These verses have annoyed us very much.
Haven't you ever an experience to be puzzled and wrapped in the fog with these verses?


I am dead on the cross. However, I am alive. How have you solved this seemingly contradicting problem? You would have worried very much, if you have a vigorous pursuit mind. Or are you worrying now?


The way of breakthrough is this. The "Objective we".


Now, the "Objective we" are in the monopoly situation.
Because ,I believe, Paul had received clear revelation from God about the existence of the Objective we.


Our old man was crucified with him.

I was crucified with Christ.

ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ


Firstly, you should notice that our old man, I, ye are the “objective we“.
And, these were in the fallen state since Christ's incarnation to His crucifixion as you see in Eph.2:1-3. These our old man, I, ye were crucified with Christ.


The fact of this execution directly gives a very good influence on us the "subjective we".


Because of the death of our old man on the cross, the body of sin is made weak, and we are no more the slaves of sin and we need not serve sin any longer.


Because of the co-crucifixion of myself with Christ, He can live within me.
and the life which I now live in the flesh I can live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


Because ye also died to the law through the body of Christ, ye married to another One Christ, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we can bring forth fruit unto God. And we even are able to fulfill the requirements much higher than these in the OT.


The event which occured to the "objective we", causes a good effect on us the "subjective we"


However, there is one condition!
Use your spirit. (Rome 8:4, 5, and 6 Gal. 5:16-25)


The above-mentioned effects are realized only when we use our spirit only.
Because the effects are all input in the Spirit and It is now in our spirit.
Nothing exist in our flesh at all.
The above-mentioned effects won't be realized as long as we do not use our spirit.


Do not live according to the flesh as gentile people do. We once lived according to the flesh while we were not the believers in Christ.
We need to practice living by the spirit in the spirit and according to our spirit. Because the effects of all what Christ did through the cross and resurrection are now in our spirit.


This is the only one condition.
That is why Paul says to live in the spirit.

END

2018/9/20
東 信男(Higashi Nobuo)
ftmp2009☆gmail.com