One of the most important concepts in Christianity is union with Christ. If you don't understand this concept, I recommend reading Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne.
The believer is joined with Jesus in a legal and spiritual sense upon salvation.
In a legal sense, he shares Jesus' assets, like a woman shares the assets of her husband upon marriage. These assets include his righteousness and his sonship.
In a vital sense, he shares in Jesus' life. Jesus is the source of his spiritual life, and the indwelling presence of Jesus, through the mediation of the Holy Spirit, empowers him to produce spiritual fruit and enables him to endure any burden or suffering.
I really encourage everyone to study and understand this concept, and the aforementioned book is a good, simple read in order to understand it. Union with Christ is what salvation is about, and it makes perfect sense of justification, sanctification and glorification. One can't be legally united with Christ, and fail to be vitally united with him, producing spiritual fruit. This concept refutes the "Free Grace" teaching that it is perfectly ok to be an unfruitful Christian, and that one can be saved without producing spiritual fruit. It also refutes the notions of the works-salvation, sinless perfectionist types who place the emphasis on their ability to produce works.
Anyways, here's my question...in Romans 7:1-6, Paul indicates that the believer has been joined to Christ, and that is how he produces fruit. He is not bound to the law again, but he is joined to Jesus, and that is how he produces spiritual fruit.
Do you think that Judaizers are confused about the nature of the spiritual union with Christ, and as a result, they are still bound to the Law? What would help them realize that they need to be joined to Christ instead?
By the way, I think that's why God destroyed the Temple system in AD 70. He eliminated any claim that someone was achieving righteousness through the Mosaic Law. In essence, I think Judaizers are idolaters, who have not replaced the idol of the Mosaic Law with the Reality it pointed to, Jesus the Messiah.
The true believer is joined to Christ, and produces fruit through this union, which includes holy living. So I am not proposing that those joined to Christ don't live holy lives...it is part of the fruit of being joined with Jesus.
The believer is joined with Jesus in a legal and spiritual sense upon salvation.
In a legal sense, he shares Jesus' assets, like a woman shares the assets of her husband upon marriage. These assets include his righteousness and his sonship.
In a vital sense, he shares in Jesus' life. Jesus is the source of his spiritual life, and the indwelling presence of Jesus, through the mediation of the Holy Spirit, empowers him to produce spiritual fruit and enables him to endure any burden or suffering.
I really encourage everyone to study and understand this concept, and the aforementioned book is a good, simple read in order to understand it. Union with Christ is what salvation is about, and it makes perfect sense of justification, sanctification and glorification. One can't be legally united with Christ, and fail to be vitally united with him, producing spiritual fruit. This concept refutes the "Free Grace" teaching that it is perfectly ok to be an unfruitful Christian, and that one can be saved without producing spiritual fruit. It also refutes the notions of the works-salvation, sinless perfectionist types who place the emphasis on their ability to produce works.
Anyways, here's my question...in Romans 7:1-6, Paul indicates that the believer has been joined to Christ, and that is how he produces fruit. He is not bound to the law again, but he is joined to Jesus, and that is how he produces spiritual fruit.
Do you think that Judaizers are confused about the nature of the spiritual union with Christ, and as a result, they are still bound to the Law? What would help them realize that they need to be joined to Christ instead?
By the way, I think that's why God destroyed the Temple system in AD 70. He eliminated any claim that someone was achieving righteousness through the Mosaic Law. In essence, I think Judaizers are idolaters, who have not replaced the idol of the Mosaic Law with the Reality it pointed to, Jesus the Messiah.
The true believer is joined to Christ, and produces fruit through this union, which includes holy living. So I am not proposing that those joined to Christ don't live holy lives...it is part of the fruit of being joined with Jesus.
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What is CINO? 