“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:2
Dear Ones:
It was Watchman Nee who wrote that the Christian life begins with SITTING down, not running or walking. What did he mean by this? In sitting, it is as if the Lord makes us to “lie down in green pastures,” and “lead us beside still waters.” Why? He stops us, makes us still, in order to reveal to us the great truths of what has happened at the new birth, that moment when the believer became a new creation in Christ. Why is this so very important? Simply put, it is because Redemption, or the work of Christ, to save us all, was done in God’s way, by Christ Himself, alone. The “rightness” and veracity of the experience of the believer will depend upon the knowledge of the revealed ways and work of God in Christ. What then must we understand by faith?
Paul declares first of all, that at the moment when one truly believes in Christ, and becomes a new creation in Christ, he is placed irrevocably INTO Jesus Christ, ceasing to exist IN Adam. His POSITION, from heaven’s standpoint has changed. Secondly, in placing the believer IN Christ, he was “baptized” into Him, into his death, thus crucified and buried with Him. All that pertained to the old Adam, every form, expression, and evidence of his likeness, with regard to his sinful existence, was put to death in the eyes of God, and buried for ever. There is NO trace of sinful Adam in heaven, nor of the sin of the believer. It is because God has taken the believer out of Adam, that position of condemnation because of sin, and placed him IN Christ, that place of blessedness and peace forever. From the position of spiritual death and condemnation, God the Father has put the Spirit of God within him, thus giving him a new POWER by which to live. God has also put the believer in “heavenly places” IN Christ, where Christ reigns as King, where He is all in all, and where, one with Him, the believer is to live wholly by His life. It is a position of victory, where the believer is one with the Victor over all the powers of the devil, sin, and the world. There, in that place of certain good, the believer is called to live, receiving all from Christ, so that, on this earth, His kingdom will come and His will will be done…AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. It is at this point that we need to ask, “How are we to live in light of this knowledge of the perfect work of God in Christ?” “How is that which is IN HEAVEN to be realized and known on this earth?
In essence, the answer is two-fold. It has been said that the Christian walks on two feet, one being “surrender,” and the other, “faith.” In the matter of surrender, it means that his attitude is that of submission to the Divine authority of Christ with regard to what He declares to be true. All that pertains to the Christian’s position IN Christ is to be believed, embraced, and submitted to. Christ is King, and God is sovereign, thus, worthy of our entire submission to His authority. Secondly, in the matter of faith, again on the basis of Christ’s all-inclusive, and perfect work, we are called to believe HIM, trust Him fully, receiving all from Him by faith. We are to “live by the faith of the Son of God.” (Gal. 2:20)
Dear Father, give us understanding with regard to our union with Christ, and what You have done in and through Him. And Father, grant us the power and strength to trust Him fully, by the Spirit, for Your glory and honor. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad