A Body You Have Prepared for Me

A Body You Have Prepared for Me

Only one body was prepared, and in that body salvation had to take place. That body was conceived when the Holy Spirit came over Mary. Jesus was “true God and true man.” “That Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” But according to the flesh, He was also the son of David. God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. As a man—the Son of Man—Jesus had to take up a battle against sin and the power of Satan. He received strength for this from His heavenly Father. Jesus came, not for His own sake, but because of sin. The work that was impossible for the law could now be accomplished through Jesus, because God through Him condemned sin in the flesh. As a man, Jesus chose to do God’s will. The result of this work was that the seed of the woman conquered the serpent.

There is still only one body. We who are baptized into the one Spirit of Jesus are baptized into Him, to be one body with Him.

What is our body like when we have been made one body with Christ? Are we still tempted? Do we see another law in our members? Do we still sense the body of sin within us? If we do, then we have to assume that Jesus experienced the same thing, since He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin—or as it says in the original language “without transgression.” Sin was condemned in this body that God had prepared. But maybe you believe it was a different kind of body or a different kind of flesh? All flesh had been powerless before a holy and righteous law. But Christ’s flesh was not powerless. He conquered sin in the flesh. No one had ever been able to do that before, regardless of how godly they were. But He—the Master—did it in the power of an eternal Spirit. He gave His flesh for the life of the world. The same Spirit in which He sacrificed Himself has now been sent into the world. The world has received the sacrifice (the body), so now anyone who wants the Holy Spirit can receive it as a gift.

However, the Spirit that demanded Jesus’ life according to the flesh will soon begin to do the same with us, if we heed Him. If not, the Spirit will depart from us. This will continue until the end of the age, as long as there are people on earth. We will be glorified with Him to the same degree we offer ourselves in the power of the eternal Spirit. The Spirit is life because of righteousness.

The Jews could not withstand the Spirit and wisdom in which Stephen spoke, because he allowed himself to be guided and driven by the Holy Spirit. In this righteous manner he conquered them completely and utterly. Their carnal rage made Stephen’s victory all the more apparent and significant. They could stone his body, but they were powerless against his Spirit and his wisdom. It was the same for Jesus of Nazareth. The religious leaders of His time crucified Him because of envy. They, too, were powerless against the Spirit and wisdom in which He spoke.

History repeats itself. When someone lives and walks according to the Holy Spirit, he will quickly provoke envy among religious leaders. These leaders have the same tendencies as the Pharisees who wanted to crucify anyone whose power, spirit and wisdom they were not able to overcome. Jesus said, “Where I go you know, and the way you know.” Why not start living and walking according to the Spirit now? Strength and wisdom for this are readily available—free of charge. Perhaps the difficulty is that you would have to surrender all of your own selfish interests? Why should you be envious? If you lack strength and wisdom, it is your own fault. There is nothing here worth fighting over. Just believe and obey; then God’s power and wisdom will come. Both of these gifts come from God’s kingdom and are the evidence that God’s kingdom has come.