Man cannot naturally live the Christ-life. But Christ has promised to come into our hearts and live in us. In order that we may have Christ dwell in our hearts and that we may live his life — there must be a giving up of our self-life. There must be annihilation of self — that Christ may live. It is truly wonderful and as glorious — as it is wonderful that man can live the life of Christ in this world. But here is the secret: it is man ceasing to live the self-life — and Christ living in him.
Imagine a hollow brass figure in the exact image of a man. Suppose you fill this hollow figure with a kind of life which we shall call self-life. This life goes to using the hands and feet, and eyes, ears, tongue; in short, all the members of this brass figure — but using them in the interest of itself. Now you desire to make a change; you want that image to speak, act, and think only for you. You must first put to death the life that is using the figure, cleanse it entirely out, and then get into it yourself. Once in, you can use all the members of that image for yourself.
Your body is like that hollow brass figure. There was a life in you that used all the members of your body — in the interest of self. But there has been a change. You were made a new creature. The life you once had, was put to death — was crucified; then Christ stepped into your heart, and now he uses all the members of your body for himself. You still live, yet not you — but Christ lives in you. Once you did things for yourself — now you do them for Christ. Just as you once lived purposely and intentionally for yourself — now you do things purposely and intentionally for Jesus, because it is he who lives, and not you yourself.
You remember how once you would plan for yourself. In the evening as you lay upon your bed, and again in the morning and throughout the day you would think about what you were going to eat or drink, what you were going to have for clothing, where you were going to live, where you were going to go, and what you were going to do. But now you are changed; you are a new creature. Now it is not you that lives — but Christ lives in you. Now you eat not for yourself — but for Jesus. You now go, not where self would lead you — but where that life in you loves to go and would have you go. You do things, not for yourself — but for Jesus. https://www.gracegems.org/D/how_to_live_a_holy_life.htm Charles Elbert Orr.