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(Audio Book) At His Disposal (Clip)
Major Ian Thomas
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0:00 1:25
Major Ian Thomas

(Audio Book) At His Disposal (Clip)

Major Ian Thomas teaches that through Christ's atoning death and the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers receive new life that empowers them to live a Spirit-led, Christlike life, fulfilling God's law through love and faith.
This sermon emphasizes the transformative power of redemption through Christ's atoning death, highlighting the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers. It explores the concept of passing from death to life, being raised with Christ, and living out the very life of Christ through the Spirit's work. The Christian life is portrayed as a union with Christ, where believers offer their entire being to Christ for His use, enabling a shift from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

Full Transcript

The moment you are redeemed through the atoning death of Christ upon the cross, you receive the Holy Spirit within your human spirit. You have passed from death to life raised from the dead and the life which has been imparted to you by the Holy Spirit is the very life of Christ himself. He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ. He gave us the very life of Christ himself, the same new life with which he quickened him Ephesians 2-5, the life that the Lord Jesus Christ lived for you nineteen hundred years ago condemns you, but the life that he now lives in you saves you. The Christian life is the life which he lived then, lived now, by him in you, as he behaved in the sinless humanity which the Father had prepared for him then, so he wants to behave in your humanity presented to him now, your mind placed at his disposal through the indwelling Holy Spirit, your emotions, your will, all that you are and have made available to the Lord Jesus Christ as a living member of his new corporate body on earth, which is called the Church. This is the new law in action, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, re-establishing the faith-love relationship between your soul and God, making it possible for you to declare the Son, as once the Son declared the Father, your behaviour mechanism once more wholly deocentric instead of egocentric, so that the commandment of the law may find fulfilment in you, whose conduct, no longer under the control of your lower nature, is directed by the Spirit. A radical change of government.

Sermon Outline

  1. I. Redemption and New Life
    • Believers receive the Holy Spirit at redemption
    • Passing from death to life through Christ's atonement
    • The imparted life is the very life of Christ
  2. II. Union with Christ
    • Life in Christ is both historical and present
    • Christ lives in the believer through the Spirit
    • Our humanity is presented to Christ for His behavior
  3. III. The Law of the Spirit
    • The Spirit enacts the new law of life in Christ Jesus
    • Faith-love relationship replaces egocentric behavior
    • The Spirit directs conduct beyond the lower nature
  4. IV. Radical Change of Government
    • Transformation from self-rule to Spirit-rule
    • Living members of Christ's body on earth
    • Fulfillment of God's commandments through Spirit-led life

Key Quotes

“The moment you are redeemed through the atoning death of Christ upon the cross, you receive the Holy Spirit within your human spirit.” — Major Ian Thomas
“The life that the Lord Jesus Christ lived for you nineteen hundred years ago condemns you, but the life that he now lives in you saves you.” — Major Ian Thomas
“A radical change of government.” — Major Ian Thomas

Application Points

  • Offer your mind, emotions, and will to Christ daily to be directed by the Holy Spirit.
  • Live consciously in the new life imparted by Christ rather than by your old nature.
  • Embrace the Spirit's guidance to fulfill God's commandments through love and faith.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens at the moment of redemption?
At redemption, a believer receives the Holy Spirit within their human spirit, passing from death to life.
How does Christ live in the believer?
Christ lives in the believer through the indwelling Holy Spirit, enabling them to live as He did.
What is meant by the 'new law'?
The new law refers to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that guides believers to live by faith and love rather than by the flesh.
How does this teaching affect Christian behavior?
It calls believers to present their minds, emotions, and wills to Christ, allowing the Spirit to direct their conduct and fulfill God's commandments.
What is the significance of the 'radical change of government'?
It signifies the shift from self-centered living to Spirit-led living, making believers part of Christ's new corporate body on earth.

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