Question:  Dear Greg,

            I have been studying the intimate relationship that God the Father requires of his children with him and Jesus Christ.  Particularly one’s relationship with God’s Holy Spirit and our human spirit.

            Are we becoming one with God and Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit, but yet not losing our individual identity?

            Thanks.

            Your brother in Christ,

            Fred

Answer:  Dear Fred,

            To properly explain your question, we must begin with the fact that God is one, but he exists eternally as three separate, co-equal divine Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

            We become one with God as we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and trust in him to do, in and through us, all that we are incapable of doing (i.e., earning our own salvation).  We are born again.  We become new men and women in Christ.  Christ lives his life in us (Galatians 2:20 ) and the life we lead as a Christian is not the “old” man or woman, but the new, reborn child of God.

            We are still, of course, human.  We still have our bodies; we still have our sinful human nature.  So, there is a tension, and at times a war that goes on.  Paul talks about this war between the spirit and the flesh in Romans 7.  We are very much still imperfect human beings, and we are very much still capable of sin.  In fact, we will sin, for that is what flesh does.  We do not become impervious to sin and mortality until our bodies die, and then are resurrected to immortality at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15).

            I hope this helps.  If not, let me know and I’ll try to answer any further questions you may have.  God bless you, Fred, and thanks for allowing PTM to be of spiritual service to you.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht