PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

BEING SANCTIFIED

We have pointed out that the more we exercise our spirit to call on the name of the Lord, the more righteous we become. Now we need to see that not only do we become righteous and holy, but we are also sanctified. This means that the more we exercise the spirit to call on the name of the Lord Jesus, the more we are separated from what is common and from being common ourselves. Whenever a sister quarrels with her husband, arguing with him and exchanging words, she is common. She is no different from an unbelieving wife. Every worldly, unbelieving wife quarrels with her husband. But when a sister calls on the name of the Lord and becomes righteous, she experiences Christ as sanctification, and she is sanctified. The Christ she enjoys causes her to become holy, sanctified, separated. As a result, her husband will realize the difference. Even if he does not believe in the Lord, he will know that his wife is no longer common.

Through the years I have known many sisters who have become genuinely sanctified. In a number of cases a sister's sanctification convinced her husband and influenced him to believe in the Lord. As a result, the husband of such a sister became a good brother in the Lord.

Both righteousness and sanctification are aspects of Christ becoming wisdom to us from God. We have emphasized the fact that wisdom is the way. How do we receive the wisdom we need? This wisdom comes from the enjoyment of Christ. Day by day and hour by hour, we should not live in the soul, in the self, but live in the spirit, exercising the spirit to call on the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then Christ will become our enjoyment, nourishment, support, and supply in a very practical way….

BROUGHT BACK TO GOD

If we are those who exercise our spirit, call on the Lord's name, and enjoy Christ as our unique portion, we shall not only become righteous and sanctified, but we shall also experience Christ as our redemption. This means that in our experience we shall be brought back to God. Whenever a sister quarrels with her husband or debates with him, she is far away from God. The more she argues with her husband, the more she is carried away from the Lord. But when she enjoys Christ and thereby becomes righteous and sanctified, she is brought back to God.

Redemption also includes termination. The Christ who dwells in us, who supplies us, and who becomes our nourishment also terminates us. The more we call on the Lord's name, the more we shall gradually come to realize how much we are still in the old creation. We shall hate ourselves and confess that we need to be terminated. This termination is a second aspect of experiencing Christ as redemption to us. First, to be redeemed is to be brought back to God; second, it is to be terminated by the Lord. Redemption includes the realization of our need to be terminated and our realization that the Lord is in fact terminating us.

Redemption also includes being replaced by Christ. When Christ terminates us, He replaces us with Himself. This is transformation; it is also transfiguration. This is more than sanctification, which separates us and makes us different from others. This is the actual process of transformation in which our old element, our old constitution, is terminated and replaced with a new element, a new constitution—Christ Himself in resurrection. When we are replaced, we are transformed and reconstituted of Christ. Is not this the wisdom of God? When we experience Christ as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, we truly have Him as wisdom to us from God.

Witness Lee, Life-Study of First Corinthians, Message 13, pp. 115-122

APPLICATION

When we enjoy Christ as our wisdom from God, what is the first aspect of the divine virtue, the divine goodness, that we shall experience?

How can we experience being separated from what is common and from being common ourselves?

Redemption also includes being brought back to God, being terminated, and being replaced by Christ. In your experience, can you give a clear testimony of how you have enjoyed Christ in each of these aspects in your care of your children?