“But you,
whom do you say Me to be?”
Matthew 16:15 (LITV)
It is easy to lose sight of the personal care and attention of the great Shepherd of our souls regarding our walk before Him. This probing question necessitates an individual response. It is one that we should allow His Spirit to probe HERE, for of a certainty we will be required to stand before Him and give an account THERE.
It is HERE that we have time and the grace of His Spirit to amend our ways. May we not only allow His Spirit to search us but let us even seek to have Him do so (Psalm 139:23), that we may stand before Him THERE and hear, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
“His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Matthew 25:21,23
“But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:15 (ESV)
Our works, our conduct, and the love we show to those within His Body and without are statements of our faith. On the scales of eternity, the weight of our life HERE is measured by the works precipitated by the Love of Him moving through us.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Revelation 20:12 (*see below 1 Corinthians 5:10-11)
The works that carry weight in the life to come are those inspired by His love and faith moving within us. Just as it is impossible to have faith without works, so too, works apart from faith hold no merit in His presence.
“But you,
whom do you say Me to be?”
The measure of His Life within is what determines our ability to declare His Person, His glory and the advent of His Kingdom.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
John 15:4
Our relationship with Him determines our fruitfulness. When we come to the end of our own ability to please and honour Him, we discover the flow of Him moving us into a life that pleases the Father. There may be no other scripture that expresses this wonder more than Acts 17:28:
“For in Him we live, and move,
and have our being…”
Acts 17:28
Life and Movement in the Spirit is the fruit of being in Him. The secret to being “witnesses” of Him will be the depth of our abiding IN Him.
Only the Life of Christ within
can declare the Life of Christ without.
The same love that moved in Jesus becomes ours via relationship.
“We must work the works of Him who sent Me …”
John 9:4 (ESV)
It is the nature of His love within that moves us to sanctification. Sanctification is how we are free to make Him known. As with the merchant who sold all that he had to “purchase” the “Pearl of great price”, so too with us. Our true estimation of His worth is revealed in the effort and the cost of becoming a true disciple.
“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples,
if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:35
Love is the distinguishing characteristic of a disciple. It is the evidence of Christ within.
Related Post: When God Witnesses…
“What we want, above all things, in this age is heartiness and holy simplicity; men who justify the holy impulse of grace in their hearts, and do not keep it back by artificial clogs of prudence and false fear, or the sham pretences of fastidiousness and artificial delicacy. These are they whom God will make His witnesses in all ages. They dare to be holy, dare just as readily to be singular. What God puts in them, that they accept; and when He puts a song, they sing it. They know Christ inwardly, and therefore stand for Him outwardly. They endure hardships. They fight a fight. And these are the souls my brethren, who will stand before God accepted.”
— Horace Bushnell
*Note: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…”
1 Corinthians 5:10-11
Brian Troxel
Amen 🙏 Blessings…
Being able to Christ in each other, thereby serving Christ.
Blessings
This was such a powerful message Brian, and a reminder that we are here to do His will and not our own. May we be the reflection of His love.
Be Blessed
Julia
Thank you Julie, hope all is well with you and your family!
Blessings
BT