THE FOUR "TRANSES"
TRANSITION
TRANSFUSION
TRANSMISSION
TRANSLATION
TRANSFUSION
TRANSMISSION
TRANSLATION
TRANSITION -
"Trans" = across; from one place, or condition, to another
Conversion is a spiritual transition. That transition is described in different ways by different people.
Peter was an outdoorsman (a fisherman) and in 1 Peter 2:9 describes the transition this way: "Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;". It is coming out of a natural darkness into a spiritual light and along with it comes the realization of spiritual realities we never knew before.
Paul had a legal mind and so he uses a legal type of metaphor - coming out of a position of condemnation into a position referred to as justification (though not actually innocent, declared innocent by virtue of someone else having paid the penalty of the crime for which we previously stood condemned).
Jesus describes it in John 5:24 as passing from death unto life! There is no in-between. Either you are alive to God in Christ, or you are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).
The hymn writer, William T. Sleeper, penned the idea with these words:
TRANSFUSION -
The true Christian life consists of, and continues by, a supernatural transfusion whereby the very life and nature of Christ are transferred into us via the Holy Spirit. Paul said it this way in Gal. 2:19-20 "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
In Col. 1:27 Paul refers to "Christ in you, the hope of glory".
The New Testament ideal for our Christian lives is that there be within us a continual displacement of the old self-life (by nature we are self-centered!) and become Christ-centered. Christ is to be:
the new life within our life
the new mind within our mind
the new will within our will
the new love within our love
the new Person within our personality
such that "Christ lives in me"
To be truly Christ-centered is to be all the while Christ-conscious.
The Christian life was never intended to run on the battery system. It was meant to run on the electric circuit principle - continuous current thru continuous contact! We cannot control the current, but we CAN control the contact!
TRANSMISSION -
The Christian life which begins by supernatural transition, continues by supernatural transfusion and is meant to express itself by supernatural transmission.
This principle governs the whole realm of Christian service, which is primarily about being, not about doing. (The doing will follow merely as an expression of being).
The highest and greatest service which I can render to God is not that which I do for Him, but that which I allow Him to do through me. Christian service is in essence communicating Christ. Christian service is meant to be a continual inflow and outflow of our Master's very life in and through us.
TRANSLATION -
The Christian life is consummated in a supernatural translation.
What was God's purpose in redeeming men?
Was it simply to keep him out of hell?
Was it to allow man to enjoy pleasures?
Paul tells us in Romans 8 that God purposed that those He redeemed would be conformed to the image of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There ought to be a growing likeness to Him.
1 John 3:2-3 "...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
The climax, then, is that when we see Him, we shall become like Him.
Oh glorious day!
"Trans" = across; from one place, or condition, to another
Conversion is a spiritual transition. That transition is described in different ways by different people.
Peter was an outdoorsman (a fisherman) and in 1 Peter 2:9 describes the transition this way: "Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;". It is coming out of a natural darkness into a spiritual light and along with it comes the realization of spiritual realities we never knew before.
Paul had a legal mind and so he uses a legal type of metaphor - coming out of a position of condemnation into a position referred to as justification (though not actually innocent, declared innocent by virtue of someone else having paid the penalty of the crime for which we previously stood condemned).
Jesus describes it in John 5:24 as passing from death unto life! There is no in-between. Either you are alive to God in Christ, or you are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).
The hymn writer, William T. Sleeper, penned the idea with these words:
- Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee. - Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of earth’s sorrows, into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee. - Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair, into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee. - Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
TRANSFUSION -
The true Christian life consists of, and continues by, a supernatural transfusion whereby the very life and nature of Christ are transferred into us via the Holy Spirit. Paul said it this way in Gal. 2:19-20 "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
In Col. 1:27 Paul refers to "Christ in you, the hope of glory".
The New Testament ideal for our Christian lives is that there be within us a continual displacement of the old self-life (by nature we are self-centered!) and become Christ-centered. Christ is to be:
the new life within our life
the new mind within our mind
the new will within our will
the new love within our love
the new Person within our personality
such that "Christ lives in me"
To be truly Christ-centered is to be all the while Christ-conscious.
The Christian life was never intended to run on the battery system. It was meant to run on the electric circuit principle - continuous current thru continuous contact! We cannot control the current, but we CAN control the contact!
TRANSMISSION -
The Christian life which begins by supernatural transition, continues by supernatural transfusion and is meant to express itself by supernatural transmission.
This principle governs the whole realm of Christian service, which is primarily about being, not about doing. (The doing will follow merely as an expression of being).
The highest and greatest service which I can render to God is not that which I do for Him, but that which I allow Him to do through me. Christian service is in essence communicating Christ. Christian service is meant to be a continual inflow and outflow of our Master's very life in and through us.
TRANSLATION -
The Christian life is consummated in a supernatural translation.
What was God's purpose in redeeming men?
Was it simply to keep him out of hell?
Was it to allow man to enjoy pleasures?
Paul tells us in Romans 8 that God purposed that those He redeemed would be conformed to the image of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There ought to be a growing likeness to Him.
1 John 3:2-3 "...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
The climax, then, is that when we see Him, we shall become like Him.
Oh glorious day!