IAM going rather long with this particular introduction. It is hard not to; there are critical points that need to be observed here.
THERE is another favorite book I place alongside The Complete Green Letters, Devoted to God: Blueprints For Sanctification, by Sinclair B. Ferguson. It takes the same approach to spiritual grow as do the Green Letters, albeit with a view of these things from a Theologically Reformed perspective.
I NOTED the book in a review printed in World Magazine. (If you do not subscribe to World, you should.) In that review it is stated,
“…the believers union with Christ … the reality of being “put into” Christ is the basic factor in Christian holiness. The Bible calls Jesus-followers “Christians” only three times, but describes them as “in Christ” more than 120 times.”
THAT immediately caught my attention, causing me to read on with the review and eventually obtain the book. …Question: What does it mean to be in Christ? Is it a mere abstract theological point of doctrine or is it more, having deep-seated implications for the disciple of Christ? By now, I hope I would hear the correct answer from the readers of these weekly missives. If not, then where we are right now in the Reckoning in Philippians 3:10 ought to help make it plain.
AS we proceed now, please note that there are three main points being made here in the text of Phil 3:10:
…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death
FIRST, the “knowing of Him and the power of His resurrection”; then the “fellowship of His sufferings;” and “conformity to Christ.” I altered the last one somewhat, hoping you’ll see why as we proceed. But the point is, this is a connected process, by which the Spirit lead us in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psa. 23:3)
I SAID at the opening of this chapter study that, For many a year, if not most of my Christian life, Phil. 3:10 had been on my mental list of verses that had eluded my understanding, experience, and comprehension. I just didn’t get it, and as our author states in his opening, this is a verse that is often quoted but seldom understood. I believe one, if the not the single reason for this has to do with the principle of suffering. If there is anything we would “rather not do” – try to avoid at all costs – that is to enjoy any discomfort, i.e. suffer! As our author is going to point out “The general thinking is that God is not blessing unless He keeps us from, or relieves us of, suffering. …There is no fellowship with, and growth in, the crucified Lord without suffering … .” I know you didn’t want to hear that, but he (our author) will provide us with an adequate supply of scriptural proofs to drive this home.
ONE more thing; I’ve have been spending much time of late in the Theology of suffering. A lot of my devotional reading has been taking me down this instructional path. Not sure why. But as I get on in years I can’t help think about that moment years ago when I was a young man stepping into my step-fathers office at home one afternoon, interrupting him in a moment alone with his Lord. As I said previously it is a moment I’ll never forget. ….But again, I’m going to stop here, and wait one more time to tell that story. For now, let’s get to our reading, picking up in the paragraph that precedes where we stopped, looking again at that important principle of assimilation described in 2 Cor. 3:18. But let me remind you that for the sake of brevity, we will be looking here only at the first part, knowing of Him and the power of His resurrection; there are two more connected aspects to follow in this the principle of assimilation.
In the inexorable riches of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15, Jas 1:2; Prov. 21:30
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Chapter 50—Reckoning in Philippians 3:10 – Part 2
While we feed upon Christ as the Bread of Life, and abide in Him as the True Vine, the faithful Holy Spirit is forming Him deep within the springs of our life, within our very spirit where He abides. Gazing upon the Lord Jesus in the authoritative Word keeps us under the transforming influence of the principle of assimilation: “Weall, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).
“The power of His resurrection.” We first know this mighty power of His resurrection and ascension when we see our scriptural position in our risen Lord. The foundation of all resurrection life is death. “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom. 6:5). “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us … hath quickened us together with Christ … and hath raised us up together” (Eph. 2:4–6). We are new creations in Christ Jesus by the power of His resurrection.
Our reckoning is to be based upon our position. We count ourselves alive unto God in Christ. Through our faith in this fact, the Holy Spirit makes this truth real in our condition, our growth. We abide in Him above, and He manifests Himself in us below. In reckoning, we are yielding; our faith rests upon the fact that God has raised us together with the Lord Jesus, and this enables us to yield ourselves unto God “as those that are alive from the dead” (Rom. 6:13).
Certainly, we cannot yield ourselves to God when we do not know we are free to do so. We are hopelessly taken up with the struggle for freedom, unless we are aware we have been cut off from the slavery of sin and self through our having died on the cross. Until we know we are alive from the dead, we cannot yield to Him as such. We do not yield to become free, but because we are free in the risen Lord. Having died unto the old, we are alive and free in the new. Count it so.
Finally, we will know the power of His resurrection when our physical bodies are changed, at the Lord’s return. “If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom. 8:11). “For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself. Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord” (Phil. 3:20, 21; 4:1, ASV).
We know the power of His resurrection in our position; we are realizing that power in our spiritual growth, we will forever know His mighty power in our resurrection bodies. “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4).
“The fellowship of His sufferings.” …to be continue (yes there are two part to part one (Three phases to CL) Suffering is the lot of all men, the privilege of all believers. The general thinking is that God is not blessing unless He keeps us from, or relieves us of, suffering. Far from it! There is no fellowship with, and growth in, the crucified Lord without suffering—physical, mental, and spiritual. …to be continued
