IMITATION
OF CHRIST
THE FIRST BOOK
ADMONITIONS PROFITABLE
FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
by Thomas A Kempis, 1380-1471
Originally A Project Gutenberg Etext
Originally Translated by Rev. William Benham
Put Into Modern English, Edited, And In Places Paraphrased by DSB
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
The treatise "Of the Imitation of Christ" appears to have been
originally written in Latin early in the fifteenth century. Its exact
date and its authorship are still a matter of debate. Manuscripts of
the Latin version survive in considerable numbers all over Western
Europe, and they, with the vast list of translations and printed
editions, testify to its almost unparalleled popularity. One scribe
attributes it to St. Bernard of Clairvaux; but the fact that it
contains a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi, who was born thirty
years after the death of St. Bernard, disposes of this theory. In
England there exist many manuscripts of the first three books, called
"Musica Ecclesiastica," frequently ascribed to the English mystic
Walter Hilton. But Hilton seems to have died in 1395, and there is no
evidence of the existence of the work before 1400. Many manuscripts
scattered throughout Europe ascribe the book to Jean le Charlier de
Gerson, the great Chancellor of the University of Paris, who was a
leading figure in the Church in the earlier part of the fifteenth
century. The most probable author, however, especially when the
internal evidence is considered, is Thomas Haemmerlein, known also as
Thomas a Kempis, from his native town of Kempen, near the Rhine, about
forty miles north of Cologne. Haemmerlein, who was born in 1379 or
1380, was a member of the order of the Brothers of Common Life, and
spent the last seventy years of his life at Mount St. Agnes, a
monastery of Augustinian canons in the diocese of Utrecht. Here he died
on July 26, 1471, after an uneventful life spent in copying
manuscripts, reading, and composing, and in the peaceful routine of
monastic piety.
With the exception of the Bible, no Christian writing has had so wide a
vogue or so sustained a popularity as this. And yet, in one sense, it
is hardly an original work at all. Its structure owes largely to the
writings of the medieval mystics, and its ideas and phrases are a
mosaic from the Bible and the Fathers of the early Church. But these
elements are interwoven with such delicate skill and a religious
feeling at once so ardent and so sound, that it promises to remain,
what it has been for five hundred plus years, a deeply meaningful and
insightful call and guide to spiritual growth and holy living.
ADDENDUM FROM DSB
Rev. William Benham is the original translator of this work. I (DSB)
prefer this translation because I find it more profound and deeply
spiritual than the others available to me. My effort has been to remain
true to the message while putting it into modern English, paraphrasing
here and there, and giving it practical application for all Christians
everywhere.
All (but one of the) scripture
quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975,
1977,
1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."
(www.Lockman.org)
CONTENTS
CHAPTERS OF THE
FIRST BOOK
– Admonitions
Profitable for the Spiritual Life
1. On the
imitation of Christ, and
on contempt of the world and all its vanities
2. On thinking
humbly of oneself
3. On the
knowledge of truth
4. On prudence
in action
5. On the
reading of Holy
Scriptures
6. On
excessive and unrestrained
affections
7. On fleeing
from vain hope and
pride
8. On the
danger of too much
familiarity
9. On
obedience and subjection
10. On the danger of too many
words
11. On seeking peace of mind and
spiritual progress
12. On the uses of adversity
13. On resisting temptation
14. On avoiding rash judgment
15. On deeds compelled by love
16. On bearing with the
imperfections of others
17. On a Christ-like life living
in community
18. On the example of those who
have gone before
19. On the spiritual exercises
(disciplines) of a Christian
20. On the love of solitude and
silence
21. On compunction of heart
22. On contemplating the weakness
of our humanity
23. On meditating upon death
24. On the judgment and punishment
of the wicked
25. On the zealous reformation and
transformation of our life
[We
can no more
be victorious over our flesh, the world, and the devil apart from the
empowerment of Christ within any more than the Israelites could be
victorious over the inhabitants of the Promised Land without the
empowerment of God for victory. At the same time, we can no more be
victorious over our flesh, the world, and the devil apart from doing
our part as given to us by God any more than the Israelites could be
victorious over the inhabitants of the Promised Land without going to
war against them and driving them out (Matthew 5:6; Romans 6:12-14,
8:12-13, 12:9-20; Ephesians 4:17-24; Colossians 3:1-10, 12-14; I
Timothy 6:9-12; II Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 12:12-17; James 4:7-10; I
Peter 1:13-16, 3:8-12, 4:1-3).
As
God’s
goal in bringing Israel out of Egypt was to bring them into the
Promised Land to be a holy people for His own possession, so
God’s goal in saving the Christian is to bring him into the
sanctified life (Ephesians 1:3-4; Titus 2:11-14). As for Israel going
into and taking the Promised Land, so for the Christian entering the
sanctification side of the Christian life – God’s
empowerment for victory is an established fact. Therefore, our
responsibility today is the same as Israel’s then –
act in
faith on God’ empowerment by doing our part in making
ourselves
vessels for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every
good work (II Timothy 2:20-21). – DSB]
CHAPTER
1
On
the imitation of Christ, and on contempt of the world and all its
vanities
“He
that
follows me shall not walk in darkness” (John 8:12). These are
the
words of Christ, and they teach us that we must imitate His life and
character if we seek true illumination and deliverance from all
blindness of heart. Therefore, may we make contemplating and meditating
on the life of Jesus Christ our most earnest study.
Christ’s
teaching surpasses all the teaching of the saints (holy men), and only
those who have His Spirit find the hidden manna in His words (John
16:3; Revelations 2:17). Indeed, there are many who, though they often
hear the Gospel (Christ’s words), feel very little hunger for
it
and gain very little benefit from it, because they do not have the
Spirit of Christ.
If
you desire
to fully understand the words of Christ and how to wisely apply them,
you must strive to conform your whole life to the teachings, mind, and
likeness of Christ.
How
does it
profit you spiritually to have sufficient knowledge to participate in
deep, theological discussions concerning the Holy Trinity if you lack
humility, and as a result are displeasing to the Trinity? Do not be
deceived, it is not spiritually sounding words that make you holy and
pleasing to the Lord, but a godly life. Indeed, I would rather feel
contrition (have a broken and contrite heart, a sense of shame, and
fear of judgment) over sin than be skillful in explaining and
expounding the holy scriptures.
Assuming
you
knew the whole Bible and were well versed in all the differing
theologies, how would it profit you eternally if you did not have the
love and grace of God emanating from your life (I Corinthians 13:2)?
Vanity of vanities, all is futile and worthless, save to love God and
to serve Him only (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Therefore, there is no wisdom
greater then this – to turn our backs on the world and to
reach
forward to the heavenly kingdom.
It
is vanity to
seek after and to trust in the riches that shall perish. It is futile
and worthless to covet the praise of men, and to pursue positions of
importance. It is vanity to follow the desires of the flesh, or to be
led by our feelings, for doing so only brings misery in the end. It is
futile and worthless to desire a long life, and to have little care for
a godly life. It is vanity to focus your attention on life here and
now, and neglect preparing for the things which shall be hereafter. It
is futile and worthless to love that which quickly passes away, and not
to love and embrace those things that bring us into eternal joy.
Think
often
(meditate) on this saying, “The eye is not satisfied with
seeing,
nor the ear with hearing” (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Therefore,
devote
yourself to turning your heart away from the love of the things that
are seen, and to set it upon the things that are not seen (Colossians
3:1-3). For those who follow after their own fleshly lusts defile the
conscience and waste the grace of God.
CHAPTER
2
On
thinking humbly of oneself
There
is
naturally in everyone a desire for knowledge and understanding
(Ecclesiastes 1:13), yet without a fear of God that compels you to live
a godly life, knowledge remains spiritually unprofitable. Therefore, it
is better to be a lowly peasant who fears and obeys God than a well
educated theologian who proudly expounds on the scriptures yet fails to
live up to what he knows. Such a person neglects to honestly evaluate
himself according to the truth he knows.
The
one who
honestly evaluates himself is vile in his own sight, and he
doesn’t allow the praises of men to deceive him into thinking
otherwise.
If
you know all
there is to know in this world, yet do not love as God says to love,
how will your knowledge help you before God, who is going to judge you
according to your deeds? Therefore, run from an inordinate desire for
knowledge, for such a pursuit leads to being distracted from what
really matters, and it nurtures the disease of self-deception.
Those
who have
knowledge want to be seen as well educated, and they want to be
respected for their wisdom. However, many of the things people gain
knowledge of, are of little or no profit to their spiritual well-being.
Therefore, to avoid being foolish, devote yourself to both gaining and
applying the knowledge of things that promote your spiritual health.
Expounding
on
how much you know never permanently satisfies your longing for the
praise of others any more than a good meal permanently satisfies
hunger. However, a godly life brings inward peace, a calming
contentment, and a renewal of your mind (Philippians 4:6-7; Romans
12:2). And a pure conscience gives you good reason to have great
confidence when coming into the presence of God (Hebrews 10:19-22).
The
greater and
more thorough your knowledge of God and His word, the more severely you
will be judged – unless you have applied what you know to
your
own life (Luke 12:48b). Therefore do not think highly of yourself
because of any spiritual gift or theological education or Bible
knowledge you may have, but rather fear the judgment of God for not
having lived up to what you know.
If
you think of
yourself as knowing many things and understanding them well, know also
that there are many more things which you do not know. Therefore, do
not be haughty or even modestly proud of what you do know. Rather, be
open, honest, and therefore humble concerning all you do not know
(Romans 12:16).
It
is foolish
pride that prompts you to crave being seen as more knowledgeable than
another. Such a craving is especially foolish and prideful since there
are many who are more learned and more skilled in explaining the
Scripture than you.
If
you want to
acquire the kind of knowledge and learning that is spiritually
profitable, you must live up to what you know, you must love being
unknown, and you must want to be counted as nothing.
When
it comes
to humility, you have learned the highest and most profitable lesson
when you truly judge yourself less than others. To think of yourself as
nothing – as having less importance than others, and to think
always kindly and highly of others – this is godly wisdom and
Christ-like perfection. Even if you see your neighbor sin openly or
grievously, you ought not to think of yourself as better than he, for
you do not know how long you can keep from sinning. All of us are weak
and frail (Genesis 8:21). Therefore, with sincerity of mind, hold no
one more weak and frail then yourself.
CHAPTER
3
On
the knowledge of truth
Happy
is the
man who is taught by Truth himself, not in parables and catchy phrases
that are hard to define, but in a clear and straightforward manner
(Psalm 94:12; Numbers 12:8). Sadly, left to our own opinions, feelings,
and perceptions concerning God and His truth, we are easily led astray
– discerning but little of the truth.
What
does it
profit to debate and discuss the hidden things and the mysteries of
scripture when God will not even reprove us on Judgment Day for failing
to know them? What foolishness, what senselessness to neglect the
things which are clearly profitable and necessary for godliness while
giving our minds to things which are curious and of little value, even
if we gain a clear understanding of them! As the scripture says, such a
person has eyes, but they cannot see (Psalm 115:5).
Have
nothing to
do with discussions about the origin of the world or other topics the
scripture have already answered (Hebrews 11:3)! Those who read and
believe the Eternal Word are free from such unfruitful speculation and
conjecture. From this One Word are all things, and all things speak of
Him. This is the Beginning which also speaks unto us (John 8:25).
Everyone
who
lacks faith in Jesus and fails to live according to His word,
neither understands nor rightly judges anything spiritual. However, the
one who
makes Christ his all in all, who brings all things to Christ, who sees
all things in Christ, who lives according to the words of Christ, and
who submits to the will of Christ – he is the one whose mind
is
kept in perfect peace and who is at rest in God.
Prayer:
“O God, You are the Truth. Make me one with You in
everlasting
love. I am often wearied when I read and listen to many things. You and
Your truth are all that I wish for and desire. Let all the Doctors of
Divinity and Bible scholars hold their peace. Let all creation keep
silence. You, alone, speak to me.”
The
more a man
is one with God in purity and simplicity, the more things and the
deeper things of God’s he understands – and that
without
laboring over them because he receives the light of understanding from
above (Psalm 119:97-100). When the spirit of a man is pure, sincere,
and steadfast (faithful), it is not distracted from what matters most
even though it has many duties to perform throughout the day. Why?
Because it does all things to the honor of God and strives to be free
from all thoughts of selfish self-seeking.
Where
do the
hindrances and annoyances come from that distract you from what matters
most? Is it not your undisciplined heart? The man who hungers for
righteousness and sincerely pursues godliness, prepares beforehand,
within his own heart, to face the temptations and trials of the day.
Therefore, he is not easily drawn away by the desires of his evil will.
But having prepared in heart and mind for any attack, he remains
faithful by submitting to God, resisting the devil, and drawing ever
nearer to God through the use of godly thinking coming forth from a
transformed mind (Romans 12:2).
Which
Christian
has a harder battle to fight than the one who strives to deny himself,
to take up his cross day after day, and to exercise self-control over
his flesh – all for the purpose of living a godly life and
serving Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23-24; I Corinthians 9:24-27)? Yet in
spite of the great difficulty and even weariness in battle, subduing
our flesh and putting on Christ should be our unrelenting endeavor
(Romans 13:12-14) so that our new nature will consistently grow
stronger and our old nature will continue to dwindle and die. This is
the narrow path to Christian maturity and spiritual perfection.
Keep
in mind
that all our perfection has some imperfection joined to it in this
life, and all our power of sight is not without some darkness.
Therefore, a humble view of yourself is a surer way to God than the
deep searching of man's learning (Matthew 5:3). However, learning is
not to be scorned, and the accumulation of knowledge about any good
thing is not to be despised, for both are given to us by God. Yet a
good conscience and a holy life are better than knowledge (II Timothy
2:19-20).
Sadly,
because
many seek knowledge while neglecting godly living, they go astray and
bear little or no fruit. If only they would give the same diligence to
rooting out their vices (their old nature) and planting virtue in their
place (Christ-likeness) that they give to studying and debating
spiritually useless questions. Then there would be far less evil
behavior and stumbling-blocks among the believers, and churches would
be more nearly as pure as they ought to be. Do not let anyone deceive
you about this, at the Day of Judgment it will be demanded of you, not
what you have read, but what you have done (Matthew 7:24-27; James
1:22-25); not how well you have spoken, but how holy you have lived
(Matthew 15:7-9).
Tell
me, where
are all those popular speakers and teachers who spoke better than they
lived? You knew them well while they were with you, and you listened
attentively to what they said. Yet their pulpits are filled by others
who probably never give them a second thought. While they lived they
seemed to be important, but now no one speaks of them. Oh how quickly
the glory of the world passes away! If only their knowledge and life,
their words and deeds, had agreed together! Then they would have read
and inquired and accumulated great knowledge for a good purpose.
Many
perish
through empty teaching in the church. We see the truth of this in that
fact that many devote themselves far more to knowing the right theology
and to Christian service than to holy living. And because they love to
be noticed and considered important more than to be humble and holy,
they "have become vain in their imaginations" (Romans 1:21).
The
only one
who is truly great is the one who loves God with all his heart, soul,
mind, and strength, and who loves his neighbor as himself (Mark
12:29-31). The one who is truly important deems himself small, and
counts the highest degrees of honor as nothing. The one who is truly
wise counts all earthly things as dung that he may win Christ
(Philippians 3:8). And the one who is truly learned is the one who does
the will of God to the denial of his own will.
CHAPTER
4
On
prudence in action
When
dealing
with someone or talking about them with others, we must not trust every
word that others speak, or the feelings we have within ourselves toward
them (I John 4:1). Rather we ought to cautiously and patiently put
their words and our feelings to the test to see how they measure up
against the Word and will of God.
Sadly,
we are
so weak that we find it easier to believe evil and speak evil of
others, rather than good. But those that are holy (godly in character,
thought, word and deed) do not give unquestioning heed to every
news-bearer, for they know man's weakness – that he is prone
to
evil and inconsistent communication.
This
is great
wisdom – not to speak or act hastily in response to what one
person says about another, or to treat your assumptions and opinions as
fact (Proverbs 18:13,17). A second part of this wisdom is not to
believe every word you hear, nor to tell others all that you hear even
though you believe it (Proverbs 17:9).
Take
counsel
with a man who is wise and of a good conscience (of godly character).
Seek to be instructed by one better than yourself, rather than to
follow your own ideas and strategies (Proverbs 12:15).
A
holy life
makes a man wise toward God and man, and gives him experience in many
things (Proverbs 15:33). The more humble a man is in himself and the
more obedient towards God, the wiser he will be – in all
things,
and the more he will experience that deep inner peace which comes from
God.
CHAPTER
5
On
the reading of Holy Scriptures
It
is Truth
which we must look for in the Holy Scriptures, rather than cunning
arguments with which to defeat those who disagree with our
understanding of God’s Word (Romans 15:4). Indeed, all
Scripture
ought to be read with the same purpose for which it was written.
[“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for
teaching,
for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the
man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
(II
Timothy 3:16-17)]. We must seek in Scripture that which is profitable
for knowing God and living a holy life, rather than that which enables
us to discuss its subtleties and mysteries. Do not be deceived, being
able to “hold our own” when debating the scriptures
or even
to win useless religious discussions does not make us better
Christians.
Therefore
we
ought to read the Scriptures more than any other book, and books about
the scriptures more than any other source of reading material. Of the
books that supplement our scripture reading – such as the
Patristic writings (Church Fathers), commentaries, Bible dictionaries,
theological works, study guides, and devotional works – we
ought
to read those that are simple and easy as well as those that are deep
and difficult. Do not let the educational background of the writer be a
stumbling-block, whether he has no degree or many degrees. Rather, let
your love of the pure Truth and hunger to know God and His ways draw
you to read. Do not select a book by the popularity of its author, but
rather select it on the basis of his spiritual depth, his promotiong of
spiritual maturity, and the humility with which he presents it.
Writers, teachers, theologians, and apologists pass away, but the truth
of the Lord as revealed in the Holy Scriptures endures forever.
God
speaks to
us in various ways, without regard to who we are or what we know. You
can miss what God is saying in the scriptures by allowing your
curiosity over what is obscure to distract you from devoting time to
what can be clearly understood. There is great wisdom in moving on to
studying and pondering what you can understand rather than seeking to
answer every difficult question or come up with clever explanations for
those hard to explain portions.
If
you hope to
profit by your reading, read humbly, simply, honestly, and with the
intent of applying what you have not yet applied. Never read to gain
the approval of others or to be held in esteem as one who is well
educated in the Scriptures. Ask questions freely and listen in silence
to the words of holy men. Do not be displeased at the hard sayings of
those older and more spiritually mature than you, for their answers are
not given without cause.
CHAPTER
6
On
excessive and unrestrained affections
When
we desire
anything inordinately (too much), we easily become dissatisfied with
what we have and upset or even angry when we do not get what we want.
This leads to the loss of contentment with God, and the loss of that
deep inner peace which comes from trust in God.
The
proud and
the covetous are never at rest. However, those who are humble of heart
and content with God, His provision, His protection, what He is doing,
and what He is allowing, abide in that heavenly peace which surpasses
all comprehension (Philippians 4:4-7).
Those
who are
not yet wholly dead to self in regard to fleshly and worldly desires,
are easily tempted to self-pity, envy, frustration, and anger
– even by small and trivial matters. In fact, we weaken
ourselves
spiritually, thus making it hard to resist temptation and turn away
from fleshly pleasures or worldly ways, when we allow our mind to dwell
on unholy desires and ungodly thoughts (Philippians 4:8). And if in an
effort to appear more spiritual we deny ourselves the desires of our
flesh, we may look better on the outside but we won’t feel
better
on the inside until we put those desires to death – by the
gracious enablement of God. In fact, we will feel sad, cheated, or even
resentful over not being able to enjoy what we really want –
which often leads to being easily angered when someone opposes what we
want in another area.
And
yet if we
yield to temptation, our conscience will weigh us down with
condemnation for having done what we know is wrong, and we will have
pushed ourselves even further away from gaining the inward peace known
by the godly. Indeed, true peace of heart is to be found in resisting
earthly and fleshly passions, not in yielding to them. Therefore there
is no peace in the heart of those who are fleshly, nor in those who
give themselves up to worldly pleasures. True peace is found in the
hearts of those who are fervent towards God, who treasure God, who
trust in God for all their needs, and who live according to the will
and word of God.
CHAPTER
7
On
fleeing from vain hope and pride
Vain
–
that which is futile and worthless – is the life of the one
who
puts his trust in men or in any created thing (Psalm 20:6-7, 33:16-19,
44:4-6; Isaiah 31:1; Jeremiah 17:5).
Do
not be
ashamed to be the servant of others for the love of Jesus Christ, nor
to be viewed as poor or unimportant in this life.
Do
not trust in
your own power and ability, but nurture hope and confidence in God
(Psalm 147:10-11). Do what God has given you to do – for He
knows
what you have the ability and power to do. As you obey Him, He will aid
you.
Do
not trust in
your education or knowledge. Do not trust in the cleverness of anyone
you know. Rather, trust in the favor of God, for He resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
Do
not boast in
your riches if you have them, nor in your friends if they are powerful,
but boast in God who is the giver of all good things. And in addition
to giving you all good things, God longs to give you Himself.
Do
not be
conceited or boastful of your strength or beauty, for with only a
slight sickness each will fail and wither away. Do not use your
skillfulness or natural abilities to please yourself, lest you
displease God who has given us every good gift which we have.
Do
not count
yourself better than others, lest possibly you appear worse in the
sight of God, for He knows what is in man. Do not be proud of your good
works, for God's judgments are of another sort than the judgments of
man – and what pleases man is frequently displeasing to God.
If
you have any
good, believe that others have more – for in so doing you
nurture
humility. You do no harm to yourself by placing yourself below everyone
else, but you do great harm to yourself by placing yourself above even
one (James 4:6; I Peter 5:5). The inner peace of God is always with the
humble, but the heart of the proud is agitated by envy and frequent
irritation with others.
CHAPTER
8
On
the danger of too much familiarity
Do
not expose
your deepest thoughts and personal feelings to everyone. Reserve such
revelations and discussions for when you are with those who are both
wise and fear God. Do not spend a lot of time talking about these
things with the young and with strangers.
Do
not be a
flatterer of the rich, nor eagerly seek to socialize with the great.
Fellowship with the humble and the simple, the devout and the meek, and
let your conversation be centered around things which edify. Do not get
intimately involved with any woman, but commend all good women unto
God. Choose God and His Son for your most intimate companions, and flee
from seeking attention from those of like nature (mankind).
We
must love
all men, but not make close companions of all – for it is not
easy to discern what is in a man’s heart. For example,
sometimes
we highly regard someone we scarcely know because another has spoken
well of him. Yet those who know him well find him hard to deal with or
unpleasant to live with, and hence do not regard him highly. Sometimes
we try to impress others by our friendliness (get them to feel
admiration and respect for us) only to displease or offend them as they
discover the faults in our character by how we live day after day.
CHAPTER
9
On
obedience and subjection
It
is truly an
honorable, godly quality to live in cheerful obedience – to
willingly submit to authority rather than be self-ruled. In relation to
godliness, it is far safer to live in subjection – as one
under
authority – than to be in the place of authority. Many submit
to
those in authority from necessity rather than from love. Such as these
are easily annoyed inwardly at being told what to do, or they openly
complain over the smallest command. They will never gain freedom from
their resentment and discontentment unless, for the love of God and
from a humble heart, they willingly submit to those over them.
Though
you
search far and wide for an authority to whom you can cheerfully submit,
you will not find that inner peace and contentment which comes from
godly submission to whomever God has chosen or allowed to rule over
you. The only way to find the inner peace of godly submission is to
humbly and willingly submit to the authority who is currently over you.
Thinking a change of location and hence a change of the one in
authority will make all things well is a lie that has deceived many.
It
is true that
every one of us eagerly follows his own inclinations, beliefs, and
feelings, and we like best those who agree with us. But if Christ is
among us (that is, two or more are gathered in His name), then it is
necessary that we sometimes yield up our own opinions for the sake of
peace.
Who
is so wise
as to have perfect knowledge of all things? Therefore, do not trust in
your own opinions to the extent that you are unwilling to consider the
opinions of others.
Though
your own
opinion on a certain subject is good, yet if for the love of God you
hold it silently and follow that of another, you will gain greater
spiritual profit (personal growth and blessing from God).
It
is often
said that it is safer to listen and adhere to counsel, than to give it.
It may also turn out that each opinion offered was worthy of serious
consideration. Therefore, to refuse to listen to others when reason or
occasion requires it, is a mark of pride or stubbornness.
CHAPTER
10
On
the danger of too many words
Avoid
as far as
you can unprofitable and unnecessary conversation. Talking about
worldly things – though it be innocently undertaken
– is a
hindrance to godliness, because conversation that stimulates our
fleshly nature ensnares and pollutes us by stirring ungodly thinking
and feelings.
Many
times I
wish that I had held my peace, and had not entered into certain
conversations. Why do we chit-chat, banter, and gossip, when afterwards
– upon reflecting on what we said – it is obvious
that we
have fed our mind with unwholesome conversation, thus weakening both
our conscience and our determination to persevere in the pursuit of
godliness?
Sadly,
we like
conversations that require little mental effort because it is an easy
and comfortable way to converse with anyone, and because it provides
pleasing relief from the hard work of serious thinking. Furthermore, we
are prone to talk and think about those things which we love or desire,
or else about those things we most dislike. This too can be a
distraction that works against a serious pursuit of God and godliness.
And in the end, we are the losers – we are the ones who come
away
with less than we had spiritually before engaging in such
conversations. For however good such talking makes us feel, it stands
in the way of drawing nearer to God than we already are. It diminishes
our love and devotion to God. It feeds our flesh. And it works against
whatever desire we have to be further conformed to the likeness of
Christ. Therefore, we must be on our guard and in frequent prayer that
we do not waste time in this way. When the right and opportune time
comes to speak, speak of things that edify.
Unchallenged
bad habits and the neglect of preparing ourselves spiritually for each
day leads to a weakened sensitivity and carelessness in guarding our
lips. However, serious-minded conversations on spiritual things promote
spiritual progress – especially where those of like mind and
spirit make God and the things of God the basis of their fellowship.
CHAPTER
11
On
seeking peace of mind and spiritual progress
We
could enjoy
an abundance of peace if we would stop concerning ourselves with what
others say and do, and with things that do not concern us.
How
can those
who concern themselves with or meddle in other people’s
matters
remain in a state of peace? How can those who pay too much attention to
things outside themselves while paying little attention to what is
going on inside, remain in a state of peace? Blessed are the
single-minded – those focused on what really matters
– for
they shall live in abundant peace.
How
is it that
so many of the Saints were so spiritually mature, and so able to give
themselves to thoughtful meditation and focused pondering of Divine
things? Because they consistently and persistently made it their aim to
die to all worldly desires. As a result they were able to free
themselves of distractions as they focused their whole heart on God
– contemplating and meditating on Him, His ways, and His
Word.
Our
problem is
that we are too concerned with our own fleshly desires, whims,
feelings, and perceived needs, and too anxious about temporary, passing
things. Another weakness is that we rarely pursue godliness to the
extent that we entirely conquer even a single fault. In addition, we
lack the zeal, perseverance, and discipline required for daily growth
in grace, faith, and holiness, and so we remain lukewarm and
spiritually immature (Hebrews 5:11-14).
If
we were
vigilant and honest – moment by moment – in
evaluating our
spiritual condition (thoughts, desires, words, deeds) according to the
Word of God and the life of Christ, and if we would put to death the
lusts of our flesh and die to the attractions of the world, we would
make obvious and worthy progress in working out our salvation
(Philippians 2:12-13). Our greatest and most grievous stumbling-block
is that we continue to cling to one or more fleshly desires and worldly
affections. This pollution, this double-mindedness, this trying to love
godliness and ungodliness at the same time weakens our zeal for
holiness to the point that we will not make the effort necessary to
walk the narrow path of the Saints. And when a little trouble comes our
way, we further weaken our zeal for holiness by feeling sorry for
ourselves, feeling disappointed with God, and running to the world for
comfort.
If
we would do
the part God has given us to do in the pursuit of godliness, with
courage and integrity , and if we would face the enemy with zeal and
boldness, so as to stand firm in battle, we would see the Lord
empowering us and helping us on to victory (Philippians 4:13). Indeed,
the Lord is always ready to help those who do their part in striving
against sin, and who trust in Him alone for the grace and strength
necessary to be victorious (II Peter 1:2-11). In addition, He shows us
and convicts us of our sin, thus giving us further opportunities to win
more victories.
If
we confine
our progress in religion to outward observances and forms –
changing our religious garb but not our heart – whatever zeal
for
true holiness we have will progressively weaken until it is gone. So
let us lay the axe to the very root of our self-life so that we may be
cleansed from fleshly desires and worldly affections, and in so doing
grow in godliness and possess true peace with God. Surely, God is both
able and willing to empower us for such a work.
If
by the grace
and power of God we put to death one fault each year and replaced it
with Christ-likeness, we would make worthy progress toward Christian
perfection. But sadly, the experience of many is that they were more
zealous and holier after first becoming a Christian than after many
years of being a Christian. Zeal and progress ought to increase day by
day, yet it is all to common for Christians to think they have achieved
something great if after many years they have been able to retain just
a portion of the passion for God and zeal for godliness they had at
first. If we would push ourselves and discipline ourselves for the
purpose of growing in godliness from the start of our Christian life,
then after a few years we would find that dying to self, pursuing
holiness, and living for God would be much easier, more natural, and
more enjoyable (I Timothy 4:7-8).
It
is hard to
break a habit. It is even harder to choose against your will or turn
away from what you love or crave or treasure. If you are unwilling or
too lazy to overcome small and easy obstacles (smaller sins and evil
habits), where will you find the strength of heart and zeal to
persevere in overcoming the greater ones?
Resist
every
temptation to exercise self-rule, and from the first moment of becoming
a Christian, or at least from this day forward, begin breaking every
evil habit, lest the failure to do so lead you little by little into
worse evils. I am convinced that if you knew the extent of inner peace
and satisfying communion with God that comes from a holy life, and if
you cared about how much your willful or careless unholiness hurt God
(Ezekiel 6:9), and if you had a godly concern for loving others as
yourself, you would be as zealous and disciplined in the pursuit of
spiritual growth as you could be.
CHAPTER
12
On
the uses of adversity
It
is good that
we sometimes face disappointments, troubles, trials, and tribulations,
for they provide additional motivation to see ourselves as strangers
and sojourners, and to live as those who do not put their trust in any
worldly thing.
It
is good that
we sometimes experience opposition and disapproval, and face critical
and unfair judgment when our intentions and deeds are good. Why?
Because enduring these things in a godly manner promotes humility and
discourages thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought (Romans
12:16; I Peter 3:8). Second, when others speak evil of us falsely and
give us no credit for the good we have done, it can drive us all the
more to make God our first and foremost source of security and
approval. Indeed, we ought to make God our complete source of security
and approval so that we do not feel the need to seek approval and
praise – or even consolation when distressed – from
those
around us.
When
the one
who fears God is afflicted or tried or oppressed with evil thoughts, he
realizes how much he needs God’s grace and strength
–
clearly seeing that without God’s help he is unable to
continually do what he knows is right. Saddened by the wickedness of
his heart, the weakness of his flesh, and the waywardness of his mind,
he groans and cries out to God in prayer. Knowing he is trapped in this
body of flesh, he looks forward to death so he can be free of his flesh
and be with Christ – and hence become fully like Christ (I
John
3:2).
Therefore,
the
recurring adversities without and afflictions within convince the godly
that in this world there is no such thing as a trouble free life with
perfect security and complete peace. The closest we can come to that is
to live a life of faith in God and a life of holiness before God.
CHAPTER
13
On
resisting temptation
As
long as we
live in this world we will face troubles, trials, and temptation. We
see this even in the life of Jesus, for at the end of His temptations
in the wilderness the scripture says, “Now when the devil had
ended every temptation, he departed from [Jesus] until an opportune
time” (Luke 4:13). Notice, the devil did not depart never to
return, but to return at a later, more opportune time. Therefore, if
Jesus was repeatedly tempted, we ought to be constantly on guard
against trials and temptations, and vigilant in prayer, so that the
devil cannot find an occasion to deceive us – for he never
sleeps. He is constantly on the prowl seeking someone to devour (I
Peter 5:8).
No
one is so
perfect in holiness and communion with God that he is no longer
susceptible to temptation. Nor will we, in this life, ever be free from
those occasions when our flesh or the world or the devil do their
utmost to tempt us.
However,
even
though temptations are hard to resist and their frequent occurrence a
burden to bear, they are very profitable to the godly. In experiencing
them we are humbled. In resisting them we are spiritually strengthened
and further purified. In enduring them we learn more about trusting
God, the character of God, the ways of God, the Word of God, submitting
to God, putting off the old nature, putting on the new nature, and the
value of perseverance in the pursuit of godliness.
All
who live
godly in Christ Jesus have faced and endured many tribulations and
temptations, and have received great spiritual profit as a result. On
the other hand, those who continue to give in to temptation become
increasing selfish and immoral in their behavior, weak in their faith,
dull in their conscience, hardened in their heart, and in danger of
falling away. Therefore, be strong in the Lord, for there is no home so
godly, no work situation so Christian, no church position so sacred,
and no spiritual retreat so secret, that it is without temptations and
adversities (Ephesians 6:10).
No
one is free
from various temptations as long as he lives, because the propensity
(inclination, desire) to sin is within us – having been born
in
this condition. When one temptation or trial passes, another comes
– if not from the outside than from the inside (James 1:14).
We
will always suffer under this burden because the whole human race has
fallen from God’s original state of perfection and has chosen
to
serve Satan and self instead of God (Genesis 3).
Many
of those
who have tried to be free of temptations by moving away from their
current surroundings and circumstances fall more deeply after moving.
Moving away, by itself, neither frees us from temptation nor empowers
us to overcome temptation. What brings victory is (1) facing temptation
with faith that God empowers us for victory, (2) with the power of the
scriptures, (3) with adequate preparation and much prayer, (4) with
self-control and endurance, (5) and with true humility (Hebrews 12:1-3;
I Corinthians 10:13; II Timothy 2:22).
If
your efforts
to overcome temptation are confined to resisting when tempted, you will
remain weak in those areas where you are easily tempted. And you will
find that temptation returns quickly and frequently in those areas.
Such a limited effort is of little benefit to your spiritual growth.
However,
(1) if
in the hours, days, and even weeks prior to being tempted you devote
time to killing off and rooting out whatever it is in you that a
particular temptation appeals to, (2) and if you devote sufficient time
to putting on the character and values of Christ in that area, (3) and
if you memorize scripture useful for following Christ’s
example
in resisting specific temptations and remaining on the narrow path, (4)
and if you commune with God so often it is as if you are praying
without ceasing, you will face temptation empowered and prepared to
resist it and remain faithful to God.
Because
killing
off an area of your old nature and putting on Christ-likeness rarely
happens in a moment of time, you will need endurance. Therefore,
victory and newness of life are gained little by little, day after day,
through patience and longsuffering, persistence and much prayer as you
do your part in uprooting the evil in you and resisting when tempted.
And though punishing your body, exercising self-discipline, and
persevering in overcoming temptation is vital to gaining the victory,
victory itself comes by the grace and strength of God. [God’s
dealings with Israel in relation to taking the Promised Land provides
an O.T. example of our sanctification, especially in terms of who does
what and how long it will probably take (Exodus 23:27-30; Numbers
33:55-56; Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Joshua 23:11-13).]
When
enduring a
time of prolonged temptation, seek godly counsel. If others who are
struggling in the face of temptation seek counsel from you, do not be
harsh, heartless, or pitiless, but comfort, encourage, and strengthen
them, just as you would want done to you.
Temptation
gains a hold in us when we are double-minded, discontented,
self-focused, and have doubts about God and His dealings with us
(unbelief – Hebrews 3:12).
Just
as a ship
without a helm is tossed about by the waves, so the one who is careless
in preparation and vigilance, and undisciplined in focus, is easily
tempted in many things (Ephesians 6:11-18; II Peter 1:4-11).
As
fire tests
iron, so temptation tests the faith and character of the godly. We
don’t always know the strength of our faith and character,
but
temptation reveals how strong we are.
Give
careful
attention to this truth: we must remain prepared and vigilant if we are
to resist the devil and flee when attacked by the smaller, more
socially acceptable or easily overlooked temptations. For if we do not
resist the smaller temptations, it will not be long before we are
giving in to the larger, more obvious temptations. In addition, it is
far easier to resist the devil’s purposes and subdue our
flesh in
the smaller temptations than in the larger ones. Therefore, as soon as
the smallest temptation knocks, we ought to meet it outside the door so
that it has no opportunity to crack the door open and make way for more
and greater evil to come in. It is for this reason that someone said:
“Be on guard against the first, smallest,
And more easily ignored temptations,
For they are most easily cured.
But if they are allowed to enter and find a home,
In the face of greater temptation
You will lack the strength to endure”
Temptation
starts in the mind with a thought or simple suggestion. Next the mind
imagines doing or possessing what is being suggested. This is followed
by anticipation of the pleasure, fame, fortune or sense of security to
be gained. Then with the desires inflamed, the craving for
gratification drives consent (James 1:14-15). And so little by little
the enemy enters in until he’s in altogether, because he was
not
resisted outside the door.
Here
is a
trustworthy statement: the longer you delay resisting the devil the
weaker you grow and the stronger his influence grows within you until
his temptations seem to strong to resist.
Some
Christians
experience their most severe temptations soon after conversion, some
after years of being a serious minded, growing Christian. Some are
sorely tested and tried the whole of their Christian life, while it
seems others are only lightly tempted. Yet each is tempted according to
the wisdom and love of our sovereign God, who knows the character and
circumstances of each one and orders all things for the well-being of
His elect (Romans 8:29).
Therefore,
we
ought never to despair or give in to discouragement when we are
tempted. Rather, we ought to pray to God more fervently that
He
will graciously help us in all our trials, testings, and tribulation.
And help He will – for He never allows us to be tempted
beyond
our current ability to resist. And regardless of the nature or strength
of the temptation, He always provides a way to escape so that we emerge
victorious (I Corinthians 10:13). To this end the scriptures says:
“Submit therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee
from
you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James
4:7-8a). Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God
and act according to His directives in the face of all temptation and
trouble, for He will save and exalt those who are of a humble spirit.
Temptations
and
troubles show the strength of our faith, the quality of our character,
and our progress made in being conformed to the image of Christ. In
resisting them and remaining faithful to God, we gain greater eternal
rewards. We display the depth of our love for God. And we show how much
zeal we have for godliness.
It
is not
difficult, and therefore it is not exceptional, to be godly and zealous
for righteousness when life is free of trials and affliction (Matthew
5:46). But if we patiently endure and remain faithful in times of
adversity, we will make great spiritual progress and please our
heavenly Father.
Some
are kept
safe from great temptations, but are overcome by those which are little
and common. If this is your experience, then the lesson to be learned
is not to trust in yourself in great things, seeing how weak you are in
small things.
CHAPTER
14
On
avoiding rash judgment
Thoughtfully,
thoroughly, and carefully examine yourself. Measure your thoughts,
words, and deeds against the Holy Scriptures. Judge yourself according
to what is true and just (Matthew 7:2-5; I Corinthians 11:31-32).
Beware of judging others more severely than yourself, or in a manner
that is reproachful, critical, and damning (Romans 2:1-4).
There
are three
common, yet ungodly outcomes when you judge others in a reproachful,
condemning way. First, your efforts bear no good fruit. Second, you
often judge incorrectly. Third, you easily fall into the sins of
arrogance and injustice. However, when you honestly examine and judge
yourself, your efforts will always bear good fruit.
Too
often we
judge a matter or person according to our feelings and assumptions
rather than what is true. This easily and frequently leads to
misjudgment. If God was the sole object of our desire, if His glory and
honor mattered more to us than life itself, if drawing near to Him was
driven by our longing to have Him draw near to us, we would run from
judging others according to our feelings and assumptions.
Many
have an
underlying impulse to seek their own ends in what they do, yet deceive
themselves or live in denial about their selfish motivation. They seem
to possess true peace of mind, but only so long as things go well with
them. If their interests or desires are in some way frustrated or
thwarted, they are immediately agitated, often distressed, and
certainly unhappy.
Diversity
of
feelings and differences of opinions often cause dissension and
sometimes division between friends, countrymen, and even the godly.
Cultural influences, established customs, and family practices are not
easily relinquished. For this reason, no one is easily convinced to
relinquish long held beliefs, values, and opinions for those of
another.
Therefore,
if
you rely more upon your own reason and experience than upon the power
of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit to lead you into truth,
then your growth in understanding God and His word will be slow and
slight – because God wills that we be perfectly submissive to
Him
and that our reasoning be made sensible through loving Him as we ought.
CHAPTER
15
On
deeds compelled by love
Never
believe
that any evil can be an act of love toward anyone, or that it can
produce some good – even if thought to be well intentioned.
Therefore, there are times when wise discernment of a
person’s
values, motives, or circumstances leads us to postpone doing the good
we originally intended to do for them. And there are times when
discernment leads us to see that what we originally thought to be an
act of love, will only serve to encourage sinful and selfish behavior
in the person to whom we are wanting to do good. As a result of seeing
more clearly, we change what we were intending to do to something
better. Though both these acts of discernment may appear to work
against love in the mind of the one in need, and in the eyes of those
watching, they don’t. Rather, they improve love.
Without
godly
love toward God and others as the overriding motive in serving the
needs of others, our good deeds are as unprofitable to us in eternity
as treasure laid up on earth. But whatever we do from love of God and
man, however small and insignificant, brings blessing in this life and
profit in the life to come – for God looks at what we are
able to
do far more than at the greatness of what we did (Luke 21:1-4; Luke
6:38; Matthew 6:19-20).
He
who loves
much does much. He who seeks the greater good of others in the doing of
what he does accomplishes much for those served by his deeds of love.
He who seeks and serves the greater good of the community, rather than
his own good, does what is pleasing to God.
Beware
of what
appears to be deeds motivated by love but are really deeds motivated by
selfishness. Such deeds spring from a natural inclination to serve, or
from a longing for recognition, acceptance, and approval, or from hope
of repayment, or from some other desire for personal gain.
He
whose heart
and mind are set on loving as God loves in no way seeks his own good or
glory, but trusts in God to meet his needs and longs for God, alone, to
be glorified. He envies no one, neither their possessions, position,
abilities, nor renown – because he craves no selfish joy and
he
is content with what God gives him. He does not delight in his
accomplishments, but sets his heart on pleasing God in the next
situation or circumstance just as he had set his heart on pleasing God
in the last. He regards no one as inherently good except God
–
who is the Fountain from which all good flows, and who is the End, the
Peace, and the Joy of all the saints.
Therefore,
he
who has just a spark of godly love has come to realize that all worldly
things are of no eternal value or spiritual profit.
CHAPTER
16
On
bearing with the imperfections of others
The
imperfections which we have not yet been able to improve in ourselves
or which continue to plague others, we ought to patiently endure, just
as God patiently endures our failures as we strive to grow in
Christ-likeness. Give careful consideration to the possibility that
enduring imperfections is the better way, for it strengthens your
determination to persevere in the pursuit of godliness, and it develops
your compassion and patience with others – three qualities
which
add value to all other godly qualities. Therefore, when you become
aware of imperfections, persevere in earnest prayer that God would give
you the grace and strength to bear them with a good attitude.
If
a fellow
Christian has been admonished once or twice about these kinds of
imperfections and he does not listen, do not struggle or contend with
him in an effort to convince him. Instead, commit all to God
–
waiting patiently and peacefully on Him to do His will and bring honor
to His name through His servants – for He knows how to bring
good
out of all things (Romans 8:28).
Endeavor
to be
patient in bearing with other people's imperfections and infirmities
whatever they may be, for you also have many things which others must
bear with. If you cannot make yourself what you desire to be, how will
you make others into what you think they should be?
To
our shame,
we are eager to see others made perfect, and yet we do not correct our
own faults. We want others to be vigorously corrected, but we get
defensive or complain of unkind treatment when vigorously corrected
ourselves. We get upset when others do as they please, yet we get upset
when we cannot do as we please. We want rules made to restrain others,
yet we do not want to be restrained. Sadly, we seldom judge our
neighbor in the same way we judge ourselves, because we judge according
to a double-standard – one for our neighbor and one for
ourselves.
If
everyone
were perfect, we would never learn about godly peace, patience, mercy,
and compassion, for there would be no reason to bear up patiently or be
longsuffering for God’s sake. But given our imperfections,
God
has ordained that we learn to bear one another’s burdens, for
no
one is without defect, no one is without weaknesses, no one is
sufficient in himself, and no one wise enough by himself. Therefore,
the right thing to do is to bear with one another, to comfort one
another, to help, instruct, and admonish one another (Galatians 6:1-5;
James 5:12-20).
How
much
strength of faith and godly character each one has is best proved
during times of adversity – for such occasions do not make
the
godly frail, but show his true nature and the state of his character.
CHAPTER
17
On
a Christ-like life living in community
If
you wish to
live in peace and harmony with other people, you must learn to die to
self in many things. It is quite a challenge to live in a religious
community or be part of a local church. It is even more of a challenge
to live in any community or with any group of believers without
complaint, and to remain a faithful participant until death. Blessed is
the one who lives a humble, meek, peaceable, love-controlled life in
such a group, and continues doing so to the end.
If
you want to
stand firm in your faith and grow in Christ-likeness, as you ought, you
must consider yourself an exile and pilgrim upon the earth (I Peter
2:11). Indeed, you must be willing to be considered a fool for Christ
if you are going to pursue and live a holy, contemplative,
neighbor-loving, God-pleasing life.
Clothing
and
outward appearance are only of little benefit in living the Christ-like
life. It is a change of heart, mind, and character, along with putting
to death all your evil passions which make a person truly holy (Mark
7:21-23; Colossians 3:5-11).
Seeking
anything other than God and the spiritual health of your soul (i.e.,
fleshly pleasures, power, fame, fortune), leads only to tribulation and
sorrow. Truly, if you do not daily make it your aim to be the least of
all and the servant of all, you will soon lose the deep, inner peace of
God which surpasses all comprehension.
Within
the
Christian community, we have been called to endure difficult
circumstances, difficult people, and hard work. We have not been called
to a life of ease and trivial conversations. It is in these daily
challenges of life that we are tested and tried, like gold in the
furnace. Only those who truly humble themselves for God’s
sake
will remain steadfast and faithful in the face of the daily challenges
that attend life in the religious community and local church.
CHAPTER
18
On
the example of those who have gone before
Carefully
examine the lives of God’s people who have set an example of
living by faith and making exceedingly commendable progress in
godliness, for then you will see how meager and feeble are your efforts
to live a Christ-like life (Hebrews 11). Regrettably, our faith is weak
and our progress in holiness barely measurable when compared to theirs.
They, the saints and friends of Christ, served the Lord in hunger and
thirst, in cold and with insufficient clothing, in hard work and
weariness, in intercessory vigils and fastings, in prayer and holy
meditations, in persecutions and many reproaches.
Consider
the
numerous and grievous trials and tribulations endured by the Apostles,
martyrs, evangelists, missionaries, pastors, and many other members of
the Body of Christ who publicly professed faith in Christ, and lived
accordingly. They willingly laid down their lives – losing
them
in this world – so that they might keep them in eternity
(John
12:24-26; I John 2:15-17).
Consider
how
strict and separated a life the Desert Fathers lived (those who dwelt
in the desert to live a life of purity and contemplation). They
suffered long and severe temptations in their pursuit of holiness. They
were often assaulted by the wiles and fiery darts of the enemy
(Ephesians 6:12). They spent hours in impassioned prayer, and while
working, frequently poured out fervent prayers to God for protection
from the evil one. They prayed for further progress in dying to self,
for greater purity of heart and mind, for grace and strength to
persevere, and for God to do in them what was impossible without Him.
They kept strict and sometimes lengthy fasts. They manifested fervent
zeal and a passionate desire for spiritual growth. They longed for more
holiness and more intimate fellowship with God. They got up each day,
put on the armor of God, fortified themselves with prayer and
meditation, and spent the rest of the day bravely fighting their flesh
and resisting the devil so that they would gain mastery over their
vices instead of their vices having mastery over them (Numbers
33:55-56; Romans 8:13-14; Colossians 3:5-10).
During
the day,
they worked hard at providing what was needed for life and sustenance.
During the night hours, they often gave themselves to prayer. Yet even
during working hours they did not cease from praying and communing with
God in the quietness of their own mind. Indeed, they tried to make the
most of what time they had here on the earth (Ephesians 5:15). Yet even
the time they had seemed insufficient for being alone with God. And
often the great sweetness of intimate fellowship with God
(contemplation) caused them to neglect eating, sleeping, and other
natural needs of the body.
They
renounced
all riches (money, possessions), important positions, public praise and
conferred honors, friends, and family (Luke 14:26-33). They neither
wanted nor longed for anything from the world. They lived as simple a
life-style as possible, barely allowing themselves the necessities of
life. And even when their bodies cried out in need of food, shelter,
warm clothing, or rest, they resisted for the sake of strengthening
their focus on pursuing God and godliness.
Therefore,
they
were very poor in earthly things, but exceeding rich in grace,
godliness, and communion with God. Though the world looked on them as
poor and even destitute, inwardly they were comforted and encouraged by
the joy and peace of a righteous life and intimate communion with God.
They were like strangers and aliens to the world, but family and dear
friends to God. They were humble to the point of thinking themselves to
be the least of all God’s people. The world looked on them as
contemptible, but in the sight of God, they were precious and deeply
loved. They steadfastly clung to true humility. They practiced simple
obedience – to God and those in authority over them. They
walked
in love, meekness, and patience. Therefore, they were strong in spirit,
and obtained great favor with God.
They
are an
example to all who hunger and thirst after God and godliness
–
and we ought to make sure their example influences us toward holiness
rather than allowing ourselves to be influenced toward lukewarm,
mediocre, immature Christianity by the numerous self-focused and
worldly minded Christians of our day.
Consider
how
great a love for God these early Christians manifested; what devotion
to prayer; what perseverance and zeal in their pursuit of holiness;
what self-discipline; what reverence and submissive obedience in all
things to those over them. The few that are like them today testify
that they were truly holy and devout men who fought courageously,
fervently, and persistently to turn their backs on the world and live
for the glory and honor of God.
Today
we count
a person great if he joins a monastery or is active in a local church,
if he shows more zeal than most for evangelism or travels overseas as a
missionary, or if he is a bit more righteous than the average lukewarm
Christian. In our day there is a coldness of heart toward the things of
God and an ongoing neglect of the spiritual disciplines. Indeed, many
act as if God should serve and please them rather than they serve and
please God. And is it not true that many hold God to be supreme in and
over their lives in word mostly, while rarely treating Him as supreme
in their choices and behavior? Are these not the reasons we have so
little of the love and zeal demonstrated by those who have gone before?
In fact, because laziness and lukewarmness are rampant, pursuing
holiness (without which no one will see the Lord) is considered by many
Christians to be an unwelcome, wearisome burden they do not want to
bear.
O
may we
– who have so many examples of godly men and women who have
gone
before – never allow the zealous and life-long pursuit of
holiness to fall asleep in us.
CHAPTER
19
On
the spiritual exercises (disciplines) of a Christian
As
Christians,
our lives ought to be adorned with all the virtues of Christ (Matthew
5:48) so that we will be inwardly what we appear or claim to be
outwardly. In fact, to please God, we must make purity and holiness
within the foundation of what we are without, for God clearly sees what
is in our heart, and we cannot deceive Him. He knows if we genuinely
fear Him and whole-heartedly love Him. He knows if we are walking in
purity before Him, wherever we go or whatever we do (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Each
day we
ought to affirm our longing for and commitment to purity within and
holiness without, so that we feed and stimulate zeal for this pursuit
as if each day were the first day of our conversion. Each day we ought
to pray, “Help me, O God, in my pursuit of You and in my
service
to You, and grant that today would be a day of great spiritual
progress, for up until now it is as if I have not progressed at
all.”
According
to
our longing for purity within and holiness without, so shall the speed
of our progress be in growing in godliness (Matthew 5:6). Yet longing
alone is not enough. Daily diligence in pursuing the things that make
for advancement in spiritual growth is required if we are to make
commendable progress. For certainly if those who boldly and zealously
commit to great things still fall short, how much more will those fall
short who rarely or only half-heartedly make such commitments? And
though various circumstances can divert our attention from following
through on such commitments, the slightest neglect of those disciplines
that produce spiritual growth results in some decline of our spiritual
health.
Both
the
longing for purity within and holiness without, and taking the action
necessary to fulfill that longing depends more on the grace of God than
on our own wisdom and self-discipline. Therefore it says:
“The
righteous live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17;
Galatians
3:11; Hebrews 10:38). This means they continually depend on God for the
needed grace and strength to accomplish whatever they have committed
themselves to do. For though man makes his plans, it is God who sees
sufficiently to guide his steps (Proverbs 16:9), for man does not
naturally know the way he should go (Jeremiah 10:23).
If
some daily
discipline necessary for spiritual health and further growth in
godliness is set aside for a specific religious activity or for showing
kindness to another, it can easily be made up at a later time. But if
you neglect a daily discipline because it has become distasteful to you
or you are feeling lazy, then your neglect is sin (James 4:17) and you
will reap according to what you have sown (Galatians 6:7-9).
No
matter how
hard we try or how disciplined we are, we will still fall short of
Christian perfection in many things. Therefore, we should establish
specific goals for growing in Christ-likeness and continue pursuing
them until they are reached (I Corinthians 9:24-27). And more then
that, we must commit ourselves to making daily progress in defeating
those sins which most easily beset us, putting godly character traits
and habits in their place (Hebrews 12:1-2).
It
is vital
that we carefully and diligently examine our outer and inner life,
bringing both into conformity with the will and word of God, because
both must be changed for us to make progress in holiness. If the more
common demands of life prevent you from continually examining yourself,
then you can do it each morning and evening, or at the very least just
prior to taking Holy Communion and during certain seasons, such as
Advent and Lent.
Each
morning
speak to God about your commitment to godliness and prepare your heart
and mind to please Him in whatever you encounter that day. Each evening
examine how you lived that day in thought, word, and deed –
for
these are the areas where you are likely to offend God and your
neighbor.
Like
a
courageous soldier in battle, fight against the attacks of the devil.
Keep your appetite and eating habits under control, for that will teach
you to have the fortitude to keep all your fleshly desires under
control. Always have something to do – be it reading
something
that edifies your soul, or writing, or praying, or meditating, or doing
something useful for those around you. Though physical exercise is
good, use it with caution and in moderation so that it
doesn’t
become a hindrance to doing what is best. And free yourself from
thinking you must do the same spiritual disciplines others do. Choose
the activities that work best for you.
Should
you find
specific spiritual disciplines that are helpful to you, yet are not
commonly practiced by all, do them in private and avoid telling others
about them so that you give no occasion for pride to arise. And do not
justify being careless or negligent in practicing the common spiritual
disciplines by thinking your private ones are superior. Rather,
faithfully and honestly do all the spiritual disciplines that are
requested or required of you by the church and any smaller or lesser
group of Christians you belong to (i.e., Bible study, accountability
group). If you still have free time after fulfilling these requests and
requirements, devote yourself to those specific disciplines you
personally find so helpful.
Though
there
are common spiritual disciplines, all do not suite each believer the
same. Some suit this Christian better, and others that one. Even in
keeping the seasonal observances like Advent and Lent, some disciplines
are better for one than another. We need one kind of discipline in
times of temptation and others in times of peace and quietness. Some
serve us better in times of sadness, and others when we are filled with
the joy of the Lord.
When
we come to
the times of sharing in Holy Communion or the special days surrounding
Christmas, Easter, Pentecost Sunday, or other such times, we should
search our hearts for unconfessed sin and renew our commitment to those
spiritual disciplines that strengthen our faith and drive us toward
purity of heart and life. We ought to go from one special occasion to
another as if the time between were our last here on earth and our
entrance into the eternal kingdom is imminent.
We
ought to
prepare day by day, so as to live as prepared ones – urged on
by
our participation in the special observances of the Church. We ought to
live each day as if we would soon hear those words, “Well
done,
good and faithful servant,” and receive our reward from the
hand
of God. And if God puts off calling us home for a time, we ought to
consider ourselves still ill-prepared and unworthy for the glory that
is to be revealed to us.
Therefore,
in a
self-disciplined, deliberate, purposeful, zealous manner – as
if
preparing to take the most challenging and important exam of your life
– prepare yourself to live godly each day and to be pleasing
to
God on the judgment day (II Timothy 2:15). It is the Lord who said,
"Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make
ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due
season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when
he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that
he has” (Luke 12:42-44).
CHAPTER
20
On
the love of solitude and silence
Schedule
suitable times for thoughtful reading of the scriptures, contemplating
God, considering His ways, and meditating on His word. During your
times of contemplation and meditation, frequently review the many
mercies God has showered on you. Do not spend time on questions about
God and the scripture which can only be answered by speculation or
inference, in that they have no clear answer in the scripture. Trying
to answer such questions may be mentally stimulating and personally
entertaining, but it produces no spiritual benefits. Instead, study and
contemplate those things that bring about in you a broken and contrite
heart over sin.
If
you do your
best to avoid worthless conversations, useless or profitless
activities, currently popular attractions, and gossip, you will have
sufficient time each day to profitably read and meditate. The greatest
saints of the past avoided useless and unprofitable social interaction,
as much as they could, choosing rather to protect time for solitude and
silence with God. Someone once said, “As often as I have gone
among men, so often have I returned less a man.” Is this not
the
Christian’s experience when he strays too long into things
that
turn his attention away from God or that war against what God would
have him be?
Truly,
it is
easier to remain silent in meditation and prayer than to refrain from
speaking too much in social settings. It is easier to remain secluded
in your usual place of study and meditation than to vigilantly guard
your thoughts, words, and actions while out and about. Therefore, if
you long to gain a pure heart, to pursue holiness of life, to touch the
heart of God, to enjoy intimate fellowship with God, to comprehend and
apply the truths of scripture that make you more and more like Christ,
you must go with Jesus apart from the multitude (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16).
Consider
this
carefully, no one who does not love his times of solitude and silence
with God at home is spiritually profited by traveling to such places as
the historical sites of the Old Testament saints, the seven churches of
Revelation, or the Holy Land. No one will remain spiritually vigilant
when talking in social settings, who does not love his times of
thoughtfully reading the scriptures and meditating on God and His word.
No one selflessly and fairly rules over others who does not love
submitting to the rule of God and to the rule of those in authority
over him. No one meekly and humbly commands who does not love to obey.
And no one sincerely rejoices over the love, mercy, and goodness of God
who has not mourned over the heinousness of his rebellion and sin, and
then repented and changed his ways so as to have a good conscience
toward God.
The
most holy
of God’s people have a boldness to come into His presence and
call upon His name that always includes a reverential fear of God. And
though their purity of heart, singleness of mind, and holiness of life
is evident to all, their fear of God is also made evident by their
abiding sense of unworthiness, sincere humility, and faithful
obedience.
However,
the
boldness of those Christians who knowingly practice sin springs from
pride and presumption. Such ill-gotten boldness leads to three false
beliefs: (1) that we can see God without purity of heart (Matthew 5:8);
(2) that salvation is necessary while sanctification is optional (John
14:23; Hebrews 12:14); and (3) that after rising to certain levels of
spiritual maturity we cannot fall away (Hebrews 3:12-13; II Peter
3:17-18). Therefore, no matter how devout and spiritually mature you
think you have become in this life, never tell yourself you have
reached the place of being secure in your faith.
Too
often those
who are esteemed as the most spiritual among us fall into grievous sin,
because their confidence gets placed in what others think of them.
Therefore, it is to our benefit to be inwardly and frequently tested by
such things as the temptation to spiritual pride, or a foolish sense of
self-righteousness, or the arrogance of thinking we have attained
sinless perfection. Such testing remind us of our constant need for
vigilance against temptation, and our need for a healthy fear of God,
humility before God and men, and ears that are deaf to the praises of
men.
Truly,
it is
the one who turns away from temporal pleasures and guards against
entanglements in the world who has the purer and therefore healthier
conscience. It is the one who casts aside all worthless thoughts,
anxiety, and foolish concerns, who thinks only [or at least mostly] on
heavenly and edifying things, who builds his security and hope upon
God, and who possess deep inward peace and calmness of mind.
Only
those who
diligently seek a broken and contrite heart to the point of mourning
over their sin are worthy of heavenly comfort and encouragement (Psalm
51:7; Matthew 5:4; Isaiah 66:2). If you long to feel sincere regret
over your sin – so as to have a broken and contrite heart, go
to
your place of solitude and silence where you can shut out the
distractions of the world and, as it is written, “Commune
with
your own heart in your place of solitude and silence (upon your bed),
and be still” (Psalms 4:4). It is there in the stillness,
before
our Holy God, that you will be able to see the reality of your
rebellion against God (I John 3:4), the extent of your sinfulness
(James 4:17)), the cost of your sin to God (II Corinthians 5:21; I
Peter 3:18), and its affect on your relationship with God (James 4:4).
If God is your greatest treasure, if you love God with all your being,
you cannot face these truths without weeping before God with a broken
and contrite heart.
It
is in your
quiet place – with an open and honest heart before God
–
that you find what you so easily lose when bombarded by the demands and
distractions of life. If you will go to your quiet place often and stay
there longer, your time there will grow exceedingly sweet. But if you
rarely go there, going will become a wearisome burden. If from the
first days of becoming a Christian [or from the first days of seeing
its value] you go to your quiet place often and for prolonged
periods of time, you will soon find it a dear friend, a place of
comfort and rest, a place to gain spiritual strength, and a place of
intimate communion with God.
It
is in the
times of solitude and silence that devout Christians tenderize their
hearts toward God as they prepare for the spiritual, mental, emotional,
and physical challenges of that day. It is in these same quiet times
that God-fearing Christians discover, study, and take to heart the
deeper truths of scripture which are missed or misunderstood by so
many. This is valuable, because it is these deeper truths which nurture
a broken and contrite heart over sin – bringing us to tears
of
remorse, confession, and cleansing. And these same deeper truths compel
us to further distance ourselves from worldly attractions and
distractions so that we may grow ever dearer to our Maker and Savior.
And should we go so far as to withdraw ourselves from acquaintances and
friends, God – with His holy angels – will draw
ever so
near to us.
It
is better to
be unknown because you give so much time to examining and making right
your own heart before God than to be well-known for working miracles to
the neglect of your inward spiritual condition. It is praiseworthy to
long for time alone with God so that you spend more time in your quiet
place than in seeing the world, visiting holy sites, traveling to
spiritual life conferences, attending Christian concerts, serving in
the church, or socializing with other Christians.
Why
spend time
seeking what is not eternal and therefore will not last? The world and
all that is in it which feeds our passions and powerful desires will
pass away. It is the passions of your flesh which drive you to see and
experience what you cannot keep. Such passions can never be satisfied
to the point of no longer crying for further gratification. This means
they will rise within again and again – further dulling your
conscience and distracting you from what truly matters. Therefore,
carefully consider these words: “A joyful going forth often
brings a sorrowful return, and a joyous evening of socializing often
makes a sad morning” (Proverbs 14:12-13).
What
can you
find or learn or see or discover “out there” which
you
cannot gain from God, the scriptures, a purer heart, the revealing and
convicting work of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual people God has placed
in your life, and those parts of God’s marvelous creation
which
you can see at home? The same God works in the same ways in your quiet
place and in your home and in your place of employment and in your
church, as in any historical holy site, popular Christian conference or
concert, famous church, and national Christian retreat center somewhere
out there.
Is
there
anything you can see on this earth that is eternal in nature
–
that will last longer than the earth itself? Possibly you believe that
if you can attend just one more conference, or finally see the Holy
Land, or hear a certain Christian musician in person, or attend a
specific retreat where a well-known Christian is speaking, you will
come away so satisfied that you will want or need nothing more. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Indeed, if you could see all there is
to see all at once, it would still not be enough.
Lift
up your
eyes to God on high and pray that your sins and failures to live up to
what you know may be forgiven. Leave vain things and foolish endeavors
to vain and foolish men. Set your mind on things above and diligently
pursue the things that God has commanded you to do. Therefore, go into
your quiet place and fix your eyes, your mind, and your heart on Jesus
– your beloved. Take the time to commune with him in your
quiet
place, for you will find no greater peace, encouragement, or comfort
anywhere else.
Those
who seek
the new, the novel, and the spiritually popular outside their quiet
place, rather than seeking Jesus within, easily lose – during
the
trials and hardships of life – the peace, encouragement, and
comfort that comes from quiet communion with Jesus. If we follow their
foolish example in pursuing the new, the novel, and the spiritually
popular, we will – like them – suffer trouble of
heart and
spiritual decline.
CHAPTER
21
On
compunction of heart
Compunction:
Poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of
causing pain; the pain occasioned by a wounded and awakened conscience.
SYNONYMS: Remorse: Anguish of soul under a sense of guilt or
consciousness of having offended God or brought evil upon one's self or
others.
Contrition: Self-condemnation and humiliation leading to and
producing repentance.
If
you are to
make measurable and commendable progress in godliness, cling to the
fear of God and do not long for any freedom that opens the door to
distractions or impediments to spiritual growth (Proverbs 19:23). Use
self-discipline to keep your senses and physical desires from leading
you astray, and especially avoid senseless amusements and hilarity.
Nurture
compunction – with its attending qualities of remorse and
contrition – and you will find growing within you a devotion
to
God like that spoken of in the first and great commandment. Indeed,
compunction opens the door to many of the good things God has for us,
including spiritual growth and intimate fellowship with Him. Without
compunction, we easily set aside the exercise of self-discipline and
pursue self-gratification – which results in the loss of
those
good things God has for us.
After
thoughtfully considering and seriously weighing what we deserve from
God in contrast to what God so graciously gives, and upon coming to an
understanding of the numerous dangers to our spiritual progress and
soul’s well-being, it is astonishing that any Christian can
heartily rejoice in this life.
Sadly,
many
laugh when they ought to cry because they have a carefree attitude or a
lack of concern toward their shortcomings. Such attitudes and thinking
desensitizes them to the pain their sin causes God, the unjust harm it
does to others, and the setback it brings to their own spiritual
progress (Ezekiel 6:9; Psalm 78:40; Hebrews 10:26-31; James 4:4-9; II
Peter 2:4-11).
There
is no
true freedom in Christ or real Christian joy apart from the fear of
God, a pure heart, and a good conscience. The one who turns away from
every cause of distraction – be it worldly, social, fleshly,
emotional, or intellectual – in order to focus on holy
compunction is truly blessed, and finds real Christian joy. The one who
resists, puts off, and dies to whatever stains or hardens his
conscience is truly blessed and finds real Christian joy. Therefore,
fight with all your might against anything that turns you away from God
and toward the world, your flesh, and the devil, because – by
the
grace and empowerment of God – old sinful habits can be
defeated
and replaced with new holy habits.
If
you will let
others alone so they can do what they need to do, they will gladly let
you alone so you can focus on what you need to do. Do not involve
yourself in the affairs of others as if they needed your advice or as
if their lives were yours to manage. And do not entangle yourself in
the business of those superior to you – as if you needed
their
recognition or wanted their fame or knew more than them. First and
foremost, focus on your own life and the challenges attendant to it.
Give yourself advice and heed it before offering advice to your dearest
friends.
Do
not be
bothered or discouraged if you lack the favor or praise of others.
However, you ought to be bothered and concerned if you do not require
yourself to make an effort equal to the need to think, speak, and
behave in ways that are worthy of a child and faithful servant of God
(i.e., a Christian).
It
is often
spiritually better and safer for us to have fewer comforts in this
life, especially in relation to those comforts that please or gratify
our flesh. However, if we lack or rarely experience God’s
gracious comforts, it is our own fault – for two primary
reasons.
First, we are not yet seriously seeking a broken and contrite heart so
that we weep over our sin (compunction of heart). Second, we are not
yet turning our back on or completely casting away those forms of
comfort which are worthless and worldly.
Our
walk with
God will be richer and stronger, more humble and grateful if we will
see ourselves as unworthy of divine comfort and relief, and instead see
ourselves as worthy of God’s discipline and life’s
tribulations (Hebrews 12:3-11).
When
a
Christian has reached maturity in relation to compunction, than worldly
beliefs, values, fashions, novelties, entertainments, riches,
possessions, and culturally approved practices seem oppressive,
offensive, and bitter.
The
sincere-minded Christian – one who loves God and wants to
please
Him in all he does – finds sufficient reasons for mourning
and
weeping; for whether he is examining his own heart, thoughts, desires,
words, choices, and actions, or is pondering his neighbor’s
life,
he knows no one is so holy as to live in this world without temptation
and occasional sin. In fact, the more thoroughly he examines himself in
the light of God’s holiness, the more thoroughly he mourns
and
weeps. Indeed, the sins and ungodly habits, worldly ways and fleshly
desires that still charm us, and therefore distract us from setting our
mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-3), are reason enough for the
mourning and weeping of true compunction.
If
you
contemplated your death and the subsequent judgment of God more often,
rather than glibly assuming you will live a long life, it would compel
you to be more zealous about putting off sin and putting on
Christ-likeness (Ecclesiastes 7:2-5). And if you would contemplate the
horrors and suffering of hell (Matthew 13:40-42; Luke 16:19-31), I
believe you would willingly embrace God’s discipline and
endure
whatever He deemed necessary to transform you into the person Christ
saved you to be – in relation to holiness and service
(Philippians 3:10-14). And if you would persistently pursue loving God
with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, you would love
righteousness and hate evil. However, those who won’t allow
conviction of sin to pierce their heart, and who still treasure worldly
or fleshly pleasures will remain spiritually cold and indifferent to
God’s longing for us to grow strong in faith, holy in
character,
and Christ-like in behavior.
The
most common
reason we are discontent, easily complain, and quickly blame others for
our attitude or actions is spiritual weakness due to either
insignificant or unreasonably slow growth in faith, character, and
Christ-likeness. Pray humbly and earnestly, therefore, that God will
graciously give you the spirit of compunction with its attending
qualities of remorse and contrition. Use the language of the Psalmist
who said, “Feed me, O Lord, with the bread of tears, and give
me
plenty of tears to drink (Psalm 80:5). And continue praying this way
until God has fully answered your prayer.
CHAPTER
22
On
contemplating the weakness of our humanity
No
matter where
you are or where you go to find happiness, you will soon become
discontent, and ultimately unhappy, unless you turn to God and make Him
your source of contentment, security, inner peace, and eternal joy.
Why
do you so
easily become unhappy, frustrated, and even angry when things
don’t go according to your wishes and desires? Is there
anyone
whose life always goes according to what he wants? No! Neither you, nor
I, nor anyone one on the earth has such a life. There is no one in the
entire world, past or present, king or pope, priest or highly esteemed
pastor, who has had a life free from trouble, disappointment, hardship,
and suffering. Who, then, has the better life or the most satisfying
circumstances in life? The one who has the humility, holiness, and
willingness to suffer for the sake and glory of God (Luke 9:23-25; II
Timothy 3:10-12; Philippians 4:11-13).
There
are many
foolish and immature people who say, “See what a prosperous
life
that man has, how rich and how great he is, how powerful, how
exalted.” But look intently on the good things of God
– the
things that last for eternity – and you will see that all
worldly
possessions, fame, and fortune are not only fleeting, they profit you
nothing in eternity (Luke 12:15-21). Besides, earthly treasures are a
wearying burden, because they cannot be possessed without anxiety and
fear (Proverbs 15:16-17). Truly, happiness does not consist in the
abundance of temporal things – as proven by the fact that we
are
capable of being satisfied and filled with joy by a much smaller, more
moderate amount.
The
sincere
Christian understands that life upon the earth is filled with trials
and temptations, affliction and distress. In fact the more he yearns
for and pursues purity of heart and holiness of life, the more he sees
the weakness of his humanity and understands how prone he is to
failure. The more he sees his weaknesses and propensity
to failure, the more he realizes how easily the world around
him
stirs and
magnifies them – which is why life on earth seems so
distasteful
and even wretched to him.
For
example,
there is the constant temptation of overeating, excessive drinking,
inordinate sleeping, and laziness – plus the more hidden
temptations such as pride, self-righteousness, ungodly judgment of
others, greed, immoral desires, anger, and bitterness. Beyond these
things there are the natural necessities of food, shelter, and
clothing, which require constant work to provide even the barest
amount.
Indeed,
the
Christian who diligently applies himself to pursuing a pure heart and a
godly life gets so involved in putting on the armor of God, prayer,
vigilance against the intrusion of anything ungodly, resisting
temptation, confessing sins, and caring for the natural necessities of
life that it seems to him there is too little time left for meditation
and intimate communion with God. This too is why the sincere Christian
sees life on this earth as distasteful and even wretched.
In
fact, the
inner man of the sincere Christian feels heavily burdened by having to
constantly war against the evil desires of his flesh as well as care
for the natural functions and needs of his body. This is why the
Psalmist earnestly prays to be freed from these constraints on his
meditation and intimate communion with God, saying, “Relieve
the
distress of my heart, bring me out of my constraint” (Psalm
25:17
- NJB).
O
the
foolishness of those who add needless trouble to their lives by living
in denial or being dishonest with themselves about the weaknesses of
their humanity and their inclination to do what they know is wrong. And
yet, how much more foolish and how much more trouble comes to those who
love the life offered by this sin-sick and spiritually-destructive
world. There are some who treasure the temporal pleasures, possessions,
riches, and fame of this life so much that if they could live a
self-pleasing life here forever, they would have no interest in the
Kingdom of God.
O
the foolish
and faithless of heart of those who have gotten involved and immersed
so deeply in worldly things that they relish little more than the
things which please their flesh. They do not realize how miserable they
are! And sadly, they probably won’t acknowledge the truth
until
the judgment day, when they will undeniably see that the things they
loved were vile and worthless. But by then, it will be too late to
amend their ways.
The
Old
Testament saints and all the loyal friends of Christ held as nothing
those things that pleased the flesh, or were fashionable or profitable
from the world’s perspective. Rather, their hope for
something
better and their affections were set on the things which are above
(Colossians 3:1-4). In fact, they fixed their heart and mind on those
things that are eternal and invisible so they would not be attracted to
and distracted by those things that are temporal and visible (Hebrews
12:2; Proverbs 26:11; II Peter 2:22).
Dear
brother
and sister in Christ, vigilantly guard against losing even the least
bit of fervor and determination for making faithful, measurable, and
commendable progress in the knowledge of God, in meditating on the holy
scriptures, in purity of heart, in living a godly life, and in intimate
fellowship with the Father. Indeed, as long as you remain alive in this
world, do everything you can to nurture and encourage a robust hunger
for God and His righteousness. Why waste the time you have, or put off
until tomorrow an intentional, disciplined, persistent pursuit of God
and a holy life? Get going. Take charge of your time. Say to yourself,
“Now is the time to act on my hunger and thirst for
righteousness, now is the time to fight against the evil of my flesh
and the world, now is the time to seriously pursue a pure heart and a
holy life” (Ephesians 5:15-16; II Corinthians 6:2b).
When
you feel
like nothing is going right, and your mind is being bombarded by wrong
thinking, and you are struggling to cling to the peace of God within,
that is the time to persevere because you are on the edge of being
blessed by new insights about God, stronger faith, greater purity of
heart, and progress in holy living (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; I Peter
1:6-9). Sometimes God takes you through, and sometimes God allows you
to pass through fire and water in order to bring you into that
spiritual wealth which only comes through His purifying processes
(Romans 8:28-29). Indeed, there is no other way to gain this wealth,
for unless you do violence to your flesh, to your sinful habits, and to
your unholy thinking, you will not gain victory over your faults.
As
long as we
live in this mortal body, we will never achieve sinless perfection or
be free from the burdens and troubles of life. Who of us does not long
for rest from all the hardships and suffering of this life –
whether they come from our sinful choices, spiritual weaknesses,
unrelenting temptations, sickness, hunger, unjust or cruel people,
tragedy, natural disasters, persecution, or the death of a loved one?
Yet because we have lost our innocence by choosing to rebel against God
(James 4:17), we have also lost perfect blessedness (life without
trouble). Therefore, we must be patient and wait for the mercy of God
to bring an end to the ravaging effects of sin, and to swallow up
mortality with eternal life (Romans 8:18-23; II Corinthians 5:1-5; II
Peter 3:8-13).
O
how great is
the frailty of human nature as proven by the ease with which it so
frequently chooses to partake of the ways of the flesh, the world, and
the devil (Genesis 6:5-6). Consider: you confess your sins today and
tomorrow you commit the same sins you confessed today. In a moment of
spiritual zeal you resolve to resist a particular temptation or flee a
particular unholy desire, and within a short time you act as if you
never made such a resolution. Such weakness and instability is reason
enough to humble ourselves so that we never think we are better than we
really are (Romans 12:16). Indeed, it does not take much in the way of
carelessness to quickly lose (take two steps backwards) what we have
hardly attained through the enabling power of God’s grace,
much
self-discipline, and prolonged perseverance.
What
will our
spiritual condition be in the future if right now we are lukewarm,
inattentive, and undisciplined? Woe to us if we assume we have become
the godly person Christ saved us to be so as to rest from a continued
pursuit of holiness and turn to enjoying the pleasures and possessions
of this world. If we compare ourselves to Christ, as we ought, instead
of comparing ourselves to those we deem less godly, we will surely see
that our character and behavior still lacks sufficient proof of true
godliness. Therefore, the best thing for us to do until our dying day,
is to act as if we are just beginning the Christian life, and seek out
godly teachers to instruct us in the holiness and ways of God, because
in this there is genuine hope for a spiritual growth and a holy living
that pleases the Lord.
CHAPTER
23
On
meditating upon death
Your
time of
life on earth quickly passes and soon comes to an end (Job 9:25-26).
Therefore, give serious consideration to how it will be for you when
you leave this world and enter the next. Today you are alive, and
tomorrow you are gone – and no one sees you any more. Once
you
are out of sight, you are soon forgotten. How careless, foolish, and
hard of heart is the one who thinks only of this present life and does
not properly consider and therefore prepare for life after death.
The
wisest
thing to do is to live each day, in thought, word, and deed, as if it
were your last. In fact, if you keep a good conscience before God and
before men, you will hardly have any fear of death (Acts 24:14-16).
Therefore, it is better to devout yourself to guarding against sin than
to living a longer life (Luke 12:35-37).
If
you are not
ready to die and met God today – because you have put off
getting
ready until tomorrow, how do you know you will be ready tomorrow?
Tomorrow is as uncertain as your next breath, for no one knows if they
will have a tomorrow (Matthew 24:42-44, 25:1-13).
How
are you
profited by living a long life if you do not pursue a holy life, as God
intends? A long life is no guarantee that we will finally die to self
and live for Him who died and rose again on our behalf (II Corinthians
5:14-15). In fact, many who live a long life increase their guilt,
because they have more time to sin. Imagine how much better it would be
if you lived but one day, yet lived it as God wills you to live and
Christ saved you to live.
There
are many
who publicly proclaim the number of years since they repented and were
converted by faith in God through Jesus Christ. Yet too many of them
have very little of the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the Light
to show for it (Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 5:6-9). If it is a fearful
thing to die, it may – all the more – be a
dangerous thing
to live a long life, given the weaknesses of our humanity. Spiritually
blessed and inwardly peaceful is the one who lives each day knowing he
is going to die so that he spends each day preparing to meet God.
If
you have
ever seen someone die or attended a funeral, fix it in your mind that
you, too, will one day follow them down that same path (Hebrews
9:27-28). In the morning, ponder the possibility that you might not
live to see the evening. And when evening comes, do not be so bold as
to assume that you will see the next day (James 4:13-16).
Live
each day
prepared to meet death so death can never find you unprepared, because
you, like so many others, may die suddenly and unexpectedly. As the
scripture says, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of
Man
is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). When
your hour of death comes, it will be too late to begin thinking
seriously about how you have lived. So if you have not lived unto God,
all that will be left is to weep bitterly over your negligence and lack
of effort in relation to pursuing God and a holy life.
How
happy and
wise is the one who strives each day to live the kind of life he will
wish he had lived upon facing death. A complete contempt of the world,
a fervent desire to excel in godliness, the love of discipline
–
both God’s discipline and self-discipline, broken heartedness
and
tears of sorrow in confession and repentance, eagerness to obey, the
denial of self, willing submission to any hardship or suffering for the
love of Christ – these are the things that fill us with
confidence and joy at the prospect of death (I Corinthians 9:24; II
Timothy 4:6-8).
While
you have
health you have many opportunities, sufficient strength, and clarity of
mind to aggressively and zealously pursue a holy life and godly
service. But when you are afflicted with sickness you may not be able
to do much at all. Very few turn prolonged infirmity into a holier,
more deeply spiritual life, just as those who frequently visit holy
sites, travel to spiritual life conferences, or attend Christian
concerts seldom become Christ-like.
Do
not trust in
the righteousness of your friends and family to save you from the
judgment of God (Psalm 33:13-21; Isaiah 31:1; Jeremiah 17:5-7). Do not
put off repentance, faith unto salvation, and the process of
sanctification without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Though many help you now, no one can answer for you or stand in your
place at the final judgment day. Wisdom calls you to make proper
provision in life, to send holy living and loving deeds ahead of you in
preparation to meet God in death (Matthew 6:19-20). Truly, if you do
not do this for yourself now, no one can do this for you after you die.
If you are not properly and appropriately concerned with spiritual
matters before death, all the concern afterward, even by those who love
you, will do you no good. Now is the time that matters most –
for
it is the time you have. As God says: “Now is the accepted
time,
now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2).
But
sadly, many
do not spend their time here as they ought – laying up rich
treasure in heaven that will profit them richly for eternity. Truly,
the hour is coming when they will long for just one more day, even one
more hour, to properly and appropriately prepare to meet God
–
yet it may be that God will not grant them such an hour before they
die.
Oh,
dearly
beloved, you can free yourself from serious danger and the fear of
judgment to come if you will continually cling to a spiritually
invigorating fear of God and the expectation of death. Make it your
determined and fervent intention to live in such a way that in the hour
of death you are able to rejoice rather than fear. Learn now to die to
the temporal allurements, pleasures, riches, possessions, and
admiration of the world so that you live for Christ in this life and
with Christ in the next (Romans 6:1-11). Learn now to despise
everything in this world, including any wishes and desires that
supplant Christ as your Lord and as the supreme love of your life. If
you do this, nothing will stand between God and you when you go to Him
in the next life (Luke 14:26-33). Exercise vigilant control over your
fleshly desires and urges so they do not gain control over you, then
you will have confidence to enter the presence of God in this life and
in the next (I Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 10:19-22; I John 3:2-10).
It
is foolish
to think that you will live long enough to put off until tomorrow what
you ought to pay attention to today, especially since you cannot be
sure you will be alive tomorrow. Many have lived in this deception only
to have their life snatched away without warning. How many times have
you heard of someone being slain by the sword, another drowned, another
falling from someplace high and breaking his neck, another who died
while eating, and yet another who died while playing. Do you not see
that when one person dies by fire, another by a fatal accident, another
by disease, and another by robber that death comes to all of us and
that life is like a shadow that quickly passes away (Job 14:1-2)?
Who
will
remember you after you die? Who will be able to make up the things you
should have done but did not do, once you leave this earth? Therefore,
dear one, devote yourself now to loving God above all else and to a
serious, whole-hearted pursuit of a holy life. And do this with all
your might.
While
you have
time, lay up for yourself eternal treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20;
Galatians 6:7-8). Think on nothing but your salvation, your love of
God, and your growth in godliness. Care for nothing but the things of
God. Make friends for yourself by living like the saints of old
(Hebrews 11), so that when you come to the end of your life here, they
will receive you there into God’s eternal kingdom (Luke
16:9).
Think
and live
as a stranger and pilgrim upon the earth – as one who
won’t
allow the things of this world to get in the way of doing or possessing
that which has eternal value. Keep your heart free from earthly
encumbrances and fleshly desires so that you can continually set it on
God (Colossians 3:1-4; I Peter 2:11), for this passing world is not our
home (Hebrews 13:14). Pray daily – and often during each day
(I
Thessalonians 5:17). Confess your sins to the Lord with a humble and
broken heart (I John 1:9). Earnestly, and even with tears, pour out
your prayers for grace and strength to be more and more conformed to
the image of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-19). Finally, put off the old self
and put on the new self (Ephesians 4:22-24) so that after death your
spirit may be found worthy of joyful passage unto its Lord. Amen.
CHAPTER
24
On
the judgment and punishment of the wicked
In
all that you
do, remember that a final judgment day is coming when you will stand
before an exacting judge (Matthew 10:28; Hebrews 10:30-31), from whom
nothing can be hidden (I Corinthians 4:5), who cannot be bribed
(Deuteronomy 10:16-18), and who will not accept excuses (II Corinthians
5:9-10), for He judges each one righteously (Psalm 96:10; Romans
2:5-11).
O
careless and
foolish sinner – who sometimes wants to flee when seeing
merely
the facial expression of someone who is angry at you – what
will
you do when you stand before God, who knows all the wrongs you have
ever done? Why not adequately prepare now for the day of judgment
– a day when you must stand before God alone, with no one
standing along side you to plead your case or offer well-contrived
explanations? Only while you live here on the earth will your efforts
at pursuing a pure heart and a holy life produce the fruit that is
counted as treasure in heaven. Only while you live in this world is
your broken-hearted weeping over sin acceptable to God. Only while you
live here is your groaning in prayer for God’s grace and
strength
to live a godly life heard by God. Only in this life is your humble
sorrow over all the ways you have displeased God, pleasing to God. And
only in this life do such things as these bring cleansing to your
heart, mind, mouth, and behavior in preparation for the judgment to
come. Indeed, none of these will help you once you have crossed from
this life to the next.
The
trusting,
patient Christian finds great opportunities for further purification of
his heart and mind in the trials, hardships, and sufferings of life
(James 1:2-4). The proof that he is intentionally taking advantage of
these opportunities is verified in the following ways. When wronged, he
grieves more over the spiritual condition of the one harming him than
over the injury done to him. When praying, he willingly and fervently
prays for those who mistreat him – holding no grudge or ill
will
against them and forsaking any ungodly attitude toward them (Luke
6:27-31; Ephesians 4:31-32). Upon becoming aware of any wrong he has
done, he quickly confesses his sin, asks forgiveness, and makes things
right with God and those he has wronged. When offended, he is swifter
to nurture compassion and mercy than to arouse anger. And he daily
denies himself so that he can more fully subject the will of his flesh
to the rule of the Spirit (Luke 9:23; Galatians 5:16-17,24).
Once
again, it
is better to die to self and come alive to Christ now – so
that
you become more and more like Christ in this life – than to
allow
the practice of sin to go unchecked, for surely you will not go
unpunished in this life and in the next (Romans 13:11-14; Ephesians
4:17-24; I John 3:9).
The
greatest
threat to a holy life is self-deception, or living in denial, or
allowing some earthly fear to override your fear of God, or a stubborn
refusal to face up to the truth regarding an unholy love for certain
pleasures of the flesh.
What
else but
your sins will stoke the fires of hell? The more you spare yourself
from the disciplines and sacrifices of a holy life, and the more you
give in to the desires of your flesh, the more fuel you are piling up
for the burning so that your punishment is more severe in the hereafter
(Matthew 16:24-27). For to the measure we rebel against God and go our
own sinful way, to that measure we will be punished (Luke 12:47-48;
Ephesians 5:3-7).
In
the fires of
hell, the lazy will be driven to action by burning goads (a pointed
instrument, like spurs, used to urge on an animal), and the gluttons
will be tormented with intolerable hunger and thirst. The lovers of
luxury and the pursuers of pleasure will be plunged into burning pitch
(a thick, black, sticky substance made by boiling down tar) and
stinking brimstone (a hard substance that gives off the foul odor of
sulphur when heated), and the envious and greedy will howl in their
sorrow like mad dogs.
Every
sin will
have its own proper punishment. The self-assured (proud) will be
bewildered by utter confusion, and the greedy will be forced to suffer
miserable poverty. An hour’s suffering there will be worse
than a
hundred years of weeping over your sins and loathing yourself for being
such a heinous sinner. And surely it will be far worse than a hundred
years of the harshest penance (voluntary self-punishment to express
your repentance for sins committed). Remember that here we can
sometimes find a break from the pain, and we can sometimes find
temporary joy in the solace of friends. But in the midst of hell, there
is no place to go, even for a time, to get away from the pain or find
comfort in the midst of your suffering.
Therefore,
be
broken-hearted, sorrowful, and repentant now over your sins so that in
the day of judgment you may stand before God with boldness –
along with all the other godly Christians. Indeed, the righteous man
will stand with great boldness before those who have afflicted and
oppressed him because they deemed him to be evil (Wisdom 5:1-5). The
godly man – the one who with the meekness and humility of
Christ
submits to the judgments of men – will judge men. And the
poor
and the lowly will have great confidence, while the proud will be
overcome with great fear (Revelation 6:12-17). In that day it will
become evident to all that the wise in this world were the ones who
learned to be fools and despised for Christ.
Then
we will
delight in all the tribulation, hardship, and suffering we bore
patiently to the honor of God, while the ungodly will have nothing to
get excited about. Then the godly will rejoice, but the sinner
–
those who lived lawless, selfish, and morally depraved lives
–
will mourn and weep. Then the one who denied his flesh and put to death
his earthly urges, who sacrificed his own will to do the will of Jesus,
will rejoice far more than if he had been blessed with all earthly
benefits, pleasures, and riches (II Corinthians 4:16-18). Then the poor
in heart and humble in life will be clothed with the beauty of Jesus
(Isaiah 61:3; I John 3:2), and those the world highly honors will be
exposed for the vile people they are. Then the weak and lowly for
Christ’s sake will be held in higher esteem than the rich and
famous in this life. Then patient endurance will be shown to be
stronger than all the power of the world. Then simple obedience will be
more highly exalted than all the knowledge and wisdom of this world.
Then a pure and properly functioning conscience will be more cause for
rejoicing than knowing all there is to know about theology. Then
contempt for worldly riches will be shown to be worth more than all the
cumulative wealth of this world. Then you will find more comfort in
having spent much time in fervent prayer than in luxurious living. Then
you will be glad you kept silent (letting others talk and teach) then
in making sure your views were heard. Then godly behavior will be worth
far more than many spiritually sounding, well-spoken words. Then a well
disciplined life and a sincere mourning over sin will bring a more
intense, deeply satisfying pleasure than all the delights this world
can offer. Therefore, learn to endure a little suffering now so you
will be able to escape a lot of suffering then.
Before
foolishly or carelessly subjecting yourself to suffering in the next
life, find out how much suffering you can endure in this life so you
have a sane idea of how much you can endure there. If you see that you
cannot or simply do not want to bear much suffering in this life, how
will you endure the torments of hell for eternity? If a little
suffering now so easily stirs impatience and unhappiness, what will the
fires of hell do to you then? The truth is, you cannot have two
Paradises – one on earth followed by one in heaven. You
cannot
gratify yourself with the delights of this world and reign with Christ
hereafter (Luke 16:19-31).
Suppose
your
life was made up of receiving great honors and enjoying multiple
pleasures, up to this moment? What would all this profit you if you
died this very instant (Luke 12:15-21)?
Truly,
all is
vanity except to love God and serve Him only. For the one who loves God
with all his heart does not fear death, or punishment, or the final
judgment, or hell. Indeed, the love of God brings us into the presence
of God (John 14:21-23; I John 4:15-18). And those who can call out
“Abba Father” from a sincere heart, have their
hearts
assured by God’s Spirit that they are children of God (Romans
8:16-17). But we should not be surprised that the one who still
delights in sin is afraid of death and the coming judgment.
If
love for God
is not yet enough motivation to restrain you from doing what you know
is wrong (sin), then it is wise to use the fear of God – and
eternity in hell – to restrain you. For if the one who is
deficient in his love for God sets aside or ignores the fear of God, he
will lack the kind of motivation necessary to persevere in the pursuit
of a pure heart and a holy life, and will soon fall into the snares of
the devil.
CHAPTER
25
On
the zealous reformation and transformation of our life
In
living your
life for God, be vigilant and diligent in applying the truth you know
and the lessons you are learning. For personal encouragement and help
with motivation, regularly review why you renounced the ways and things
of this world (II Timothy 2:3-6, 15). Was it not that you might live
wholly for God and become a godly, scripturally wise, spiritually
mature, clean vessel who is useful to our Master (II Corinthians
5:14-15; II Timothy 2:20-21)? Therefore, remain faithful to your
intentions by zealously and steadily pursuing your own spiritual
growth. If you do, in due time you will receive the reward of your hard
work, and you will gain freedom from both fear and sorrow (Revelation
21:3-4).
Take
the hard
work of spiritual growth seriously now, and you will find wonderful
rest and exceedingly great joy in the life hereafter. If you remain
faithful and zealous in the pursuit of a pure heart and a holy life
now, you can be certain God will faithfully and bountifully reward you
(Psalm 18:20-24, 19:9-11; Proverbs 11:18; Matthew 10:41-42; Luke 6:35;
Colossians 3:23-25; Hebrews 10:35-36; Revelation 22:12).
It
is your
responsibility, as a Christian, to nurture the confidence that it is by
God’s grace and strength that you gain the victory. Confident
dependence on Him is vital to any progress in the Christ-like life
(Philippians 2:13). But be careful not to become over confident about
victory, lest you grow neglectful in doing your part (Philippians
2:12), or think more highly of yourself than you ought (Romans 12:16).
A
certain man,
being filled with anxiety about the judgment to come and the life
hereafter, was continually tossed between hope and fear. And coming to
a particular day when he felt overwhelmed by despair, he threw himself
down before God in prayer. While there, in meditation and prayer, he
silently said to himself, “Oh, if I just knew for certain
that I
ought to persevere.” And soon he heard within him a voice
from
God, “And if you knew for certain, what would you do? Start
doing
now what you would do if you knew for certain, and you will have peace
within and security with Me.” Being comforted and
strengthened by
God’s response, he immediately got up and committed himself
to
doing the will of God. His anxiety left him, and from that moment on he
gave no more anxious thought to what would happen to him in the life to
come. In place of worry, he filled his mind with the knowledge of
God’s Word and the understanding of God’s will, so
that he
could begin to do and perfect all that God wanted him to do (every good
work).
Trust
in the
Lord, and do good, says the Prophet, so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed (Psalm 37:3 - KJV).
There
is one
thing which holds back many from making measurable and commendable
progress in the pursuit of a pure heart, a good conscience, and a holy
life – the reluctance or even dread of having to do something
difficult. They shrink away from the hard work of putting to death some
interest or longing or pleasure or possession or position that they
treasure more than God. And they back away from the grinding work of
daily vigilance that is required to fight the good fight of faith (I
Timothy 1:18-19, 6:11-12).
Let
no one
deceive you about this, the ones who advance above all others in
godliness are those who persevere in the daily hard work and vigilance
required to conquer and put away those thoughts, fears, values, habits,
desires, words, and behaviors which are grievous to God and contrary to
holiness. Especially in relation to those sins that so easily entangle
us, it is this kind of pursuit of God, this kind of overcoming the
flesh, this kind of dying to self, this kind of hungering and thirsting
after righteousness, this kind of submitting to God and resisting the
devil and drawing near to God – all by the grace and
empowerment
of God – that brings the greatest help from God and produces
the
greatest spiritual growth (Ephesians 4:20-24; Romans 8:12-13; Matthew
5:6; James 4:7-8; I Peter 1:15).
We
do not share
all the same ungodly passions, unholy desires, evil habits, and selfish
practices. Some of us are evil in this way and others are evil in that
way. However, we all share the same Father, Savior, Holy Spirit, divine
life within, scriptures, privilege of prayer, access to the Body of
Christ, and process of sanctification. Therefore, the worst sinner
among us who diligently presses on and resolutely perseveres in his
pursuit of holiness experiences greater growth in godliness and attains
greater spiritual benefits than the Christian who is by nature nicer,
but less fervent and persistent in his pursuit of holiness.
There
are two
things which are particularly useful for growth in godliness
– an
unwavering determination to put off completely that sin which we are
most inclined to commit, and a zealous determination to put on
Christ-likeness in that area where we are most lacking. In addition, it
is wise to earnestly guard against and conquer those faults which
frequently displease us in others.
Wherever
or
whenever you see or hear about a good example of godly living, observe
all you can, learn all you can, and diligently apply what you learn.
But when you see or hear of anything unworthy of a Christian, take note
of it so that you do not do the same thing. If at any time you have
done what you find sinful in others, deal with it as God would have all
of us deal with our sin – confess it to God, apologize to
those
against whom you have sinned – making right whatever needs to
be
made right between you, and immediately return to doing what you know
is right.
You
can be
certain that just as you observe and evaluate others attitudes, words,
and deeds, so others are observing and evaluating yours.
Observing
zealous and godly Christians living a modest (simple, unostentatious,
humble), self-disciplined life is like smelling a most pleasing aroma
and experiencing an uplifting encouragement (Matthew 5:3; II
Corinthians 6:4-10; I Corinthians 9:24-27; I Timothy 4:7-8). In
contrast, it is truly sad and heartbreaking to see Christians living
undisciplined, immodest lives simply because they will not apply
themselves to living a life worthy of their calling. It seems that such
Christians do not care about the fact that neglecting a God-pleasing
pursuit of holiness (on the one hand), and participating in activities
which further distract them from the pursuit of holiness (on the other
hand), is hurtful to the honor of God, the cause of God, the reputation
of the Church, the spiritual health of the Church, and their own
spiritual health.
Keep
fresh in
your mind – through daily meditation, contemplation,
scripture
reading, and earnest, heartfelt prayer – the life of faith
and
holiness you have committed yourself to live. In the same way, keep the
life, words, death and resurrection of Christ always present in your
mind. You can know you are making worthy progress in this when, upon
looking at Christ in these ways, you feel ashamed over the littleness
of your efforts and the distance yet required to be fully conformed to
His likeness, even though you have been a Christian for many years.
The
Christian
who both trusts in God for the empowerment to be victorious, and
deliberately and diligently does what is required of him to attain a
holy life and a supreme love for our Lord, will abundantly find
–
in Christ – all the things that are necessary and profitable
for
life and godliness (I Peter 1:2-4). Indeed, he will find that
everything needed is in Jesus, and Jesus is everything needed
(Galatians 2:20, 6:14-15). Oh, if only Jesus fully occupied and owned
our hearts, how quickly and completely we would learn all that we need
to know to become all that we ought to be.
The
Christian
who earnestly and zealously pursues godliness will accept and endure
– with a grateful heart and a gracious attitude –
all that
God commands, brings into his life, and allows to enter his life.
The
Christian
who is lukewarm – being casual or lax in his pursuit of
holiness
– chafes and complains in the face of trials and
tribulations.
Yet for him, trials and testings are often increased all the more
because of God’s discipline. He has no consistent inward
peace,
because of his distrust of God and love of things he ought not to love.
And whatever outward, earthly comforts he seeks, they are never enough
to carry him through the next trial or difficult time with a thankful,
peaceful heart.
The
one who is
weak or careless in regard to self-discipline and pays little attention
to the discipline of the Lord, exposes himself to much sorrow and the
ruin of his spiritual life. The one who seeks an easier path to
holiness – a path that requires less self-discipline and is
less
demanding than the narrow path established by God – will
waver
between unhappiness and distress because there will always be something
or someone who displeases him.
If
no other
spiritual duty were laid on us but to grow in godliness and to praise
the Lord our God with our whole heart and voice, and if we never had
the need to eat or drink or sleep, but could always – without
interruption – praise God and devote ourselves to growing in
godliness, we would be the happiest people. Indeed, being free from
having to serve all the necessities of the flesh so as to give
ourselves completely to the Lord would make us far happier than we are
now. Oh that these necessities didn’t exist! If only all that
was
required for life was the spiritual refreshments of the soul
–
which sadly we taste too seldom.
When
a
Christian gets to the place where he no longer seeks comfort from any
created thing, he has come to that condition where he can begin to
completely and perfectly treasure, enjoy, and delight in God. While in
this condition, he will peacefully accept and be contented with
whatever happens to him. He will neither rejoice over having an
abundance nor be sorrowful over having too little, because he has
completely and confidently placed himself and his well-being in
God’s hands – who is his all in all. And whoever
God holds
in His hands will never be lost (perish or die) (Romans 1:36; I
Corinthians 8:6). And whoever is in God’s hands, lives for
Him
and obeys His every word without delay.
Never
forget that death and judgment await each of us, and that wasted time
can never be regained – it is lost forever.
Without
deliberate, diligent, daily study and meditation on the scriptures,
daily dying to self, daily submitting to God, daily nurturing a mind
that is like Christ’s, daily communing with God, along with
wise,
earnest, frequent prayer and vigilance in resisting the devil when
tempted, you will never get to spiritual maturity.
If
you let your
guard down and ease back on your pursuit of holiness so as to begin to
grow cold, you will begin to experience trouble and difficulties. If
you persevere in giving yourself zealously to the pursuit of God and
godliness, you will experience a deeply satisfying inner peace, and you
will find that the labor of pressing on to holiness is made easier
through God’s endless supply of grace and strength, and your
growing love of righteousness.
The
zealous and vigilant Christian is ready for all things.
It
is harder
and more exhausting work to persistently resist outward temptations and
inward sinful passions than to toil all day in the hot sun.
If
you do not take note of and put away small faults or sins, you will
fall, little by little, into greater faults and sins.
You
can lay
your head down on your pillow with joy and inward peace if you did
everything that day for the glory of God and your own spiritual
development.
Pay
careful attention to what you desire, think, value, intend, feel, say,
and do.
Stir
yourself
up so as to motivate yourself toward godliness. Admonish yourself.
Judge yourself as clearly and completely as you judge others. Be honest
with yourself about your faults and failures. Use the language of the
Bible to describe your faults and failures to God and to yourself. No
matter what becomes of those around you – including those you
have held in high esteem – never stop pursuing holiness of
heart
and godliness of life. Never neglect keeping careful watch over your
own soul.
The
more
violence you do to yourself in denying self and putting to death the
old nature, the more you will profit spiritually and the more you will
please God. Amen.