Breathing
This chapter deals with how we practically, day by day, absorb our union with Christ, and our acquittal through justification. The author gives us practical tools to help us. The two vital practices, bible reading and prayer, is seen as inhaling (bible reading) and exhaling (prayer). The bible is our greatest earthly treasure. It contains “the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiess of believers” (p 144). Bible reading will fill our empty souls. To understand the bible, we need to understand the main story of the bible, that God sent his son to fully obey him, something that no one can do. Ortlund encourages us to build daily bible reading into our lives. Make it a habit. As we discussed in the study, that can include listening to the bible, easily availble on our phones. He calls the bible our oxygen tank.
In discussing prayer, he emphasizes how interelated and mutually dependent prayer and bible reading are. We are to move through our day praying, by hearing his voice in Scripture and turning that into prayer. Need help in praying? The bible has its own prayer book in Psalms, the one book addressed to God, not about him. God gives us his own words to speak back to him.
Supernaturalized
This last chapter is devoted to the working of the Spirit. As Christians we are permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit thereby being supernaturalized. The Old Testament’s anticipation of the final events have been fulfilled. Along with the coming of the Messiah, the Spirit would be poured out. The Holy Spirit was active in the Old Testament, but selectively. Ann Childress provided us with a John Piper article on this. You can read it here.
We need the Spirit to make us different on the inside.We are not just to obey God, we are to enjoy him! The Spirit makes us see Christ as wonderful. The author warns us against diminishing the Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Jesus describes the work of the Spirit in John 16:13-14. In 1 Corinthians 1:12, Paul tells us why we have received the Spirit, in order that we can grasp what we have been graced with in Christ.
Conclusion: What now?
What is the secret to growing in Christ? Look to him, gaze upon him, abide in him. We are not to gaze at our own growth, but on him. We are to be astonished at the gracious heart of Christ. The way to grow is to receive the love of Jesus. Inhale, exhale.
Quotes
“If we do not pray, we do not believe God is an actual person.” p153
“…form the vital habit of making the book of Psalms your lifelong companion. Befriend the Psalms deeply.” p 155
“…there is no sin in your life more powerful then the Holy Spirit”. p164
“To grow as a disciple of Christ is not adding Christ to your life but collapsing into Christ as your life.” p 166