Complete In Christ
Yet Laboring In The Lord
Part IIBy Wilhelm Prolingheuer
OUR SUBMISSION to our Lord is very different from our POSITION in Christ. "In Christ" we are complete. "In the Lord" we compete. "In Christ" we are addressed as sons, lacking nothing, and all have equal status. "In the Lord" we are admonished as slaves , and each one has a different function and will be "graded" on this performance. In this second article we will take up this latter aspect of our calling in grace. Before us stands the mighty MASTER, whose orders must be obeyed, if we would be well pleasing to Him. We are not our own, but fully belong to Him. Our own personal interests must give way to the will of the One Who bought us with His precious blood.
INSEPARABLE TRUTHS
Our position in Christ and submission in the Lord are two sides of the same coin. "You can't have one without the other." Our position is God's outright gift. It is grace in action! Our submission is our response. It is grace operating in us. Both are the products of His grace. But no one can see the spiritual position we occupy in Christ. Our worthy walk is the only outward evidence of our invisible, inward status.
NEEDED: A PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS
Although our status and our walk are both the results of God's governing grace, we must not take the scriptures dealing with one aspect and blend them with those pertaining to the other. We need "a pattern of sound words" (2 Tim.1:13) to keep from mixing what God has carefully kept separate. Those who do not distinguish these differing aspects may never attain the blissful realization that their salvation is secure "in Christ." Or, they may wander off in the other direction and brand every endeavor to walk well pleasing to the Lord as a fruitless, futile failure--utterly unnecessary! If their careless conduct is criticized, they comment, "I am complete in Christ!"
This form of fuzzy philosophy only leads to confusion, which cannot build up, but only tear down. It breeds immaturity and uncertainty, which, in turn, produces sectarianism and strife. It comes from half-baked "knowledge" coupled with little love (1 Cor.8:1).
"In Christ" vs. "In the Lord "
When we speak of our position, it is always "in Christ." When we talk of walk, it is always "in the Lord." These are two key phrases, which will open up the meaning of many passages to our understanding. They tell us whether we are dealing with doctrine (what we have "in Christ") or deportment (our obligations "in the Lord").
This will become clearer as we consider some examples. The first half of Ephesians (chapters 1 to 3) deals with our abundantly blessed position "in Christ." The phrase "in Christ" occurs in Ephesians 1:1,3,12; 2:5,6,7,10,13; 3:6 and 11. After Paul has enumerated all the aspects of the honors that are ours in our high calling, starting in chapter four he entreats us to walk worthily of this calling with which we were called (Eph.4:1). Note the contrast between that portion which begins "I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ " (3:1), and the section which commences "I, the prisoner in the Lord " (4:1).
All of Philippians is dominated by deportment. It was not written by Paul, the apostle, but rather by Paul, the slave of Christ Jesus (Phil.1:1). In it Paul presents himself as a pattern for service--yet this admonition is addressed to those who were already "in Christ Jesus." Without being "in Him," all such efforts would be in vain.
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES
Grace Brings Salvation and Motivates Service
Let us dwell, for a moment, on the distinctive difference between our position "in Christ," and our submission "in the Lord." "In Christ" all believers are one. In Him there is no more Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. All need and all share one Saviour. Likewise, equally to all Christ becomes wisdom and righteousness, holiness and deliverance. All are complete in Him.
Yet "in the Lord," each believer differs from his brethren. Each has his own job to do, and he must give an account of his performance to his Lord at the dais. "In the Lord" we have husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves. There are different degrees of sovereignty and subjection. And there are several speeds of spiritual growth.
From the foregoing discussion we should conclude that we must never confuse our position "in Christ" as secure sons of God, with our continuing struggle to grow into mature members of the body, well suited for service. As we grow into Him, we shall strive to become more and more like Him, for even Paul did not claim perfection in his pursuit of this glorious goal (Phil.3:12).
There is rest for the saints in the Saviour. They may cease from their struggles to gain God's favor once they see that their salvation is secure "in Christ Jesus." Yet there is work to be done for the Lord. Again and again all are admonished, "Walk worthily of the Lord" (Col.1:10). "Present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, well pleasing to God" (Rom.12:1). "Become settled, unmovable, superabounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor.15:58). "Look to the service...in the Lord, that you may be fulfilling it" (Col.4:17).
All our industrious efforts will never "earn" us salvation. That is God's great gift, and it is His faithfulness which guarantees it. In salvation there is no growth and development--save, perhaps, in our realization of it. Here all will gain the goal, granted by God's grace.
But in our walk we must take each step ourselves. God supplies the power. We supply the legs. And someday we must all give an account of what we have put into practice through the body--our actions, good and bad (2 Cor.5:10). With what kind of materials are we building on the foundation, Christ? Are they fireproof (1 Cor.3:13)?
TO WILL AND TO WORK
When we labor for our Lord, we do not work alone. God is operating in us "to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight" (Phil.2:13). Grace is His grand agent. It works in two ways. (1). It brings us salvation in the first place--overwhelming us with the love of God and prompting us to want to serve our Saviour. (2). It then becomes the very essence of our life of service--enabling us to serve in spite of all obstacles. It is the oil which calms the troubled waters, the solace which banishes the conflicts in our contacts with others, the sunshine that clears away the clouds that fog our fellowship. Grace is ours both "in Christ," and "in the Lord"--a continual fountain of blessing, gushing over and embracing us from all sides. It springs from but a single source--the Father's overflowing heart.
In our labor for the Lord, Paul is our "pattern" because he practiced what he preached. Yet, testifying of his toil, he began by praising God's grace: "Yet, in the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor.15:10). Grace was the sublime source of his power and the driving motive for his service. He not only traced his salvation to God's grace (1 Tim.1:12-16), but also the work which was entrusted to him (1 Cor.3:10; Eph.3:8). His fearless faithfulness to his commission was unparalleled (2 Cor.6:3-10), so that he could say in all humility, "His grace, which is in me, did not come to be for naught, but more exceedingly than all of them toil I, yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me" (1 Cor.15:10). The brief account of Paul's sufferings as a slave of the Lord in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 contains a whole catalogue of trials, toil, and testing. But, in Paul's enlightened eyes, all this was the fruit of God's indwelling grace.
God's grace was the gift Paul cherished above all others. Yet we can receive it for naught (2 Cor.6:1). We can neglect it, hinder it, and even oppose it. Yet we cannot deny receiving it, for "to each one of us was given grace in accord with the measure of the gratuity of Christ" (Eph.4:7). No one has been left out. His grace is sufficient for all. Everyone can lay hold of all the grace he will need to fulfill whatever task has been entrusted to him by his Lord. Everyone has been given the longing to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight (Phil.2:13). Yearning to please Him is the normal state in a true life of faith.
Isn't this true even in the business world? Isn't it normal to try and please our employer? Won't those whose work brings pleasure to the "boss" receive a bonus at the end of the year? How much more should we desire to be pleasing to our Master, Who has done so much for us! We should find the greatest pleasure in a life of selflessness. Yet our God Who formed us from the soil knows our weaknesses intimately, so He has given us an extra incentive, by placing great goals before us, to encourage us to serve, and reward those who do. At the dais there will be wages for each man's toil (1 Cor.3:9), applause (1 Cor.4:5), and a victor's wreath (1 Cor.9:24-27; 2 Tim.2:5) for those who have not faltered. All this we forfeit if we fail. But our salvation is not at stake. That is secure "in Christ." Yet great will be our loss in that day if all our works are burned up.
A slave can only perform his duty fully if he is well acquainted with the ways of his master. He needs to know his master's position, his household, his possessions and his personality. For he has a certain relationship to all that his master is and represents. The slave of a king will have different duties than the slave of a farmer. Yet both have this in common: they are the personal property of their owners and are not free to do as they like. However, the vast difference in the social position of their masters would reflect on their service.
Likewise, we should make an effort to learn as much about our Master as we can. Who is He? Whom does He represent? What are His dignities and honors? What does He have the right to demand? How does His position affect our own? These are the questions we should seek to answer, so that we can make sure our service is appropriate to the mighty Master Whom we serve.
"Then be observing accurately, brethren, how you are walking, not as unwise, but as wise, reclaiming the era, for the days are wicked" (Eph.5:15,16). Paul felt it imperative to forego any personal advantage, if it might prove to be a hindrance to his service. To walk wisely, be warned that we must conscientiously seek to know what the will of the Lord is; we must be eager to learn what our Lord expects of us. The easiest way to do this is to watch Paul walk. Summed up simply, it was crucifixion with Christ. The cross was his boast, the word of the cross was his evangel. All that was once gain to him, his fleshly position in the royal race, his self-righteous supremacy as a fanatical Pharisee, he readily renounced and deemed it refuse, in order to gain Christ, and be found in Him; to know Him; and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings." (Phil.3:4-10)
Joy in Affliction
Are we as willing as Paul was to be "stripping off the old humanity and putting on the young? Are we really reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin and living to God? Is the victor's wreath ever before us? We are living in a perilous period when it is considered "decent" to have a form of devoutness, yet deny its power. Therefore let us be all the more diligent to don the word of life, to demonstrate its power, and produce evidence of what it can accomplish in our lives.
We are all familiar with the admonition in Philippians--"Rejoice in the Lord" (Phil.3:1)! In this context this must surely mean, "Rejoice, O ye slaves, that you may serve such a Lord!" This exhortation was given to us by the joyful slave of Christ Jesus, who at that time was bound by a chain in Rome. Humanly speaking, he had little to be happy about. But he did not complain. Rather, he rejoiced in his sufferings as though they were gifts of God's grace! He was constantly consoling the ecclesias, and reminding them to "Rejoice!" even though he was the one who really deserved the sympathy and consolation.
Listen to him saying, "Having this dispensation...we spurn the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in God's sight" (2 Cor.4:1).
And when he was entrusted with the "secret of Christ," he did not shrink from any troublesome task he encountered, but always struggled "to present every man mature in Christ Jesus." In all of his afflictions it was his joy to continue telling others of the overwhelming blessings that are "in Christ."
Our Great God
Today, we also have been called to such a service--each in his own station and according to his gifts. "Now, being true, in love we should be making all grow into Him, Who is the Head Christ" (Eph.4:15). Although it is Christ Himself Who really makes His body grow, we have the privilege of being His helpers. There is room for all the saints in this ministry. Let us not be lazy or languid. Everyone "in Christ," who has grasped what that involves, is also called to labor "in the Lord."
If we would once contemplate what kind of vessels have been called to this wonderful and worthy service--out of what mean metal and material the master Potter has molded His helpers whom He will use to accomplish His grand purpose--we will only stand in awesome wonder, and there proclaim, "Oh God, how great Thou art!"
CONCLUSION
We have been placing much emphasis in these articles on our completeness in Christ and our labors in the Lord. Now, in conclusion, let us turn our eyes entirely away from ourselves and gaze on God, out of Whom and through Whom and for Whom is all. As God was once all in Himself in the beginning, He will be All in all at the end. All that intervenes was planned beforehand to be the means to reach His final glorious goal. So grand will be the outcome that we can hardly imagine it! When God's love, revealed in His Son and poured out over the entire universe, will freely flow back to Him in praise and adoration! May these lines contribute, in some small measure, to His glorification! Amen!