Our Life Is Hidden

Our Life Is Hidden

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Cor. 2:12-13.

The spirit of the world provides spiritual wisdom; it is of the devil and is earthly and sensual. Therefore the apostle Paul says in Romans 7:14-18, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin . . . For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.”

However, we have received God’s Spirit, and with Him a hidden life and God’s wisdom, and now we shall know the things that have been given to us by God, through obedience to the voice of the Spirit in our inward man.

Our inward man becomes a battlefield where the flesh demands room for human wisdom (everything that is right according to my human understanding), and our new mind makes room for God’s wisdom, even as it fights against everything that comes from ourselves.

This battle gives us an everlasting peace and joy that no one and nothing can take away from us as long as we listen and are obedient to the voice of God’s Spirit.

The fruit of our hidden life is revealed in the form of: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, etc. As Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt. 5:16.

One of Satan’s ploys for deceiving believers is to get them away from caring for their hidden life and to care for all the outward things instead. The believer is beaten if Satan is successful in doing that, if not in his own eyes, then in God’s eyes. The Galatians had begun to go astray. They observed days and months and seasons and years, and for that reason Paul was afraid that he may have labored in vain for them. Gal. 4:10-11.

“Therefore let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” Col. 2:16-17.

The Pharisees observed all these outward things, but within they were full of extortion and self-indulgence. They were like “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” They appeared to be righteous before people on the outside, but inside they were full of hypocrisy and unrighteousness. Matt. 23:25-28. Jesus exhorts them to clean the cup and the vessel on the inside so that they can also be clean on the outside. “But rather give as alms of such things as are within; then indeed all things are clean to you.” Luke 11:41.

It becomes obvious that the person who observes an inner purity becomes pure on the outside. But the person who observes an outward purity becomes full of all uncleanness on the inside.

We must take care of the things that God wants us to take care of. “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” Rom. 2:28-29.

About Jesus it was said that “He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears.” Isa. 11:3. For if the outward appearance was good, it could be a pharisaical deception. But He was to judge the hidden things in man.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18.

Our outward man is perishing as we daily become lowlier in our own eyes. According to the flesh we have a vain hope of maintaining our outward man. But when the heart receives the light of the truth, everything that is of the flesh is judged and perishes, and our exalted ideas about ourselves go the same way. In this way we receive a true understanding of our own worth according to the leading of God’s Spirit, and we conduct ourselves and find our place according to the laws of wisdom. When we occupy our proper place and think soberly about ourselves, we are at rest and at peace in our life. Then we also understand the value, to some degree, of being chosen. Then it is no longer a question of avoiding denying yourself, but rather of learning to deny yourself more wholeheartedly and perfectly. Jesus realized that this was a danger for the disciples; therefore He said: “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matt. 23:11-12. And in Romans 12:16 it is written, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but [prefer to] associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

Taking care of the outward appearance is a source of self-exaltation and conceit. Moreover, Christ who looks to the heart judges the hidden apostasy. Therefore we, who have received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:17.