The Divide of the Cross

2 Corinthians 5:17, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new."

In Chapter 5 of The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee deviates from his discussion on four conditions of the normal christian life to The Divide of the Cross.

With a chapter titled that, one might think he is going to reference the discussion of the offense the cross creates and resulting division among men. In actuality the divide he is speaking of is the division between the old and new. Or the division between the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God. Nee describes it this way, "... in Satan's hand, the first creation has become the old creation, and God's primary concern is now no longer with that, but with a second and new creation. He is bringing in a new creation, a new kingdom and a new world, and nothing of the old creation, the old kingdom or the old world can be transferred to the new. It it a question now of these two rival realms, and of which realm we belong."

This is critical to the Christians life. As the cross is going to be shown to be that doorway between the old and new. It is the doorway between flesh and spirit, the world and the kingdom of God. God is not about fixing a broken creation. The old creation is never to be "fixed" but rather it will pass away. Instead we have an opportunity to go to the new now. This passage is through surrender, through the cross and its representation of laying everything down. Naked on the cross is where the entrance to the kingdom of God lies.

Nee highlights this with, "'delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His Love' (Col. 1:13). Our citizenship henceforth is there. But in order to bring us into His new kingdom, God must do something new in us. He must make of us new creatures... 'That which is born of flesh is flesh'; and 'flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit in corruption' (John 3:6; 1 Cor. 15:50). However educated, however cultured, however improved it be, flesh is still flesh. Our fitness for the new kingdom is determined by the creation to which we belong... Are we born of flesh or spirit? Our ultimate suitability for the new realm hinges on the question of origin.The question is not 'good or bad?' but flesh or spirit?"

Awareness of this spirit realm and rebirth into it are critical. The seeking of the kingdom of God, the Father's spiritual realm, coupled with faith, will lead to coming to know Christ in new and powerful ways. We will share in the experience of Christ's baptism.

"... Are ye ignorant that all we who are baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him through baptism into death" (Rom. 6:3-4). We must now ask ourselves what is the significance of these words.

Baptism in scripture is associated with salvation. 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved' (Mark 16:16)... What is salvation? It relates not to our sins, nor to the power of sin, but to the cosmos or world system. We are involved in Satan's world system. To be saved is to make our exit from his world system into God's."

Nee, with a little logic and doctrine, transitions the reader from knowledge and reckoning faith to now focus on the unseen, the spiritual side of life. As we go forward in the book this exploration will get deeper.