The truth of our union with Christ gives us a tremendous boldness.Our confidence comes from an inner witness of the spirit to two biblical and Spirit-confirmed truths which we are called to emphasize to Gods born again family.We are bold to call these two truths total truth.The first is a personal truth and the second is a universal truth.The personal truth is that the revealed fact of our being in Him and He in us is a conscious union.This means that I no longer see myself as a separate person in a "relationship"with the Lord Jesus Christ,but as one,as Branch in the Vine,as a body member in the Head,as spirit joined to spirit.Iam consciously He in my Branch,Spirit forms-Christ,indeed the whole Trinity,in my human form.I am not I dependent on Him,but He permanently expressed by me.And so i live spontaneously on this inner fixed fact by the Word,inwardly confirmed by the Spirit.This means that Ilive my daily life as if I am just myself,in total freedom,yet with the inner permanent sub-conscious reality that it is He living my Life(the hidden truth of Col3:4 and Gal2:20).This is total truth #1-the replaced life.The second truth,the universal truth,is the revelation that all are expressions of God-whether things or persons(Romans1:20 and Acts17:28);whether in their negative(misused)forms(such as in Romans 8:20)or in their positive right forms(the righteousness and higher ways of God as expressed in 2 Cor5:21).This means that i see God in everything,good or evil-good in His grace forms,evil in His wrath forms.Therefore we see positively in everything and everyone.When we see "evil"forms we see God meaning persons in their freedom to be what they are in their present misuse of themselves;and that He purposes through the corrupting effect of their misuse(Gal6:7,8)to condition them for seeking and receiving His grace(Luke 15-the prodigal son-and Romans11:32).When we see "good"forms,we see God in His infinite varieties of Self-manifestation(1John4:17),and in His reproduction of Himsef in others.We label this total truth#2-seeing God only in all things and all peoples.Nothing exists outside of God-Father,Son,and Spirit.Therefore the only sin is unbelief-which is negative believing(John16:9 and Romans14:23)-seeing things and people and all situations as though separate from God.Negative seeing and believing causes us to be judgmental,fearful and defeatist,always transmitting to others what ourselves inwardly see.To us the total truth of the union life message and personal witness is the replaced life and seeing God only in all things and peoples.But one more truth that we "see"and rejoice in is the total unity of the whole Body of Christ in the Glorious Head;we see ourselves as "perfect in one"with all Gods redeemed people.This means that we happily and appreciatively are in union with all who love Jesus.We can be part of all church fellowships,whether of the "established"or independent type,and be honestly thankful for all of th truth in Christ known and preached by each fellowship.We ourselves will add our contribution of total truth revelation as given opportunity.It is our particular contribution to"the perfecting of the saints,"and the "presenting every man perfect in Christ Jesus." this is by Norman Grubb,an old friend of mine who is now with the Lord AMEN xxx
