Afterward That Which Is Spiritual
True spiritual life is characterized by dependence on Christ and the ability to receive God's gifts and blessings without becoming centered in them.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the necessity of suffering and personal breakdown to lead us to a place of humility and dependence on Jesus. He illustrates how our natural strengths must be crucified to allow for spiritual growth, using Peter's fall as an example of transformation through humility. The sermon encourages believers to renounce self-confidence and fully embrace the spiritual life, which allows them to receive God's blessings without losing sight of their relationship with Him. Ultimately, the transition from the natural to the spiritual is essential for a deeper connection with Christ and His provisions.
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God often has to bring us not only into the place of suffering, and the bed of sickness and pain, but also into the place where our righteousness breaks down and our character falls to pieces in order to humble us in the dust and show us the need of entire crucifixion to all our natural life. Then, at the feet of Jesus we are ready to receive Him, to abide in Him, depend upon Him alone and draw all our life and strength each moment from Him, our Living Head. It was thus that Peter was saved by his very fall and had to die to peter that he might live more perfectly to Christ.
Have we thus died, and have we thus renounced the strength of our own self-confidence?
We begin life with the natural, next we come into the spiritual; but then, when we have truly received the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the natural is added to the spiritual, and we are able to receive the gifts of His providence and the blessings of life without becoming centered in them or allowing them to separate us from Him.
Sermon Outline
- The Purpose of Suffering
- The Process of Spiritual Growth
- The Result of True Spiritual Life
- Ability to receive God's gifts and blessings without being centered in them
- Ability to remain connected to Christ
Key Quotes
“God often has to bring us not only into the place of suffering, and the bed of sickness and pain, but also into the place where our righteousness breaks down and our character falls to pieces in order to humble us in the dust and show us the need of entire crucifixion to all our natural life.” — A.B. Simpson
“Then, at the feet of Jesus we are ready to receive Him, to abide in Him, depend upon Him alone and draw all our life and strength each moment from Him, our Living Head.” — A.B. Simpson
“We begin life with the natural, next we come into the spiritual; but then, when we have truly received the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the natural is added to the spiritual, and we are able to receive the gifts of His providence and the blessings of life without becoming centered in them or allowing them to separate us from Him.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must be willing to die to ourselves and our self-confidence in order to live for Christ.
- True spiritual growth requires a transition from natural to spiritual life, renouncing our dependence on our own strength.
- We must remain connected to Christ and not become centered in the gifts and blessings of life.