Already / Not Yet

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Overview
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This is a response to a recent theological discussion about our identity in Christ. It is a needed response. It is a desperate response. It is a gospel response. We need to firmly grasp what it means for Christ to live in us. In brief, the response is towards the “two words” at the end of the statement: “Christ lives in us, AS US”, and how it has huge theological implications in understanding the nature of who God is and how we live our lives. My response is not for the purpose of confirming that I am right, but that the Word of God is authoritative and is always perfect and right.
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Gospel
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Before I begin, I want to affirm that the “[Gospel] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) I am deeply grateful for the message of salvation that is revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2-3).  I am deeply loved by the love of God (Romans 5:8) because He gave His Son for us (John 3:16-17). I am profoundly changed (John 9:25). I am adopted into the family of God (1 John 3:1). 

The gospel message is this: God created all of us to enjoy and worship Him. But sin came into the world through Adam and Eve, therefore we inherited sin from them, and we are born separated from God and in rebellion against Him. God the Father sent Jesus into the world on a rescue mission to save sinners from their sins. He lived a perfect life, obeyed the Father, performed miracles and claimed to be God. He was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried by the Pharisees and Roman Soldiers, scourged and beaten, shed a lot of blood, nailed on the wooden cross and died hanging on the cross. On the third day, He was resurrected, proving that He’s alive and that He is God. The purpose of Jesus’ life was to redeem those who are lost, to forgive sinners, to save sinners from their sins and to save them from the wrath of God. Those who believe in Him will experience redemption. The Gospel calls sinners to repent and believe in Jesus Christ and live a radical new life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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AS US
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The discussion of Christ living in us is an important matter. Evangelicals believe that when we place our faith in Christ, Christ lives in us, according to the Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:20). The discussion of the matter was centered on that verse and Romans 6, I think, and what they mean. Like I said before, my response is simply towards the “two words”: AS US. Here, I am presenting the interpretation from the view of another person whom I am not going to name.

 “I have been crucified with Christ”/ “our old self was crucified with him”

The interpretation of this line meant that our old nature - sinful nature – was completely crucified with Christ. If we are crucified with Christ, and Christ lives in us as us, then we are completely new creatures. 

“Christ who lives in me”

Because Christ is sinless, and lives in us, we are therefore perfectly sinless without a sinful nature. If we are perfectly sinless, then we do not have to do anything to be perfect or holy because He lives in us, as us. To say that we still have a sinful nature is to deny what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross.
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No “AS US”
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To say that we deny Christ if we believe we have a sinful nature, may seem to honor Christ. But in reality, that is not the teaching of the Bible. The Bible never talks about “Christ living in us, AS US". There is no evidence. Those two words were added. I am deeply astonished that those two words can create theological distortions. I am also deeply astonished that people can come up with weird ideas that is not found in the Bible.

I have personally spoken to pastors, ministry workers and scholars about what they think regarding those added words in the statement. All of them found it bizarre. 
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ALREADY
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Now, I am going to provide an interpretation that is more in agreement with the Gospel, the teaching from the Word of God, and the results from my consultation with experts on the subject.  

We learn from Romans 6 and 7 that when we trusted in Christ as our Savior and Lord, we were united to Christ (Romans 6:5; 7:4). In this union with Christ we died (Romans 6:8; Colossians 2:20; 3:3) and rose again (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 2:6). A decisive and irrevocable new creation, therefore, came into being (2 Corinthians 5:17), and a decisive and irrevocable liberation happened (Romans 6:14, 18). We passed from death to eternal life. God's decisive judgment is behind us - at Golgotha (John 5:24). We have moved from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of God's Son (Colossians 1:13). We are alive together with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6).
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NOT YET
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However, we also learn that our liberation from sin is not yet final and perfect. Let’s spell it out in three P-words: Penalty, Power and Present. When we place our trust in Christ, the penalty of sin has been paid for (Colossians 2:13-15). Basically, we have been justified by God (I will not go into details on Justification). The power of sin has been broken in the present time so sin cannot enslave a person who is confident and hopeful in God (Romans 6:6-8). The presence of sin, however, still dwells within us. We know that because of Romans 7:17, 20. This is the Apostle Paul speaking. If we are perfectly sinless because Christ lives in us, then what does that make of Paul and the rest of the teachings of the Bible? Evil is present in us (Romans 7:21). The "flesh" is a daily "troubler" of our souls (Romans 7:25). Paul recognizes that he is still not perfect, and still has a long way to go in order to obtain the crown and prize (Philippians 3:12). When we are justified by God, God is sanctifying us to conform more to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). We still need our minds to be renewed and to abhor worldliness (Romans 12:2). Hear the warning of the Apostle John to every professing Christians: we are liars if we say we have no sin (1 John 1:8, 10). 
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Conclusion
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The Bible teaches that the followers of Christ need to be humble and recognize that we do have a sinful nature or flesh. Although Christ had reconciled us to Himself, we have not attained perfection yet. 

Our identity is in Christ and we do not need to feel guilty about our sins. We do have a relationship with God. But if we are truly in Christ, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16). As Christians, we can grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin (Ephesians 4:30). We do need to confess our sins and ask God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness to restore our fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9). 

In the 1st half of Romans, the 1st half of Ephesians, and the 1st half of Colossians, Paul teaches that the reality and indicative of the gospel. Because of the indicative, the 2nd half of his letters talk about the imperative - urging the Christians to live in holiness, to repent of sin, to worship and love God, and to love others.  

The Bible teaches that the followers of Christ do have the responsibility to repent from sin and work out our salvation (not work for our salvation) (Philippians 2:12-13).

The Bible teaches that we do have a new nature, walking in the Spirit, but it is still in constant battle against the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17; Romans 7:22-23).

The Bible teaches that we are sinners, and to deny that is exposing ourselves to the danger of falling away from true faith. We can easily deceive ourselves into thinking we are no longer sinners (1 John 1:8, 10).

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Reference
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- ESV Study Bible
- "Already: Decisively and Irrevocably Free, Not Yet: Finally and Perfectly Free" by John Piper