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Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917). South African pastor, author, and revivalist born in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony, to Dutch Reformed missionary parents. Sent to Scotland at 10, he studied at Aberdeen University and Utrecht, Netherlands, returning ordained in 1848. He pastored in Bloemfontein and Worcester, later moderating the Dutch Reformed Church’s Cape Synod. In 1860, he sparked a revival in the Orange Free State, preaching to thousands across racial lines despite apartheid’s rise. Murray wrote over 240 books, including Abide in Christ (1882) and With Christ in the School of Prayer, translated into dozens of languages. His emphasis on holiness, prayer, and divine healing influenced global Pentecostalism. Married to Emma Rutherford in 1856, they had eight children, four becoming missionaries. He founded theological seminaries and the Huguenot College for women. Despite chronic illness, he traveled to Europe and America, speaking at Keswick Conventions. His devotional works remain widely read, shaping Christian spirituality across denominations.
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Andrew Murray emphasizes the necessity of entering a life of full obedience to Christ, warning against merely calling Him 'Master' without following His commands. He encourages believers to seek the Holy Spirit's conviction to recognize their disobedience and to confess humbly for cleansing. Murray highlights that true obedience, exemplified by Christ's own sacrifice, is essential for living a Christ-like life characterized by mercy, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. He calls for a commitment to deny oneself and embrace the transformative power of obedience unto death. Ultimately, he urges believers to trust in Christ to perfect this obedience within them.
The Entrance Into a Life of Full Obedience
You might think citing a text in which obedience is seen at its highest state of perfection is a mistake for our consideration of entrance onto this course. But it is no mistake. The secret of success in a race is to have the goal clearly defined and to have it as our aim from the outset. From the very outset of the Christian life, let us avoid the fatal mistake of calling Christ ‘‘Master’’ but not doing what He says. Let all who are to any degree convicted of the sin of disobedience come and listen. God’s Word will show the way to escape from such a life and gain access to the life Christ alone can give—a life of full obedience. To be as merciful as the Father in heaven, to forgive just as He does, to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us, and live lives of self-sacrifice and benevolence—this was the walk Jesus taught while on earth. If you would hope to lead different lives, to possess a Christ-like obedience unto death, begin by seeking God for the Holy Spirit of conviction to show you your disobedience and to lead you in humble confession to the cleansing God has provided. Our Lord called us to deny ourselves and to take up our cross, to forsake all, to hate and lose our own life, to humble ourselves and become a servant of all. God sent Christ into the world to restore obedience to its rightful place in our hearts and lives. Christ came, becoming obedient unto death, showing what true obedience is like. Obedience unto death is the essence of the life He imparts. Shall we not accept it and trust Him to perfect it in us? (Excerpted from The Andrew Murray Daily Reader in Today’s Language, pg. 29)
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Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917). South African pastor, author, and revivalist born in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Colony, to Dutch Reformed missionary parents. Sent to Scotland at 10, he studied at Aberdeen University and Utrecht, Netherlands, returning ordained in 1848. He pastored in Bloemfontein and Worcester, later moderating the Dutch Reformed Church’s Cape Synod. In 1860, he sparked a revival in the Orange Free State, preaching to thousands across racial lines despite apartheid’s rise. Murray wrote over 240 books, including Abide in Christ (1882) and With Christ in the School of Prayer, translated into dozens of languages. His emphasis on holiness, prayer, and divine healing influenced global Pentecostalism. Married to Emma Rutherford in 1856, they had eight children, four becoming missionaries. He founded theological seminaries and the Huguenot College for women. Despite chronic illness, he traveled to Europe and America, speaking at Keswick Conventions. His devotional works remain widely read, shaping Christian spirituality across denominations.