I Am Somebody
by Hugo McCord

    To say that I am a "body," that is, "a portion of matter" (Webster), is not very meaningful. But, by God's grace, I am a "somebody," that is, "a person of importance" (Webster). However, as you see this wobbly "has been," approaching 90 years (June 24), walking with a cane, you cannot see "a person of importance."

    Instead, if you are a barber, and I said, "Make me a good-looking man," his honest reply would be, "I am sorry, but I am only a barber, not a magician." If you are a photographer, and I returned my picture complaining "You did not do me justice," you would feel like saying, "Friend, justice you do not need, only mercy."

    But if this antique is a Christian, in God's sight, I am a somebody, a person of importance. While I was still wet in 1923 from "the washing of water" (Ephesians 5:26) in baptism, becoming "washed" and "sanctified" and "justified" (1 Corinthians 6:11), I became a "somebody," causing "rejoicing" in "heaven" in "the presence of the angels of God" (Luke 15:7, 10). My wet body had become a "temple of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:16) indwelt by the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (John 14:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19).

    The entrance of the Trinity, the Godhead (theotes, Colossians 2:9) into my "body" (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16), was quiet and imperceptible. I did not know by my feelings that divine guests were in my body, a fact only knowable by believing words of Scripture (John 14:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16).

    The reception of the Holy Spirit, "whom the world cannot receive" (John 14:17), is reserved for "those believing in" Jesus (John 7:39), for those who "obey" God (Acts 5:32), for those who "repent" and are "baptized" (Acts 2:38).

    Some say that Christians do not receive the Spirit, but only his words. That makes Christians and non-Christians equal, for they both receive the "words" (Acts 2:40; Colossians 3:16) of the Spirit. Furthermore, if Christians do not receive the Spirit they are equal to non-Christians who "cannot receive" the Spirit (John 14:17).

    Some say that Christians' being "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) is just another way of saying that the "word of Christ" dwells in them "richly" (Colossians 3:16). That makes Christians and non-Christians equal, for all non-Christians before their baptism have the "word of Christ" dwelling in them "richly" (Acts 2:40-41).

    Though the Trinity, the Godhead (John 14:23; Ephesians 2:22; Romans 8:9; Colossians 2:9), stays in Christians as long as they behave themselves (Ephesians 4:30; Jude 19), Christ-likeness is wholly dependent on each Christian. The Galatian Christians fell short and had Paul worried, because Christ had not yet been "formed" in them (Galatians 4:19-20).

    The Roman Christians could, being "led by the Spirit of God," put "to death the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13-14). But if that leading and that killing were to be done directly by the Spirit of God, then the Roman Christians would have become sinless. On a practical basis, the Spirit's words, in the 16 chapters of the Roman letter, would not have been needed if the Spirit directly led those Christians in putting "to death the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13-14).

    According to God's plan, the Ephesian Christians could have been "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16). But if that strengthening was done directly, by "inner urges," they would not have needed the six chapters of the Ephesian letter. Sadly, 34 years later (62-96 A.D.), they were not "strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man," for they had left their "first love" (Revelation 2:4).

    Moreover, Jesus did not count on the Spirit's imparting mighty strength by inner urges, for he had the Spirit send to them another letter to stir their "inner man," saying, "Let him, who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says" (Revelation 2:1-7).

    The physical bodies of the Corinthian Christians were temples of "the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:18-19). The Father and the Son also dwelled in those temples "through the Spirit" (John 14:23; Ephesians 2:22; 2 Corinthians 6:16). Yet some of those Christians, indwelt by the Godhead, were "weak and sickly" (1 Corinthians 11:30), and Paul challenged them by "words taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words": "Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith" (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 13:5). Altogether Paul sent three letters (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:9), of which 29 chapters survive, trying to strengthen Spirit-indwelt, but "weak and sickly," Christians.

    If the all-wise God, in "all Scripture" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), has "given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3), is it not a reflection on God to say that we also need an inner urging by the Spirit?

    If "the law of the Spirit" (Romans 8:2), found only in 27 New Testament books, (1) instructs (Ephesians 3:4; Revelation 2:7), (2) leads (Psalm 73:24; 119:105), and (3) strengthens (Ephesians 6:10-18), is it not a reflection on God to say that we also need an inner urging by the Spirit?

    If the "word, which is able to save" souls (James 1:21), can produce a nine-fold luscious fruitage (Galatians 5:22-23), as love (1 John 3:18); joy (Philippians 4:4); peace (Philippians 4:9); longsuffering (Ephesians 4:1-2); gentleness (James 3:17); goodness (Titus 3:1); faith (Revelation 2:10); meekness (Titus 3:2); and temperance (Philippians 4:5), is it not a reflection on God to say that we also need an inner urging by the Spirit?

    All you can see now in this old man is a fellow trying not to fall. But if I have glorified "God" in this old body (1 Corinthians 6:20), if I have not "fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4), if I have not grieved "the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 4:30); if Christ is "formed" in me (Galatians 4:19-20), then in God's eyes I still am "a person of importance," a "somebody." [/12-02-02]