The Daily Word of Righteousness

From Adam to Christ, #4

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)

To abide in Christ in God. Of equal importance with our change into the character of Christ is our learning to abide in Christ in God.

The Lord Jesus is our Example, not only of righteous character but also of what it means to live by the Life of God.

Actually, in one way of looking at it, we never did see Jesus while He was on the earth. What Jesus thought, what He said, what He did, came from another Person—from 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 dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)

"The Father who lives in Me—He does the works." This is what it means to have God live in us.

As we consider the Lord Jesus we envision perfect Character. We also notice a total lack of worldliness, lust, and self-exaltation. The driving Force of the Lord Jesus is the Father—God. The adamic personality indeed must die before it is willing to think, speak, and act only in the Life and guidance of the Lord. But such a conversion of life force is an essential aspect of our possession of the land of promise toward which we are traveling.

There are three major influences that attempt to lead us away from our destination, away from the image of Christ and the Life of Christ:

The spirit of the world.

The lusts of the flesh and soul.

The ambition to seek our own glory.

The spirit of the world.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15)

The spirit of the world seeks to occupy our attention with material security and with the comforts and luxuries associated with the possession of material goods. The power that the world offers is money. Money is the great god of Western civilization and in our day is becoming the god of the East as well.

Money and education will play a major role in the civilization advanced by Antichrist and the False Prophet.

The television is a major force that accomplishes the desires of the world spirit. It is truly incredible how in a few short years the television has changed from a luxury to a necessity. It appears that everyone, from the wealthy and powerful personages of the largest nations to slum dwellers living in impoverished areas spends hours each day gazing at the television screen.

The television results in the conforming of our mind to the loves and hates of the world spirit. The wise believer will spend little or no time watching the antics of the world spirit portrayed on the television screen.

Can you see how the world spirit acts to distract the disciple from his concentration on Christ's Character and the Life of Christ being formed in him? No person who is anxious to reach the rest of God will permit the world spirit to turn him away from his single-minded pursuit of Christ.

To be continued.