The Import of Union with Christ

 The following is from T. Austin-Sparks'  book The Meaning of Divine Life:

"Nothing can be done except on the ground of this union [with Christ]. It is not a matter of action, or of undertaking for God, however well intentioned. What we see as seeming necessary to be done for the Lord's glory is not the criterion of service.

"Many things are embarked upon by the mere simple, though honest and sincere judgment of the heart, when confronted by what is judged as something to be done for God, something needing to be done. A tragic situation, for example, calls for action; we have the means to meet that situation, and so we embark upon it for the Lord. A vast variety of undertakings have been embarked upon in that way, from that basis, and the Lord Jesus in this chapter [John 5] says, 'No! Not so!'

"He is not governed by the apparent demand of a situation. He is not governed by the impact of things upon Himself, as calling for an undertaking. With Him it is a question of what God is doing, and doing just at the particular time. With one object, God does different things at different times, and has a different emphasis from time to time, and those who are really in union with Christ have to be governed by that which Christ at that particular time is Himself undertaking, is giving Himself to: '. . . what things soever he doeth these the Son also doeth in like manner'.

"The whole question of spiritual perception in relation to the work of God is bound up with this union. We may embark upon many undertakings for the Lord; we have done it, and many are doing it. Sovereignly the Lord blesses and uses, but there is something which comes nearer to the heart of God than that, and which gets more directly and immediately to God's end. In a less roundabout way it gets right to the heart of things. It is that we should be found in that which is God's immediate object at a given time. Union with Christ brings us under that law. It is a matter of what God is doing, and life-union with Him in Christ for the accomplishment of that.

"So then, we have to put back all our schemes, and all  our plans, and all our arrangements, and all our programmes for the Lord, and in the secret place with the Lord get into the value of true, living, spiritual union with Him, that the purpose may not commence with us--in our thought, in our desire, in our will--but may begin with God and find a registration in us from God.

"He would have us see with spiritual perception what He is doing, and do it, and 'in like manner'; for God is as particular about His method as He is about His purpose. The question is not one of doing a thing for God, but of God. That is why the Apostle adds that governing clause to his great statement about the new creation, when he says, 'If any man be in Christ there is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things are become new. But all things are of (out from) God . . .' In the new creation all things are out from God."