Discipleship!
"If
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new" 2
Corinthians 5:17.
A person
may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace
all the chain of circumstances in the process of conversion;
but this does not prove him to be unconverted. Christ said
to Nicodemus, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you
hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from,
and where it goes: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit"
John 3:8 NKJV. Like the wind, which is invisible, yet the
effects of which are plainly seen and felt, is the Spirit
of God in its work upon the human heart. That regenerating
power, which no human eye can see, begets a new life in the
soul; it creates a new being in the image of God. While the
work of the Spirit is silent and imperceptible, its effects
are manifest. If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit
of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. While we cannot
do anything to change our hearts or to bring ourselves into
harmony with God; while we must not trust at all to ourselves
or our good works, our lives will reveal whether the grace
of God is dwelling within us. A change will be seen in the
character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be
clear and decided between what they have been and what they
are. The character is revealed, not by occasional good deeds
and occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency of the habitual
words and acts.
It is
true that there may be an outward correctness of deportment
without the renewing power of Christ. The love of influence
and the desire for the esteem of others may produce a well-ordered
life. Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of
evil. A selfish heart may perform generous actions. By what
means, then, shall we determine whose side we are on? Who
has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Of whom do we love
to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies?
If we are Christ's, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest
thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is consecrated to
Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His spirit, do His
will, and please Him in all things.
Those
who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will bring forth
the fruits of the Spirit, 'love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance' Galatians
5:22,23. They will no longer fashion themselves according
to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they
will follow in His steps, reflect His character, and purify
themselves even as He is pure. The things they once hated
they now love, and the things they once loved they hate. The
proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart.
The vain
and supercilious become serious and unobtrusive. The drunken
become sober, and the profligate pure. The vain customs and
fashions of the world are laid aside. Christians will seek
not the "outward adorning," but "the hidden
man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit" 1 Peter 3: 3,4.
There
is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reformation.
If he restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, confess
his sins, and love God and his fellow men, the sinner may
be sure that he has passed from death unto life.
When,
as erring, sinful beings, we come to Christ and become partakers
of His pardoning grace, love springs up in the heart. Every
burden is light, for the yoke that Christ imposes is easy.
Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure. The path
that before seemed shrouded in darkness, becomes bright with
beams from the Sun of Righteousness.
The loveliness
of the character of Christ will be seen in His followers.
It was His delight to do the will of God. Love to God, zeal
for His glory, was the controlling power in our Savior's life.
Love beautified and ennobled all His actions. Love is of God.
The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. It
is found only in the heart where Jesus reigns. "We love,
because He first loved us" 1 John 4:19, R.V. In the heart
renewed by divine grace, love is the principle of action.
It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls
the passions, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections.
This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds
a refining influence on all around.
There
are two errors against which the children of God - particularly
those who have just come to trust in His grace - especially
need to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, is that of looking
to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring
themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become
holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting impossibility.
All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness
and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that
can make us holy.
The opposite
and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases
men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone
we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have
nothing to do with our redemption.
But notice
here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but
the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His
very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of
love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven
and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God,
if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the
law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle
of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after
the image of Him that created him, the new covenant promise
is fulfilled, "I will put My laws into their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them" Hebrews 10:16.
And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape
the life? Obedience - the service and allegiance of love -
is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the Scripture says,
"This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments."
"He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him" 1 John 5:3; 2:4.
Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and
faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ,
which enables us to render obedience.
We do
not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the
free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is
the fruit of faith. "You know that He was manifested
to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth
in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither
known Him" 1 John 3:5, 6. Here is the true test. If we
abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings,
our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony
with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy
law. "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that
doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous"
1 John 3:7. Righteousness is defined by the standard of God's
holy law, as expressed in the ten precepts given on Sinai.
That
so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men from
the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption.
"By grace are you saved through faith." But "faith,
if it hath not works, is dead" Ephesians 2:8; James 2:17.
Jesus said of Himself before He came to earth, "I delight
to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart"
Psalm 40:8. And just before He ascended again to heaven He
declared, "I have kept My Father's commandments, and
abide in His love" John 15:10. The Scripture says, "Hereby
we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
. . . He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so
to walk even as He walked" 1 John 2:3-6. "Because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you
should follow His steps" 1 Peter 2:21.
The condition
of eternal life is now just what it always has been, - just
what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,
- perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness.
If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this,
then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled.
The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and
misery, to be immortalized.
It was
possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character
by obedience to God's law. But he failed to do this, and because
of his sin our natures are fallen and we cannot make ourselves
righteous. Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly
obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with
which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has
made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials
and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless
life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and
give us His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and
accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may
have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's
character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted
before God just as if you had not sinned.
More
than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart
by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ
by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him;
and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and
to do according to His good pleasure. So you may say, "The
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me"
Galatians 2:20. So Jesus said to His disciples, "It is
not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh
in you" Matthew 10:20. Then with Christ working in you,
you will manifest the same spirit and do the same good works
- works of righteousness, obedience.
So we
have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. We have no ground
for self-exaltation. Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness
of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit
working in and through us.
When
we speak of faith, there is a distinction that should be borne
in mind. There is a kind of belief that is wholly distinct
from faith. The existence and power of God, the truth of His
word, are facts that even Satan and his hosts cannot at heart
deny. The Bible says that "the devils also believe, and
tremble"; but this is not faith. James 2:19. Where there
is not only a belief in God's word, but a submission of the
will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections
fixed upon Him, there is faith - faith that works by love
and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed
in the image of God. And the heart that in its unrenewed state
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now
delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist,
"O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day"
Psalm 119:97. And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled
in us, "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit"
Romans 8:1.
There
are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and
who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize
that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and
they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed
by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back
in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the
feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but
we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the
enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God.
No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I
unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous"
1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, "The
Father Himself loves you" John 16:27. He desires to restore
you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected
in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that
hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the
day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully.
As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power
of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health
of our countenance.
The closer
you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your
own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections
will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect
nature. This is evidence that Satan's delusions have lost
their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of
God is arousing you.
No deep-seated
love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize
its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace
of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not
see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that
we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ.
The less
we see to esteem in ourselves, the more we shall see to esteem
in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Saviour. A view
of our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon; and when
the soul, realizing its helplessness, reaches out after Christ,
He will reveal Himself in power. The more our sense of need
drives us to Him and to the word of God, the more exalted
views we shall have of His character, and the more fully we
shall reflect His image.
"Obedience
- the service and allegiance of love -
is the true sign of discipleship!"
"We
do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the
free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is
the fruit of faith."
This
meditation is from The Path to Peace, pp. 27-31.
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