Looking Unto Jesus
Looking unto Jesus is essential for shielding out evil and staying undefiled, and the only remedy for defilement is a resolute, steady, inner view of Christ.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the necessity of constantly looking unto Jesus, urging believers to turn their gaze away from evil and not allow their minds to dwell on it. He illustrates the importance of having spiritual 'eyelids' to shield oneself from the temptations and defilements of the world, likening them to a protective stockade. Simpson warns that exposure to evil can corrupt the soul, even without consent, and stresses that the remedy lies in a steadfast focus on Christ. He encourages believers to cultivate an inner vision of Jesus to maintain spiritual purity and strength.
Text
There must be a constant looking unto Jesus, or, as the German Bible states it, an offlooking upon Jesus-that is, looking off from the evil, refusing to see it, not letting the mind dwell upon it for a second. We should have mental eyelids as well as physical ones, which can be used like shields to keep out evil. They should be like a stockade camp in the woods, to repel the first assault of the enemy. Many do not seem to know that they have spiritual eyes. They go through the world as if somebody had cut off their eyelids. The devil comes along with his evil pictures and bids them look, and they stare away at the good and evil alike.
We cannot look upon evil without being defiled.
Sometimes, as we walk along the streets, the sight of some of the pictures will cast their filth upon our souls so that we feel the need of being cleansed in Jesus' blood. There has been no consent unto sin, but the sight of it has defiled us. The only remedy is in the resolute, steady, inner view of Christ.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Looking Unto Jesus
- The Consequences of Not Looking Unto Jesus
- The Remedy for Defilement
- The resolute, steady, inner view of Christ is the only remedy
- Looking at evil defiles us
Key Quotes
“There must be a constant looking unto Jesus, or, as the German Bible states it, an offlooking upon Jesus-that is, looking off from the evil, refusing to see it, not letting the mind dwell upon it for a second.” — A.B. Simpson
“We should have mental eyelids as well as physical ones, which can be used like shields to keep out evil.” — A.B. Simpson
“The only remedy is in the resolute, steady, inner view of Christ.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We should prioritize having a resolute, steady, inner view of Christ to avoid defilement.
- Mental eyelids are necessary to shield out evil and focus on Christ.
- Looking at evil defiles us and requires cleansing in Jesus' blood.