UNITED IN CHRIST Most often, the preposition "with" in the New Testament is translated from the Greek word

"meta" (met-ah'). As the German word "mit", "meta" simply means with, or among. There is another Greek word that Paul and Luke utilized instead of "meta". The Greek word "sun" (soon) has the meaning to be in or within, indicating a much closer relationship than may be derived from "meta". I believe Paul utilized "sun" to nail down the closeness of our relationship with God. Not only do we walk with God, we are in Him and He is within us. This fact may be witnessed as non-Christians become Christians. When the Holy Spirit touches a heart, the person is changed from within, not from external forces. Asking Jesus Christ into our lives and feeling this change from within makes Christianity a reality, not a religion. Let's open our Bibles to II Timothy. II Timothy 2:1-2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2) And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Paul is exhorting us to learn the truth, and understand it well enough to teach others. II Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (4) No man that warreth entangeleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. Do you want to be pleasing to Him that chose you? Discipline yourself not to become entangled in the things of this world. Jesus wants soldiers that are ready to march, when He says march. We are in a spiritual war. II Timothy 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. You can't contend in the games and win, unless you play be the rules. You must follow civil laws. If you don't, Satan has you right where he wants you. Out of the game. II Timothy 2:6-7 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. (7) Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Meditate on His Word, and you will receive understanding from the Lord. II Timothy 2:8-9 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. (9) Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds: but the word of God is not bound. Paul often suffered for Christ's gospel; however, the truth of God's Word can not be bound, and it will never change. II Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This is no short term arrangement. It is eternal. Why does Paul endure all things for the elect's sakes? We read the answer in verse two. He wants them to teach others. II Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: "For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: Here we have the Greek word "sun" (soon) utilized twice. I hope each of you reflected on the awesome sacrifice Jesus Christ made for you, as we recently celebrated Passover. Perhaps, you were able to spiritually feel within Him as He died on the cross. II Timothy 2:12-13 If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, he also will deny us: (13) If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself." It is that simple, friends. God remains faithful to those that love Him. Can He count on you? If He is within you, you have the spiritual strength to be a good soldier for Jesus Christ. Let's check out the Old Testament. Sometimes a better understanding of a Greek word helps clarify a Hebrew word. Isaiah 41:9-10 Thou, whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee, "Thou art My servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. (10) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. Those that have God within them have some powerful promises made to them in these scriptures. We all fall short at times, but He will not cast those that love Him away. Isaiah 41:11-12 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. (12) Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contendeth with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. God will not allow anyone to "mess around" with His elect. I have seen this many times. You have nothing to fear. God will take care of those trying to accomplish His will. Isaiah 41:13-14 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, 'Fear not;' I will help

thee. (14) Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee," saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. The word "worm" in this verse emphasizes the weakness of man. Man alone is weak; however, when you have the Redeemer within you helping you and holding your hand, you can't lose. Isaiah 41:15 "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. The truth will thresh the nations. Of course, Jesus Christ is the new sharp threshing instrument. When He is within you, you have the truth to thresh nations. Isaiah 41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. The wind in this verse is the Ruach, or Holy Spirit. Your enemies can not deal with the power at your disposal, if He is within you. Let's go to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 1:4-5 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (5) "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." God knew Jeremiah's spiritual body before he was born of woman. Father knew Jeremiah had a "can do" spirit. Jeremiah 1:6-7 Then said I "Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak : for I am a child." (7) But the LORD said unto me, "Say not,'I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Jeremiah was afraid that he wasn't up to the challenge; however, God knew He would be within Jeremiah helping him all the way. Jeremiah 1:8-9 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. (9) Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me. "Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth. That is all it takes. If God calls you, you become a driven person. You can not refrain from studying and digging to obtain more truth. You have a burning desire to share that truth with others. That is God within you saying "get cracking." Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." You don't tear down someone's beliefs without building back something better. Tearing down and building back is easy, when God is within you. In closing, let's go back to the New Testament. Let's look at another instance where Paul utilized the Greek word "sun". I Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Paul was a "super sinner", before God struck him down on the road to Damascus. I Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. The word "with" in this verse is from the Greek word "sun". Paul didn't take credit for his labour. He gave credit for his work, which is most of the New Testament, to God within him. I Corinthians 15:11-12 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. (12) Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? The Sadducees of Paul's time taught that there was no life after death. Paul is asking how Christians could possibly believe the dead are in a hole in the ground. I Corinthains 15:13-14 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Vain means empty. If you don't believe Christ rose from the dead, why in the world would you want to be a Christian? I Corinthians15:15-17 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: Whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. (16) For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: (17) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. A dead man would have no power to forgive your sins. I Corinthians 15:18-19 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (19) If in this life

only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Wouldn't you be miserable, if everything you could hope for was in this flesh life? There is so much more to hope and strive for in the spiritual life. I Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. Jesus went to those in prison after the crucifixion and gave the prisoners the Word of God. The Word that can not be bound and sets people free. We are going to cover one more verse in I Thessalonians. We pick it up with Paul speaking of Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Whether we are alive or dead, He is within us. I hope you have enjoyed this lesson concerning the preposition "sun". It is difficult to place in words the full meaning that one almost has to feel inside to understand. I know most of you do understand. You have God within you, and you are in Him. In His Service, Arnold Murray