everstill
09-14-2007, 01:11 AM
the I (If You Only Believe)
:onacloud:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me" (Gal. 2.20).
This is a scripture verse with which we are most familiar and which many of us can recite by memory. This word declares that God saves us to the extent that we were not only crucified with Christ but now Christ lives in us.
The word here is not that we may be like Christ or that we must imitate Christ; but rather, it says Christ now lives in us. Thus had God saved Paul, and in like manner will He save us.
If we have not yet experienced Christ living in us, the salvation which we know is still incomplete. Thanks be to God that He saves us to the place where for me to live is Christ. This is possible and attainable by all Christians.
There is one thing which we must pay special attention to, which is, that the full salvation which God has prepared for us must be received in full. I do not believe in sinless perfection—in the eradication of the root of sin; but I do believe God is able to save me to the uttermost. I do not believe the cross annihilates me, yet I do believe that there my Lord has died for me. Not that God has pulled out the root of my sin, but that He gives me a Christ to live in me. Formerly Christ died on the cross for me; now He lives in me and for me. The sphere of God’s salvation is the sphere of my redemption. There is no need for us to retain ill-temper, uncleanness, anxiety, or fleshly lusts. God is able to deliver us from all of them. He not only saves us from the bad but also gives us the good.
In this present discussion, then, we have come to see how immense is God’s salvation! How great is the sphere of our salvation! It is as if the goods have already been selected; now then, how are we going to acquire them? We know we must pay the price. And in our next discussion to follow we will speak on this matter of the price to be paid. But here I would like for you to do one thing: I would invite you to believe in God’s word. Since the word of God tells us He is able to save us so completely, you will have His full salvation if you only believe. We ought to believe that all these things pertaining to His salvation are possible. The greatest problem lies in the fact that we cannot believe what the Bible says. For God will fulfill His word according to your faith. But we will have not if we believe not.
How serious this is! God’s word has already been spoken! And if you say possible, it is possible; but if you say impossible, it will be impossible. You must believe in God’s word, and then shall He perform it for you according to your faith.
Andrew Murray was a deeply spiritual Christian. I read his writings with special care. And I find that each time he speaks on the life that wins or on the holy life or the restful life, he always gives readers a few conditions. Among them all is to be found one common factor: that people must believe that such and such is possible. Indeed, if men consider anything to be impossible, God is unable to perform it for them. Whereas if men believe that God has said so and that He is able to do it for them, God will fulfill in them what He says.
Inquire of yourself as to what you think of your Christian life. If you must confess that your current situation is very much deficient, then do you wish God to bring His full salvation to you? If you really want God’s full salvation, then believe this is possible and obtainable. Allow Him to fulfill His work in you.
:onacloud:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me" (Gal. 2.20).
This is a scripture verse with which we are most familiar and which many of us can recite by memory. This word declares that God saves us to the extent that we were not only crucified with Christ but now Christ lives in us.
The word here is not that we may be like Christ or that we must imitate Christ; but rather, it says Christ now lives in us. Thus had God saved Paul, and in like manner will He save us.
If we have not yet experienced Christ living in us, the salvation which we know is still incomplete. Thanks be to God that He saves us to the place where for me to live is Christ. This is possible and attainable by all Christians.
There is one thing which we must pay special attention to, which is, that the full salvation which God has prepared for us must be received in full. I do not believe in sinless perfection—in the eradication of the root of sin; but I do believe God is able to save me to the uttermost. I do not believe the cross annihilates me, yet I do believe that there my Lord has died for me. Not that God has pulled out the root of my sin, but that He gives me a Christ to live in me. Formerly Christ died on the cross for me; now He lives in me and for me. The sphere of God’s salvation is the sphere of my redemption. There is no need for us to retain ill-temper, uncleanness, anxiety, or fleshly lusts. God is able to deliver us from all of them. He not only saves us from the bad but also gives us the good.
In this present discussion, then, we have come to see how immense is God’s salvation! How great is the sphere of our salvation! It is as if the goods have already been selected; now then, how are we going to acquire them? We know we must pay the price. And in our next discussion to follow we will speak on this matter of the price to be paid. But here I would like for you to do one thing: I would invite you to believe in God’s word. Since the word of God tells us He is able to save us so completely, you will have His full salvation if you only believe. We ought to believe that all these things pertaining to His salvation are possible. The greatest problem lies in the fact that we cannot believe what the Bible says. For God will fulfill His word according to your faith. But we will have not if we believe not.
How serious this is! God’s word has already been spoken! And if you say possible, it is possible; but if you say impossible, it will be impossible. You must believe in God’s word, and then shall He perform it for you according to your faith.
Andrew Murray was a deeply spiritual Christian. I read his writings with special care. And I find that each time he speaks on the life that wins or on the holy life or the restful life, he always gives readers a few conditions. Among them all is to be found one common factor: that people must believe that such and such is possible. Indeed, if men consider anything to be impossible, God is unable to perform it for them. Whereas if men believe that God has said so and that He is able to do it for them, God will fulfill in them what He says.
Inquire of yourself as to what you think of your Christian life. If you must confess that your current situation is very much deficient, then do you wish God to bring His full salvation to you? If you really want God’s full salvation, then believe this is possible and obtainable. Allow Him to fulfill His work in you.