For Any Man

I think of the Lord…our Lord.

The Lord of both heaven and earth. Not as only the Lord in heaven, though He surely is, but the Lord in, and of, all authority in it. I think of Him in His sufferings at the hand’s of man and cannot but think of His grace in His calling of man to Himself. A calling by a name, to the name, and into that name by which, and in which, that name is given to man, even to a man…who is called to be that particular any man of “If any man be in Christ.”

To be of Christ. Jesus the Christ. Not a principle nor even doctrines, not a consciousness, surely not the weakest of all a religion, nor even the most sublime (as might be attained) practices. But to a man with a name, a very particular man of that name which means “salvation is of God”. I don’t think I cannot think of Him, as it were choice-less in that matter, even if am persuaded I would prefer to. No, it is not nor was not by my choosing that He was presented into the earth.

And in that thinking that is only by His calling, I am left to consider the testimony of Himself recorded, but no less of those men, and even by those men recording.

We have the gospels, we have many letters.

And today we have a whole host (of folk) of who claim to testify of both
Him, and in often reference to those letters, a them. Men are often considered, and not un-rightly so as those who were called and also found faithful.

We have either worked this out or not, or better said, had this worked out in us by the grace of the Lord, or not.

Unless the recorders are shown faithful, and to whatever extent revealed so to us as so, the “red letters” the “black letters”, even all the letters will rest no more than upon some recommendation of others or another till God proves them (the words) so. But also and no less the recorders, as faithful recorders.

And though there may be many with great testimony of God’s sovereign intervention (for there is no intervention by God that is not of His sovereignty) and miraculous appearance in circumstance and/or situation to a persuading, even compelling to Christ, we still labor among the words. We may see signs in the heavens and in the earth beneath, see a wonder too marvelous to describe that moves us to Him. Yet, we still have those many words about Him…the many words we receive as reliable, or yet to be found so.

And the works, words, and workings of the men who recorded them.

Of what, to us, type is the man God calls? Even those whose record(s) we have in record, and have come to greatly rely upon as true. Is there any signal thing of which we might know them as set apart? They seem most common, actually, perhaps too common for some to find themselves readily admitting. For, if in speaking of a those or a “that” them as other, without including one’s self as like they (even most common of man) we not only lie in such as is called ministry; but in truth, oppose the Lord’s work, doing despite to His name. God calls to Himself through Christ what by us we might say is the common man, which to God, is man. That…any man.

That the any man is rarely if ever, not found with some covetous thinking of himself as special, or at very least quite special to himself, might be silly to have to state.

Yet, who brings to this salvation anything special of themselves? Anything but sin…which is common to man. It is all the man carries…in and of himself. All those many shortcomings.

We may even have some lean toward showing how common is the man Christ calls, yet rarely thinking it is no less ourselves. How much hay has been made of Peter’s denials? Peter’s being rebuked after he himself rebuked the Lord? His sinking when assaying to join Jesus on the waters? The brothers being rebuffed for forbidding the children. Or brothers James and John wanting to call down fire, and being reproved. Paul’s being struck blind? Even his confession of having been

(Who was) before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Who is such a special man or form of him who cannot, or refuses to, see himself identified in at least one of the above? For me…Injurious? check. Blasphemer? check…and so on.

But how do we have such, even of this, Paul’s testimony of a “once” self?

We have such only because they are included, recorded by recorders who (dare not?) leave out warts and all, about themselves. Paul often and particularly…telling on himself. We may think they have shown us themselves (which they have surely) but unless it is to the end of, in their being of who they are/were, also seeing ourselves…we are simply able to chuckle at their foibles, their missteps, perhaps never seeing our own.

It’s an almost “thank goodness they were so frank…so “I” don’t have to be that way” when in all truth, we already are.

Or,

Why! I can “learn” to not be like Peter…boastful, proud, thinking himself superior in his ability to bear above his brothers:

“Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.”
and
“And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”

O! But it is way too late for me to deny I have not known a man who thinks himself superior to his brothers. I don’t have to learn to not be like Peter! I must be won away from myself! In too many ways Peter is, in that regard, a piker compared to me in my self aggrandizement. A thinking of one’s self, superior.

And I think of Jesus telling His friends of what He must suffer and their speaking “on the way” over who of them would be counted the greatest. Oh! But who would do that? Be so consumed with themselves to not even hear what the Lord is saying of His impending death? Well, not someone…”like me”…but me precisely.

It is not unlike that friend who may come and tell another, “I have been diagnosed with stage 4” and the other replies, “Oh, yeah I get it, I hate being sick too, I had this cold one time and I was down for days…yeah, I ‘get it’…by the way, what did you bring for lunch?”

But who ever cares to think of themselves…much less confess of themselves…how dense they truly are, self consumed they are, and how, despite titles coveted and/or claimed, so called years and years of either service or sitting at the Lord’s feet (or as we might like to have others think of our attentions) we may not have even really begun to hear…and see?

Or, are really, just beginning?

There’s surely no shame in just beginning, God knows, and how that just one true word that might be squeezed out of us is so far in excess of value to all that may be spoken (or in this case, here, by me) written…as to put to shame all our other pious mutterings. Again, not “like me”…but me.

I was thinking of the writer of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, my being allowed to consider who he was, how he was, and what he was. Some so called theologians dispute over authorship, which is to me a small matter, such disputes. For he identifies himself as this:

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

A man who knows and confesses Jesus Christ, knows of the tribulations found in Him, and with acknowledgement of the patience of the Lord…our Lord.
If we are able to believe the above testimony, and no less that he was found in “the spirit on the Lord’s day”, nothing is undercut by any dispute over which particular disciple he may be.

“Companion in tribulation” is what he leads with in affirming himself brother, and it cannot be lost on any who have, even if it be shown as superficial, surveyed the cross of Christ and the tribulations that lead to it.

And here I speak more of my own superficiality than any others.

How do I know myself as superficial? Mostly because I don’t like or tend to consider myself so. Of myself I like to think myself deep, and not infrequently even (insert laughter) of some wisdom. I need again, and again, and again to have this folly exposed as over and over and over, as though I know something. How many of my excursions and attitudes are shown for what they are when blowing up too plainly in my face.

And yet this brother, even this brother, in his knowing of what he knew of Jesus the Christ, his following of Jesus Christ, His confession of Jesus Christ…fell at His feet as though dead…when seeing Him as He is.

There is one who reminds, and brings to mind the Lord’s being crucified through weakness, even to the face of one who often is found so foolishly regarding his own strength(s). And I cannot, and dare not deny the over abundance of mercy shown to such a one. Yes, the patience of Jesus Christ, even as Peter wrote in referring to Paul’s letters, cannot but be counted as salvation to those who have seen how very much is availed of it toward them.

And no, it is not for any to demand or even seek to elicit such confessions from any. For any who have such testimony of the Lord’s patience toward themselves will be unable to withhold it, and if any man is not yet convinced of it and his need of such a delightful beholding (the patience of Christ) toward him, God is faithful.

About all or anything that might be said in this regard to any who may doubt…trust me don’t trust me, it is worth all the seeing. Even if the mechanism to reveal the necessity of it seems… well… unpleasant at the first; that is, being shown who is the man most in need of mercy. This finding out one is just a common man. Suffice it to say, the man who does, or thinks he does any or many things right…may not yet see a most valuable treasure purchased in blood for him…and made to that man. That any man.

And, God is faithful.

For it’s a too remarkable gift, this grace and mercy to be seen in Jesus the Lord, for any loving father to withhold. And make display…by all and every means necessary.

It really is such a small step from being the man feeling compelled to “have to be merciful” with what feels an often dread burden to be such, who ekes it out and measures it out (or so he may think) to some success, to being the man in greatest need of seeing mercy. In truth it is such a small step, so small that only the Lord, in His becoming for us the very smallest of the small was ever able to make it. And make it for us, in His becoming that small.

I am not so naive as to not know a some or many will not like such describing…for our Lord is great, and to be confessed as great among us. And indeed He is, nothing doubting. It is indeed great that He left His former estate of all glory to take on flesh and blood because of such were His brothers, and for their sakes, in obedience to His Father. And here as man He humbled Himself (as though just becoming a man were not enough!) making Himself of no reputation in the form of a servant, and was obedient (and not merely so) but specifically to death, and that, a death upon the (once shaming) cross. His steps of descent almost too marvelous to consider. And yet, they can be. As given to us and for us as gift to consider. The grace of our Lord!

And neither am I ignorant of some resistance to the proposal of the common man. For even our brother Paul testifies that in seeking to work out matters of spirit and estate, nothing matters overall but the new creation, saying:

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Yes, the new man is entirely different, even in opposition and open hostility to what would be called the old man, so that in reference common man seems unfitting. “O! but the new creature is very special!” one might say. Even too unfitting for what the Lord has accomplished in behalf of His own. It may almost appear a denigration of His work. God forbid.

But it is submitted that it is only the new man that recognizes himself as common man, even a common man. It is the old man, seeing nothing but himself (nor able to) that exalts himself inwardly (and often outwardly) as something special; coveting, loving, and groping for ascent above all the others in attempt to distinguish himself.

He feels seen when seen by others, of note when noted by others, for nothing is more common than for that man to find only impetus to show himself right and as right; being (as is said) with a heart desperately wicked and unknown of and to himself, that remains unknowable. And, no less, who, always and according to his own metrics, finds all his ways right in his own eyes. He needs no help toward “feeling special” or further promoting to it. He is locked to it in knowing only himself, and of himself. And he trusts himself to not lie to himself, or in any way be false to himself in regards to his perceptions of what would be called reality. He, to himself, sees as rightly as can be.

Yet, not only so. Even in those rare moments, perhaps even precipitated by some experience of catastrophe, or some so called epiphany where he may be brought to question his former sight to some measure in the light of this new thing (or grievous error in calculations of what may befall) …he still considers himself right in doing so.

This is of such deep concern for what is called the believer as to not gloss over. He experiences a turn to faith so profound to himself and in himself that shows an overturning of what to him is/was the once was of himself and to himself. Seeing now newly, or at least differently, it remains deeply ingrained that he is now right in doing so. Even so right now, at least as he compares to former estate, that an advantage may be taken of it to a perversion…in the ease (he thinks) of seeing so many others as now remaining in the wrong, and of a lesser estate. Jesus did not warn against the leaven of the Pharisees without knowledge and wisdom. And sight.

We may begin to appreciate not only the too great of depths He plumbed in His descent in being man, and for man endured the plumbing of such depths for a rooting out by His death. But, and no less, the absolute necessity of His doing so. He must be, when this is seen and apprehended, and be known as entering that unspeakable darkness in man no man can know of himself, if He is savior.

This thing of “being right in our own eyes” is too great to be touched by any of us, for even if begun to be made known to us, we may still exalt ourselves for knowing of it. I easily confess for a dread of lying before Him, that I surely have. Oh, yes, there is an unremitting dependency, unrelenting exposure…even faithful uncovering to us of things of ourselves, which are of man, that which, and if apart from His present mercy being ministered, we would surely collapse before. And not merely strengthless to continue in this collapse (though it surely feels so) but with all conviction of a rightness too extreme to deny that “this thing must be set to not continue, there can be no rightness ever, anywhere…in the universe or even beyond if this thing is allowed to continue.” It is all and only what to that extreme merits immediate death. A killing. Even an annihilation. Oh, it is not lost on some of how very extreme this does sound in some depth of self loathing and self condemnation. And to some, no doubt it sounds too counter to even many (what are considered) sound doctrines. “There is now no condemnation…” etc.

But to those who have known it, and know of it, they have seen that deep work.
Paul did. Others have. And some know it, or have come to, where despite the all consuming awfulness of it that seems beyond any recommending, beyond any good work of any that might be done by such exposure or even confession of it as a good work…some declare it as the very good work of Christ. God, through Christ has brought a man to an agreement, at least at, and to, that point…”this thing merits nothing but death…it is even too hideous to behold without its stealing all strength”.

Yes! Yes! Of course! Yes! The deepest darkest admission of a man “about himself” (and a place no man would go, or even could go except as guided by a light) is now too plain. Shown as seen in the eyes of that light from those eyes in which nothing is hidden from sight. Before whom all is made naked and bare, before that “whom” with which we have to do. And we find there, when that touch of mercy is ministered to raise a man from all strengthless-ness and even self condemnation…we have not only been brought to agreement with God as to its necessary full stopping by [a] death, but to a deeper and further convincing of the resurrection. A man is raised.

For if we would judge ourselves (to what extreme? one might ask) we should not be judged with the world.

Paul understood how this “light” manifests in man. What it does (He does) in a man, the any man in Christ. And also, and no less, Paul saw and had dealt with a seeming persuasion that might seek, by taking advantage by a perverse logic, to deny both that light’s work and its origin. And attribute to it, in all of greater wrongness, as the thing it is not.

But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. Gal 2:17

I will neither attempt to explain nor by any attempt at explaining, make this thing more obscure.

Yes, God has given, through Christ and by Christ’s light to judge only one sinner. How thoroughly this judgment given that any man in Christ is exercised is to the extent he has seen Christ’s judgment of and for sin, and His entry into death for it, even in His becoming of it, for, and as revealed, to that any man.

And yes…it is a judgment to death, never less. We may draw back, we may even be tempted to blame the light for the things it uncovers…to which Paul says “God forbid!” And in his having learned and now knowing, Paul was made to press on with a wisdom and understanding of what was taking place in himself, and for which he was needing not some…but all endurance. Something always being put to death in himself and with which he dare not disagree, stating:

So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Yes, Paul knew His calling, and how effectual it had been made in him, to Christ.

“But who wants death?” one would rightly ask. How could one “sell a thing” from such a place? But Paul knew, because Christ had made known first to him and then in him, this is the way, this is the way of me that I am, death to a self so that life might be at work in others. And yes, Paul was won to it. And it comes no easier to any than it did to Paul, by beholding the most thorough of death ever ministered, that a thing which was a one thing became all of the antithesis of the very thing first was.

He who knew no sin was made sin for us.

The all whom of righteousness, even all righteousness…made to be that all that righteousness is not.

And yes, by grace I am made able to say this, that the rightest thing of all ever done by God for man...felt...more unright in the one undergoing it, than any man might be able to imagine. Which is why God in wisdom has not left for imagination…but even gifted it in and through Christ to only those who have received Him. No man knows the depths of God’s love for His son or as that any man, for that any son that is His and He calls, apart from some knowing of Christ’s descent in His sufferings to win him, that any man.

And there is no way but to take it personally, as only the any man can, and as Paul understood himself to be by his having all his “other” specialness, or things that might be of advantage to count for specialness, as dung. So that in that utmost of having taken Christ…personally, he says

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Yes, Paul came to know of which Jesus the Christ walked daily, a purposeful ascent up that hill to an ignominious death of all appearing shame and humiliation.

Yes…”But who wants death?”…much less that death?
(Can’t I even look a little like a hero? At least to myself?)
God have mercy upon us all. Especially if we “claim” that death.

God help me.


It is so (as are all spiritual matters) counterintuitive to all and any manner of carnal/natural thought that only the spirit can lead us through. The man yet desiring to think himself special, or going about so, has not, nor cannot yet appreciate the Lord’s descent to reach man, and especially a man such as he. To pluck out by such descent a man of all commonness, as common as dust itself, that yet in all, not only tends to, but holds with death grip (till a death breaks it) that he is more than mere dust. And that he not only can, but will show himself…that more than. Never knowing dust is assigned its estate unbreakable…but for an intervention.

What can the new man see? Even confess to?

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Is there, or is there to be any confusing, as to who is what and what is who in that? What grasping at is made known as vain to that vessel or can be, even must be, by that treasure spoken of, and spoken of as held? Any attempts for the dirt to be more manifestly denies, by attempt, the holding of that treasure. Yes! even, yes if it be so.

What is meant? The treasure may indeed lie within, His presence in spirit quick and active to all things, and if He is present (as He is indeed that treasure spoken of) the out working of His glory, as even in His temple, must, and will lead to the man surrendering all vanity shown, if the vessel seeks to be more than it is…the vessel.
It is enough, yes, far more than enough to know oneself as a mere vessel of clay, not unlike any other, if that treasure is revealed as being held.

Ignorance excusable, as always excusable and even paid for in full to such sufficiency and depth that is unplumbable…is yet not to remain. We are not appointed to not knowing, even if and when we are convinced we do not, and of our own selves completely unable to do anything about it. That may even be some attainment, (And O! so wonderful gift of relief!) for a man to come to know (by a great patience taught) he can do nothing about his own ignorance. It could be a very good start for clay to recognize it is not more than clay. God knows.

For how easy it is to have some boast (either inwardly or outwardly, God knows) of being “a vessel of God.” But also how easily a deceiver takes advantage to have us, in a way, deny being earthen, of dust, of dirt…and seek, of itself…to be more than that. Even as in the garden.

And it may well be enough for clay to learn it will never be more nor ever stop attempting…to be more. But, it would have to be informed. And only God knows if that somehow suffices to the new man’s knowing. A simultaneous and now knowing of itself as wanting to be more, while also and in no less measure having presented in plain sight the only man who ever is that more…even the all. The clay might even find the rest from all its own furious attempts…by a death provided to it. For it, and by another. God knows. All attempts at striving to be an anything but what it is…and that by the grace of God.

But yet there is now a whole system, calling itself of God, that would hand out and/or bestow titles coveted, positions, ranks, endorsements, establish an hierarchy, and with like subsystems of such system as offspring, in forever competitions with one another to prove that their “they” are indeed, of God. Appealing to clay to be better clay.

And men are yet gathered to them and seek to gather others, not knowing what scattering is only ever accomplished of, and by dirt. “We have the treasure! Come here!” or “Here is where you must come to hear and learn of the treasure, by all means ‘Let us be the church for you’ “

So much dust cast up in that scattering that it is nothing less than miraculous and indeed gracious if any man be given to see. And it is miraculous this treasure given is/was likewise in the form of dust as we are. He embraced it, He accepted it, along with the necessity of death for it. A death He aimed at, undeterred. Keeping it always in sight as reaching toward it, in His reach of obedience to His Father.

“…for it is for this very hour I have come.”

And He has come to save us from that scattering to the winds and every wind, being blown to and fro. And if we be of Christ, we are appointed to know. To be established.

Even for whatever hour any of us have come.

We may preach, we may study, we may write, we may teach, or shepherd to whatever degree enabled by the grace of God. Prayer never discounted, God forbid.

We may do what we may think (or appears to us) by our own metrics, of much, or little. God knows. All is either done by a strength and power provided, or it is under judgment, and we will find out.

If it is not enough for us that God knows as only God knows, nothing other in all creation, nor beyond (as we might imagine) suffices. For, there is nothing other. Than God’s knowing, and His grace of imparting such…even to an any man.

For the Lord knows those who are His, and none can make of themselves more nor less so. God is not apologizing for anything He makes known, and shown, and our question if not yet satisfactorily answered to us must remain…

“What then is God showing?”

Jesus Christ is alone God’s full measure of His investment into the creation as sufficient to and for all things. By all means, and by whatever grace is made available to that any man called, he may take the measure of that measure of investment made by God. See, what God is showing.

But, if not taken personally, it has not yet begun to be taken.