Bonhoeffer- 'Here we encounter the office and work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who brings Christ to each several member (Eph. 3:17; 1 Cor. 12:3), who builds up the Church by gathering the individual members together, although the whole building is already complete in Christ (Eph. 2:22; 4:12; Col 2.2) He creates the fellowship (2 Cor. 13:14) of the members of the Body (Rom. 15:30; 5:5; Col. 1:8; Eph. 4:3) The Lord is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17). The Church of Christ is the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. In this way the life of the Body of Christ becomes our own life. In Christ we no longer live our own lives, but he lives his life in us. The life of the faithful in the Church is indeed the Life of Christ in them (Gal 2:20; Rom 8:10; 2 Cor 13:5; 1 John 4:15)'
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love
1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ
2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen...
Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Col 1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
In the fellowship of the crucified and glorified body of Christ we participate in his suffering and glory. His cross is the burden which is laid on his Body, the Church. All its sufferings borne beneath this cross are the sufferings of Christ himself. This suffering first takes the form of the baptismal death, and after that the daily dying of the Christians (1 Cor. 15:31)...1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
… in the power of their baptism.
But there is a far greater form of suffering than this, one which bears an ineffable promise. For while it is true that only the suffering of Christ himself can atone for sin, and that his suffering and triumph took place "for us," yet to some, who are not ashamed of their fellowship in his body, he vouchsafes the immeasurable grace and privilege of suffering "for him," as he did for them. No greater glory could he have granted to his own, no higher privilege can the Christian enjoy, than to suffer "for Christ." When that happens, something comes to pass which is inconceivable under the law. For according to the law we can only be punished for our own sins. Under the law there is nothing that a man can suffer for his own good, still less for the good of another, and least of all for the good of Christ. The Body of Christ, which was given for us, which suffered the punishment of our sins, makes us free to take our share of suffering and death "for Christ." Now we may work and suffer for Christ, for the sake of him who did everything possible for us. This is the miracle of grace we enjoy in our fellowship in the Body of Christ (Phil. 1:25-
Php 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
...Phil 2:17… Php 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
...Rom. 8:35...Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
…1 Cor. 4:10...1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
2 Cor 4:10...2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2 Cor 5:20...2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Cor 13:9...2Co 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. )
Although Christ has fulfilled all the vicarious suffering necessary for our redemption, his suffering on earth is not finished yet. He has, in his grace, left a residue of suffering for his Church to fulfill in the interval before his Second Coming (Col 1:24-Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church) This suffering is allowed to benefit the Body of Christ, the Church. Whether we have any right to assume that this suffering has power to atone for sin . (1 Pet. 4:1 -1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) ' ...we have no means of knowing but we do at least know that the man who suffers in the power of the body of Christ suffers in a representative capacity "for" the church, the Body of Christ, being privileged to endure himself what others are spared . '
My thoughts-
Through the Holy Spirit we live in Christ, and there is NO other way for us to live in Christ, none! Christ promised this--
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The Spirit of truth living IN US!
This is truth having TRUTH.
We can't ignore this - 'the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him'
Do we believe this?! Do we?!
It is so incredibly easy to toss aside the TRUTH in favor of ear pleasing fables and so many people do this and call it good.
This...is...fact…
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Many are going to do all sorts of things in the name of Jesus- believing they are doing His work! But in truth, He doesn't know them. Why doesn't He know them? Because they do NOT do ALL that He tells them. Could it be they pick and choose the things they want to do, and leave undone all those that they deem too difficult, or not important?
Truthfully we know people by their fruits, and those fruits reveal whether or not they are truly listening to, and living in Christ!
We suffer, we are to die daily, and we live in the Spirit of our Lord!
More tomorrow by the grace of God!
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love
1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ
2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen...
Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Col 1:8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
In the fellowship of the crucified and glorified body of Christ we participate in his suffering and glory. His cross is the burden which is laid on his Body, the Church. All its sufferings borne beneath this cross are the sufferings of Christ himself. This suffering first takes the form of the baptismal death, and after that the daily dying of the Christians (1 Cor. 15:31)...1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
… in the power of their baptism.
But there is a far greater form of suffering than this, one which bears an ineffable promise. For while it is true that only the suffering of Christ himself can atone for sin, and that his suffering and triumph took place "for us," yet to some, who are not ashamed of their fellowship in his body, he vouchsafes the immeasurable grace and privilege of suffering "for him," as he did for them. No greater glory could he have granted to his own, no higher privilege can the Christian enjoy, than to suffer "for Christ." When that happens, something comes to pass which is inconceivable under the law. For according to the law we can only be punished for our own sins. Under the law there is nothing that a man can suffer for his own good, still less for the good of another, and least of all for the good of Christ. The Body of Christ, which was given for us, which suffered the punishment of our sins, makes us free to take our share of suffering and death "for Christ." Now we may work and suffer for Christ, for the sake of him who did everything possible for us. This is the miracle of grace we enjoy in our fellowship in the Body of Christ (Phil. 1:25-
Php 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
...Phil 2:17… Php 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
...Rom. 8:35...Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
…1 Cor. 4:10...1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
2 Cor 4:10...2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2 Cor 5:20...2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Cor 13:9...2Co 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. )
Although Christ has fulfilled all the vicarious suffering necessary for our redemption, his suffering on earth is not finished yet. He has, in his grace, left a residue of suffering for his Church to fulfill in the interval before his Second Coming (Col 1:24-Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church) This suffering is allowed to benefit the Body of Christ, the Church. Whether we have any right to assume that this suffering has power to atone for sin . (1 Pet. 4:1 -1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) ' ...we have no means of knowing but we do at least know that the man who suffers in the power of the body of Christ suffers in a representative capacity "for" the church, the Body of Christ, being privileged to endure himself what others are spared . '
My thoughts-
Through the Holy Spirit we live in Christ, and there is NO other way for us to live in Christ, none! Christ promised this--
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The Spirit of truth living IN US!
This is truth having TRUTH.
We can't ignore this - 'the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him'
Do we believe this?! Do we?!
It is so incredibly easy to toss aside the TRUTH in favor of ear pleasing fables and so many people do this and call it good.
This...is...fact…
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Many are going to do all sorts of things in the name of Jesus- believing they are doing His work! But in truth, He doesn't know them. Why doesn't He know them? Because they do NOT do ALL that He tells them. Could it be they pick and choose the things they want to do, and leave undone all those that they deem too difficult, or not important?
Truthfully we know people by their fruits, and those fruits reveal whether or not they are truly listening to, and living in Christ!
We suffer, we are to die daily, and we live in the Spirit of our Lord!
More tomorrow by the grace of God!
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