An individual who still is mere flesh and blood is an insignificant speck in an arena of spiritual titans. God knew from the beginning that He would create man in a flesh and blood form and at a later date man would receive the Life of God. Until this eternal Life of God enters a human being and begins to grow, the person is dead, spiritually speaking.

Man is, as we have stated, little more than an intelligent animal. The human eats, sleeps, works, plays, and reproduces, just as is true of a well-trained horse. But man alone of all the creatures of God has the potential for receiving God in Christ into himself, for commencing the long process of growing into the image of Christ—into a life-giving spirit.

Eternal life, which is the Presence of God in Christ in our personality, begins in us when we by faith lay hold on the blood atonement made by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Most of our personality still is dead—void of the Presence of God. But a portion of eternal life has entered us.

Eternal death is the absence of God. Eternal death results from unrighteousness, spiritual uncleanness, and disobedience to God. God will not dwell with unrighteousness, spiritual uncleanness, or disobedience.

As we have stated, eternal life enters us when we receive by faith the blood atonement made by the Lord Jesus Christ. God comes to us because of our receiving Christ. God imputes (ascribes) to us the righteousness of Christ. If it were not for our identification with the Lord Jesus, God would not accept our person; for God will not receive into His Presence those who are walking in sin. We now can stand in the Presence of God because of our acceptance of Jesus.

After initially receiving God's Life by placing our faith in the atoning blood of Jesus we are to continue to look to Jesus moment by moment, interacting with Him, praying, meditating in the Scriptures, assembling with the saints, resisting the devil, giving, seeking ways in which we can build the Body of Christ.

We are to set aside our personal ambitions and give ourselves wholeheartedly to Christ and to His Gospel. We now are the servant of the Lord.

Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, through the ministries, through our environment and circumstances, proceeds to deliver us from the spirit of the world, from all unrighteousness, all spiritual uncleanness, and all disobedience to God.

As all sin and rebellion are driven from us, eternal life, love, joy, peace, and wisdom increase in us.

When all unrighteousness, uncleanness, and disobedience have been purged from us, and we have been filled with the Life of Christ, then we have arrived at the spiritual resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11). We have entered the promised-land rest of God.

Although the environment in which we live, including our sinful, dead body, still presses on us, our inner personality now is meeting God's standard and He and His Christ are dwelling in us.

To be continued.