The Hidden and Inner Life of The Saints of Christ's Church

 The Hidden and Inner Life of The Saints of Christ's Church


In Colossians 3:3, the Apostle Paul wrote these words: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God," (ESV).  In Psalm 25:14, King David penned this sweet phrase: "The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant," (NASB).  The aforementioned Paul also left this instruction to the Philippian church, in Php. 3:15-16: "Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained," (ESV).

 

What I desire to say in this paper, is that all of us have a "hidden" "inner" life.  Those who love God by sheer and sovereign grace, have this "hidden" life, "With Christ in God."  This means that the church's regenerated saints have an inner "refuge," a "safe spot," (even) a "happy place"; where our "real selves" thrive--and this haven is, "With Christ in God."  We may resort to this blessed retreat at anytime, in prayer, praise, worship, adoration, and thanksgiving.  This "place" is a veritable "heaven" on Earth--because Jesus is there; and anywhere He is, is heaven (for us).

 

Richard Sibbes (AD 1577-1635), was a great Puritan pastor and author.  In addressing the "rebukes" of the world against God's true and redeemed people in Christ, Pastor Sibbes said these amazing words, in a sermon he preached from Isaiah 25:8: "A Christian knows his worth, that he is a child of God, heir of heaven, that he is attended upon by angels, that he is a jewel to God in His esteem; he [the believer] thinks this to be absolutely the best thing in the world. He [the believer] knows the worth of a Christian, and his own worth as being a Christian. He applauds and comforts himself, in that he knows he has a hidden life, a state of glory hidden in Christ. Now it is covered with disgrace and disrespect in the world, scorned and reproached, but what is that to him? It is a hidden life, and for the present he knows his own excellency, and therefore, can pass through good report and bad report. 'I care not for man's judgment,' said Paul; 'there is another day to which I must stand,' (1 Cor. 4:3). The ground we have of comfort under rebuke and disgrace . . . is a spirit of glory. What is that? A large spirit enlarging our hearts with inward comfort, inward joy, inward love of God. . . . [The Christian puts this up against] all disgrace he meets with in the world," [all emphases mine].

 

. . . In other words, by God's miraculous grace in Christ and His gospel of mercy, we can handle all of life's problems and struggles down here via our fleeing to our Christ, Whom we enjoy in our "hidden" and "inner" life of devotion to the Triune God (through Him [Jesus]).

 

Our supernatural "hidden" and "inner" life takes expression in our "public" and "outer" lives, as well.  (In this sense, it is not completely "secret.")  There is no way around this; and for all the truly-redeemed in Christ, this happens.  Paul expressed this life this way, in Php. 2:14-16a: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life . . . , " (ESV/emphases mine).  Professing Christians who are aware of no "hidden" or "inner" life in Christ in God, may have no actual knowledge of God.

 

So, we regenerated Christian church members on Earth live in two basic realms: our (primary) "hidden" and "inner" one; and our "public" and "outer" one.  Members of the triumphant church in heaven also live in their (same) two "realms."  The difference is, the saints in heaven have no mixture of sin corruption in either sphere; whereas we saints on Earth still struggle with this.  Still, in both cases--for the church in heaven or on Earth--we are covered over with the atoning blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  For this, let us be eternally grateful.

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #86

28 March 2026

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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