Growing Up Into Christ
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mighty argument, “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us.”
Romans 8:34
. And Pentecost brought them the presence of
the Comforter, of whom Christ had said, He “shall be in you.” And
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He had further said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I
go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I
will send Him unto you.”
John 14:17
;
16:7
. Henceforth through the
Spirit, Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children.
Their union with Him was closer than when He was personally with
them. The light, and love, and power of the indwelling Christ shone
out through them, so that men, beholding, “marveled; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:13
.
All that Christ was to the disciples, He desires to be to His children
today; for in that last prayer, with the little band of disciples gathered
about Him, He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on Me through their word.”
John 17:20
.
Jesus prayed for us, and He asked that we might be one with Him,
even as He is one with the Father. What a union is this! The Saviour
has said of Himself, “The Son can do nothing of Himself;” “the Father
that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.”
John 5:19
;
14:10
. Then if
Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He will work in us “both to will and
to do of His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
. We shall work as He
worked; we shall manifest the same spirit. And thus, loving Him and
abiding in Him, we shall “grow up into Him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15
.
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