WE come to the end of this Chapter 6—Identification and Growth, the first part dealing with our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, now seated with Him in heavenly place in Christ. Col 3:1-3 (Our Position); the second part dealing with growth both in our understanding and application of the Cross and all that follows and is tied to it (Our Condition).
LAST week’s consideration closed with the sentence: This entire life-out-of-death process is directly related to our reckoning upon our position of life out of death. There is an oxymoron from a human viewpoint, as it relates to the Christian life that is, “the way up is down.” Think about that. For Christ he had to descend in order to ascend, and so it was and is for every true prophet, apostle, disciple and follower of Christ. If He is to increase, I must decrease, the way up into Christ in down. (John 3:30; Gal 2:20) In my observations and experience I have found this axiom to be an undeniable truth and critical focal point in the Christian life. Each new day the Lord is pleased to grant me I find this truth continually reinforced, that “the way up is down” as our author here continues to demonstrate.
THESE last few and closing paragraphs in Chapter 6 are very important to our consideration as we try to understand how the Holy Spirit takes us through the sanctification process into conformity to Christ. There is this principle of life-out-of-death process that is built in and observable all around us. Jesus used the analogy of the grain of wheat, the vine, and so on to show the workings necessary. I like to think of the tree and its growth rings, layered season after season that measure not only time, but seasonal circumstances recorded within and between each ring. Seasons of draught measured in a thin layer of growth. Seasons of abundance of rain, possibly showing scars of fire or attacking insects, damage from storms or floods, or a myriad of events that can give shape to be seen in a trees inward and outward appearance and character. It is all part of God’s design. I’ve often wondered, on Day Three of Creation, when God brought forth the trees upon the dry the land, what would we have observed in the regions of what we now call Northern California? Would there have been Giant Redwoods from that first day of existence? From the doctrine of “apparent age” (For example, how old did Adam “appear” on the day he took his first breath?) I think those mighty trees stood tall on that first day as a necessary part of their cycle-of-life commencement. And if so, if we were to take a chainsaw to one of those marvelous and massive day-old trees, would we observe rings of life as well? I believe the answer is yes, for the growth principle is needed for the tree structural strength and integrity. God is the wise builder, and knows what it takes to build those strong, beautiful, and glorious trees. He designed them and the processes that surround them, to see that it is so. So it is with each of his own; Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, —- He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psa. 1. Chewing on this rich metaphor, I can’t help but think of the immense groves of Lodge Pole Pines in Yellowstone National Park, and the important place they hold in the eco system; the mystery of the reproductive seeds that are held in their cones and are only released when intense heat and fire draws near. That causes much food for thought in the natures design and providence.
One more thought before closing. In the previous consideration, our author wrote of four steps to spiritual reality:
1) Seeing and understanding our position
2) Becoming aware of the need to be separated in our condition from self and unto Christ
3) Exercising faith in the completed work of our position by reckoning upon the facts of our death and resurrection in Christ
….and finally,
4) On the basis of this faith, seeing the Holy Spirit translate the truth into a reality.
MAY I suggest, that this is the on-going reality, practice and process of the Christian life simply stated so clearly by Paul in Col. 2:6-7: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. As we were saved – born again – by faith, —so it is we are to continue to walk from faith to faith, principle to principle. As people of the Way (Matt. 22:16; Acts 2:9), this is the way, the faith principle that never ceases to be the guiding principle that enables the Holy Spirit to work out Christ in our daily life. John 17:17
Well, I went long in this introduction. But, let’s get to today’s continuing and closing review of our Identification and subsequence Growth in Christ.
IN the joy of the Lord,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa. 30:15 & Job 2:10
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Chapter 6—Identification and Growth – Part 4, conclusion
This entire life-out-of-death process is directly related to our reckoning upon our position of life out of death. As we yearn to be used, to multiply, to be brought to harvest, the Holy Spirit takes us down into death in our experience. He “plants” or “buries” us in this difficult situation or that dark area and, as the old life is thus held in the place of death (inoperative), the new life grows up and is manifested not only in us, but in others through us. “So then death worketh in us, but life in you [others]” (2 Cor. 4:12).
Conversely, when we are self-centered and refuse the path of the cross, we think little of others and everything of ourselves. We scheme, fight, maneuver, and even pray to “abide alone.” But the Lord Jesus has established the principle that “whosoever will save his life shall lose it [no fruit, no harvest]: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake [’alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake], the same shall save it [shall see it multiplied and harvested in others]” (Luke 9:24).
Actually, the Holy Spirit patiently uses everything (and everyone) in His process of bringing us to the grain-of-wheat stage. When we are self-centered and carnal, He applies the appropriate pressures—perhaps in the physical body, the home, or the place of work—thereby, in time, causing us to hunger to be Christ-centered.
When we begin to see and hate the self-life for what it is, when we begin to see and love the Lord Jesus for who He is, then it is we become willing for the Holy Spirit to take self into death in order that Christ may be formed in us. “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor], all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. For those whom He foreknew—of whom He was aware and loved beforehand—He also destined from the beginning (foreordaining them) to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:28, 29, Amp.).
