In my last post I showed how Christ’s revealing of His Life in me is only through the grace of God. It’s only by grace that God chooses to reveal His Son in us, not through our efforts or even by our desire. I can try until I am blue in the face, but only Christ can live His Life and He does so in me by grace.
God’s Requirements
And knowing that my efforts are not adequate to satisfy God, then how am I to fulfill the many requirements of God on my life? The Word of God presents many commands of me in this life. Besides the big Ten Commandments, there are the beatitudes and more. These commands of God aren’t mere suggestions; they are demands on my life. So if it is not by my efforts, then how?
Here’s the answer Martha gives in The Way CD series: “All the requirements of the New Covenant are on the Life of Christ.” Yes, every requirement of the New Testament is a requirement on Christ in me not of me. This is such good news! Christ fulfills all the Father’s requirements in me. As a doer of many doings, this is simply outstanding!
To go further with this, I want to give the answer to every questioning heart IN THE WORLD. Yes, I am prepared to give THE answer to every question of life. Audacious, huh?! The answer to every question in our current dispensation is solved by one thing—Christ!
The Answer to All the Requirements of God
While swimming the other day with my waterproof iPod, I heard Martha say this very thing. Every time I’ve heard this, all I do is smile. “The answer to every question of the New Testament, every question you would have, is Christ” (from Worship Forever! CD series). Our natural bent is to either take on the full burden of living the Christian Life, or to blame another for preventing us from doing so. But Martha’s quote is electric. Christ knew we were unable and hence came to be our ability. His Life performs all that would satisfy the Father. We weren’t left helpless with no ability to fulfill God’s requirements. His Life for my life satisfies the wishes of a Holy God.
It all accords with my own earnest wishes and hopes, which are that I should never be in any way ashamed, but that now, as always, I should honour Christ with the utmost boldness by the way I live, whether that means I am to face death or to go on living. For living to me means simply “Christ”, and if I die I should merely gain more of Him.
Philippians 1:20-21 PHILLIPS
…For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity].”
Philippians 1:21 AMPC
Thank you John for sharing His truth, the requirement “on CHRIST IN me NOT ON ME’…..(emphasis mine) I must need to hear this again, these truths that you Jennifer and Martha are sharing. He will with HIS Holy Spirit infuse me with this message that this will give honor to God’s son, shining in and through me. GLORY TO GOD. I need to find my copies of these series for I know the Holy Spirit will bring another infusion of these truths. (If by chance I don’t have them, will order from Jennifer) All blessing and love from our ABBA… Read more »
Bless you Sue! Thank you for the encouragement! The series I think you are talking about is a true gem. The Spirit and the Wind is about the Holy Spirit being the Agent of our becoming. Just WOW! If you have misplaced yours or lent it out and need another copy, here is a link to the series. Bless you and love you!
https://livingchristianbooks.com/spirit-and-the-wind-martha-kilpatrick/
John! I and my girls agree, never stop swimming!!!
I love listening to Martha underwater. hehehe Love you!
Thank you a million times, John. Have been so discouraged lately by failure: to pray enough, read and meditate on the Word more consistently, get alone with Him, just out of love, more often. Many ‘excuses’: too tired, not enough time, not feeling well — when I read these, it’s almost a joke; I mean, that’s like 90% of the population! The desire is there but there always seems to be “something else” to do. ” . . . not by works . . . ” — one of the first verses memorized as a new believer, later forgotten (even… Read more »
What I am really praying about is writing a book about this. I have it started, I am praying for the grace and His Life to complete it. If you are willing I would love your prayers! Love you Pauline!