Could you please explain the verse, “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Cor 6:17) and how it impacts upon our sanctification in our daily lives?

Thank you,

Eric

Hello Eric,

Thanks for your question. I’m delighted you brought up this subject! It’s wonderful truth.

At salvation the unregenerated human spirit gets regenerated. The “old man” (unregenerated spirit) dies with Christ. Romans 6:6 declares, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him.” Who got killed? Since physical death involves the separation of the soul from the body, and that has not yet occurred, then the old man must be the unregenerated human spirit. The old man dies with Christ and is raised with Christ the “new man,” the regenerated human spirit (Rom. 6:4-5).

This new man is called a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and is described as God’s “seed” (lit. sperma) indicating God’s nature is implanted in the believer (1 John 3:9). As such, the new man is created after God in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24). Amazing provision! At your core, the “real you” is righteous and holy. It must be because your human spirit now consists of something of God’s divine nature implanted in you. This is more than the positional truth of being declared righteous even though your soul and body haven’t caught up yet. This is the provisional truth of your spirit being actually made righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).

Beyond this wonderful reality, the Holy Spirit Himself moves in and indwells the believer. There had to be a part of us made holy so the Holy Spirit could move in. When you are born again, the nature of God is implanted in you and the Spirit of God indwells you. This is the union of which 1 Corinthians 6:17 speaks, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” As husband and wife become “one flesh” (1 Cor. 6:16), so the regenerated spirit and Holy Spirit become “one spirit.” You are fused to Jesus who promises to never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5).

God’s nature implanted and God’s Spirit indwelling—this is the provision for sanctification to progress. The Holy Spirit is both leader and enabler, but God’s way is faith (Heb. 11:6). As you daily depend on His leadership and power, you access the holy life of God in you. When this occurs the fruit of the Spirit is manifested. True holiness is accessing the holy one—Christ in you by His Spirit. As you walk by faith, and thus walk in the Spirit, you grow in grace (Gal. 5:17; Col. 2:6; 2 Pet. 3:18).

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