Gal 5:9 "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."
It is no mystery why Christ says his body is the unleven bread. Just as it is no mystery how "a little yeast works through whole batch of dough." Wasn't it the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's body, which was free from sin, that now causes us to rise? So now Christ needed nothing else to be raised from the dead, but his spirit, and so it is for us as followers of Christ. For if we look to anything else to raise us from the grave except Jesus the Christ it is not from God.
Good works, while they are eveidence of his spirit dwelling in us, do not save us. Righteous living which comes from our own mind, neither saves us nor delivers us, for only righteous living which comes from the spirit of God that now dwells within us and guides our walk, is given its power to raise us from the dead, by the same spirit which raised Jesus Christ and is now present in our members producing good works through us. Using us as its vessel and directing our words, our actions, and guiding our hearts unto God. The same can be said of trying to follow the letter of the law unto salvation. For whatever we cling to for our salvation is what will intercede for us on the day of judgement. Whether it be false gods, fleshly living, works, or following the Law of Moses. So let us cling to Jesus the Christ who is first witnessed in us by our belief on Jesus Christ as God in the fleah, his resurrection, our confession on his name as the Son of God, and our acknowledment that God's way is right through baptism calling on his name, Jesus. Then it will be Jesus Christ who is the very essence of God which intercedes on our behalf on that glorious day, when we shall see the father of heaven, not by our own works, but by the power of his spirit in us. This same spirit raises the dead, so now it will raise the dead in Christ.
In an opposite but same way, the works of the flesh are evident. If we see them manifesting themselves in another we know the spirit of God is not present in them. For where the spirit of God is present, sin will flee. So if we are living according to the spirit of God, which is to say by the spirit of God, we will not produce corrupt fruit. For the seed which God has planted in our hearts is not a seed of corruption. Therefore we will no longer live according to our sinful nature, but according to the ways of the spirit. This is impossible to do without the spirit of God, for what is impossible by the flesh, there is nothing impossible for God.
Therefore it is good to say it is impossible for me not to sin in my flesh, for that is the truth. However, it is possible for the spirit to overcome the flesh. In this manner, it is not us who gives ourselves the power, but it is the spirit.
So let us who live in the spirit, dwell in the spirit. An let us trust in the spirit of God to guide us to the glory of heaven. For we will none of us reach heaven of our own acccord, but it will by the grace of God. For God loved us enough to send his son to die on the cross for our sins. He also loved us enough to send us his spirit to be our guide. Therefore let us stop denying the power of the spirit of God for ourselves, for in him we are given our very life, our very breath, even the wicked. So now let us all who are his own ask the father in heaven to send us his spirit to guide us, to dwell with us, so that the prophecy will be fullfilled.
Jhn 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
So now we have been given straight from the mouth of God himself in the flesh, and this is what he said concerning what is coming for his own:
Mar 16:14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
Mar 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Mar 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Mar 16:18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Mar 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
And this is what his prophets testified about his promise to us:
2Cr 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2Cr 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
2Cr 1:22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Now therefore let us all, every man and woman and child of this earth, fall down on our face and worship God as he has called us. Let everything we do be our worship to him. And let us live in a such a manner that the promise he has made with us, as witnessed by his prophets, becomes our witness as well, so that we are all unitied in the same spirit.
Rom 12:1 | Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual [fn] act of worship. |