There are two
very good reasons why Jesus’ brothers have no reason to live as defeated
recluses. Reason one: we have been given the Holy Spirit. Reason two: we have
been given a holy self. When our holy self walks in fellowship with the Holy Spirit,
we cannot help but have the victory in our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.[1]
The order in
which we experience these two friends is that the Holy Spirit first works in
our lives for the salvation that then gives us our holy self. However, I want
to focus first on this holy self we have been given, since it is through this
holy self that we can both understand and join the work of the Holy Spirit in
the church.
God’s
life-giving work in his children includes, “and
to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness
and holiness.”[2]
This tells us that everyone who is a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ
has a “new self.” It also tells us
that this new self is “created after the
likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Since
holiness is the character reality that expresses itself in righteous activity,
we can summarize this gift of transformation in this simple way, that every
child of God has a holy self. And, not only do we have this holy self, but we
are fully capable of living out of this new self by the grace of God that makes
us alive in Jesus Christ.
In our holy
self, we can now appreciate that we have also been given the Holy Spirit. He
who was poured out on the church at Pentecost,[3]continues
to lead the fellowship of the church so that we are “a holy temple in the Lord,” that is “being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”[4]
When each
believer in Jesus Christ has a new holy self that is fully capable of being
holy and righteous, and we have the Holy Spirit making us a holy temple in
which God can dwell within us by the Spirit, we cannot imagine that such a
relationship between God and man could be defeated.
It is no
wonder that Peter would add his harmony to this song by declaring, “His divine power has granted to us all
things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who
called us to his own glory and excellence.”[5]The
work of God’s divine power includes giving us a new holy self that lives in
fellowship with the constant work of the Holy Spirit so that we can walk and
grow in “all things that pertain to life
and godliness.” ALL THINGS!
It is only
when church-going folk try to remain in their old self, that old part of us, “which belongs to your former manner of life
and is corrupt through deceitful desires,”[6]
that we end up in the defeated, self-absorbed, despondent mindset that wants to
hide under a log and never be seen again.
The fact is
that, when our new holy self walks by the Holy Spirit, we simply “will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”[7]
The Holy Spirit’s fellowship with our holy self causes the fruit of the Spirit
to flourish in our lives.[8]
When the
apostles tell us to “be filled with the
Spirit,”[9]
to “walk by the Spirit,”[10]
to be “led by the Spirit,”[11]to
“live by the Spirit,” and “keep in step with the Spirit,”[12]it
is always referring to our holy self in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. If we
are stuck in our old self, what we often refer to as the sark, or the flesh, we
will never succeed at living in any kind of fellowship with the Spirit.
However, when
our holy self lives in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we cannot fail.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?[13]
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
I John 5:4
[2]
Ephesians 4:24
[3]
Acts 2:1-47 tells the story.
[4]
Ephesians 2:19-22
[5]
II Peter 1:3
[6]
Ephesians 4:22
[7]
Galatians 5:16
[8]
See whole context of Galatians 5:16-26, with vss 22-23 listing the characteristics
of the Spirit’s work in our lives, the fruit of his presence in fellowship with
our new self.
[9]
Ephesians 5:18
[10]
Galatians 5:16
[11]
Galatians 5:18
[12]
Galatians 5:25
[13]
I John 5:4-5
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