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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : The Progression in the Christian Life

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PosterThread
DRS
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Joined: 2009/1/13
Posts: 123


 The Progression in the Christian Life



"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." (1Corinthians 15:9)

During his journeys and the establishment of the many churches,his many teachings to them and several letters of the N.T. written by him were already written,he refers to himself as unworthy to be called an apostle.

"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." (Ephesians 3:8)

Then some years later when he is in prison at Rome,when it seems that God chose this time.A time when Paul was confined,settled and couldn't travel and his determination to try and be at Jerusalem for the feasts when Jews from all over the known world would be there and his desires to get the gospel to regions no one had been was brought to a halt.
Here in the prison epistles when he gives us the understanding of the unsearchable riches of Christ he speaks of his unworthiness to be called a believer and less than the least of all them.

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."(1Timothy 1:15)

Then sometime later just before his last imprisonment and execution in his charge to Timothy and instruction for the church leadership,he refers to himself as the chief of sinners.The worst of them all.

See the progression here.As we grow and mature Christ becomes greater and we become less and less as it is revealed more and more of what we were and where we came from and what and who we are in Christ now.
I don't believe we could handle it if all at once God revealed the wretchedness of sin to us and the awful condition we were delivered from.The sinfulness of sin would be much to behold by these finite minds of ours if God wasn't preparing us to receive the unveiling of it in a timely matter as we can receive it.
Praise Him who knows how much we can handle and will not allow us more than we can process.Because in His Grace,He has a purpose and plan for our lives just like He had for the Apostle Paul and it will be worked out in our lives as Christ will loom greater and greater and we and our plans will become less and less.
Then as we see more and more of what His death and resurrection delivered us from and who we are in Christ now,then our knowing Him and His purpose for us will become more and more the most important thing in our lives.
No we aren't to live in the guilt of the past,but knowing what we were and who we are now causes us to appreciate what our God has done to deliver us.Knowing that we have been delivered from the penalty of sin and then recognizing the power of sin now and knowing that it is through the power of God in us now through His Spirit that indwells us that we have the strength to overcome that power of sin now as we live our Christian lives.That power of His resurrection living through us now.

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death"(Philippians 3:10)

Then there is the hope that has been instilled in us through the Word and by His Spirit that eventually we will be delivered from the presence of sin.This might come through death or if we're alive when He comes for His Church we shall be changed and go to meet Him in the air.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.Therefore comfort one another with these words."(1Thessalonians 4:16-18)

 2013/8/14 11:01Profile
enid
Member



Joined: 2006/5/22
Posts: 2680
Nottingham, England

 Re: The Progression in the Christian Life


We should see ourselves more wretched, as we progress in our Christian life.

The fellowship of His sufferings. Conforming to His death.

Food for thought.

God bless.

 2013/8/14 11:15Profile





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