The self-life is going to feel the cut of the Cross, while the growing life of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus within will be manifested in sacrifice for others.
I THINK it needful to repeat the above thought as we close this chapter titled, “The Spirit’s Goal.”
THIS is a most profound principle. We like the idea of “life,” even the “abundant” life. But death? Hold on for a moment.
BUT death is precisely what Christ call us to in picking up our Cross to follow him. What part of “Not I, but Christ” don’t we understand?
SO, as we close out this chapter we have looked at “The Spirit’s Goal” under the following headings:
- The Spirit of Christ
- The Spirit of Truth
- The Spirit of the Cross
- The Spirit of the Lamb
- The Spirit’s Goal
ALL intended to make us like the Lord Jesus Christ, “from glory to glory.”
THERE is one final paragraph to review and we will leave our reading in “A Guide to Spiritual Growth – Part 5” of The Complete Green Letters. If you have the book The Complete Green Letters, you know that Miles has other things to say in this section, but I don’t find the topics all that helpful to our current consideration. So next time we will take up a review in another yet unexplored section of The Complete Green Letters, “Part Four: The Realization of Spiritual Growth.”
FOR now, let us hear the final words regarding “The Spirit’s Goal.”
In the inexorable riches of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15, Jas 1:2; Prov. 21:30
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Chapter 63—The Spirit’s Goal – Part 5, conclusion
What is the true manifestation of the power of the Spirit? Many Christians think they should become dynamic, powerful, and even flashy personalities in order to radiate “victory” and “spirituality.” But the Word defines the result of His filling thus: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Col. 1:9–11).