Lesson 11, June 2
1:9-11 The Correct Attitude in the tests of Life (read section)
The contrast here is drawn between the poor and the rich believer.
Apparently money and
social status were real problems among these believers
(James brings it up 5
times 2:1-7;
He addresses first
the believer who has little of this worlds goods.
1:9 But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position.
let him
glory - kauca,omai- to boast; to exault or
rejoice
in his high
position - u[yoj - to lift up; raise up -> speaks
of a high rank or position.
- here
speaks of our position in Christ as believers.
Summary 1:9
1. The believers
attitude towards, & mastery of the details of life are a very good indicator
of his spiritual status/condition.
2. The options in any
test is to adjust and think DVPT or to react and
operate under MAS self-pity or to lust after the details of life that you
believe your missing.
3. The high position
refers to his spiritual status.
4. James reminds us
that even though we may be poor by man's standards that we are exceedingly rich
in God's sight.
Rom
5. As believers with
BDRS plus belief (and using it) in it we are able to boast no matter what the
circumstances are.
6. A gloomy down cast
attitude does not reflect application of BD.
7. Even a believer
who is advanced and well balanced spiritually can be poor.
Spiritual riches, the
things that really count flow to us from our identification with and position
in Christ!
The Meaning and
Importance of Identification With Christ
- How do we go from a context talking about
baptism as in Rom 6 to
focusing on identification?
- Meaning of baptism is to identify; to take something
and so identify it with something else so that its nature or character is
changed.
- This is one of things that God does for each one at salvation
based on the work of Christ on the cross and is the foundation of or the basis
of our new life in Christ!
- Baptism then refers to bringing the believing
one into a vital living union with Jesus Christ;
- This is brought about by the ministry of the
Holy Spirit.
- Since the Holy Spirit is the agent of this
baptism it is referred to as the Baptism by the Holy Spirit (BHS).
- This is a unique
ministry only for the believer in the Church age.
- One of 5 important
things the things that the Holy Spirit accomplishes for the believer at
salvation: Regeneration; BHS; Indwells; Seals us; gives a spiritual gift
* There are three aspects of this
identification:
#1. 1 Cor
#2. Gal
#3. Rom 6:3 have been
baptized into Christ that is being 
identified with His death.
living union
with Jesus Christ Joined to Him at the
R-hand of Father Eph 2:6
died resurrected
buried
Observations:
1. We all sin, but we
do not have to! point
of 6:2-3
2. Freedom
from the guilt of sin is by grace and so is freedom from the power of sin by
grace.
3.
The basis for this freedom is God's provision of the cross, whether it is
effective in our life is our choice, acting in accord with the facts. 6:12-13
4. In
God's eyes no time has elapsed between us and the cross. [similar as to all
sinned in Adam from a time standpoint]
5.
The text does not say that the sin nature died, that it is no longer present,
the text says we died to it, not that it died.
6.
Just as the work of Jesus Christ on the cross provides salvation when believed; so His work on the
cross provides the victory over the sin nature's domination of life when our
being identified with His death, burial and resurrection is believed.
7. Our union with
Christ is a spiritual reality, obscured most of the time, especially in our
culture, which is a materially oriented world.
[what determines or motivates our priorities]
8. This
identification, this union with Christ, His death, burial, resurrection; is
unique to the church age and the C/A believer.
9. This
identification with Christ, being raised with Him, gives us the ability to walk
in newness of life.