Appropriation of the Life of Christ: A Relationship to Embrace
The journey of appropriating the life of Christ can sometimes feel elusive—like a profound truth hovering just out of reach. Yet, the beauty of this process lies in its simplicity: it is not a formula to master but a relationship to embrace. Just as the seed must fall into the ground and die before it can bear fruit, so too must we surrender our self-reliance and trust the indwelling life of Christ to express Himself through us.
The Seed as a Metaphor for Appropriation
In The Green Letters, Miles Stanford captures the essence of spiritual growth with the image of a grain of wheat. The seed, representing the believer, must fall into the soil, where it is buried and broken before it can sprout and grow. This picture beautifully mirrors the process of appropriating Christ’s life. It begins not with effort but with yielding—letting go of the hard shell of the self-life, the flesh, and allowing the Spirit to do His transformative work within us.
Jesus Himself uses this metaphor in John 12:24: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Appropriation starts with this death to self-life—a recognition that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Death to the Old Self
Appropriation involves reckoning ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). The “hard shell” of the seed represents our old self, our flesh—our pride, self-effort, and illusion of control. These must be surrendered so that Christ’s life can emerge. This is not about trying harder but about trusting more deeply.
Galatians 2:20 frames it perfectly: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Appropriation is living from this reality—no longer striving in our strength but resting in His sufficiency.
God as the Divine Husbandman
Just as a farmer tends to his fields, God lovingly cultivates our growth. He plants us in the soil of His grace, waters us through His Word, and nurtures us by His Spirit. Philippians 2:13 reminds us that “it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
We are not left to grow alone. The life of Christ within us is continually nourished by the Spirit, enabling us to bear fruit—not by our effort but by His life flowing through us.
Practical Appropriation: Trusting Moment by Moment
The life of Christ is not merely a theological truth to affirm but a living reality to draw upon daily. Just as the seed draws nutrients from the soil, we must draw from Christ’s life within us through faith. This means:
Surrendering daily: Trusting God with our circumstances, our struggles, and even our inadequacies.
Walking by faith: Acting in line with the truth of who we are in Christ, even when it feels counterintuitive.
Remaining dependent: Recognizing that He is the source of our strength, peace, and love—not our efforts or abilities.
The Goal: Bearing Much Fruit
The ultimate purpose of appropriation is fruitfulness. As we yield to Christ’s life within us, He produces fruit that blesses others and glorifies God. John 15:8 says, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
This fruit is not the result of striving but of abiding—staying connected to the Vine and trusting Him to produce what we cannot.
A Relationship, Not a Formula
Appropriating the life of Christ is not about mastering a set of steps or striving for perfection. It is about deepening a relationship with Him, moment by moment, as we trust His life within us.
The seed does not worry about how to grow; it simply surrenders to the process, trusting the care of the farmer. Likewise, our role is not to strive but to abide, trusting the life of Christ to flow through us, transforming us and bearing fruit in His time.
Let this truth be our reminder: It is not a formula to master but a relationship to embrace, moment by moment, as we trust the life of Christ within us.
Closing Thought
As we walk in this reality, may we rest in the assurance that the One who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). And may we remember that the harvest is His—not ours to produce, but ours to enjoy in His perfect time.