The above is perhaps the most profound and clearly worded of the bibles announcements of what God's wishes are for the Christians in his personal thoughts of himself, as a born again new creation. But it is also one of the most difficult to understand: that which the Christian is to be occupied with in the established conscience's self image of himself, fixed in his mind by faith only; a intuition of the security he has in the identification of what he has become in the person of Christ Himself; even while he is sojourning here upon the earth in his Adam condition of sin.
If God can be trusted by His Word and it is literally true then all our ability to act within His true life is dependent upon where we set our mind, our conscious identification with Him where He is above [heaven], not the place He was rejected from [earth]. Our mind must rise above what we are in the flesh to what we are to God formed by this new revelation. His way is made clear by His Word. As Paul said; "I follow after, if that [so I will] I may apprehend that which also [included within] I am apprehended of [us identified in Him and knowing it] of Christ Jesus" Phil 3:12.
Yet few take to heart God's spiritual holy gift of this new position we hold; one of having a new biblical self evaluation as our life's motivation supported by a responsibly and studiously sought faith. Thereby gaining God's approach as life. Within His Power and Mind we may enter our new creation individuality in our own mind and spirit. However these spiritual identification truths are seldom taught. Us identified with Christ, we possessing and consciously existing as new creations enjoying as life His very thoughts of us. We participating in His ascension. Knowing this as the explanation for our Christianity.
Thus reckoning [counting as true] His blessing for us as stated in Col. 3:1-3; we hidden with Him. This is a process to intake I know as I am on that same road. But why is this biblical fact and direct approach not taught and so seldom even mentioned? Could it be the earth life perception, the flesh, stands in the way? How can we meet such a lofty goal? "But we all, with uncovered face [openly] beholding as in a mirror [ seeing in our mind ourselves in His image] the glory of the Lord, we are changed [by our faith in thought] into the same image" 2 Cor. 3:18. Just what does this all mean?
This teaching is not a matter of doctrine only, although it is a true biblical doctrine, but a place we are brought to by the Spirit through spiritual enlightenment. As my last blog expounded upon. The first step to that enlightenment is to know the importance of a realized death of the Adam man the self life and sin. All provided by, entered into and seen, in the Son; which then opens the door and ushers us into His life above. "For we are alive though we are continually [always the attitude of the mind] surrendering [a mental position] ourselves to death [of the Adam man the flesh/world] for the sake [because we believe it true] of Jesus" 2 Cor. 4:11.
His Words, when understood in biblical context as spiritual in nature, and His description of us in His Word can be the only true internal personality or spiritual evaluation of ourselves allowed to enter into His perfection, He has made us so. He will know a commonality in true fellowship [common thought and evaluation] as we present ourselves in the personality of those of the new nature. This new man, whom we are is God's new creation, and by His divine love, proves to be the character or image we are to hold within as our internal Christian self image. All by His design for the new creation Christian, in whom God has made this all to be true, exclusively within His Son. He sees us in and as the very image and presence of His Son, as He observes and is one with Him; a perfect Man in the flesh, who is above.
That is He is heavenly/spiritual/only apprehended in thought, and held in a conscious image of our own person as born again, newly created in Christ, all based upon faith in what His Word says in that regard. We only need a great desire, a desperate need really to enter there, thus becoming subject to He who is above in identification, as our only possible object for communion there. This true enlightenment begins in our mind, the bible is clear on that! "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. "That I may know [ Him as our mind's personal identification] Him and the power [live above all things of the flesh and the world] of His Resurrection Phil. 3:10.
The hard part is we live in the world of material and experience which the bible calls the flesh, and which we in the church are busily attempting to reform, to remake. Which in the works activity only tends to mask needful desire by incurring a settled satisfaction and comfort within flesh traditions. However the Word declares we must take account of ourselves in identification spiritually individually as our only true life, as "God is a Spirit and must be worshiped only in spirit and truth". It is thus His desire to extend His life into ours is fulfilled. This spiritual path can be gained as we set our mind upon what He has said. The resulting faith makes it possible. The Holy Spirit will provide all that is needed. "Set you hearts [internal desire and faith] on things above where He is". Note its "where He is", and not here.
We know flesh cannot inherit His Spirit in the kingdom of God, the heavenly realm, this is His perfections demand. His Spiritual reality prevails and now ours also as we are no longer earthly. When we finely do see this truth we will come to know that the improvement and experience of man in the flesh and of the world is absolutely valueless. And when the new spiritual reality is made true in our conscious thought we become open to the power of His mind within us and not be diverted by the world of works and service and the betterment of mankind. "Your life is hid [identified, positioned] with Christ in [where He is] God" Col. 3:3. It is then and only then that we will have a solid platform for service in this place.
Really a vast number of things we are busily occupied with in the church and for sure our own worldly plans are set aside in one stroke when Spirit is considered in identification as the qualifier of value to God. Most of our works are simply a diversion from a true heavenly and godly life of spirit as rested in by faith; the reckoning upon the New Man Christ Jesus, His truth. A truth which He is urging us to embrace in the attitude of our mind just as He sets forth in His Word. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" Col. 3:16.
We are heavenly, of a spiritual nature, in God's appropriation of us. And from that ground, or mind set we then conduct ourselves on earth as the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is not here to help us conduct a Christ life of doing service and works or even making us able disciples, as we are not mere followers [disciples], but one with Himself, in Christ. The Spirit is Christ's life living as Himself, enabled to act in us by our growing understanding of just who we are in Christ. Guiding us to set our minds above, upon Him as our total object!
All that we have been made in Him is clear of any of our doing. He has done it all and is in Glory and we are there with Him by His will now and forever. The Father holds our very image, our being, hidden in His Son. This is a position we must take up as our domain in thought here and now, in order to live as Christians in maturity on earth. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves [in the flesh's natural evaluation], but our [only true valuation] sufficiency [His view of us] is of God" 2 Cor. 3:5.
There is only one true sphere of life for the Christian, that of Spirit: It is our responsibility to take up our position, in our mind and spirit. One of having died and resin with the Lord. "For we have been planted together [in/with Him] in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness [the new spiritual creation] of His resurrection" Rom. 6:5. It is only as we are established in our love and biblical understanding of Him that we began to see our self life and the world as morally set aside. The world of self-centeredness settled in a grateful feeling of accomplished service serves no purpose to know His apprehension of us. Nor does any works done in the self experience expressed outside of a heavenly mind view. As our natural thoughts and feelings often simply serves to stifle the eternal Godly communion we all so desire. What then are we to do?
By a new knowledge we learn that He died in the world unto all that the Adam man was and is, as well as all that the world stands for. Making us as having now no part in it just as Him. In other words becoming what He made us inclusively to be within His Death and Resurrection of His very person, all known in faith. So how then could we look to self or the world as having any provision toward the Christian life?
We need no faith for the worlds affairs. Yet we are taught to conduct our selves over and over by the church speakers we pay to shepherd us; that we must reform ourselves, be convicted of right to live as a Christian. We are told to go out and love others even our enemies, show the gospel by our actions. Good things yes, Christian things yes. But all the while we are left adrift still so deeply occupied by our self, the world and the flesh, therefore turning us toward the earth and the world system. Our old mans personality and the identity of the Adam condition; leaving no room for encouraging a responsibility toward a heavenly/spiritual exclusively faith based identification. This vital truth is never even addressed!
No we need relief from the Adam self! If not then we are left to live Christianity based on experience, feelings, service/works/law, with a little hope thrown in, spiced up by tradition and happy experiential fellowship. Position and identification is seldom taught in any doctrinal/spiritual/faith based depth. How then can we find His place for us, which He has created newly and is entirely contained within our mind in spiritual knowledge led by faith. We in the sacred person of Christ "hidden in Christ" at the Father's right side, and not here, the self left behind. So by faith we must find Him above. The true life is not even to be here, as will be discovered when all our thoughts are governed by the new revelation from above!
I am not saying that all the good works the Church does is for naught, no our God blesses and is involved by giving His abundant Grace in all our affairs. But our ability to act in internal confidence as the body, as ones honoring our God, our very true fellowship [mutual inner connected interdependence in like thought] depends on our conscious identification with Him individually first, just where He is now. Not where He was, as is most commonly taught, leaving only our old dead self-centered Adam to work on being better. Left convicted to carry on where Jesus left off. We are not to do good because He did good while on earth, which is effectively the dominant [service, good works] teaching today. Or because we feel we must emulate Him, as so encouraged by the sermons we often hear.... no, no, no: we are not up to the task in any way as natural men. Only a change of mind reveals what we are too be!
It's by our mind being changed as to our identity from self/Adam man/church worker/sinner.... to one of heavenly/spiritual, clothed in Christ, perfect in the Fathers sight, there at His side. In this view we may receive power from Him despite earthly circumstances while we walk here in the Adam condition. And so we become aware of His very life being lived through us. All becoming clearer progressively when our mind thinks in this way. A biblical prescription of Spirit and the true life for the Christian.
Everything is based on where the Lord Jesus is. If He were Here it would be here. But He is not. He is in heaven. So we must have our minds set upon things above, just as His Word commands. We know all too well what is in the world. We are all occupied with something here, whether it be the working for the enhancement of a coming earthly kingdom, family, service or work. And there is always weakness and troubles available. Finally of course there's self-gratification. None of these will provide His life, this is simply the flesh at work. "Put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man" Eph. 4:22
Our joy our life must be found only above. We must be ruled by the constant pursuit of the invaluable position He has made for us in Himself. The world will never be altered toward or even shown holiness by our behavior and action or attitude! The positioning which makes us unique all takes place in the mind as already established in heaven. Morals and behavior are not in the equation. The mind is controlled by it's object. This defining thought will make us independent from the world, we will live above it in a new power, because Christ Jesus becomes our life by His very thoughts of us and we participate there by faith. Which through knowledge gained may take up precedence in us, our place within Him. True life!
"Everything in the Mind of the Father for His own has its source in the risen and glorified Man at His right side". That is why we cannot show it by works etc.... "It is hidden in Christ in God" above. From this mind set we may put on the qualities of love and goodwill, the new man, live His life in the inner man, in the divine simplicity of having only one object, Christ Jesus. You may learn this true life from only one place; the mind of the Father found in His Words. We must leave behind everything connected with self and the world to travel to His heart, always remembering our ways are not His ways. It is there in His Words we will find His thoughts, His ways; we will learn they are all only of His beloved Son within whom we are indeed included as our only existence for His fellowship, oneness and inheritance. True life!
This blog was inspired by the writing's of C.A. Coates in the spiritual anthologies published by Miles J. Stanford.
If God can be trusted by His Word and it is literally true then all our ability to act within His true life is dependent upon where we set our mind, our conscious identification with Him where He is above [heaven], not the place He was rejected from [earth]. Our mind must rise above what we are in the flesh to what we are to God formed by this new revelation. His way is made clear by His Word. As Paul said; "I follow after, if that [so I will] I may apprehend that which also [included within] I am apprehended of [us identified in Him and knowing it] of Christ Jesus" Phil 3:12.
Yet few take to heart God's spiritual holy gift of this new position we hold; one of having a new biblical self evaluation as our life's motivation supported by a responsibly and studiously sought faith. Thereby gaining God's approach as life. Within His Power and Mind we may enter our new creation individuality in our own mind and spirit. However these spiritual identification truths are seldom taught. Us identified with Christ, we possessing and consciously existing as new creations enjoying as life His very thoughts of us. We participating in His ascension. Knowing this as the explanation for our Christianity.
Thus reckoning [counting as true] His blessing for us as stated in Col. 3:1-3; we hidden with Him. This is a process to intake I know as I am on that same road. But why is this biblical fact and direct approach not taught and so seldom even mentioned? Could it be the earth life perception, the flesh, stands in the way? How can we meet such a lofty goal? "But we all, with uncovered face [openly] beholding as in a mirror [ seeing in our mind ourselves in His image] the glory of the Lord, we are changed [by our faith in thought] into the same image" 2 Cor. 3:18. Just what does this all mean?
This teaching is not a matter of doctrine only, although it is a true biblical doctrine, but a place we are brought to by the Spirit through spiritual enlightenment. As my last blog expounded upon. The first step to that enlightenment is to know the importance of a realized death of the Adam man the self life and sin. All provided by, entered into and seen, in the Son; which then opens the door and ushers us into His life above. "For we are alive though we are continually [always the attitude of the mind] surrendering [a mental position] ourselves to death [of the Adam man the flesh/world] for the sake [because we believe it true] of Jesus" 2 Cor. 4:11.
His Words, when understood in biblical context as spiritual in nature, and His description of us in His Word can be the only true internal personality or spiritual evaluation of ourselves allowed to enter into His perfection, He has made us so. He will know a commonality in true fellowship [common thought and evaluation] as we present ourselves in the personality of those of the new nature. This new man, whom we are is God's new creation, and by His divine love, proves to be the character or image we are to hold within as our internal Christian self image. All by His design for the new creation Christian, in whom God has made this all to be true, exclusively within His Son. He sees us in and as the very image and presence of His Son, as He observes and is one with Him; a perfect Man in the flesh, who is above.
That is He is heavenly/spiritual/only apprehended in thought, and held in a conscious image of our own person as born again, newly created in Christ, all based upon faith in what His Word says in that regard. We only need a great desire, a desperate need really to enter there, thus becoming subject to He who is above in identification, as our only possible object for communion there. This true enlightenment begins in our mind, the bible is clear on that! "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" Eph. 2:6. "That I may know [ Him as our mind's personal identification] Him and the power [live above all things of the flesh and the world] of His Resurrection Phil. 3:10.
The hard part is we live in the world of material and experience which the bible calls the flesh, and which we in the church are busily attempting to reform, to remake. Which in the works activity only tends to mask needful desire by incurring a settled satisfaction and comfort within flesh traditions. However the Word declares we must take account of ourselves in identification spiritually individually as our only true life, as "God is a Spirit and must be worshiped only in spirit and truth". It is thus His desire to extend His life into ours is fulfilled. This spiritual path can be gained as we set our mind upon what He has said. The resulting faith makes it possible. The Holy Spirit will provide all that is needed. "Set you hearts [internal desire and faith] on things above where He is". Note its "where He is", and not here.
We know flesh cannot inherit His Spirit in the kingdom of God, the heavenly realm, this is His perfections demand. His Spiritual reality prevails and now ours also as we are no longer earthly. When we finely do see this truth we will come to know that the improvement and experience of man in the flesh and of the world is absolutely valueless. And when the new spiritual reality is made true in our conscious thought we become open to the power of His mind within us and not be diverted by the world of works and service and the betterment of mankind. "Your life is hid [identified, positioned] with Christ in [where He is] God" Col. 3:3. It is then and only then that we will have a solid platform for service in this place.
Really a vast number of things we are busily occupied with in the church and for sure our own worldly plans are set aside in one stroke when Spirit is considered in identification as the qualifier of value to God. Most of our works are simply a diversion from a true heavenly and godly life of spirit as rested in by faith; the reckoning upon the New Man Christ Jesus, His truth. A truth which He is urging us to embrace in the attitude of our mind just as He sets forth in His Word. "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" Col. 3:16.
We are heavenly, of a spiritual nature, in God's appropriation of us. And from that ground, or mind set we then conduct ourselves on earth as the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is not here to help us conduct a Christ life of doing service and works or even making us able disciples, as we are not mere followers [disciples], but one with Himself, in Christ. The Spirit is Christ's life living as Himself, enabled to act in us by our growing understanding of just who we are in Christ. Guiding us to set our minds above, upon Him as our total object!
All that we have been made in Him is clear of any of our doing. He has done it all and is in Glory and we are there with Him by His will now and forever. The Father holds our very image, our being, hidden in His Son. This is a position we must take up as our domain in thought here and now, in order to live as Christians in maturity on earth. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves [in the flesh's natural evaluation], but our [only true valuation] sufficiency [His view of us] is of God" 2 Cor. 3:5.
There is only one true sphere of life for the Christian, that of Spirit: It is our responsibility to take up our position, in our mind and spirit. One of having died and resin with the Lord. "For we have been planted together [in/with Him] in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness [the new spiritual creation] of His resurrection" Rom. 6:5. It is only as we are established in our love and biblical understanding of Him that we began to see our self life and the world as morally set aside. The world of self-centeredness settled in a grateful feeling of accomplished service serves no purpose to know His apprehension of us. Nor does any works done in the self experience expressed outside of a heavenly mind view. As our natural thoughts and feelings often simply serves to stifle the eternal Godly communion we all so desire. What then are we to do?
By a new knowledge we learn that He died in the world unto all that the Adam man was and is, as well as all that the world stands for. Making us as having now no part in it just as Him. In other words becoming what He made us inclusively to be within His Death and Resurrection of His very person, all known in faith. So how then could we look to self or the world as having any provision toward the Christian life?
We need no faith for the worlds affairs. Yet we are taught to conduct our selves over and over by the church speakers we pay to shepherd us; that we must reform ourselves, be convicted of right to live as a Christian. We are told to go out and love others even our enemies, show the gospel by our actions. Good things yes, Christian things yes. But all the while we are left adrift still so deeply occupied by our self, the world and the flesh, therefore turning us toward the earth and the world system. Our old mans personality and the identity of the Adam condition; leaving no room for encouraging a responsibility toward a heavenly/spiritual exclusively faith based identification. This vital truth is never even addressed!
No we need relief from the Adam self! If not then we are left to live Christianity based on experience, feelings, service/works/law, with a little hope thrown in, spiced up by tradition and happy experiential fellowship. Position and identification is seldom taught in any doctrinal/spiritual/faith based depth. How then can we find His place for us, which He has created newly and is entirely contained within our mind in spiritual knowledge led by faith. We in the sacred person of Christ "hidden in Christ" at the Father's right side, and not here, the self left behind. So by faith we must find Him above. The true life is not even to be here, as will be discovered when all our thoughts are governed by the new revelation from above!
I am not saying that all the good works the Church does is for naught, no our God blesses and is involved by giving His abundant Grace in all our affairs. But our ability to act in internal confidence as the body, as ones honoring our God, our very true fellowship [mutual inner connected interdependence in like thought] depends on our conscious identification with Him individually first, just where He is now. Not where He was, as is most commonly taught, leaving only our old dead self-centered Adam to work on being better. Left convicted to carry on where Jesus left off. We are not to do good because He did good while on earth, which is effectively the dominant [service, good works] teaching today. Or because we feel we must emulate Him, as so encouraged by the sermons we often hear.... no, no, no: we are not up to the task in any way as natural men. Only a change of mind reveals what we are too be!
It's by our mind being changed as to our identity from self/Adam man/church worker/sinner.... to one of heavenly/spiritual, clothed in Christ, perfect in the Fathers sight, there at His side. In this view we may receive power from Him despite earthly circumstances while we walk here in the Adam condition. And so we become aware of His very life being lived through us. All becoming clearer progressively when our mind thinks in this way. A biblical prescription of Spirit and the true life for the Christian.
Everything is based on where the Lord Jesus is. If He were Here it would be here. But He is not. He is in heaven. So we must have our minds set upon things above, just as His Word commands. We know all too well what is in the world. We are all occupied with something here, whether it be the working for the enhancement of a coming earthly kingdom, family, service or work. And there is always weakness and troubles available. Finally of course there's self-gratification. None of these will provide His life, this is simply the flesh at work. "Put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man" Eph. 4:22
Our joy our life must be found only above. We must be ruled by the constant pursuit of the invaluable position He has made for us in Himself. The world will never be altered toward or even shown holiness by our behavior and action or attitude! The positioning which makes us unique all takes place in the mind as already established in heaven. Morals and behavior are not in the equation. The mind is controlled by it's object. This defining thought will make us independent from the world, we will live above it in a new power, because Christ Jesus becomes our life by His very thoughts of us and we participate there by faith. Which through knowledge gained may take up precedence in us, our place within Him. True life!
"Everything in the Mind of the Father for His own has its source in the risen and glorified Man at His right side". That is why we cannot show it by works etc.... "It is hidden in Christ in God" above. From this mind set we may put on the qualities of love and goodwill, the new man, live His life in the inner man, in the divine simplicity of having only one object, Christ Jesus. You may learn this true life from only one place; the mind of the Father found in His Words. We must leave behind everything connected with self and the world to travel to His heart, always remembering our ways are not His ways. It is there in His Words we will find His thoughts, His ways; we will learn they are all only of His beloved Son within whom we are indeed included as our only existence for His fellowship, oneness and inheritance. True life!
This blog was inspired by the writing's of C.A. Coates in the spiritual anthologies published by Miles J. Stanford.
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