The last paragraph of this post is so loaded that I do not even
want to start talking about it. Suffice to say that it is a period that we walk
with God which resembles to the dark night of the soul. When the true self is unveiled to us, it is
like Pink said: “the veil of delusion is removed.” This is not something reserved for the few,
but rather to all of us claiming to be Christian. However hard this road of
discovery of the true self is, we have to walk it. Though this road we find
that Christianity is far more than what we signed for, and we realize that God
means business. Anyone of you who has taken
this road knows exactly what I mean and still have those invisible scars in the
soul as proof that we have been there with Him.
A Fourfold Salvation
Arthur Pink, 1938
Let us point out first, that the presence of that within us which
still lusts after and takes delight in some evil things—is not
incompatible with our having been saved from the love of sin, paradoxical
as that may sound. It is part of the mystery of the Gospel that those who are
saved are yet sinners in themselves. The point we are here dealing
with is similar to and parallel with faith. The Divine principle of faith in
the heart, does not cast out unbelief. Faith and doubts exist side by side within a quickened soul,
which is evident from those words, "Lord, I believe—help my unbelief"
(Mark 9:24 ). In like manner the
Christian may exclaim and pray, "Lord, I long after holiness—help my
lustings after sin." And why is this? Because of the existence of two
separate natures, the one at complete variance with the other within the
Christian.
How, then, is the presence of faith to be ascertained? Not by the
ceasing of unbelief—but by discovering its own fruits and works.
Fruit may grow amid thorns—as flowers among weeds—yet it is fruit,
nevertheless. Faith exists amid many doubts and fears.
Notwithstanding opposing forces from within as well as from
without us, faith still reaches out after God. Notwithstanding innumerable
discouragements and defeats, faith continues to fight. Notwithstanding many
refusals from God, it yet clings to Him, and says, "Unless You bless me—I
will not let You go." Faith may be fearfully weak and fitful, often
eclipsed by the clouds of unbelief, nevertheless the Devil himself cannot
persuade its possessor to repudiate God's Word, despise His Son, or abandon all
hope. The presence of faith, then, may be ascertained in that it causes its
possessor to come before God as an empty-handed beggar, beseeching Him for
mercy and blessing.
Now just as the presence of faith may be known amid all the
workings of unbelief, so our salvation from the love of sin may be ascertained
notwithstanding all the lustings of the flesh after that which is evil. But in
what way? How is this initial aspect of salvation to be identified? We have
already anticipated this question in an earlier paragraph, wherein we stated
that God saved us from delighting in sin—by imparting a nature which hates evil
and loves holiness, which takes place at the new birth.
Consequently, the real
question to be settled is how may the Christian positively determine whether
that new and holy nature has been imparted to him? The answer is by observing
its activities, particularly the opposition it makes (under the energizing of
the Holy Spirit) unto indwelling sin. Not only does the flesh (the principle of
sin) lust against the spirit—but the spirit (the principle of holiness) lusts
and wars against the flesh.
First, our salvation from the pleasure or love of sin, may be
recognized by sin's becoming a BURDEN to us. This is truly a
spiritual experience. Many souls are loaded with worldly anxieties—who know
nothing of what it means to be bowed down with a sense of guilt. But when God
takes us in hand, the iniquities and transgressions of our past life are made
to lie as an intolerable load upon the conscience. When we are given a sight of
ourselves as we appear before the eyes of the thrice holy God—we will exclaim
with the Psalmist, "For troubles without number surround me; my sins have
overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my
heart fails within me!" (40:12). So far from sin being pleasant, it is now
felt as a cruel tormentor, a crushing weight, an unendurable load. The soul is
"heavy laden" (Matt. 11:28 ) and
bowed down. A sense of guilt oppresses, and the conscience cannot bear the
weight upon it. Nor is this experience restricted to our first conviction—it
continues with more or less acuteness throughout the Christian's life.
Second, our salvation from the pleasure of sin, may be recognized
by sin's becoming BITTER to us. True, there are millions of the unregenerate who are
filled with remorse over the harvest reaped from their sowing of wild
oats. Yet that is not hatred of sin—but dislike of its consequences—ruined health,
squandered opportunities, financial straitness, or social disgrace.
No, what we
have reference to, is that anguish of heart which ever marks the one whom the
Spirit takes in hand. When the veil of delusion is removed, and we see sin in
the light of God's countenance; when we are given a discovery of the depravity
of our very nature—then we perceive that we are sunk in carnality and death.
When sin is opened to us in all its secret workings—we are made to feel the
vileness of our hypocrisy, self-righteousness, unbelief, impatience, and the
utter filthiness of our hearts. And when the penitent soul views the sufferings
of Christ, he can say with Job, "God makes my heart soft" (23:16 ).
