FAITH, NOT FITNESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

FAITH, NOT FITNESS.

[BY REV. GEORGE BO WEN.] v 4 Language is sometimes used concerning « 0 secretion that is misleading, inasmuch as it tends to convey the impression that in view of a certain work that we do God Qnda it possible to do His work in us. We are told that we most renounce evero evil way, make ourselves fully over to Go/ give up oar own will, and stand prepired r<! doall the will of God, whatever it mav bp While we come short of this we cannot ex pect that God's love will be shed abroad in our heart. It is made to appear that God refuses to bless us so long as there is any evil thing influencing the heart, and that, in fact the coming of His love into the heart 13 the Divine testimony to the fact that we hv forsaken every way, aqd have reached the point of entire consecration, and all our powers are made over to God. The result of this instruction is that manv seekers of sanctification go through conflict like that described in Rom. vii., in vain en ? deavours to bring themselves into that condi tioii in which God will bless them. Now a little reflection will show that this theory lays upon the believer the obligation to do , that which the mighty redempti VP power of God alone can do. For what mightier task can grace, undertake than tha* of bringing the rebellions will ot man into harmony with God's will? When this i, done what is left for God to do? The idea of some seems to be that, in the renewed heart there is a certain amount of spiritual force by which we can get the victory over oar own will, and our own habits or propensities so as to make the heart a fit place for the abode of the Holy Spirit in His fulness when He will certainly come in. The old' legal conflict that preceded forgiveness is virtually renewed, and we constrain ourselves to do and be according to the pattern written in the Book, sustained by the hope that when we have reached the summit of success the Lord will come down and meet us. But when the Lord says : " Without Me (apart from Me) ye can do nothing." He means that we can do nothing without Higrace, without the recognition of His love without apprehending His all-sufficiency There can oe no consecration without fai:h Not merely faith in future blessing, but faith in Christ now present, now reconciled, noy; loving. Faith is no longer faith if Gou's love is to be reached by a path of endeavour. We do not react! the love ot God by contemplating His sovereignty. This may deepen our conviction of our need, and of our helplessness and inability to rectify ourselves, but it can go no farther. ' We knew one whose whole soul glowed with desires for life in God which he saw to be the privilege of believers, and who had the idea that he must attain to some great height of consecration, when God's love would take possession of his heart, and fiil him with joy unspeakable and spiritual power. He went through elaborate forms of consecration, with fasting and prayer. BUT SOMEHOW THE BLESSING WOULD NOT COME. He would deliberately make over his will and all his powers to God in writing, with solemn acts of prayer; but the looked for attestation did not come. He at length reached the conclusion thai he could do nothing, absolutely nothing, and went to God in prayer, and told Him that he could do nothing, and that it would be altogether in vain for Him to expect any good thing from him, and that in fact He Himself must undertake the whole thing, and make him to be what He would have him to be: and he promised God that he would make 110 further endeavours in this line, but make over the entire work of his redemption from sin into His hands. Having no more legal concerns on his hands, the suppliant found Himself free to look to the love of Christ, and lo! he found it was all his. He found at this moment that God's Word to Him was " only believe. The door opened for His love, it came in a mighty tide and possessed his soul, and when he looked for the former refractory element* they were nowhere. The merchantman seek, ing goodly pearls found a stone so incomparably precious, that he gladly gave all he had to obtain it. He did not have to give all he had before he saw the diamond"; it was the sight of its beauty and splendour that so engrossed his affections, that there was no place in them left for the old stock of jewels. We are saved by faith, and saved all the way along by faith, A man consecrates himself to God, and still finds his - old wretched nature on his hands. He ceases from himself when he looks to Christ, and relies 011 Him alone; and what he has to do is to keep liking to Christ moment by moment- So Christ is formed in him the hope of glory. Why is it that in some who profess to be I fully saved, ;we sometimes sea traces of selfsatisfaction, and spiritual pride, with; depreciation of others? It is owing perhaps tc the fact that they made so much account ol their own strength in consecrating themselves. _ When at length the blessing actually came, it came through their faith. They believed in the more abundant" salvation offered them, and by faith received it. Afterwards, according to the theory, which they had embraced, they said, it must have come to us because we consecrated oprselves, and made over all our powers to God; and so they regarded it as a testimony to them. Unswerving loyalty is a grand thing, but it is a fruit of the indwelling Spirit, not that by which we obtain His presence. The love of God shed abroad in the heart leads us to intense watchfulness that we may know and do all the will of God ; we love Him because He first loved us, and it is of the highest importance to realise that His love is the fount and spring of all good in us, and to cherish the feeling of our utter and abiding unworthiness. Of Him, through Him, and to Him are all things, in heaven and on earth. This is so and ever shall be; for "there is none good save One, that is God." . BREATHINGS OF THE BLESSED LIFE. - Mighty Father, I am resting In Thy love so full and fiee; liO v e that sought, and found, and saved me) When a wanderer far from Thee. Gracious Saviour. I am trusting • In Thy blood for sinners spilt— Precious blood that cleanses wholly Every stain of sin and guilt! Blessed Spirit, I am waiting . For the fulness of Thy power; Thou. Who art the Father's " promise,'* Art to us His "gift", and dower ! Oh ! believer, what a "storehouse,™ Filled with grace and love divine, Is there treasured up in Jesus Claim thy "riches," all are thine 1 Not a want is known or suffered. Not a tear can ever fall, That shall fail to find a solace In the love that knows it all! Then " Go forward," happy pilgrim, Happy, though the way he rough ; Jesus trod it all before thee ; He is " with thee"— enough 1 Grace "sufficient" is thy portion, Glory, the reward in store ; "Nothing lacking" till thou'rt landed Safe on the eternal shore! Anna D. AxKDiSOJf.