netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
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Post by netchaplain on Mar 30, 2023 6:15:38 GMT -8
Salvation isn’t being saved from sinning, but from desiring to sin. When the “motions of sins . . . did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death” (Rom 7:5) we wanted it so; we desired to sin. But now with a new nature (Col 3:10), and God’s “work in you” (Phl 2:13), we never more will desire to sin; and that’s where God wants us, for He has our “treasure” (Mat 6:21). Continuing on with the old man in tow causes us to exercise our faith in God and Christ more all the time! The old man can’t interfere with our salvation, but only delay our growth in Christ. NC
Facts From Colossians
It is the power of God Himself, as it wrought in the Lord Jesus, which works in us to give us new standing in life. Viewed in connection with our resurrection with Him it implies—by the very fact of our receiving it—that we are forgiven perfectly and forever. We were under the burden of our sins, and “died” in them (were dead in them—NC). This burden the Savior took upon Himself, and died for us, accomplishing what “put away” our sins (Heb 9:26) in going down into death. “Raised” up with Him (Eph 2:6), inasmuch as partaking of that Life which He possesses as risen from the dead, we have—like Him and with Him—left all the burden of sin and condemnation behind us with the death from which we have been delivered. Therefore He says, “Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col 2:13).
The Lord Jesus, when He arose, left death and the weight of condemnation under which we were lying, behind Him—we also being “raised” up with Him (Eph 2:6 – raised together with Him—NC). Naturally God, in this raising us up from the standing in which we were, has not raised us up to condemn us, or with condemnation attached to this life. For He had already borne the condemnation, and satisfied the justice of the Father, and died for the putting away of sin (Heb 9:26), before He communicated this Life to us. The Father brought us out of death and condemnation with His Son who had borne it for us.
Risen with the Lord Jesus, we are to set our affections on things above, where He sits at the right hand of the Father, and not on things on the earth. The two cannot go together. To look to have one’s motives above and below at the same time is not possible. Be tempted by things, have to resist them, we may; but this is not to have them as our object. The reason for this is found in our position: we have died, and our “life is hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3; “hid” in the Gospel, and the Gospel is hidden to the unbeliever—NC).
It does not say, “We must die.” Man cannot do this by will: we cannot deny will by will. Nor would the will of the flesh ever do it (Rom 8:7). If it acts, it does not abdicate. We have died (Rom 6:2; Col 2:20, 3:3; Gal 2:20): this is the precious comforting truth with regard to the believer by virtue of the Lord Jesus having died for him, and he in Him. He has received His Life and all that He is for him on the Cross. He is no longer in the life with which the power of temptation, guilt and the attacks of sin are connected. Death has cut this connection (Ro 8:9).
Now that which was connected with the life of the “old man” was sin, condemnation, weakness, fear and powerlessness against the assaults of the Enemy—all this is past. We have a Life, but it is in the risen Lord Jesus; it is hidden with Him in the Father. We are not yet manifest in its glory, as we shall be before the eyes of all in heaven and earth. Our life is hidden, and safe in its eternal Source. He is hid in God, so also are we. When the Lord Jesus shall appear, “we shall also appear with Him in all His glory” (Col 3:4).
—J N Darby MJS daily devotional excerpt for March 31
“Romans Six reveals our position as having died unto the principle of sin; Romans Seven teaches us our position as having died unto the principle of law. Both must be counted upon if we are to abide in Christ, and walk in the Spirit, as set forth in Romans Eight.
“We have to look at ourselves and see how far we are devotedly following the Lord Jesus, with full purpose of heart—how we can say, ‘This one thing I do’; but we must take care at the same time not to get into legal bondage by this standard. If I say, ‘Here is a rule of conduct: follow it,’ this cannot reach the heart, the affections. The ministration of the letter brings only failure, and condemnation; for it prescribes a rule which man, being a sinner, can never follow. It does not change a man; it proves him ‘ungodly and without strength.’ –MJS |
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netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Apr 6, 2023 6:22:05 GMT -8
“For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
First, the grace of God which brings salvation has appeared to all men, since its provisions are universal and its invitation is to “whoever will “(the “whosoever” has their name in the Book of Life, unto whom grace has appeared, and only God knows who they are—NC). Second, the passage reveals, as well, that is the same grace which offers salvation to all men, and that teaches us. The word “us” it should be observed, does not refer to the wider class of people mentioned before; but it refers only to the company of those who are saved. These teachings, being addressed to Christians only, are never intended to be imposed on the Christ-rejecting individual, or the Christ-rejecting world.
The Word of God makes no appeal to the unsaved for a betterment of life. There is but one issue in this dispensation between God and the unregenerate man, and that is neither character nor conduct; it is the personal appeal of the Gospel of the grace of God. Until the unsaved receive the Savior, who is God’s gift in grace, no other issue can be raised. Men may moralize among themselves, and establish their self-governments on principles of right conduct; but God is never presented in the unfolding of grace as seeking to reform sinners, or a sinful world (conversion first—NC). Every word regarding the quality of life is reserved for those who are already related to Him on the greater issue of salvation.
We are not to be diverted from the fact that there are three ages—that of law, grace and kingdom—which are separated from each other by world-transforming events, and that each sets up that requirement in human conduct which is in harmony with the precise relationship between God and men obtaining in each age. These economies are complete in themselves, needing no additions whatsoever. These conduct-regulating disciplines not only vary in arduousness which each imposes, but they vary likewise in the degree of divine enablement which is vouchsafed to each.
The Mosaic system, being void of any reference to divine enablement, made its appeal to the limited resources of the natural man and was circumcised to that extent. This kingdom system, though advancing its demands far beyond the requirements of the Mosaic code, makes no reference in its text to divine enablement (the Mosaic system only dealt with morality between men, which is a separate issue from godliness between God and man—NC); yet in other Scriptures it is asserted that the kingdom law will be written in the heart to the end that it might be realized, and the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh. It is then that Israel will actually do the Law of Moses (Deu 30:8, 10). The grace economy presents utterly spiritual ideas—that which accords with heavenly citizenship—and with these spiritual standards of loving provides no less than the infinite enablement of the indwelling Holy Spirit, to the end that the whole will of God, as demanding as it is, may be fulfilled in the child of God (only Christians are children of God and the rest, which are the Jews, will continue as a people of God—NC).
The major passage bearing on the truth that divine grace has its paramount manifestation in this age and through the Church is Ephesians 2:7. This notable passage, which consummates the exalted revelation respecting the Body of Christ, reads: “That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” It is thus asserted that by means of the Body the exceeding riches of divine grace are to be exercised as they could not otherwise be and exhibited before the entire universe. More important than all, however, is the satisfaction to the Father in the realizations of one of His greatest attributes.
—Lewis Sperry Shafer (1871-1952)
MJS excerpt for April 6
It has been well said that “it takes a lifetime to learn real dependence upon God, and to accept practically our own inadequacy.” We are going to learn this only through experience, and now is the time to settle down to this schooling—a day at a time.
“We are to understand that God loves us, and that He justifies us by the work of His Son. We have no longer conscience of sins before God, because He Himself has taken them away before His eyes; we know that being united to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has fully glorified God in that which concerns our sins, we have been made the righteousness of God in Him. So the heart is free to enjoy His love in the presence of the Father.” –John Nelson Darby (1800-1882: the father of dispensationalism) |
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netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Apr 12, 2023 6:04:12 GMT -8
“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:24, 25). It was a schoolmaster up to the time of the Lord Jesus; then faith came and Judaism ceased for a time. “The law is the strength of sin” (because it shows man his sin—NC - 1Co 15:56), and is useful only to bring guilt on the conscience, and the sense that there is no possibility of being freed from the power of sin while on its ground.
The law does not manifest God’s moral perfections (it’s for man’s morality—NC), nor does it pretend to do so. The Lord Jesus Christ does that. The law tells us perfectly what the creature ought to be and feel, not what God is and feels. Hence, it is not the adequate direction of a Christian’s faith. There were two parts of the Lord Jesus’ Life—He was born under law, but He was also the manifestation of the Father. Now, surely He kept the law, and died under its curse for them who were under it, who were thus delivered from the law, which could only condemn them, or lose its authority if it did not.
But the manifestation of the Father is our pattern. He acts in grace, sends rain of the just and the unjust (Mat 5:45), and loves His enemies. This, the law cannot allow. The Lord Jesus laid down His Life for us. “We ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1Jo 3:16). In a word, the Lord Jesus, as manifesting the Father, is the source of our walk; and the fruit of the Spirit, which refers the heart wholly to the Lord Jesus, is what is looked for in him who has the Spirit. The law is not what I can look to as an object, for the Lord Jesus is my Object, and I cannot serve two masters, or, to use the figure of Romans Seven on this point, have two husbands at one time—law and Christ risen (the reason why so many lean to the law is because it relates to works, which anyone can mimic, but not so if done with a sinless nature; works do not wash away sins, only faith in Christ does—NC).
Whosoever sets himself under the law in any way is under its authority, and cannot keep it (because of the sin nature—NC), yet hopes not to be under its curse (Gal 3:10); and he seeks to use the Lord Jesus not for redemption and power of deliverance, but to make allowance for failure in us and make void the law which would condemn us. If he has delivered me from it, bearing its curse, He has glorified its authority and delivered me by power from sin in the flesh, that I may bring forth fruit unto God.
As a rule of life the law is inadequate, because grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and He is my rule of Life (Col 3:4)—not the law which was given by Moses and which is not grace (shown in the difference between grace and law - Rom 6:14 – the sole purpose of the Law was to inform man of his guilt and thus justifiably condemn him—NC). Those who would place the Christian under the law do not believe that is us, that is, in our flesh (our sin nature, not the physical body - Gal 5:17—NC) dwelleth no good thing,” nor ever will; or they do not know what they are saying or insisting on. It would be well for them to weigh the force of this: “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law”; “Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom 7:5; 6:14).
The law was then for Israel, connected with God’s direct government as its sanction, a means of temporal, earthly blessing. But that has ceased, and will again be in force in the millennial kingdom (Jer 31:31; Eze 36:24-27). God’s spiritual intention in the law was to make offence “abound” (Rom 5:20). It does not manifest His moral perfections (godliness—NC), but in its nature claims it is the rule of man’s duties (natural goodness to one another—NC). The Ten Commandments do no not give the instruction needed by a redeemed people (whom function via godliness of Christ—NC): a redeemed people cannot now be rightly under the law. Sin has dominion over them that are under law—and all are wretched people (1Ti 1:9). The Lord Jesus Christ alone is the rule, source, light and instruction of the believer.
—William Kelly
M J Stanford’s daily devotional excerpt for April 11
“We never question how He works, once we know Him for who He is. When I gain the treasure of knowing Him, I can well afford to trust Him.” -MJS
“The heart that is captivated by an object could never be at rest until it was with the one who had won it; for satisfaction you must be where He is. Love really does not think of anyone but its Object until it is quite sure of its place with Him, and then when at rest about itself it studies the mind and heart of the Object.
“I find that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me when I was in a most unattractive state; but He makes me suitable to Himself, and I am so assured of the permanency of His love and of my association with Him that my heart is free to study Him. The more I am in His company, the more I acquire the tastes and characteristics which answer to His mind.”
“There is an amazing effect of beholding the Lord’s glory. You may be transformed from some old taste without even feeling it; but you are transformed, and you cannot tell how. It is not the process that occupies you, but you are engrossed with the Lord. We are united to the glorified Lord where He is at home, and, blessed by God. That is our home, our life is there.” -J.B. Stoney (1814-1897) |
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netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Apr 18, 2023 6:02:39 GMT -8
The Sovereignty of God
“When God by His Spirit inclines one to receive the Savior, that one, in so doing, acts only in the consciousness of his own choice. It is obvious that to present a convincing argument to a person which leads that one to make a decision, does not partake of the nature of a coercion of the will.
“In such case, every function of the will is preserved and, in relation to the Gospel, it remains true that ‘whosoever will may come’; yet back of this truth is the deeper revelation that no fallen man wills to accept the Savior until enlightened by the Holy Spirit (God has to cause believers to desire His ‘pleasure’ – Phl 2:13.” —L S Chafer
Corruption of Man’s Will
“The will, that commanding faculty, which was once faithful and ruled with God (in Adam—NC), is now traitor, and rules with and for the devil. There is, in the unrenewed will, an utter inability for what is truly good and acceptable in the sight of God. The natural man’s will is in Satan’s fetters (inescapably so - Jhn 8:44—NC); hemmed in within the circle of evil, and cannot move beyond it any more that a dead man can raise himself out of the grave (Eph 2:1). He can do nothing truly spiritually good (Jn 15:5). His very choice and desire for spiritual things is carnal and selfish (Jn 6:26). He not only refuses to come to the Savior—but he cannot come (Jn 6:44).”—Thomas Boston
Free Will and the Christian
“The question is, does the Father allow His children perfect freedom of will? If some of you who have been the Lord’s children for a long time will cast a glance over your past history, you will be able to recall occasions when He spoke and you obeyed immediately.
“But you can recall other occasions when He spoke and you resisted or failed to respond. Yet strangely, after a time you just found yourself in the way of obedience. At certain times you may have put up quite a strong resistance to the Father’s will and you may have persisted in this resistance. Then somehow, quite unaccountably, you found that the resistance was gone. Such is the work of the Holy Spirit’s government in our lives (Gal 5:17—NC).
“Even if we are totally unable to obey and cannot even exercise faith, a day comes when the resistance has vanished and we are trusting the Lord Jesus in simplicity of heart. It is the tireless energy of the indwelling Spirit that has accomplished this. ‘For it is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phl 2:13).”—J B Stoney
God’s Will vs Man’s Will
“Does God force salvation on anyone? We often hear people say, ‘God never violates the human will,’ not realizing that this would make of man ‘little gods.’”
“God’s will of His election applies here. We can recall the names of many great men, such as Moses, Johan, Paul and many other whose free will was overcome to the end that God might exercise His own sovereign will. Every man would remain lost forever if God did not overcome, or supplant man’s will, because man’s will is to sin (though sin is not our desire, yet cannot break completely free of the old man’s tempting, but are free of its guilt and dominion—NC). Without the exerting of God’s will, man could not attain unto righteousness because there is no righteousness except of God (no man has his own righteousness, it’s all God’s that we walk in—NC).
“To what do we attribute the ‘force’ of God? What do we call true repentance? What do we call a contrite spirit if it is not the work of the Father within us. If anyone is a true Christian, it is well that God ‘forced’ him to receive salvation (but not through coercion—NC), because he would never have received it under his own will power. ‘It is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance’ (Ro 2:4).”—R H
True Freedom
“If in His absolute freedom God has willed to give man limited freedom, who is there to stay His hand or say, ‘What doest Thou’ (Rom 9:20)? Man’s will is free because God is sovereign (sovereign in the sense of possessing control of the results or outcome of all things—NC). A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures (without moral freedom man would be more decadent—NC).
“Salvation is from our side a choice (moral freedom to choose what’s right—NC); from the divine side it is a seizing upon, an apprehending or conquest by the Most High God (God causes us to want to choose Him—NC). Our ‘accepting’ and ‘willing’ are reactions, rather than actions. The right of determination (choice of final results—NC) must always remain with the sovereign God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—A W Tozer
Salvation of the Lord—or is it of Man
“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee” (Psa 65:4).
“Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father” (Jn 6:65, also 44).
“You hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins . . . But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (walk in them but not be the originator of them - Eph 2:1, 4, 5, 8-10).
“So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy” (Ro 9:16).
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love; Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:4-6).
“Salvation is of God” (Jonah 2:29). —Unknown
MJS daily devotional excerpt for April 17
“The difficult thing for most hungry-hearted believers is to wait in dependence upon the Lord for everything. Truth is not to be grasped, but received—received by faith, mainly through study.” –MJS
“To the believer who has been taught by the Holy Spirit something of his own utter, inbred sinfulness, it comes as a message from God full of hope and encouragement. He grasps the rescue rope flung to him by the right hand of Omnipotence, and with humble thankfulness sets out to learn how he can reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Jesus Christ our Lord. When he looks at the Cross he sees there the fact that not only did the Lord Jesus die for him, but that he himself was taken down into His death, in order that the practical reality of His resurrection life might transform him into the divine likeness.” –James Campbell Moore (1863-1932). |
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Post by civic on Apr 18, 2023 6:36:04 GMT -8
There are some good points above for sure and there are some I would disagree with in light of God is love. We must always look at Gods attributes together. So Sovereignty and love must co-exist and be in harmony together. Free will must also be looked at in light of Gods Sovereignty and love for man. We need to look no further than the life of Christ who is the Sovereign Lord and our loving Savior of the world. His love is a sacrificial love that considers the interest of others above His own as per Philippians 2. In any loving relationship as the Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians 13 love is not forced, coerced but a true loving relationship has total free will to love in return. Man is not restricted in any sense to love willingly, freely. God is Sovereign but does not violate mans free will to choose to love Him in return.I have much more to say on this later. This is a great topic and thank you for posting it today.
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netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Apr 27, 2023 6:00:45 GMT -8
“For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church” (Eph 5:30-32).
The special mystery committed to the apostle Paul is the mystery of the Church as the Body and Bride of Christ. Why, it may be asked, was this kept secret? Because it is a heavenly thing, the subject of God’s heavenly counsels; whereas the purpose of the Old Testament prophecies is to make known His earthly counsels. This is of great importance as showing how completely the Church lies outside the world (and outside of Israel—NC). It has a different origin, it is revealed at a different time, it cherishes a different hope, it belongs to a different sphere.
Instead of inheriting the Old Testament promises and fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies, it forms the most absolute contrast with them that the mind can conceive. So different are they that the two cannot exist together (the non-Christian Jews and the Christians—NC). While God’s purposes about the earth were being unfolded, the mystery of the Church was hidden (nobody but Paul and the Lord Jesus knew about the Church—NC). When the mystery of the Church was unfolded, the purposes about the earth were suspended (e.g. how there will be a new earth, and the Jews who believe in God will be its earthly representative for God—NC).
The Church is associated with Christ in heaven; Israel is associated with Him on earth. The Church knows Him in His sufferings and patience; Israel will know Him in His exaltation and power. The Church rejoices in Him as the Bride in her Bridegroom; Israel will rejoice in Him as a nation in her Sovereign (people of God but not children of God—NC). The Church looks for Him to take her to heaven; Israel looks for Him to establish her on the earth. Such is our blessed lot, such our heavenly portion, in contrast with even the most favored of the earthly people. Alas, that hearts will fall short of this wondrous position (being earthly dwellers instead of heavenly hosts—NC).
However we may slight or neglect it (fail to know the difference between the Church and Israel and their destinies—NC), the apostle did not. Earnest as he was in seeking souls, full as he was in setting forth the simple truth of grace to the sinner, this magnificent subject of the “mystery of Christ“ (which was the mystery of Him being the Bridegroom—NC) was never absent from his thoughts or heart. If he prayed for the establishment of the saints, it was “according to the mystery” (Rom 16:25). If he would have them “knit together in love, and into all riches of the full assurance of understanding,” it is “to the acknowledgement of the mystery” (Col 2:2). If he would have the real character of the truth committed to him understood by others, it is that God had by “revelation made known unto me the mystery” (Eph 3:3).
This mystery is the Church, as the Body and Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, already united with Him by the Holy Spirit sent down to dwell in the Body on earth, and awaiting the time when this blessed oneness will be publicly displayed: “When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:4). Surely if our hearts were more in tune with the mind of the Father and with the affections of the Lord Jesus, this wondrous theme would fill us with never-ceasing worship and praise (esp. in the trialsome times—NC).
Thomas Blackburn Baines (1832-1891)
MJS daily devotional for April 25
“The love of the Lord culminates in this, that we should be with Him. He died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him (1 Thess. 5:10). I find the one who is set on usefulness (Martha) does not advance like the one set on personal affection to Him (Mary). The Lord give us to be more personally attached to Himself; then we shall be useful according to His good pleasure.”
“There is one thing that all can do—be ‘meet for the Master’s use’ (2 Tim. 2:21); and this is the secret of usefulness. Usefulness is not activity; it is not merely being used, but it is fitness, cleanness, preparedness, and separation of heart, singleness of eye, the affections set on things above—all, in fact, that proceeds from the judgment and denial of self, and the manifestation of Christ in the life by faith.”
“All my ability to act for the Lord Jesus here depends on my conscious identification with Him where He is, not where He was for me; though as I receive power from Him I walk here even as He walked; His life is manifested in me. -James Butler Stoney (1814-1897)
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Post by civic on Apr 30, 2023 6:23:56 GMT -8
Yes there is a difference between the OT Israel and the NT church and Paul makes that distinction in Roman’s 11 refuting replacement theology .
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netchaplain
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The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on May 4, 2023 5:20:52 GMT -8
It’s a very distracting thing, to walk without our own righteousness, but this tests our humility in the fact that we have “the old man,” and that we are willing to endure whatever it takes to be right with God, and have Him for our own. We know it is more than well worth of knowing sin and being forgiven, in order to know His righteousness and holiness and love. To know something just by words, or just knowing about something, is a far cry from knowing something through experiencing it and becoming a part of it! No matter how this all sounds, I find there is much importance in knowing that having to endure the sin nature is surly worth all involved, in order to be as God wants us to be.
He knew we would have to deal with the sin nature (old man) in His way, so that experiential-knowledge in Him could have its way. Regardless of all things, the way everything is going is how God knew it would go; and by the fact that He is allowing it so, manifests that it is how He chose it all to be, or He would have chosen a different way to do it all! It’s obvious He wants everything done only one way—and that way is the way it is going. “He that doeth righteousness is righteous” (1Jo 3:7). “He that doeth righteousness is he that being convinced of the insufficiency of his own righteousness, and of the excellency and suitableness of Christ's righteousness, renounces his own, and submits to His” (John Gill).
NC
Exclusive Source
Salvation is a deliverance wrought by the divine work on the Cross, so as to bring us out of one position into another. It is true we are morally changed, but we want more than that (morality has only to do with interaction between men and is not necessarily godliness; one can be morally good but not godly, but one godly will be morally good—NC). But supposing I have the new life, with its desires after holiness, what is the effect? It gives me the consciousness of all the sin that is in me. I want to be righteous, but then I see that I am not righteous (within myself, because of the indwelling old man or sin nature—NC); and I bow under the power of indwelling sin (not intentional sin but unavoidable sin—NC), and of the knowledge of such holiness which I have learned to desire, only to find out that I have not got it (my own righteousness—NC).
I say, what is the good of my knowing holiness in this way, if I have not got it? It is no comfort to me. Here we have been speaking of God’s righteousness; but when I look, I find I have no righteousness. Where can I find a resting-place for my spirit in such a state as this? It is impossible; and the very effect of having this new life, with all its holy affections and desires after the Lord Jesus, brings me to the discovery of the lack of what this new life cannot itself impart (self-righteousness—NC). I have got the hungers of this new life—all its holy and righteous desires; but the thing yearned for (self-righteousness—NC) I have not got.
It is the desire of my new life. I say, Oh that I could be righteous; but then I am not righteous (within myself—NC). In that way the Father meets us with a positive salvation. He meets us and quickens us into the desire and want of holiness, giving us a new life and nature capable of enjoying it when we get it. But that is not all. When I have got that new life, have I got the thing I want? No, I strive, and think, Oh! If I could get more of this holiness, but still I have not got it. I may hate sin, but the sin is there that I hate (the sin-source, the old man—NC).
I may long to be with my Father, to be forever in the light of His countenance, but then I see that I have got sin, and know that the light of His countenance cannot shine upon my sin; I want a righteousness fit for His presence, and I have not got it. It is thus God meets us at the Cross. He not only gives the life and nature that we want, but He gives us the thing that we want (Christ’s righteousness—NC); and not only so, but in Christ He gives us both the perfect Object and Life.
We have borne the image of the first Adam, in all the consequences of his sin and ruin, and we shall bear the image of the Last Adam. But the Father lays down first this great truth for our hearts, “As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly” (1Co 15:48). It is what we are now! There I find what my heart as quickened by God wants; and I learn what blessedness is in Christ, by whom the Father has revealed it to us. He has given us a righteousness in the Lord Jesus, who is the blessed accepted Man in the presence of the Father (the Father gives all, in that a righteousness in Christ is more infinitely blessed than a righteousness of our own—NC).
Now, as regards my soul and eternal life, the Father has come and brought us into this position, making the Lord Jesus to be my “righteousness” and “my Life” (1Co 1:30; Col 3:4). He has brought me in, by faith and in the truth of my new life, into this wondrous position in Christ. The realization of it is another thing, and may be hindered (temporarily—NC) through failure or infirmity (trials—NC). You begin to search, perhaps in yourself, and find such and such a thought contrary to Christ. But I say, That is the old man (unintentionally sinning, yet in the light of continuous forgiveness - 1Jo 1:9. The Father knows that this is the sin nature and not us in our new nature - Rom 7:17, 20—NC). If you take yourself by yourself, there is no righteousness before God, and therefore you cannot stand an instant in the Father’s sight. I must look at the Lord Jesus to see what I am, and I say, “As the heavenly, such are they that are also heavenly”; and this is what I am in the presence of my Father. There is no veil: we are to “walk in the light, as He is in the light” (1Jo 1:7 – to me walking in the light is knowing you are forgiven in spite of the old man’s sins—NC).
—J N Darby
MJS daily devotional excerpt for May 3
“The fact is that it is the old life which is in the way of the new life and its full expression. It is the natural life which obstructs the course of the divine life. Thus what has been done for us has to be done in us, and as it is done in us that life becomes more than a deposit, more than a simple, though glorious possession; it becomes a deepening, growing power, a fullness of expression.
“You may have been in the fires and have been having a pretty hard and painful time in your spiritual life, but that only means that God has been preparing you for something more. No, God is not a God who believes in bringing everything to an end. He is always after something more. And if He has to clear the way for something more by devastating methods (Cross), well, that is all right, for it is something more that He is after. There is so much more, far, far transcending all our asking or thinking.” -T. A. S.
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Post by Admin on May 5, 2023 12:59:43 GMT -8
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netchaplain
Full Member
The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on May 5, 2023 14:00:31 GMT -8
I keep getting this; "It looks like there aren't many great matches for your search. Try using words that might appear on the page you’re looking for. For example, "cake recipes" instead of "how to make a cake." |
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netchaplain
Full Member
The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Jun 29, 2023 5:56:05 GMT -8
There are some good points above for sure and there are some I would disagree with in light of God is love. We must always look at Gods attributes together. So Sovereignty and love must co-exist and be in harmony together. Free will must also be looked at in light of Gods Sovereignty and love for man. We need to look no further than the life of Christ who is the Sovereign Lord and our loving Savior of the world. His love is a sacrificial love that considers the interest of others above His own as per Philippians 2. In any loving relationship as the Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians 13 love is not forced, coerced but a true loving relationship has total free will to love in return. Man is not restricted in any sense to love willingly, freely. God is Sovereign but does not violate mans free will to choose to love Him in return.I have much more to say on this later. This is a great topic and thank you for posting it today. In my opinion Christians have the free will to choose God, but after being reborn, the free will is gone and this is a good thing because otherwise we would revert to the old man's ways. It's the "work" (Phl 2:13) God does in us that keeps us from "returning to the vomit" (2Pe 2:22). God bless my Friend! |
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netchaplain
Full Member
The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, but Christ living His life in us!
Posts: 206
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Post by netchaplain on Jun 29, 2023 6:01:17 GMT -8
Yes there is a difference between the OT Israel and the NT church and Paul makes that distinction in Roman’s 11 refuting replacement theology . Yes, the Church is quite different from Judaism, in that it is only the Christians that are of the Church and Body of Christ. To inherit sonship one must be in Christ. To the Jews He is God and they are His people; to the Christian He is God and their Father! |
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Post by civic on Jun 29, 2023 6:37:09 GMT -8
Yes there is a difference between the OT Israel and the NT church and Paul makes that distinction in Roman’s 11 refuting replacement theology . Yes, the Church is quite different from Judaism, in that it is only the Christians that are of the Church and Body of Christ. To inherit sonship one must be in Christ. To the Jews He is God and they are His people; to the Christian He is God and their Father! Yes indeed brother. |
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