To Abide: By letting God mortify self #1.9
Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray
To Abide: By letting God mortify SELF #1.9
By Olea Nel
Photograph below is of vinyards in Stellenbosch, Cape, courtesy National Geographic
We cannot mortify self[image error]
Andrew Murray states that the mortification of self is not something we can do, for in reality Christ has already done it for us. And even though we may be ignorant of this fact at our conversion, we have become partakers of His death and resurrection.
So what we have to do now is to consent to have the life of self replaced with the life of Christ. This means giving up our willing and working for Christ’s willing and working. And the only way we can do that is to allow the life of Christ to take full possession of us. Because when we do, the power of His holy presence will cast out the old life.
But how do we enable this to happen?
Walter Marshall comes to Andrew Murray’s rescue
Andrew Murray battled with self and pride during the first six years of his ministry. In his letters to his father during that time, he would continually complain about his pride breaking out, and his ability to do nothing about it—try as he might. Fortunately, during a year’s sojourn in Europe in 1855/56, he bought numerous books. One of them was a work by the Puritan Walter Marshall titled: The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification.
For a brief overview of this work, I would like to recommend an article by Shane Becker titled: Walter Marshall to my Rescue It’s an excellent post, and will bring to life Andrew Murray’s own assertions regarding Marshall, although Andrew describes the How in more detail.
Sanctification by faith
Andrew Murray stresses that getting rid of self and pride is part of our sanctification process. In Chapter 9 of Abide in Christ, he quotes 1 Corinthians 1: 30 in this respect. His quotation, however, is based on the Dutch Bible. It reads: “Of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who has made unto us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.”
The RSV translates this verse as follows: “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.”
Andrew Murray goes on to say (as he has already done several times elsewhere) that while we regard our justification by faith in Christ as God’s work, we tend to think of the process of sanctification as ours. Speaking of himself, he says that we often struggle hopelessly for years until we listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit that sanctification is to be appropriated by faith alone.
But HOW? comes the question
First, we need to understand that in our flesh dwells no good thing. And although we are crucified with Christ, our old nature is not yet dead. It will therefore rise up and show itself at the least chance it gets. But the new nature is there also, and is able to communicate God’s holiness to us through Christ our sanctification.
So in order to partake of Christ’s holiness, we need to abide in Him in increasing measure so that the promise is increasingly fulfilled.
It is only as our daily fellowship with Christ grows stronger that the power of His holy presence will cast out the old life.
We need to renew our consecration daily
Andrew Murray closes his discussion on the mortification of self by urging us to DAILY accept BY FAITH our position as ransomed from the tyrant of self. Speaking to his readers directly he says, “Bring every interest of your life, every power of nature, all the unceasing flow of thought and will and feeling that make up life, and trust Him to take the place that self once filled.”
So what route will you take to sanctification?
Will it be the CARNAL way that Shane Becker coins “Sola-bootstrapsa,” whereby you resolve to do your utmost to rid yourself of self and expect Christ to support your efforts? Or, will it be the SCRIPTURAL way, whereby you maintain a daily fellowship with Christ and consent to let Him do all for you, and in you and through you by exercising your faith?
References
Abide in Christ: chapters 3, 9 & 29
First published in: http://www.onandrewmurray.com
Tags: Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall, Sanctification by faith
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You may also be interested in reading the previous blogs in this series on Abide in Christ:
#1.1 When and why it was written.
#1.2 Background to the English version.
#1.4 What does it mean to abide?
#1.6 Having confidence that God will keep us
#1.7 To abide: Like a branch on the vine
#1.8 To abide: Through God's pruning knife
