Treasure Trove
We are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, and our resources, strength, and springs are in Christ.
Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of being in the Spirit, with the Spirit of God dwelling in us, to experience the ministry of making Christ the center of our lives. He highlights the continual care and discipline of our heavenly Father, even in times of loving rebuke and chastening, while affirming our acceptance and position in Christ. Stanford encourages believers to reckon their flesh as dead in Christ, allowing them to find all resources and strength in Him. He stresses that true happiness and riches are found in Christ alone, making us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ through suffering and glorification together.
Text
"But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you" (Romans 8:9).
The Spirit's ministry is to make Christ all to each.
"We are the objects of the continual care and discipline of our heavenly Father. If we walk after the flesh, instead of after the Spirit, this may call for His loving rebuke and chastening (child training); but that in no way interferes with the precious truth of our continual acceptance and position in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, by whose one offering we have been perfected forever.
"Through grace, we are not in the flesh, but in Christ, yet the flesh is in us; but our part is to reckon it as having been, before God and to faith, judicially put to death in Christ crucified, thus setting us free to be so constantly occupied with the triumphant Son of God, as to find all our resources, all our strength, all our springs, in Him." -H.H.S.
"If we have the Lord Jesus, we have all--without Him, we have nothing. You can be happy without money, without liberty, without parents, and without friends, if He is yours. If you have not Christ, neither money, nor liberty, nor parents, nor friends can make you happy. Christ, with a chain, is liberty; liberty without Christ is a chain. Christ without anything is riches--all things, without Christ, is poverty indeed."
"If children, then heirs--heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ--if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:17).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Spirit's Ministry
- A. To make Christ all to each
- II. Our Position in Christ
- A. Continual acceptance and position in the risen Lord Jesus Christ
- B. Perfected forever through one offering
- III. The Flesh in Us
- A. Must be reckoned as judicially put to death in Christ crucified
- IV. Our Resources in Christ
- A. Find all strength, all springs, in Him
Key Quotes
“If we have the Lord Jesus, we have all--without Him, we have nothing.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Christ, with a chain, is liberty; liberty without Christ is a chain.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Christ without anything is riches--all things, without Christ, is poverty indeed.” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must reckon our flesh as judicially put to death in Christ crucified.
- Our happiness and fulfillment come from having the Lord Jesus Christ.
- We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and we will be glorified together if we suffer with Him.