nikolai_42
Well-known member
Certainly it isn't that cut and dried...but that's the bare bones of my question. Rather, are we more inheritors or are we to be more possessors as those in Christ? Is the thrust of our Christian walk to be what we have been given (e.g. Acts 3:6), have possession of (in Christ, that is) and are to "unpack" (Philippians 2:12)? Or are we - as pilgrims and strangers on this earth (Hebrews 11:13) - spending much of our time simply in preparation for what we shall be (I John 3:2)?
Our walk is, of course, by faith - but is that which we do not see with the natural eye something that we are actually in possession of now and are (in some sense directly related to Philippians 2:12) "developing" or "learning" for use in this realm? Or are we learning to walk as mortals who have an immortal hope but will not take possession of that "hope" (in a real, tangible way) until we are in eternity?
First, I take it as a given that our own works in Christ are not ours originally but God's. So anything done to further the expression of our current possession (whatever you take that to be) is necessarily ultimately of God. Second, this is from our perspective. God's perspective is one of completion - seeing the end from the beginning, the idea of inheritance in eternity must be current. But, as men bound to time, what are we to treat this "treasure in earthen vessels" as? As a gift to be fully unwrapped and largely realized now or one whose real worth can only be expressed in eternity?
And an application. This may seem a nebulous, confusing or even misapplied question. If so, maybe the first part of this post needs to be fleshed out a little more before proceeding. But in the event someone understands what I'm trying to say (and probably failing at), how does this understanding allow us to judge what is trusting in the arm of flesh and what is trusting in the work of God?
To clarify (some, at least)...if one believes that they are possessors now at least as much as inheritors later, then their focus will be on what God has worked into them and working it out at least as much as (and probably more than) a future promise written in scripture. To the bystander, it could look as stark as the difference between trusting in one's feelings vs. trusting in scripture and the promises of God (and it may well be...). But to the "possessor", they see in scripture a promise of present day power and provision for service as well as understanding of God. The "inheritor" is looking more to something unseen, unfelt, even not understood now in anticipation of it redounding to a greater future glory for God and resolution of His eternal plan.
Who is more right (both in assessing trust in God vs. trust in self and in general) and why? (Or does this even make sense...)
Our walk is, of course, by faith - but is that which we do not see with the natural eye something that we are actually in possession of now and are (in some sense directly related to Philippians 2:12) "developing" or "learning" for use in this realm? Or are we learning to walk as mortals who have an immortal hope but will not take possession of that "hope" (in a real, tangible way) until we are in eternity?
First, I take it as a given that our own works in Christ are not ours originally but God's. So anything done to further the expression of our current possession (whatever you take that to be) is necessarily ultimately of God. Second, this is from our perspective. God's perspective is one of completion - seeing the end from the beginning, the idea of inheritance in eternity must be current. But, as men bound to time, what are we to treat this "treasure in earthen vessels" as? As a gift to be fully unwrapped and largely realized now or one whose real worth can only be expressed in eternity?
And an application. This may seem a nebulous, confusing or even misapplied question. If so, maybe the first part of this post needs to be fleshed out a little more before proceeding. But in the event someone understands what I'm trying to say (and probably failing at), how does this understanding allow us to judge what is trusting in the arm of flesh and what is trusting in the work of God?
To clarify (some, at least)...if one believes that they are possessors now at least as much as inheritors later, then their focus will be on what God has worked into them and working it out at least as much as (and probably more than) a future promise written in scripture. To the bystander, it could look as stark as the difference between trusting in one's feelings vs. trusting in scripture and the promises of God (and it may well be...). But to the "possessor", they see in scripture a promise of present day power and provision for service as well as understanding of God. The "inheritor" is looking more to something unseen, unfelt, even not understood now in anticipation of it redounding to a greater future glory for God and resolution of His eternal plan.
Who is more right (both in assessing trust in God vs. trust in self and in general) and why? (Or does this even make sense...)