Spring 1991

Identification
Wade E. Taylor

"LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" Phil 2:6-8.

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things so ever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise ... I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" John 5:19, 30.

Our experience and testimony should parallel that of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a particular quality of spiritual life and experience that our Lord expects to find resident and developing within each one of us. However, the Church of our day is recorded in Scripture as presenting a witness that indicates it is living in a lesser realm of life and experience.

"Because thou SAYEST, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" Rev 3:17. The Lord is telling this end-time Church that they are still spiritual babies when they should have grown into spiritual lmaturity. Their lack of spiritual growth is the result of not embracing the "mind-set" of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had they done this, their testimony would be quite different. Therefore, a word of correction is given:

"I counsel thee (each one of us) to buy of me gold tried in the fire, hat thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" Rev 3:18-19.

There is a present urgency that we live according to the ordained pattern("LET this mind be in you") which was given to govern and guide our spiritual life and growth. This "pattern" ("Let this mind be ... which was also in Christ Jesus") was manifestly lived to its fullest before us by ourLord Jesus Christ."

"For it became Him ... to make the captain of their
salvation perfect (mature) through sufferings" Heb 2:10.

Because of who He is (Deity), Jesus judicially was fully qualified to become our Saviour. However, He emptied Himself of this (Phil 2:6-7), and experientially qualified Himself by overcoming every obstacle that He faced, in order to become our Saviour.

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience
by the things which he suffered;
And BEING MADE perfect,
HE BECAME the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him" Heb 5:8-9.

His JUDICIAL position (who He was), and His EXPERIENTIAL relationship to His Father (what he did) became one through His obedience in overcoming, as He lived out His commitment to always do His Father's will, and to please Him in all that He experienced each day. "I do always those things that please Him" John 8:29b. Jesus never acted on His own, apart from the revealed will of His Father.

This resulted in a never-before-seen authority in His ministry. "And they were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes" Mark 1:22. His Word and His Life had become one.

It is the desire of the Father that we experience at least a "measure" of identification with our Lord. Our being religious, or knowing facts about Jesus, in itself, is not enough. Unless we come to a place of identification with Him in the "fellowship of His sufferings," we will not be ready to be identified with Him in the glory to come. "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death" Phil 3:10.

For this to be worked out in our lives we must, in some measure, come to understand "His mind" or life experience. "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil 2:5. Only then can we relate to the things He went through, and find the place of identification with Him that H desires us to have.

It had been prophesied in Micah 5:2 that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. But, Jesus allowed the knowledge of His birth in Bethlehem to become obscure. Thus, "Jesus of Bethlehem" became known as "Jesus of Nazareth." It was commonly said of Him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Search and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet" John 1:46; 7:41, 52.

To the natural eye, it could not be known that He was the Christ. A true knowing His identity could only come by revelation. The Church leaders, along with the multitudes of that day, failed to see the Messiah, "Jesus of Bethlehem" through the garb of "Jesus of Nazareth." The Apostle Paul, who understood this prayed, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know ..." Eph 1:18.

He had purposely allowed a reproach to remain upon Himself, so that only those who had a "spiritual eye" would understand who He really was. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not" Isa 53:3.

"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" John 1:11. Jesus did not fit into the "pattern" of life and ministry that was expected of Him by the religious leaders of that day. This lack of spiritual understanding and perception in mankind was heartbreaking to Jesus. He intensely desired to be known and understood.

It was only after two years of ministry that Jesus dared to ask His disciples a most crucial question: "Who am I?" Matt 16:15. He asked this question knowing that His true identity could not be known by outward observation, but only by hearing from His Father, who had sent Him. The sorrow, grief, and rejection, as foretold in Isaiah 53 was intensely felt by Jesus at this moment, as He awaited their answer to His question.

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" Matt 16:16. Jesus was overjoyed; Peter had come to see beyond Jesus of Nazareth. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood (outward observation) hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father (inward revelation) which is in heaven" Matt 16:17.

In other words, Jesus said: "Simon, you now have an ear to hear. You have come into the experience of hearing from the Father, even as I hear from Him. Now you will be able to obey Him, even as I fully obey Him." The disciples had come to the place of spiritual perception. They could see beyond the surface manifestation of Jesus of Nazareth. Now Jesus could say, "Thou art Peter (a small stone of the same substance that I am of) and upon THIS ROCK (the ability to hear and obey the Father) I will build my Church" Matt 16:18a.

The future of the Church hung upon their giving the right answer to this question that Jesus had asked concerning His identity. The nature of the church was to be spiritual, not natural. Therefore, Jesus had permitted this reproach to be upon Himself, that His disciples would look to the Father above as the source for building the Church.

Matt 16:21 then begins: "From that time forth began Jesus to show... ." They had to see beyond the guise of "Jesus of Nazareth" before He could lead them on. Now, they were in the place where they would hear from ABOVE. All that was left for Him to accomplish now, was to prepare them for His death upon the cross.

In the early days of the Pentecostal movement, "Tongues" were a reproach. To be "Spirit Baptized" meant to be a "Holy Roller." Today that reproach is gone, it is popular to be a Charismatic. However, there is yet a reproach. For those who have a discerning eye to see beyond the present movement and who seek to come into full maturity or sonship, the reproach remains.

God always wraps His best in a package for which few are willing to pay the price. "Jesus of Nazareth" had no apparent value. It was said: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?". The same question is yet being asked by those who are not willing to go on in spiritual things; "I see no value or purpose in this, let us stay with the past; it is safe, and popular".

In Hebrews 13:12-13 we are exhorted to "go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." Today, many are pressing onward, seeking all that He has for them. These are willing to pay the price of identity with the reproach of "Jesus of Nazareth" in order to gain the pearl of great price.

Are you satisfied with your present spiritual experience in the place of security and popularity? Or, are you willing to embrace His "mind" knowing that it will require the death of all that is Adamic, and the bearing of "His reproach?"

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name" Phil 2:9. We also, being of the same mind, and one with Him, will partake with Him in the glory to come.