AS I turn to this chapter and it’s title, a little smile comes to my face. Are you familiar with the phrase mnemonic device? A mnemonic is a device, such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something. They surround us in many forms, and I have a tendency to use them a lot. I’ve got post-it reminders here and there, and there are little strings of words and phrases I use to help me remember things. The chapter we are about to look at outlines one of my favorite thoughts. When I first discovered this, years ago, I used a little tool to remind me about it; did something rather silly to help me remember it and put it to practice. I’ll share with you what that was in the next posting.
FOR now, Keep Looking Down means to see things from the perspective of where you are seated in Christ – our position in Him – with Christ above (Col 3:3). By now you should understand this after all that we’ve studied. But this particular phrase? …Well, rather than try to explain it here, let’s go to our author below to unfold it for us. He is going to examine the various motivators to our Christian walk, the love motive, hate motive, faith motive, death motive, and life motive, showing the necessity that “In Him we are to abide above, and keep looking down.”
In the inexorable blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15, Jas 1:2
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Chapter 57—Keep Looking Down!
In contrast to the popular exhortation to “keep looking up” (from ourselves to Christ), we are to “keep looking down” (from our position in Him) upon our circumstances here on earth.
Think of the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit, as He works patiently and thoroughly in the life of the growing Christian. He ministers the Cross, and He ministers Christ. It is the finished work of the Cross for the old nature, and the abundant life of the Lord Jesus for the new nature.
Of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the life of the believer the Lord Jesus said, “He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you” (John 16:14, Amp.). He not only reveals the scriptural truths concerning Christ and the Cross to our faith, but also transmits their reality to us.
Love Motive
The babe in Christ has started to live for the Savior and to serve Him with all his heart. “He gave His all for me, now the least I can do is give my all for Him.” The motive is right, but the motivation is wrong! He is seeking to live and serve on the basis of the birth truths and in the strength and ability of self, not yet understanding that God judicially condemned and crucified the old nature at Calvary. There his position “in Adam” ended; there his position “in Christ” began (2 Cor. 5:17).
The well-meaning believer is seeking to “save his life,” not comprehending the spiritual principle, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it” (Luke 9:23, 24). The Holy Spirit is causing him to become aware of the fact that “in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18). This is the turning point, usually years in the making, where the growing Christian begins to be centered in Christ rather than in self—“not I, but Christ.” Hate Motive …..to be continued
