The High Calling of God in Christ Jesus
The High Calling of God in Christ Jesus
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
Notice that the Apostle Paul, who certainly had been saved and born again, as we use the term, had a goal. What goal?
Paul was seeking a prize. What prize?
Obviously the goal, the prize, was not eternal residence in Heaven. If Paul was not qualified to go to Heaven by this time in his life, where does that leave us?
Any system that does not know what its goal is, is in confusion.
The Christian churches do not know what the goal of God's salvation is. They are in confusion, some emphasizing one doctrinal point, and some emphasizing another.
Paul states that his goal is "heavenward," meaning it is not of the earth. But the goal is not residence in Heaven, rather the goal is heavenly in nature.
How would you respond if I said our goal, our heavenly prize, is to be at rest in God as a member of the Body of Christ, a member of the Royal Priesthood?
To be at rest in God means we always know His will and have received the strength, wisdom, and desire to cast out of our personality all sin and self-will, putting all of the enemies of God under our feet.
You might think such a state of rest is impossible while we are alive on the earth. It not only is possible, it is required if we are to experience a change in our body and be caught up to the Lord on the Day of His appearing.
We are in a new day. Jesus said, "Many who are last shall be first." We are nearing the end of the Church Era. We are among the "last".
I am not speaking now of the salvation of the members of the nations who will be saved—the "sheep," we might say, but of the members of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Royal Priesthood.
We, in whom Christ has been conceived and is being formed, should not be thinking of our goal, our "Heaven," Rather, our goal is to respond to the position in which we were placed when we first received the Lord Jesus Christ. Our spiritual nature was caught up with Christ to the right hand of God, to the highest possible position in the spirit world.
And his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:19-23)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6,7)
Upon receiving Christ, the members of the Church, God's elect, were raised to the highest level possible.
She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter." (Revelation 12:5)
I believe the verse above refers to the brothers and sisters of Christ. I think the woman is the Church. Jesus Christ Himself is not born of the Church. But He is born in the members of the Church.
It seems to me that the Church is in travail today that Christ may come to maturity in those believers who keep His commandments.
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8)
They, along with the Lord Jesus Christ, shall never leave God's right hand. In future ages, when they go somewhere to serve God, the center of their spiritual being (for they then will be life-giving spirits) will never leave their position in the Throne but their conscious presence shall travel about by the power of multiple presence, just as is true of the Lord Jesus.
The question may arise, "Can a believer in Christ who has been caught up with the Lord Jesus, ever lose his or her crown of life."
Yes. Satan at one time was a guardian cherub who wings covered the Throne of God in Heaven. But when iniquity was found in him, he was cast out of God's Presence.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Revelation 3:11)
To whom much is given, of them shall much be required!
There is a relationship between our spiritual presence in Christ at the right hand of God, and our flesh and soul on the earth. What we do on earth can affect our life that is hidden in Christ. After all, our presence at the right hand of God was determined by receiving Christ while we were living on the earth.
The Apostle Paul urges us to set our hearts on the right hand of God. This is difficult in America because of the abundance of material riches. There is one problem after another as we seek survive. But we must make the effort continually, day and night, to stop thinking and fretting about the troubles we are experiencing.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
It is so easy to let our minds be occupied with the things of the present world, and to keep our minds on our position that is in the Presence of Christ and God.
We need to keep asking the Lord to open our spiritual eyes so we can observe the majesty and beauty of God, the Lamb, the twenty-four elders, the four cherubim, and that great emerald Throne from which the rays of power that control the universe are emanating.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2)
Given the present confused state the world it is going to be dreadfully important to keep our mind in Heaven with the Lord Jesus. Otherwise we are going to be fretting continually and not growing in Christ.
We must keep telling ourselves that when we were baptized in water we died with Christ, and now we are alive and living in His resurrection Life. This is true right now; but shall we worked out in far greater reality when Christ returns and makes alive our mortal body.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (I Corinthians 15:22,23)
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
The spiritual Life of Christ we are enjoying today shall be enhanced greatly when Christ appears.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
Let's stop for a moment and think about what the verse above is stating.
When Christ, who is your life . How many of today's Christian people can say truthfully that Christ is their life?
Next Part The Apostle Paul could.