Growing Together with Christ

Rom. 1:17 …in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

As I continue to think through our life together with Christ, I think of God drawing each of us into our destiny to be holy as He is Holy. That is the destiny all who are in Christ share in common.  We were created in the image of God, to enjoy relationship with Him forever and ever, but that perfect likeness was broken when we chose to “go our own way.” I thank God he didn’t just let us go, but sent his Son “to clean up the mess.” That required more than a “celestial spring cleaning.” It required the sacrifice of his Son, the Lamb of God without blemish, and our own crucifixion and resurrection with Him to new life – born again with the DNA of our Heavenly Father. And the life we now live in the body we live by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which reveals a righteousness from God, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.

What does this righteousness that is from God look like? The Apostle Paul described it in his letter to the Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” (Gal. 5:22,23). These are the characteristics that ripen and mature in all of us as we grow together with Christ, our growth guided by the DNA of our Heavenly Father. All the things listed have worldly counterfeits, but the real fruit has a supernatural other world aroma as it manifests the righteousness that is from God and is by faith. The list starts with love and ends with self-control.

I now ask, “What is this “self-control” that is a fruit of the Spirit in every believer?” We are all spiritual beings who have united ourselves with Christ by faith in Him and His resurrection, and “…He who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” (1 Cor 6:17). So when I who am one with the Lord in spirit exercise self-control, it is not I who am controlling myself, but the Spirit of Christ with whom I am united by faith is in control as I submit to Him! I want to know more about this bonding with the Lord! That will be the subject of my next post.