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Confirming.
Out in our Father is about to open the word of God for a little time here. Oh, how we need thy help.
I want to own heart exercise and your soul. Soul was the peace and the joy for a believer in the teachings of Romans that have been so important for our well-being, in the teaching that we get in Romans with regard to our peace.
Knowing there's no condemnation.
Knowing the internal security we have in Christ, it is in Him. He has accomplished His work on the cost, and we long for all our presence here today to understand these, particularly the young people.
As the wrestling that goes on.
In the spiritual realm, and it also you know, peace with God.
To know no condemnation, if you know, to know after we come to our own nothingness. There is the power in our weakness in looking to the Lord Jesus, and it is in him that we find these things that Godson and the people set forth here enrollment are so important.
For a joyful and peaceful walk.
As we wait for the coming of our Jesus.
To belong.
For the things of God.
He expected to grasp these things. And then there might be some here, our God my father, that they dealt their security in Christ. They dealt they have doubts of their salvation, that they could distract the excuses of what the Word of God says, that we have eternalizes in Christ.
Our God and our fathers, the wrestling in the spiritual world, in this realm.
That some would think to try to place themselves in other seven who created?
They too would feel.
Constituting in Christ.
And the recognition of the two nations.
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The teachings that this Roman teaching is so important belong to the faith of God. Again we said to grasp these things and eating ourselves. Do we threat to these things? And the Thou would.
Glorify the Lord of Jesus with him being.
Gold and his conferences to get him all through them And how?
He accomplished what the greatest celebration he created to the liberty of the Spirit of God, to to use the vessel of death, disease.
To encourage and uplift the tank for identification. And then again we think of that one word.
That gospel and salvation.
That can jump working in the reading meaning of salvation. And so we pray with our blessings in the meeting, and we pray in the name of the Lord.
We begin in the eighth of Romans.
Speak for all of them. I guess I kind of had a little hope that maybe there are some very precious foods coming up in this chapter and if we could kind of move along so that we can.
So that we can.
Enjoy some of them before our time runs up.
You tell us.
That sounds good.
Romans chapter 8 verse 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is light because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.
Not to the flesh. To live after the flesh.
For if you live after.
Kill God.
Be mortified.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For you have not received the spirit of ******* again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption.
Whereby we cry ABBA father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs.
Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Where I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was not made subject to vanity, for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly, but by reason of him who have subjected the same in hope.
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the ******* of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, and not only they but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves.
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Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope.
For what a man seeth, why did he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we, with patience, wait for it.
Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.
With cronies which cannot be uttered.
And he that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son.
That he might be the first born among many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called, and whom he called them he also justified, and whom he justified.
Then he also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justify it. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Yeah, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God.
Who also liveth maketh intercession for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.
As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.
Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This whole chapter is God's treatise upon the believer. It's what he's saying about the believer.
And it is most wonderful because we are his workmanship.
God can't make anything but a perfect work, so he puts us in Christ where we began reading There's two possessions in the flesh or in the Spirit. What a difference it is.
How that the Spirit of God is prominent all the way through.
We don't get anything in the in Chapter 7. There's one there. He has a new nature, but there's no power. There's no power. But the Spirit of God is the power of the new nature. That new nature we have from God has no power of his own. But the Spirit of God is the power of that new nature which strengthens that new nature and enables us to enables us to live.
And to glorify Christ, well, I'd just like to say this, if you forgive me for taking the time but we had yesterday.
How that the Lord Jesus, after his death and resurrection, he appeared to his disciples as they were gathered. And then he says, it he peace be unto you? And then he says He breathed unto unto them, And he said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
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Well, no. That was the power of life in Christ, risen from the dead. Power life in Christ as the one who was risen from the dead.
But then the question may be asked, what about Pentecost? The giving of the Spirit of God at Pentecost?
Well, that was really something else, was it not?
And I bear correction on this, but but there's really something else. It's the same Blessed Spirit.
But there are There's the work at Pentecost.
Where the Blessed Lord?
At the Father's right hand, after he had died and gone back to heaven, he receives the Spirit of God a second time.
And he spent, and he receives it for you and for me.
And for all his own. And he sends the Spirit of God down here in order to baptize into one body.
Every believer. And there we have the formation of the church.
Well.
The spirit of God dwells in the church, but it also dwells in US individually as we get into our Corinthians know you're not the dear bodies of the temples is the temple of the Holy Ghost.
And so we have the work of the Spirit. The work of the Spirit of God and our souls is one thing, but the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God is a distinct thing, and we get the both in the both in this chapter.
I remember somewhere, Mr. Darby remarked. He said that it's one thing to build the house.
But it's another thing to move in and take possession.
Well, perhaps it's a little picture, the work of the spirit of God in our souls. And we were first quickened and then it took time.
And the Spirit of God has worked in our souls. But finally the time came when the Spirit of God came to dwell, need to dwell.
Well, how precious that is, When we think of the Spirit of God came to dwell in these hearts of ours, and we believe that he loves to be there, he He He rejoices to be there in a heart that's.
That is, that is filled with Christ.
And so.
He's never going to give up his claim to that body. Never.
The Lord can say to the His, the disciples, and that He's Speaking of that other comforter. He said, He shall abide with you forever.
So the Spirit of God is not going to give up this body of yours or mine.
And the day is coming, perhaps, when this body may be laid away in the grave.
But the time when the Lord Jesus comes and that glorious resurrection morning.
He's going to utter that voice, that voice of power, but the spirit of God.
Is going to raise the bodies of all his own.
Braids his button. That can never be said of those who died without Christ died in their sins, but of those who belong to Christ.
There is the Spirit of God.
Is going to race, and we're going to be raised by the power of the Spirit of God.
Well, I was, I would just want to say that I believe in the believe in the early part of our chapter we have the work of the Spirit of God.
And in the earlier chapter, the work of the Spirit of God our souls. But say from the 14th verse on we have the Spirit as an indwelling presence, indwelling presence of the Spirit of God.
Clem, would you correct me on some of those things?
No, I don't need to. It's right.
And I was hoping yesterday that you'd bring that out. We might just read that verse in Acts 2 That you spoke of to show that Christ, when he went up, He sent He received the Spirit the second time.
I remember when I first heard that truth from Armstrong Berry years ago, and I haven't heard it ministered on much. But in Acts 2 you have it quite distinctly in the 33rd verse, beginning at verse 32.
This Jesus hath God raised up.
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Where have we all our witnesses? They are witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus.
Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, that's where that man is now.
And having received this, the promise of the father.
Received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, That's Christ risen up there. He received the Holy Ghost the second time. He received him the first time when he came up out of the waters of Baptism in Matthew 3 But he died.
And he rose again. He went up to heaven, and he received the promise of the Father, the Holy Ghost the second time and sent him down. And that's that's Pentecost.
We read in the 1St of this second chapter. We notice that there is a two fold character to the descent of the spirit of God.
It says that he set upon each of them, and that's what our brother's been bringing before us, the indwelling of the Spirit of God. But it also says that he filled the house. We read in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians that the assembly is the habitation of God and the Spirit. And so we have at the descent of the Holy Spirit, as has been pointed up to us, the gift of the Spirit that was not yet because the Son of God was not yet glorified, he said in the 7th of John.
The Holy Spirit's personal presence coming into this world. And he shall be in this world as the restrainer of evil until he be taken away, and he will be taken away when we go home. The assembly goes home to meet the heavenly Bridegroom. So we have the twofold character, the Spirit of God in the present time, just as the Son of God came at his.
Birth into this world So the Holy Spirit came as a personal entity into the world, a third person of the Godhead to take up the work of God in behalf of those who are His own, filling the house and indwelling individuals by His personal presence.
John 20 with the Lord Jesus in resurrection.
It says, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
To contrast it to the original creation, when God formed man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. So in contrast with that first creation, now the Lord Jesus in resurrection, the head in resurrection of a new creation, breeze on them.
And it's interesting. Mr. Darby's translation is in brackets. And you could say, receive Holy Ghost, receive Holy Spirit. In other words, it's life in the power of the spirit of God. It's what he was breathing into them. That's the life you and I possess now. It's a life of resurrection that you and I possess. Death is behind this. Death is not before us. It's behind us now.
Off.
And dwelling collectively in the Church now, there can be an enjoyment of our position in our souls now.
In a way that was never possible before the day of Pentecost, because the Lord Jesus, when he spoke to the disciples in the upper room, he said there were many things that he wanted to bring before them, but they weren't able to take them in at that time. But he told them that when the Spirit of Truth was come, then he would guide them into all truth. And we have been able to sit in these meetings and enjoy our position in Christ. We've been been able, as it were, to have a little enjoyment of heaven in our souls before we get there.
And the reason we've been able to do that is because the Spirit of God indwells us. And I think it's important to see that the work of the Spirit of God is to bring Christ before us and minister Christ to us according to our need. Perhaps it would be good just to go back to John 15 for a moment to see this.
And the reason I want to point this out is because, again, for our young people.
There is a great deal in Christendom that would exalt the spirit.
And bring the Spirit before us rather than Christ, and occupy us with the Spirit.
Now I want to be careful, because the work of the Spirit of God is a very wonderful work, and I think sometimes we shy away from it because the subject has been abused in Christendom. But nevertheless, let's just notice a couple of verses here, John 15 and verse 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
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And then notice in verse 13 of the next chapter, how be it? When he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. And very simply, what the Lord Jesus was telling the disciples was that when the Spirit of Truth was come, he was the one that would bring these things that he had brought to their attention.
To their remembrance, and not only so, but they would be able to fully enjoy now the position that they were going to have with a risen, glorified Savior at the right hand of God.
And he's simply saying here that when the Spirit of God comes and ministers to you, he won't speak of himself. Brethren, the Spirit never glorifies the Spirit. The Spirit brings Christ before us and ministers Christ to our heart and conscience according to our need. And I think this is a great test when we hear so much around us today that occupies us with the Spirit. It's not of the Spirit.
If it doesn't glorify Christ, if it if it occupies us with the Spirit, brethren, we need to be on our guard. And I think this is something important and relevant for the day in which we live, and it's the great test of whether it's of the Spirit or not.
But this I would just say too, in connection with the assembly, it's been mentioned that the assembly is the pillar and ground of the truth.
And that's why we need to avail ourselves of ministry in the assembly. Because on an occasion like this, where we have the word of God before us in the assembly, and the Spirit of God is given liberty, then Christ can be ministered to us collectively. And while the the assembly doesn't teach, it's in the assembly we learn as taught by the Spirit of God.
Then they that are in the flesh.
Cannot please God. The remark was made here yesterday about sin sins.
Quoting from Harry Hayhoe, We sin because we want to. Is that the way you said that, ma'am?
Yeah, because we like to. Well, that's pleasing self.
And this verse says that doesn't please God. It's just that simple. When you and I act or say something, it's either pleasing self or pleasing God. Don't we want to please God?
And then those people can't please God. The ploughing of the wicked is sin because they're not recognizing that. They feel they're plowing in belongs to God. They're out in another man's field, plowing. Don't recognize the owner of it.
That's those that are in the flesh.
Cannot please God. But then he says you're not in the flesh, You're not in the flesh.
But in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. What a grand change that is.
Of the flesh towards God, not one pulse, but towards God.
To fan up, not a bit.
I think it's helpful to.
Man is struggling in the 17th verse.
He is trying to. He cannot understand why the things that he wants to do, he has no power to do the things he doesn't want to do. That's what he does. And it's interesting. In verse 17 he comes to a conclusion. Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me. And then in verse 20 somewhat the same. Now if I do that, what I that I would not.
It is no more.
I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me, The position of the believer is not in the flesh, but I think it is helpful to see that sin is in us. We are not in the flesh. Brethren, if we are believers in the Lord Jesus, our place is in the Spirit. If we were in the flesh, we would have to obey its dictates. But that is not our position.
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We are in the spirit.
The flesh may be enough, that sin may be enough, but it is to be reckoned dead. Sometimes young people say I feel hypocritical. I really want to do those things.
But God says.
That we are dead. And now it says, Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. In other words, think that way now.
Sure, I feel that impulse in my heart, that sin in me.
Responds to those temptations to sin.
But I am not to look at that. I'm to look at what Christ did on the cross. In His death I died. In His burial. I am buried. And I'm to think that way now, so that when sin presents itself to me, I am to reckon myself to be dead indeed, and to sin.
Doesn't say to to to try to make yourself die.
You are dead, the scripture says. Now think that way. That's an important thing to get ahold of for young people. And if you can get ahold of it, it helps to put an end to the struggles that so often we see with young people in their souls. Yes, there is sin in US.
But that's not our position is not in the flesh, but in the spirit. That's the position you and I occupy as believers in the Lord Jesus.
Al Larson one time said.
We're not for sin. Death would have had no beginning.
Were it not for death, sin would have had no ending.
Those are conclusive things.
Sin brought in death and death stopped sin. And for you and I, it's the death of Christ that's the end of the old Adam play so our verse.
10 If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin.
He died under sin. He died and we died with him. Now we're looked at and we're to still reckon ourselves as dead with him.
So the contest goes on because we yet have, as long as we're in the old creation, that life of the old creation. And God takes that up in this chapter too, and everything groans along with us. He has an end for that. But you never saw a dead man sin, and you never will.
That's the only thing that stops sin, and it's Christ's death for you and I.
Yeah, you go to a doctor and get a prescription for for some problem that you have. Maybe you write you out a prescription and and you take it and you get it filled. Well, God's prescription here is reckon yourself dead indeed unto sin.
And live under God.
Has a righteous basis to forgive sin and communicate life.
The life he has in Christ is a life in resurrection.
And there can be no resurrection if there has not been death first of all.
So you and I in our lives, dear young people, and all of us, must prove the to understand the practical reality of it, you and I.
Have to do what is said in Second Corinthians chapter 4 as well.
It says always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.
That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies.
We all have resurrection life, but sometimes it is not manifested, brethren, because we do not bear about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus.
And if that's not manifest, if I don't bear about in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus, the life of Jesus will not be manifest either. It's there, but it's not going to be manifest.
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Less practically, I bear about in my body the dying of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus died this sin.
Completely forever. Once it's a work that is finished, it's not something you have to struggle with, it's something that you need to simply accept and think in that way.
But if we get out of the struggle and get strong?
Contradict what you're saying. That's practical and we need that, but this next verse is absolute.
If verse 11, The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, what?
He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. We have eternal life. We're not going to get it. We've got that Spirit dwelling within us.
And God is going to bring in about for this body, for that body in which the believer lives according to the working of his mighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. So the redemption of the body is clearly brought out, and most precious truth for us to enjoy.
Change of expression in that eleven first.
But the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, It was as Jesus that the Lord Jesus Christ was here. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from his sins. That was an announcement made relative to his incarnation. So his incarnation brought him here.
As Jesus the Savior.
And so it was as Jesus he died.
But the only connection that you and I can have is with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In resurrection, if the Lord Jesus Christ had not died, we would never have a connection with the Lord Jesus Christ except the corn of wheat fall under the ground and die. It abides alone, but dying it brings forth much fruit. So when it refers to the raising up of Jesus from the dead, it's the quickening of the Lord Jesus Christ again, as the one who went into death for us, but as to us it is He that raised up Christ from the dead.
We now have to have a connection with Christ in resurrection, or we have no connection at all.
Nice contrast between the two.
Sure, it's well up in you. I'd like it to go to the Vision Chapter One so that the young people in ourselves could see when this takes place.
It's called the feeling of the Spirit. It's not called the baptism of the Spirit, it's the work that is done quite half the synagogue.
It happens to us, and here's when it happens.
In Ephesians chapter one we'll read verse 12 because the context that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom he also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and whom also after that you believe you were sealed with that Holy Spirit promise them.
From that point on in the same capture what you're looking at it, let's go one of the other thoughts that we had three that from verse 19.
And know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us word who believe.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ.
When he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand.
In the heavenly places here is the greatest act of power that God has ever performed, and you and I are associated in the same act.
For it says what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us, For who believe we are associated in that resurrection of Christ.
You might say that when Christ Jesus lay in the tomb.
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Lord's power was called in question. Could he raise him from the dead?
Would he Oh raised from the dead by the glory of the Father?
Never suffered to seek corruption.
And so it says the exceeding greatness of his power. What? What language to show the power of God to raise from the dead. But what I wanted to get is to us where do believe the same power?
We are associated in and will take part in literally when we get the new body.
That all being true, verse 12 tells us that we owe no allegiance.
To the Flesh to Live after the Flesh. Colossians Chapter One teaches that we were translated.
Out of the Kingdom of darkness, into the Kingdom of the Son of his love. So here we can say to all of those.
Powers of darkness, We owe no allegiance to you. We do not have to listen. And when we allow the old man to give expression through the desires of our flesh.
We are not acting up to the position into which we have been brought as not owing any allegiance to the flesh.
We'll raise our state, and I say that because sometimes when we fail, sometimes when there is the activity of the flesh in us, then we become occupied with that, and we become so occupied with it that it discourages us and defiles us further.
Now it is true, when we do fail, we're to confess our sin, and he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But when we confess it, then leave it, forget about it, and lift up your eyes, and be occupied with a risen Christ in the glory. Be occupied with our position in him. When the apostle wrote to the Hebrew brethren in the 12Th chapter of Hebrews, He He exhorted them there to lay aside every weight and sin which doth so easily beset us. He exhorted them to run with endurance the race that was set before before them. And then what did He say?
Looking onto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.
Not to be occupied with the weight, not to be occupied with the sin itself, but to go on and be occupied with a risen man in the glory, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I believe this is what will encourage us to go on and keep us in the path of faith, I say as we're occupied with our standing, it raises our state.
Doesn't take us. It takes us up to resurrection, but not beyond that.
We do have life in Christ, the risen 1 resurrection, life in Christ. But we're down here on earth and we have that same life, the same life. But now, Ephesians, we're not only risen, but we're seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There is no justification in in.
The Ephesians at all were already there, but in Colossians, which is sort of in between, we have both. If you then be risen with Christ, we're seen as risen with Christ. And it says seek those things which are above, but we're still here on earth.
Am I right?
Only I want to add.
About the 30th verse, because you have God's view at times.
And that's what we have in this chapter, God.
What he's saying about the believer negles the whole course, and it's from predestination to cold to justified to glorify. God says we're already glorified. Use the past tense.
We glorify, rejoice in what God says about you when you believe.
Just like you were saying about.
Balaam's prophecy, that mad prophet, the shout of a king is amongst you. I have not seen perverseness in Israel. How could God say that? He looks onto the whole end and everything in Christ. Now when we're in Christ, we're there glorified too, so we can enjoy that, I think.
My brother Bob, Tony has spoken several times to.
Our position in Christ and the new life and new nature that they're very nice and the only thing I would like to say is that.
Their People of God. Brother Darby's book on Romans. Got a book on Romans and you might have to redo it two or three times. They'll tell you why. Our brother Bob told me, has been trying to tell us. If you want to get into it a little deeper, know it a little better for yourself. The Book of Romans. My brother Jarvis.
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Good question.
If they could be somewhat defined the word flesh.
That as it is used here, there are other ways that it is used in other parts of the scripture.
Sometimes we use the word old nature and it's not in Scripture.
And it has been commented yesterday. Sometimes it's commented sin which means.
I can't say we've put off the flesh yet, but I would like a little help on that little distinctions, if somewhere they could comment on us.
Evil principle of rebellion against God received when Adam exercised his own will, and that is perpetrated in his progenity, that is, he begat a son in his own likeness.
Evil principle of rebellion against God.
Has to be taken in context in other scriptures because Paul said to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. That that is a different context, isn't it? It simply means to abide in the body and in that sense we are in the flesh, but it's not in the sense that we have in this chapter. And I just say that because I think it's important to see the context.
Should help us to understand the meaning of the word.
You become the instrument of sin to accomplish sin, the instrument of the flesh to accomplish sin, and in that way it becomes spoken of as flesh.
Is conceived, it brings forth sin.
Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. So we have really three things that are very good to have clear in our thoughts. That is the old man.
His number is one. That is our standing in Adam. The first man, what we had mentioned yesterday as the man outside of paradise. That's the old man that has been crucified. It's done with we. There is no standing for Adam.
In God's sight it ended at the cross. The old man has been crucified.
Then you have the flesh, that evil principle that we described as being rebellion against God.
Received in the fall, and then you have the product of the flesh and that is sin lust conceived. The Apostle Paul said I would not have known sin except the word of God said thou shalt not covet so that evil principle motivating.
The Acts of the Body we read in Ephesians Chapter 2.
That sin is doing what the thoughts and the mind willed to do. We read in first John three that sin is self will. So when I exercise the will, the product is sin.
And so those three things you have the old man are standing in Adam done at the cross.
We have the flesh which remains there as that evil principle against God in rebellion.
And then you have sin, which is the product of that evil nature acting by the will.
Earlier in our chapter. Now that is something far more solemn than breaking the law. The carnal mind is enmity against God. That is the mind of the carnal, the the fallen man. He is enmity. He's an enemy of God. Listen and.
The.
Law demanded obedience.
And the law carries with it the authority of God, the authority of God.
Well, fallen man, he's not only fallen, but he has a will, he has a will, And that will is diametrically opposed to the will, to the the the will of God.
And so the mind of the carnal mind of man is the enmity, enmity against God.
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There is nothing that God could do with it, so he put it out completely out of the way, in the death of Christ.
In our 14th verse says as many.
As many as are led by the Spirit.
Of God.
They are the sons of God. Now that's a statement that's absolute.
That's not the carnal mind leading at all. It's the spirit leading, and it manifests what we are.
Sons of God, and then we can cry ABBA father.
Relationship as you get in relations 326.
Ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, and because your sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Father and your heart, For by ye cry ABBA, father that's.
Galatians 4 And it goes right along with this. There's a whole chain of blessings.
In one after the other and this what we're leading into now is is that we're, we are we we brought into. It's having the Spirit we're brought into relationship with, with God, the sons of God.
Oh, how how blessed we are.
The distinct character of that relationship.
When the Lord Jesus Christ was approaching the cross.
He cried out, his soul being sorrowful even unto death.
ABBA, Father. And so this relationship of which we have just been speaking, is in the same intimate character as that of the Lord Jesus Christ. I go into my Father and your Father. And so the Spirit of God coming enables us to use the same expression of intimacy and all we need that intimacy with God, do we not to come into His presence and let his presence color our activity and let the Spirit of God?
Motivate and lead us so that there might be the enjoyment of and the practical expression of our sonship which we have been given by the adoption of the Spirit of God being within us.
Those who know far more than I do.
How does this affect my?
Day by day, conduct here in the world.
How does it conduct? How does it affect?
My attitude at home.
At work, At school.
And my dress and my entertainment and so forth. What is the effect of these things in my life?
I'd like for some brother to help us there.
3 words, 4 words.
B what you are.
Be what you are. A son of God. They'll take care of everything. Act like it. Be what you are, a son of God.
God is seeking to write Christ on our hearts.
Day by day.
Everything.
And seeking to.
In that in connection with what brother Dave has asked, because he said he listened to his father given exhortation on the evils of pride and so on. And after the meeting was over he went to his father and he said to his father. He said if I didn't have some pride and self respect, he said I wouldn't make sure that my shoes were shined, I wouldn't make sure that my hair was combed and so on. Well his father said to him, he said if you remember at all times.
That you're a son and heir of God. It will take care of all those things without one bit of pride. And I've appreciated that because as our brother said, if we remember what we are and the position that we have, then it will cause us to walk through this world in a practical way as a son and heir of God. But perhaps I could just say too, on a practical note, that if we're going to be led by the Spirit in a practical way in our day-to-day walk, it must be by the word of God.
Because the Spirit of God guides us by the Word of God.
00:55:01
Sometimes when we're younger, I've heard people say, well, I want to know what the Lord has for me in this in in my life. Perhaps it's a question of a job. Perhaps it's a question of a partner. Perhaps it's a question of living somewhere. And we need we want to be led by the Spirit and have instruction and guidance for our pathway. But if we don't read the word of God, He can't direct us by the Spirit as we read the word of God.
Then the Spirit of God can take the word and apply it to the situation. I've experienced this, and no doubt you have too. Where there was some great question was coming up in your life, some decision you had to make, and you knew it was going to have an impact on you and on your family and others perhaps. And you were reading the word of God and all of a sudden the spirit of God just made a portion stand out. Maybe it never meant that to you before. Maybe it doesn't mean that to anybody else.
But the spirit of God allows uses that portion to guide you and to answer that question in the situation. And this book, brethren, is able and sufficient to answer every question and difficulty that arises in our personal lives, every question and difficulty that arises in the family, and every question and difficulty that arises in the assembly, even in 1994.
And if we are reading the word of God prayerfully and orderly, then when the situation arises.
He can lead us step by step by his spirit. There's another very practical aspect of the Spirit's indwelling.
Mr. Wigram refers to those who walk with God.
Frequently acting for God unwittingly, if we walk with God.
The Lord Jesus says, take no thought of what you shall say, but the Spirit shall give you utterance.
So to read the word is absolutely important, as our brother has pointed up. But to walk with God and communion judge ourselves, as one dear sister said to me when I was a very young brother seeking to begin in the pathway of faith, keep short accounts with God. And so walking with God in communion allows us to act without giving thought. Particularly, is this the will of God? Is that the will of God? We're walking with God and he directs us by the Spirit?
Into the activity that is honoring to him.
Perhaps rather.
Verse in connection with what you say. Because I think, as you say, there are some steps that are taken in our Christian lives that are only known as we walk in fellowship and communion with the Lord. And I've enjoyed that in the end of Psalm 73 I'll just read. It says, Nevertheless, I am continually with thee, Thou hast hold me by my right hand, and then what's the result? Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.
Missus.
That we are the children of God.
Well, it's just as simple as God can write it. Verse 16.
The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, your spirit, my spirit what that we are.
The children of God, Do you believe that, Henry?
Tell us about it.
Well, I don't know if this is in connection with that or not, but.
Something Brother Tom just said a little bit ago in verse 11.
That God raised up Jesus from the dead.
And he dwells in you. He had raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you.
That in our chapter it's taking up two heads, the one.
Fathered a fallen race.
Incapable of delighting in the law of God. Now the law of God has been mentioned in our chapter. The law has been.
Brought forth in our chapter not as a bad thing.
Now Psalm 40.
Is to me very precious and it's this that I believe connects with what has just now been asked.
01:00:02
The Spirit bearing witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God.
Now this is about Jesus. Now I say this distinction between Jesus and Christ.
In Hebrews 11, her brother Jim mentioned about looking unto Jesus. I think that's.
Looking at his life here below as he authored A Path of Faith.
For us to follow. But it's not as Jesus that he heads a new creation. It says Christ.
But we're here, you might say, like Jesus, belonging to that new creation, but still here on earth.
Well, here was his heart.
In verse 8, verse seven, we know it's about the Lord. It's quoted in Hebrews then said, I, lo, I come.
In the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will. Oh my God, yeah, Thy law is within my heart now. That's why the law couldn't bring blessing to Adam's race. It wasn't in his heart he had. It was applied to a Stony heart. There was no delight in it. So they that are in the flesh cannot please God but as believers.
Belonging to a new creation, the law is in our heart.
And the Spirit of God bears testimony to our spirit.
We love this book.
Sometimes we speak of the laws. Well, we're not under the law, and we use it in a sense that it's good to get away from that *******. That isn't the Lords attitude toward the law. His attitude was it's in my heart, I delight, to do thy will, O God, and so do we. So the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in US.
It's a condition of heart that we find the spirit of God bears testimony to us that we are the children of God. No longer are we at enmity with His word, we delight to do His will, O God. Now, I don't know if that connects with this or not, but it's a it's a new creation, and we're new creatures, But we're down here, you might say, in the character of Jesus.
Walking the path of faith, belonging to an entirely new creation, still connected with the old, as we'll see further in the chapter. Because we're still here in the body, but we delight to do His law, It's within our hearts.
The hymn we sang to begin these.
Meetings yesterday had the line in it. No more the airs of wrath. I think it's sad.
Now we get what we are heirs coming up our.
Next verse 17.
If children, well, children.
Children of God.
What than heirs? What kind of heirs? And what's the inheritance?
Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
Christ, whole things were created by him and for him. He gets the whole of his creation and he says, I'm going to share it with you. Heirs of God, Joint heirs with Christ. Once we were the heirs of wrath. What a magnificent change in the gospel for those who are the sons of God.
And you mentioned.
This is it says in Hebrew 6 verse 18 that by two immutable.
Things in which God cannot lie His word and His promise there, but his Spirit and our Spirit here.
In two unchangeable and unchanging.
Things in which God, who cannot lie, has witnessed to us that we belong to Him.
Excuse me, I'd like to go back to verse 14 just a bit.
Fingers. That's something that's so wholesome there for us all.
It's the characteristic of the sons of God to be led by the Spirit of God.
There's another principle that you and I run into all the time in the world is the wisdom of this world.
01:05:01
And if you want to look into the wisdom of this world, you're going to find a lot of books that tell you how to live.
How to be LED? What to do in certain situations and?
Many of them. There's something of human wisdom.
But the characteristic of that life that you and I possess now in the Lord Jesus is to be led by the Spirit of God. I just want to challenge each one of us as we make our decisions in life. It's so important to seek the leading of the Spirit of God, then mention that the Spirit of God.
Always leads by the word of God.
So don't make a decision without.
Without something of the light of the word of God, some verse, some principle, don't go anyway until you have light from the scriptures.
And are led by the Spirit of God in the scriptures to make your decision. Sometimes we unconsciously absorb the wisdom of this world and make our decisions accordingly, and the results will be sad. That's not our desire. The characteristic I say again of that life that you possess is not to be led by the principles of this world.
But to be led by the Spirit of God, that's the way God has ordered it, and that's the way you and I ought to look in that direction for leading the Spirit of God is definitely there.
To lead you.
It's in that connection because I think you see a nice desire with David in the 27th Psalm. He said, Teach me thy way, oh Lord, and lead me in a plain path. And if we really have that desire to be led by the Spirit, then he wants to show us. It says in all thy ways, acknowledge him and he might direct by past. That's not what it says. And he shall. It's definite. There he shall.
Direct thy paths, but I believe there's only one way to.
Discern the mind of the Lord. And that's first of all to have a desire, because it says, if any man desire to do his will, he shall know. But then when there is that desire, he delights to show us through the Word. And so when you come over to the 119th Psalm, David recognized that if he was going to have light and instruction for his pathway, it must be through the Word. And that's why he says, there thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
In fact, that whole Psalm brings before us the importance of God's word in our lives as light and instruction and direction for our pathway. Every every verse except, I think two or three. I counted one time, but almost in every verse there's some mention of the word of God.
Either called commandments or precepts or thy word, because David recognized that if he was going to know the mind of the Lord, it must be through the word. But then when you come over to the 143rd Psalm in the 10th verse, it says, not teach me thy way, but teach me to do thy will. Because I think sometimes perhaps we really have a desire to know the Lord's mind in some situation in our lives. But then when he shows it to us, we kind of hold back and say, well, I wouldn't mind if it was something a little different.
But that's too big a step. That's not for me. And so perhaps we hold back.
David says, as it were, when you do reveal your mind to me, then give me the grace to take that step of faith and to walk in it, whether it's hard or easy. And brethren, if we seek grace, and it's only grace, but if we seek grace to take that step when he reveals it to us, then he will give us light for the next step, and it's only then that we're going to get light for the next step. Just like that with the word being a lamp under my feet.
If I don't keep moving, if I don't take those steps that he lightens step by step, then there's not going to be further light for the next step. And I think some of us come to this point sometimes when we don't know the mind of the Lord. And the reason is we haven't acted on the light that He has given us for a previous step.
For this God.
With his good pleasure.
01:10:02
God leads us to be occupied with that coming day of glory.
The wisdom this world gives us to be occupied with this world as it exists now.
But remember, God's purpose is not to make us something great down here. God has in view that coming Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And so that's what we have in these verses that follow.
Set your sights high, dear brother and sister in the Lord Jesus. Don't set him down here in this world, merely we. If we are sons, we are heirs of God.
Tremendous fact. Set your sights into that millennial Kingdom.
It's interesting in several portions in the Gospels that it definitely shows it that accordingly.
As we use the talents that God has given us now, there will be a position in that coming Kingdom.
For us in that coming day and our sights should be set on that day, not on this world's brief day. The wisdom of this world focuses is on this present age, but that's to be short sighted for a believer. Let's get our sights set beyond We're heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ.
Then between mentioning the inheritance and arriving in glory, excuse me.
In connection with being joint heirs with Christ, a judge Christian judge was dying on his deathbed and a Christian pastor went to visit him.
And the judge said to him, do you know anything? You know what it means, what joint tenancy means. Well, he said no, he says, I've never.
I've never studied law. I don't know much about legal terms.
Well, the judges, I'll tell you. See those fields out there?
He says, well, he says that's all my properties, that's all my property. But if we were legal, if we were joint tenants, he said, I couldn't say that, that this is mine and that is yours and this is mine and that is yours. He said no, he said it's ours. We would share it together. It belonged to both of us. And just to think of the Lord Jesus, when you think of all his glory and all that, thus that inheritance, all that, all that is.
Comprised in the in the inheritance.
He's going to share it with you and me and he won't take it until he has you and me with himself.
On this a little while before we got here.
Mr. Darby has a note where he refers to joint heirs and then he refers to.
Co sufferers and Co Rainers. Well, he says that's not English, but it's the truth. We are joint heirs, Joint heirs with him.
He has given us the glory that he won as a man.
In order that the world may know that God has loved us.
As it loved him.
But that association is going to bring.
Cold, suffering with the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the Apostle speaks of.
In Philippians, being conformed unto his sufferings, that is the closing up of our affections to all that we had down here, that we might be partakers of that we might have.
The glory opened up to us the power of his resurrection. That's a thought.
So we are heirs with him, we are Co sufferers with him and we are Co reigners with him.
Just going to say this is not the raining time now and we need to keep this before us while we look on, as you said earlier, to the time when Christ will have his rightful place not only in heaven but in this world. And we rejoice in that because it really is part of our hope, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Yet we need to keep in view that this is still the time of the Lord's rejection here in this world.
01:15:04
They cast him out, they said.
Cruz away with him, Crucify him, they said in their hearts. We will not have this man to reign over us, and we are following a rejected Christ now it's not the reigning time. And the Lord Jesus said the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they've hated me, they will hate you also. And so there will be a reproach connected with following the Lord Jesus now in this dispensation.
It may not be physical persecution in a land like this. We don't fear that the authorities are going to come in here this morning and break up this meeting and drag us off to prison. Like perhaps some of our brethren have suffered in past ages, and even in parts of the world today may suffer physical violence for the testimony of Jesus. But there there are two ways that we will suffer for Christ. We'll either suffer in a physical way and if we don't suffer in that way.
There will be a reproach.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach, in the measure in which we are faithful to him, and follow that blessed one. We're going to suffer a reproach, because it says, all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. I'm sorry, Brother Bob.
I just say I'm afraid the reproach we suffer isn't very much either, brethren. We don't suffer very much, but it's been interesting to me to see those who have suffered.
Something major that I've been able to meet and speak with them. It seems like the glory is very real to them. And the glory is set before us, brethren, to be an encouragement to us in this present time, so that we will be able to go through whatever the Lord asks us to go through. Permit that we go through in the way of suffering, but it's the glory and we need to be occupied. If you know that, you're going to be an inheritance.
Inheritor in a large inheritance, it's interesting to find out what you're going to inherit And brethren, the scriptures are talk a lot about the inheritance. How much do you and I know what the inheritance includes? I'd like to read a verse that perhaps I'd like some help on this if this is not the case, but according to how I see it right now perhaps.
Gives the widest view of the inheritance.
Going back to Ephesians chapter one.
And verse 10 and 11.
That in the dispensation of the fullness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth, even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will.
And it seems to me the widest view of the inheritance all things.
In heaven and which are on earth.
Every created.
Being or every created thing is our inheritance.
Is that right?
Revelation 21.
Seven says essentially the same thing.
Without using as many words, but it's very, very clear to the overcomer in Revelation 21. Seven He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God. He shall be my son.
That's the eternal state.
Run ahead, Whatever that inheritance may be is.
Far grander than we can imagine now.
No, I'm sorry. People saying here's being it's suffering with him.
It isn't suffering for him, but when you think of the Blessed Lord, what a what a burden he carried in life when he saw everything ruined here below, all his fair creation. Look at those. Look at that poor woman of of name going out with her, her last hopeless gone. Her husband dead and her son was gone now. And he just drew out his heart in pity.
01:20:13
And you know, we ourselves, we we we know what's what sorrow is. And we see things and we hear that blessed name used and used in where men give vent to the worst of their character and use that blessed name. And perhaps we see a poor animal, a deer or a dog, or run over on the highway, or we see suffering, and we see Saints of children of Saints of God suffering and people in hospitals.
Again, Oh, when we think of the sorrow that bore down upon the Blessed Lord, oh, we can share that sorrow with him, can we not?
I think that distinction is very good.
Suffer for Christ. When we perhaps give a testimony, we speak to someone about the Lord Jesus, and we they reproach us, and that's suffering for Christ. But as our brother said, to suffer with Christ is to enter into what he felt, such as at the grave of Lazarus, when he looked around and saw the consequences of sin, the effect that sin had brought in, that that one he loved was dead. There were those there that were sorrowing, and so on.
And he entered into that and that, and so that is to suffer with Christ.
As our brother said, to realize and enter into his heart as to the effects of sin, but then to look on to the coming day of glory and to realize that the day is coming when everything will come under His authority and we little realize what a day is coming for this world.
It's true. We look for the Lord's coming to take us out of this world. But then to think that he is going to have his rightful place in this world, I think will help us to go on in this world, to suffer for and with Christ, knowing that when he comes back we're going to be associated with him. I often think of those who associated with David in The Cave of Adalam. There they suffered that reproach with David.
And identified with him in his rejection.
What were they looking onto? They were looking onto the Kingdom, They were saying, as it were, When David comes into his Kingdom, we're going to be associated with him in that Kingdom. And so for the moment, they were content to identify with him in his rejection #18 in the back of the book.
And is a soul.
For the great days, the greatest beginning of the morning.
Have fun.
Our God and our Father, we thank thee and at this time that we've been able to be together to have Thy Word open before us. Thank you for the liberty that we have to do so. And our God our Father, we thank you for these practical portions that we have been considering.
What we were before.
In our sins when God, God's righteousness, was against us.
And now His righteousness is for us. That power that would have been against us is for us now. And we think of that that which we have in Christ. We think of the glory that we have before us. We've been singing about it just now too. And our God, our Father, we are overwhelmed when we think of that portion that will be ours in the coming day. We thank you. We can enter into the good of it now in our souls, and we pray that they'll cause each one of us to have the grace to do so.
The desire in our hearts that we might.
Have that desire, Lord Jesus, to look into those things that thou so gloriously brought us into.
We we pray our Father, that they'll just cause both young and old here this morning to to contemplate these things and to realize that we are no longer now under the power of the flesh, but we are. We have the Spirit of God going within us.
Our Father, we do need to realize more and more that we are no longer in the flesh, but in Christ.
And that not only have our sins been put away, but we have been put away. We thank the Lord Jesus for thy cross, the cross, that upon which thou has bleed and die. And there as we look at that, we see the end of Adam, and that Adam creation. And then in resurrection we see that new creation.
Our Father we just praise, and we thank thee this morning for that which is ours in Christ, And to think that Thou has thought of this in a bygone eternity, and we have been.
We were in Thy thoughts before this world ever was. We can't understand this, we can't enter into it. But we believe it and we rejoice in it, and to think of that which is going to be ours.
Our Father, that which still lies before us, that we can only enter into by faith now.
But it will be our portion for all eternity. We just bow before the end. We thank thee.
01:30:00
But it is our portion, and that we can think about these things, and we can have our hearts drawn out afresh more and more as we think, Lord Jesus of that coming day when they are going to receive us unto thyself. And thou can say to the Father, behold, I and the children whom God has given me.
And so, our Father, we just thank you for this time, and we would commit the remainder of the day to thee and our fellowship together. To we just give thee our thanks, our Father, and the precious name of the Lord Jesus, our Savior. Amen.