Romans 8:6-11, 'Life in the Spirit'
In John 11:25, the historical Jesus declared to Martha, "I am, [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in and relies on) me, although he may die; yet he shall live. This startling announcement and revelation of God's Presence, Image, Likeness, Grace, Truth and Love, the universal Christ of Faith, in the human flesh, in the historical Jesus is one aspect of the Paschal Mystery. Spiritual discernment reveals that when ever the historical Jesus uses the term 'I Am', in referring to himself, he is talking about the eternal, invisible, universal, indwelling Christ of Faith, who became fully incarnate and fully manifested in his physical human body, here on earth.
When the historical Jesus went to the gravesite of Lazarus his close and dear friend, he had already lifted up his eyes to the hills, in Christ-centered, spiritual consciousness. Lazarus' ‘tomb’, is symbolic of mankind's prevailing spiritual deafness, spiritually blindness, spiritual lameness, spiritual sleep and spiritual death (John 11:38-43). We are now realizing that the historical Jesus, Lazarus and all humankind are eternally connected with the Father, the Christ of Faith and the Holy Spirit through our spiritual bodies (John 17:20-23). The historical Jesus demonstrated to his disciples, that Lazarus was an eternal spiritual being going through a temporary incarnate human experience.
Jesus Christ has a unique way of bringing the spiritual dimensions of our lives back into mankind's conscious awareness. When we repent and in faith turn to and lift up the indwelling Christ of Faith, through our spiritual bodies, our Father, God will always hear us. Like Lazarus we will also experience inner spiritual resurrection into eternal life, through the Christ of Faith and the Holy Spirit.
In Romans 8:6-11, the apostle Paul compares and contrasts two prevailing human mindsets and lifestyles, within witness faith communities in all the world religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. He makes plain, the sharp and often subtle differences between the mindsets and lifestyles of those who live according to the mind of the flesh, and those who live according to the mind of the Spirit. In this text, life in the mind of the Spirit refers to the mindset and lifestyle, which embrace the mind of Christ, which the historical Jesus revealed, taught and modeled, throughout his 33-year incarnate human experiences.
It is interesting to note that resurrection from spiritual death, awakening from spiritual sleep and healing spiritual blindness, spiritual lameness and spiritual deafness, do not exempt human beings from physical death. Our physical bodies are still mortal and subject to physical death. The Christ-centered, spiritually resurrected believer, who chooses to steadfastly follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery however, is endowed with a new quality of mindset and lifestyle, which triumphs over spiritual sickness, spiritual sleep and spiritual death, here on earth.
At the end of this present age of human incivility, the destructive and divisive human mindsets and lifestyles, modeled after the mind of the flesh, will be destroyed. To the degree that we choose to reject the mind of the flesh and surrender to the presence and reign of the universal indwelling Christ of Faith, through our spiritual bodies, mankind is again experiencing the resurrection of normal, civil human mindsets, lifestyles and relationships, which God originally designed for all religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups.
Throughout his earthly ministry, the historical Jesus primarily focused on teaching, and sharing mindsets and lifestyles, which produce universal resurrection from spiritual death. Jesus modeled the daily practical application of principles and practices for healing spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness and produce awakening from spiritual sleep. These universal teaching are found in the sacred text and oral traditions of all religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. Jesus also taught universal, moral and ethical mindsets and lifestyles, which reject incivility and promote civility in human attitudes, intentions, actions and relationships throughout our planet.
As God's Word, the Logos forever gives universal life to all creation. The historical Jesus revealed how the universal Christ of Faith, the Logos individualized in the spiritual of every persons, brings spiritual resurrection, eternal and abundant life, to all who follow Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery. The universal civil mindsets, lifestyles and relationships, which are mankind's normal divine heritage and birthright, are now being re-established throughout our planet, as we choose to follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery.
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