We have established then, that the Christian life is not a matter of law-keeping, of trying our best to lead as good a life as possible, in order to please God; holy and righteous though he certainly is. Such an endeavour may seem admirable at first sight. Then when we see this for what it really is, an attempt to establish our own righteousness over against God – to establish some credit with him – we understand that this is not the Gospel at all! Sorry! No! We are totally bankrupt! Our relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is based on GRACE ALONE! We have nothing to offer God but ourselves – and he receives us, bankrupt though we certainly are, on the basis of what Jesus did for us ALONE – and THAT IS SUFFICIENT!
But if this is the case; if the Christian life is not what so many think it is – about being as pious as one possibly can – and if Christians are really not what so many take us to be, a bunch of religious Pharisees, we need to explore the alternative. Granted that the law is to be our guide in the Christian life, what is the alternative to law-keeping? The answer to that question according to Paul, is to live a life powered by the Holy Spirit. And I have in several posts now said that this involves faith. What this really means, however, is what I want to explore in the next few blogs. For the present, I want to drive some pillars into the ground, to create a framework within which to think. To do this, we are going to look at something Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians:
“yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”
1 Cor. 8,6
There are four very important prepositional phrases here, which I have highlighted. Two involve God the Father, and two involve God the Son. These phrases are as follows:
OF THE FATHER
“…from whom are all things”
The preposition “from” (εκ/ek in Greek), denotes SOURCE. The Father is the source from which all things come! Scientists may be able to map our genom, and believe that they have thus “explained” each of us. I believe the Bible teaches that we are incredibly more complicated than that. Each of us, unique as we are, is a mystery, simply because our Source, God is a mystery, beyond anything any of us can fathom. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made”, to echo the Psalmist (Ps. 139,14). But that God is our source, means that we are fully known by him. God knows you and I, to the very depths of our beings and back. Every nook and cranny, every bit of our history, everything that has hurt us – he knows it all. ALL HEALING AND WHOLENESS comes from him who knows us, and who loves us.
…and for him we exist
The Father is the ground and the meaning, of and for, our existence. It is for him that I am! His love gives my life worth! When we experience his love, it causes us to love others. But it is by faith that we know and experience that love. John says: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.” 1 Jn. 4,16. The whole meaning of our existence then, is in an answer to that love; and to reflect his glory!
The preposition translated “for”, in “for him” (εις/eis in Greek), also carries the idea of motion towards. I see my life as a Christian in a continual motion towards the Father.
At present I know that I have come to my Father’s house. I know that I have been accepted by him as his child. I know that I have a place at the table.
But with Paul (in 2 Cor. 5,7) I know all this by faith and not by sight:
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but one day, I shall look into his face, and I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Cor. 13,12).
Like the Prodigal in Luke 15,20: “and he arose and came to his father” – I am on my way home.
OF THE SON
… through whom are all things
The preposition behind “through” (δια/dia in Greek), denotes the agent of Creation. It was by the Son, that all things were created. See Jn. 1,3, and Col. 1,16.
..and through whom we exist
We can better appreciate what Paul means, by looking at what he wrote about Christ in Col. 1,17: “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
So “Through whom are all things” should be read with, “in him all things hold together.” He holds the various constituent parts of our beings together. It is another way of saying that he holds our very lives together, with all their parts – when we put our hand in his! And may not he who “is before all things, and in whom all things hold together”, also know how to deal with the coronavirus?
So I have painted the christian life, and in fact sanctification, as a journey back home to our Father’s house – whilst we all the time in fact are present with him, by faith, sitting at his table, enjoying his presence and fellowship – such is the paradox we live with. It is a journey upon which we have voluntarily embarked, and from which we may at any time turn back. And all the while, we are being healed, we are being made whole. We are being “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8, 29). We shall meet difficulties and challenges on the way – it is an adventure – a quest to bring glory to the Father! And God expects us to pursue our goal; for “my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” Heb. 10,38.
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
In the next posts, I hope to paint this quest – this walking in the Spirit – as an exciting adventure, where we daily walk this earth – both feet planted firmly in this world – but in fellowship with Jesus, and in the presence and power of the mighty Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life (Nicene Creed)!
And all the while, living under grace!
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.” 2 Cor. 13:14.
Read my blog: https://bibleandfaith.com/the-father-is-the-source/