The Stewardship of the Mystery # 83

The Corporate Expression of the Heavenly Man (continued)

An Inter-related And Inter-dependent Life (continued)

This maintaining of the unity is a positive thing. It represents a being on full stretch for something. It is not just a case of our desiring it, wanting it, of our considering it to be the best thing and even necessary, but of our applying it. It takes application to give diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit.

This is what is meant by being "renewed in the spirit of your mind," which, again, is unto the putting on of the "new man," the corporate Heavenly Man. Thus in the passage before us, the practical exhortation immediately follows: "Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." The renewing of the spirit of the mind works out in each one speaking truth with his neighbor, in the putting away of all falsehood. Why tell yourself a lie? We would not do that deliberately. What would be the point in my telling myself something that is not true? What would be the sense of my left hand doing my right hand injury, seeing that ultimately both must suffer? Similarly "we are members one of another." In the other mind, the mind of the old man, which is mentioned here, there is a lack of this sense of corporate life, this inter-dependence, this interrelationship, where it is recognized that everyone is necessary, indispensable. You can put people off in that realm; you can get rid of them, can gain your end, gain an advantage by just suspending the truth. But here we are dealing with one entity, and that entity must not be conflicting, must not be different things but one thing. We must be renewed in the spirit of our mind by putting on this new corporate Heavenly Man.

These verses are worth our noting again in the light of what we are saying:

"...If so be that ye heard Him, and were taught in Him, even as truth is in Jesus: that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, which waxed corrupt after the lusts of deceit; and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another" (Ephesians 4:21-25). That is the new mind of the "new man," which is renewed in the spirit on the principle, the law, the reality of inter-relatedness and inter-dependence.

I need you; you are indispensable to me. I can never realize my destiny, the purpose of my being, apart from you. What, then, is the point in my telling you lies? If there is someone without whom our destiny, the purpose of our being, our whole objective is impossible, is lost, and, and in the face of such a fact, a deceptive, lying relationship, what a contradiction! That is the force of the words here. "We are members one of another," therefore we must have a one mind; and speaking truth one with another is a mark of the "new man," the Heavenly Man who has only one mind. Lies all speak of contrary minds.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 84 -  (Gifts In Christ)