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Contents
The
Test of Discipleship
Chapter 7
(57)
"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 bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8. 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
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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
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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 Saviour'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
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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 an 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,
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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. "Ye 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 ye 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
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suffered for us, leaving us an example,
that ye 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
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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 ye 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
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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 ye 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 loveth 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
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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.
Contents
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