44
January 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
teaches no short cut to perfection. There are those who teach that the believer may have an initial experience by which the sinful nature is completely eradicated and a state of spiritual perfection im parted. Scripture definitely warns those who think they are immune from temp tation, that they are most liable to a fall (1 Cor. 10:12), and many have learned by bitter experience that sanctification is progressive as well as instantaneous (Jn. 17:17). By precept and example we are taught that spiritual progress depends upon a daily putting to death of the things of the flesh (Col. 3:5-6) and a daily renewing of the spiritual life (2 Cor. 4:16). I. G ive O ut A sure way to cheat ourselves is to rob God of what is due Him in praise and testimony and in our gifts toward His work. Confession of Christ is, first of all, made an essential accompaniment of salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak- eth” (Lk. 6:45). " Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Rom. 10: 11). Not only is it Christ’s due, but it is for our own strengthening. It is a means of victory over Satan. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:11). .Those who have no testimony are usually weak in faith, fearful of heart, without assurance of victory. ‘‘Let us hold fast the profession of our faith” (Heb. 10:23). Spiritual development depends in large degree upon the use we make of opportunities to witness for Christ. A closed mouth usually means fear of man (Prov. 29:25). We are told that there were many Jews who believed, but they dared not confess Him, “ for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (Jn. 12:42-43). This reveals a sad condition. The more we assert and de clare a thing, the deeper its hold becomes upon us. Witnessing for Christ increases and establishes convictions. We only need compare Peter’s condition when his lips were sealed (Mt. 25:69-75) and his progress from strength to strength when he got his mouth open (Acts 2:22-36). There is a special advocacy of Christ for those who stand openly for Him (Mt. 10:32-33). The man of whom Christ must be ashamed (Mk. 8 :38) certainly is not growing spiritually. But not only are we called upon to give out in word, but in substance (1 Jn. 3:18). "Freely ye have received, freely give” (Mt. 10:8). How can we do other wise in view of what our Lord has done for us? (2 Cor. 8:9.) The progress of Christ’s cause in the world depends upon systematic giving (1 Cor. 16:2; Mai. 3: 10 ), and the care of the poor is to be effected through organized charity in the church (Mt. 26:11; Gal. 6 : 1 0 ; 2 : 10 ). Remember that one of the measures of God’s gifts to us will be the measure of our contributions to Christian work (Lk. 6:38). 2. R enew D aily Scripture places strong emphasis upon the necessity of daily renewal. In Tit. 3 :5 we read of the ‘‘washing of regen eration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Here we see salvation instantaneous and progressive. We are to be renewed (“ren ovated”) day by day through the Holy Spirit’s work in the inner man. Paul exhorts us in Rom. 12:1-2 to yield our
The Virgin’s Babe There never was a baby born Like hers, the honored Eastern maid: The Godhead veiled in human flesh, And in a lowly manger laid. There never was a baby born Whose birth had been.so long foretold; From Eden’s Garden He had been The promise of the seers of old. There never was a baby born About whose birth the angels sang: Until the hills their echoes woke, . As o’er the fields the chorus rang.
applause of the race course. Backsliding begins in the knees. No prayer—no prog ress. Pray “in everything” (Phil. 4:6). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Daily renewing, however, is not all a matter of talking to God. He must have a chance to talk to us, and this He desires to do through His Word. “Desire the unadulterated milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). True prayer will be born of meditation upon God’s Word, which nourishes faith (Rom. 10:17) ; reveals God’s will (Psa. 119:105); and searches our hearts (Psa. 139:23-24). A careless reader of the Bible is never a close walker with God. God must have a chance at our spiritual ears (Isa. 50:4-5). The man whose delight is God’s Word is the man who prospers in God’s service (Psa. 1:2-3). 3. O bey L ight Too much cannot be said as to the importance of “walking in the light” (1 Jn. 1 :7). “He that followeth me,” said our Lord, "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life ” (Jn.. 8 : 12). Most of our darkness is of our own
selves a living sacrifice unto God, that we may be “transformed by the renewing of our minds” and so might prove that the will of God is good, acceptable and perfect. It needs to be our daily prayer that a right spirit might be renewed within us (Psa. 51:10), or, as Paul says, ‘‘be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:23). How is the renewing to be sought? First of all, by prayer. ‘‘They that wait upon the Lord shall renew [lit. “ex change”] their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:31). It is those who wait upon God who find “meat in due season" (Psa. 104:27). Blessed is the man who watches daily at His gates (Prov. 8:34). The men and women of prayer are inva riably those who “mount up." There are invisible wings that lift them and enable them to overcome all downward gravita tion. They “run” and are not weary. They are ever pressing forward in ser vice. They “walk” and do not faint. Walking suggests the daily routine that lacks the exhilaration of flying and the
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