JANUARY 15

ONE SPIRIT IN CHRIST

Only let your conversation (manner of behaviour) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; - that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27)

Paul proceeds to give some valuable instruction for our daily living, with the words, STAND FAST IN ONE SPIRIT”. While this can be taken to refer to our relationship with other believers, the emphasis must not just be on our oneness with each other, because this will never be accomplished until we are first one with Christ. “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit,” (I Cor. 6:17). Only in the measure that we are ONE SPIRIT IN CHRIST can we, also, become one spirit with each other. HE is the Head, we are to be joined to Him, and it is self-evident that if the whole body is joined unto the Head, they cannot be very far from each other.

Joined unto the LORD. This necessitates our yielding up of all our own rights, will, self-hood, to acknowledge that HE ALONE IS LORD IN OUR LIFE. When we are “one spirit” with Him, there are no more two spirits, (His, and ours, in some form of contra-distinction to each other) for this union of oneness in Him precludes it. True, there is a losing of our own carnal-self identity, to become identified in Him, but what blessing awaits those who can pray, and mean it, “not my will, but Thine, be done”.

Surely the more we have surrendered all of our ‘rights’ to the Lord, the less we will seek to maintain such ‘rights’ with our brethren, for these ‘rights’ are no longer ours, and whatever God wills for us, that is what we desire. This surrender takes all the ‘fight’ out of us, and we cease to be enemies with ourselves, and, therefore, find it much easier to be joined in peace with our brethren, that in one spirit we might together follow on to know the Lord ever more.

For of this world thou hast no part
When He doth dwell within thy heart,
Not of this world, He said of those
Whom He hath called, whom He hath chose.

Ray Prinzing

Sister Doris Prinzing
1130 Allumbaugh St. Apt 257
Boise, Id 83704-8700

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