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Beginning with the foundational necessity of the new birth, the author develops its meaning and implications, bringing the believer into an appreciation of his rich inheritance, his fellowship with the Father and the Son, and his glorious destiny. Choice instruction and meditations, simply written.
Excerpt: Liberty Leads to Conflict – Greater Power for the Believer Than Against Him – The Spirit of God Searches Us – The Spirit Is Opposed to the Flesh – The Way of Victory – Spiritual Prosperity
We will speak of the conflict which, in greater or less intensity, every believer has to go through daily. It is not the struggle for deliverance of soul that now is to occupy us – of that we have already spoken – nor the conflict which is against Satan, wrestling with spiritual wickedness in heavenly places – but the inward conflict in the child of God.
It may be said, “What, if a man knows his sins to be forgiven, and more, liberty” (which some call “sanctification,” “higher life,” “full peace,” and so forth), “then, surely, every spiritual desire must be gratified, and thenceforward, till heaven be gained, there can be nothing more to be wished for.” In things spiritual, as in things natural, when children have grown up to manhood, to ripe age, or, as Scripture speaks, are “perfect,” they do not find that thenceforward there is nothing to do, nothing to suffer. Quite the contrary; in one sense they may be said to begin life only when perfect. Until the great and terrible “I” be held by grace to have been crucified with Christ, the believer can hardly be said to have begun to live the new life in its liberty; but liberty attained, conflict is acutely entered into.
Greater power exists for the believer than against him. The believer knew the bitterness of inward strife before he knew his standing in Christ risen; but having been brought into liberty, he is subject to conflict. Sin is in him, Satan is active, the world attractive. But there is a vast difference between the character of the conflict in the believer who is in liberty, and in him who is in bondage. The difference is this: before he knew himself to be in Christ, the believer was like a helpless cripple in the clutch of a giant; after his deliverance, having the Spirit as power to deal with sin in him, the Spirit within him is stronger than his flesh. Mark, we do not say that the believer is stronger in himself than he was, but that the Spirit in him is power. And by the Spirit’s power he overcomes.
Before we were brought into Christian liberty the power of the indwelling Spirit was not known, but, being delivered from thrall to self, we are in the moral position which should gain the victory. Not that the position itself is victory, it is the vantage ground for victory; victory is obtained by the Spirit. Still, it is no little good to know what the vantage ground is, and a greater thing to occupy that ground.
Table of Contents
1. Necessity for the New Birth, The
2. A Word on the Nature of God and on Man's Nature
3. The Means Whereby the New Birth Is Produced
4. Agent by Whom the New Birth is Effected, The
5. Eternal Life, The
6. Eternal Life Communicated
7. New Birthday, The
8. Eternal Life Received
9. Having Life but Not Having Liberty
10. Struggling for Deliverance
11. Quickened Together With Christ
12. Free Indeed
13. Relationship and Growth
14. Relationship of Child, The
15. Sonship
16. Longings After God
17. Secret of Strength, The
18. Spiritual Conflict
19. Walking in the Spirit
20. Walking in the Light
21. Walking as Christ Walked
22. Fellowship With the Father and the Son
23. Fellowship With the Father and the Son-Practical Considerations
24. Laying Hold of Eternal Life
25. Heirship
26. Liberty of the Glory, The
27. Appendix