The World Stole the Church
Chapter 9
The Exchanged Life
The Exchanged Life is the LIFE where Christ is living in us in our place; and the Holy Spirit is crucifying the Flesh, the Old Nature from Adam, with which we were born into this world. We are commanded to live the exchanged life!
“23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
– Luke 9:
“13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
– Romans 8:
“20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
– Galatians 2:
We are to hold before one another that the Christian Life is an exchanged life!
Our objective is to be to challenge one another to so abide in Christ.
“4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
– John 15:
Living in such a way that Christ is living in us, directing our lives, in our place, and the flesh is on the cross, crucified.
These Scriptures give the ideal for us, for which we are to seek and strive!
There are many ways to commit murder; but only one way to be spiritually crucified. The Holy Spirit has to crucify the flesh!
“5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” – Colossians 3:
“10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 3:
How does this happen? It is the work of God! It is the miracle of God!
“29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
– John 6:
It is the miracle of abiding in Christ. It is humanly impossible. It is God’s miracle. It is abiding in the “Secret Place”.
“1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
– Psalms 91:
It is a “Secret Place” because the world cannot find it; and only we can find it when we are spiritually clean, confessing our sin, judging our sin, walking in Repentance and Faith, abiding in the Holy Spirit’s Word of Truth.
We must humble ourselves, have a contrite heart attitude, surrendering all to the Lord!
“but to this man will I look,
even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and
trembleth at my word.”
– Isaiah 66:2
“4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
– James 4: