It is interesting to observe the place many Christians have arrived in these last days. We often seem most interested in perusing the blessings of God, working for Him, or are seeking His relief from our pain, troubles and weakness. But not coming to know just who we have become in union with the one who blesses us. A very wise man once said something quite profound regarding this, the condition of the Adam man. "Those who receive deliverance from their troubles [or seek blessings] never grow like those who get strengthened [come to know our identity in Him] in the difficulties".
I also often hear saints praying for more of Him as an experience, really seeking a emotion or feeling a sensing of His presence. What will they do with more of Him when they get it is the question? Is He not always present? Can we even ever have more of Him? After all He gave us all of Himself in His Son did He not? He is our very life. Despite what we think or feel. "Nor heights, nor depth, nor any other [feeling, sin, thought] creation, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Rom. 8:9.
Yes God blesses many in His grace, including non-christians. But it is also true many, including Christians have great suffering. History is filled with the results of mans presence on the earth and it almost always ends in pain and misery. What do we make of this? Why has God not made it all better for us? Could the reason be our permanent Adam condition still prevails in our life on earth? None wish to dwell on the negative of course.
Could it be as Mr Stoney goes on to say; "How slowly one learns that His sympathy is not expressed in removing the affliction [or in getting the blessing/experience] but in raising one above it to Himself, so that He becomes so endeared to the heart that He is more of an object to the heart than ones self".
This thought both to more experience and relief from troubles by more blessings is perhaps where we can learn something about the condition of all of mankind. We all are suffering from a selfish malady, that of the natural Adam man condition, no exceptions. We are ruled by the self and never will get away from this fate, on earth at least. That is really why [if one were honest] we seek such addition to our condition, we want desperately relief from ourselves, we know something is wrong.
This my friends [the Adam man condition] is the part of us God found intolerable and therefore judged it dead on the cross, and by His blood forgave us [the Adam man] of our sins. This redemption was for ALL men, but very few accepted the gift. For those who did, according to the Fathers wish, their salvation and reception of eternal life is only granted and truly lived out by the gift of their Faith that Jesus Christ's work on the cross was sufficient to end our Adam condition Judicially before a perfect God. And we thereby became a new creation in union in heaven with Christ by faith.
It is in our true faiths realization that in God's judgement His sacrifice has put away forever our Adam condition: that we are now free too in faith approach His glory and partake of it. We are removed from our condition in His judgement. We are now by faith indeed declared righteous. In fact we now are seen entirely in the Son in God's eye's, and in our own realization by faith that that is true. We are now by God's declaration,"Hidden in Christ". We have been transferred to a new heavenly creation; only beheld by us and lived out by us individually in and by faith. "Risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised Him [and us] from the dead" Col. 2:12.
Well where does that leave us? Is God now to make it all better for the Adam man because we believed? Is He to convert our Adam into a powerful god-man on earth? Is He to offer special favor to a condition which He [judicially] died unto? A sort of reconditioning of the dead/annulled [in His sight] Adam, who is still possessed of sin in our earthly condition?
This is what many seem to be busy at trying to accomplish in themselves; by morals/works/experiences. Working hard for the church, or to anticipate even hurry His return or just trying to be like Him. Even to qualify themselves for a overcoming privileged status. Of course always for a supposed higher purpose; encouraged by other Adam men to gain more of Him. For what purpose is the question? It really always comes back to us does it not? Make us [the dead on the cross Adam man] better we cry and by our improvement we will show the world and prove to ourselves His life is ours.
Faith and resting in His Word however unlike self, takes us to the only true and better place; God's very life. Oh so simple, such little human effort required; despite our more lofty goals or Adams special needs. No brothers and sisters we must come to the clear sky of truth and life by faith only; to truly know God in personal intimacy. To dwell there with Him actively, in conscience awareness, in heaven with Him, requires simply and only faith. "As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" 1 Cor. 15:49.
So little is asked, nothing of Adam need apply; no wonder Adam cannot rest with only grace. After all Adam cannot box up the free gift of grace, test it, traditionalize it, get it to look like a accomplishment. There is only one truth, one narrow road to God. Faith is the key to the door of that path. All Christians should know that it is the faith principal only which establishes them before God. "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Rom. 8:9.
As we set aside our selves for another, even Jesus Christ's life and us in heavenly positional identification of Him in that life; seen by us in faith of that as our new creation. We will then find nothing else matters but our faith in Him as true. All that we are yet to do in the Body on earth will be accomplished by Him in us, as we rest in faith's truth. "Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ" Eph. 2:13.
God brings us into His life in the Lord Jesus: as we learn nearness to Him by faith in His Word as true. Then we may come to except the ever present natural Adams distance from Him. But then we find by faith we are through grace morally/consciously set apart from our ever present selfish Adam man and sheltered from him, [Rom. 8:9] from moment to moment. The more our faith gains the greater the observance of the enormity of Adams natural distance from the things of God. But we are safe and secure in heaven by Faith in the trusting of the Second Adam Jesus Christ, who has replaced us in the Fathers estimation and taken us into God's presence. As a consequence, "I rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh" Phil. 3:3. Thus is the better way found!
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