The dynamics of the ordinary life

1. The ordinary Christian is defined as that believer whose spiritual gift is not related to spiritual leadership, i.e. his spiritual gift is not related to communication of doctrine.

2. Every believer or member of the royal family of God is in full-time Christian service. Whether in the ranks or an officer depends on spiritual gift, its exploitation, and the system of authority set up by God. The system of authority set up by God resides in the pastor-teacher. This means, of course, that there is no such thing as dedicating one’s self to “full time Christian service” because you are a full time Christian — either in reversionism or advancing.

3. Production or works is not the major issue in the Christian way of life or phase two. The major issue is growth, spiritual growth. The objectives are defined in terms of maturity — supergrace, ultra-supergrace, dying grace. Production is not the means of spiritual growth, production at best is a result of spiritual growth but never a means. All objectives in the spiritual life are attained by the transfer of Bible doctrine from the page of the Word to your soul by a pastor-teacher communicator. All objectives in the Christian life are attained through the persistent function of GAP.

4. Private Cressens is mentioned in the last morning report of Paul as a dedication to the ordinary Christian. Like Cressens, believers do not have to live in the limelight to be great with the Lord.

5. In many ways the ordinary life is the most difficult life. It has fewer moments of recognition, fewer moments of approbation and stimulation. Therefore the ordinary life requires greater self-discipline and persistence in the daily function of GAP.

6. Cressens in a Bible memorial to the ordinary believer who lives the extraordinary life without publicity, without recognition. He breaks the maturity barrier by his daily function of GAP, he goes to supergrace with the magnificent blessings of paragraph SG², he presses on to ultra-supergrace without fanfare or encouragement from others. He is the kind who becomes a great prayer warrior because his maturity gives him the ability to produce. Therefore his works are effective. He is a great prayer warrior, he is a great witness for Christ, he becomes highly effective in the function of the local church and administration, there are many wonderful things that he does, he doesn’t talk about what he is doing, he does it as unto the Lord, and his greatness is registered forever in heaven and will become apparent at the judgement seat of Christ.

7. The believer in ranks may be out of sight in the Christian community, he may not have worldly recognition, but he is never out of God’s sight.

a) His production reflects Bible doctrine in his soul.

b) He is free from arrogance and its counterparts.

c) He is free from the influence of evil and reversionism.

d) He serves the Lord in his own quiet way without blowing his trumpet, like the Pharisees, or trying to impress others with what he is doing.

e) He is free from approbation and power lust. His head is never turned by compliments.

f) He is unknown to others but well known to the opposition, i.e. Satan and the demons.

g) He carries his generation in history as a spiritual Atlas.

h) He is a blessing to all associated with him and he enjoys in turn perfect happiness and blessing in life.

8. The believer in ranks has a true perspective regarding service. He understands that Christian service is not what we do for the Lord but what the Lord’s grace does through us. Therefore he sees Christian service as a channel for the expression of grace rather than the means of making Brownie points with the Lord. Therefore Christian service must reflect his spiritual growth in his progress. This is only possible where there is maximum doctrine resident in his soul. Therefore maximum doctrine resident in his soul exploits the balance of residency between the filling of the Spirit and that doctrine. The Christian way of life is not activity nor productivity but conductivity. We are transmitters of God’s grace, not creators of God’s grace.

9. Therefore the private in God’s army is just as much in full-time Christian service as the general in God’s army. The angelic conflict is resolved by the advance of ordinary people, like private Cressens, as much as the advance of great people like the apostle Paul. Here, then, is a monument to the effectiveness of the rank and file Christian: “Cressens has gone to Galatia.”