KEY SCRIPTURE: John 16:12-13” I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come”.

In our previous study we learnt that our Lord Jesus did not live under the New Testament. (Gal.4:4) Most of His teachings were to people under the Old Testament. After His death and resurrection the New Testament actually began.

One thing to note about the Bible is that, it is, a progressive revelation of truth. There is a building up of   truth from time to time. An example is when the Lord was on earth He said in Matthew 15:24 that “But He answered and said, l am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Well after He rose up from the grave listen to what He asked His disciples to do”, Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore and teach all nations……” This time He did not say go to the lost sheep of the household of Israel but to the whole world.  Scripture is a progressive revelation.

 What He taught some time ago would be a basis to teach something higher. But please note the Bible after the book of Revelations has no new teaching. Revelation 22:18 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book,  if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.”

In the light of what I have said above some of the teachings the Lord gave when He was physically here have been deepened in the New Testament period.

One such teaching is in Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”. This is a very powerful truth, yet after the death and resurrection of the Lord, He teaches us something higher.

This time we are not taking up our cross we are dead and gone; with Christ living in us now.  Romans 6:11 says “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Because our Lord Jesus died we died with Him.  Apostle Paul who received this revelation and insight said in Galatians 2:20 that “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me: and the life which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”. Earlier the Lord taught us to take up our cross, now He is teaching us that we are actually dead.  It is Christ who is presently living in us.

 We must live as people who are dead but it is Christ who is actively living in us.

 CONFESSION

I am born again with the life of God in me. This makes me one with Jesus sharing His death. It is Christ who is living through me.

 FURTHER STUDIES

Colossians 2:11 “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ”:

Romans 6:6 ” Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”