Security Only in God

KEY VERSE: “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; for he shall receive me.” —Psalm 49:15

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Psalm 49:1-15

TO THOSE WHO have placed their lives in the hands of the Lord, more is involved than merely the application of Jesus’ ransom providing atonement. A “way of life” (John 14:6) has been provided and must be sought.

In the apostle’s letter to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colossi, he approaches the subject of life in quite a unique and somewhat personal manner, but helpful to all desiring to be received by the Lord. Paul reasons thus: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.” That is, lift your thoughts and affections to things above, things which are heavenly, and seek to dwell in thought and affection where Christ is, at the right hand of God.—Col. 3:1

Similar language is used by Paul in writing to the Ephesian brethren. “He [God] raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavenlies.” (Eph. 2:6, Diaglott) In these remarks we are exhorted to appropriate to ourselves the heavenly citizenship, and by so doing enliven our heavenly or spiritual aspirations, and to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth.

Paul continues his statement to the Colossians with these words: “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:2,3) These two statements certainly appear contradictory, but are not, when properly understood. We are ‘dead’ as human beings in the sense that we have devoted our humanity to sacrifice, and it is as Spirit-begotten ‘new creatures’ that we are hidden with Christ in God. By faith we reckonedly died with Christ at consecration. There we covenanted sacrificially to change our viewpoint of life from self to God, and henceforth to seek to do his will in all our ways.—Rom. 12:2; 6:11

Our viewpoint of life is now eternal. We are still the same person, but with a changed purpose in life. This change makes us a new and different individual in character, or personality. The change, of course, is toward righteousness, truth, peace, love for God and for Christ Jesus our Lord, and for all who are of a like purpose of life. They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and its corrupted desires.—Gal. 5:24

What then is our responsibility as new creatures in Christ? First, it is to mortify or put to death, our earthly inclinations, or our “Old man,” as Paul states it. (Rom. 6:6) Secondly, we are to nurture, cultivate, and bring to maturity the “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”—Eph. 4:24

When the elect of God so live, and so express their personalities as new creatures, what a happy and what a blessed family it Is! It represents the joint life, the participated life we now enjoy with others of the Christ family, in which there is one Head, one Spirit, one hope, and one life. It is, in reality, a foretaste of the fuller life that awaits us. (I John 3:1-3) “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Col. 3:4) Meanwhile, let us adorn the ‘hidden man’ of the heart with what is incorruptible, a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.—I Pet. 3:4

It is so encouraging to know and realize that God, our Lord Jesus, and all the holy angels, are greatly interested in our welfare as new creatures. Every fitting and proper assistance is rendered to help us to be successful. Yet the matter of our continued existence is our personal responsibility. It is only those who “endure to the end that shall be saved.”—Matt. 24:13

The receiving by God will eventually be accomplished. And then, in “thy presence” will be fullness of joy, “at thy right hand there will be pleasures forevermore.” (Ps. 16:11) Then will be the end of human warfare, the consummation of all hopes, and the receiving a new name. It will be the revealing of that hidden treasure for which one sold his all to secure the field in which it was hidden. It will be the completion of the desired habitation of God. It will bring the great thrill of all prospective brides—“the marriage supper of the Lamb,” and the crown of life!

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