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The holy frame and traits with which we are enabled and equipped for the immediate practice of the law CAN ONLY BE OBTAINED BY RECEIVING IT OUT OF CHRIST'S FULLNESS. God has already prepared this provision and gift in the person of Christ. The fullness and reality of this gift exist now and by faith we can experience this provision for ourselves.
Numbers 21:5-9 "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loathes this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."
John 3:14-18 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Just as God made full provision for these disobedient and rebellious Israelites he has already made a complete and full solution for all of mankind. The way to holiness and keeping of the law is now ready in Christ. We must receive and walk in Him.
Through the whole bible, no faith, hope, and love is allowed to be true and godly, but only that faith, hope, etc, which solely proceeds from, and is the fruit of the Spirit, living, dwelling, and working in our whole heart, soul, and spirit. Christianity is nothing else than God Himself manifested by His ruling in us and over us, as an essential light of our lives, as an indwelling word of power, as a life-giving Spirit within us. He forms us by a new birth, to become a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices to God, through a new and living way, which Christ has consecrated for us. God Himself dwells and works within us, willing and desiring to do all His will in the temple of our own heart.
It is only by our union with Christ by faith that we are justified, sanctified and made righteous. It is by this union with Christ that God's very own holy divine nature is imparted to us. Our new nature and holiness are derived from Him living and reigning within us. We are not at all to work together with Christ in making or producing this divine nature and holy desires within ourselves. We are to receive and take this divine nature and use it in our holy practice as provided by God as a free gift. So many think that they must get this divine nature by producing it in themselves and to form it and to work it from their own heart. Many take a great deal of effort and pain to mortify and kill their corrupted nature and try to birth holy desires in their heart. They attempt this by striving earnestly to conquer and take control over their sinful lusts by pressing intensely upon their hearts many motives of godliness, laboring persistently, urging and demanding to somehow squeeze godly attributes out of them.
Some claim that they are justified by a righteousness worked out by Christ, yet they must be sanctified by a holiness worked out by themselves. They think to be holy they must get these holy desires by working or acquiring it by their endeavors and efforts. They think the entrance to a godly life is harsh and unpleasing because it costs so much struggling with their own hearts to overcome fleshly and carnal desires. THEY DO NOT SEEM TO REALIZE OR KNOW THAT THIS WAY OF ENTRANCE TO HOLY LIVING IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. The true way to holiness and having the divine nature that has escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust is by receiving this nature out of the fullness of Christ. These people reject God's way to holiness by attempting to be holy by their own efforts, energy, strength and powers. God has only one provision and solution for holiness in Christ, which must be received by faith.
John 10:1 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber."
The law cannot make any person holy. The law itself cannot create the love that is required to fulfill it. No works of the law will accomplish anything in regards to walking in holiness and being free from the domain of sin.
Romans 8:2-11 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you."
2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
For us to become possessed of this "divine nature" implies not only present holiness and blessedness such as God possesses, but a divine nature in us, a new and holy nature, which induces and prompts us to holiness, just as God's nature prompts Him to the same. In our old and corrupt nature, we not only sinned, but had natures or dispositions which prompted us to sin. In Christ, we not only obey the divine will, but receive from Him, as the Mediator of the new covenant, a new or "divine nature," which prompts us to purity and obedience, just as our old dispositions prompted us to sin.
When, by faith, we have "obtained the promises," it becomes just as natural in us to obey as it once was to rebel. It is just as natural and easy to be lovingly quiet and forgiving as it was to be angry and vengeful when injured or provoked. It is just as easy to bless, as it was to curse, to return good for evil, as it was to return evil for evil received. It is just as easy to be content with such things as we have, as it was to be careful and troubled about many things. In short, it is just as easy and natural to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, as it once was to do the works of the flesh.
When the promises are embraced by faith, "God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts," the spirit which induces and entices in us the same "love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity" as dwelt in Him. This renders or makes it just as natural for us to be "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners," as it was for Him just as natural to do the will and the work of our Father, and to "drink the cup which He giveth us," as it was for Christ. Were this not the case, "the Spirit," or disposition, of His Son would not be sent into our hearts.
To "escape the corruption which is in the world through lust," implies that we are not only saved from the actual sins that are in the world, but that the evil propensities and tempers, "the law in our members," which induces sin, are taken from us, and are replaced by new and divine tendencies which naturally induce the opposite virtues. Nothing less than or different from the above illustration can be the meaning of the passage under consideration. This is the main and specific purpose of all the promises. They assure to us, when understood, and embraced by faith, not only deliverance from sinning, but "the death of the old man," or the crucifixion of all those tempers and dispositions which induce sin; and not only actual obedience to the divine will, but "a divine nature," which prompts and constrains obedience in all its forms. It is as much the nature of "the new man," or the promptings of his new and divine tendencies, to be pure in heart and life, as it was that of "the old man" to "obey the law of sin."
The secret to holiness and sanctification is our union with Christ, in receiving the holy desires of the heart from Him. It is only by being in Christ and having Him within us that we can be holy and fulfill all the requirements of the law. This union must be more than just a theory, notion, doctrine, idea, or concept. We must be in such a close union with Christ that we actually become one spirit and one flesh with Him. Christ dwells in believers and they in Him. They are so joined together as to become one spirit. Believers are members of Christ's body, of his flesh and of His bones as that the church and Christ become one flesh. The same spirit that was in Christ is in the believer, dwelling and quickening him. Christ knows how to dwell in the believer by certain measures and degrees and to make them holy so far ONLY as He dwells within them.
All things pertaining to salvation and living a holy life are already prepared and made freely available to us in the gift of Christ. We must receive all these necessary qualifications from Him or remain in our sinful and rebellious nature. There is only one way to fulfill the regiments of the law, and that is by receiving the holy desires and temperament by our union with Christ. All the fullness of the new man all that applies to the spiritual nature and life which we live to God in holiness, is in Christ. These attributes are fixed in Him and it is IMPOSSIBLE that we experience them except we be joined to Him and have Him abiding in us. We receive from Christ those holy desires and temperaments by which we are enabled to practice true holiness, by union and fellowship with Him.
When Christ was on earth living as a man, he walked in the divine nature and true holiness not of Himself but out of His union and relationship with the Father. We are to walk in the divine nature and holiness the same way that Christ did.
John 14:8-11"Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how says thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake
John 8:28-29 "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
John 17: 20-23 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
John 14:16-21 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
John 15:1-5 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that bears not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing."
Our very life and holy nature is first in Christ, and then imparted to us only by a true and proper union and fellowship with Him. Those who are joined to the Lord are not only one flesh but also one spirit with Him.
The main goal of Christ's virgin birth, ministry, life, death and resurrection was to prepare and form a holy nature and temperaments for us in Himself to be imparted to us by union and fellowship with Him. He did not enable us to produce in ourselves a holy divine nature by us using our own efforts or energy. This is where so many fall short and fail to enter God's provision for holiness. They think that Christ has enabled them to produce this nature rather than just receiving His nature by impartation. So many people struggle and strain to somehow produce the required holiness by using all available methods. This is NOT the way of holiness.
All the fullness of the Godhead with all holiness first dwelled in Christ bodily, even in his human nature, that we might be filled with that same fullness in Him. Christ became living bread, that as He lived by the Father, so those that eat Him may live by Him by the same life of God in them that was first in Him.
Christ has prepared a freedom for us from not only our outward sin but also our whole corrupt nature and rebellion of our heart. The old man was crucified together with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed. It is destroyed in us, not by our efforts, or energy or by our attempting to use the grace of the gospel to kill it. We can never destroy the old man with all the fleshly lusts and desires by any methods. We can walk in the freedom that has been already prepared for us by God by partaking of that freedom and experience the reality of the death of the old man through Christ. That freedom is in Christ and Christ is within us.
Romans 8:3-4 "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
CHRIST DIED NOT THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FORM A HOLY NATURE IN OURSELVES BUT THAT WE RECEIVE ONE READY PREPARED AND FORMED IN CHRIST FOR US, BY UNION AND FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
Christ took possession of spiritual life for us, has now fully secured it for us, and made it to be our right and property by the merit of His death. We are quickened together with Him. His death was our death to sin and His resurrection was our resurrection to the life of holiness. We are NOT ourselves the first makers and formers of our new holy nature but it is already formed and made ready for us to partake of it. By union with Christ, we partake of that spiritual life that He took possession of for us at His resurrection, and thereby we are enabled to bring forth the fruits of it.
Romans 7:4-6 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."
We also have the Holy Spirit who first rested on Christ in all fullness, that He may be communicated from Him to us.
John 16:14-15 "How be it when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
God has already done all that is necessary to furnish us for the immediate practice of holiness. All that is needed is in the fullness of Christ, and treasured up for us in him. The divine nature that includes the ability and the holy desires is attained richly by union and fellowship with Christ. If we are joined to Christ our hearts will no longer be left under the power of sinful inclinations or corrupt tendencies of the old man. When we are joined to Christ correctly we will be powerfully endued with a power bent and propensity to the practice of holiness by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, and inclining us to mind spiritual things and not lust after the flesh.
We will have sufficient strength both to will and perform our duty acceptably every single day. If we be the children of God, then we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. The law of the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus, makes us free from the law of sin and death. We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. This gift of salvation from sin and corrupt nature is given only in this way of union with Christ. We can not have justification, holiness or sanctification separate from Him. We must receive Christ Himself, and His holiness as well as all other spiritual needs. Remember that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
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