- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
The Life I now Live (Gal. 2 v20).
By J.C.Metcalfe.
Romans 6 v11 divides itself naturally into two parts, both necessary to the other. “Count yourselves dead to sin" is the first part, “but alive to God in Christ Jesus” is the second. Before we are born again we are “in Adam” (1 Cor. 15 v22); we inherit from Adam a sinful nature and live and move in the thoughts and ways of a fallen world. When the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, He was “found in appearance as a man” (Phil. 2 v8). As the “second Adam” (1 Cor. 15 v45), He first of all won the fight against evil and Satan that Adam had lost and lived a sinless life. Then He died in our place and in doing so brought to an end the old race, so that when He rose again from the dead He might be the first of a new race. When a person is born again, and by being “united with Him like this in His death" is raised by the power of God “in His resurrection” (Rom. 6 v5), they are “in Christ". This means that as far as their new life here in this world is concerned they now live and move in the thoughts and ways of heaven, of which they have become citizens (Phil. 3 v20), and inherit from the Second Adam that new nature, the nature of God.
Let us make a list of those blessings and graces which are ours because we are “in Christ", joined in newness of life to our risen Lord. (from the letter to the Ephesians in the A.V.).
It is written to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful (those who are full of faith) IN Christ Jesus (Eph.1 v1).
We are told that God has bestowed on us all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN Christ (Eph. 1 v3).
We are said to be chosen IN Him (Eph. 1 v4), which means that the elect are those who by the new birth are no longer in Adam, but in Christ, God's chosen ONE. We are adopted as God’s children through Christ Jesus because of our being IN Him, and united to Him (Eph. 1 v5).
We are accepted IN Him (Eph. 1 v6).
We have redemption through His blood, IN Him (Eph. I v7).
There is coming a day when all things . . . in heaven and on earth are to be gathered together in one IN Him (Eph. 1 v10).
We have an inheritance IN Him (Eph. 1 v11).
We have the seal of the Holy Spirit of promise IN Him (Eph. 1 v13).
We have been quickened together WITH Christ (Eph. 2 v5).
We have been raised up WITH Christ, and seated with Him in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2 v6), which means that IN Him we are possessors of a reigning life, greater and more powerful than that of any earthly ruler.
We are created to do good works IN Christ Jesus (Eph. 2 v10), which means that there is something for us to do here in this world, which can be done by nobody else, and can only be done in union with Him.
We are made near to God IN Christ Jesus (Eph. 2 vI3).
We are built together with our fellow Christians into a house in which God is seen in this world through the Spirit IN Him (Eph. 2 v20-22).
All God's eternal purposes for the blessing and enrichment of people are IN Christ Jesus (Eph. 3 v8-11).
We may have boldness to go right into the presence of God Himself IN Him (Eph. 3 v12).
Glory is brought to God in the Church IN Christ Jesus (Eph. 3 v21).
We are made strong to face and conquer all foes IN Him (Eph. 6 v10).
What riches we have already found. If you lack anything in your Christian life there is one place in which you can find it, and only one, IN Christ Jesus. IN Him you may count upon all those things which will make you truly like Him. “For no matter how many promises God has made,they are ‘Yes’ IN Christ . . . to the glory of God" (2 Cor. 1 v20).
It is not difficult to read the epistles looking for these two words ‘IN Christ’, or ‘THROUGH Christ’, and then to take a piece of paper and write down, as I have done from the epistle to the Ephesians, those things that are ours ‘IN CHRIST’. It does not call for a great education, but only for a hungry heart that is seeking after God and is prepared to receive His Word, and that it is made real in the life. I sometimes think that one of the greatest triumphs Satan is winning in these days is to keep Christians from looking into their Bibles in this way. God works in grace as He does in nature. He has put into the world the seed necessary for corn, which can be made into bread, but if we do not plant, harvest, grind and bake, we will go hungry. God has placed in His Word all that Christians can possibly need to maintain their new life, but we must read, pray and apply the truth we find to our own lives or we will live in a barren desert, never growing in grace nor being a joy either to ourselves or others. “Turning your ear to wisdom”, cries the writer of the Book of Proverbs, “and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2 v2-5). Preaching is necessary, testimony is valuable, fellowship with one another has its place, but there is nothing that can build up the new life in Christ but a personal knowledge of the Word of God and a humble spirit of personal application to the life of all that is found there.
Now look at the verse quoted at the head of this article, Galatians 2 v20.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
The new life given to us when we are born again is IN Christ and is made ours as He dwells within us by His Spirit. We now come to the practical outworking of these wonderful facts and we are not talking of something strange and mysterious, but of something which makes all our life in this world rich and joyous for ourselves and also enriches those in our homes, those with whom we work and meet daily, and those in the Churches to which we belong. “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Some teachers of the Bible say that the faith we live by is ‘the faith of the Son of God’ who Himself is living in us by His Spirit. In either case the principle is the same. Our life in this world as children of God is not lived by our own efforts and endeavours, but by drawing for every need on the resources which God has given to us IN Christ Jesus. What does this mean? Let me try and illustrate by using one verse of Scripture. We are told in 1 Corinthians 1 v30, “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God . . . righteousness, holiness and redemption".
Suppose I am faced with a situation in which I do not know what to do. First of all I must turn away from my own understanding (Prov. 3 v5). I confess to God that in front of me is a problem that is too hard for me and remind Him that I have been crucified with Christ, and that now I believe that He is my wisdom and that I can face my problem without fear because as I need it He will give guidance. In times of temptation I may in just the same way turn away from my own power to resist and take Him as my righteousness. When conscious that I might be drawn away from God and out of His plan and will for me, I may also throw myself upon Him as my sanctification and find myself being drawn to love and desire the will of God above all things. In the day when I can do nothing for myself and am called to pass out of time into eternity, whether through the grave or at His coming, I can also look away to Him and say, ‘He is my redemption, I am now safe in God's presence for ever’.
“See how the lilies of the field grow!” said the Lord Jesus, having first asked the question, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" And yet that is just what many Christians try to do in their spiritual lives. Then He continues, “They do not labour or spin, yet I tell you, that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these” (Matt. 6 v27-30). The reason is that they grow and are given their beauty by the power of God. It is in just this way that you and I may live day by day, by drawing on those things that God has given us IN Christ. We may reckon ourselves to be “alive to God, IN Christ Jesus". It is the simplicity of this reckoning of faith, which is the chief difficulty with many of us. We like something difficult and complicated, but the Lord Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matt. 11 v25). Then almost at once He gives the greatest, and most wonderful invitation ever given, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11 v28-30). The habitual acceptance of this invitation is the one sure way into healthy, useful Christian living.
From: ‘Out of Adam into Christ’.
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