Monday, November 27, 2017

Victory Without Trying, 2

But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption. 1Cor 1:31

He is all the theology we need in this practical matter
of the victorious life, of walking in the resurrection life.
"Of him," not of yourself, not of all your works, but of
Him; and this is preceded by the statement that "no
flesh should glory in His presence." Glory in the Lord,
in what He has done for you, and is doing for you, and
will do for you; not in what you do for God.

Somehow the church who believes in the redemption of
Christ from Him alone, has gotten the idea that, for sanc-
tification, we must paddle our own canoe."Thanks be to
God, who GIVETH us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57) Both redemption and
sanctification are a gift. The whole things is given to
you, exclusive of your efforts and work.

Trumbull goes on to say: the first 25 years of my Chris-
tian life I lived in utter ignorance of the truth. It was on
August 14th, 1910 that the scales dropped from my eyes,
and I saw that Christ was my life. Christ was my victory.
I have gotten to the place where I have lost my interest in
the question of how God does things. But I do know that
God does this thing; and I know it not because of any ex-
periences of victory God has given me--blessed though
some have been--; but I know it because God says so. He
says: "Sin shall not have dominion over you," and, if 
that is not true, I have no hope of salvation, I have no 
hope of anything. But God is not a liar: He is the eternal 
truth; and because His Word is true, it means that God is 
responsible for my victory; and until I doubt Him, I am 
going to have victory.

If we have any faith at all--I mean, if we believe God is
faithful--let us quietly cease from our own works and stop 
trying to win the victory and His pleasure in what we do.   
Charles G Trumbull

Reader, I once asked a pastor what he did not like in
terms of "Christ being our victory." He told me that
those who believe this stop working, and then they leave.
Actually they stopped working because of burn out for
all was being accomplished in their own resources. I
eventually understood because the pastor made it too
difficult for us to stay. He did not want me to share these
truths with others. What Trumbull is preaching and how
he was able to live it, is a very unpopular teaching today.
The main question to ask is what is the truth that Paul
taught in Romans 6 and in the book of Galatians.

I have been crucified with Christ: 
nevertheless I live; 
yet not I, 
but Christ liveth in me: 
and the life which I now live in the flesh 
I live by the faith of the Son of God, 
who loved me, and gave himself for me. 
Galatians 2:20

No comments: