“Yet not I but Christ in me”.
This phrase is still going around in my mind. I am trying somehow to come completely to grips with this great statement from Galatians. What does it really mean – practically?
“In ‘the Lord’s prayer’ there is a plea “(let) Your will be done” – so allowing Christ to live through you, boils down to submitting your will to mine on a moment by moment basis – this will mostly be subconscious – moved by your ongoing relationship with Me, desiring to walk with Me you will also be moved by the Spirit in you – so this will lead you to a life of joyful obedience. Putting it differently – keeping in step with the Spirit. When you have been diverted to following your own will and become aware of it, it is a small step of realization, repentance and confession to get back on track”.
Now moving on to Hebrews 10:1-18. So the main themes remain prominent: Being made perfect vv 1,14. The word for ‘perfect’ actually describes being made ‘complete’ .It is the healing and bringing together all aspects of your life in line with God’s ultimate purpose. It is actually another way of speaking about being saved. The other theme is the ‘once for all’, describing the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the picture of Him sitting down at the right hand of His Father shows the finality of the whole exercise. (vv 13,14). This is brought out clearly by the picture of the repetitive nature of the works of the high priest.
Now, although our instant standing, once we are ‘in Jesus’, is perfection or holiness, the practical expression of this in that our lives fall far short of these words. So we have a new thought being brought out. That is the idea of giving a practical expression to our standing of holiness or perfection. So in this passage it is emphasized three times (vv7,9,10) that Jesus came “to do the will of God”. The will of God for Him was to be a sacrifice in His body on the cross v 10.
From this flows two consequences: If we are to become perfect and holy we need to follow Jesus’ pattern of following God’s will. Our status is perfection but our lives fall short of that. This passage tells us that Jesus has made provision for that in two ways. Firstly through His death on our behalf all our sins are forgiven, therefore although our lives do not reflect our perfection, we are already forgiven (v17). As a second part of the New Covenant we have been given the Holy Spirit who dwells within us moving our hearts continually to obedience v 16. this idea will be developed in the next vv I believe.
Now this passage once again linked back so completely to the word that the Lord gave me earlier. Yet not i but Christ in Me. So His word to me is clear, a continual reminder that I have been crucified with Christ and I live, but not I, Christ lives in me, has very practical consequences. He does not want fancy rituals, just ongoing, loving obedience to His will through he power of the Spirit.
Dear Ian
I really love how you make clear the true meaning of perfect as ‘complete’. It reminds me how Isaiah writes that Christ’s joy will be made complete in us, and how He will be glorified in us. And that glory is the incredible miracle of salvation, of being made whole again in our reconciliation with God.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts and minds, giving us a burning desire to know our Saviour more fully, and to diligently study His Word to know His will, and the wisdom to discern that which is good, and where I need to act faithfully.
Thát is obedience, seeking His will in His word, and acting on it in our daily lives, even when we are facing fear, frustration, rejection, pain or hardship. In that obedience lies a promise of great peace, because we will be rooted and grounded in His will ❤️🙏
By reading Hebrews , i hear our Holy Lord’s invitation ” Draw near to ME through My Son, your Savior! Draw near to Me through faith and trust in Christ! Draw near to Me , my child I will never leave nor forsake you! ” This Holy, Holy, Holy majestic Lord of righteousness is asking me to draw near to Him through faith in His Son Jesus Christ! We cannot draw near to our Holy Lord on our own in our sinful.nature, Christ has to intercede for us. ” For Christ is able to.save to the uttermost those who.drsw near to God through Him., since He always lives to make intercession for them ” Hebrews 7 25 All.glory and power be to our Holy Lord forever and ever! Amen
I wrote this, because i am convinced in my heart that it is our Holy Lord’s will to draw near to Him through Christ in.me.
It is such a comfort to know in our frailty Jesus is doing intercession on our behalf. When we pray, or worship our Father and King, daily we come near Him, drawn to Jesus with deep love and thankfulness. God knows according to Ps 139 our every thought, our heart, and so what a comfort!
Then David prays that God would lead us on the everlasting path. We could with His Spirit in us, be thankful and joyful and have the peace Jesus left with us. We give Him our everlasting love and honour the name of God the Father.