The Christian's higher life.
Our text gives us a magnificent picture of the higher life of man, indicating the means of its beginning, the signs of its progress, and the hope of its perpetuity.
I. THE EXPERIENCES OF THE BEGINNING OF THE HIGHER LIFE. These initial experiences are spoken of under the three allied figures of death, the hiding as of burial and resurrection. There is an experience:
1. As of death. "Ye have died." The soul as it becomes Christian passes through a death with Christ—
Dead, yet alive!—the paradox that finds its counterpart in the gardener's insertion of the vine shoot, that was cut off and so dead to its old stock, under the bark of the living vine.
2. As of hiding away in burial. "Hid." That may mean
3. As of resurrection. "Risen." That must indicate
II. THE DUTY OF THE HIGHER LIFE. The duty is twofold, and the way of obeying is twofold also.
1. The twofold duty of the higher life.
2. The twofold method of attaining the performance of this duty.
III. THE DESTINY OF THE HIGHER LIFE. In the fourth verse we have the onward aspect of the higher life.
1. There is to be a complete manifestation of this higher life. Paul has said now it is "hid," then it will be unveiled; now it is buried, then it will be "risen." Because of misunderstandings, and misconceptions, and harsh judgments of others, the "higher life" is now often hid; then all will be explained, interpreted, rectified. Because now that life is so often in itself distorted, confused, it is partially "hid;" then in ease and naturalness and grace it will gloriously "appear."
2. The perfect revelation of this life will be in perfect union with Christ.
"Yea, thro' life, death, thro' sorrow and thro' sinning,
He shall suffice me, for he hath sufficed:
Christ is the End, for Christ was the Beginning;
Christ the Beginning, for the End is Christ."
U.R.T.