Your Journey In Christ

The Reality Of The Loins

Friend, sin is like cancer! Immediately after cancer gains access to the body, it has the ability to spread to various parts of the body. Also, when sin got access to the world through one man—Adam—it spread to all men! You know, the scripture says, “All have sinned.” "All" there indicates, with no exception, i.e., both young and old. Thinking about this, I asked, “Why did the scripture conclude that every individual is a sinner without giving us a chance to prove ourselves or at least a chance to default first?” “For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Romans 5:13. Notice that before the law (commandments given to Moses by God), sin was already in the world.

How? “For through one man sin entered the world” (Romans 5:12). But sin is not imputed when there is no law, but despite this fact, death, the wage of sin, still didn't hesitate to reign over men. Even over those that didn't sin after the similitude of Adam. Why? Because of a concept in Scripture called “reality of the loins,” it credits the deeds of a father to his offspring. Look at it. “Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.” – Heb. 7: 9- 10. “Loins,” when translated from Greek, means “procreative power,” that is, the ability to beget or produce an offspring. Levi wasn't born when Abraham was on Earth, but the scripture says that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek in Abraham.

Friend, the same way the Bible concluded for Levi concerning tithes, that is the same way all men sinned because all men were IN the loins of Adam. Thus, through the reality of the loins, all men became sinners! But hear God's word today! “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). By Jesus' single act of obedience, many have also been made righteous!

Complete In Christ

Friend, the constitution of heaven credits the deeds of a father to his offspring, whether good or bad. Levi paid tithes in Abraham, so God rebuked the devourer for Levi's sake because he was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes (Heb. 7:9–10).

It is this same constitution that was applied when scripture said, “For as by one man's—Adam—disobedience many were made sinners,” and the rewards of sin—death reigned because we were IN the loins of Adam when he ate of the tree. But “by the obedience of one—Jesus—shall many be made righteous.” The way-mouth translation puts it this way: “So also through the obedience of the One, the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous.”- Romans 5:19. You see, we understand how we were in the loins of Adam because of our natural birth. But Jesus never got married, so how are we in his loins? because his deeds cannot be credited to us without us being connected to him.

There are two kinds of birth; Jesus calls them “that which is born of flesh” and “that which is born of Spirit.” Spiritual birth is a lot different from natural birth. (John. 3:6).

“By him—Jesus—were ALL THINGS created” (Col 1:16). All means all, and we know that the principal tool for creation is the spoken word. Jesus gave birth to ALL THINGS by speaking. That means, before Adam, Jesus was. He created Adam and all mankind. Hence, he's the father of all men by creation. “For it pleased the Father that IN HIM should all fullness dwell” (Col. 1:19), and “Ye are complete—full—in him” (Col. 2:10). Therefore, we all, by spiritual birth—because man is a spirit—are IN the spiritual loins of Christ. This is why we are born again—not by fusion of male and female gametes but by the Word of God! – 1 Pet. 1:23. Friend, you are complete IN Christ; your journey in Christ is a picture of how you moved from the cross to hell and then to sit on the throne in Christ.

He Tasted Death For Every Man

“Many believers say 'Christ died for me' but the mature ones say 'I am crucified with Christ.”  – Watchman Nee.

Friend, the Apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20). You see, to crucify means “to execute a person by nailing on a cross.” Paul was alive when he wrote the Book of Galatians; he was never physically nailed to a cross. Yet he said, “I am crucified with Christ.” Do you know why? “We see Jesus... that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). Jesus was the one who died by nailing on a cross.

Jesus was the one who died by nailing on a cross. The word "taste" here refers to experience, and it also relates to our five physical senses. There are two types of death: physical and spiritual. He tasted physical and spiritual death for us. Concerning physical death Dr. Kenneth Copeland said, “You wouldn't know it when you die; you wouldn't taste it when you die.” Why? Because he tasted or experienced it for you. Imagine yourself, in Christ, being flogged, beaten, and finally nailed to the cross. You were right there IN him when he was hung on a tree. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust—that were IN him—1 Pet. 3:18. When they flogged him, they flogged you! Just that you couldn't taste it or feel it, because he tasted it for you.

Kenneth Copeland told the story of a man who had died of a heart attack. He was a believer and was resurrected, but he shared his experience. He said, “I didn't know I had a heart attack; I just saw myself in the most beautiful city I had ever seen.” Because Jesus tasted death for every man. Friend, when they screamed 'crucify him', they also meant 'crucify Robert', “they smote—me IN—him on the head with a reed and did spit upon—me IN—him and bowing their knees...mocked—me IN—him.” (Mk. 15:19). This is why sometimes we Christians are mocked, spat on, and even beaten when we stand for Christ and his word; we fellowship in our suffering IN him.

Friend, he tasted physical death and spiritual death for every man. When Jesus gave up the ghost, his body was left scared on earth, but he and us IN him descended into the lower parts of the earth—hell.

The Prince of Life In Hell

             Friend, spiritual death is the absence of the life of God in a spirit. It is worse than physical death.

When a man dies, the physical body goes to rest in the grave, but the dead spirit goes down to hell to suffer torment if he's not born again. Anyway, Jesus said it is better to be without hands, legs, or eyes than to go to hell, "where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" (Mark. 9:43–48). But that was where he went, not as a king but as a prisoner.

You see, Jesus, in his earthly ministry, talked about how the Father was in him. That is, in his Spirit. It was the presence of the Spirit of the Father IN him that gave his spirit LIFE. But on the cross, Jesus cried with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark. 15:34. When the Father left his Spirit, because he bore our sins, Jesus died spiritually. He cried because, for once in his entire life, he was without the Father.

Remember, we were IN Christ when the Father left, and we also cried. "And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost" (Mk. 15:37). And he descended first into the lower parts of the earth, where the worm dieth not and fire quencheth not. Talking about Jesus, Peter said, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell" (Acts 2:27). He went to hell, and we went IN him. He was tormented, and he cried in hell because "he shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street" (Isa. 42:2). So he cried in hell instead of on the streets. The 22nd Psalm is a picture of Jesus in hell. It starts with his first lamentation while he was in his body:

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He cried day and night and talked about his suffering. "Many bulls have compassed me...they gaped upon me with their mouths...my heart—spirit—is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels (because of the fire)...my tongue cleaveth to my jaws—for thirst." Friend, we were right there IN him. Though we didn't see nor taste it spiritually because he tasted the worms and fire of hell for us but we were "brought into the dust of death" IN him. But bless God, "for if we have been planted in the likeness of his death, we shall also be planted in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:4).

Victory In Hell

Friend, no man known to mankind has ever escaped from hell before except Jesus.

We talked about the prince of life in hell and how he suffered as a prisoner, from the 22nd Psalm. All the demons in hell tormented Jesus, and he cried out to God! And you and I were right there IN him, tormented and crying. Hey, picture yourself IN Jesus crying unto the Father while being tormented in hell. The psalmist said, “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back; this I know; for God is for me.” (Psalms. 56:9).

You see, I don't know any legal basis on which God would have heard and saved Jesus in hell, but Paul the Apostle talks about “God, who is RICH in MERCY, for his great loved wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins—in hell with Christ—has quickened us together with Christ...” (Eph. 2:4-5). It was mercy that spoke, and nothing else. Remember, spiritual death is the departure of the life of God in a spirit. So, the presence of this life is called spiritual life. That's what “quickened” means. Inside, the spoken word of God is the life of God (John 1:1–5). God quickens or makes alive with his spoken word. Little wonder why we are born again by the word of God that lives and abides forever.

Friend, right in hell, because of the RICH MERCY of God, he sent his word and quickened Jesus.

Hebrews 1:5 records the exact words God spoke to Jesus in hell. “...Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.” Notice that he said 'this day'; it was that day in hell that Jesus got born again. Paul calls him “the first born from the dead,” that is, he's the first person to move from spiritual death to life.

Friend, we were quickened together with him right in hell. You and I were there when God said, “This day have I begotten you”, He was talking to us. Isn't this amazing? When Jesus resurrected from the grave, he began to teach his disciples about his death from the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44). There are things written concerning the death of Jesus in the Psalms. We looked at the 22nd Psalm last time; now let's look at the 114th Psalm. Pay attention, because this beats everything I ever read. You know, all of Satan and his host were in hell tormenting Jesus. Remember, he said, “The assembly of the wicked have enclosed me” (Ps. 22:16). But when God said, “This day have I begotten you”, Jesus was born again in hell. He passed from spiritual death to life.

Now, the 114th Psalm shows us what happened; it starts with “When Israel went out of Egypt,” which implies when Jesus passed from death unto life, and don't forget that we were IN Jesus when he passed from death unto life. So, this is a picture of what happened in hell. The psalmist continues in verse 3: “The SEA saw it and fled, JORDAN was driven back. The MOUNTAINS skipped like Rams and LITTLE HILLS like lamb.” The sea, Jordan, mountains, and little hills are a representation of the four classes of demons recorded in Eph. 6:12: principalities, powers, spiritual wickedness, and rulers, respectively.

You know what Paul said: “He spoiled principalities and powers...triumphing over them in it—hell” (Col. 2:15). I always wondered how Jesus did that, and the Lord gave me the 114th Psalm. Let's translate it and see:

            When Jesus and we in him passed from death unto life, the PRINCIPALITIES saw it and fled, POWERS were driven back. The SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS skipped like Rams and RULERS like lamb.

“What ailed thee, o thou PRINCIPALITIES, that thou fleddest? Thou POWERS, that thou wast driven back? Ye SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS, that ye spiked like Rams and ye RULER, like lambs?” And the next verse, “TREMBLE thou earth, at the presence of the Lord...”, It was the presence of Jesus in his resurrected form that made them tremble and flee; they couldn't stand his presence.

    Friend, you were in him when they ran; the assembly of the wicked ran away from you! And they still tremble and fear you to this day. I've had a demon run from me, and it said, "I can't come near him," because I was in the Lord when he spoiled them!

Your Journey To Heaven

I've been to hell; yes, I have, and I went there not as a spectator but as a prisoner of hell. I was there for three days and nights! I know the agony and pain there. How did I come out of it? The same way I got there, IN Christ.

Friend, if you're born again, you were baptised into the death of Jesus; you have been to hell. I often say, “If you have not been to hell, there's a possibility that you might go there.” Every child of God journeyed to hell IN Jesus. When Jesus took us IN him, he suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust that was IN him; he tasted death for every man. He was spat on, beaten, mocked, flogged, and finally went to hell, tormented by the devil because of the unjust that were IN him.

But we didn't stay there; the Bible says God “Hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places IN Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6). Peter puts it this way: “Who (Jesus) is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God; angels, authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (1 Pet. 3:22). Many believe that Jesus is seated in heavenly places far above principalities and powers, but they don't realize that we are IN him. So, we are seated in heavenly places; we are at the right hand of authority. Bless God.

But Paul said, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). Bless God, “I am planted in the likeness of his resurrection.” Paul, writing to the Church in Rome, said, “Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (That is to bring Christ down from above)” because, as believers, we are above IN him. “Or, who shall descend into the deep? (That is to bring up Christ again from the dead)”, because as believers, we've already been to hell IN him! And bless God, I'm not going back. How about you?

 Friend, right now we're sitting in heavenly places IN Christ Jesus. I pray for you that the eyes of your understanding will be open to these truths in Jesus name.

Jesus is Lord!

Min. Roi