The
reality of what I have to say is not new or separated unto me. It is
shared by all who know of the living life of Christ.
I
recently read an article that spoke of the failure and defeat that is so
often attributed to what is considered the normal Christian life. This
is not unique to a few, but is shared by the many who are trying to live
the Christian life. This is the understanding of those who in the
sincerity of their heart, are trying to live a life that is pleasing to
the Father. Notice I said pleasing to the Father, not pleasing to God.
BIG DIFFERENCE !!! God is God, but more importantly He is my Father.
This is the basis of who I am in Christ. It is not happenstance or an
evolution of some principle that has brought me to this understanding.
This was planned in my Father’s heart before the foundation of the
world. According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love: Eph. 1:4
You may
point to a particular day and say that is the day I accepted Christ. It
is truly the most important day in your life, because it lasts for
eternity. The problem is, the statement is completely false. You did not
accept Christ, you were chosen by the Father to be in Him before the
foundation of the world. The bigger problem is you have set the stage to
try to live the Christian life. For many, this is a life-long struggle.
Trying to do that which you were not meant to do.
Life
passes, one day at a time. With minor variations, you live parallel to
the Father. Some days you feel closer and other days you are farther
away. That is the life of a person trying to live the Christian life.
Everything depends on what you do and how you do it. It is a life of
feelings, emotions and frustration.
Have
you ever wondered how Paul could make the statement,
For to me to live is Christ, Phil. 1:21a. For to me—After
years of prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit, this is Paul’s
understanding of the situation. It is not a temporal understanding, but
is Paul affirming his inner most being. To live is Christ—This
is not, What Would Jesus Do? Paul has left the realm of imitating Christ
and trying to live the Christian life. Paul imitated Christ in only one
aspect. Christ did not His own will, but the will of the Father. His
life was the Father. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Paul realized
he had no life of his own. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I
live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20. This does not imply we are
unthinking puppets. -nevertheless I live- Our freewill is still
intact and we are able, with relative ease, to quench the Life within.
Christ told us, That they all may be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: Jn.
17:21. I am most thankful to a Father who provided not only salvation to
this lost soul, through the shed blood of Christ, but also provided the
indwelling Christ, to live the life that only He can live.