| CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DOCTRINE | January 2000 |
Oneness with Christ
ONENESS WITH CHRIST is somewhat of a mystery, or secret, but is revealed to those who are in the condition of sanctification. Figuratively speaking, those who are in the secret place of the Most High, typified by the holy compartment of the Tabernacle, are in Christ, and can therefore understand and appreciate something of this oneness.
To be introduced into this oneness with Christ, it is necessary to have experienced a justification by faith, and to have entered in at the ‘strait gate’ of consecration; to have become footstep followers of Jesus along the narrow way of self-denial and self-sacrifice. And having entered this way, it is necessary to continue walking therein unto the end of our earthly course.
THE BODY OF CHRIST
There are various figures given in the Scriptures to convey to our minds this oneness with Christ. The illustration which is, perhaps, used more than any other, is that which compares ‘the Christ’ to a human being, of which Jesus is the Head and the church the body. Paul wrote, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (I Cor. 12:27) Ephesians 4:15 and 5:23 describe Jesus as the Head. Just as the human head is the controlling power of the human body, and all the members of the body serve one another in obedience to the head, so it is with Jesus and the church.
This figure teaches us very convincingly that the true church is a part of ‘the Christ.’ It also shows that its relationship to our Lord Jesus is a very intimate one, just as intimate as the relationship of the human body to the human head, and reveals that the relationship of its members one to another and to the Head is that of servants.
Just as the various members of the human body serve one another in obedience to the head, so the various members of the true church serve one another in love and obedience to their Head, Christ Jesus. One is our Master, even Christ, and we are to ever remember that our ‘Head,’ or controlling power, is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is from Ephesians 1:22,23 that we learn that God “gave him to be the Head over all things to the church, Which is his body.” And in harmony with Colossians 2:19, we should hold firmly the Head, Christ Jesus, “from which all the body by joints and bands [ligaments], having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.”
THE MIND OF CHRIST
Our identification and oneness with Christ, together with all that this involves, should be our constant theme in life. And as we feed daily upon the inspired Word, we are to lose our natural minds, and get the mind of Christ. We should definitely yearn for Christ to be formed in us, also in all others whom God is still drawing to his beloved Son for that purpose.
To have “Christ” formed in us now is to have a Christlike character distinctly developed, as a result of the begetting power of the truth. Just as a genius expresses himself through his work, whether it be painting, music, or literature, so Jesus desires to express himself through his followers; and we are to let his Spirit work in us. We are to speak as Jesus would speak, and to act as he would act.
Our oneness with Christ will include a drinking of the cup that he drank of, and being baptized with the baptism with which he was baptized. (Matt. 20:22) This will involve our being “dead with Christ” to earthly hopes, aims, and ambitions, and being risen with him by faith to heavenly hopes and ambitions, walking in newness of life, doing our Father’s will. It will also mean hoping and longing for the future glorious heavenly inheritance, with its stupendous kingdom work. It also means to partake so thoroughly of the Holy Spirit that, as intimated in Romans 8:11, our mortal body will, here and now, be alive and active in God’s service, and delighting to do his will.
“If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Rom. 6:5) If we are faithful, the consummation will be wonderful. We will become partakers of the Divine nature, joint-inheritors with Jesus in glory, outworking a oneness of purpose with our Lord, including the raising of earth’s billions, the bringing of blessings and benefits to all the families of the earth, and establishing the glorious kingdom of God in the earth—a kingdom of life, joy, and peace which shall never pass away.
To all the Lord’s people this side of the veil, there is the exhortation, “Be thou faithful unto death.” (Rev. 2:10) Seeing that we are still in the flesh, there is the vital necessity here and now for each one of us to maintain and develop our oneness with Christ. “There should be no schism [or, “division,” Margin] in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”—I Cor. 12:25
We can surely visualize that if the new mind in each of the Lord’s followers could be appealed to, apart from the frailty and weaknesses of the flesh, much harmony and oneness would result. How very sympathetic we should be with each other, “for by one Spirit” all the members of the true church are “baptized into one body.”—I Cor. 12:13
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Rom. 12:5) How very comforting to realize this oneness between Jesus and the members of his body. It is with loving solicitude that he marks the progress of his body members as they develop in character likeness to himself.
OUR PURPOSE
Our Lord and Head desires that all the church have a oneness of will with his will. And we can see that this can be obtained only after fully surrendering our own human will. Full consecration is required. We are to be dead respecting our own will, and alive towards the risen Lord Jesus Christ. “For you died, and your life has been hidden with the Anointed one by God.”—Col. 3:3, Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott
All who undergo this process are ‘new creatures in Christ Jesus.’ “If any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (II Cor. 5:17) It is the Holy Spirit that has begotten us as New Creatures, and in proportion as we allow God to develop and quicken our new mind, in that same proportion will the oneness with Christ and with one another exist. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10) “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” (Eph. 4:4) The following verse reads: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” and verses 11 to 16 (WED) beautifully describe the important work of building up the body of the Anointed.
THE NEED FOR HUMILITY
The Apostle exhorts us to have the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, doing nothing “through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Phil. 2:2,3) There seems to be an implication here that pride is a cause of discord, and that by humility, harmony may be restored. And to enforce this appeal, the apostle sets before the Philippians, and us, the supreme example of humility, of self-abnegation, of sacrifice, and exhorts, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:5) The setting is made up of two sections. Philippians 2:6-8 sets forth the humiliation of God’s only begotten Son, and verses 9-11, his high exaltation.
We are made to see the beloved Son of God at the beginning in glory with his Heavenly Father, and at the end in glory. Between is the story of his amazing condescension and sublime sacrifice. The mighty Logos, existing in the “form of God” (Phil. 2:6), did not count this a means of high-handed self-enrichment, but ‘emptied’ himself. He divested himself of the insignia of spiritual majesty, and was made in the likeness of man. He who was rich, for our sakes became poor. Jesus said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 6:38) And at the end of his earthly pilgrimage he gave himself to death, even the death of the cross, none having the power to take his life from him.
“He that shall humble himself,” said Jesus, “shall be exalted.” (Matt. 23:12) In this connection, the disciples of old questioned Jesus as to who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and in reply a wonderful lesson is recorded. (Matt. 18:2-4, WED) Having called a little child, Jesus placed him in the midst of the disciples, and said, “Indeed I say to you, unless you be changed, and become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of the heavens; Whoever, therefore, may humble himself like this little child, he will be the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.”
It was also Jesus who said, “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:29) Our joy and privilege has been to learn of him. As we bring our own heart and mind into closer sympathy, likeness, and oneness with him, fully submitting ourselves to the transforming influences of the Spirit of the Lord, we are changed daily more fully, into his glorious likeness. We let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, and we see in the Divine Word the model for our imitation. (Col. 3:16) In contemplation of all that is lovely as embodied in him, and of that which is pure, and holy, and beautiful, we are changed, little by little, into the same blessed likeness—“from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”—II Cor. 3:18
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
In doing this, we shall continue to be faithful ambassadors of Jesus Christ, in a most wonderful ministry. In describing this joyful service, we read: “All things are from that God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of the reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting to them their offences; and has deposited with us the Word of the reconciliation. On behalf of Christ, therefore, we are ambassadors; as if God were inviting through us, we entreat, on behalf of Christ,—be you reconciled to God!”—II Cor. 5:18-20, WED
God has deposited with us the Word of reconciliation. Our ambassadorship for our Lord and Head continues throughout our earthly course. When we are faithful until death we will pass over into the heavenly phase of the kingdom, and actually become partakers of the Divine nature with our glorified Lord. We will rest from our labors, yet our works will follow with us. (Rev. 14:13) Our union with our Bridegroom will be for eternity!