After believing in Christ, we are required to embark upon a new way of living in Christ. At the moment of first believing, we were credited with God’s righteousness (Gen. 15:6; Gal. 3:6). From that moment forward, we, Christians, have been permanently indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19; 2 Cor. 1:22). We are forever qualified to have fellowship with God. However, we may or may not actually function in fellowship with God. If we sin, we will lose fellowship with God (1 John 1:9). In order to regain fellowship, however, we must simply acknowledge our sin, and we are, once again, restored to fellowship with God (1 John 1:9). However, to properly function as a Christian, we must continue to grow spiritually (1 Pet. 2:3; 2 Pet. 3:18). Both lay persons and professional teachers will teach us many things. Sometimes, we will be taught incorrect information. There is no perfect human teacher. God, the Holy Spirit, is our perfect and primary teacher. As we mature, we will go through periods of testing. We will have periods of failure and suffering, but we must persevere. Our goal is spiritual maturity (1 Cor. 2:6, 3:1-2; Heb. 5:14, 6:1). Whether or not we grow to spiritual maturity is a matter between each individual and the Lord. However, if we grow to spiritual maturity, we will receive wonderful blessings in this life and the next. We will receive fantastic blessings that are individually tailored to each one of us (Gen. 15:1; Heb. 6:14)
As stated above, from the moment of first believing, we have a new relationship with the Trinity. Categorically, it is true to say that every new believer has a new, permanent status in Christ. In fact, every new believer is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). However, it is also true to say that every believer is required to function in a new and different way than he or she ever functioned as an unbeliever (1 Cor. 4:17). Now, we believers are required to function “en Christos.” The Greek preposition en means “by, with, and in.”[1] We are required to function “by, with, and in” Christ. We must learn to walk by the still, quiet voice of the Spirit (Zech. 4:6). We must surrender our status as independent moral agents. As believers in Christ, we must seek to function under Christ’s authority and direction. As I have stated numerous times before, we must walk by the Spirit, wherein the Word is a light to our feet, trusting in Christ Jesus, while having no confidence in our inherit capacity to live the spiritual life (Ps. 119:105; Phil. 3:3). By doing so, we share in God’s own life, which is eternal life. In fact, by doing so, we lay hold of eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12), and we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). This is the Christian’s new way of being. Along the way, we can either remain “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1) or we can grow to maturity in Christ. Our new way of being is the way of the Lord (Gen. 18:19) and the path of righteousness (Ps. 23:3).
In our old way of being, we inevitably walked according to the flesh. Now, we are given the opportunity to also walk by the Spirit. We can either walk by our feelings and desires, or we can look to the guidance and direction of the Spirit and Word. Yes, it is easy for us to be ruled by and deceived by lust (inordinate desire). As the Apostle Paul explained, to set our mind upon the “flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6). “The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7-8). For us to function in accordance with the New Covenant Spiritual Life is all grace. We are totally dependent on the grace of God, which includes His Spirit, Word, and logistical support. We participate by our free will.
Every believer is required to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). We are promised a “peace of God which surpasses all comprehension” and which “will guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Our goal is that every willing believer will be mature (teleios[2]) or complete “in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). The spiritual life can provide us an experiential salvation “through [the] faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). We are called to an eternal glory, which is found only in Christ Jesus, who Himself will “perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us (1 Pet. 5:10). Both our status in Christ and our growth to maturity in Christ are important components of the New Covenant Spiritual Life. Both describe our new way of being “en Christos.”
[1] “G1722 – en – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 20 Jun, 2022. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1722/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[2] “G5046 – teleios – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 20 Jun, 2022. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5046/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
