3 Men, 1of3

~ 3 Men In 3 Different Conditions ~

Your Choice!  ~  The Bible describes three kinds of human beings.  In this and two subsequent posts we will look at the three from different perspectives.   The most important two questions for each individual to answer are:

1. Am I a disciple of Jesus Christ?
2. If so, am I living like it? 

Man In The Flesh  ~  Jesus in His discussion with Nicodemus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water [natural human birth—in flesh] and the Spirit [supernatural spiritual birth—from above], he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-8).  We were all born humanly in the flesh—human physical bodies. 

Man In Christ  ~  “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:16-19).  Those who have been “born again” are totally new creations in Christ Jesus. 

“Man Of God”  ~  There are many individuals in the Scriptures who are described as being a “man of God.”  Perhaps we read this more often about Elisha than any other person.  One passage stands out to me.  “Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack.  And he said, ‘Give it to the people, that they may eat’” (2 Kings 4:42).  A key thing about any man of God is that he has one purpose—to be a representative, channel, vehicle of God on earth. 

concluding thought  ~  “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works’” (Matthew 16:24-27). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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