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OUR LIFE

Arthur Munster

I think the exhortations here are what the apostle is seeking would be brought about through the operation of the Spirit. We need to value the service of the Spirit: the Lord's coming may be very soon. We need to keep that before us and to be ready and these exhortations are very practical. It is a question of what we are seeking: "If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above". I wonder if that is what we are seeking as we go through our life day by day. What is our object in life? Well, "If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above, where the Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" – that is, it is another scene. We are on the earth, but we are to seek the things which are above in another scene where Christ is. Christ was in this scene and He moved through it in perfection to the pleasure of God. His life was given up; now He is raised and as a result of His finished work we can be brought into this sphere, so that our life can be with Him. He is now above and that is where our life is to be. We need to challenge ourselves as to how much this is true of us: "seek the things which are above, where the Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God: have your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth". Of course, we have to think of things on the earth: we have certain duties to perform as a matter of righteousness, but it is a question of what our objective is. "Have your mind on the things that are above"; that is our objective. What a grand thing it is! Our affections are in that scene. What a wonderful scene it is – a scene, indeed, of eternal life which we are to know at the present time. I am sure each one of us has experienced it in some way, "for ye have died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God". We need to challenge ourselves, I need to challenge myself, what is my life? Is our life hid with the Christ in God? We need to be encouraged on that line. It is so easy to be turned aside. There is what is natural which can easily drag us away, but "our life is hid with the Christ in God". We all have our life here but what a terrible scene this is, we do not want our life in it; our life is hid with the Christ in God. So, "When the Christ is manifested who is our life, then shall ye also be manifested with him in glory". This would be the appearing. Christ is coming to reign and we are going to be manifested with Him in glory, the Christ who is our life now. What a precious thing that is! It is the promise that is made to those who are in Christ's life now.

In the next section that I read it is more the wilderness side. We are still in this scene "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering". We think of ourselves· here, we think of one another many in trying circumstances. It says "Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long -suffering; forbearing one an other, and forgiving one another": perhaps that is a test. Is it? But, "forgiving on another, if any should have a complaint against any; even as the Christ has forgiven you: so also do ye". Well, that is a challenge. Christ has forgiven us, He has laid a basis for forgiving us as we put our trust in Him and He forgives us. He has made the sacrifice· we are all sinners but He has borne the load, our sins have been taken away. So we can be forgiven: what a wonderful thing that is! Think of what it cost Christ in order that we might be secured; "even as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye". It is a challenge to us whether we are ready to forgive one another; we see certain faults perhaps, are we ready to forgive?

"Even as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye. And to all these add love". What a basic thing love is! Think of the extent to which love has gone. Think of the depths of the love of God , giving Christ so that we might be secured. So "to all these things add love, which is the bond of perfectness". It speaks about love amongst ourselves (see John 13: 35); we need to be encouraged on this line.

"And let the peace of Christ preside in your hearts, to which also ye have been called in one body, and be thankful". What a wonderful thing that is! We have different personalities, but it is one body, it is the bride of Christ. How encouraging it is to think of Rebecca being brought to Isaac! She was ready. When she was challenged she said "I will go", Gen 24: 58. What an encouragement that is to us to be attached to Christ.

I just thought we might be encouraged in this way, that we might be exercised as to what our life really is and our life as "hid with the Christ in God". Then there is this practical side too: "to all these add love". So we see how things are worked out in a practical way at the present time. May the Lord encourage us so that we might be helped on this line, for the glory of His Name.

LONDON

17 October 1989

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