The Daily Word of Righteousness

Abiding in Christ, #5

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (I John 1:7)

To "walk in the light" is to abide in Christ, to keep one's self in the center of God's will. As long as we are abiding in Christ, remaining sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, trusting in the Lord's wisdom instead of our own, the blood is cleansing us. We are without condemnation. We are "perfect" in the sight of the Lord.

We always must give the prime attention and energies of our life to the problem of abiding in Christ. Why is abiding in Christ a problem? It is a problem, especially in a wealthy nation (the rich enter the Kingdom of God with great difficulty), because so many things press on us constantly that work against our abiding in Christ.

The television is one of these hostile forces. The television seeks to conform our thinking and desires to the ways of the world. Satan, the lust of our flesh, and our self-centeredness and self-love also strive to hold our attention. Satan desires we worship him. Satan remains on the alert, looking for ways in which to turn our attention away from Christ.

Both eternal death and eternal life are working in the believer. Each day either death prevails or life prevails. The gate is narrow and the way is resistant that lead to eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Way to life. We enter through Him and then the struggle begins. The warfare that the saint wages is not, ordinarily, a physical or even a mental struggle. Rather it is a spiritual struggle that works in terms of faith and patience.

We must set ourselves to gaining the Life in Christ, always setting our will to do the will of God. Apart from such a resolute setting of the will there can be little victory in our walk in Christ.

We must continue deciding to do what we know to be God's will; and when we are not sure of God's will we are to continue choosing to do what to the best of our knowledge is pleasing to Christ.

The Christian life is a warfare. Our goal is to abide always in the perfect center of the Person and will of Christ. As we do we are changed into the image of Christ; the will of God begins to be brought forth in the persons and circumstances that are around us; and our prayers gain greatly in power with God.

The major issue is life eternal life. The nations of the earth are perishing for want of life the Life that Christ Is. That Life is the truth, the only light and truth available to people.

As soon as the branches of the true Vine have been brought to perfection, to the standard that is the stature of the fullness of Christ, the eternal life and light of God will be brought forth to the nations of the earth.

To be continued.