Life On The Highest Plane

[to get the full understanding of this series, please read each article before proceeding to the next.]


Introduction

Every Christian has inherited untold riches. As a child of the King and a joint heir with Christ he is a spiritual multi-millionaire. But comparatively few Christians bear the marks of spiritual affluence. Their conversation, character and conduct give the impression rather of spiritual impoverishment. Throughout the Church there is a universal complaint of dearth and deadness.

Many Christians do not seem to be conscious of their lack or their need. They are indifferent and self-satisfied. But, on the other hand, there are many whose lives are characterized by a humiliating consciousness of defeat and failure, but a growing unrest, and by a perpetual striving for something never attained. Their hearts cry out insistently, "Lord, is there nothing better than this for me in the Christian life?"

The purpose of these studies is to teach what are the Christian's possessions in Christ and how they may be appropriated, enjoyed and used.

These Bible studies were first given in embryo to pastors, evangelists, teachers and other Christian leaders in Conferences held in China. Later they grew into full-size as they were taught in weekly Bible classes stretching over a period of six months. In response to many requests from all across the world, including America and Europe, and friends, that this message might be made available for their use, it has been prepared for publication.

God is building a spiritual house for His own glory and use. This house is composed of a foundation, a superstructure and furnishing. These studies attempt to furnish the plan of such as habitation and to show step by step the process of its building. Each chapter is, as it were, a story complete in itself yet connected both with the story underneath it and the one above it. The work is divided into three volumes as here indicated:

Vol. 1 Christ Jesus - the Foundation: eternal, incarnate, crucified, Risen, Ascended, Exalted

Vol. 2 The Believer in Christ and Christ in the believer: the Superstructure.

Vol. 3 The Holy Spirit - the Furnishings: Indwelling, infilling, cleansing, controlling, guiding, anointing.

It is the hope of the author that these studies may be used by groups around the world.

This book is now given back to God with the prayer that He will use it to lift many to Life on the Highest Plane. 

Human Life on Three Planes (chapter one)

The Bible is a mirror in which man may see himself just as he is. Any person who wishes a true picture of himself will find it there. The Bible is God's studio in which will be found the picture of each of His created beings. Your photograph is there. It has been taken by the Divine Photographer, therefore it is flawlessly accurate. Do you wish to see your photograph?

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul has divided the human race into three clearly distinguished groups and every member of the human family, irrespective of racial or natural inheritance, belongs to one of these groups. God's description of each is so accurate and so true that every person may know with certitude in which class he is.

This classification presents a study of human life on three planes, the lowest, the highest, and a middle plane: or the natural man, the spiritual man, and the carnal man.

We will start with the study of life on the lowest plane, that of 

The Natural Man

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 1:14)

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)

"No man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3)

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)


Is the natural man a Christian? No one can be called a Christian who is not rightly related to God. Is the natural man then rightly related to God? To get our answer let us begin with John 14:6 and work backward to 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Jesus says that no one can get into right  relationship with God the Father except through Himself. The Bible shows us with unmistakable clearness that this necessitates receiving Jesus Christ into the life as Saviour and Lord. Paul tells us that no one can truly call Jesus "Lord", except "in the Holy Spirit," and that if the Holy Spirit does not dwell in one he cannot belong to God as one of His own. It is the Holy Spirit alone who knows the things of God which He desires to give us freely in Christ. But 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us that the natural man refuses to receive the things of the Spirit, they appear mere foolishness unto him. More than that, he cannot know them because it takes a spiritual mind to discern spiritual truth and he is without the Holy Spirit. So it is very clear that the natural man is not in the right relationship to God. Consequently from God's viewpoint, no matter how exemplary a life he may live on the plane of the natural, he is not a Christian.

The Attitude of the Natural Man to God

Let us study what Scripture says of the attitude of the natural man to God:

He does not know God - Gal. 4:8
He has no gratitude to God - Romans 1:21
He has no desire for God - Romans 3:11
He has no love for God - 1 John 4:10
He has no faith in God - John 3:18
He has no fear of God - Romans 3:18
He does not worship God - Romans 1:21, 25
He resists the truth - 2 Timothy 3:8
He receives not the things of God - 1 Cor. 2:14
He rejects God's truth - 2 Thess. 1:8
He disobeys God's Gospel - 2 Thess. 1:8
He is an enemy of God - Romans 5:10


~Ruth Paxson~

(continued with # 2)