0362. What We Are

What We Are

I. "Ye Are Quickened"–Given a New Life

This is the first thing. God does not patch up the old man of sin, He gives a new birth. We are born again. The Bible says: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again.

The new life is a life created in righteousness and true holiness. This new life makes us children of God.

It is impossible to understand the new birth or to philosophize upon it–we may know the fact of the new life by the new affections and aspirations that have been given us, and more especially because God hath sent the Spirit of His Son within us crying, "Abba, Father."

What we need to know is that as many as received Him, to them He gives the power to become the sons of God, and that all of these, even the ones who believe on His name, are born not of flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God.

If we were not "born again," we could never live the new life in Christ Jesus. For the flesh cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit. Our only hope of living the Christian life, is possessing the new Life, and being indwelt by the Spirit of God.

Blessed experience–"created in Christ Jesus;" blessed resultant–"Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new."

Quitting the old life and joining the church is not enough, "Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again."

It is not the old man striving to live the new life. What an impossible task! The new life in Christ Jesus is the natural outflow of the "quickening" we received when we were saved.

The sweet fountain gives forth the sweet water. We live for Him, because we possess Him. He is in us. We live Him out in our daily walk, because He lives out His blessed life in us.

II. "Ye Were Raised Up."

Certainly, God did not save us, and leave us down in the mire and mud of our old life.

Believers are quickened and raised up. When Lazarus was quickened, called from death unto life, Christ said: "Come forth," and, "Loose him and let him go." And thus Christ speaks to us. "I have saved you, given you a new life," now "Walk no longer as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind," but put off the old man, your former manner of life, and walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye are called. We are quickened, we should walk in love and "fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness" neither "filthiness nor foolish talking nor ribaldry" should so much AS BE MENTIONED AMONG US.

Believers are commanded to be baptized. Our baptism certainly keeps before the world the fact of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, but it also sets forth our union with Him in the death, burial, and resurrection. "We are buried with Him into His death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Baptism then is the picture of our being "raised with Him." Baptism says to the world my old life and walk is left in the watery grave. "I have risen in newness of life."

For shame that one who has been saved, and called from sin, should continue to walk in sin.

For shame that one who has been baptized, and raised with Him unto the emblem of a new life, should continue to walk in the old life.

III. We Are Seated with Him

What new blessedness is this! Surely now, we do not care for the fleshpots of Egypt, we have Him. Let the onions and the garlics go to those who love them; we have "meat to eat that they know not of." We have Him, what want we else?

David said, "Is there any left of the house of Saul? I will show the kindness of God unto him." So they brought Mephibosheth, who was lame in both of his feet, unto David. Then David received him from Lo-debar, the place of no pasture; he restored unto him the land of Saul; he said unto him: "Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually" (2Sa_9:1-8). This is just what our Lord Jesus has done for us. Brought us from the place of sin, restored unto us all we lost in Adam, and given us a seat with Him in the Heavenlies.

Evil-merodach did lift up the head of Jehoiachin from prison, in the thirty-seventh year of his captivity; he spake kindly unto him; he set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; he changed his prison garments and "he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life."

So also has our Lord lifted us up. Our prison garments are gone; our seat on His throne is assured, and we are continually with Him.

Madam Guyon when placed in jail for her faith, sang:

"A little bird am I,

Shut in from fields of air,

Yet here I sit, and sing my song,

To Him, Who placed me there."

She had been quickened, and raised and made to sit with Christ–even in her dungeon she sat with Him, far above all.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR