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JL"earning, ¿ k in g , ¿yoking [Continued from page 325]
“done” ; yet in the experience of living, there is something to deny as well as to do. The Lord Jesus Christ said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” He bade us cut off that which offends (Mk. 9:42-50). We are to lay aside every weight and besetting sin. “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess.” The Word demands separation, and all Scripture is profitable for reproof and correction as well as for doctrine and instruction in righteousness. Thus the negative side is recognized equally with the positive. Paul admonished Timothy to “reprove, rebuke” as well as exhort. Achan’s wedge and wardrobe often hinder the victory, and we must destroy the accursed thing from among us (Josh. 7:12). Thus in this passage we are instructed to deny ungodli ness and the lusts of this age. Some of these lusts are very fashionable and socially respectable nowadays, but if they are of this age, we must drop them. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” T h e M a n n e r of t h e C h r is t ia n ’ s L if e Then the positive side of this experience is stated in a threefold ascending order. We are to live soberly, right eously, and godly. Soberly, with regard to self; righteous ly, with regard to others; godly, with regard to God—thus the order progresses. We are to live soberly, not drunk with earth’s wines— any of its false intoxications, enthusiasms, stimulations. We limit the admonition of Ephesians 5:18 to physical wine, but there are mental and even religious stimulants by which flesh seeks to glory in His presence—even at church. We are to live righteously, not with self-righteousness, law-righteousness, “not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil. 3 :9) . Our only righteousness is Christ Himself, made unto us righteousness (1 Cor. 1 :30), and our living righteously is simply the outliving of the inliving Christ. We are to live godly. Again, godliness is simply the nature of God, implanted at regeneration, outworking in daily conduct, and manifested in the divine character of the indwelling Christ. Do we realize that our new nature is nothing less than the very nature of God within us, that our eternal life is the very supernatural life of God Himself? Godliness is God-likeness, and God-like living is of course God within us by. His Holy Spirit living His own life through our surrendered wills. L iv ing in T h is P resent W orld This sober, righteous, and godly life is to be lived “in this present world.” We are not to hide in a cave like medieval mystics. This life is to be worked out right here in this commonplace and unromantic workaday world. God’s purpose with us was never to develop a race of ascetics with hands folded on breasts, gazing heavenward singing evermore about the sweet by-and-by. His purpose is to develop Christlike characters who can stand the wear and tear of the here-and-now. Beware of that tendency to find in devotional books and the mysticism of the recluse an
emotional escape from reality by which you dodge the daily grind. The Lord Jesus Christ spent His life in rough and rocky Palestine with ordinary people amid the matter-of- fact problems of the day-by-day. We must follow Christ. This present world may not seem a very ideal place, but it is an ideal place for God’s present purpose with believers. Heaven is the ideal place for its particular purpose, but we are now on earth, and it is an ideal training ground, with all its hardships and handicaps, its weal and woe. Do not try to escape by withdrawing into yourself or hiding in some retreat far removed from earth’s sin and shame. This life is to be lived amid the currents of today, “where cross the crowded ways of life.” • E ager L ooking for C h r ist Finally, this life is an experience of looking. “Looking ■ for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” We not only look back to a finished redemption in His first appearing when “the grace of God that bringeth salvation” appeared. We look unto Him who shall appear the second time apart from sin unto salvation (Heb. 9 :28, R. V.). He came first to redeem u s ; now He comes to receive u s ! So we live “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet. 3:12), “for our conversation [“citizenship,” R. V.] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). One of the favorite attitudes of those who show scant interest in our Lord’s return is that the main thing is to be ready, and that if we are ready, we need not bother about whether His coming be near or far. It certainly is impor tant to be ready, and the Scriptures emphasize that truth throughout. But these New Testament Christians were not only ready; they were eager, expectant, thrilled with anticipation, and earnestly looking for their Lord’s return. No amount of clever exegesis can obscure that fact. They were not satisfied merely to be ready. It is one thing to be ready for an expected visitor, but quite another to look eagerly for him. I have been prepared more than once for a caller when I was not thrilled with anticipation, and I am quite sure that in my rounds of visitation there were those who were ready for my call who were not joyfully expectant! If you grew up with a sister, you will recall that you could tell when a regular friend was going to call on her and when she was expecting her true lover. She was ready for the ordinary friend, but there was no exhilaration about it. But when he whom she loved was to appear—ah, there was eagerness, anticipation, and how slowly moved the hours! One wonders about these believers who say they are ready for their soul’s Lover, but who act as though it did not matter whether He ever appeared or not. The New Testament hope carried more than readiness; it carried hilarious anticipation. And one feels that joyful expectancy is a proof of readiness! O word of hope and holy fear I O solace sweet for grief and pain! O saint, rejoice! O sinner, hear! The Lord will come to earth again! Truly blessed is our threefold experience. There is Someone from whom to learn, Someone by whom and for whom to live, Someone for whom to look. Between His advents of grace and glory, let us learn, let us live, let us look.
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