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A ccording to the Word of God, there are just two positions in which any human can be—one is the posi tion of the sinner, the other that of the saint. These two positions are radically different. The sinner is in Satan, in the world and in the flesh. As a result, he is under the dicta tion of the devil, the direction of the world and the domination of the flesh (Eph. 2:1-3). The sinner’s life is Satan-centered, world-conformed and flesh-controlled. The sinner is part of this trinity of evil and hate. The position of the saint is the exact antithesis of that of the sin ner. According to the Word of God, he is a “ saint” in respect to his posi tion, because he has believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. He has put his trust in the atoning blood of the Son of God. In so doing, he has passed from the former side of the Cross into an ut terly new realm. He is now in Christ, in the Church, and in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:4-6 tells us that the be liever has been quickened together with Christ, raised up together with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. His life is therefore Christ-centered, Christ- conformed and Spirit-controlled. He is part of the trinity of holiness and love. That the Christian’s condition may correspond with his position, the Holy Spirit, whose baptism he re ceived at the moment of his new birth, is his Sanctifier. As such, He is the One who will, in actual ex perience, separate the Christian from all that pertains to the world and the flesh, and will separate him unto all that pertains to Christ and the Church and the Spirit. In this new sphere, it is as the Holy Spirit infills the yielded, trust ing Christian that He accomplishes His work as Sanctifier. Is the fullness of the Holy Spirit optional? May I choose whether I will be filled or not? Hear what the Word of God says to those whom Christ has saved: “ Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). And that is a command. It is God’s will. Two Classes of Christians But with crystal clearness we see from Scripture that there are two kinds of Christians. Is it not strange
that it is possible for there to be two kinds of Christians, since the fountain of life is the same for each? Each has been brought into living, vital one ness with the Lord Jesus Christ, each has been given the blessed gift of the Holy Spirit to do the same work in each, and yet there is such a dif ference in the quality of the lives of Christians that in God’s Word He calls the one a carnal Christian, and the other a spiritual Christian. And we are told that the carnal Christians are those that remain babes in Christ. They never grow up. There is very little evident 'spiritual growth. Then, in contrast, there is the spir itual Christian, who is the full- grown, mature, ever-growing Chris tian. He is the one who, no matter how spiritual he is, is becoming more spiritual all the time; knowing the Lord Jesus Christ better, loving Him better, revealing Him more perfectly in his life day hy day to others, hav ing the power of the Lord manifested in his life, having the passion of the Lord for souls. Friend, if you are a believer in Christ, which type of Christian are you? You are either one or the other. Which are you—a carnal Christian or a spiritual Christian? Every one of us ought to know which kind he is. Other people know. Your family knows, your friends know, your church knows. You and I should know. And we should be willing to face honestly that question. A carnal Christian is a sick Chris tian. Why is it that we care so much more for physical health than for spiritual health? Why is it that we care so much more for the filthy lucre of the world than we care for the unsearchable riches of Christ? How to Change Classifications The surest way to become a spirit ual Christian is to acknowledge that you are carnal. When once you say it and frankly acknowledge that you now care more for the things of earth and time and sense than you care for the things of heaven and eternity and Christ, you have taken the first step toward getting out of a life of carnality into a life of spirit uality. That is the hardest step to take. We cannot bear to acknowledge what we are. Is this not true? Friends THE KING'S BUSINESS
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the Spirit filled life
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by Ruth Puxson
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