In Jesus’ prayer and speaking to His Father in the presence of His disciples He says this:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
In one sense it is odd, isn’t it? As though the Father is in any need of informing by such a statement as to both who and what the disciples are in relationship to the world and the Lord Christ Himself. Of course the Father knows whom He has sent into the world as salvation, and no less those appointed to it. But we may come to appreciate the just how many things are said by our Lord as for our instruction and reminding. And of course such is true for Jesus never speaks falsely nor unnecessarily to, or with, the Father; so all the more we may come to realize their necessity is more for us to hear, and by hearing, begin to understand.
We are very much to appreciate, embrace, and thence rejoice in all the wonder of this vast separation to be made clear to us in that statement. And Jesus goes on to say and speak of some of the whys and hows we encounter such verification of these words. These matters are of utmost importance to us. We are not at all loved of the world because we do not belong to it, nor under the influence of the Prince of this world and his minions. In truth we are quite hated by it and them…we simply do not fit, nor are made to fit to its ways in submission to them. We are made fit for an elsewhere, even by the blood of Christ. As His testimony is sealed as to whom He is in Himself, being faithful to death in the baring of his soul to death, so even is our testimony by that same blood. The seal is set to all His word being true through His death, (being faithful to it) and the resurrection whereby such is manifest as truth in that rising.
Regardless of all the wonderful things said and miraculous works, apart from that rising out from the dead as testimony they would at best be only nice words and good deeds. For the scripture is not without others who had miracles worked through them, nor spoke good words of instruction and admonition. No (or yes!) Jesus the Christ is all of different in ever aspect one may consider than prophets before.
Our brother Paul was not shy to enter such confrontation with what to some yet appears the unthinkable proposition in regards to the resurrection. But Paul was made very bold in both his explorations of matters spiritual and in his speaking of them. He knew he was justified only by the blood of the Lord, and in being so justified and given to such liberty by it, he was unafraid to confront matters in such a head on way that the more timorous never could. Nor even yet, can. But by his forming to such, many deep truths emerge that the more timid are either unprepared to approach yet, or are not yet formed to.
When addressing those who were in some contentions that
the dead be not raised
Paul confronted the end of that argument, for his keen spiritual senses often saw to the end of arguments, and no doubt (I am persuaded) because he had already confronted such matters for consideration in himself before God. And it is not unusual, even today, for a some (or even many) thinking that because they have read Paul they understand as Paul understood, and as if standing upon his shoulders now, can exceed him in grasping at further truth(s). But first one must attain that understanding, which is as much in requirement of revelation to us as it was to him, and no less. Yes, we can read Hemingway and still not have the stuff of Hemingway to either see as he did, nor write as he wrote.
And Paul’s heavenly perspective, if in doubt to any, must be settled to themselves or else as our brother Peter writes, there is wrestling with his words (as with other scriptures) to our own destruction. Thanks be to God he is able to deliver His own from both that folly, or if engaged, to deliver out from it…even when destruction is tasted. Yes, we can be quite lawyerly at times thinking clever arguments are for the leaning upon. And to the clever, the Lord shows Himself clever…and even more so, as need be. Till we are tied up in our own lies and beg release.
But Paul, being made bold (and thanks be to God for His making him so) addressed those in that contention presenting that unthinkable proposition that he was made unafraid to utter.
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Oh, what a statement! What a thing to consider, much less say! “Why even ‘put that out there’ Paul?!!!” Because Paul had some very deep consideration of the significance of the resurrection in its meaning to him and had already faced in himself the unspeakable liberty of it in its truth, but was also quite aware by such unspeakable-ness it opened all doors formerly closed, and if wrong in its essence could only also lead to unspeakable presumptions about God. For do you see, Paul was unrelenting in such faith toward God that He both is and true, and dare not even momentarily consider enterring that which would make him (Paul) a liar before Him.
For this matter of the resurrection totally upsets and sets to some other required understanding of God that had, in all times past, been hidden. And if such understanding is not only made required by the resurrection, but even provided for by it, then all else must be abandoned to its very foundation of once prior assumptions. Yes, Paul knew. Paul understood. Paul embraced all overturning in himself of all those matters Saul was once in all confidence of.
And because this was no small matter indeed, even being accomplished in himself, the confronting of other matters accruing to arguments and contentions, meant nothing to him in his address. After all, in one sense, in one quite ineffable sense Paul found a Saul made dead in himself by such truth, and was already fully persuaded by such that the “dead” do indeed rise to life. Even if for some it yet remained an only figurative rising. Paul knew from soles of feet to top of head God alone is able to make the “dead” live. But he also understood the curiousness of it, the unspeakable reality of it that is so very (even impossible) for a man to deliver in word lest God give light to such word(s).
We can hear this in his stating here:
I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I, but the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.
No man can survey from an ‘outside’ how this can be so, how that a man can be both dead in cricifixion, yet alive. No man can perceive how such can be in experience unless he be in it. One is either in, or out, for here there is (really as in all matters) no middle ground. And Paul understood this matter of issue with words, how that no “man” can either know this, or experience, nor understand how both an “I” and a “yet not I” is made present to a man. It is I, but it is ‘yet not I’. One is crucified, and one lives, even simultaneously in the same vessel, in all experience in the same vessel, and such is God’s tabernacling with, and in, man. No, the natural man cannot know nor understand, indeed his best ascription would be to either some delusion of split mindedness or mental malady.
Yet…true, indeed. How a man might “live”…in both life and death…even at once. But, Paul had no issue with it as it was being resolved to him and in himself. He saw the Christ of God and understood such words as “of myself, I can do nothing”. A thing sentenced to death in a man of all inability, so that The One of all ability be manifest. Oh, yes, Paul understood, and so he would also write:
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Paul understood that death and life in One that life might be at work in others…and knew all too well it is/was, to his salvation. (Who loved me, and gave himself for me) “Why so personal, Paul, why not just say us?” (Because until it is so exquisitely and intensely personal…it does not “work”.)
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Even to this very end for those so called to it (and which believer is not?)
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
christianity, such as it is, must always seek, and does indeed, props for the support of itself. There is a fear attendant to it that if “it” be lost to the world, the whole of the creation is lost to it and by its being lost. It is just a label derivative at best trying to, by such label, make to the world its plainness of belonging to the Christ of God. It yet speaks of some universal embrace of a thing (itself) which all internecine strivings manifestly give the lie to. Divisions abound, contentions fill pages and reams and yet it would present itself as firm in foundation for an ascribing, even a sure adherence to opinion as a real thing to be recognized “in the world”.
But there is only One whose recognition is of any necessity to any. A dead man alive knows only One to whom all is owed, and also His name, hidden from all organization(s), clubs, name takers (denominations) and the self defining.
And the world will not know you, be able to identify you, nor will you care to be known of it as anything it might even understand. Or define.
But this must be faced and resolved in each and to each as either true or not, for it alone is bedrock of assurance, and far more than a recitable or repeatable creed that would make one a “member of the club”. With all perks of ascending to pulpits, or assuring himself of some betterness and/or more enlightendness, giving instructions, advising and or rebuking according to “club rules” and the like. All those things that in vanity reinforce to a man he is a member of it…in good standing.
And if one does not yet know how much such are loved and adored by man, visit most any pub, where the drunk will preach their truths from barstools and such merriment abounds (at least till fights break out) among the inebriated with what ferments of an only earthen yeast, destined to return to earth.
And yes, I am no less made subject to accusation of inebriation, for until such comes, the man himself does not know what bread he has been eating, or what wine he imbibes.
For if he finds joy in such accusation, he cannot help but wonder where that must come from.
And yet again, a thing is affirmed to himself…
For if the dead rise not…
And one is made free to explore all the ramifications of even the “no” of things…to learn of Him who is the yes and amen to all of God’s promises.
And find out they too, indeed have a Father.
Not of this world.
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