My Father’s Heart

[netchaplain]

My Father’s Heart​

The history of Adam, the moral history, is closed; that is what we were. In all this we have God’s history of man’s responsibility. I find in the Cross that I was in a condition which God must reject. The Lord Jesus has come to be made sin, my sin, and a work has been accomplished according to God’s holy and righteous nature. If I look at God now, I find no sin in His presence; I am there by the finished work of the Lord Jesus, and my Father cannot see my sins. Not only has the Lord Jesus died for my sins, but I have died with Him unto sin. I am out of the Adam life.

Suppose God had cut off Adam and Eve, there would have been righteousness but no love. Suppose He had spared everyone, there would have been love but no righteousness. If I look at the Cross, there is righteousness against sin—never such displayed before, and there it is that I learn the love of my Father. At the Cross I see Him perfectly glorified in a Man—His own blessed Son, but still a Man. There is now a Man in the glory of God. Not only is there a man out of paradise, but another Man is in Paradise. The work, by virtue of which He is sitting there, can never lose its value.

If sin is cleared away, why should I not be in the same glory as the Lord Jesus (John 17:22 – the glory of son-ship - NC) who is my life (Col 3:4)? We do not get the one without the other—nothing can be the result of that work on the Cross less than that glory. There are two things: not merely are my sins cleared away, but I stand in the light of God as God is in the light, and as the Lord Jesus is. We are in God’s Son, and we are to be “conformed to the image of His Son.” He is the “firstborn among many brethren.” “Tell My brethren that I ascend unto My Father and your Father, unto My God and your God.” This is our present position. “Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.” But the Lord says, you need not wait till then: “today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”

Oh! How the things of the world are dimmed by this that we are loved as the Lord Jesus is loved! What a blessed place this is. He has taken all on Him as man that we may be with Him forever. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 1:3). There is not one possible blessing into which the Lord Jesus has entered as man that we are not brought into. He never gives away; He brings us into the enjoyment of Himself. “Not as the world giveth, giveth I unto you.” Perfect love!

Have you ever really considered the Father’s thought and plan about you, that you are “to be conformed to the image of His Son”? “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him” (1John 3:2). This cannot fail. The Lord presses on our hearts that He brings us into association with Himself. He gives us His own life and nature, “holy and blameless before Him in love.” He sets us in this place answering perfectly to His nature, and with a nature to enjoy it in fellowship with Himself.

We are “in Christ”—this is our Father’s thought. I get the place of a son with the Father. Servants would not do for Him; He takes us as children. We are “accepted in the beloved.” In this One, who was always the Father’s eternal delight, we are accepted. Have you thought of your Father’s heart? Is this the thought you have that you are loved as the Lord Jesus is loved? Where shall I get what is in my Father’s heart? Is it in my heart? We soon find out what poor creatures we are! Quite true; but can you say, there is where my Father has set me—in the Son of His love? This is the very thing that makes us see our own utter nothingness—and the very thing that enables us to see His loving worthiness.

- R E C


Daily Devotional by MJS: http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

 

[ezrider]

Have you ever really considered the Father’s thought and plan about you, that you are “to be conformed to the image of His Son”?

"conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29)

I have have considered this deeply within my heart, and I have but one question: what is the "image" of the Son that we should aspire to be conformed to? How would you define or describe this "image"?

 

[netchaplain]

"conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29)

I have have considered this deeply within my heart, and I have but one question: what is the "image" of the Son that we should aspire to be conformed to? How would you define or describe this "image"?

Hi EZR - Very probing and zeal-revealing inquiry! It's all about son-ship (child-ship), the glory of Christ, that He is the Son of God--which "glory" He has "given" to us (John 17:22); and all that involves being children of God, which in its fullness (resurrection) will be as sinless as He (no more Adamic-nature presence).

 

[ezrider]

Hi EZR - Very probing and zeal-revealing inquiry! It's all about son-ship (child-ship), the glory of Christ, that He is the Son of God--which "glory" He has "given" to us (John 17:22); and all that involves being children of God, which in its fullness (resurrection) will be as sinless as He (no more Adamic-nature presence).

Thank you for your reply, but that is not quite the answer I was looking for when I asked how to define or describe this "image," but I wanted to hear your thoughts first.

When we are to be conformed in the image of the Son, we should first understand what this image is that we are to be conformed to. Now when I think of the image of Christ, there are two images that come to mind. The first image being that of the King and Conqueror in all His Glory, the Judge over all Law and Authority. But the second image that comes to mind is quite different, for it is the image of a humble servant, a friend and a Brother, obedient even unto death.

Which image shall we be conformed to?

 

[iLOVE]

"conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29)

I have have considered this deeply within my heart, and I have but one question: what is the "image" of the Son that we should aspire to be conformed to? How would you define or describe this "image"?

The answer for which you seek is found in the Cross.

 

[ezrider]

The answer for which you seek is found in the Cross.

I asked to describe the "image" of the Son that we are to be conformed to. You respond with the answer I seek is found in the Cross? I do not understand your response. What does the Cross have to do with the "image" of the Son? Please explain yourself.

When I stopped to consider the cross, and I asked then shall I be conformed to the image of a cross? But the cross answered me back and said I am but a piece of wood, only idols are made in my image.

 

[Malachi]

How would you define or describe this "image"?

Moral and spiritual perfection: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48).

 

[iLOVE]

I asked to describe the "image" of the Son that we are to be conformed to. You respond with the answer I seek is found in the Cross? I do not understand your response. What does the Cross have to do with the "image" of the Son? Please explain yourself.

When I stopped to consider the cross, and I asked then shall I be conformed to the image of a cross? But the cross answered me back and said I am but a piece of wood, only idols are made in my image.

You must understand the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. What you have replied back to me is the Law of Sin and Death.

 

[netchaplain]

Thank you for your reply, but that is not quite the answer I was looking for when I asked how to define or describe this "image," but I wanted to hear your thoughts first.

When we are to be conformed in the image of the Son, we should first understand what this image is that we are to be conformed to. Now when I think of the image of Christ, there are two images that come to mind. The first image being that of the King and Conqueror in all His Glory, the Judge over all Law and Authority. But the second image that comes to mind is quite different, for it is the image of a humble servant, a friend and a Brother, obedient even unto death.

Which image shall we be conformed to?

The reason my concept of "image" is son-ship is because of the absence of the guilt and dominion of the old nature, by the dominance of the new nature (through the Spirit), which is "according to the image of Him who created it" (Col 3:10). It's all about sinlessness in the New Heaven to me.

 

[ezrider]

You must understand the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. What you have replied back to me is the Law of Sin and Death.

I am sorry, but you still are making absolutely no sense at all to me. Wherein did my response have anything do do with the law of sin and death? It is you who are pointing to the cross as an answer, but you failed in anyway to explain yourself. In what way is the Cross the answer for understanding the image of the Son that we are the be conformed to? From some of your post in other threads it seems you often site the cross as the answer. I do not expect to you understand, but the cross is behind me, and I do not think upon it. So if you can explain yourself, not just quote some scripture, but actually explain yourself, then maybe we can come to some understanding.

I will not question your faith and hope in the cross, and I should hope you will not question mine. This is not the place for that discussion. I would only caution to not let the cross become a stumbling block.

 

[Mike]

I can see both of your points. The cross. John 15:13 says there is no greater love than to give your life for your brother. As Christ gave his life for us, so too should we aspire to have His heart for people among us. Luke 9:23 tells up to take up our cross. Be willing and joyful to sacrifice for our faith.

The Doxology shows us the humility of Christ that we should emulate. This is something that I constantly struggle with in resisting my pride. The humility of Christ to descend from the pinnacle of all of His creation to among the lowest of His creation is what I believe ultimately should be our desire. A humble heart lifts the Lord and others around him higher than himself.

I probably didn't capture what you were both saying, but I do see the value in both responses.