O God, who made me for yourself, to show forth your Goodness in me, manifest, I humbly beseech You, the Life-giving Power of your holy Nature within me; help me to such a true and living Faith in You, such Strength of Hunger and Thirst after the Birth, Life, and Spirit of you Holy Jesus in my Soul, that all that is within me, may be turned from every inward Thought, or outward Work, that is not You, your holy Jesus, and heavenly working in my Soul. Amen.
*William Law (1686-1761). The Spirit of Prayer.
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1But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance [Greek, morphos] of godliness, but denying its power[Greek, dunamis]. Avoid such people.
*2 Timothy 3.1-5, Emphasis Added
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William Law wrote regarding the inefficiency of knowing the historical Jesus alone and believing matters of theology about Jesus Christ, without knowing Christ within:
Again our blessed Saviour says, "Without me, you can do Nothing" [I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15.5, ESV)]. The Question is, when, or how a Person may be said to be without Christ?
Consider again the Vine and its Branches: A Branch can then only be said to be without its Vine, when the Vegetable Life of the Vine is no longer in it. This is the only Sense, in which a person can be said to be without Christ; when Christ is no longer in us, as a Principle of a heavenly Life, we are then without Christ, and so can do nothing, that is, Nothing that is good or holy.
A Christ not in us, is the same Thing as a Christ not ours. If we are only so far with Christ, as to own and receive the History of Christ's Birth, Person, and Character, if this is all that we have of Christ, we are as much without Christ, as much left to ourselves, as little helped by Christ, as those evil Spirits which cried out, "We know You, who you are, the Holy One of God" [And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" (Mark 1.23-25, ESV)].
For those evil Spirits, and all the fallen Angels, are totally without Christ, have no Benefit from Christ, for this one and only Reason, because Christ is not in Them; Nothing of the Son of God is generated, or born in them. Therefore every Son of Adam, that has not something of the Son of God generated, or born within the Person, is as much without Christ, as destitute of all Help from Christ, as those evil Spirits who could only make an outward Confession of Christ.
It is the Language of Scripture, that Christ in us is our Hope of Glory; that Christ formed in us, living, growing, and raising Christ's own Life and Spirit in us, is our only Salvation. ...
[I]f Christ ... was only an outward Person, if Christ entered not as deeply into our Nature as the first Adam does, if we have not as really from Christ a new inward, spiritual Person, as we have outward Flesh and Blood from Adam, What Ground could there be to say, that our Righteousness is from Christ, as our Sin is from Adam [For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass (or, the trespass of one) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness (or, the act of righteousness of one) leads to justification and life for all men. (Romans 5.17-18, ESV)]?
Was I to say, that a Plant or Vegetable must have the Sun within it, must have the Life, Light, and Virtues of the Sun incorporated in it, that it has no Benefit from the Sun, till the Sun is thus inwardly forming, generating, quickening, and raising up a Life of the Sun's Virtues in it, would this be setting up an inward Sun, in Opposition to the outward one? Could any Thing be more ridiculous than such a Charge? For is not all that is here said of an inward Sun in the Vegetable, so much said of a Power and Virtue derived from the Sun in the Firmament? So in like manner, all that is said of an inward Christ, inwardly formed, and generated in the Root of the Soul, is only so much said of an inward Life, brought forth by the Power and Efficacy of that Blessed Christ, that was born of the Virgin Mary.
*The Spirit of Prayer.
Law speaks of the two dimensions of Christ Jesus: historical and ahistorical. Christ encompasses a single mystery in both aspects of Being. Christian mysticism does not embrace mystery separate from the world, nor Christ bearing no relation to the earthly. The mystical Christ is vitally aligned with devotion to Jesus Christ, the perfect union of the God-Human.
This Christ, with continuity within the Word of pre-historical, to historical, to post-historical Word, is the only Vital Life demarcating true, spiritual Christianity from all other claims to the name. The call to follow Christ is more than to believe about Christ, live holy, or do good in Christ's Name. The call to follow Christ is more than a general call to believe in God or reverence God. Spiritual Christianity is not one among many spiritualities.
The contours of Christ define the true Church; the Christ Life animating the spiritual Person defines the self joined in union with Christ, with the Whole Body of Christ. Christ teaches the union of Vine and Branches is defining of every true Christian and the spiritual Church, not merely a supernatural grace given a few "mystics" or "contemplatives."
The grace of mysticism is given to every Christian, for each Christian is baptized into the Mystery of Jesus Christ and is so joined with Christ that the Christic Vitality animates the person to be a christ. To see one is to see the Other. He or she literally, not metaphorically, lives the Life of Christ, and is lived in, by, and through Christ.
Christ Jesus animating us, we move beyond forms of professed godliness. The Holy Spirit graces us with "inherent power" [dunamis] of genuine godliness. We see, then, that apart from Christ, we have no power of Christ.
The writer of II Timothy tells his readers regarding persons denying the inherent power of true godliness: "Avoid (Greek, apotrepo, "avoid, shun") such people." Certainly, this could indicate the threat such persons are to a firm resolve to remain vitally joined with Christ. And, a Branch committed to vital union with the Vine needs to associate often and closely with other Branches of the same intent.
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Meditate prayerfully on the opening prayer of William Law.
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*Quotes from William Law derive from Christian Classics Ethereal Library; for details on publishing ... see www.ccel.org . Material of Law has been up-dated for modern readers.
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives in Punta Gorda, FL, and Clearwater, FL, with his wife, step-son, and two beloved dogs. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry focused on Christians living as spiritual disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a vowed, contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with God-in-Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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