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I have taken this article from the book, “The Complete Green Letters,” compiled by Miles J Stanford. It’s from the chapter titled “Help,” page 65. The article is based on the premise that man cannot ask God to help him with anything related to His godly virtues; it’s not like man can do anything to produce any type of power of God—it’s all Him empowering and using the believer.
“God didn’t help us to be saved, and He doesn’t intend to help us live the Christian life.” “The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, or our trying to be Christ-like, nor is it Christ giving us the power to live a life like His (mimic); but it is Christ Himself living His own life through us; “no longer I, but Christ.“ -MJS
We can live like Christ lived, but we cannot live Christ’s Life, because He “is our life” (Col 3:4). He must live it through the believer.
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1Co 11:1). We follow Paul in following the Lord Jesus!
Can our receiving power from God to live the Christian life constitute Him helping us? No! To assume He is helping us would be to presume that we have a part in effecting some power. Once we understand that we can do nothing but receive, we will be awakened more to the application of the process of all of God’s blessings, especially concerning growth and the strengthening of our faith. If one has a difficulty comprehending this teaching it will have of course no effect on one’s salvation, it only effects the maturity in one’s faith, as all spiritual growth truths do; and faith can only be strengthened, never decreasing from its present level of maturity. Just think of it, the saved being empowered to reach all who are in “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev 21:27); and all who should be saved will be saved.
J E Conant (1866-1955): “Christian living is not our living with Christ’s help, it is Christ living His life in us. Therefore that portion of our lives that is not His living is not Christian living; and that portion of our service that is not His doing is not Christian service (though there will always be times of unintentional sin - Num 15:30; Heb 10:26—NC); for all such life and service have a supernatural and spiritual source.”
William R Newell: (1868- 1956): “Satan’s great device is to drive earnest souls back to beseeching God for what He says has already been done”! Stanford writes, “God could never answer a prayer for help in the matter of justification. The same principle holds true for the Christian life” (though God doesn’t answer according to our way, He guides and enables us how to respond His way—NC).
A W Tozer (1897-1963): “We are forever asking God to do things that He has already done.” We plead for Him to speak when He has already spoken and is at this very moment speaking (God is always working to communicate with us—NC). We ask Him to come when He is already present and waiting for us to recognize Him.”
Watchman Nee (1903- 1972): “God sets us free from the “dominion” of sin, not by strengthening our “old man” (sin nature—NC), but by crucifying him (Ro 6:6); not by helping him to do anything but by removing him from the scene of action” (the old man remains on the Cross concerning believers, and is restrained from causing them to desire sin. Causing one to desire sin is where its dominion lies, because the heart is where our treasure lies (Luk 12:34—NC).
S D Gordon (1859–1936): “When you are in the thick of the fight . . . plead less and claim more.” I do not mean ask God to give you victory, but claim His victory.”
Andrew Murray (1828–1917): “”Even though it is slow, and with many a stumble (Jas 3:2), the faith that always thanks Him—not for experiences, but for the promises on which it can rely—goes on “from strength to strength” (Psa 84:7), still increasing in the blessed assurance that God Himself will perfect His work is us (there is not a single one reborn that will not be made perfect - Phl 1:6; Heb 12:23—NC).
“God didn’t help us to be saved, and He doesn’t intend to help us live the Christian life.” “The Christian life is not our living a life like Christ, or our trying to be Christ-like, nor is it Christ giving us the power to live a life like His (mimic); but it is Christ Himself living His own life through us; “no longer I, but Christ.“ -MJS
We can live like Christ lived, but we cannot live Christ’s Life, because He “is our life” (Col 3:4). He must live it through the believer.
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1Co 11:1). We follow Paul in following the Lord Jesus!
Assist, or Enable
Can our receiving power from God to live the Christian life constitute Him helping us? No! To assume He is helping us would be to presume that we have a part in effecting some power. Once we understand that we can do nothing but receive, we will be awakened more to the application of the process of all of God’s blessings, especially concerning growth and the strengthening of our faith. If one has a difficulty comprehending this teaching it will have of course no effect on one’s salvation, it only effects the maturity in one’s faith, as all spiritual growth truths do; and faith can only be strengthened, never decreasing from its present level of maturity. Just think of it, the saved being empowered to reach all who are in “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev 21:27); and all who should be saved will be saved.
J E Conant (1866-1955): “Christian living is not our living with Christ’s help, it is Christ living His life in us. Therefore that portion of our lives that is not His living is not Christian living; and that portion of our service that is not His doing is not Christian service (though there will always be times of unintentional sin - Num 15:30; Heb 10:26—NC); for all such life and service have a supernatural and spiritual source.”
William R Newell: (1868- 1956): “Satan’s great device is to drive earnest souls back to beseeching God for what He says has already been done”! Stanford writes, “God could never answer a prayer for help in the matter of justification. The same principle holds true for the Christian life” (though God doesn’t answer according to our way, He guides and enables us how to respond His way—NC).
A W Tozer (1897-1963): “We are forever asking God to do things that He has already done.” We plead for Him to speak when He has already spoken and is at this very moment speaking (God is always working to communicate with us—NC). We ask Him to come when He is already present and waiting for us to recognize Him.”
Watchman Nee (1903- 1972): “God sets us free from the “dominion” of sin, not by strengthening our “old man” (sin nature—NC), but by crucifying him (Ro 6:6); not by helping him to do anything but by removing him from the scene of action” (the old man remains on the Cross concerning believers, and is restrained from causing them to desire sin. Causing one to desire sin is where its dominion lies, because the heart is where our treasure lies (Luk 12:34—NC).
S D Gordon (1859–1936): “When you are in the thick of the fight . . . plead less and claim more.” I do not mean ask God to give you victory, but claim His victory.”
Andrew Murray (1828–1917): “”Even though it is slow, and with many a stumble (Jas 3:2), the faith that always thanks Him—not for experiences, but for the promises on which it can rely—goes on “from strength to strength” (Psa 84:7), still increasing in the blessed assurance that God Himself will perfect His work is us (there is not a single one reborn that will not be made perfect - Phl 1:6; Heb 12:23—NC).