'Chap. 7 - The Test
of 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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
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 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.'
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