"What is the normal Christian life? We do well at the outset to ponder this question.
The
Apostle Paul gives us his own definition of the Christian life in
Galations 2:20. It is
"no longer I, but Christ". Here he is not stating something
special or peculiar -- a high level
of Christianity. He is, we believe, presenting God's normal for a
Christian, which can
be summarized in the words: I live no longer, but Christ lives His
life in me.
God
makes it quite clear in His Word that He has only one answer to every
human need
-- His Son, Jesus Christ. In all His dealings with us He works by
taking us out of the way
and substituting Christ in our place. The Son of God died instead of
us for our forgiveness:
He lives instead of us for our deliverance. So we can speak of two substitutions
-- a Substitute on the Cross who secures our forgiveness and a
Substitute within
who secures our victory. It will help us greatly, and save us from
much confusion, if
we keep constantly before us this fact, that God will answer all our
questions in one way
only, namely, by showing us more of His Son." Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life, page 9.
I will continue to provide quotes from each chapter as we work through the book.
PS - New saying the Lord has given me since last I wrote and it is: LET HIM PERMEATE YOUR NOW.
Grace and Peace
