◄ Centrality of Christ ►
The one who says that he abides in Him must live the same way He Himself lived.
1 John 2:6
Christ-Centred
There is nothing more simple than a life that has Christ at the centre. There is nothing more beautiful than a life that has Jesus as its focus. There is nothing more purposeful than a life that concentrates on Christ. There is nothing more needful than a life that simply rests in Christ Jesus. A life with Him as central is a life that’s simple, beautiful, purposeful, and needful.
When Christ is central, all the stresses and strains of life are shared with Him. When Christ is central, all the beauty of His perfection is reflected in His servant. When Christ is central, all divine resources are ours to use for His praise and glory. When Christ is central, our selfishness will be exchanged for God’s purposeful plan.
The simple, beautiful, purposeful portrait of Christ is God’s pattern for humanity, but fallen man in his own selfish cocoon fails miserably to copy His perfect standard – for fallen man in His own foolish pride tries to live the 'Christ-life' in his own strength. To be like Christ in His humanity is no ideal but a reachable goal for all believers.. but it is not achieved by changing our nature but by exchanging our self-life for His.
And the more we gaze on His beauty and grace, the more our lives reflect Him. The more we concentrate on Christ, the more meaningful our lives become. The more we rest in His love, the more we discover His grace is sufficient. When Christ is central life becomes simple, beautiful, purposeful, and fruitful.
A life with Christ as central is a life that abides in Him; rests in Him; trusts Him. The fruit of a life that looks to Christ in all things is one that walks as He walked. And Christ walked in spirit and truth by obediently listening to the Father’s voice. Christ lived a life in submission to the Holy Spirit – He lived a spiritual life.
Christ lived a simple, beautiful, purposeful life... with His Father as His central focus.. and we can live a simple, beautiful, purposeful, spiritual life when Christ is central. Everything we need to live a Christocentric life is found exclusively in Christ, and we have been given the heavenly riches of God’s grace for we are in Christ. We have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies, for we are in Christ. All the resources we need to live a godly life, pleasing to God are given us in Christ.
When we claim the benefits of our heavenly riches in Christ we abide in Him. When we abide in Christ, we have simply appropriated the riches of God’s grace – and the end result is a simple, beautiful, purposeful life that keeps Jesus central. The believer that keeps Christ central to life is the one that walks in spirit and truth. That Christian is Christocentric, because he abides in Him and walks like Christ – he lives a spiritual Christian life that is pleasing to God. He is a spiritual believer.
The believer that does not keep Christ central walks in the flesh – in carnality. That Christian is not Christocentric and doesn’t abide in Him, nor walk like Him – he lives a carnal Christian life that is not pleasing to God. He is a carnal believer. Both have been given the heavenly riches of God’s grace, for BOTH are in Christ. Both are in union with Christ and both are eternally secure in their position in Him.
Both have been endowed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places – in Christ.. but only one is abiding in Christ and living the Christ-life – the spiritual man. Only one has appropriated their heavenly portion, which is theirs in Christ.. "for the one who says that he abides in Him must live the same way He Himself lived". 1 John 2:6
There is nothing more simple than a life that has Christ as its centre. There is nothing more beautiful than a life that has Jesus as its focus. There is nothing more purposeful than a life that concentrates on Christ. There is nothing more needful than a life that simply rests in Christ Jesus – and a life with Him as central, is a life that’s simple, beautiful, purposeful, and fruitful.
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