Life to Live

by E G. Patterson
God alone can produce life, and give the power and grace to live it for Himself here below. It alone is fragrant in His sight. The life also of Jesus is made manifest in our body. May we be stirred to the depths of our souls with the thought of this victory, which we can indeed give Him over the enemy, even our faith, overcoming the world which He has passed through in His own perfection. "I have overcome the world." It is a beaten foe and our faith in Him keeps us dependent. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4.
Thus "life," which walks with God, and waits for Christ, and serves Him while it waits, is the subject in the teaching in 2 Tim. 1. It was promised in Christ Jesus before the world was. It was exhibited in Him on earth, brought to light by the glad tidings of His work and victory (vv. 9,10).
Those who have died with Him shall also live with Him, if we look onward to the future (Ch. 2:11). It was seen in Paul as a present thing as he walked and served continually (Ch. 3:10). The enemy would frustrate it by his counterfeits, but he would be brought to shame by a lowly, unworldly, devoted and separate walk with God (Ch. 3:8, 9). All that would thus live godly in Christ Jesus would suffer (Ch. 3:12).