Extract from 'The Measure of Christ' by TAS
The object of the Father from first to last is that the Son, the Lord Jesus, shall fill all things, and all things shall be filled with Christ. The value of everything in the eyes of God is according to the measure of the manifestation of Christ in it. It is from that standpoint God determines the importance of everything.
If we become focussed there, it will make a great difference, much will have to go because it is not manifesting the Lord Jesus. We must understand that the Father has set the Lord Jesus before His eyes, and the Father's eyes are full of only one object, that is the Beloved, His Son; and in the eyes of God the value of everything is determined by the measure in which His Son is manifested and glorified; that is His end and that is His object.
Spiritual service, vision, vocation, glorification, have no existence apart from Christ; they are not things as things, and cannot be had except in the Person of the Lord Jesus...
Christianity is not a doctrine, not truth as truth, but the knowledge of a Person; it is knowing the Lord Jesus. You cannot be educated into being a Christian. Christianity is the knowledge within of a Person, knowing Him as dwelling within us...
You cannot go outside of A and Z in the realm of literature; you box the compass of language with A and Z; likewise Christ Jesus is First and Last of God's new creation, and all that is in between; you cannot get outside of that. We must never think of anything as outside of Christ; He Is Salvation; He Is Sanctification; He Is Redemption, Justification, Peace; Wisdom, Love, Heaven. "Know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you," this Christ - in you! Do you see the possibilities and the tremendous reach of this?
God will transform His universe, not from without, but from within. How? By putting Jesus Christ within the believer by His Holy Spirit; and thence there will be a two-fold activity - being conformed to Him by His Spirit, and He being formed in the believer; thus He is going to make His new creation...
The Christian life is not by effort, and not by struggle; not merely by trying to put into practice certain maxims, or by trying to attain to a certain measure; but from beginning to end, and all together, it is a matter of knowing the Lord Jesus within. Of course this implies response to Him, and a continual yieldedness to His working by His Spirit within, and so co-operating with Him in His purpose of conformity to His image.
[It would be wonderful to read the entire article on www.austin-sparks.net, the online library of T. Austin-Sparks.]
If we become focussed there, it will make a great difference, much will have to go because it is not manifesting the Lord Jesus. We must understand that the Father has set the Lord Jesus before His eyes, and the Father's eyes are full of only one object, that is the Beloved, His Son; and in the eyes of God the value of everything is determined by the measure in which His Son is manifested and glorified; that is His end and that is His object.
Spiritual service, vision, vocation, glorification, have no existence apart from Christ; they are not things as things, and cannot be had except in the Person of the Lord Jesus...
Christianity is not a doctrine, not truth as truth, but the knowledge of a Person; it is knowing the Lord Jesus. You cannot be educated into being a Christian. Christianity is the knowledge within of a Person, knowing Him as dwelling within us...
You cannot go outside of A and Z in the realm of literature; you box the compass of language with A and Z; likewise Christ Jesus is First and Last of God's new creation, and all that is in between; you cannot get outside of that. We must never think of anything as outside of Christ; He Is Salvation; He Is Sanctification; He Is Redemption, Justification, Peace; Wisdom, Love, Heaven. "Know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you," this Christ - in you! Do you see the possibilities and the tremendous reach of this?
God will transform His universe, not from without, but from within. How? By putting Jesus Christ within the believer by His Holy Spirit; and thence there will be a two-fold activity - being conformed to Him by His Spirit, and He being formed in the believer; thus He is going to make His new creation...
The Christian life is not by effort, and not by struggle; not merely by trying to put into practice certain maxims, or by trying to attain to a certain measure; but from beginning to end, and all together, it is a matter of knowing the Lord Jesus within. Of course this implies response to Him, and a continual yieldedness to His working by His Spirit within, and so co-operating with Him in His purpose of conformity to His image.
[It would be wonderful to read the entire article on www.austin-sparks.net, the online library of T. Austin-Sparks.]
posted by prolix at 10:43 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Procyon,
Thanks for visiting my blog. When I was looking over your blogs, the quote from 'TAS' caught my attention and stirred up an old memory. "T Austin-Sparks? Could it really be?" It was!
I first ran across TAS over 20 years ago, with his book "The School of Christ." It had been reprinted by David Wilkerson's ministry. In fact, if you've ever see that particular edition, you might have recognized the same artwork from that book cover on my blog banner (a very intentional connection).
TAS was an early pioneer of a reformation that is coming to the church in the last days, that is referred to in Scripture as 'the knowledge of the Son of God ' (Eph 4:13). He was also an early mentor for me. His books contain many excellent insights, but an adjustment is needed in one's own mind in order to obtain their fullest benefit.
TAS had a foundation in holiness doctrines, with their emphasis on self-abasement. And as surprising as it seems, this is the actual foundation of his writings, rather than Christ (1 Cor 3:11), and the knowledge of Jesus Himself is built on the foundation of self-abasement.
It is true that our flesh must die, but humble flesh is still flesh. t cannot be the foundaiton for anything. Instead, the knowledge of Christ must lead the process, so that flesh dies in it's wake. Just as He loved us and died for us while we were still sinners, He begins new works in transforming our lives, in one area and then another into His image, from glory to glory, which displaces the old man in those same areas as a natural consequwnce of His initiative:
"He must increase. I must decrease."
(John 3:30)
Please be sure, I am not knocking TAS at all! His writings can take some time to digest, but if one could discuss it with him today I am sure he would see the point and appreciate the improvement this adjustment could bring. It only serves to magngy the intention of his heart that Christ be all in all.
Hope to talk with you again soon.
Loren
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