[Sons to Glory!]

Pursuant to this thread I read this today in a devotional and thought I would post.

The Objective and Subjective Cross November 24th

"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear
with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are
on the earth." COLOSSIANS 3:4-5

Our minds must be renewed with the revelation of the objective
cross in order that we could experience the subjective working
of the cross. These two aspects are connected in Colossians 3:3 and
5. In verse 3 the objective aspect is given: "For you died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God." That is the fact, and nothing can
change it. Our feeling cannot change it. The atmosphere cannot
change it. Whether we believe it or not, it still remains a fact.
Disbelief cannot eradicate it. The fact is the fact. We died. This is
the objective cross.

Then in verse 5 we see the subjective side: "Therefore put to
death your members which are on the earth." This is the subjective
working out of the cross. So the two sides of the cross are revealed
in Colossians 3: "You died" in verse 3, and "put to death" in verse
5. We put to death our members which are on the earth because we
died. The objective truth is that we were crucified with Christ. But
now subjectively we need to apply this and experience it.

By knowing the truth, you know exactly how to relate to
yourself. You know how to relate to your reaction. You know how
to relate to that ugly thing rising up in you. You are not looking at
it, being anxious about it, or hoping that it will somehow disappear.
You are not in that false kind of realm, wishing for a change. Once
you have seen the fact that your old man was crucified, that you died,
then when that reaction rises up in you - when you feel it, when you
sense it - you know your position with it. You know exactly how
to relate to it. You say, "That is not me anymore. That thing died,
and right now I am going to put it to death." This is faith. This is the
exercise of our spirit of faith. This is being clear and knowing what
the truth is. So we can see how crucial it is for us to know the facts of
this revelation from the Word - that our old man was crucified.
It is good to declare it. It is good to announce it and then to apply the
subjective working of the cross by the Spirit.