The "Spirit Of Christ" In Human Conduct
The inspired apostle said: "But if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Rom. 8:9) There are various thoughts and teaching respecting the identity of Christ's Spirit. Some assume that if a person is of a sweet, lovable disposition that person has the Spirit of Christ. Others would represent the Spirit of Christ as agreeing with everything religiously. Many other such things are set forth by men as representing Christ's Spirit, but let us examine the inspired record for ourselves. We can know the Spirit of Christ by how it re-acted in him, and it is possible for us to see that reaction in the New Testament.
CHRIST MANIFESTED THE SPIRIT OF SUBMISSION: After Jesus was lost in Jerusalem and found by Joseph and Mary, scripture says: "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them:" (Luke 2:51) Before he entered upon his public ministry, he walked about sixty five miles and submitted himself for baptism, saying: "For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." (Mt. 3:15) Before Jesus was crucified he prayed, saying: "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42) Paul said: "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross." (Phil. 2:8)
Inasmuch as Christ manifested the Spirit of submission or obedience, it is very evident that one who is rebellious to parents, to the law of the land, and the law of God cannot be manifesting the Spirit of Christ. A child who refuses to submit to the guidance of Christian parents is refusing to be well pleasing to God. One who is a willful transgressor of the civil law of the land, also becomes a rebel against God, because that person is not manifesting the spirit of submission. One who will not submit to any requirement set forth in the scripture is not manifesting the spirit of Christ. The religious person who does not obey the command to glorify God in the name Christian is not manifesting the spirit of Christ. One who refuses to sing praises to Jehovah or who substitutes playing for singing is not submitting to the will of God. The individual who refuses to submit to baptism for the remission of sins is not manifesting the spirit of Christ.
THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WAS MANIFESTED IN HIS TEACHING: Christ came to seek and save the lost, and to promote peace and good will among men. He sought no revenge for the wrong inflicted against him. "When he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." (1 Peter 2:23) Christ said: "Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you! that ye may be the sons of your Father who is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust." (Mt. 5:43-45)
Christ taught the highest rule of life. Men have set up rules of life such as destroy what cannot be used, "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we may die," "might makes right or defeat good with evil," fulfill only legal requirements, "doing good for good, and evil for evil," but Christ taught a superior rule to either of these. Christ said: "All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them." (Mt. 7:12) Here is the rule of doing as good for others that which we in turn would have them do unto us. Those who do not do the good unto others are not manifesting the spirit of Christ. If we knew that our fellow man was in danger of walking blindly into a deep pit, then we would show the spirit of helpfulness. We would seek to warn him of his danger.
Jesus Christ manifested the spirit of helpfulness in this respect. He saw individuals who were following the errors of men in their religious life. Jesus warned of the danger by saying: "But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men." (Mt. 15:9) In dealing with those religious people, the most religious during the personal ministry of Christ, Christ said unto them: "But be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your father, even he who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ." (Mt. 23:8-10) Jesus Christ pointed out that no earthly person is to be called father in a religious sense, because there is but one Father in that respect who is in heaven. Did Jesus Christ approve of false teaching and false practice? Hear him as he speaks to the religious people of his day! "Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, whosoever shall swear by the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold? And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor. Ye blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon." (Mt. 23:16-22) The spirit of Christ is in action here. If we belong to him, then we are to manifest his spirit. This is why everyone should study the Bible and know what it teaches. No one should take what a preacher or religious teacher teaches just because of who he is. He should be able to know if such teaching is found in the Bible. The individual who accepts a thing in religion without investigation is endangering his soul. The spirit of Christ will not permit one to accept a teaching without knowing that it is of divine origin.
Though the spirit of Christ is kind, it is uncompromising. It is firm or steadfast in that which is right, steadfast in the truth of God. The spirit of Christ is unyielding to temptation. Stephen was full of the spirit and of wisdom. He preached to the multitude, picturing to them the unfolding of God's plan through the ages, and the climaxing in Jesus Christ. When the multitude rejected the testimony given through Stephen, he said to them: "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One, of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers; ye who received the law as it was ordained of angels, and kept it not. Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (Acts 7:51-60)
Here is in Stephen a man full of the spirit, of faith, and of wisdom. He did not preach in a manner to please his audience. When his audience did him bodily harm, he did not seek revenge. Stephen held no ill will toward them, because his dying words were: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." When individuals have the spirit of Christ, when they will be willing to manifest the right attitude toward others who differ with them. One who has the spirit of Christ cannot, however, agree with one who is in the wrong just to be friends with him. Each one filled with the spirit of Christ will have conviction of what is right and what is wrong. There can be no sidestepping, no pampering those in error, no compromising with that which is wrong. Every one possessing the spirit of Christ will stand for Christ and stand against the devil. There is no reason for one to think that truth can compromise with error, or that spiritual light can blend with spiritual darkness, nor that right and wrong can be scrambled together.
Inasmuch as no hint is found in the New Testament for the beginning and maintaining of human, religious denominations, why should any one expect a gospel preacher, one who preaches no more nor less that what is authorized by the word of God, to sanction or have fellowship with denominational groups? Why should there be offense at the thought of a gospel preacher failing to fellowship human, religious practices?
The spirit of Christ will submit to the will of Christ, but his will forbids his followers partaking of human, religious devices. Who ever read in the New Testament of Christ being born on December 25? Where is the book, chapter, and verse in the Bible that indicates that Jesus Christ was born on such a date? Where is the command in the word of God to keep or celebrate the birth of Christ? Where is the teaching in the word of God that the needy should be helped only around December 25? Does not the whole New Testament authorize us to be helpful every day of the year? Where in all the word of God do you find the word "Christmas?" Where is the command in the Bible that Christmas be kept in remembrance of Christ?
Christ authorizes his followers to partake of the Lord's Supper in remembrance of him. (Mt. 26:26-28) The Christians of the first century met every Lord's Day, every first day of the week to break bread in remembrance of Christ, or to partake of the Lord's Supper. We are plainly told to assemble for worship on the first day of the week, and we are just as plainly told not to forsake the assembly. (Heb. 10:25) How is it that individuals can take up some human practice and follow some man made, religious teaching which has no higher authority than man, but such persons refuse to submit to the teaching of inspired scripture which is backed or presented with all the authority in heaven and earth? Remember that the Spirit of Christ authorizes that the Christ-like life be lived every day of the year!