15 - CHAPTER 13: OTHER PERILS
SOME MORE OF THE PERILS THAT BESET THE PATH OF THE TRUE SEEKER AFTER HOLINESS
There are other perils in the path of holiness in addition to those already dealt with. Let us look at them. WHERE MANY BLUNDER 6. DO NOT ASSUME INFALLIBILITY.
We can picture many of our readers smiling at such a ridiculous counsel. But this is a real danger! There is such a joy in unbroken communion with our Lord, and often such a consciousness of power-not our power, but that of the indwelling Christ-that there is a danger of our supposing that we always know God’s will in any matter-that we are always right. The writer once had occasion to live with four consecrated men of God- all of them far more experienced in holy living than himself. One of them was, indeed, deeply taught of God and used to spend long hours in prayer. But in our deliberations he always quietly assumed that he had the mind of Christ, and that any proposal which conflicted with his ideas must necessarily be wrong; and this, even if four of us felt led another way to that suggested by him. Not infrequently, subsequent event showed that we were right and he was wrong.
One morning our leader quietly and kindly remarked, "My dear----, some of us think that we also are led to God." Do not misunderstand me. The reference here is not to an obstinate, dogmatic, self-opinionated man who wished to have his own way. Our friend in question was holy, humble, and unselfish to a degree -- but was "infallible." He always assumed that he was absolutely guided by God in all his proposals. The best of us is not a little deaf spiritually, and we do not always catch God’s message; just as a deaf person does not always catch the right message through a telephone. There must be a perfect "doing of God’s will" before there is a perfect "knowing of the doctrine" (John 7:17).
Let us recognise that we are fallible. We may be mistaken. This does not mean that the majority is always right. Ten men once said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." While only two men urged, "Let us go up at once and possess it: for we are well able to overcome it" (Numbers 13:30). The people sided with the ten and years of misery and rebellion ensued, because the two were right and had the mind of God. THE WORLD AND ITS CLAIMS 7. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WORLD. A consecrated man of God lives in a house called "Torthorwold." His neighbour’s say that is what he lives for: "T’other world." But all who know him are aware that he leads a most strenuous life trying to make this world and its inhabitants better. We live in two worlds at the same time and have a duty to each.
"Do you think it is wrong of me to play marbles with my little boy of four?" asked a white-haired saintly father. We wonder what answer our readers would give?
How it would delight the heart of Satan if he could persuade all wholly sanctified people that all pleasures were sinful! Dear man of God, by all means play marbles-if you are not tempted to cheat!
We are living not only a spiritual life, but a bodily life, and whether we like it or not, a very large part of our time and interests is taken up with things which concern the body. Moreover, we are placed in communities. God never meant man to live alone. God made two statements about the first man, Adam, right at the beginning of his existence. The first was that he was "very good." The next remark was this, "it is not good that the man should be alone" (Genesis 2:18). Every man is born into a family-every man has his human relationships. Each of us is to show love to all men. All the little social amenities of life are points of contact with those around us. Love manifests itself in deeds, and we must be human as well as "divine." We can only show our love to God by deeds of love to our fellow-men. By all means romp with the little ones and play with the big ones!
HAPPY AND "HUMAN"
Men living the Victorious Life are the happiest and "humanest" of people, overflowing with the joy of the Lord- bubbling over with innocent fun and mirth. We are here to make this world a happier world. "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). We are to "rejoice evermore," and that means we are to begin now, here on earth. A mother sat searching her Bible, trying to probe the secrets of a life of holiness. She spent so much time seeking spiritual help that the duties of her household became irksome and were either hurried through or neglected. The "homeliness" of the home was gone. One day, as she was deep in study, her little girl toddled up to her side with a broken doll. "Mummy, please mend dolly for me." With an impatient gesture, the mother brushed the little one aside. "I’ve more important things to do than trouble about dolly!" The little one turned sadly away, and the mother continued her search for holiness. But the search was a fruitless one, and the mother closed her book with a sigh, and sought the little child. She was lying on the hearthrug clutching her darling doll, and with the tears still wet on her pretty face. The mother’s heart was smitten. God spoke to her then and there. Tenderly stooping over the little one, she woke her with her kisses. Then taking her into her arms, she breathed a prayer to God for forgiveness. She saw that holiness could not thrive on neglected duties. Her devotion to her Lord was henceforth seen in her care of the household, and shone out even in mending broken toys! Home became home again. And the very page of Scripture was lighted up with a fresh glory. Yes, and victory shone in the mother’s radiant face. THE CHRISTIAN HERITAGE
We believe that the Lord Jesus, Who watched the children at their play, and the fishermen and farmers at their work, Who worked Himself and yet made time to be present at a wedding feast, wishes us to take a real and lively interest in all the concerns of life-our own and those of our friends. He has given us a capacity for pleasure, and He longs to see us enjoy His gift of life.
He has given us a physical frame which needs food, and work, exercise, and relaxation. He wishes us to enjoy our meals, our work, and our recreation. The marvellous realm of nature, the wonderful infinitude of space peopled with suns, the cadence of music and the colour of sky and sea and landscape are for our enjoyment.
"All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all." for our pleasure as well as for His glory. The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings. says the child’s poet. God expects His children to be careful about their dress and manners. Surely, He desires us to be attractive Christians? The King’s business requires haste, but it never requires discourtesy or lack of proper attentiveness to our fellows. IS RELIGION MISERY? The writer met a godly major on a voyage to India. He had been converted from a life of dissolution, and was now ever engrossed in his Bible. He avoided every kind of amusement-even deck quoits. Writing to me from a public school in England, a son of the dear major said, "I AM SO glad you have met my father. Do try to convert him to the Church of England, his religion makes him so miserable." No wonder the high-spirited lad found little happiness in his father’s company, and was a little shy of "religion." GOD’S religion never yet made a man miserable! Nor does the Lord Jesus delight in misery! Did not the Saviour say, "These things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full"? (John 15:11) There is a RIGHT way of "making the most of both worlds." NOT TRUSTING TO THRILLS 8. DO NOT RELY ON THRILLS.
It often happens that when a believer enters upon a life of victory over voluntary sin that he experiences a joy, and an ecstasy and a thrill which make him feel as if he were treading on air. But this is not always the case, and we must not suppose that an absence of thrills is a proof that Christ has not come in His fullness.
God wants us to trust Him and His Word, and not to rely upon feelings. He would save us from the peril of testing our victory, or testing His indwelling, by any preconceived notions of ours as to HOW His presence shall be felt or manifested. Think less of the victory, less of the blessing, and more of the Blesser.
You remember Spurgeon’s apt remark, which is worth repeating just here. "I looked at Jesus, and the dove of peace flew into my heart. I looked at the dove of peace, and she flew away." Do not then be examining or testing your victory. Maintain a simple and constant trust in Christ-HE cannot fail.
It is really better to enter into the Victorious Life by simple faith unaccompanied by ecstasy or thrill. For when the thrill subsides, and life seems humdrum and commonplace, we may be tempted to think that the victory has vanished with the thrill! Fact- faith-feeling: that is the order.
9. DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF OTHERS FAIL TO SEE OUR VICTORY.
Only One Man ever lived a sinless life-a really Victorious Life all through-and that is the Man Christ Jesus. But the leaders of religion in His days on earth were so blinded that they failed to see the Victorious Life in Him. They called Him a "wine-bibber."
"We know that this man is a sinner," said they of Christ. So we must not be surprised if men fail to recognise the Victorious Life in us.
We must be very humble, and when others thwart us or oppose us, and deny our sincerity or orthodoxy, no spirit of un-love or root of bitterness must come in; no holier-than-thou feeling must be entertained for a moment-or our victory is broken. We are certain to be misunderstood, and our greatest opponents will be not the world, but the Church! The devil has sown tares in the field of the Church, and only God Himself knows what is tares and what is wheat. It is from these-the children of the wicked one in the Church-that the greatest opposition is to be expected. [Our Lord never calls mere unbelievers "children of the devil," but only "religious" unbelievers (see Matthew 13:25, Matthew 13:38; Matthew 23:15; John 8:38-44). It is an awful thought, but must be noted.] The servant is not greater than his Lord. If Christ received opposition from "religious" people, so shall we. But every such act of opposition is an opportunity for us to show, not by our lip, but by our life, the Christ-life; to prove that there IS victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. And even if some oppose and criticise and condemn, many around us, seeing our victory through Christ, will be glad thereof and rejoice; because they will see the mighty power of God-mighty to the overthrowing of strongholds. THE MOMENT OF VICTORY 10. NOW-NOT TOMORROW. May we remind our readers of a very simple fact, and yet one so often forgotten. It is this: The only time you can live the Victorious Life is Now. The only way to have Victory through Christ is to get it Now-at this very moment. This life is not merely one for emergencies. So many dear people are waiting for future opportunities to manifest the indwelling Christ.
They wait for a prayer meeting, or an open-air, or for a conversation with another congenial spirit. But Now is the only moment of victory.
God is Light as well as Love. And our Lord said, "LET your light shine"- not MAKE it shine as occasion arises. LET IT shine always, everywhere. When you spring out of bed each day and say joyously to yourself and your God, "To me to live is Christ," make up your mind to manifest something of the glory of Christ to everyone you meet that day. Keep a watch over yourself.
Let the people in the home see the light-the victory. Let your fellow-workers in the office or yard, in the shop or the ship, the factory or the school, see that Christ is dwelling in your heart. Why should not the tradesman, the postmen, the bus-conductors detect your secret? Be epistles of Christ, "known and read of all men" (2 Corinthians 3:2). A dear friend of the writer’s-a cultured man brought literally to the gutter through drink-was converted at a tramps’ mission. The day following, he boarded a tram. The conductor was mystified, for the passenger’s clothes told of beggary, while his face reflected heaven! "Why, mate," he exclaimed, "you look as if someone’s died and left you a fortune!" "You are right there," came the quick reply. "Jesus Christ has died for me and has given me His riches in glory." "Well, he might dress you better," was the sneer-and HE DID. Shall not even strangers be attracted by our joy? IN COMMUNION WITH CHRIST But do not wait for the future. Let victory be yours NOW. Just live in such communion with Christ that He can always show forth His glory through you.
"Unto me was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, to make ALL MEN see what is the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God ... that NOW might be made known through the Church [i.e., through you and me] the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:9-10).
Yes-and His wondrous life and ineffable glory.