The life of faith and other sermons

Front matter

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

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Contents

SERMON. PAGE.

I. The Life of Faith, 7

II. All Things Are Yours, 24

II. All Things Are Yours

"All things are yours." — i Cor. hi, 21.

The: Bible is full of promises to the children of God. These promises have reference both to the life which now is and to that which is to come. They are abundant, rich, and full. So abundant are they that they can not be numbered; so rich are they that they excite our wonder; so full are they that they stagger our belief in their fulfillment. Take, for instance, the promise in regard to the things of this life: "All things work together for good to them that love and serve God." Though this is the language of an inspired apostle, how often do we doubt the correctness of his word! As we look back over the past, we imagine that we can enumerate many things that were not for our good. When we survey our present surroundings how many "things'' there are that seem to us possible to be changed for our good ! We often entertain the thought that had we the creation of our own environments, had we the control of the events of our lives, we could make many of them much more conducive to our own good, much more efficient in promoting our own happiness. Then, take that other

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promise: "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." How ready is unbelief to ask, "How can afflictions in time be for our good in eternity? How can the pains of the body here increase the joys of the soul there? How can the sufferings, the disappointments, and the separations of this life enhance the glory of the life to come?" And, instead of meetings life's battles bravely and enduring its burdens and sorrows joyfully, we often murmur and complain of the lot that is ours. Take, again, the rich promise implied in the text, "All things are yours !" all things are helpful in the Divine life. "How can this be?" the doubting heart replies; and at once it is ready to reject the blessed assurance given. Indeed, the more abundant the promises, the richer and fuller that they may be, the more ready is the human heart to shrink back into the fog of unbelief, and willingly entertain doubts of their fulfillment. It is far better and more reasonable for us with faith to accept them in all their richness, and zealously perform all the conditions of their fulfillment; far better is it, without doubting, to receive them as Divine truth, as the legacy left us by the Spirit of God Himself.

Paul does not claim for God's children, in the words of the text, the right of possession of all property. He does not set up a title-deed to all the broad acres of earth, or refer to the supreme control of its gold and silver, or its flocks and herds. He is speaking of that which is of more importance to the Christian than ownership of lands or mines of precious metals, or positions of earthly honor. And yet, if permitted to turn aside for a moment from the important theme upon which he dwells, it would be safe to predict the coming of the time when even the material things of this world will belong to the children of God. The inspired prophet distinctly declares, "The saints shall inherit the earth." The good time is coming when the fertile fields of earth, the productive mines of gold and silver, the high offices of honor and trust, and "the cattle upon a thousand hills" shall belong to the saints of God; when this earth shall be under their sway, and "all things" shall be theirs. But the apostle is here presenting a richer thought. He is teaching a more important lesson. "All things are yours," he asserts in reference to helps in the Divine life. All things are yours as means of grace to assist in serving God ; all things are yours to enable you to overcome the world and to make heaven your eternal home.

He reproves the partisan spirit which was manifested in the Church at Corinth. Divisions and dissensions were springing up there that threatened great harm to the cause of Christ in that city. Discussions as to the personal superiority of the different apostles had become prevalent. Diverse opinions were held as to who should be chosen to

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administer there the truths of the Gospel. They were divided as to who should be their teacher in holy things, as to who should be the chief apostle of their Church. There was one party for Paul, another for Peter, and still another for Apollos. One party insisted that Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles, who planted the Church at Corinth and had been instrumental in the conversion of its members, should be chosen ; and none put Paul would do. Another party had objections to Paul. He was too logical, they said, in his sermons, too doctrinal in his teaching, and they contended that they must have the bold, the earnest, the enthusiastic Peter; and none but Peter would do. Others discarded both Paul and Peter, and demanded the selection of the fervent, the eloquent Apollos as their preacher; and none but Apollos would do. The contention grew warm, angry passions were engendered, and the peace of the Church was greatly disturbed. Other Churches, since the days of the apostles, have suffered from a like cause. But Paul writes to the Corinthians reproving this spirit of partisanship. He tells them that there is no occasion for such contention. For says he, "All things are yours." Paul is yours, and Cephas is yours, and Apollos is yours; all of the apostles are yours, to teach you the way of life and to help you on to God. Every preacher of the Gospel, every ordinance of the Church, every means of grace, is yours to advance you in the Divine life. And then, going still farther, he tells them that not only all the agencies in the Church are theirs as helps, but all things outside as well, — things present and things to come, life and death ; all are theirs, to help them to love and serve God, to enable them to make their calling and election sure.

I. The: Apostle in Teaching This Lesson lays down impliedly the foundation principle — that growth or increase is the law of spiritual life. "All things are yours" to help you grow spiritually. Continual advancement in the Divine life is necessary to the full development of Christian character. Some look upon the hour of conversion as the happiest of all hours in their religious experience; that then the light shone brightest; that then they attained to the acme of their salvation. Others depend for spiritual safety upon the remembrance of past blessings, and argue their assurance of a home in heaven from the fact of a clear and joyful experience in former days. Still others imagine that the high attainments that they have already made are all that are possible for them; that there is no more land for them to possess. But while the fact of conversion should be the cause of continual gratitude, and its joys be treasured up in most delightful memories ; while the experience of Pentecostal seasons may have been rich and glorious, and the eye of faith has been enabled to survey from Pisgah's heights the whole of the Promised Land, yet this is not enough. The safety of the Christian requires that his spiritual growth be constant. His

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experience is to be ever deeper and richer. His advancement in the Divine life is to be a daily attainment. It is his duty to go forward, to grow stronger and stronger. If there is not continual progress in the spiritual life, sin lieth at the door.

That growth is the law of spiritual life we may infer from analogy. The fact is clearly indicated in the works of nature. On all the vegetable world the law of growth or increase is found operating. When the vegetable, the vine, or the tree ceases to grow, it begins to die. Continued growth there is the attribute of continued life. Where the fact of growth is wanting the seeds of death may be found. This, also, is the law of man's physical nature. The child does not remain a child in stature. The body is expected to increase in size and strength daily. A little boy when asked the question, "Are you a man?" answered very promptly, "No, sir; but I expect to grow to be a man." He simply recognized the law of growth that belonged to his physical powers. The same law is stamped upon man's mental being. The intellectual faculties naturally increase in strength. The mind is capable of continually acquiring knowledge. Its natural bent is to know more and more. The old proverb may be here quoted as teaching differently that "man is twice a child ; first, when he is a babe in his mother's arms ; again, when old age comes upon him, he becomes a child again." It is true there may be some who verify this proverb, and are children when young and children when old. Indeed, some people

30 The: Life otf Faith.

may never be anything else but children. But this is not the law of man's being. He was evidently made to grow, to increase in knowledge, to gain in intellectual power, to be a learner of truth as long as this life lasts. And if permitted to theorize here, I would say it is my belief that increase of knowledge is not only the law of this life but also of the life to come. If we are so happy as to be admitted to the bliss of heaven, I believe we shall always be learning more, ever be increasing in knowledge. As we walk among the bowers of Eden and bask in the sunlight of that eternal world, we shall know more of God, more of His blessed Son, more of immortality, and more of this wonderful universe which God's hand has formed. May we not infer, then, if it is the law of the vegetable that it must grow or else die; if to the human body must daily be added strength ; if the mind should ever increase its stock of knowledge, that growth or increase is also the law of man's moral being; that his faith and his affections, that his hopes and his joys, that all that pertains to the Divine life in the soul should constantly grow stronger?

This law is clearly set forth in the Word of God. One apostle says, "Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." It is not designed that we should be satisfied with only an entrance upon the Christian pathway, be it ever so joyful. Though the morning light may be brilliant, we are still to look for the exceeding brightness of the midday sun. It is our privilege and our duty to explore wider fields of religious knowledge, and have a deeper and richer experience of Divine things. Another apostle says, "Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience experience, to experience godliness, to godliness charity, to charity brotherly kindness ; give diligence to make your calling and election sure." The law of the Divine life is one of addition. We are to add grace to grace, and virtue to virtue, as long as life lasts. Then there comes, in no uncertain sound, from the throne of God itself, to every child of God, the supreme command, "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

But to this law of growth so clearly laid down, objections may arise. You may be ready to say, "I do not understand this. I can not reconcile the idea of continual increase with the duty of attaining unto Christian perfection. How can that which is perfect still grow? How can that which is still growing be perfect? "These duties," you may say, "are inconsistent the one with the other." In answering this objection, much depends upon the interpretation given of the term Christian perfection. Whatever others may suppose this to be, the Scriptures evidently teach that it is to love God with the whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. When one has come in his religious life to love God with his whole heart, he is a perfect Christian. But you ask, "How can one who loves God perfectly, with his whole heart, grow spiritually or love Him any more ?" In answer take a simple illustration. Twenty years ago you may have passed a certain spot on the wayside. On that spot grew a young and vigorous tree. Stopping then you examined that tree, noting carefully its body, its leaves, and its fruit. After a close examination, you may truly have said, this is a perfect tree. It is young, but it is perfect. Its body, its branches, its leaves, its fruit, are all perfect. To-day you pass by that same spot and look upon that same tree. You find, by examination, that its body, its branches, its leaf, and its fruit are still perfect. All through those twenty years it has been growing, but all the while it has remained a perfect tree. The only difference now, as to what it was then, is that it is larger, and now bears a much more abundant harvest of leaf and flower and fruit. So should it be with the Christian, — perfect yesterday, and perfect to-day, but always growing, and every day bearing a larger harvest of good works to the glory of God.

Still farther urging your objection, you may take a glass and pour water into it until it is full, and then say you can not pour in any more water. Now, you ask, if you love God with your whole heart how can you increase in that love? It is true that when you have filled the glass with water you can not pour in any more. If you tried to do so the water would run out over the brim. But I will tell you what you can do : you can take that goblet to the glass-blower, let him place it for awhile in the wellheated furnace, then, when the glass is softened by the heat, he can, with one puff of his breath, enlarge the dimensions of the vessel so that it will hold much more than it did before. So may we do in the Divine life. Though we love God with the whole heart now, we may bring our hearts to the furnace of Divine love and let the Holy Spirit blow upon them and enlarge them. Then we can love God more and serve Him better. Every day the heart should experience this warming influence and realize this expanding power of the Spirit of God.

II. All Things are: Yours as Helps to Spiritual Growth.

The apostle, having laid down the foundation principle, now presents the precious assurance that all things may be a means of growth or increase in the spiritual life.

We are apt to take a different view of our surroundings. We often complain of things we meet with as hindrances to a life of devotion. We excuse a want of spiritual growth in ourselves and in others because of these hindrances. We charge the lack of religious advancement to human frailty, to the wickedness of the world, to physical suffering, or to mental trouble. We persuade ourselves to believe that we can not live a life wholly blameless, that we must wait till free from the body and the events of time before we can be ever growing and always sinless. But Paul, with just such human nature as we have, surrounded by the same world, contending with the 3 same enemies, from experience and from inspiration, utters the grand promise of the text, "All things are yours." He assures us that all things may be made a means of grace; all things can become helps to us in serving God.

A consideration of a few of these will make evident the aid they may afford us in a religious life.

The frailties of human nature may be helpful. The consciousness of personal weaknesses should increase our spiritual strength. The man who, after deep penitence, has experienced pardon for sin, who has obtained full evidence of acceptance with God, and who, because of the clearness and power of his conversion, rises up in the glow of his first joy and declares that he is now firmly established, that he has no fear of falling, that he can now overcome all enemies by his own power, — that man. will in a short time be likely to utterly fail. He trusts alone in his own strength. But he who, after an equally clear and blessed assurance of his acceptance, still realizes his own weaknesses, and tries to walk, not in his own strength, but in the strength which grace supplies, who is ever "looking unto Jesus" and ever leaning upon His strong arm, — he will most surely stand. A consciousness of his own weakness and of his own ignorance will lead him to trust to the Strong for strength, and to look to the All-wise for wisdom. No man ever falls whose abiding trust is in Christ.

The wickedness of the world may D*e made a means of help spiritually by contrast. The acts of evil-doers may have a tendency to chill the ardor of our devotion. The influence of the unrighteous may ofttimes lead hearts astray from Christ. This should not be so. Rather these thing's should make the Christian more faithful. I do not mean to say that I believe evil is necessary for the good of man or the glory of God, or to teach that sin is a blessing; but by contrasting sin with righteousness, the life of the wicked with the life of the good, the death of the ungodly with the death of the upright, we can find the strongest incentives to walk in the way of the righteous, to live the life of the godly. Sin is always ugly. There is nothing noble or beautiful in deeds of wickedness. Profanity, anger, licentiousness, as well as drunkenness and theft and murder, are degrading. But the works of the righteous and the acts of the good are always elevating. They recommend themselves to the approving consciences of all men. There is a beauty about them that charms the hearts and minds of those who witness them. They strongly speak against that which is wrong and in favor of that which is right. This fact is often shown in real life. Take one instance. In a certain neighborhood lived a family — a father, mother, and several sons. The father, when sober, was kind, industrious, and loving. But unfortunately he was addicted to strong drink. He never went to an election, to the post-office, or other public places, without becoming intoxicated, and when he returned home he brought trouble and sorrow to all his household. What was remarkable about this family was, that not one of his sons would touch the accursed thing. Here was the influence of the father in favor of drunkenness, but his sons steadily avoided the intoxicating bowl. Why was this? The boys could give the answer. "We have a father," said they, "who is a good man and loving father when sober, but when under the influence of drink he is cruel and brutal. By his intemperate habits he is wasting his property, he is causing his children to go in rags, and is breaking our mother's heart. We have seen the evil of intoxication, we have felt the many sharp pangs that our father's drunkenness has produced, and have, therefore, set our faces firmly against the evil, and sworn in our hearts to lead lives of sobriety." By contrasting a life of sobriety with a life of drunkenness they were saved from the ruinous influence of their father's example.

Then, how striking the contrast between the closing scenes in the life of the good and the evil! How impressive the lesson then imparted! I once stood by the couch of a dying Atheist. He had discarded the Bible, rejected Christ as a Savior, and denied God. In his social relations he was kind and obliging, but inveterate in his hatred of Christianity. His death scene was without a ray of hope. In his last hour he spurned from his presence all mention of a loving Savior. With groans that were heart-rending, with billows of agony rolling over his soul that were terrible, with fearful struggles of mind and body in the last conflict, he passed away. O, how sad, how rayless that scene! An immortal soul going into outer darkness! But from that death-bed, over which fell such a dark cloud, turn to the couch where the Christian pilgrim breathes his last:

" The chamber where the good man meets his fate, Is privileged beyond the common walks of men, — Quite on the verge of heaven."

There may be weeping there ; burning tears may be falling from the eyes of loved ones as they wipe the death-sweat from his brow; they may be overwhelmed with grief, but a smile lights up his face, his triumph is complete. His hands and his feet may be cold; the sight of his eye may be growing dim, the beatings of his pulse more feeble ; but his last words, though in a whisper, tell of a glorious victory :

" If this be death, I soon shall be From every pain and sorrow free ; I shall the King of glory see, — All is well, all is well."

And whose heart would not gladly say, while contrasting two such death scenes, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his?"

Even the temptations and trials encountered on life's pathway are yours to help in gaining spiritual strength. God does not tempt any of His children to commit sin. He only permits temptation to come, that, by resisting it, they may gain greater strength for His service. The large oak that grows upon yonder hill is stronger in all its parts to-day because of the storms of a hundred winters that have beat upon it, than it would have been had it grown where no storms blow. The blasts of the passing wind have made its roots take deeper and firmer hold upon the earth, and added vigor and strength to its body and branches. See that mother who bears in her arms her babe along the street. The colder the winds and the fiercer the blast, the more closely does the child nestle to her bosom. So with the Christian, — the gusts of temptation and the seasons of trial cause him to grasp more firmly the supplies of Divine grace; the more severe his conflicts may be, the more closely does he lean upon Christ, the more securely does he hide in the pierced side of his Redeemer.

Even the separations in life are for our good. Others may teach differently; others may find in these sorrows no cause for increase of Christian confidence and Christian hope ; but God's Word and the heart's experience attest the fact. Many years ago, while young in my religious life, I thought much of heaven. It then appeared to me as a land of light and joy, a place free from sorrow and full of bliss; and I said in my heart, that happy land shall be my eternal home. But heaven then seemed far away ; beyond this life, beyond the clouds, beyond the stars; and I could only see it in the dim distance with the eye of faith. To-day heaven does not seem so far away. Every day it has been coming nearer. Friends on the right hand and on the left have departed for that goodly place. Classmates, one after another, have entered there. Loved ones have tenderly bade me good-bye, and gone on before; and every one that has gone has brought heaven nearer to me. To-day heaven does not seem very far away. Only a thin veil hides its glories from my view. Erelong that veil will be rent, and I shall see the blessed ones face to face, and I shall know as I am known. Earthly separations are only weaning us from the transitory things of time, and binding us more closely to our home in heaven.

Finally, death is yours. It will be a release from all the cares and anxieties of life, from all its toil and' pain. It will put an end to sighing, grief, and flowing tears. It will be the breaking of the shell in which the redeemed soul is held here, and the opening to its enraptured vision of the unspeakable glories of immortality and eternal life.

Then, Christian pilgrim, why falter and complain? All things are yours, — things present and things to come, life and death, — all are yours, to help you on to God. Every tear as well as every smile, every shadow as well as every sunbeam, every trial as well as every joy, — all are yours. Cast away all fear, brush off every tear, hush every murmuring sigh, spread thy banner to the heavenly breeze ! "All things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

III. A Mind To Work

"So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work." — Neh. iv, 6.

Two thousand years ago and more a company of Jews, under the leadership of Nehemiah, returned from captivity in Babylon to the land of their fathers. Nehemiah had received authority from the king of Persia to go to the land of Judea to build up the waste places and to restore order and beauty to its cities and villages. The remnant of the people who had been left in the land were in "great affliction and reproach;" the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, and its gates had been consumed by fire. When Nehemiah came near to its site he looked upon the ruins on every hand and was deeply grieved at the great desolation. He made a careful survey of the surroundings, and, notwithstanding the fearful obstacles before him, he returned to the band of Jews who had come with him and courageously addressed them : "Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste and the gates thereof are burned with fire ; come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem that we be no more a reproach."

The people were divided into various companies. Each band was appointed to its place about the wall for work. One band was selected to rebuild the Sheep Gate, another to rebuild the Fish Gate. One company was assigned to work at the Old Gate, and another at the Valley Gate. One band was to rebuild the Gate of the Fountain, another the Water Gate, and still another the Horse Gate. Thus the whole city was encircled with bands of workmen, earnestly and systematically engaged in removing the rubbish, in gathering the stones from the ruins and in restoring them to their places in the walls. The work was tedious, and the burdens were heavy. Besides the difficulties which they encountered because of the great desolation, they had to endure the active opposition of wily enemies that were about them. Sanballat, the Horonite; Tobiah, the Ammonite ; and Geshem, the Arabian, threw all obstacles possible in their way, and scornfully derided them as they performed their work. "What is this thing that ye do ?" they said. "Will ye rebel against the king?" And joining with treacherous brethren of the land, exclaimed: "What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish which are burned? Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall." They conspired together to come and fight against the bands of workmen and hinder the accomplishment of the work. Undaunted, the faithful Nehemiah made prayer to God for help. He appointed watchmen to guard the workmen day and night. Half of the men wrought at the work, and the other half stood ready armed to defend against the approach of the enemy. The rubbish, though there was much of it, was removed, the walls gradually grew higher, the gates arose in beauty to their places, through the zeal and the untiring energy of the workmen, and the historian sums up the manner of work and their complete success in the words of the text : "So built we the wall ; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work."

This interesting incident in the history of the Jews may well be used as a prophecy of things spiritual and things to come. Jerusalem in its desolate condition, strikingly typifies the world as ruined by sin; the Divine provisions for its rebuilding and restoration to beauty are typical of God's design and good pleasure to lift up the world to truth and righteousness. The agencies employed and the spirit of the workmen by which success was obtained prefigure the instrumentalities and controlling principle required for the conversion of men, the building up of the Church, and the fulfillment of the promise to give to the Son the "heathen for an inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession."