A few years ago after a men’s prayer meeting I was speaking with the pastor and commented that it seemed like I was the least of Christ’s servants. He replied that I was more than a servant and that I was a partner with Christ. That statement resonated with me and when the Holy Spirit compelled me to establish a website and write weekly blogs, the name Partnered With Christ spoke volumes about the nature of our relationship.
But what does it mean to be partnered with Christ? What basis do believers have for such a profound relationship with our Lord and Savior? True believers are not merely Christians in name only. We have a unique union with Jesus through our fellowship of faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Furthermore, we are considered ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
When we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we formally proclaim our communion with Christ. It is a common union. When believers commune with Christ, He also communes with them. And the significance of the church as the bride of Christ is underscored by the dovetailing of the Lord’s supper (the last supper) with a first century wedding contract. Believers are betrothed to Christ. It is a relationship that is also a partnership.
United With Christ
The Bible says that when we truly believe, we become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are no longer slaves to sin but are raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4-7). Verse 5 proclaims, “If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly be united with Him in His resurrection.”
Paul declares in Ephesians that believers are seated in the heavenly realms with Christ. We have a secure position in Christ. Not at some point in the future but today. Ephesians 1:4 declares, “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” This is not based upon anything we did but solely upon God’s grace.
Ephesians 2:4-7 says, “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
When the Bible says we are clothed in Christ it is intimating that we are covered by the blood of Christ and when the Father looks at us, He sees Christ. Therefore, Christ, who paid for our sins on the cross has become our identity. It is no longer we who live but Christ in us. He wore our sins, so we gladly wear His name.
The Guarantee Of The Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.” Jesus paid the price for our redemption and posted a bond which is the Holy Spirit, confirming God’s commitment to those who believe.
Paul tells us in Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” As co-heirs we are partners with Christ.
The transformative power of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit. Paul shares this insight in Galatians 5:22-23a: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” If these virtues dominate the character of believers, they have union with the Holy Spirit.
In John’s gospel, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).
In verse 26 Jesus says, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” The Amplified Bible translation refers to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby).
Interestingly, the English word comforter originates from the Latin word confortare. The change from “n” to “m” began in 14th century English, with the transformation to com (with) and fortis (strength). So when the Comforter comes, He is coming with strength, to fortify and provide fortification. As a Christian, the Holy spirit is your strength. He provides the strength to resist temptation, to persevere in times of tribulation, to triumph over sin. He is our source of strength and security.
Believers are never alone. No matter what you are going through, the Holy Spirit is right there with you. Isaiah 43:2 teaches, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Believers are encouraged to live by the Spirit. Paul advises, ” So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.” (Galatians 5:16-17a).
This means actively building a relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is not simply a spiritual force or abstract entity, but a person. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “He” and “Him”, not “it.” He is a constant companion in everything, enriching one’s Christian experience.
When we decide to draw near to the Holy Spirit, He draws near to us. He is gentle and mild, just as Jesus was (Matthew 11:28-30). He is not coercive or forceful. He helps us to identify sin in our lives and when we are obedient to Him, our spirit aligns with His and we bear fruit for Him. Just as Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the Holy Spirit completes our comprehension of the triune personification of God.
When we become born again, our lives become noticeably different as we no longer do things we did before and we conquer sinful behaviors that we previously didn’t have the strength to overcome on our own. This transformation is evidence that believers have the Holy Spirit within them. Without this evidence, the authenticity of a person’s faith is debatable.
Furthermore, when people who call themselves Christians insist on continuing to live in sin and willingly defy the Holy spirit, their spirits testify that they disrespect the Holy Spirit. Jesus warned against this blasphemy in Matthew 12:30-31, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and He who does not gather with Me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”
The Holy Spirit has feelings and the Bible advises us not to grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30). The Greek word translated as “grieve” here means to cause sorrow. When we willfully sin or indulge in fleshly desires that are contrary to the desires of the Holy Spirit, He will withdraw and we will cease to benefit from His guidance.
Conversely, when we remain obedient to His coaching, He becomes more interactive with us and guides us to greater obedience. Once you learn to identify what pleases the Holy Spirit you will find yourself going out of your way to serve Him. This is when you can truly bear fruit for Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:9 reminds us, “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” And 1 John 1:3 the disciple offers this declaration: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Paul’s proclamation in Galatians 2:20 concisely sums up the intimacy we have with Jesus Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
There is no closer relationship than when someone is inside of you and that is precisely how the Bible explicates our partnership with Christ. This is where we find the “oneness” Jesus prayed for in the seventeenth chapter of John. It is where our spirits become intertwined with His Spirit and we become one in spirit.
We have been appointed as full partners with the firm “Christ And Associates.” With full partnership come full benefits and responsibilities. This concept truly encapsulates the certainty that we have been reconciled to God through Christ for eternity. Praise the Lord!
