The Summer Conferences

We gathered at Brunstad for yet another summer, enriched by fellowship and good times together with friends from all over the world. It is edifying to see how much joy the friends find in coming together for meetings, with hearts that are open to what God wants to say. God reveals Himself among such people—and this is what we experienced abundantly this summer. We are deeply grateful to God for the podium He has given us at Brunstad, and for everything that is done for us through these conferences.

This summer we heard a powerful message that consistently pointed in the same direction: that salvation does not end at the forgiveness of sins, but it leads us further—into a life where Christ Himself grows forth within us, and where we, as members of His body, are built up unto Him who is the head.

Here is an excerpt from the meetings.

Salvation in the Body of Christ

Salvation by the blood of Christ is well known among Christians. But the fact that Jesus brought a deeper salvation and that we can be built up to become the body of Christ which does the will of God, is far less well known. Many hear the word of God without taking it very seriously. “It’ll probably be fine,” they think, and continue to live a religious life in indifference. But here there is a major difference that Kåre J. Smith highlighted in a blessed way: Salvation by the body of Christ—that He died for us—and salvation in the body of Christ.

“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” . The blood of Jesus grants us the forgiveness of sins, and this is good and necessary. But this wasn’t actually the new message that Jesus brought. The forgiveness of sins was also available in the old covenant. Jesus came to do the will of God and to show us a way, so that we also can walk in God’s will with our lives. “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” . The gospel is therefore greater than merely the forgiveness of sins; it is salvation in the body of Christ, where we are built up to do the will of God.

That’s why the exhortation follows, “Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” . There, outside the camp, we encounter the cross. It was there that the enmity was put to death, where the handwriting of requirements with its commandments and ordinances, was nailed to the cross. . If we are merely sanctified by His blood, no transformation takes place within us—just as it did not happen with the people who were sanctified by the blood of goats under the old covenant. But if we go out to Jesus on the cross, we are crucified with Him and partake in the same sufferings, the same death, and the same life. Then we cease living for ourselves, and Christ can then live in us. . Everyone who comes into this life partakes of the salvation that Jesus came with.

It was a real battle Jesus had to wage in order to make this salvation possible. He opened a new way through obedience in the days of His flesh, through suffering and prayer, and therefore He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. . When He renounced being equal with God and humbled Himself, He showed us the way. This way is not only Jesus’ way, but also ours. On this way Jesus completed God’s work of salvation for mankind. . This is called the mystery of godliness, a mystery that has been almost completely forgotten among Christians today. . Who will walk the same way of humiliation that Jesus walked?

In such salvation in the body of Christ, we bear fruit that becomes a blessing to those we have been placed together with. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” . How incredible it is that we can enter into this life!

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” . May God give us strength and the Spirit to follow Jesus on this way, so that we do not remain at the beginning of salvation, but instead enter into salvation in the body of Christ.

Are We of the Day?

“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” .

People can be preoccupied with the question of when Jesus will return. And we know that His coming is nearer today than it was yesterday. But the apostle Paul turns our attention to something far more important: Are we among those who are of the day—those who attain to the salvation in Jesus Christ?

Paul writes further in his second letter to the Thessalonians about “our gathering together to Him” and exhorts us not to be shaken by rumors about the day of the Lord. The bride of Christ must be gathered to Him before the day of the Lord comes. She is to make herself ready to meet Jesus. Therefore, what matters is not knowing the day or the hour, but living in such a way that we are ready as the bride of Christ. .

There are only two ways a person can walk on, two spiritual directions that are at work in this world. The one is the way of Jesus: He walked the way of obedience and humility. He renounced being equal with God and humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross. . The other is the way of the Antichrist, which goes in the opposite direction. It exalts itself above everything that is called God or that is worshiped, rejects obedience, and leads people away from the commandments of Christ. Therefore, there are really only two ways: the way of humility and the way of pride.

As long as the body of Christ is on earth and has Christ as its head, the spirit of Antichrist is restrained. This spirit has been at work since the time of the apostles. It shows itself where the grace of God is falsified and people are led away from the commandments of Christ. People believe that there is grace enough with God, and that it doesn’t really matter how they live. But what good is grace to us if we aren’t willing to hear the truth about ourselves?

It is not enough to be enthusiastic over the blood of Jesus and the amazing grace found in the forgiveness of sins if we do not at the same time love the truth about ourselves. The grace of God has not been given to cover over a life of sin, but rather to lead us to salvation from sin. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” . “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” . Only those who receive the truth and let themselves be chastened by God are renewed in their minds and sanctified by the Spirit.

It is the love of the truth that keeps us. He who loves the truth does not seek to justify himself, but allows God’s light to reveal what needs to be cleansed away. Then exhortations become a help rather than a burden, and God’s grace can do the work for which it was given—to lead us into the life of Christ.

The vast majority of people cannot bear to be enlightened by the truth. It was the same in the days of Lot. He sat in the gate and tried to warn the ungodly, and even Lot’s own sons-in-law did not take the warning seriously. They thought Lot was just joking. . Nevertheless the judgment came suddenly. May it not be so with us. The time of grace will not last forever. The day of the Lord is coming. We need to use this time to prepare ourselves. Those who love the truth about themselves allow themselves be chastened, and afterward bear the blessed fruit of righteousness. .

We are living in a time when the signs indicate that the Lord’s coming is drawing near. But our calling is first and foremost to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. When we walk in the light, work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and allow the truth to mold us, then we are of the day. Then we also can lift up our heads with joy, because our redemption is drawing near. .

Called to the Land

God does not merely save us from the guilt of having sinned; He calls us to a new life in Christ. As Paul writes: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” . But how many have actually entered into this new life?

Kåre J. Smith used the history of Israel as a picture of the the Christian walk. When God led the people out of Egypt, the goal was not merely to free them from slavery. He had promised them a land to possess and live in. Nevertheless an entire generation turned back at the border. They had seen God’s mighty works time and again, but the letter to the Hebrews is clear: it was their unbelief that shut them out. Read Hebrews 3.

This is written for our instruction, and it is remarkable that the same story repeats itself again and again, thousands of years later. Paul shows how the history of Israel was written as a warning to us. . “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” . Even today, a Christian can rejoice in the forgiveness of sins and yet remain outside of what God wants to lead him into. It is possible to have come out of “Egypt,” yet still live a life marked by the wilderness’s defeat, unrest, and grumbling.

God is calling us to something much greater than this. If we are to enter the Promised Land, we must be alive in our spirit and live consciously for God. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” . God wants to lead us into the life of Christ, where the Spirit molds us and makes us partakers of His nature.

Jesus called us not only to believe in Him, but to become His disciples. Whoever wants to follow Him must give up their own life to do the Father’s will. . This is not a human effort of self-improvement, but a life where the Spirit of Christ works within us. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” . As we walk in obedience, the deeds of the body are put to death, and the life of Christ fills us more and more. .

Just as Israel had to take possession of the land little by little, in the same way, sanctification is a journey. The enemy was not defeated in a single day, but God had already given the land to the people. In this way, we also can go from victory to victory as we hold fast to the faith and allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit. “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” . The trials we face are not a sign that God has forsaken us, but an opportunity for our faith to be tested and strengthened.

The goal of the gospel is for Christ to have a body on earth—a people who live for Him, are built up together by the Spirit, and reflect His life. God wants to lead us to maturity so that the life of Christ can be made visible in us and through us.

Keep Yourself!

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” . The danger does not lie in what others do to us, but in what can take root in our own hearts. That’s why the exhortation follows, Keep yourself!

The Apostle Peter exhorts us to do good and poses a thought-provoking question: “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?” . When we encounter injustice, we are at the same time given an opportunity to do good. If we bless instead of retaliating, evil has not prevailed. On the contrary, it has become an opportunity for growth and for laying up treasures in heaven. Just think—it is entirely possible to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts no matter how people treat us!

The only thing that can truly harm us is if evil causes us to sin. If we allow ourselves to be driven to bitterness, anger, or revenge, we have been overcome. But if we overcome evil with good, we have won a victory of eternal value. .

Joseph’s life is a powerful testimony of this. Even though his brothers meant evil against him, he could say: “God meant it for good.” . God can turn even the most difficult circumstances into something good when we hold fast to doing good and entrust our case to Him.

The story of Balaam illustrates the same truth from a different perspective. No one could curse what God had blessed. Balaam knew that. Instead of cursing Israel, he taught Balak to deceive the people and lead them into sin. It was only when Israel allowed itself to be deceived and led into sin that it lost God’s protection. Numbers 25. This is also how it is today. The only thing we truly need to fear is to sin. No human words or actions can separate us from God’s blessing if we are kept in Christ.

“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” . We are called to be the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, our calling is also to bless. When we walk in the Spirit, keep ourselves, and do not give in to sin, evil cannot gain power over us. Then we are kept in God’s peace, and the life of Christ is made manifest through us. All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This is how we are conformed to the image of Jesus. .

Have You Left Your First Love?

Kåre J. Smith reminded us that God’s kingdom is firm and unshakable. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.” . Zion is the very embodiment of this: A kingdom where the word of God is firmly established in heaven forever. . Everything God promised to Abraham and Israel stands firm for all eternity. It is also the same with the promises of the New Covenant. They stand firm and do not change. But how can we hold fast to these promises?

The word of God must be firmly rooted in our hearts. We who have become Jesus’ disciples are to obey the word of God and follow His commandments. Then we become steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. And the promise we are called to inherit is to partake of divine nature. . It is the most firm and unshakable thing that exists.

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” . Without faith, hope, and love, we become losers in life’s many trials. It is easy to sink into a life marked by religiosity, where a person does everything out of habit without having come to a personal life with Jesus. Then they fall when the time of temptation comes. But with faith, hope, and love, we can stand firm.

The angel of the church in Ephesus received a good testimony; he had patience and perseverance in his work, a zeal that would not bear those who were evil, and the ability to expose false apostles. And yet Jesus had this against him: He had left his first love. . Here we see that it is possible to do much good and perform many good works without having a burning love for Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: What is this first love?

It means keeping Jesus’ name in mind in everything we do, without ever seeking our own honor. It is to hear the voice of their Beloved with joy, to do His will with joy, and to have their place in His intimate counsel with joy. As long as the angel in Ephesus had this love, he did everything for the sake of Jesus’ name. He did not grow weary and did not think of himself. But little by little he began to think about his own name—and then the falling away began.

When we abide in that first love, we also return to those first works—the ones that are pleasing to God. Then we will come to a life filled with the virtues of Christ. . That is to wear the crown of victory. No matter where we are in life, having Jesus as our first love is the guarantee itself of a happy life—a life we must hold fast to in all the circumstances of life. A life lived in that burning first love for Jesus bears the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” .

To preserve that first burning love for Jesus until the very end is a serious calling—and the very foundation of a life that stands firm and unshakable.

A Body in Growth

Salvation takes place in the body—and the church is the body of Christ. Many judge the church by human standards, as if it were merely an organization like any other. But then they are missing out on the spiritual dimension, because that is where salvation in His body is hidden. Paul prayed that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened, so that we may understand how rich the hope is to which we have been called, and how exceedingly great God’s power is toward us who believe. . Christ has been given as the head of the church—His body. And even though the head is perfected, the body is still growing and developing. .

The way Jesus walked is plain and clear—He walked the way of the cross. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” . “He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” . All who want to be members of this body must themselves follow on the same way that He walked. They come to experience that the death of Christ must work within them in order that the life of Christ can be manifested. .

It is a great thing when a person comes to the point of surrender where they become a member of this body. Then a true work begins within that person under the leading of the Spirit. If you feel that you are not growing in the church, the answer is never to blame others. The solution is to draw closer to Christ, who is the head, because everyone in His body has their own work measured out by God. If we come to acknowledge our own sin, instead of thinking “the others don’t understand me,” then we will experience true growth in our own lives. The Spirit will guide us into all truth. But we ourselves must love the truth and let it show us what must be put to death in our own lives, so that the life of Christ can come forth.

The goal of this growth is that “we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.” . There are many teachings and schools of thought that have nothing to do with the body of Christ. Growth occurs as we, speaking the truth in love, grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. .

The whole body is joined and knit together by every bond that Christ supplies, and grows its growth in love, according to the working by which each part does its share. . These are eternal, unbreakable bonds. Only sin can break them. If you have Jesus as your head, you will be given your own work to do.

Everyone can partake of this growth—not by waiting for others to change, but by becoming receptive to what the Spirit of truth wants to show us about ourselves. Then we will grow together into Him who is the head of this glorious body.

Finished with Sin or a Saved Sinner?

This is a crucial question where we must all choose a side. But for many, it is also a mystery—what the apostle Paul calls the mystery of godliness. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” . It remains a mystery to us as long as we do not accept the exhortation that Jesus gave: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” . But what, exactly, are we to learn from Jesus?

Man’s fundamental sin is pride. It is this pride that lies behind many of the afflictions and problems people struggle with, and that has ruined countless lives. Jesus came down to earth precisely to put an end to pride and to open a way that completely frees us from sin. In order for Him to set us free from the temptations we struggle with, He Himself had to partake of the same flesh—of the seed of David, with all that entailed. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” .

Throughout His entire life, Jesus humbled Himself in every situation He encountered, by consistently not doing His own will but God’s will. This way brought forth the dying of Jesus, and there He became the author of eternal salvation—a salvation that sets us completely free from sin. . It is precisely on this way of humiliation that the mystery of godliness lies hidden; there we put to death the pride that dwells in our own flesh. This is the wisdom of God, the hidden wisdom, which becomes a glory for us. .

In order to partake of this revelation, a change of mind must take place in our lives. We must arm ourselves with the same mind that Christ had, that he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. . Who really understands this in the midst of the everyday situations we encounter? Most people think it doesn’t matter so much—Jesus has, after all, finished the work, and there is grace enough with God. And instead of ceasing from sin, people are happy to reckon themselves as being saved sinners, and thus they remain sinners for the rest of their lives. The apostles proclaimed something else. John wrote: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.” . This is a message about ceasing from sin.

Here it is important to distinguish between two things. John wrote: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” . To have sin—that is, sin that still dwells in our flesh and that God wants to cleanse us from—is something we all must acknowledge and fight against our whole life. This is something entirely different from committing sin—that is, consciously continuing to live in sin and relying on God’s grace as a justification for doing so. Regarding the latter, John says: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” . It is precisely this conscious sin that Jesus came to put an end to—not by our pretending to be sinless, but by our no longer giving in to sin.

There is no sin so great that Jesus cannot forgive it. This is a great grace, and we must hold fast to our faith in it. It is good to acknowledge it when we have fallen into sin and have allowed ourselves to be deceived by the deceitfulness of sin. This applies both to ourselves and to others. But without a deep acknowledgment of the truth, we remain a sinner, as Jesus Himself says. Read . Without this acknowledgment of the truth, we never get our eyes opened to this mystery, and then neither do we have need of Jesus as our Master and Savior.

The gospel is simple and clear: Jesus came on account of sin, to put an end to sin. He obtained eternal redemption by walking on the way of death. We are called to follow in His footsteps, and thus become finished with sinning consciously, while at the same time allowing ourselves to be cleansed, throughout our whole life, from the sin that still dwells in our flesh. Then we ourselves become witnesses of this mystery of godliness.

Marc Tombre