The Main Thing

The Main Thing

What the law could not do, “God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Rom. 8:3-4.

As we can see, “what God did” opened up such tremendous opportunities for us. Jesus was the sacrifice, and He consecrated this new and living way that went through His flesh. If we want to follow Him, then the way goes through our flesh. Heb. 10:19-20. He learned obedience by the things He suffered. Heb. 5:7-9. He encountered sin in the flesh through the sufferings. Then He was obedient and sin in the flesh was not allowed to develop; rather, it was condemned in the flesh, and by offering up Himself in the power of an eternal Spirit He gained the victory so that He served His Father. Heb. 9:14.

In Isaiah 53 we see Him in the state of learning obedience by the things He was suffering. “Yet it pleased the Lord to crush Him.” V. 10. He was crushed as the Son of Man so sin in the flesh was condemned. Then the fullness of the Godhead could dwell in Him bodily. Col. 2:9. We read further in Isaiah 53: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with sickness.” We do not know Him like this after he was 30 years old, but then He was almost perfected. We hear almost nothing about Him before that time. However, Isaiah describes His life with the following words: “And we did not esteem Him.” In these circumstances He was tempted, and in these temptations He met sin in the flesh, gained the victory, and was without sin—He did not transgress. Heb. 4:15. This gives us boldness, as it says in verse 16. This was done for our sakes. 1 John 3:4-6. Now we can also cease from sin by following Him and partaking of divine nature in the same way He did.

Multitudes of believers believe that Jesus has gone the way, has overcome sin, has suffered and died, but they do not believe that we shall be conformed into His image by following Him—by suffering, dying, and overcoming as He did. However, for us who believe and follow Jesus on the new way, the main thing is that we let the death of Christ work against sin in the flesh in the hour of temptation. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. Then the life of Jesus will be manifested by our bodies, and we will partake of divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:4.

Sufferings cause temptations. Then we meet sin in the flesh by being drawn and enticed by our own desires. Jas. 1:14. This also presents us with the opportunity to overcome! Therefore we have this exhortation: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Jas. 1:2-3. Then we receive the crown of life. V. 12.

Therefore Paul gloried in his tribulations. Rom. 5:3. Who values patience this highly? He who goes on the new and living way! He realizes the value of sin being condemned in the flesh. Many people have experienced having their hearts cleansed from an evil conscience, but they cannot keep it pure. Heb. 10:22. They do not know how to let the cross work in the hour of temptation, when their desires draw and entice them, so that they are put to death; but they let covetousness into their hearts, and so they become evil and receive a bad conscience again.

You cannot be conformed to the image of Christ with sin in your heart. You partake of divine nature when you take up your cross with a heart that has been cleansed, so that sin in the flesh—the sin that tempts you—is put to death in the flesh without it entering into your heart. This results in spiritual growth. You cannot experience a more glorious development in this world.

Those who walk on this new and living way gain a far more exceeding weight of glory from their tribulations. 2 Cor. 4:17. This is because the death of Christ is working over sin in their flesh. This is the main thing. This is the work that God did in His Son, and this is Jesus’ work in us. Thus we are not only one spirit with Him; we also become one flesh with Him. Eph. 5:31-32. This is the bride who will be raptured. What a glorious work this is, and what a glorious day that will be!