Those who are reborn will at times find themselves seemingly dissatisfied and unfeeling! This is always temporary, for faith strengthening (e.g. continuing to believe in Christ’s expiation for your sins), and is due to the ongoing presence of the “old man” within (Ro 7:17, 20). Whether or not we “endure” these trials “patiently (Heb 6:15), God still takes us through them, even if kicking and screaming; but it is more God-glorifying to go through without allowing it to “trouble” you (Jn 14:1, 27).
NC
While the Cross has effectively cut the connection between the believer and the world, the resurrection has brought him into the power of new ties and associations. If in the Cross we see the world’s judgment about the Lord Jesus, in resurrection we see the Father’s judgment. The world crucified Him, but “God hath highly exalted Him” (Phl 2:9). Man gave Him the very lowest, God gave the very highest place; and, inasmuch as the believer is called into full fellowship with the Father in His thoughts about the Son, he is enabled (1Jo 4:4) to turn the tables upon the world (Jhn 16:33), and look upon it as a crucified thing (Gal 6:14).
If, therefore, the believer is on one cross and the world on another (Gal 6:14), the moral distance between the two is vast indeed. If it is vast in principle, so should it be in practice. The world and the Christian should have absolutely nothing in common (except for morality which unbelievers can have—NC); nor will they, unless in some measure deny his Lord and Master. The believer proves himself false to the Lord Jesus to the very same degree that he has fellowship with the world (which immature believers do, but God will eventually correct them - Phl 1:6; 2:13—NC).
All this is plain enough, but where does it put us as regards this world? Truly, it puts us outside it, and that completely (regardless of one’s maturity in Christ, you are considered fully separated from unbelievers in all they are and all they do; what a permanent encouragement and relief—NC). We are dead to the world (esp. considering its condemnation—NC) and alive with the risen Lord Jesus. We are at once partakers with Him in His rejection by the earth, and we are His acceptance in Heaven; and the joy of the latter makes us count as nothing the trials connected with the former (Rom 8:18). To be cast out of the world (seemingly being alone—NC), without knowing that I have a present place and portion on high, would be intolerable; but when the glories of heaven fill the soul’s vision—goodbye world!
But some may feel led to ask, “What is the world?” It would be difficult to find a term more inaccurately defined than “world,” or “worldliness.” The Word of God, however, has, with perfect precision, defined what “the world” is, when it marks it as that which is “not of the Father” (1Jo 2:16). Hence, the deeper my fellowship with the Father, the keener will be my sense of what is worldly. This is the divine way of teaching. The more you delight in the Father’s love, the more you reject the world (it’s easy at times to want fellowship with unbelievers when lonely—NC).
Now, who reveals the Father? The Son (Luk 10:22). How? By the power of the Holy Spirit (Jhn 14:26). Wherefore, the more I am enabled, by the Spirit, to drink in the Son’s revelation of the Father, the more accurate does my judgment become as to what is of the world. It is thus that discernment as to worldliness becomes refined. You can hardly attempt to define worldliness. It is, as had been said, “Shade off gradually form white to black.” This is most true. You cannot place a bound and say, “Here is where worldliness begins;” but the keen and exquisite sensibilities of the divine nature recoil from it; and all we need is to walk in the power of that life, in order to keep aloof from every form of worldliness.
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16). Walk with the Father, and you shall not walk with the world (Jas 3:15). Cold distinctions and rigid rules will avail nothing. The power of the divine life, by the Holy Spirit, is what we want! We need to understand the meaning and spiritual application of the “three days’ journey into the wilderness,” whereby we are separated forever, not only from Egypt’s brick kilns and taskmasters, but also from its temples and alters (which were prominent for idol worship—NC).
—Charles Henry Mackintosh (1820-1896)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for August 26
“When the Lord Jesus’ love is before you, you find this love is drawing you from darkness to light. He begins by showing His desire for your spiritual advancement, and not by advancing you in earthly position.
“It is beautiful to see that the work of true love is to set aside darkness, or whatever would interfere with fellowship; and therefore it is not esteemed as it ought to be, because we are looking for something on the earth, and the tendency is to judge of His love by earthly gifts or favors down here.”
“We have died with the Lord Jesus out of our old Adam position: our old man was crucified with Him (for saints the old men is restrained on the Cross and is kept from causing believers to desire sin – Ro 6:6—NC). The flesh is in us still indeed, but in us a foreign thing; we are not in it before God, nor identified with it in any wise (Ro 8:9), but with Him in whom it was never found. We are in Him as He is, and where He is.
“Can we say quite confidently, each for himself, ‘Yes, we are identified with Him who represents us there before the eye of our Father—as He is, in whom no spot was ever found nor can be, but perfectness after God’s own heart wholly’?
“That is to be in Christ—a new creature. Our rule is, to walk in Him, as being what we really are—heavenly, citizens of heaven, pilgrims and strangers upon earth.” - Frederick William Grant (1834-1902)
NC
Dead To The World
While the Cross has effectively cut the connection between the believer and the world, the resurrection has brought him into the power of new ties and associations. If in the Cross we see the world’s judgment about the Lord Jesus, in resurrection we see the Father’s judgment. The world crucified Him, but “God hath highly exalted Him” (Phl 2:9). Man gave Him the very lowest, God gave the very highest place; and, inasmuch as the believer is called into full fellowship with the Father in His thoughts about the Son, he is enabled (1Jo 4:4) to turn the tables upon the world (Jhn 16:33), and look upon it as a crucified thing (Gal 6:14).
If, therefore, the believer is on one cross and the world on another (Gal 6:14), the moral distance between the two is vast indeed. If it is vast in principle, so should it be in practice. The world and the Christian should have absolutely nothing in common (except for morality which unbelievers can have—NC); nor will they, unless in some measure deny his Lord and Master. The believer proves himself false to the Lord Jesus to the very same degree that he has fellowship with the world (which immature believers do, but God will eventually correct them - Phl 1:6; 2:13—NC).
All this is plain enough, but where does it put us as regards this world? Truly, it puts us outside it, and that completely (regardless of one’s maturity in Christ, you are considered fully separated from unbelievers in all they are and all they do; what a permanent encouragement and relief—NC). We are dead to the world (esp. considering its condemnation—NC) and alive with the risen Lord Jesus. We are at once partakers with Him in His rejection by the earth, and we are His acceptance in Heaven; and the joy of the latter makes us count as nothing the trials connected with the former (Rom 8:18). To be cast out of the world (seemingly being alone—NC), without knowing that I have a present place and portion on high, would be intolerable; but when the glories of heaven fill the soul’s vision—goodbye world!
But some may feel led to ask, “What is the world?” It would be difficult to find a term more inaccurately defined than “world,” or “worldliness.” The Word of God, however, has, with perfect precision, defined what “the world” is, when it marks it as that which is “not of the Father” (1Jo 2:16). Hence, the deeper my fellowship with the Father, the keener will be my sense of what is worldly. This is the divine way of teaching. The more you delight in the Father’s love, the more you reject the world (it’s easy at times to want fellowship with unbelievers when lonely—NC).
Now, who reveals the Father? The Son (Luk 10:22). How? By the power of the Holy Spirit (Jhn 14:26). Wherefore, the more I am enabled, by the Spirit, to drink in the Son’s revelation of the Father, the more accurate does my judgment become as to what is of the world. It is thus that discernment as to worldliness becomes refined. You can hardly attempt to define worldliness. It is, as had been said, “Shade off gradually form white to black.” This is most true. You cannot place a bound and say, “Here is where worldliness begins;” but the keen and exquisite sensibilities of the divine nature recoil from it; and all we need is to walk in the power of that life, in order to keep aloof from every form of worldliness.
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16). Walk with the Father, and you shall not walk with the world (Jas 3:15). Cold distinctions and rigid rules will avail nothing. The power of the divine life, by the Holy Spirit, is what we want! We need to understand the meaning and spiritual application of the “three days’ journey into the wilderness,” whereby we are separated forever, not only from Egypt’s brick kilns and taskmasters, but also from its temples and alters (which were prominent for idol worship—NC).
—Charles Henry Mackintosh (1820-1896)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for August 26
“When the Lord Jesus’ love is before you, you find this love is drawing you from darkness to light. He begins by showing His desire for your spiritual advancement, and not by advancing you in earthly position.
“It is beautiful to see that the work of true love is to set aside darkness, or whatever would interfere with fellowship; and therefore it is not esteemed as it ought to be, because we are looking for something on the earth, and the tendency is to judge of His love by earthly gifts or favors down here.”
“We have died with the Lord Jesus out of our old Adam position: our old man was crucified with Him (for saints the old men is restrained on the Cross and is kept from causing believers to desire sin – Ro 6:6—NC). The flesh is in us still indeed, but in us a foreign thing; we are not in it before God, nor identified with it in any wise (Ro 8:9), but with Him in whom it was never found. We are in Him as He is, and where He is.
“Can we say quite confidently, each for himself, ‘Yes, we are identified with Him who represents us there before the eye of our Father—as He is, in whom no spot was ever found nor can be, but perfectness after God’s own heart wholly’?
“That is to be in Christ—a new creature. Our rule is, to walk in Him, as being what we really are—heavenly, citizens of heaven, pilgrims and strangers upon earth.” - Frederick William Grant (1834-1902)