As I write this on Resurrection Morning I am always drawn back to a piece written by Oswald Chambers concerning the fact that the bride of Christ has been raised to His risen life, not her old life. Here is what Chambers wrote all those many years ago about the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection:
Luke 24:26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ESV
Our Lord’s Cross is the gateway into His life: His Resurrection means that He has power now to convey His life to me. When I am born again from above, I receive from the Risen Lord His very life.
Our Lord’s Resurrection destiny is to bring “many sons unto glory.” The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. We are never in the relationship to God that the Son of God is in; but we are brought by the Son into the relationship of sonship. When Our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life, to a life He did not live before he was incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before; and His resurrection means for us that we are raised to His risen life, not our old life. One day we shall have a body like unto His glorious body, but we can know the efficacy [effectiveness] of His resurrection and walk in newness of life. “I would know Him in the power of His resurrection.” [Philippians 3:10]
“As Thou has given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” [John 17:2] “Holy Spirit” is the experimental name for Eternal Life working in human beings here and now. The Holy Spirit is the Deity in proceeding power Who applies the Atonement to our experience. Thank God it is gloriously and majestically true that the Holy Ghost can work in us the very nature of Jesus if we will obey him.*
Once again God lays out His plan for His Son’s bride and the empowerment for her to fulfill that plan …
Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ESV
That’s the challenge and it can only be accomplished in and through The Experimental Name For Eternal Life!