“I am crucified with Christ”: what “I” is that?
“Nevertheless I live” what “I” is that?
“Yet not I”: what “I” is that?
“But Christ liveth in me”: who is the “me”
“And the life which I now live in the flesh”: what “I” is that?
“I live by the faith of the Sea of God”: what “I” is that?
“Who loved me, and gave Himself for me”: who is the “me”?
THE difficulty of this verse is occasioned by the fact that we believers are at present in a mixed condition. We are born of God and therefore possess a new nature, but we have not yet had the old Adamic nature eradicated. It is still in us and will be for so long as we are in our present mortal bodies. We therefore possess, an old nature and a new; and further we each of us know well that conversion has not changed our personality, our individuality. After all, you are the same “you” and I am the same “I” as before, though now, thank God, we have each the new nature with its new instincts and desires, which are altogether of God and sinless, as 1 John 3:99Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:9) so forcefully puts it. God identifies us now with the new nature and we should learn to think likewise though we know that the old nature is there.
Now to your seven subsidiary questions—we take them in order: ―
1. “I”— the individual as identified with the old nature I, as a fallen child of Adam.
2. “I”— the person, the individual. I personally live, though if I consider myself as identified with my old nature I recognize myself as crucified with Christ.
3. “I”— again as identified with the old nature. I live, but not to express and display myself according to the character of my old nature, but
4. Christ is to be livingly manifested in His gracious character. But He is to live in “me” —myself, as identified with my new nature.
5. and 6. “I”— the individual, but as still identified with the new nature.
7 “Me”— Just the individual myself. It was not that Christ loved and gave Himself for the new nature, much less for the old. He loved and gave Himself for me—the personal individual me. Wonderful fact!
INSEIN BURMA. Please explain the following: —
Was there grace and truth before Jesus Christ came? Does the Old Testament contain God’s grace and truth?
What is meant by me law and the prophets were until John?
Your first and second questions both hinge on the change of dispensation brought about by the coming of the Lord Jesus. The law was given by Moses and it demanded works. “Grace” is not of works. If it were it would not be grace as Romans 11:66And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:6) tells us. Hence law and grace are in direct contrast. “Truth” is connected with the revelation of God. When the knowledge of God was lost through the fall, truth was lost; and truth only came again into furl evidence when God was perfectly revealed in Christ.
We see traces of grace in the Old Testament as for instance, Exodus 33:1717And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. (Exodus 33:17); and certain parts of the truth were plainly seen, but neither grace nor truth came fully and perfectly into view until Christ appeared.
John the Baptist was the herald and forerunner of Christ. With his ministry the new dispensation dawned, and until then the law and prophets provided such light and knowledge of God as was available, and the law was the measure of man’s responsibility towards God. From that point onwards the kingdom was preached and a new order of things began to come into view.
As to your third question: — The Holy Ghost is indeed the third Person of the Godhead. He is a Person and, as such He fills with His presence and influence. Luke’s gospel is the one that specially presents, the Lord Jesus to us as the perfect Man. Having become a Man, He fulfilled man’s proper place in all perfection. If He acted in ministry it was as led by and filled with the Holy Spirit, and in all this He is the pattern for us, though we do receive the Holy Spirit by measure, that is, we share in His presence, and He indwells us in common with others. He has given to us “of His Spirit” (1 John 4:1313Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13)). But God did not thus give the Spirit to the One whom He sent to speak His words. The whole fullness of the Spirit was present there in Christ, as the fullness of the Father also (See, Col. 1:1919For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:19)).