The ‘exchanged life’ is the only real Christian life!
Everyone has opinions, and this goes possibly double for Christians who through the years have sought to define what a valid Christian life should “look like.”
The Word of God however supplies abundant directions on this, and let it be clear – the Christian life is not only a changed life, it is an exchanged life. That is, Jesus Christ wants to be able to live His life in you, and for you to live your life in Him.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. – John 17:20,21
Being “one” with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit means having the same heart, mind, and and ultimately the same spirit. It involves God united with us in Christ leading, guiding and enabling us as born again believers,
The difference between the two potential realities of fleshly Christianity and spiritual Christianity is like the difference between a life of trying hard, versus a life which knows what Jesus meant when He spoke of an utterly different way than the Jewish system knew:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:29-30
This standard the Lord set down is a test of how your Christian life measures up. Do you experience day by day the easy and light yoke and burden of the Lord?
Another clue – and a core verse supporting this article’s subject of “the exchanged life” – comes from Paul the apostle who spoke of the life he came to expound upon well after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
Much could be said about this, but bottom line is it is a reality of life that transcends merely trying harder, or keeping rules, or trying to remember to do what is good moment by moment.
Way beyond “WWJD!”
Paul said plainly in Galatians 2:20 and elsewhere that his life – who he was as a man in Adam – was done away on the cross and his identity was wholly now in Christ. And Christ Jesus was now in him. Therefore the life he lived he lived by faith.
Put in plainer terms still, this means Paul knew what some have called “the exchanged life.”
He knew the Holy Spirit’s power to come forth through him. This was not a thing he had to merely train his brain to do. Rule keeping was the way of the law and old Judaism but it is NOT the way of Christ.
No! A thousand times NO!
Of course the Bible has many practical instructions and commands, but the keeping of these – and conducting oneself uprightly where the Word is not explicit – comes from being of the same spirit as the Word. This is a higher state of being. It is called being “in the spirit” and while God may come through anyone at any time, it is not usually automatic, but must be consciously cultivated by faith having seen these realities.
By faith God’s Spirit comes through as Christ in us. Therefore, that which we say or do is to be as a new creature enabled and empowered and guided by God’s Spirit, not as the old creation – relying on the brain without the regenerated spirit in control.
God gets no glory from merely “a good person” who tries in his own strength to live in a certain way, even if his or her intentions are good.
The “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is a self-existing life within us who are In Christ. It is not something we muster. It is not pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. It is resting in the faithful one who ever lives in us, if we may but tap into that life.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:2
The “law of sin and death” is the inherent nature in the flesh to do that which is contrary to God’s will expounded upon in Romans 7. The “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is the over-riding more powerful law of Christ in you, your hope of glory – the power of God; a product of the exchanged life.
A primary purpose of the Word of God is to introduce us to its Living Author who wants to make us “living epistles” and who writes His laws on our “heart of flesh.” Submitting to this indwelling Spirit is the only valid expression of a Christian life and it is a life of its own co-mingled with our new life making us one with Christ.
Set free from the old self by Jesus Christ
If you yet struggle in keeping yourself from your sin nature, let this be a wake up call! Yes, there is learning in all of this, but the victory was given to you from the day you were born again!
A common teaching is these things are a “process” but that notion can be unbelief masquerading as “faith.” Faith says “it is finished.” Merely wishing or hoping says “I’ll get there one day.” It can be a self deception. Beyond any necessary “learning” in this life therefore, we must have revelation; we must seek and see what God has done! That happens in a moment, not after a long “process.” Was it a “process” when you prayed to be born again? God’s pattern is: see, believe, walk in the light and doubting nothing.
The power of God is all that we need if we can but see it and believe in it without doubt. It is the requirement of the “narrow way” that many will not see, Jesus said.
Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. – Luke 13:24
Certainly Jesus Christ is the Door. He is the means whereby we enter, but Jesus is also “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Colossians 2:6 says “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”
We live in this life not just by entering through Jesus, we also day by day are called to live our lives in the very same manner that we came to Jesus – through repentance and faith in obedience to the Lord.
The exchanged life is based on this. In simple terms, it is the Holy Spirit inside every believer who enables him or her to know God’s voice and walk in obedience. He is the power of salvation, and of life every single day. We either abide in Him, or live according to our flesh. Let us live in the Spirit!
The Good News
By definition, if Jesus is your “Lord” He is your boss, your master. The good news is He is not a cruel or harsh master who lays heavy burdens on your back for you alone to bear.
Rather, He is the one who comes though by His own Spirit to give us the vision, the power, and ability to do things in Him. By this He is glorified. In contrast, a person who relies on his own strength is living at best like an Old Testament Jew and not as a New Testament Christian.
This is ONLY seen by revelation. God has stated it plainly, but the actual seeing in your spirit and being able to trust God to come through for you – in you – is by faith in what your spirit is able to see.
And, you must have a life without compromise to known sin. You must with your whole heart desire to obey the Lord.
If you are able to even grasp this but have not experienced the powerful reality of it, the onus is on you to call out to God to grant you repentance and faith as needed, and to open the eyes of your understanding.
There is a world of difference between living like a worldling trying to be a good Christian versus having the mind of Christ, and His Spirit giving you a whole new perspective and power.
Praise God! This is the victory that overcomes the world: our faith. It overcomes not only the world, but also your sin nature, Christian. If you yet habitually stumble and fall do you know your Father gave us Jesus not only to forgive us, but also to set us free from this?
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. – John 8:36
God gave us a whole salvation. In our daily life it is called the exchanged life. It is no longer I but Christ in me.
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. – Colossians 1:27-28
We know Paul did many great things, but Paul tells us his secret. It was God who worked in him mightily, and by faith we have access to the exact same spiritually transcendent life within the confines of our place and calling in Christ Jesus.
God will be satisfied with nothing less: The exchanged life in Christ!
