In Him, Ken Page

Christianity can be likened to a ship on the ocean. The ship is the Christian religion. It is offering passage to shore. . The Captain is Christ. Other ships with other "ways" are also cruising nearby. The ocean is the present age of life on earth. It is filled with confusion, dangers and death. The shore represents entering into life beyond this earthly existence. It offers security, joy, peace and forever life.

The Christian Ship is carrying quite a diverse group of passengers. All of these people have been pulled up from the bottom of the sea floor. You see, in the Ocean there are none who are treading water or barely hanging on- all are completely dead.

The most profound difference between the "Christian" passengers is those who are alive and those who are dead. The Captain has chosen those who are alive. He has given His Spirit to them. They have heard His promise of rescue and they have believed it. They knew they were dead and asked Him for life. Their life is now in the hands of the Captain- not their own. As they continue to live by trusting in Him, they rest and rejoice in His complete rescue. There is nothing for them to add to this life-saving journey than to believe it. Unless deceived, they live out their lives grateful for what He has done. Those living by the act of the Captain have secure passage and have already entered into the life on shore.

The dead passengers are on board through the self-effort of themselves or someone else on board. They have chosen to identify themselves as a Christian, but they do not have the life of the Captain in them. Sometimes, self-empowered fishermen using self-enticing bait to hook them have reeled some in. They were caught by their own will- not His. These independent fishermen promised them a life in which they could be "right" and proud or maybe promised them a ticket to heaven. Some have been born on board ship and decide to stay so as not to ruffle any family member passengers.

The dead ones (or "alive" ones living like dead ones) can make it very confusing. These dead ones may even behave much more alive than some of the living ones. While using many familiar "alive" words the only reality they can share is their dead self-driven life. The alive passengers are often enticed by these others to live like themselves. They are enticed to exercise their own will power to live for the Captain. They are enticed to make commitments, promises and to try hard. They are lured into trying to prove their own value and acceptance by their outward behavior.

The predominant teaching on the ship is that; since the Captain has rescued us we need to learn how to swim. Yes it was good to be rescued, but now you must learn how to swim for yourself. All kinds of training programs are set up to teach people how to swim and survive the treacherous ocean. Some of the most popular teachers have incorporated and have huge groups of swimmers in the making.

Many can be seen swimming laps in the Olympic size pool on board. Others look on and marvel at their discipline and commitment. Some are visibly exhausted- but continue. Some appear dead- have given up -and will only be revived when the ship arrives on shore. Even though some of these swimmers are alive, on board ship, and guaranteed complete passage to shore- they have come to believe that they are actually swimming!

Some can be seen fishing off the back of the ship. The Captain is using many of them to rescue others and they are thoroughly enjoying it. Others (dead or alive) are trying to prove that they are alive by fishing. They are continually fine-tuning their baiting techniques to desperately catch what ever they can. The Captain rescues some on the Ocean floor through these self-driven fishermen, but most of their catch is reeled in dead. Fisherman can easily get proud or bitter toward those who are not fishing. After all, fishing is the whole reason for having a boat.

A few of the passengers are actually having a great time. They are so grateful to be alive and on board. There is no doubt in their minds who has saved them and who is bringing them to shore. The whole focus of their conversation seems to be their gratitude towards the Captain who saved them. They are growing in their faith- that is they believe what the Captain has said, done and continues to do for them. They are learning to deny their flesh of the thrill it would get from swimming laps and fishing. Oh, they do engage in these activities but only as directed and empowered by the Captain.

The hardest thing for the "at rest" passengers is the isolation from the other passengers. Often there is rejection and accusation leveled at those "at rest". Those learning to rest know that you cannot dabble with being a passenger on ship and still think you should be swimming. They long to share this wonderful cruise with their fellow passengers- but they must also confront their deception of trying to swim for themselves. The desire to think you are, and get credit for, swimming is possibly the hardest thing to relinquish and it is nearly impossible to confront. What could be wrong with swimming?

Eventually the ship will arrive on shore. Those who are alive by the work of the Captain will rejoice in His life for eternity. Some of these will learn that they missed the joy of living on ship because of their swimming obsession and deception. Those who appeared dead because of their inability to tread water will be renewed.

The dead on board will be cast into the ocean for eternity. Some had worked very hard. Some had been fisherman. Some were swimming instructors. Some were marathon Olympic swimmers. The Captain had never known them. He was not their life.

Are you enjoying the finished work of Christ- or are you in training for a swim? Are you living in ever increasing gratitude for what Christ has done- or are you wearing out?

"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit." John 12:24

"Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision (try in any way to please God by performing the Law), Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Galatians 5:2-4

"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." Hebrews 10:14

"How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:29

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20,21

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