Do We Belong to Christ Jesus?

Do We Belong to Christ Jesus?

Then we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Gal. 5:24. Then we belong to Jesus with everything that is in us and everything we have. When Jesus comes again, He will fetch those who are His. Through the cross they have been liberated from that terribly strong power that is in the flesh, with all its evil passions and desires. They are crucified to the world and the things in the world; the only thing that means anything to them is a new creation. Gal. 6:14-15.

“‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile.’ Therefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.” 1 Cor. 3:20-23. Christ is the head of His body, and in this body are the apostles—with power in the Spirit and with wisdom—together with all the saints. We are joint owners of—and have the right of inheritance to—these riches. All human wisdom and everything that is based on it is futility. None of it is eternal; but the new creation together with all the virtues that the result from it, is eternal. Those who belong to Christ Jesus are, among others, the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matt. 5:5.

Before He was crucified, Jesus said in His high-priestly prayer, “And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.” John 17:10. There will be no arguing about the inheritance; there will be more than enough for everyone. The one who divides the inheritance is called “Faithful and True,” and He judges and makes war in righteousness. Rev. 19:11. He left them with a fullness of glory and a perfect unity—something that will last for all eternity. John 17:11-13. “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” V. 13. Now He is only waiting to fetch His saints home so He can show them His abundant glory and share it with them. V. 24.

By walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh, we will notice glorious manifestations of all the fruits of the Spirit. Let us prove ourselves in every one of them, and we will always discover an abundance of glory that we can pursue. Paul, that great apostle of God, constantly pursued a greater fullness of all the virtues of Christ, and he exhorted Timothy to do the same.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Gal. 5:22-23. Imagine the glory that will be in a home or in the church if these fruits of the Spirit are manifested to a greater and greater degree!

The works of the flesh are evident sin, which everyone can put off through a living faith. If, on the other hand, you allow them to rule, the result will be horrible for yourself as well as for the others. We need to be radically converted and have a hatred against sin if we want to be set free from it.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. 5:19-21.

Let us act radically against all manner of sin and for all the virtues of Christ. It should not be difficult to see what is worthwhile, now in the time of grace, and then for all eternity.

“Even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming.”