The Normal Christian Life part 1

One of the most difficult and lastly learned things in following Jesus is that He has really come to live in and through our lives.  To grasp our True Identity in Christ is essential in understanding the plan of God.

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

During the 19^th & 20^th centuries there was a growth of an experiential approach to the spiritual life that is based on the believer’s new identity in Christ.  Identification with Christ in His crucifixion and resurrection means that our life has been exchanged for the life of Christ.  This approach to spirituality moves from a works to grace orientation and from legalism to liberty because it centers on our acknowledgement that Christ’s life is our life, or rather our life is His.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

It has been called….

“the exchanged life” Hudson Taylor, FB Meyer

“the abiding life” Andrew Murray
“the victorious life” Billy Graham
“the highest life” Oswald Chambers
“life on the highest plane” Ruth Paxon
“the normal Christian life” Watchman Nee
“the fullness of Christ” Stuart Briscoe
“the saving life of Christ” Ian Thomas
“the overflowing life” FR Havergal
“the Christian’s secret to a happy life” Hannah W. Smith
“the larger life” AB Simpson
“the victory over darkness” Neil T Anderson

The Normal Christian Life: Our New identity

The substitution of Christ’s life for the “SELF” life

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:9-10

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; Ephesians 4:22-24
to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Our identification with the Cross of Christ

By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:2-11

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:5-6

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4