Saturday, March 08, 2008

a new life

A while back I was expressing to a friend by email how I've been very well exposed to the teaching of the crucified life, from very good sources, in the past, that I had heard plenty of the "death to self" message. And that was true not only from my reading, but also from messages and teachings I heard, even if it was more in the way I heard it than what was actually taught.

My friend replied that they didn't see it as death to self, but as life, a new life, life to God. That really kind of hit me as a needed word for me. Maybe by temperament and experience, I looked at things mostly negatively over the years. This outlook, I'm afraid impacted my entire life. But this new life in Christ, while not one of "Everything is great!" or "I'm okay; you're okay," is one much better. We're given, by faith in Christ a brand new life and existence that has no part with the old life, leaving it behind, but in doing so finding the real life, and that life in actually everything and everyone, in Jesus.

C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce is awakening me to this truth in Jesus. I had read it for school years ago, but recently saw it at our public library read on CD, well done. And got a new copy of the book to replace my underlined, over marked copy. It is a most remarkable read, and if you can get hold of both, it would be good.

It helps us see how this life in Christ is to begin even now, as a life in leaving the old "in Adam" existence behind, and embracing the new life "in Christ." In Jesus, God makes all things new, beginning even here and now in our hearts and out from that into our lives, and through our lives for others.

I am learning on this, and still working on the book by Lewis. Heard it once and want to keep working on it for a time. Pick it up and read.

Any thoughts?

5 comments:

preacherman said...

Ted,
Wonderful post brohter.
I am so blessed that I have that new life in Christ. It is an abundant life. Through the blood and grace of Jesus Christ I am allow to have a relationship with God. Isn't that the most wonderful thing in the world. Every day that relationship grows deeper and deeper. Stronger and stronger. I have learned that when you surrender, truely surrender God takes care of every aspect of your life. You need not worry like those in world worry. God takes care of His children. It is wonderful. I am full of hope. I am assured of my salvation. I am blessed because God's grace covers my life. I want to thank you so much for this wonderful post brother. You brother are an excellent writter. I love your blog. It makes me think and challenges me grow deeper in that relationship with God. God bless you brohter in many ways. In ways you have never known in your life before. May you be feeled fully with the Holy Spirit and be gifted in ways you have never known.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry

Halfmom, AKA, Susan said...

I think we don't stretch our imaginations enough to even understand how different the two lives are and therefore live with a mediocrity that we do not even realize.

I was listening to Tozer on CD today - he said something about getting all our truth from theology - without the innervation of the Holy Spirit - that truth was more entombed in such volumes than inshrined in them.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Kinney,
Thanks so much for your most kind words and blessing. I do truly appreciate it. I certainly need it, to just sometimes keep going on. But as you say, the Lord is good, and our part is to surrender to his blessed and good will.

Thanks for your continued presence with us, and I thank the Lord for you, brother.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Susan,
Great point there. There is one thing I do like about Scripture is that it doesn't sanitize the saints. At the same time we must beware of not seeing what is there for us in Christ, as in Paul's letters and example. So much more than we settle for or even see, or really believe, I think.

Yes, we need the Spirit ever and always, in all we do. Including doing and reading theology or in any way one is gifted. I so much agree, and Tozer was certainly a man of God and the Spirit was on him.

Ted M. Gossard said...

There is one thing I do like about Scripture

I meant: One thing I like about Scripture....

Not to be misunderstood, because even if I can't track with everything in Scripture, there is nothing I either dislike or choose to dislike about it. That all has to be explained, but plain fact of the matter is, that it is the word of God, and I therefore accept it from God who is love, and in Jesus has made himself supremely and finally known. So that I should love all his word.