Sitting? Walking!

I recall reading years ago that "there is a throne in our hearts upon which God desires to sit, and which we must abdicate."

Certainly there is truth in this analogy. The Lord Jesus Christ is our King, and He does indwell us by His Holy Spirit for the purpose of the will of God being consistently fulfilled in our lives. The imagery breaks down, however, as we consider the nature of our Lord's indwelling activity within us.

"Ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16).

Rather than sitting on a throne, the God who inhabits our spirits rather walks in us. He is dynamically active in His ongoing determination to glorify the Lord Jesus in our thoughts, attitudes, word, actions, and relationships with others.

"I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29).

"It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

"Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20).

Note that the Apostle Paul does not limit the affirmation of God's mighty working to himself. "In you" and "in us" he declares. Consider also that "the power that worketh in us" is beyond our capacity for thought or verbal expression, "exceedingly" beyond. In fact, the redeemed spirit of the born again believer teems with the dynamic activity of the eternally present God who is not sitting in us, but rather walking.

Why then do we not more experience the glory of such truth? Time and space do not allow a full consideration for the answer to this question. However, I am convinced that the primary reason for our failure to more apprehend and express the vibrant reality of our Lord's presence within us is similar to the experience of His own country during His earthly ministry: "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58). Believers are now the "own country" of the Lord Jesus, and our experience of His working in us will be known in direct proportion to our belief in His Biblical declaration of it. "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).

Do we view God as sitting in us? Do we even view Him as dwelling in us? Or is it the consistent affirmation of our hearts and our words that the Christ who forgave and redeemed us is also the Christ who "worketh in me mightily?" Our answer to this question will go far in determining our experience of the blessed reality of grace that made us the scene of God's dynamic activity on behalf of His Son's glory, the blessing of those with whom we live our lives, and the fulfillment of our hearts. Any lesser confidence, or any other confidence, denotes a tragic failure to "lay hold on eternal life," the life of Christ Himself given to us as a free gift of grace (I Timothy 6:12).

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

(II Corinthians 4:7)

"Far Better"

"It's better than the alternative."

We've likely all heard this quip about aging, and have perhaps expressed it ourselves. The Apostle Paul, however, had a completely different viewpoint.

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:23).

Paul believed that physical departure from the present world is not only better, but "far better." Having seen the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, and having been caught up to the "third heaven" (where he witnessed glories too wondrous to describe), Paul knew that but a moment in the direct presence of God is infinitely greater than anything our earthly lives can offer. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

Our flesh longs for longevity and even permanence in a world that itself "passeth away" (I John 2:17). It therefore resists and rebels against any notion of a "desire to depart, and to be with Christ." We do not naturally think in such terms, and even the most godly believer may feel great apprehension when considering "the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). It is therefore incumbent upon Christians to establish within our hearts the principled truth of "far better." We must choose to believe that in the twinkling moment of our passing from the earth to the aforementioned "valley," our Great Shepherd will Himself meet us for the journey - "Thou are with me." Paul declared of believers that "to be absent from the body" is synonymous with being "present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Physical death ushers us into the presence of "fullness of joy," and "pleasures forevermore" - yes, far better.

We rejoice in our present existence, and Paul's affirmation does not mean that we morbidly long for our earthly demise. We affirm the Psalmist's hope that "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Nevertheless we look with him for greater glories: "and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6). Remaining in this present world is not "better than the alternative." It is far worse actually, but for the glory of God and the blessing of others, it is necessary until our earthly mission is complete. This we must believe, and any notion or emotion to the contrary must be instantly and summarily dismissed from the sensibilities. Just one look into the face of the Lord Jesus, and the Apostle's "far better" will be our joyous and eternal song.

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(I Corinthians 15:51-57)

"Far Better"

"It's better than the alternative."

We've likely all heard this quip about aging, and have perhaps expressed it ourselves. The Apostle Paul, however, had a completely different viewpoint.

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1:23).

Paul believed that physical departure from the present world is not only better, but "far better." Having seen the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, and having been caught up to the "third heaven" (where he witnessed glories too wondrous to describe), Paul knew that but a moment in the direct presence of God is infinitely greater than anything our earthly lives can offer. "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

Our flesh longs for longevity and even permanence in a world that itself "passeth away" (I John 2:17). It therefore resists and rebels against any notion of a "desire to depart, and to be with Christ." We do not naturally think in such terms, and even the most godly believer may feel great apprehension when considering "the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). It is therefore incumbent upon Christians to establish within our hearts the principled truth of "far better." We must choose to believe that in the twinkling moment of our passing from the earth to the aforementioned "valley," our Great Shepherd will Himself meet us for the journey - "Thou are with me." Paul declared of believers that "to be absent from the body" is synonymous with being "present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Physical death ushers us into the presence of "fullness of joy," and "pleasures forevermore" - yes, far better.

We rejoice in our present existence, and Paul's affirmation does not mean that we morbidly long for our earthly demise. We affirm the Psalmist's hope that "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Nevertheless we look with him for greater glories: "and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:6). Remaining in this present world is not "better than the alternative." It is far worse actually, but for the glory of God and the blessing of others, it is necessary until our earthly mission is complete. This we must believe, and any notion or emotion to the contrary must be instantly and summarily dismissed from the sensibilities. Just one look into the face of the Lord Jesus, and the Apostle's "far better" will be our joyous and eternal song.

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(I Corinthians 15:51-57)