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What Is The Exchanged Life?
by Theron Messer and Scott Hadden
Introduction
Through the years we have been asked the question: What makes your ministry unique to other
Christian ministries? The uniqueness of Grace Ministries Denver and other sister ministries of the
Association of Exchanged Life Ministries is our emphasis on spiritual truth called the "exchanged life".
What is the exchanged life?
From Toiling to Rest
Let's begin by examining the origins of this term. The term 'exchanged life' was coined by the son of
Hudson Taylor to describe the spiritual experience of his father. Hudson Taylor founded the China Inland
Mission. Many years of labor for Christ resulted in the founding of a major work in China but also
resulted in spiritual burn-out in the life of Hudson Taylor.
Speaking about Hudson Taylor, his friend Mr. Judd said, "He had been a toiling, burdened one
(Christian) before, with latterly (recently) not much rest of soul. He was a joyous man now, a bright
happy Christian. It was resting in Jesus now, and letting Him do the work -- which makes all the
difference."
Hudson Taylor's son said, "It was the exchanged life that had come to him -- the life that is indeed,
'No longer I'. Six months earlier he had written, 'I have continually to mourn that I follow at such a
distance and learn so slowly to imitate my precious Master'. There was no thought of "imitation" now! It
was in blessed reality 'Christ liveth in me'. And how great the difference! Instead of bondage, liberty;
instead of failure, quiet victories within; instead of fear and weakness, a restful sense of sufficiency in
Another. So great was the deliverance, that from that time onward Mr. Taylor could never do enough to
help make this precious secret plain to hungry hearts wherever he might be."
This precious secret discovered by Hudson Taylor was not a new doctrine. It is plainly taught within
the Scripture. The reason Hudson Taylor was so late in discovering it and the reason that so many
Christians today never discover it is that there is a lack of teaching and emphasis on the exchanged life.
Believers are taught that their performance (what they do) is all that matters. While doing is critical, the
believer must also understand that Christ lives within and that He is the source of strength and wisdom.
Today's Christians are so performance oriented that we never even consider the possibility of allowing
Christ to live His life through us -- until the burden of performance causes us to cry out for relief. One
famous preacher explained his ministry as preaching law (performance) until people cried out for grace
then he gave it to them!
The set of doctrines that relate to the exchanged life are also related to the doctrines known as
identification truths, grace truths, and the so called "deeper life" truths. Down through Christian history
there have always been some who understood, taught, and experienced the exchanged life truths. By
naming the following teachers of the exchanged life truths I am not saying that we should agree with
everything they taught. A person can be expert in one truth and miss the mark entirely in another area of
life. If perfection is a requirement before we listen to a teacher, I am afraid we will find no person, except
Jesus, able to teach us. Who, then, were some of the best known teachers of these truths?
Many today love the work of Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest. Chambers had, and
still has, a major impact in spreading this truth. Other teachers of the past included Watchman Nee, L. E.
Maxwell, F. B. Meyer, Andrew Murray, F. J. Huegel, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Brother Lawrence, Alan
Redpath, Ruth Paxton, Hannah Whitehall Smith, A. B. Simpson, A. W. Tozer, C. S. Lewis, and Charles
Trumbull, just to name a few. In our generation well known teachers include Charles Solomon, David
Needham, Jack Taylor, Neil Anderson, Bill Gillham, Roy Hession, Miles Stanford, Charles Stanley, and
Major Ian Thomas.
by Theron Messer and Scott Hadden
Introduction
Through the years we have been asked the question: What makes your ministry unique to other
Christian ministries? The uniqueness of Grace Ministries Denver and other sister ministries of the
Association of Exchanged Life Ministries is our emphasis on spiritual truth called the "exchanged life".
What is the exchanged life?
From Toiling to Rest
Let's begin by examining the origins of this term. The term 'exchanged life' was coined by the son of
Hudson Taylor to describe the spiritual experience of his father. Hudson Taylor founded the China Inland
Mission. Many years of labor for Christ resulted in the founding of a major work in China but also
resulted in spiritual burn-out in the life of Hudson Taylor.
Speaking about Hudson Taylor, his friend Mr. Judd said, "He had been a toiling, burdened one
(Christian) before, with latterly (recently) not much rest of soul. He was a joyous man now, a bright
happy Christian. It was resting in Jesus now, and letting Him do the work -- which makes all the
difference."
Hudson Taylor's son said, "It was the exchanged life that had come to him -- the life that is indeed,
'No longer I'. Six months earlier he had written, 'I have continually to mourn that I follow at such a
distance and learn so slowly to imitate my precious Master'. There was no thought of "imitation" now! It
was in blessed reality 'Christ liveth in me'. And how great the difference! Instead of bondage, liberty;
instead of failure, quiet victories within; instead of fear and weakness, a restful sense of sufficiency in
Another. So great was the deliverance, that from that time onward Mr. Taylor could never do enough to
help make this precious secret plain to hungry hearts wherever he might be."
This precious secret discovered by Hudson Taylor was not a new doctrine. It is plainly taught within
the Scripture. The reason Hudson Taylor was so late in discovering it and the reason that so many
Christians today never discover it is that there is a lack of teaching and emphasis on the exchanged life.
Believers are taught that their performance (what they do) is all that matters. While doing is critical, the
believer must also understand that Christ lives within and that He is the source of strength and wisdom.
Today's Christians are so performance oriented that we never even consider the possibility of allowing
Christ to live His life through us -- until the burden of performance causes us to cry out for relief. One
famous preacher explained his ministry as preaching law (performance) until people cried out for grace
then he gave it to them!
The set of doctrines that relate to the exchanged life are also related to the doctrines known as
identification truths, grace truths, and the so called "deeper life" truths. Down through Christian history
there have always been some who understood, taught, and experienced the exchanged life truths. By
naming the following teachers of the exchanged life truths I am not saying that we should agree with
everything they taught. A person can be expert in one truth and miss the mark entirely in another area of
life. If perfection is a requirement before we listen to a teacher, I am afraid we will find no person, except
Jesus, able to teach us. Who, then, were some of the best known teachers of these truths?
Many today love the work of Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest. Chambers had, and
still has, a major impact in spreading this truth. Other teachers of the past included Watchman Nee, L. E.
Maxwell, F. B. Meyer, Andrew Murray, F. J. Huegel, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Brother Lawrence, Alan
Redpath, Ruth Paxton, Hannah Whitehall Smith, A. B. Simpson, A. W. Tozer, C. S. Lewis, and Charles
Trumbull, just to name a few. In our generation well known teachers include Charles Solomon, David
Needham, Jack Taylor, Neil Anderson, Bill Gillham, Roy Hession, Miles Stanford, Charles Stanley, and
Major Ian Thomas.
