with by Jesus. He removed my sinfulness on his cross. He deals with my humanity, my flesh, on my cross.

My human nature is what makes me a human being. I reason, plan, study, play, understand, and talk. All this and more I use every second of the day to live a human life. I read and pray, go to school, work, and church. Together we build houses, roads, cars, power plants to generate electricity. We design computers and telephones, TV's and mobile phones, and more!

This is not necessarily sinful or evil. My human nature makes me help people around me, love them, and give to them. My human nature was created in the image of God as something good. What brought disaster was the sinfulness I inherited from Adam, which made me selfish, shy, angry, uncertain, and dominating. I find myself shouting, stealing, hurting, fighting, and even killing.

Our humanity was not created sinful. Human beings were created before sin entered the world. But sin has tainted our humanity to such an extent that nothing acceptable to God has remained in us.

### Part of the Old Creation

Even though God created my human nature in his image, it cannot relate to him anymore. It is not possible for our flesh to meet with God or his requirements. God is spirit and can only be met in the spirit. Our flesh was meant to relate to him in this creation, and would have been able to, if it had not been scarred by sin.

Before sin entered the world Adam and Eve could relate to God in their flesh. He visited them and talked with them. After sin entered they were removed from the Garden of Eden, the place of God's presence, and the entrance to the garden was closed and guarded by an angel. It was not possible for them to return to a life in the presence of God in the flesh.

My human nature is flesh, and no flesh, no matter how good, can relate to God any more. My best deeds, ideals and works are flesh and unacceptable to him. My human nature belongs to the old creation, which will eventually be destroyed. Nothing of this old creation will survive.

God's plan is not to restore this old creation, refurbish it, or give it a new layer of paint. His plan is to usher in a new creation, the new heaven and earth, in which righteousness will reign! He has already started this with the birth of the second Adam, his Son, whom he sent to head a new humanity just as Adam was the father of the humanity of the old creation.

As it was with Adam, so it is with Jesus. Everyone, irrespective of colour, race, sex, or abilities, who has become one with Jesus, has become part of the new humanity and will inherit the new creation. As you have reflected the image of the first Adam in your flesh, so you will reflect the image of the second Adam in your spirit.

Your flesh will not have any part in the new creation. It belongs to the old creation. Only your spirit will be part of the new creation. The flesh profits nothing while the spirit gives life! Jesus came to deliver us from our human nature and bring us into a whole new dimension of living in the spirit. Even our bodies will be transformed into spiritual bodies with the next coming of Jesus. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

### The Value of My Flesh

We need to see our flesh as God sees it and value our flesh as he values it. This is crucial in our quest to experience the reality of Jesus.

#### It Is Worth Nothing

We need to see that when we are one with Jesus the Father regards our flesh as worth nothing. In relation to him and eternity it is worth nothing. He does not take it into account. He regards what we do in the flesh as dead, as non-existent. What we do in the flesh, whether good or bad, is not recognized or taken into consideration by him. He only recognizes and acknowledges what Jesus does in us

We need to come to the same assessment of our flesh. We should ask Jesus to open our eyes to see our flesh as worth nothing, as dead. It may be well and alive and worth much in this life, but with regard to eternity, it is worth nothing. Nothing of the flesh will accompany us to heaven. Nothing we do in the flesh, whether good or bad, count before the Father. The only thing that counts before him is what his Son has done for us and in us.

I may accomplish great things in the eyes of my fellow men, accumulate wealth and fame - it is all nothing before the Father. I may just be an ordinary human being, living a quiet life, coping with the issues of everyday life - it is all nothing before the Father. Whatever I cannot take with me to heaven, is flesh. Whatever I take with me is spirit and eternal.

We have to see clearly that our flesh is worth nothing. Before the Father, only what Jesus has done for me and in me, count. Whatever I do is flesh will remain flesh and will always be nothing before God.

The Father is not concerned about our flesh. He is concerned about whether we are in Jesus. When we are in Jesus he regards us as he would regard Jesus, as his children, holy, righteous, and without blemish.

#### It Cannot Help Jesus

We need to come to this evaluation of our flesh lest we put any trust in it. Our flesh, our human efforts, our human life, will not help us to receive the spirit-life from Jesus. Let me explain.

If you think that what you do, your Bible reading or prayers, your church attendance or your community work, or anything else, will give Jesus a reason to give you the spirit-life, you've got it all wrong. It is nothing before God. It is not what you do that counts before him, but only what Jesus has done!

I must look to Jesus and receive the spirit-life from him freely, by grace. I ask him, he gives to me and confirms it by giving me faith. I then trust him and him alone. I look to him and never to myself. Who I may be or what I may be doing does not matter. He will give to me irrespective of who I am or what I do in the flesh.

We need to see that the Father gives to us because of our position in Jesus and not because of the people who we are or what we do!

IT IS NOT WHAT WE DO THAT COUNTS BEFORE GOD, BUT WHAT JESUS HAS DONE.

#### It Cannot Hinder Jesus

I also need to see that my flesh does not prevent Jesus from giving me the spirit-life, but necessitates it. My flesh is the reason Jesus has to enable me to live in the spirit.

We often think that our flesh will prevent us from receiving entrance to the spirit-life and the presence of Jesus. We then try to deal with our flesh. We try not to live in the flesh or to trust our flesh, but it is all in vain. When we live in the flesh, which is all the time we do not live in the spirit, it is not a hindrance to Jesus, but all the more reason for him to enable us to live in the spirit!

If you think that what you have done, the sins you have committed, the human life you have lived, and the worldly desires you have pursued, will prevent Jesus from giving you the spirit-life, you've got it all wrong!

People often try to change their flesh, or leave the world behind, or conquer sin, in order to receive from Jesus, only to discover it is all done in vain

We need to see that Jesus came to overrule the flesh and put it aside by giving us the spirit-life. I, that is, my flesh, can never leave the flesh behind and enter the spirit. The flesh cannot crucify the flesh. It is impossible. Jesus needs to give it to me and do it for me.

We need to see! We need to see our flesh as nothing. It will never prevent Jesus from giving us the spirit-life. It will always be the reason for him to give it to us! It is not what you do that counts before God, but what Jesus has done!

MY FLESH DOES NOT PREVENT JESUS FROM GIVING ME THE SPIRIT-LIFE, IT NECESSITATES IT.

### My Dearly Beloved Flesh...

Our problem is that we cling to our flesh as if it were our saviour. For most of our lives we have lived in the flesh, in self-accomplishment, and have come to appreciate and love our flesh. Jesus, therefore, needs to deal with our flesh. He did not take our flesh to his cross, because then we would have ceased to exist. He has to deal with it in a different way. It still has to be present, but cancelled out, put aside, rendered ineffective, for all practical purposes crucified. He does this at our cross!

Jesus has to bring us to the point where we accept that our flesh counts for nothing. Our flesh will never please the Father or enter into his presence. He has to bring us to the point where we cease to put our trust in our own human abilities. We have to discover that we dare not rely on our flesh and that we need Jesus in everything!

He has to bring us to the point where we nail our flesh to a cross. It is not dead, but immobilised, put aside, not to be used again. He has to bring us to accept the difficult truth that it is better for us to have a crucified flesh. The flesh will never become spirit or achieve the spirit-life. Flesh is flesh and only brings forth flesh. It can never bring forth spirit.

Our flesh has to be crucified in order for us to live in the presence of him who has come to live in us through his Spirit and from whom we now expect everything. In this life a crucified flesh will accompany us to the end and when we die the flesh will be finally removed and completely replaced by the spirit.

### ... Has to Be Put Aside

The flesh is dealt with by crucifixion. Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh. What does this mean? How does it happen? Is it possible? If it is all Jesus' work, why do I have to do it?

I have to do it because it is my flesh. Jesus will not do anything for me without my consent. But, even though I have to crucify my flesh, it is Jesus' work as well. I have to do it, but instead I ask him to do it, receive it through faith from him, trust him to do it, and he does it! When he has done it, then it can be said of me: Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh. Yes, I have crucified my flesh by asking Jesus to do it. I have done it, but he has done it for me!

He has done it and I am credited with it! We are one! Whatever I do is put on his account! Whatever he does is put on my account! This is the good news of the gospel!

Even this we have to receive from Jesus. There is nothing that will ever be credited to us as if we had accomplished it. It is all Jesus. It will always be only Jesus!

This is true of every other obligation I have to fulfil. I have to do it, but I ask Jesus to do it for me. When he has done it, I am credited with it. Then it is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me!

THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST HAVE CRUCIFIED THEIR FLESH.

### Jesus and My Flesh

How does Jesus crucify my flesh? He does it by enabling me to live in the spirit. Leaving the flesh behind and entering the spirit is one gift from Jesus. It is like one coin with two sides. When he enables me to live in the spirit he has also made it possible for me to leave the flesh behind. In giving me the one, he gives me both!

Once I have entered the spirit the flesh is left behind, crucified. When I go from one room to another I have to leave the one behind in order to enter the other. It is one action, but it accomplishes two things.

JESUS DOES NOT CHANGE OUR FLESH. HE OVERRULES IT WITH SPIRIT.

Jesus deals with my flesh by my request. He does this by overruling my flesh with spirit. Jesus does not change my flesh neither does he remove it. He overrules it with spirit!

Jesus never changes our flesh from selfish to unselfish or from dominating to serving. He has not come to make us better people, but to replace us with himself! We will never be able to look at ourselves and find good people. We will only be able to look at ourselves and find Jesus there.

How often people try their whole lives to change into what they believe God wants them to be and all is done in vain! How often people try to change other people into what they believe God wants them to be and all is done in vain! No matter how hard we try to be good or do well, our flesh will never satisfy God. Our flesh will never inherit the Kingdom of God.

Once you live in the spirit, though, the flesh is automatically put in neutral, overruled, and put aside. It is like when one law of nature overrules another law. When an aeroplane flies the 'law of aerodynamics' overrules the 'law of gravity'. The law of gravity is still present, but overruled, made ineffective. So it is with living in the spirit. It overrules the flesh, puts it aside, and renders it ineffective. This is how Jesus gives us victory over our flesh, how he crucifies our flesh: by overruling it with our spirit.

It is when you live in the spirit that you discover your flesh is put aside. Although it is still there, it is ineffective. Living in the spirit is just as real as an aeroplane that flies, just as miraculous - explained, but never fully comprehended!

JESUS HAS NOT COME TO MAKE US BETTER PEOPLE, BUT TO REPLACE US WITH HIMSELF!

## 14. Experiencing the Spirit-Life

Jesus has to bring us to the place where we, ourselves, have ceased to live and he now lives in us. This happens when we live in the spirit. Then Jesus is the only one serving. He does everything for, in and through us. As he took our place on the cross, he now takes our place in us.

It is impossible for man to conquer sin, his sinful nature, or the world. Man is flesh, human, and not capable of conquering. He is a conquered slave. We should never expect others, or ourselves, to live in victory over sin or the world or to fulfil the law. It is simply impossible.

Too often Christians are expected to behave like 'Christians'. Usually this means that they are expected to live 'according to the Bible in obedience to God'. The tragedy is that they will never achieve it. They will always fail. They will continue trying and hoping, all in vain.

Only when they live in the spirit will they be able to live in the reality of what they are in truth. Only then will they experience victory over sins, their sinful nature, and the world. It is only then, because Jesus will do it for them! In the flesh it is not Jesus who acts, but we. In the spirit it is not we who act, but Jesus. He now thinks, speaks, loves, believes, gives, forgives, prays... He has taken our place. We stand in awe of him who is doing everything for us. We receive grace upon grace from him. In the spirit we only receive!

Although we have to live in the spirit, we have to receive this from Jesus as well. He has to give it to us. He has to enable us to live in a position of total dependence on him. We have to do it, but we ask him to do it for us and receive it through faith from him. When he has done it, it will be said of us that we are living in the spirit!

### Being and Living

Let us for a moment consider the difference between being in the spirit and living in the spirit.

#### Being in the Spirit

Just as with every blessing we receive from the Father so it is with living in the spirit. It was given us when we were united with Jesus through the forgiveness of our sins. It is already ours. But we will only experience it when Jesus as the Christ makes it a reality in our lives.

The difference between 'being in the spirit' and 'living in the spirit' is found in the difference between truth and reality. 'Being in the spirit 'is part of the truth, the finished work Jesus did for us. 'Living in the spirit' is part of reality, the unfinished work Jesus has to do in us.

All who have been united with Jesus through the forgiveness of their sins have been given to be in the spirit, to be in the most holy place, in the presence of the Father. Their union with Jesus authorized their entrance into the spirit-life. It is finished. It is done. It belongs to the truth.

But although this is the truth, we do not necessarily experience it as reality. Although we are in the spirit, we are not always conscious of Jesus' presence or his work in us. It is like sitting at a table in a restaurant and while you are waiting for the waiter to serve you, he is standing behind you waiting for you! You are not aware of his presence. Instead of asking him to serve you, would you start serving yourself? It is when you look for him and when you ask him to serve you that you become aware of his presence and receive from him. It is then that you experience his reality.

If you are one with Jesus, it is true of you that you are in the spirit. Jesus is waiting for you. Ask him to give to you, to act on your behalf, to do everything for you and in you, and you will start receiving blessing upon blessing from him. You will not even have to lift a finger, just make your request. He will act and give and you will find yourself living in the spirit with Jesus serving in your most holy place.

We need to see the truth that if we are one with Jesus we are in the spirit. This is true of us just as the rest of the truth is true of us irrespective of our experience! It is not our experience that makes it true. It is true regardless of our experience! It is true of us in terms of our union with Jesus! It is true in him! The truth is that when we became one with Jesus, we entered the most holy place! That is where we are now!

Therefore, although I am in the spirit I may experience only flesh. I will always experience flesh - I am flesh - unless the spirit overrules my flesh. Only then will I experience the spirit-life.

BEING IN THE SPIRIT IS PART OF THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS FOR US.

#### Living in the Spirit

It is when I live in the spirit that I experience the reality of my being in the spirit. It is when Jesus makes the truth of my being in the spirit a reality in my life that it becomes my experience.

Although my experience may vary from hour to hour, the truth will always remain the same. My experience may change, the truth never will. The truth is the basis of my experience. My experience is not the basis of the truth. The truth is eternal, my experience temporary. The truth never changes, only my experience of it.

Unfortunately it does happen that I will live in the flesh for one moment, the next in the spirit, and again the next in the flesh. I will either experience flesh or spirit. But although my experience may change, it never affects the truth. It never alters or influences the truth. It is the truth that alters and changes my experience.

In the lives of many Christians there seems to be a contradiction between the truth and reality. They are often called 'hypocrites'. This need not be. They can express in reality what they are in truth. They may live in the spirit because they are in the spirit. They just need to receive faith from Jesus that he will make it a reality in their lives and he will do it.

Our experience needs to come into line with the truth. It is not meant to contradict the truth. The truth of Jesus must find its expression in the reality of our lives. There should not be a contradiction between the truth and our experience.

LIVING IN THE SPIRIT IS PART OF THE UNFINISHED WORK OF CHRIST IN US.

#### The Church

The same is true of the church. The church is the most holy place, the seat of God's presence. Even though reality contradicts it, it is still the truth! Reality needs to come in line with the truth. This happens when the church asks and receives the spirit-life from Jesus. Let me explain.

A poor man inherits a large sum of money. It is deposited into a bank account in his name. He may withdraw any amount whenever he wants to. This is the truth of his position. For some reason, however, this man decides to continue with his meagre existence and does not withdraw any money. This is the reality of his position.

The church, like the individual, needs to 'withdraw' from Jesus what truthfully belongs to the church. We need to receive the spirit-life from Jesus and trust him to bring it to fulfilment in our lives. When Jesus gives the church everything and does everything in, for, and through the church, what a mighty revelation it will be of him

### "Where Are You?"

The difference between flesh and spirit is a matter of locality. What matters is where you are when you are doing something. It is not what you do, but where you are when you do it! It has to do with your position.

If you live in the flesh everything you do is done by yourself and is flesh, even your prayers. If you live in the spirit everything you do is done by Jesus and is spirit, even washing the dishes. Whatever it is! What matters is whether you have left the holy place behind and have entered the most holy place! What matters is whether you are living in Jesus' presence!

The difference between the flesh and the spirit is not that flesh relates to 'earthly', 'worldly', or 'human' things and that spirit relates to 'heavenly', 'divine', or 'eternal' things. The flesh relates to anything I do when I am in the flesh, whether earthly or heavenly. The spirit relates to anything I do when I am in the spirit, whether earthly or heavenly.

We have labelled many things 'flesh' when they should have been 'spirit'. If I do my daily work while I live in the spirit, in the conscious presence of Jesus, then it is 'spirit', credited to Jesus and acknowledged by the Father. Likewise, we have labelled many things 'spirit' while they are simply 'flesh'. If I pray, read my Bible, go to church, do good to my neighbour, while I live in the flesh, not in the conscious presence of Jesus, then it is all 'flesh', done by myself and ignored by the Father.

Whatever I do when I am in the flesh is flesh. Whatever I do when I am in the spirit is spirit.

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU DO, BUT WHERE YOU ARE WHEN YOU DO IT!

### Where to Find Jesus

We need to see that we will only find Jesus in the reality of our spirit and never in his reality. I cannot enter his reality. His reality is in heaven where he is now physically, in the presence of his Father, the angels, and the spirits of those who have died in him. I will only enter his reality on the day I die.

For now, before I die, I will only find Jesus in my reality, that is, in my present existence. He has to enter my reality. I cannot leave my reality to find his. It is impossible. I will only meet his reality in my own reality.

People often try to leave their present existence and withdraw from life in order to find Jesus' reality, only to discover that it is done in vain. It is in me and in my daily existence where I labour and toil, where I love and live in relationships with others that I will find him.

Jesus is not restricted to times of prayer, Bible reading or visiting the church. He is also, and primarily, to be found in the streets, the workplace, and the home, just as he was found in these places when he walked with his disciples, just as he was found in the wilderness when he led Israel to the Promised Land. It is not a matter of what we do, but of where we are when it is done.

WE WILL FIND JESUS IN THE REALITY OF OUR SPIRIT AND NOT IN HIS HEAVENLY REALITY.

### Jesus Does It All

When we live in the flesh, the emphasis is on us, we are doing everything. It is all our work and our responsibility. When we live in the spirit the emphasis is on Jesus and he does everything. It is all his work and his responsibility, whatever it is.

How does this work? When you live in the spirit, you have left the holy place, the self-doing-it-all behind and have entered the most holy place where Jesus, the High Priest, is the only one serving. I repeat: he is the only one serving. Therefore, whatever you do when you live in the spirit, in his presence, is regarded as if he did it. What you do when you live in his presence is Jesus doing it for you and it is spirit! It is acknowledged by the Father and has eternal value. Whatever it is!

I must be living in the spirit, though. Whatever I do when I live in the spirit - Jesus is doing it. It is credited to him. If I pray, it is regarded as if he is praying. If I wash the dishes, it is regarded as if he is washing the dishes!

If I do something that Jesus does not approve of he will withdraw his presence and I will find myself in the flesh. His presence is not only my privilege, but also my protection and my guidance. As with Israel in the wilderness his presence protects me day and night and leads me to the destiny he has for me.

Whether you are a carpenter or a schoolteacher, a housewife or a nurse, a doctor or a lawyer, a farmer or a pastor, is not really important. Whether you wash the dishes, drive your car or visit friends, take an afternoon nap, pray, visit the church or read the Bible, or anything else - that is not important. What is important is whether you are in the spirit when you do whatever you do.

As with the individual, so it is with the church. What the church does when living in the flesh is flesh. What the church does when living in the spirit is spirit. When the church ministers while living in the flesh, it is flesh and not recognized by the Father. When the church ministers when living in the spirit, it is spirit and regarded by the Father as done by Jesus!

IN THE SPIRIT JESUS IS THE ONE DOING EVERTHING. WHATEVER YOU DO WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE SPIRIT IS REGARDED AS IF HE DID IT!

### Ready to Experience

When you realize that you are totally dependent on Jesus for everything, you are ready to experience the spirit-life. It is when you see that you can do nothing and that whatever you do in the flesh is worth nothing before God, that you are ready to trust Jesus to do everything for you. Unless he does it, nothing is done

It is then that you turn away from self and turn to Jesus. You ask him, receive faith from him, and trust him to do everything for you. This is the difference between living in the flesh and living in the spirit. You either put your trust in yourself or in Jesus. You either live through your day trusting yourself or trusting Jesus. You either go through the rest of your life trusting yourself or trusting Jesus. You do whatever you do trusting yourself or trusting Jesus.

Total dependence on Jesus, on his sacrifice and blood, is the door through which you enter into the most holy place. Total dependence on the resurrected Christ is how you live in the most holy place. It is the benchmark of the spirit-life. When you live in the spirit you live in total dependence on Jesus. You expect and receive everything from him.

We are dependent on Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross for our entrance into the spirit-life. His sacrifice is the only entrance. When we see the sacrifice of Jesus as the reason the Father allows us to live in his presence we can enter with confidence. The reason is found outside ourselves in the sacrifice of Jesus. It is not dependent on us. We are dependent on it. It has nothing to do with who we are or what we have done. It has only to do with Jesus and his completed sacrifice

We are just as much dependent on Jesus as the Christ for our living in the spirit. This happens when we realize that our flesh is worth nothing. We can do nothing. In everything and in all things we are dependent on the risen Christ. For every breath, every heartbeat, and every step \- we need Jesus, the Christ. For our daily bread, our protection, and our health - we need him. For the fulfilling of the Father's purposes and plans in our lives - we need him. For making his work on the cross real in our lives - we need him.

Total dependence is total dependence. Nothing is excluded. We are dependent on Jesus not only for forgiveness, but also for deliverance from sin, the law, the world, and from ourselves. We are dependent on him not only to give us the spirit-life and the resurrection of our bodies when he returns, but also to provide for us our daily bread, to take care of us, and to lead us. We need him in every situation, every moment.

Like Israel and the disciples we have to come to the place where we are totally dependent on him to provide for us and lead us. He has to be in complete control of our lives. He has to bring his plans and purposes to fulfilment in our lives. We do not need Jesus to help us - we need him to do everything for, in and through us. We need him to take our place in our daily living as he took our place on the cross. Time and again we will need to accept and confess to Jesus our total dependence on him, that we can do nothing in the flesh and that whatever we do is worth nothing. Many times, even in one day, we need to confess to him that we cannot live without him. We need him to live in our stead, every moment, and every step of the way.

Confess your dependence to him and receive from him the assurance, the comfort, the faith, that he will live in your place. Then trust him. He will live for you.

UNLESS JESUS DOES IT, NOTHING IS ACCOMPLISHED.

### Experiencing the Spirit-Life

How do I experience the spirit-life? How do I enter into the most holy place and experience the presence of Jesus?

Experiencing the spirit-life can only be received as a free gift from Jesus. Just as we could do nothing to receive the forgiveness of sins from him other than to receive it as a free gift, so we can do nothing to experience his presence other than to receive it as a free gift. He will gladly give it, because he has come for that very purpose, to give us the spirit-life, to be a reality in our lives, and to be experienced.

Jesus has to give it to you to experience the spirit-life. He gives, freely, by grace. There is nothing you can do to help him.

Just ask him. Talk to him until he gives you faith as proof that he has given it to you to experience the spirit-life and has enabled you to live in his presence.

Once you have received faith, rejoice in him and live by that faith until it becomes reality. Trust him that he has given it to you to experience the spirit-life and refrain from trying to help him. Just look to him and say, "Lord, you have enabled me to live in the spirit. I trust you. You will do it."

There may be a time delay between receiving faith and experiencing reality. Do not let it bother you. You will experience it.

You can ask Jesus now to experience the spirit-life. Ask him, receive faith from him, and trust him. He will make it real in your life. When you have prayed and received faith in your heart, leave it in

Jesus' hands to accomplish it! Do not try to accomplish it yourself or try to help him! It is neither your work nor your responsibility. It is his work, his responsibility! He will do it, and when he does, you will find yourself living in the spirit.

THE SPIRIT LIFE CAN ONLY BE RECEIVED AS A GIFT FROM JESUS.

### The Wrong Way

Be careful not to think that Jesus has done everything for us in principle, but that we have to bring it to reality. It is impossible for us to bring the spirit-life, or any other truth, to reality.

Some people think that when we pray we should believe that we have received what we ask and then live accordingly. Jesus has given it and we should express it as reality. This leads to confusion and disappointment. It is not our responsibility to realize what we have received from Jesus. It is his responsibility. He himself will make it real for us. We just need to continue trusting Jesus with the faith he has given us.

We should keep this in our hearts - Jesus has come not only to ensure salvation for us on the cross, but also to apply it in our lives. It is all his work. The first he did through sacrificing his flesh on the cross; the second he does through his Spirit in us. We need to look to him for both these aspects of our salvation.

For too long a gospel has been preached that limits Jesus' work to the cross. For too long it has been preached that he did everything for us, but we have to make it real in our lives. This is not the true gospel of Jesus.

Jesus' work of salvation includes both the securing of our salvation on the cross for us as well as the application of our salvation in us. We need to receive both from him. It is all included in his one complete work of salvation.

What would the gospel be if Jesus only made it a possibility for us to be saved, but we have to make it a reality? He had just provided us with the potential of salvation, but we have to realize it? The gospel is: Jesus has done everything for me and will do everything in me.

Faith is not something through which we complete Jesus' work of salvation by doing our part. Faith comes from Jesus and proves to us that he has already given us everything and will do everything for us. Nothing we do or refrain from doing will bring anything to reality. It is all Jesus' work!

Everything we do is flesh, no matter how good or how noble it is. Whatever Jesus does, is spirit. We will never be able to realize what Jesus did for us or has given us. Only he can make it a reality. When he does, we will find ourselves living in the spirit thanking and praising him!

Be careful not to help Jesus. When you earnestly desire to live in the spirit, all you have to do is ask Jesus, receive faith from him, and trust him. Do not try to live the spirit-life yourself! Do not imitate what you think the spirit-life is! Once you have received faith from him, leave it in his hands! He will do it!

When you have experienced Jesus' reality and have somehow gone back to a life in the flesh, and desire to live in his presence again, do not try to live in the spirit. You will not be able to achieve it. You can only be given it. Of everything this is perhaps the most difficult for us, to do nothing, to be given everything, to receive everything freely.

If someone asked you how you had entered the spirit-life, you will never be able to say, 'I did this, or that.' You will only be able to say, 'Jesus just gave it to me, by grace, as a free gift. I don't know how, l just know he did! '

JESUS' WORK INCLUDES BOTH THE SECURING OF OUR SALVATION ON THE CROSS FOR US AND THE APPLICATION OF IT IN US.

### How You Know

How will you know when you are living in the spirit? You will know because you will be filled with God's peace and an awareness of his presence. You will have come to rest in Jesus, have complete faith in him, and have almost no requests, mostly praise. Sometimes you will not only be aware of God's presence, you will be overwhelmed by it.

All that is of the flesh will disappear. Anxiety will be absent, your own fleshly desires and longings will be missing. You will experience God's presence, praising and worshipping him. When Jesus gives it to you to experience the spirit-life, to live in the most holy place, he has enabled you to turn your back on the flesh and enter the spirit. There you will find Jesus, your High Priest, waiting for you, ready to serve. He is there, waiting for you, wanting to do all in your life!

#### Rest Instead of Labour

When you live in the spirit, you will experience complete rest in Jesus, in his completed work on the cross on your behalf, and in his present work in you. As God rested from his work on the Sabbath, after he had created everything perfectly through his Son, so you will rest in the perfect work of his Son.

When you live in the spirit you have ceased to try and please the Father. You have accepted Jesus' complete and full sacrifice on your behalf. You are now living in the faith, given you by Jesus your High Priest that he will continue to act fully in your stead, serving through his Spirit in your spirit.

You will experience what the Father has intended for you all along, rest from all self-effort. Only Jesus and his work on your behalf will remain. Everything else will vanish like the morning mist on a bright sunny day.

ONLY JESUS CAN BRING TO REALITY WHAT HE HAS GIVEN US.

#### The Truth Will Be Reality

Everything that is yours in Jesus will become reality to you. You will experience the truth as reality.

  * You will not be aware of your sins, but that you are forgiven and cleansed.

  * You will live with a cleansed conscience.

  * You will not be affected by the power of sin, but will live in victory over sin and its desires.

  * You will experience freedom from your sinful nature. Your sinful self will not dictate your life. You will live in victory over your sinful desires.

  * You will experience freedom from the law and religious efforts.

  * You will know that you are perfect in God's eyes, that all his requirements have been met for you.

  * You will experience freedom from the world. The things of the world, so attractive to you while you lived in the flesh, will fade into insignificance.

  * You will experience freedom from the control and influence of the devil - he will not dare to come close to you because of the presence of his conqueror.

  * You will experience freedom from your human nature, your flesh. You will still be aware of it, but it will not control and direct your life. Your thoughts, your feelings, and your will power will be under the control of the Christ who serves through his Spirit in your spirit.

#### Pure Faith

When you live in the spirit, you trust Jesus completely with everything. You cease to put any confidence, trust, or faith in your flesh. You admit that you are totally incapable of doing anything yourself. All your faith, trust, and confidence have come to be in Jesus.

You discover that, because of Jesus' presence, your faith is pure faith. It is uncontaminated by the questions of the mind or the doubts of the flesh. You will have faith for every situation as Jesus gives you faith continually. You will not doubt him, his ability, or his willingness to act on your behalf or on behalf of others.

#### Praise Instead of Asking

When you find yourself in the most holy place, living in the spirit, in Jesus' presence, you discover that you do not pray by asking, but by praising and thanking him. His very presence will demand your praise and worship. Your heart will be overflowing with thanksgiving and praise.

In the flesh you pray, but in the spirit you praise. In the flesh you ask, seek and knock, but in the spirit you worship. Instead of asking for things, you confess your faith in him, thanking him for everything.

#### Jesus in Total Control

When you live in the spirit you will experience faith in Jesus as the one who is in full control of your life. Your flesh, with its own desires and plans, is overruled. Your destiny, and the way to its fulfilment, is now in Jesus' hands.

You will experience rest in his will for your life. What you like to do, accomplish or possess, or where you like to go, all these things are overruled when you live in the spirit. He will bring his plans to fulfilment as you rest in him.

In the spirit-life you are totally dependent on his provision and guidance. He is the only one in control, complete control. You can only rest in him. When you live in the spirit you live a life that is brought to realization and fulfilment by Jesus! You depend on him for everything. You do not trust your own mind, emotions, willpower, or bodily strength, but have come to put all your trust in Jesus. You expect everything from him.

By the faith Jesus has given you, you expect everything from him and apart from him you have no other source to rely on. Every moment of every day you expect everything from him. You expect him to give to you and do everything for you!

When you live in the spirit, everything Jesus has done for you become reality.

## 15. Staying in the Spirit-Life

We experience living in the spirit by receiving it from Jesus through faith. We continue living in the spirit by receiving it from Jesus through faith.

### Staying in the Spirit-Life

#### First Thing Every Morning

Each morning the Israelites had to gather enough manna for the day. If they neglected it they would go without food. They also could not keep some of it for the next day because it would go off and be inedible. They had to gather manna each morning, every day of the week, except on the Sabbath.

They also had to gather manna early every morning before the sun melted the manna away. If they waited too long, it became too late to gather anything. They were not to waste time on any other duties before gathering manna. It was the first thing to do every morning.

In the same way we should pray each day for our daily bread. Each morning, before you rush into your day, first receive from heaven your portion of manna for the day. Jesus was the manna with whom the Israelites were fed from heaven. Jesus is the manna we have to receive each day.

Ask Jesus, first thing every morning, to enable you to live in the spirit. Receive from him faith that he has given you the spirit-life and he will do the rest! Once you have received proof you may go about your daily activities trusting him.

When you ask Jesus, wait until he gives you faith. Sometimes he will give you faith before you pray, sometimes simultaneously, and at other times after you have prayed. Wait until your heart has been filled with faith and you become aware that he has given you the assurance that your prayer is answered.

Take care though not to rush into your day without having received manna, without having received faith from Jesus that he has enabled you to live in the spirit. You will go through that day with 'hunger pangs'. Ask Jesus to give you the spirit-life first thing in the morning.

Our attitude should be like that of Moses. When God at one stage hesitated to continue leading Israel through the wilderness, Moses refused to accept it from God, saying that they would rather die in the wilderness than continue without the presence of the Lord. God accepted Moses' refusal and continued to lead them to the Promised Land. Refuse to continue with your daily activities unless Jesus has given you faith that he will allow you to live in his presence.

We have to receive from Jesus first thing every morning. It is not possible to carry over some 'spirit-living' from the previous day. We need to receive it fresh every morning. We have to stay dependent on him each day. In the spirit-life we are in a position of permanent dependence on Jesus. We never reach the point where we live in the spirit independently from Jesus. That is a contradiction in terms. We have to receive the spirit-life every day from Jesus.

WE EXPERIENCE LIVING IN THE SPIRIT BY RECEIVING IT FROM JESUS TRHOUGH FAITH.

#### All Day Long

As you go through the day, eat from the manna you have collected. In every situation you face, look to Jesus and ask him to act on your behalf. Every step of your way should be in total dependence on him, nothing more and nothing less. There is nothing you can do anyway! Your every breath should be a confession of your total dependence on him!

These may be any situations: normal and abnormal situations, people around you, your finances or your sins, any crisis that might come your way, attacks by Satan, doubt, or your own sinful nature. Ask Jesus to act on your behalf and to give you what you need. Ask him and receive faith from him.

When you face any situation, refuse to act in the flesh, to make your own plans, and to trust yourself. If you find it difficult to say "No!" to your flesh, ask Jesus to help you. Tell him that your flesh is in the way and ask him to prevent you from acting in the flesh.

We enter living in the spirit by receiving it from Jesus through faith. We continue to live in the spirit by receiving it each morning from Jesus through faith.

#### Holy Communion

The manna Israel received each morning was Jesus. They were given Jesus to eat. In this the manna relates to the Holy Communion through which we not only commemorate and proclaim Jesus' death on the cross, but through which we also participate spiritually in him as the risen Christ.

Through the bread and the wine of the Holy Communion we have spiritual communion with the resurrected Christ. We eat of his body, which he gave as a sacrifice to fulfil the requirements of the old covenant of the law, and we drink of his blood, which he shed to establish the new covenant of grace.

In Holy Communion we receive his spiritual reality through the bread and the wine. Our communion with him is not a physical communion, but a spiritual communion. It is a communion in our spirit with the Spirit of Jesus.

Just as with water baptism, Holy Communion is essentially a spiritual event. It is a proclamation of Jesus' crucifixion and the participant's inclusion in his crucifixion to all angels and demons in the spiritual world. Water baptism is a single proclamation of forgiveness and cleansing. Holy Communion is a repeated proclamation of Jesus' complete and accepted sacrifice. Both proclaim: It is done! It is finished! Salvation belongs to Jesus and everyone cleansed by him!

The early church realized the importance of this daily communion with Jesus. They had Holy Communion every day in groups from house to house. They couldn't live without receiving Jesus' spiritual reality regularly. They were dependent on him just as the Israelites were in the wilderness. If Israel and the early church could not survive without receiving the spiritual reality of Jesus, then we also need to receive his spiritual reality daily through the Holy Communion.

#### The Church and Holy Communion

Jesus gave the Holy Communion to all believers. It is his communion with all who are one with him. It does not belong to the church in the sense that it is something the church possesses and only the church may 'administer'. It belongs to all believers just as Jesus belongs to all believers.

A believer is anyone, irrespective of age, who believes in the blood of Jesus as the only means through which he receives forgiveness and cleansing of sins and who has received, through faith, complete forgiveness of his sins from Jesus.

Therefore, believing married couples could start their day in their homes with Holy Communion. Believing families or neighbours or friends could meet regularly to have communion with Jesus through the Holy Communion.

The church as organisation may not prevent the church as believers to receive Jesus daily through the Holy Communion. The church should release believers to receive Jesus' spiritual reality freely as the Father gave him. The church should equip believers to meet daily in family or bigger groups to participate in Holy Communion.

If the church wants to live in the most holy place, it will have to meet daily in small groups from house to house and once or twice a week as a community, to have communion with Jesus through the Holy Communion. Every three months or even once or twice a month will never suffice. It will only lead to spiritual starvation. If we want to experience Jesus' reality in the church, we have to receive his spiritual reality daily.

One thing the devil tries to achieve is separating believers from Jesus' body and blood as presented in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. This spiritual communion with Jesus is vital for the spiritual health of believers and the church. We need to ask Jesus to restore this daily communion between him and his people and trust him to do it.

Please note that the Holy Communion does not put aside the principle that we receive all through faith from Jesus. When you eat the bread and drink the wine in commemoration of and in thanksgiving for the body and blood of Jesus you still have to receive this communion with Jesus through faith in your heart. Please note, too, that to partake daily of Holy Communion is not a rule and should never become a law. Whenever we eat the bread and drink the wine... If you miss a few days, you have not sinned! You will only discover your increasing hunger for Jesus as you would for food if you have not eaten for a day or two.

### Going Back to the Flesh

Because our flesh and our spirit are in opposition to each other and the flesh is not removed, but only immobilized, and because we have been living in the flesh, according to self, for most, if not all of our lives, we tend to fall back, or slip back, from the spirit-life to a life in the flesh. The world around us, most of our family and friends, all live according to the flesh. It does happen, then, that we slip back into the known world of living in the flesh.

I need to warn you. This is going to happen. Once you have experienced living in the spirit you will go back to a life in the flesh in the holy place and when this happens, it will be awful. It will be like a nightmare in the middle of the day. The awfulness of your flesh will be so real that you will cry to Jesus to deliver you from it. You will discover the stark contrast between living in the flesh and living in the spirit. They differ like day and night, like life and death. To live in the spirit is to experience life. To live in the flesh is to experience death.

You will have to go through this in order to see and experience your flesh as it is, so that you can despise your flesh and plead with Jesus not to allow you to return to a life in the flesh again.

But, let me emphasize this, however difficult this may be, it is impossible for you to lose the spirit-life. It is yours in Jesus for eternity! You may lose its reality for a moment, but never its truth. You may lose its experience for an hour, a day, or a week, but never forever!

#### The Awfulness of the Flesh

When you slip back to a life in the flesh you discover the awfulness of your flesh. Before you came to experience living in the spirit you loved your flesh, relied on its wisdom and knowledge, and trusted its thoughts and arguments. Now you discover its impotency, its limitations, and above all, its emptiness of divine life. It is then that you despise your flesh and loathe it.

When you go back to a life in the flesh you become frightened of it. You discover that your life-long friend is not really a friend, but an enemy who wants to rob you of life itself. Once you have experienced it to live in the spirit you will not be able to live without it.

In this, as in everything else in our lives, we are totally dependent on Jesus. He must enable you to stay in the spirit. Talk to him until he gives you faith and then continue trusting him. The moment we try to prevent ourselves from returning to a life in the flesh we are already in the flesh. The moment we try to return to the spirit-life we are still in the flesh. Everything we do is flesh. Everything Jesus does is spirit.

#### It Is Jesus' Battle

One of the things the devil would like to prevent at all times is for you to live in the spirit. When you live in the flesh you are no threat to him, in fact, you are exposed and vulnerable to his attacks. When you live in the spirit he cannot come near you. Jesus' presence prevents this. The devil has been thrown out of heaven and does not have access to the presence of God in the most holy place any longer.

Still, he will do everything possible to prevent you from living in the spirit. He will keep you from partaking in the Holy Communion to prevent you from having spiritual communion with Jesus. He will intimidate and terrify you and try to rob you of your faith in Jesus. He will tempt you to make your own plans and live according to your own mind. When this happens, do not try to fight him on your own, in the flesh. The flesh is not a match for him. Turn to Jesus, ask and receive faith from him that he will deal with the devil and his attacks on your behalf.

#### The Value of Our Flesh

As with entering the spirit-life so it is with staying in the spirit-life. It has to do with the value we put on our flesh. The true value of our flesh is nothing. If we regard it as more than nothing, we will rely on our flesh again and not be able to stay in the spirit-life.

When Jesus enables us to live in the spirit, he has put our flesh aside. We should continue to regard it as such, crucified by Jesus and rendered powerless. Our problem is that we regard our flesh, our human abilities, very highly. We think very highly of ourselves! We think God needs us! We think Jesus needs us to help him, to give him a 'hand', and we are very willing and quick to do that. Instead, we need him to help us, to give us a hand! Oh, that we could see ourselves as we are in the flesh, as nothing!

#### Only to Receive

When you have gone back to live in the flesh, the spirit-life will seem completely unattainable, and it is. Your flesh is not able to enter, achieve, or even perceive the spirit-life, and it will never be able to. There is only one remedy for this situation, only one way back to the spirit-life. This way is not via the flesh. There is nothing we can do to go back to the spirit-life, but to receive it freely from Jesus. Ask him and receive faith from him and it is yours.

We go from living in the flesh to living in the spirit, from the holy place to the most holy place, from self-effort to Jesus-who-does-it-al-for-you, only by receiving it freely from Jesus through faith. We can do nothing to enter the spirit-life - Jesus has to give it to us freely. We can do nothing to stay in the spirit-life - Jesus has to give it to us freely. It is all his work.

### Walking on Water

The apostle Peter experienced something of the spirit-life when he walked on the water. Jesus had invited him to come to him across the sea and Peter jumped to experience the impossible. As long as he kept his eyes focused on Jesus he walked as if on dry ground. The moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind and the turbulent waves around him, he sank like a rock. Jesus had to pull him out of the water.

Living in the spirit is like walking on water. You have to keep your eyes on Jesus, expecting everything from him. You have to keep your focus on Jesus and never on your circumstances or on other unbelieving people around you. You should not even shift your eyes to the church or the Bible.

Peter did not keep his eyes on the Bible, but on Jesus. He, and the other early Christians, did not have a Bible as we do. There were only a few Old Testament manuscripts in Jewish synagogues, from which the Christians were banned, and some New Testament manuscripts among the different churches. No Bible, no books, no tapes, and no videos. Yet, during this first period the church expanded miraculously. They only had Jesus! They had to keep their eyes focused on Jesus!

The moment you take your eyes off Jesus, you will sink like a rock. You will sink into the flesh, into your circumstances, and into the unbelief of the people around you. Only Jesus is able to keep you walking on the water, treading over your circumstances and over the surrounding unbelief. Only Jesus is able to keep you living in the spirit.

Even this, keeping your eyes on him, you have to receive from Jesus. Peter could not keep his eyes on Jesus and Jesus had to help him. Ask Jesus to enable you to keep your eyes on him every day. Receive faith from him and trust him. He will do this for you as well!

Peter proves to us man's inability to 'walk on water', to live in the spirit, to accomplish anything spiritual on his own. Jesus shows us his willingness and ability to enable us to do what is impossible for our flesh, to live in the spirit and accomplish spiritual things.

### Remaining in the Branch

The gospel of Jesus Christ is that he has come to make us one with him! We are united with him for eternity. All we have to do is remain in him. He will do the rest.

Jesus compares this unity between him and us with that between a vine and its branches. He is the vine and we are the branches.

The vine provides the branches with everything they need to grow and bear fruit and the branches receive all they need from the vine. The vine bears fruit through the branches. The responsibility and the effort to bear fruit is that of the vine and the privilege to bear fruit is that of the branches. The branches only have to remain in the vine to bear fruit at the appropriate time. It will happen spontaneously.

In order to bear fruit the branches have to be pruned. This is the work of the farmer. The farmer cuts back any excessive growth on the branches. The Father is the farmer who prunes us. The shorter the branches, the more fruit they bear. The less there remains of us the more there will be of the vine. There is a time for pruning, a time for growth, and a time for bearing fruit. The branches do not grow all year round, only in season. Nor do they bear fruit all year round, only in season.

The picture of the vine and the branches portrays the unity between Jesus and us. We are grafted, incorporated, into him. We are one with him. We grow out of him and are completely dependent on him for our growth and for bearing fruit, which happens at the appropriate time. All we have to do is remain in him expecting everything from him. Then everything will happen spontaneously in our lives! Far too often we wear ourselves out trying to bear fruit. We have to come to a position of rest expecting Jesus to do all through us!

This too, to remain in him, we have to receive from Jesus. We have to ask Jesus to enable us to remain in him, receive faith from him and trust him, and he will do this for us as well!

### On a Spiritual Journey with Jesus

To live in the spirit is a way of living. You have embarked on a spiritual journey, a journey through the wilderness, living in total dependence on Jesus and in his presence. The wilderness is the process through which he takes you until your flesh is finally put aside. He has to bring you to the place where you realize you can do nothing - he has to do it all.

There will be difficult times, times when you will fall back into a life in the flesh. Those times will be frightening. You will doubt everything. You will feel depressed, uncertain, and frightened. Instead of being aware of Jesus' presence, you will only be aware of the harshness of the wilderness, the lack of food and water, shelter and direction.

It is then that you will come to know your absolute dependence on Jesus. You will flee from your own thoughts, your own flesh, and throw yourself completely on Jesus. You will come to discover that in the wilderness the flesh counts for nothing. Only the presence of Jesus will bring you through.

You will go through times of learning and discerning. You will discover your complete dependence on God's wisdom. You will learn the value of the 'most important prayer', the prayer for divine wisdom. Jesus will be with you all the way, teaching, guiding, leading and caring for you, even when you are in the flesh and not aware of him. Nothing will ever happen to you. He will take care of you so that you will not even lose a hair without your Father willing it.

Your journey will take you to the Promised Land, a land of milk and honey, where you will receive everything freely. On this journey the sun will not burn your head nor the sand your feet, nor will you feel the cold of the night because you will live in the presence of Jesus. You will tread on snakes and scorpions and no harm will come to you. You will lack nothing.

### Only Jesus and All Jesus

Jesus Christ is the essence of it all. He wants to be and is meant to be everything for everyone. He wants to fill everyone with his fullness. He wants to be all in everyone, is meant to be all in everyone, and in the end will be all in all.

When you live in the spirit, you discover the reality of the truth of Jesus who is your all, who is everything to you. You discover the reality of Jesus as the Christ.

Once you become part of the dispensation of spirit and grace you receive grace upon grace from Jesus' fullness. It is no longer a matter of striving, but of trusting, Not one of effort, but of rest. Not one of rewards, but of gifts.

It is when you live in the spirit that you can truly say: For me the reality is Christ! For me to live, is Christ and to die is gain! It is not I that live, but Christ living in me! He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end! Everything is from him, through him and to him!

He has become my all 

# Epilogue: Living in His Presence

### God's Purpose for You

God's purpose for you is to live daily in his presence. This happens when you enter from the holy place of human activity through the torn veil of Jesus' complete forgiveness into the most holy place where the High Priest is the only one serving. You become a spectator of his work in you and on your behalf. You are filled with the Father's praises and overflow with thankfulness while Jesus changes you from glory to glory.

For most of my life I have been convinced that it is God's desire that his children should live in his presence. It has been like this with God's people since Adam. Some experienced more of it, some less, but it was a reality for all of them.

The problem was that I had not experienced it in my own life nor had I seen it in others. The truth that God is omnipresent and therefore always present could not satisfy me. This is true of all people whether they are believers or not. When I talk of God's presence I am not talking about his omnipresence where everything is open before his eyes, but of his personal presence where he walks with you and talks with you and where you are aware of his personal, holy, and glorious presence.156

The Father's purpose for your life is to live in the spirit, in his presence. It is nothing else. It is not to preach, teach, serve, love, pray, or anything else. It is only to live in his presence. Then Jesus as the risen Christ will do all these things, and more, in and through you. You don't need to think about it or plan it. He will do it.

### In the Times of the Old Covenant

God always intended for us to live in his presence. Thus it was with Adam and Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Jacob, Moses and the people of Israel as they wandered through the desert in total dependence on him and in his awesome presence. AII these people walked with God and he walked with them. He talked to them, led them, and fulfilled his purpose in their lives. He made covenants with them, blessed them, protected them, saved them and rebuked them.157

We see this in the history of the judges, the kings, and the prophets, people who lived in his presence. Although they experienced all this it was only a shadow of what was to come, a shadow of the reality. The reality is Christ.

They lived in the shadow. They only experienced God's presence at certain times. Jesus had not lived in them through his Spirit. The Holy Spirit only came upon them momentarily. We, however, can live in the reality! We can live in union with the Christ who lives through his Spirit in our spirits. We can experience his presence and reality continuously!

### In the Times of the New Covenant

When Jesus came everything changed. Suddenly people were living in God's physical presence. The disciples walked with him, ate with him, touched him, and stayed with him. They listened to him, talked to him, and saw him work.

After he ascended to heaven he came to dwell in and among them through his Spirit. Now they were in his spiritual presence. It was no longer a physical presence, but his presence was just as real. They lived in the presence of his Spirit with whom they were filled.

This is where we will find Jesus. We will not find him in the flesh, only in the spirit, in the most holy place. We must know where to look for Jesus. He lives and serves in our spirit. We will find him only in the spirit - where we have come to the end of relying on ourselves and receive all from him by grace. This is where we will find Jesus and where we have to live.

### In Our Lifetime

We know that we will be in God's presence the day we die and that we will not find his presence in our earthly existence. That is true. But we should not miss the importance and glory of living in the spirit. God is spirit and he wants us to worship him in the spirit while we live our earthly and fleshly lives.

While living our present earthly lives we can live in the Father's presence! And when we leave our earthly existence we will see with our eyes what we have experienced all our lives, the glory and beauty of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ!

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Colossians 2:17

...which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Romans 1:3-4

3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

1 Timothy 3:16

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit...

Acts 3:16

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Ephesians 3:17

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love...

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

James 1:6-7

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Acts 3:16

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

1 Timothy 1:14

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2

...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Mark 11:22-25

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Genesis 15

Romans 4:18-22

18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Romans 10:9

...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Matthew 7:7-11

7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

John 14:14

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 16:23

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

James 5:15

And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Luke 11:5-13

5 And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Luke 18:1-8

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' " 6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Matthew 6:5-7

5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Genesis 32

James 4:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Romans 2:11

For there is no partiality with God.

Romans 10:11

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Luke 18:9-14

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

1 Corinthians 1:24

...but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

James 3:17

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

John 1:16

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

John 16:24

Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Matthew 13:1-8

1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Acts 10:43

To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

Acts 13:38-39

38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Acts 26:18

...to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.

Romans 11:27

For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.

Hebrews 9:28

...so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

1 John 3:5

And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

Revelation 1:5

...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood...

Colossians 2:13

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:2

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

Hebrews 9:14

...how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:6-8

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

Hebrews 10:3

...but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

Hebrews 10:11

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Colossians 1:14

...in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:11-14

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:22-26

22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; , but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 10:12-18

12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit...

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

1 John 2:2

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

1 John 1:7

...but if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Luke 24:46-47

46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 13:38-39

38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 13:1-10

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." 8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

Hebrews 10:14-18

14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8-10

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Romans 7:4

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

1 Corinthians 3:23

And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Galatians 3:29

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

John 13:8

Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."

John 14:20

At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

1 Corinthians 6:17

...but he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

1 John 4:15

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Ephesians 3:17

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love...

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 8:9

But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Romans 8:15

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

2 Corinthians 1:22

...who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 5:5

Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Galatians 4:16

Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

John 14:16-17

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

1 Corinthians 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

2 Corinthians 6:16

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

Romans 8:14-17

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Galatians 3:26

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Colossians 1:19-22

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

1 John 3:1-2

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

John 1:16

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Romans 8:17

...and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:29-30

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Ephesians 2:6

...and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...

Colossians 2:10

...and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Revelation 1:8

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

Romans 1:18-2:16

Romans 3:11

There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

Romans 3:23

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Ephesians 2:3

...among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

John 14:6-10

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

John 6:39

This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Revelation 19:13

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

John 5:39-40

39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Romans 7:6

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

2 Corinthians 3:6

...who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Hebrews 1:1

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets...

1 John 1:1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Acts 4:12

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Acts 13:38-39

38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

John 8:34

Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Romans 3:23

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...

Romans 5:12-21

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:16-23

16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:1-11

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Ephesians 2:4-7

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:3

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

2 Timothy 2:11

This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

Romans 6:20-23

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:23

And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Galatians 3:29

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Psalm 51:7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Romans 5:12-14

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Romans 6:1-6

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Romans 7:13-8:2

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! , but sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

1 John 3:6

Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

1 John 3:9

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 5:18

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

John 8:36

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Galatians 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Ex 20

Romans 2:12-16

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Romans 7:9-13

9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! , but sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

2 Corinthians 3:5-9

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

Romans 3:19-20

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 2:16

...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Galatians 3:11

But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 7:19

...for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 10:1

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

Romans 3:20

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 5:13

For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Romans 7:5-11

5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

Matthew 5:17

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Galatians 3:13

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")

Colossians 2:13-14

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Romans 7:1-6

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Galatians 2:19-20

19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; 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 gave Himself for me.

Galatians 4:4-5

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

John 2:14-21

14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." 18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?" 19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Colossians 2:18-23

18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using— according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Matthew 12:32

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Mark 10:30

...who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

Luke 20:34-36

34 Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

Hebrews 10:9

...then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.

Galatians 1:4

...who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father...

Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Colossians 2:20

Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—

John 19:30

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Matthew 16:25-34

25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

John 12:31

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Revelation 12:9

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Matthew 12:28

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 13:32

And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'

Colossians 2:15

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Revelation 1:18

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.

Acts 10:38

...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

John 16:11

...of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged...

Revelation 20:10

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

1 John 5:18-19

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

John 10:28-29

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

John 19:30

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present or things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 10:10-14

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him...

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:20

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:28

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 4:1

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luke 4:14

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

Acts 1:2

...until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,

Romans 1:14

I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.

Hebrews 9:14

...how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit,

Matthew 3:11

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Acts 2:33

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Romans 1:9

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,

1 Corinthians 6:20

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Philemon 25

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

1 Peter 4:6

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Romans 16:7

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

1 Corinthians 1:4

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Timothy 1:9

...who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

1 Peter 5:14

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Romans 8:10

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; 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 gave Himself for me.

Ephesians 3:17

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Colossians 3:11

...where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 2:19-22

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Colossians 1:21-22

21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

Hebrews 10:14

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Exodus 1

Exodus 12

Exodus 13:21-22

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Exodus 12

Exodus 13:21-22

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Hebrews 9:13-14

13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Matthew 26:26-28

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Exodus 14

John 13:1-10

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." 8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

1 Corinthians 10:1-2

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

Hebrews 10:22

...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Exodus 15:22-17:16

John 6:31-35

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:48-58

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." 52 The Jews therefore quarrelled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" 53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

1 Corinthians 10:1-4

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

Exodus 32

Deuteronomy 1:35

'Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers,...

Genesis 15

Romans 4

Galatians 4:21-31

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband." 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Exodus 2

Exodus 3:8

8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

Exodus 3:17

...and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."

Deuteronomy 8:7-10

7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

Exodus 24; Deuteronomy 28-30

Hebrews 9:18-20

18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."

Romans 2:14-15

14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)...

2 Corinthians 3

Hebrews 9:9

It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—

Hebrews 10:1-2

1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

Ezekiel 36:24-32

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord God, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!"

Hebrews 8:6-13

6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 10:16-18

16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Matthew 26:28

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Hebrews 10:22

...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 9:13-14

13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:22

...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Peter 1:2

...elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

2 Corinthians 3:11

For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

Hebrews 8:13

In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Romans 8:29-30

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Galatians 3:13-14

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:26-29

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Matthew 26:28

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Hebrews 9:14

...how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:26

He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 10:10

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:14-22

14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 12:22-24

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Luke 17:21

...nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

John 4:20-24

20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Romans 2:29

...but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 10:1-13

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

2 Corinthians 3

1 Kings 19:11-13

11 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

John 1:17

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3

Galatians 5:1-15

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. 7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 4 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

Jeremiah 32:36-42

36 "Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, 'It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.' 42 "For thus says the Lord: 'Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

Ezekiel 36:24-32

Hebrews 8:8-13

8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 10:1-4

1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Hebrews 10:15-18

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Jeremiah 32:36-42

Ezekiel 36:24-32

2 Corinthians 3

Hebrews 8-10

Exodus 25:40

And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.

Exodus 26:30

And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain.

Hebrews 8:5

...who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

Hebrews 9:24

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

Hebrews 9:1-10

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

Hebrews 10:11

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Hebrews 9:11-14

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:24-26

24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 10:10-14

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit...

Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Ephesians 2:15

...having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace...

Hebrews 8:13

In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 10:9

...then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.

John 2:21

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

2 Corinthians 6:16

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

Ephesians 2:19-22

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Acts 1:1

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Ephesians 1:23

...which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Colossians 1:18

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Ephesians 4:11-16

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Revelation 19:7

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

Revelation 22:17

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

1 Corinthians 3

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:4

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

John 1:3

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Acts 13:38-39

38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Galatians 4:4-5

4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Hebrews 12:22-24

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Gen 2-3

Romans 8:8

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

2 Peter 3:7-13

7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 20:11

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

Revelation 21:1

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Romans 8:29

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1 Corinthians 15:49

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:45-50

45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Romans 7:18

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

Romans 8:6

...For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:8

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Philippians 3:3-11

3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Philippians 3:7

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Romans 10:6-10

6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 6:1-7

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; 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 gave Himself for me.

Galatians 5:24

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Romans 8:1-17

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Galatians 3:1-5

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galatians 5:16

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Romans 7:6

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 8:4

...that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; 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 gave Himself for me.

2 Corinthians 6:16

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

Ephesians 2:22

...in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Romans 10:1-13

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Philippians 1:6

...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,...

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 12:22-24

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Hebrews 4

2 Corinthians 4:13

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

2 Corinthians 4:13

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,...

John 4:21-24

21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 6:31-35

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Exodus 33

Matthew 26:26-28

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

John 6:31-35

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

John 6:41

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven."

John 6:48-58

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." 52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" 53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

Acts 2:46

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,...

1 Corinthians 10:15-17

15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Ephesians 3:10

...to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,...

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Luke 10:18

And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

John 12:35

Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

1 John 5:18

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Revelation 12:8

...but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

Revelation 12:12

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

John 6:16-21

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

John 15:1-17

1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

Matthew 10:29-31

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Ephesians 1:23

...which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Colossians 3:11

...where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Romans 11:36

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; 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 gave Himself for me.

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Colossians 2:17

...which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Revelation 1:11

...saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,"...

156

Hebrews 4:13

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

157

Gen 1-3

Genesis 5:24

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Genesis 9:1-17

Genesis 12:1-7

Genesis 26:1-6

Genesis 32:24-31

Exodus 3-4
