JSL-16-Chapter Sixteen:

Chapter Sixteen:
Practical Teaching

I trust it has been made sufficiently manifest that the man who cordially and practically accepts the elementary principles of the gospel is led by them into new and blessed relations with God. He becomes a member of his Church, a subject of his kingdom, a child in his family. Old things are passed away, and behold, all things have become new. Of course he must needs enter upon this new life and into these new relations without any experience to guide him. Everything is strange and unusual, and he is very ignorant. He knows not what to do. He realizes that for the mercy extended him he is under weighty and solemn obligations, but he can not ell how he is to discharge those obligations. He would fain walk consistently with the profession which he has made, and the covenant into which he has entered, but the way Is not clear before him, and it seems beset with difficulty. It is not easy for any to lead a Christian life in an un-Christian world, and especially for one who has but just renounced that world. To meet this condition, and furnish help here where it is most needed, the Saviour directs his apostles—and of course also the Church—first of all to instruct those made disciples by them, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you.” Of course the word means, primarily, to impart knowledge, to give information; and for the young disciple this is felt to be the most pressing need. But in the connection in which it occurs above, it seems also to imply the idea of training—teaching them not only what I commanded you, but to observe it, and how to observe it. And this is a very large lesson; it is “all things whatsoever I commanded you.” The whole of the epistolary writings, as well as the word of Christ in the gospels, may be regarded as bearing upon this part of the commission, and as showing the length and breadth of a clause which covers the whole Christian life, and all Christian lives. I can take no part here the element of “training,” if such be involved, as I think, in the word “teaching.” It is to be done chiefly by example and close personal contact; by the manifestation of friendly interest, and by the stimulus of judicious encouragement and timely assistance. But in the matter of primary religious instruction, I may hope to contribute a few suggestions that shall serve as a fitting conclusion to the present series. To one, then, who has complied with the conditions of salvation as “first principles,” and who has just entered upon the life into which they have introduced him, I make these friendly recommendations:

1.Try to realize the new relations into which you have entered. Your baptism, preceded as it was by those preparations so clearly taught in the Scriptures, has brought you in fact into fellowship with the personal God. He has become to you in truth a loving and gracious Father, whose redeeming and merciful Son is your Elder Brother, and whose sanctifying Spirit is your ever-present Helper and Comforter. But do not be disturbed if you fail to realize in your own heart a consciousness of the divine presence. God is very wise, as well as very gracious, and he will not permit you to lose yourself even in him. What you need is not the excitement of over-wrought feeling, but the firm recognition and assured belief of the divinely attested fact. God is to you all that I have said; and what I mean by realizing is, is for you to accept and appropriate to yourself, and rest in, this truth as an undoubted certainty. Thus it will enter more and more into your daily life, and will gradually mold your character and sweeten your experience, until you come to think of him always a being near and gracious, as being in you, and over you, and for you. 2.Recognize heartily and fully the obligations of the new life. As a Christian, redeemed by the Lord, you belong to him: “You are not your own, you are bought with a price.” In coming to him, and voluntarily entering into his kingdom, you have acknowledged his right to reign over you and in you, and that it is your duty to do and to be what he requires. Now let the sense of this obligation rest upon you. Keep it in mind and in heart, and resolve to accept it and to act upon it without any mental reservation whatever. All the sweetness of the Christian life, if not indeed its acceptability, will be lost by half-heartedness. It is only what we bravely, cheerfully and without reserve recognize and take hold of the duties incumbent upon us that the performance of them is pleasant and profitable. But when we do, the “yoke is easy” indeed, and the “burden is light.” 3.Find rest for your soul. You do not wish to live, and you do not need to live, a disturbed, agitated, doubtful sort of life. Seek, and you shall find that restful, peaceful state which is troubled by no fears as to your present acceptance or future salvation. It is found only in Christ. “Come unto me,” he says, ”and you shall find rest.” The man that is faithfully and lovingly trying to do his duty, however short he may come of the perfect standard, may and should repose his soul upon God in humble but confident trust; and in doing so, the very peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will be given to him. 4.Study to learn what the Lord will have you to do. The apostle, in one of those beautiful summaries of truth, of which we have so many examples in his epistles, presents this subject in a way that may well give direction to our studies. He says; “For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world.” Let us pause here for a little while and notice in detail what is embraced in this divine instruction. (a)Our duties to ourselves. These begin with self-denial. The Saviour had taught this lesson long before: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.” We can not read such passages with recognizing that there is something in our human nature which powerfully incites us to go astray—something which causes evil and wrong to seem attractive and desirable. They are not repulsive to us. We are not shocked at the thought of them, but on the contrary we feel drawn towards them. We clothe them with qualities which do not belong to them, and then we say that they are good for us—things to be desired, and properly desired. Thus we are tempted, and the very self enters into the temptation. We are drawn away by our own lust and enticed. It hence becomes necessary for a man to recognize an authority above himself, and to obey it, even when its voice is contrary to the inclinations of self. This is self-denial — the refusal to gratify the desire for the pleasures of ungodliness and worldly lusts, however strong that desire, and however urgent and pressing the solicitation. Whatever, therefore, is wrong in itself—wrong as judged by the perfect standard of right which has been given us; whatever is injurious to our higher interest, whether it be essentially wrong or not; and whatever excess even in necessary things would be hurtful—these mark and define the boundaries within which we must carefully keep ourselves. This course is further indicated by saying that we should “live soberly”; that is with masterful self-control. The higher nature, the spiritual part of our being, is to take the lower in hand, bring it into subjection and hold it down. It must be kept under. This, of course, will require great watchfulness, and the enthronement in the heart of lofty principles. And thus, though it will not be easy, by the help of God it will be possible to “stand in the evil day.” (b)Our duties to others. The Scriptures represent these obligations as debts — debts which are to be discharged, because the creditors, though they man not know it, have a right to the payment of them. Hence, in the text before us, this class of duties is indicated by the phrase “live righteously.” Of course the term “righteously” means more than this, involving as it does, all the elements of upright and irreproachable personal character and conduct, but it certainly includes love and duty to the neighbor as among the essential of such character. If the apostle felt himself to be “debtor” to all men, it was only because he had received from God light and truth and blessings which all men needed, and which he, who is “no respecter of persons,” had given to him for the benefit of all men. If God loves our neighbors as he loves us, we are to love them as we love ourselves. As, therefore, we have opportunity, we are to do good unto all men; and we are to owe no man anything but love, which from its very nature is the one debt that can never be fully paid. (c)Our duties to God. Of course all that we do from high religious motives, whether the acts terminate immediately upon ourselves or others, has reference to God, and honors him. We do it for his sake; do it in obedience to him, and because we believe and love him. But apart from these there are many things which look and point directly to him, such as adoration, praise, worship, thanksgiving — involving that whole circle of thoughts and feelings which bring us in communion with him. In a word, to “live godly” is to walk and work and “endure, as seeing him who is invisible.” But I can not pretend, in one brief chapter, to cover the ground embraced by the New Life. Suffice it to say that from the first breath upon earth to its final clarification in Heaven, we are unable, by our own wisdom and strength, to perform any of its duties, or to appreciate and improve nay of its privileges; and therefore, we must daily look and pray to Him, for who all blessings flow. There is no such possibility as leading a Christian life without prayer to God and loving communion with him. We need him every hour — in joy and grief, in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, at home and abroad, in the world and in the Church—he is our refuge and strength, our protector and guide, our life and salvation. Let us pray to him without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.

Such, in brief, is the new life into which we are introduced by our baptism of faith and repentance. it may lead us through struggle and trial, sometimes into clouds and darkness, and we may go down into deep waters, but he will be with us; and beyond — beyond the river’s brink, it brings us to everlasting life and everlasting love!