We are saved and Christ is now living in us. However, we must ask ourselves how much of Christ we have enjoyed. I am afraid that we have not enjoyed Christ that much, because what is in us is not Christ but many other things that in comparison are like refuse. What we are filled with is our reputation, our prospects, the world, position, power, and wealth. We are not filled with the Spirit and do not have much Christ in us. According to the speaking of Paul, everything that is in us or in our hearts that is other than Christ is the price that we must pay. Whatever is in us, in our hands, or in our hearts that is not of Christ is the price.
For example, suppose a brother has a beautiful tie that he loves very much. When he is loving his tie, his love toward the Lord decreases, and there is less ground in him for Christ. At this moment, his tie is the price. We love many things such as our wife, husband, children, houses, and cars. When we love these things, there is less ground, or perhaps no ground at all, in us for Christ. At this moment, all these things are the price we must pay. Some saints may say, “I certainly love Christ, but I cannot put aside my career and my job.” What we cannot put aside is the price. Whatever replaces Christ, is a substitute for Christ, or is even against Christ—whether it is our reputation, position, knowledge, wealth, desires, or thoughts— is the price. Paul said that he forsook everything and counted them as refuse in order to gain Christ. Christ is the treasure, and Christ was what Paul treasured. We have to be like Paul to pay every price to gain Christ.
The problem today is not that we do not know our condition but that we are unwilling to pay the price. When we look at our knowledge, prospects, material possessions, and family, we treasure them and hold on to them. In this way, Christ is left out, the infilling of the Spirit departs, and our light begins to go out. Time is not in our hands. May the Lord have mercy on us to grant us the light and the power of life so that we may pay the price to buy. The Lord told the Laodiceans, “I counsel you to buy” (Rev. 3:18). To the lukewarm Laodiceans, the Lord spoke of buying three items—gold refined by fire, white garments, and eyesalve to anoint their eyes. Can you see the light? Do you know the things of the Lord? Are you clear about spiritual matters? If you are not, it is because your eyes have not been opened. If you want your eyes to be opened to see the light, you must pay the price to buy. If you are willing to pay the price, you will see.
Salvation does not require the paying of a price, but maturity does. To obtain the oil in the lamp does not require one to pay a price, but to obtain the oil in the vessel does. The regenerating Spirit is given for free, but to obtain the infilling Spirit requires that we pay a price. If we are even a little willing for the sake of the Lord to put aside some of our desires, prospects, knowledge, position, family, material possessions, career, views, perceptions, and all the other things related to us, then the Spirit will fill us up. The more we forsake, the more the Spirit will fill us. How much we forsake is how much the Spirit will fill us. We may use a glass of grape juice as an example. When you empty a little of the juice, the air will fill up the glass a little more. When you empty more juice, more air will fill the glass. When the glass is fully emptied, the air will fill up the entire glass.
Only when we pay the price can we then “buy” the infilling of the Spirit. How much of a price we pay determines how much of the infilling we will gain. As human beings we need to believe in Jesus, and once we have believed in Jesus, we need to mature in life. Therefore, no matter what condition we are in—strong or weak, uplifted or depressed—we do not have a choice. Because we are not only human beings but also are those who have believed in Jesus, we must reach maturity and have the infilling of the Spirit. If you are strong, you need the infilling. If you are weak, you need the infilling even more. If you are uplifted, you need to be filled. If you are depressed, you need to be filled even more. May the Lord have mercy on us that He would enable us to pay the price and to get ready by buying the oil so that we may be mature to meet the Lord.