“DO YOU NOT KNOW YOURSELVES, THAT JESUS CHRIST IS IN YOU”?

In Romans 8:29 scripture declares saints are predestined to be conformed to the image... the nature of The Son, predestined by God Himself. Image is translated from the Greek word eikon which means “to be like”, and assumes a prototype, that which it not merely resembles but from which it is drawn. Thus, the reflection of the sun on the water is eikon, as is the reflection of The Son on God’s children.

 “For we have become Partakers of Christ”:  “Partakers of His promise ...  Partakers of the heavenly calling ... Partakers of the inheritance ... Partakers of the Holy Spirit ... Partakers of the root and fatness ... Partakers of His holiness ... Partakers of the sufferings ... Partakers of the divine nature.” Partakers of Christ will exhibit the nature of Christ including the virtuous fruit of the indwelling Spirit and the personal attributes of the Beatitudes:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” The word “Fruit” is singular: The fruit of the Holy Spirit is like an orange with 9 segments, a virtuous unity that can be separated into specific virtues. Love is the first and primary virtue out of which all the other virtues flow. Self-control, submission of Self to the Lordship of Jesus, is the disciplining virtue which makes the transforming work of the Holy Spirit possible. Love and Self-control are the end caps to this divine array of God’s nature. 

The Beatitudes, Jesus’ manifesto, is an intriguing, counterintuitive, and no doubt shocking descriptive narrative on the “kinds” of people that are blessed, fortunate, and to be envied in the Kingdom of God, literally the personal attributes of Kingdom people: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. The beatitudes provide a window into the kind of life God wants His people to live - what life in the Kingdom of God should look like. 

 “Until Christ is formed in you”: The Holy Spirit manifesting The Son in the Father’s children. The nature of Christ produces the works of Christ. Our transformation is the number one thing on God's to do list. "As He is so are we in this world". Christ “is” the fullness of the Godhead bodily. “So are we”: This is our destiny... At least it should be! This is why we are admonished to examine and test ourselves: “Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you”? Good Question! And, this “knowing” is qualified as an ongoing exponential process in the Greek: Do you not yourselves realize and know, thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience, that Jesus Christ is in you....

Christians are not normal people with a certain religious preference; they are radically principled participants in a high commitment endeavor… at least they should be.  The Christian life is not an imitation of Christ; it is a participation in Christ. Exceedingly great and precious promises have been given to us “that through these we may be partakers of the divine nature.” We must transcend the natural realm, immersing ourselves in the supernatural nature dwelling within. We must experience the power of this indwelling life, the resurrected Christ-life, and, relinquishing our own Self-life, becoming ever more fully possessed of His divine life.

“CHRIST IN YOU, THE (ONLY) HOPE OF GLORY”

(Rom. 8:29; Heb. 3:14; Eph. 3:6; Heb 3:1; Col. 1:12; Heb. 12:10; Heb. 6:4, 2 peter 1:4; 2 Cor. 1:7; Rom. 11:17; Gal. 5:22-23; Matt. 5:3-12; 1 cor. 13; Gal. 4:19; 1 Jn. 4:17; 2 Cor. 13:5; 2 Peter 1:4; Col. 1:27)