by Dr. William S. Deal Evangelist, Author, and Professional Counselor
C h r i s t i a n SUCCESS in life is more than a fair dream; it can be come a gloriously radiant reality, if only we will allow Christian princi ples to become fully operative in our lives. God told Joshua that if he would adhere to certain principles which he had laid down for him, “ Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good suc cess” (Josh. 1 :8 ). Just as fo r Joshua there was “ good success” awaiting if he adhered to the Lord’s direc tions, so for the Christian today there awaits spiritual prosperity in his life for Christ if he does the same. Real Christian success depends largely upon the extent to which each person is willing to allow Jesus Christ to reign in his heart. By background and national heritage and tradition, Americans are a fierce ly democratic people. They bow down to no man, and accept the dic tatorship o f none in their personal affairs. By national temperament we are a freedom-loving people. But de spite this, Christians must bow to the absolute rule o f Jesus Christ. So long as one remains unwilling to do this, he is not a true Christian. Jesus Christ is no mere man, elect ed by the whims of a vote to hold a temporary office, to be ousted from office if His policies do not please us. He is King o f kings and Lord o f lords and He shall reign forever and forever. Our English word Lord is derived from a Greek word which means Master — as a master of slaves in ancient times. It suggests sovereignty, total Lordship, complete dominion and absolute rule. Christ, the Deliverer and Saviour, becomes the Christian’s Lord and Master, the one to whom total commitment and absolute obedience are due forever. He becomes the Lord of life, and all activity should conform to His bless
ed will and life’s pattern fo r us. All Christians know the above truth o f the Creed and often express it in confession and word, but do we always practice it in actual life? Are our actions in daily living a con stant confession o f our belief, or do they sometimes discredit it? No one can be a worthy subject o f this great Eternal King until he takes God’s Word as a real and lasting part of him. By our works we must demon strate our submission and obedience to Christ’s claims and commands. As our King, Christ has give us freely o f His love, and with it power and grace in forgiveness and cleans ing. In turn we must give something back to Him in a life committed ab solutely and forever to Him and His great eternal purposes in our lives. This is the inner side o f successful Christian living. The outer side has to do with Christ-like behavior and service to our fellowmen. We serve Christ best outwardly as we carry out His pur pose fo r men in serving them as His servants and ambassadors. Our love fo r Him compels us to witness to others, to live before them this sur rendered and laid-down life o f devo tion. This we do, not to impress men o f our saintliness, nor even to show them the good profession of our faith, but rather because the love of God constrains one to do his best for all men, both fo r their current bene fit, and ultimate good. It is our way o f showing God’s love to all men — doing good to them, both because we love God and because in turn, we love all men. When Christianity breaks down at this crucial point, it fails in its highest and grandest mission to men. When will Christians see that Christianity is not merely a re ligion to be enjoyed personally, as so many weak, immature and narrow Christians mistakenly seem to think? It is a religion to be shared with all
men everywhere. The idea of enjoy ing personal religion, while certainly to be seen on the pages o f the New Testament, is by no means promi nent. But the idea o f witnessing, sharing Christianity, and winning others leaps up at one on almost every page! This is the sad stumblingblock in so many would-be Christian lives. Some will accept this bit o f Scrip ture or that part o f the Sermon on the Mount, some o f the parables or Beatitudes, but prefer not to go along with the total commitment to Christ’s all-out commands in the New Testament. They wish to be numbered with His followers, but prefer not to be constant cross-bear ers, especially not that part o f it which means separation from the world and total dedication to the sacrifice o f the ultimate self-life to God’s glory alone. Because o f these faulty concepts and poor living, they constitute the weak spots in the Christian pattern, and become the stumblingblocks in sinners’ way. Take a closer look at yourself, read er. Stop measuring your Christianity by other anemic Christians. Compare your life with Christ’s and see where there needs to be improvement. Yes, being a really successful Christian means total commitment to Jesus Christ — to all He is, in purity and love, and to all He desires in our lives laid down at His feet for sacrifice and service to Him. We no longer accept merely the teachings o f Christ, but His Person; we live no more merely for Christ, but a Spirit-filled life in Christ. He be comes not only Saviour, Friend and Guide, but a living, vital out-flowing power in our lives, yearning, long ing, witnessing, working, daily to win and form others into His blessed image. This is successful Christian living at its best. God grant each o f us grace so to live! QQj]
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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