"Let us go on to perfection" Heb. 6:1.
No one can but be impressed by observing the change Pentecost wrought in the experience of the apostles. In the between-time from Easter to Pentecost two things characterised them: fear, and a lost sense of vacation. We see them first behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and then later Peter, who had been called to high apostleship, said "I go a fishing!" and the others said "We will go with thee". No one can live the abounding life who is in the grip of fear, or who has failed or ceased to believe that God has for him a programme of life.
This between-experience is illustrated by Israel in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan, and by Paul's subjection to self between his deliverance from the guilt of sin and his freedom from its power, as set forth in the Roman letter. It is this that is taught by the apostle's threefold analysis of men as 'natural' and 'carnal' and 'spiritual'. The 'natural man' has not reached Calvary at all: the 'carnal man' is on the right side of the cross, but has not reached Pentecost: and the 'spiritual man' has entered by Pentecost into the Kingdom which is 'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit'
The carnal Christian has spiritual life, for he is spoken of as a 'babe in Christ', but there is little or no spiritual growth. He is like Lazarus who, though raised from the dead, was yet 'bound hand and foot with grave clothes' until deliverance came.
Is not this sadly illustrative of the experience of many Christians, people who are in bondage to fear, or doubt, or self, or sin? Yet freedom is our inheritance; we are called to the liberty of the sons of God. It will be a great day for us when we penitently ackowledge that we have not been what it has been God's purpose to make us: and it will be a greater day when we dare to believe that we may become all that is in His power to make us.
No one can but be impressed by observing the change Pentecost wrought in the experience of the apostles. In the between-time from Easter to Pentecost two things characterised them: fear, and a lost sense of vacation. We see them first behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and then later Peter, who had been called to high apostleship, said "I go a fishing!" and the others said "We will go with thee". No one can live the abounding life who is in the grip of fear, or who has failed or ceased to believe that God has for him a programme of life.
This between-experience is illustrated by Israel in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan, and by Paul's subjection to self between his deliverance from the guilt of sin and his freedom from its power, as set forth in the Roman letter. It is this that is taught by the apostle's threefold analysis of men as 'natural' and 'carnal' and 'spiritual'. The 'natural man' has not reached Calvary at all: the 'carnal man' is on the right side of the cross, but has not reached Pentecost: and the 'spiritual man' has entered by Pentecost into the Kingdom which is 'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit'
The carnal Christian has spiritual life, for he is spoken of as a 'babe in Christ', but there is little or no spiritual growth. He is like Lazarus who, though raised from the dead, was yet 'bound hand and foot with grave clothes' until deliverance came.
Is not this sadly illustrative of the experience of many Christians, people who are in bondage to fear, or doubt, or self, or sin? Yet freedom is our inheritance; we are called to the liberty of the sons of God. It will be a great day for us when we penitently ackowledge that we have not been what it has been God's purpose to make us: and it will be a greater day when we dare to believe that we may become all that is in His power to make us.
