Chapter 7: The Test of Discipleship

Chapter 7: The Test of Discipleship

"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.
--A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the chain of circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted.
--Christ said to Nicodemus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8.
--If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits.
--It is true that there may be an outward correctness of deportment without the renewing power of Christ.
The love of influence and the desire for the esteem of others may produce a well-ordered life. Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil.
A selfish heart may perform generous actions.
Q: By what means, then, shall we determine whose side we are on?
A: If we are Christ's, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him.

We long to bear His image,

breathe His spirit,

do His will,

and please Him in all things.

--The things they once hated they now love, and the things they once loved they hate.
*There is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works

reformation.
--The loveliness of the character of Christ will be seen in His followers. It was His delight to do the will of God.
--There are two errors against which the children of God—particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace—especially need to guard.
-The first is that of looking to their own works to bring themselves into harmony with God.
-The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.
--The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth.
Q: If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life?
"This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 5:3; 2:4.
--We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith.
--That so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men from the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption. "By grace are ye saved through faith." But "faith, if it hath not works, is dead." Ephesians 2:8; James 2:17. The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,—just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,—perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness.
--It was possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character by obedience to God's law. But he failed to do this, and because of his sin our natures are fallen and we cannot make ourselves righteous. Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness. "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20.
--The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature.

--There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit.

 To such I would say, 

Do not draw back in despair. 

We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, 

but we are not to be discouraged.

Chapter 6: Faith and Acceptance

Chapter 6: Faith and Acceptance

As your conscience has been quickened by the Holy Spirit, you have seen something of the evil of sin, of its power, its guilt, its woe; and you look upon it with abhorrence.
--It is peace that you need—Heaven's forgiveness and peace and love in the soul. 

Money cannot buy it, 

intellect cannot procure it, 

wisdom cannot attain to it; 

But God offers it to you as a gift, "without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1.
--The Lord says, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18.
--You have confessed your sins, and in heart put them away. You

have resolved to give yourself to God. Now go to Him, and ask that He will wash away your sins and give you a new heart. Then believe that He does this because He has promised.
*You cannot atone for your past sins; you cannot change your heart and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe that promise. You confess your sins and give yourself to God. You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God will fulfill His word to you.
--Do not wait to feel that you are made whole, but say, "I believe it; it is so, not because I feel it, but because God has promised."
--Henceforth you are not your own; you are bought with a price.
--Jesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, dependent. We may come with all our weakness, our folly, our sinfulness, and fall at His feet in penitence. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 44:22.
--"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Ezekiel 18:32. Satan is ready to steal away the blessed assurances of God. 

Do not give ear to the tempter.

Chapter 5: Consecration

Chapter 5: Consecration

God's promise is, "Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13.
--The whole heart must be yielded to God, or the change can never be wrought in us by which we are to be restored to His likeness.
--By nature we are alienated from God. The Holy Spirit describes our condition in such words as these: "Dead in trespasses and sins;"

"the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;" We are held fast in the snare of Satan, "taken captive by him at his will." Ephesians 2:1; Isaiah 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:26. God desires to heal us, to set us free. But since this requires an entire transformation.
--The government of God is not, as Satan would make it appear, founded upon a blind submission, an unreasoning control. It appeals to the intellect and the conscience. "Come now, and let us reason together" is the Creator's invitation to the beings He has made. Isaiah 1:18.
--In giving ourselves to God, we must necessarily give up all that would separate us from Him. "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:33.
*The love of money, the desire for wealth, is the golden chain that binds them to Satan. Reputation and worldly honor are worshiped by another class. The life of selfish ease and freedom from responsibility is the idol of others. But these slavish bands must be broken.
--Those who feel the constraining love of God, do not ask how little may be given to meet the requirements of God;
--God does not require us to give up anything that it is for our best interest to retain.

Many will be lost while hoping 

and desiring to be Christians. 

They do not now choose to be Christians.

Chapter 4: Confession

Chapter 4: Confession
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13.
--The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin. We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy.

--The case is brought before the only true Mediator, our great High Priest, who "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," and who is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," and is able to cleanse from every stain of iniquity. Hebrews 4:15.
*Those who have not humbled their souls before God in acknowledging their guilt, have not yet fulfilled the first condition of acceptance.
--Confession of sin, whether public or private, should be heartfelt and freely expressed.
--The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul finds its way to the God of infinite pity.
--True confession is always of a specific character, and acknowledges particular sins.
--Confession will not be acceptable to God without sincere repentance and reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything offensive to God must be put away.
--When sin has deadened the moral perceptions, 

the wrongdoer does not discern the defects of his character 

nor realize the enormity of the evil he has committed;

-*-After Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, they were

filled with a sense of shame and terror. 

-a-At first their only thought was how to excuse their sin and escape the dreaded sentence of death. 

-b-When the Lord inquired concerning their sin, Adam replied, laying the guilt partly upon God and partly upon his companion: "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." 

-c-The woman put the blame upon the serpent, saying, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." Genesis 3: 12, 13. 

Q: Why did You make the serpent? 

Q: Why did You suffer him to come into Eden? 

These were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin, thus charging God with the responsibility of their fall. 

-d-The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Confessions of this order are not inspired by the divine Spirit and will not be acceptable to God.
-*-Paul did not seek to shield himself; he paints his sin in its darkest hue, not attempting to lessen his guilt. He says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 

1 Timothy 1:15.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

1 John 1:9.

Chapter 3: Repentance

Chapter 3: Repentance

Q: How shall a man be just with God?
Q: How shall the sinner be made righteous?
A: It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness;
Q: but how are we to come to Christ?
--Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the Day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, "What shall we do?" The first word of Peter's answer was, "Repent." Acts 2:37, 38. At another time, shortly after, he said, "Repent, . . . and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19.

Repentance includes sorrow for sin 

and a turning away from it.

*Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost to him forever.
--But when the heart yields to the influence of the Spirit of God, the conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of God's holy law, the foundation of His government in heaven and on earth. The "Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest. John 1:9.
-*-The prayer of David after his fall, illustrates the nature of true sorrow for sin. 

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to

 Thy loving-kindness:

According unto the multitude of Thy tender

mercies blot out my transgressions. . . .

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my

sin is ever before me. . . .

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . .

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence;

And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;

And uphold me with Thy free spirit. . . .

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, 

O God, Thou

God of my salvation:

And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy

righteousness."

Psalm 51:1-14.

-They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Savior.
Q: But must the sinner wait till he has repented before he can come

to Jesus?
Q: Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the sinner and the Savior?
A: The Bible does not teach that the sinner must repent before he can heed the invitation of Christ, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.
--Jesus has said, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32. Christ must be revealed to the sinner as the Savior dying for the sins of the world; and as we behold the Lamb of God upon the cross of Calvary, the mystery of redemption begins to unfold to our minds and the goodness of God leads us to repentance.
--Christ draws them to look upon His cross, to behold Him whom their sins have pierced, the commandment comes home to the conscience. The wickedness of their life, the deep-seated sin of the soul, is revealed to them.
--The same divine mind that is working upon the things of nature is speaking to the hearts of men and creating an inexpressible craving for something they have not.
--Through influences seen and unseen, our Savior is constantly at work to attract the minds of men from the unsatisfying pleasures of sin to the infinite blessings that may be theirs in Him.
--The exceeding sinfulness of sin can be estimated only in the light of the cross. One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. It makes apparent the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips. The sinner's acts of disloyalty in making void the law of God, are exposed to his sight, and his spirit is stricken and afflicted under the searching influence of the Spirit of God. He loathes himself as he views the pure, spotless character of Christ.
"There remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength." Daniel 10:8.
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Jeremiah 13:23.
--God does not regard all sins as of equal magnitude; there are degrees of guilt in His estimation, as well as in that of man; but however trifling this or that wrong act may seem in the eyes of men, no sin is small in the sight of God. Adam and Eve persuaded themselves that in so small a matter as eating of the forbidden fruit there could not result such terrible consequences as God had declared.
***We can do nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ just as we are.
-*-Beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred to their eternal loss. I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life; but there is a terrible danger—a danger not sufficiently understood—in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God's Holy Spirit, in choosing to live in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.
--Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul's aversion to God. In all the Bible there is not a more fearful warning against trifling with evil than the words of the wise man that the sinner "shall be holden with the cords of his sins." Proverbs 5:22.
--When Satan comes to tell you that you are a great sinner, look up to your Redeemer and talk of His merits. Acknowledge your sin, but tell the enemy that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners". 1 Timothy 1:15.
*The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf. 

--Those to whom He has forgiven most--

--will love Him most.--

Chapter 2: The Sinner's Need of Christ

Chapter 2: The Sinner's Need of Christ

Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure, his aims holy. But through disobedience, his powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. He was made captive by Satan, and would have remained so forever had not God specially interposed.
--In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3. But after his sin, he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God.
*Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart.
*Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him.
--It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7.
--Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life.
-*-It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, 

to see the benevolence,

 the fatherly tenderness, 

of His character.

-*-It is not enough to 

discern the wisdom and justice of His law, 

to see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love.

-*-To all, there is but one answer, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. He says, 

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: 

no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." 

John 14:6.

--The Savior's life and death and intercession, the ministry of angels,

the pleading of the Spirit, the Father working above and through all, the unceasing interest of heavenly beings,—all are enlisted in behalf of man's redemption.
Q: What more could He do?
--And, on the other hand, the judgments of God pronounced against sin, the inevitable retribution, the degradation of our character, and the final destruction, are presented in God's word to warn us against the service of Satan.

Chapter 1: God's Love for Man

Chapter 1: God's Love for Man

Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love. Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy.
--The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creator's love.
--God made man perfectly holy and happy; and the fair earth, as it came from the Creator's hand, bore no blight of decay or shadow of the curse.
--The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses.

It is transgression of God's law—the law of love—that has brought woe and death.

--The word of God reveals His character.
*"God is love" (1 John 4:8) is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green—all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire to make His children happy.
--Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice,—one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor.
-*-The Son of God came from heaven to make manifest the Father. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." 

John 1:18.
-*-In describing His earthly mission, Jesus said, The Lord "hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." 

Luke 4:18.
--He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human

weakness. He spoke the truth, but always in love. He denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity; but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes. Every soul was precious in His eyes.
--None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He who was in the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father's love to lost humanity.
*It was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died.
"The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5.
--He is our Sacrifice, our Advocate, our Brother, bearing our human form before the Father's throne, and through eternal ages one with the race He has redeemed—the Son of man.

Such is the character of Christ as revealed in His life. 

This is the character of God.

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son." John 3:16.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 1 John 3:1.