Reflections by the Pond for February 8, 2010: Gaining Christ: Writing His Life into Ours [2010-02-08]

Too often the persistent spirit of flesh that lingers in the Christian erects a barrier to lordship, for the flesh is jealous, and unwilling to hand over something it believes to be its own. Thus the believer's faith-life stagnates, and his eternal life is not enjoyed, but postponed. The common response is, "Why would I want to gain Christ? Look at what I would be giving up!" That is the sound of persistent, jealous flesh.

But to gain Christ is to come into possession of something so substantial, so precious that every other possession turns to insignificant vapor. Gaining Christ means, as The Expanded Vine's puts it, "...so practically appropriating Christ to oneself that He becomes the dominating power in and over one's whole being and circumstances."

To gain Christ is to overwrite the spirit of flesh with the Spirit of very God.

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