What Kind of Christian Are You? Part 2

Finney's attempt to bring us Christians to a place where we can examine ourselves

PART II: LEGAL RELIGION"Who is on the Lord's side?" - Exodus 32:26

 In discoursing from this text, I have mentioned three classes of professors of religion: (1) those who truly love God and man, (2) those who are motivated solely by selfishness in their religious duties, and (3) those who are motivated only by a regard for public opinion.  Now I intend to mention several characteristics of the second class, 

 Those professors who are motivated by self-love or by selfishness. 

 I intend to show how their leading or main purpose in religion develops itself in their conduct.  The conduct of men invariably shows what is their true and main purpose.  A man's character is as his supreme purpose is.  And if you can learn by his conduct what that leading purpose is, then you can know with certainty what his character is. 

 These three classes of professors agree in many things.  But there are certain things in which they differ, and by close observation the difference will be seen in their conduct, from which we infer a difference in their character.  And those points in which they differ belong to the very fundamentals of religion. 

 I will now set forth some of the characteristics of the second class - those who are motivated by self-love, or by selfishness, in whom hope and fear are the main springs of all they do in religion.  And the things that I shall mention make it evident that the individual is motivated by a supreme regard to his own good - that the fear of punishment, or the hope of advantage to himself, is the foundation of all his conduct. 

 1. They make religion a subordinate concern. 
 They show by their conduct that they do not regard religion as the principal business of life, but as subordinate to other things.  They consider religion as something that ought to come in and find a place among other things, as a sort of Sabbath-day business, but not as the grand business of life.  They make a distinction between religious duty and business, and consider them as entirely separate concerns.  Whereas, if they had right views of the matter, they would consider religion as the only business of life, and nothing else either lawful or worth pursuing, any further than as it promotes or serves religion.  If they had the right feeling, religion would characterize all that they do, and it would be manifest that everything they do is an act of obedience to God, or an act of irreligion. 

 2.  Their religious duties are performed as a task, and are not the result of the constraining love of God that burns within them. 
 Such a one does not delight in the exercise of religious affections; and as to communion with God, he knows nothing of it.  He performs prayer as a task.  He betakes himself to religious duties as sick persons take medicine, not because they love it, but because they hope to derive some benefit f rom it. 
 And here let me ask you, Do you enjoy religious exercises, or do you perform them because you hope to receive benefit by them?  Be honest, now, and answer this question, just according to the truth. 

 3. They manifestly possess a legal spirit, and not a gospel spirit. 
 They do rather what they are obliged to do, in religion, and not what they love to do.  They have an eye to the commands of God, and yield obedience to his requirements, in performing religious duties, but do not engage in those things because they love them.  They are always ready to inquire, in regard to duty, not so much how they can do good, as how they can be saved.  The principal object of such a professor of religion is not to save the world, but to save himself. 

 4.  They are motivated by fear much more than by hope. 
 They perform their religious duties chiefly because they dare not omit them.  They have the spirit of slaves, and go about the service of God as slaves go about the service of their master, feeling that they are obliged to do about so much, or be beaten with many stripes.  So these professors feel as if they were obliged to have about so much religion, and perform about so many religious duties, or be lashed by conscience and lose their hopes. 

 5.  Their religion is not only produced by the fear of disgrace or the fear of hell, but it is mostly of a negative character. 
 They satisfy themselves, mostly, with doing nothing that is very bad.  Having no spiritual views, they regard the law of God chiefly as a system of prohibitions, just to guard men from certain sins, and not as a system of benevolence fulfilled by love. And so, if they are moral in their conduct, and rather serious and decent in their general deportment, and perform required amount of religious exercises, this satisfies them.  The most you can say of them is, that they are not very bad.  They seem to think little or nothing of being useful to the cause of Christ, so long as they cannot be convicted of any positive transgression. 

 6.  This class of persons are more or less strict in religious duties, according to the light they have and the sharpness with which conscience pursues them. 
 Where they have enlightened minds and tender consciences, you often find them the most rigid of all professors.  They tithe even to "mint and anise." They are stiff even to moroseness.  They are perfect Pharisees, and carry everything to the greatest extremes so far as outward strictness is concerned. 

 7.  They are more or less miserable in proportion to the tenderness of their conscience. 
 With all their strictness, they cannot but realize that they are great sinners after all: and having no just sense of the gospel justification, this leaves them very unhappy.  And the more enlightened and tender their conscience, the more they are unhappy.  Notwithstanding their strictness, they feel that they come short of their duty, and not having any gospel faith, nor any of that holy anointing of the Holy Spirit that brings peace to the soul, they are unsatisfied, and uneasy, and miserable. 

 Perhaps many of you have seen such persons.  Perhaps some of you are such, and you never knew what it was to feel justified before God, through the blood of Jesus Christ, and you know not what it is to feel that Jesus Christ has accepted and owned you as his.  You never felt in your minds what that is which is spoken of in the text, "There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)   Does such language bring home any warm and practical idea to you, that it is a reality because you experience it in your soul?  Or do you, after all, still feel condemned and guilty, and have no sense of pardoned sin, and no experimental peace with God, or confidence in Jesus Christ. 

 8.  This class of persons are encouraged and cheered by reading the accounts of ancient saints who fell into great sins. 
 They feel wonderfully instructed and edified when they hear the sins of God's people set forth in a strong light.  Then they are comforted and their hopes are wonderfully strengthened.  Instead of feeling humbled and distressed, and feeling that such conduct is so contrary to all religion that they could hardly believe they were saints if it had not been found in the Bible, and that they could not believe at all that persons who should do such things under the light of the Christian dispensation, could be saints; they feel gratified and strengthened, and their hopes are confirmed, by all these things. 

 9.  They are always much better pleased, by how much the lower the standard of piety is held out from the pulpit. 
 If the minister adopts a low standard, and is ready to hope that almost everybody is a Christian, they are pleased and compliment him for his expansive charity, and praise him as such an excellent man, so charitable, etc.  Right over against this, you will see, is the conduct of the man whose main purpose is to rid the world of sin.  He wants all men to be holy, and therefore he wants to have the true standard of holiness held up.  He wants all men to be saved, but he knows they cannot be saved unless they are truly holy.  And he would as soon think of Satan's going to heaven as of getting a man there by frittering away the Bible standard of holiness by "charity." 

 10.  They are fond of having "comfortable" doctrines preached. 
 Such persons are apt to be fond of having the doctrine of saints' perseverance much dwelt on, and the doctrine of election.  Often, they want nothing else but what they call the doctrines of grace.  And if that can be preached in such an abstract way, as to afford them comfort without galling their consciences too much, they are "fed." 

 11.  They love to have their ministers preach sermons "to feed Christians." 
 Their main object is not to save sinners, but to be saved themselves, and therefore they always choose a minister, not for his ability in preaching for the conversion of sinners, but for his talents in feeding the church with mere abstractions. 

 12.  They lay great stress on having "a comfortable hope." 
 You will hear them talking very solemnly about the importance of having a comfortable hope.  If they can only be at ease in their minds, they show very little concern whether anybody else around them is saved or not.  If they can have only their fears silenced and their hopes cherished they have religion enough to satisfy them. 

 In their prayers, you will find the class I am now speaking of, are praying mainly that their evidences may be brightened, and that they may feel assured that they are going to heaven. 

 13.  They are more afraid of punishment than they are of sin. 
 Precisely over against this, you will find the true friends of God and man more afraid of sin than of punishment.  It is not the question with them, "If I do this shall I be punished?" or, "If I do this, will God forgive me?" But the question is that which Joseph asked, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" There was the spirit of a child of God, afraid of sin more than punishment, and so much afraid of sin that he had no thought of punishment. 

 This class of persons I am speaking of, often indulge in sin if they can persuade themselves that God will forgive them, or when they think they can repent of it afterwards. 

 They often reason in this way: "Such a minister does this;" or "Such an elder or professor does this, and why may not I do the same?" or "Others get along without doing such and such things, and why should I trouble myself to be better than they?" It is not sin that they fear, but punishment.  They sin, they know, but they hope to escape punishment.  Who cannot see that this is contrary to the spirit of the true friends of God, whose absorbing object it is to get sin - all sin - out of the world, and are not half so much afraid of hell as they are of committing sin? 

 14.  They are more fond of receiving good than of doing good. 
 You may know such persons have not the spirit of the gospel.  They have never entered into the spirit of Jesus Christ, when he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." A person actuated by true love to God and man, enjoys what he does to benefit others, far more than they do who receive good at his hand.  He is really benevolent, and it is a gratification to him to show kindness, because his heart is set upon it, and when he can do it, a holy joy is shed over his mind, and he enjoys it exquisitely. 

 The other class are more eager to receive than to impart.  They want to receive comfort, but are never ready to deny themselves to give the comforts of the gospel to others.  How directly contrary this is to the spirit of the gospel, any one can see at a glance.  That spirit finds its supreme happiness in communicating happiness to others.  But this class of persons wants to lay everybody under contribution to impart happiness to themselves, instead of laying themselves out to bless others. 
 Who does not know these two classes of professors?  One always seeking out objects to do good to, the other always trying to gain good themselves.  One anxious to communicate, the other to receive.  One to do good, the other to get good.  These two classes of character are just as opposite as light and darkness. 

 15. If this class of professors pray for the conversion and salvation of others, you may observe that they are motivated by the same kind of considerations as they are when they pray for themselves. 
 They are chiefly afraid of hell themselves, and when they are strongly convicted, they are afraid others will go there too.  They are seeking happiness for themselves, and when self is not in the way, they seek the same for others.  They pray for sinners, not because they have such a sense of the evil of sin which sinners are committing, as because they have such a sense of the terrors of hell to which sinners are going. It is not because sinners dishonor God that they want them converted, but because they are in danger. Their great object in praying is to secure the safety of those they pray for, as it is their great object in religion to secure their own safety.  They pity themselves and they pity others.  If there was no danger, they would have no motive to pray either for themselves or others. 

 The true friends of God and man feel compassion for sinners too, but they feel much more for the honor of God.  They are more distressed to see God abused and dishonored than to see sinners go to hell.  And if God must be forever dishonored or men go to hell - just as certainly as they love God supremely, they will decide that sinners shall sink to endless torments sooner that God fail of his due honor.  And they manifest their true feelings in their prayers.  You hear them praying for sinners as rebels against God, as guilty criminals deserving of eternal wrath, as the enemies of God and the universe; and while they are full of compassion for sinners, they feel also the enkindlings of holy indignation against them for their conduct towards the blessed God. 

 16.  They manifest great uneasiness at the increasing calls for self-denial to do good. 
 This class of persons are in constant distress at being called on to give up so much.  The good that is to be done does not enter into their thoughts, because they are all the while dwelling on what have to give up. 

 It is easily seen why aggressive movements on the kingdom of darkness distress such persons.  Their object never was to search out and banish from this world everything that is dishonorable to God or injurious to man. They never entered upon religion with the determin-ation to clear out every such thing from the earth, as far as they had power, and as fast as they were convinced that it was injurious to themselves or others, in soul or body.  And therefore they are distressed by the move-ments of those who are truly engaged to search out and clear away every evil. 

 These persons are annoyed by the continually increasing calls to give for missions, Bibles, tracts, and the like.  The time was, when a rich man gave twenty-five dollars a year to such things, he was thought to be doing pretty well.  But now there are so many calls for contributions, that they are in torment all the time.  They are obliged to keep giving all the time, in order to keep up their character, or to have any hope, but they are much distressed about it. 

 17.  When they are called upon to exercise self-denial for the sake of doing good, instead of being a pleasant thing, it gives them unmingled pain. 
 Such a one does not know anything about enjoying self-denial.  He cannot understand how self-denial is pleasant, nor how anybody can take pleasure in it, or have joy of heart in denying himself for the sake of doing good to others.  Yet the true friend of God and man, whose heart is fully set to do good, never enjoys any money he expands so well as that which he gives to promote Christ's kingdom.  If he is really pious, he knows that is the best disposition he can make of his money.  Nay, he is sorry to be obliged to use money for anything else, when there are so many opportunities to do good with it. 

 I want you to look at this.  It is easy to see that if an individual has his heart very much set upon anything, all the money he can save for that object is most pleasing to him, and the more he can save from other objects for this that his heart is set on, the better he is pleased.  If an individual finds it hard for him to give money for religious objects, it is easy to see that his heart is not set on it.  If it were, he would have given his money with joy. 

 18.  They do not manifest much distress when they behold sin. 
 They do not rebuke it.  They love to mingle in scenes where sin is committed.  They love to be where they can hear vain conversation, and even to join in it.  They love worldly company and worldly books.  Their spirit is worldly.  Instead of hating even the garment spotted with the flesh,(Jude 23)  they love to hang around the confines of sin, as if they were pleased with it. 

 19. They do not aim at anything higher than a legal, painful, negative religion. 
 The love of Christ does not constrain them to a constant warfare against sin, and a constant watch to do all the good in their power.  But what they do is done only because they think they must.  And they maintain a kind of piety that is formal, heartless, worthless. 

 20. They do not enjoy secret prayer. 
 They do not pray in their closets because they LOVE to pray but because they think it is their duty, and they dare not neglect it. 

 21. They do not enjoy the Bible. 
 They do not read the Bible because it is sweet to their souls, sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. They do not "enjoy" the reading, as a person enjoys the most exquisite delights.  They read it because it is their duty to read it; and it would not do to profess to be a Christian and not read the Bible; but in fact they find it a dry book. 

 22. They do not enjoy prayer meetings. 
 Slight excuses keep them away.  They never go unless they find it necessary for the sake of keeping up appearances, or to maintain their hope.  And when they do go, instead of having their souls melted and fired with love, they are cold, listless, dull, and glad when it is over. 

 23. They find it difficult to appreciate what is meant by disinterestedness (non-self interest). 
 To serve God because they love him, and not for the sake of reward, is what they do not understand. 

 24. Their thoughts are not anxiously fixed upon the question, when shall the world be converted to God? 
 Their hearts are not agonized with such thoughts as this, Oh, how long shall wickedness prevail?  Oh, when shall this wretched world be rid of sin and death?  Oh, when shall men cease to sin against God?  They think more of the question, When shall I die and go to heaven, and get rid of all my trials and cares? 

 REMARKS 

 1.  I believe you will not think me extravagant, when I say that the religion I have described, appears to be the religion of a very large mass in the church. 
 To say the least, it is greatly to be feared that a majority of professing Christians are of this description.  To say this, is neither uncharitable nor censorious. 

 2.  This religion is radically defective. 
 There is nothing of true Christianity in it. It differs from Christianity as much as the Pharisees differed from Christ - as much as gospel religion differs from legal religion. 

 Now, let me ask you, to which of these classes do you belong?  Or are you in neither?  It may be because you are conscious you do not belong to the second class, you may think you belong to the first, when, in fact, you will find, when I come to describe the third class of professors, that I describe your true character. 

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What Kind Of Christian Are You?

This is an awesome piece from Finney. It leads you to a strong examination of who you really are in Christ.

Part I. TRUE SAINTS"Who is on the Lord's side?" - Exodus 32:26   The question was addressed by Moses to the professed people of God, immediately after their great departure from God while Moses was on the Mount, when they went and worshiped a golden calf which had been cast for them by Aaron.  After expostulating with the guilty nation, he called out, "Who is on the Lord's side?" It is not my intention to dwell on the history of this case particularity, but to come at once to the main purpose I have in view, which is to show that there are
 THREE CLASSES OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANSI. The true friends of God and man.

II. Those who are motivated by hope and fear, or in other words by self-love, or by selfishness.

III. Those who are motivated by public opinion. These three classes may be known by observing the characteristics which show what is the leading purpose in their religion.  It need not be proved that persons may set out in religion from very different motives, some from real love to religion, and some from other motives.  The differences may be arranged in these three classes, and by observing the development of their real purpose in becoming religious, you learn their characters.  They all profess to be servants of God, and yet by observing the lives of many it becomes manifest that, instead of their being God's servants, they are only trying to make God their servant.  Their leading aim and object is to secure their own salvation, or some other advantage for them-selves, through the medium of the favor of God.  They are seeking to make God their friend, that they may make use of Him to serve their own ends. 

There Is A Class Of Professed Christians Who Are The True Friends Of God. 

 If you observe those things which develop the true purpose and aim of their religion, you will see it to be such.  They are truly and sincerely benevolent. 

1.  They will make it manifest that this is their character by their carefulness in avoiding sin. 
 They will show that they hate it in themselves, and that they hate it in others.  They will not justify it in themselves, and they will not justify it in others.  They will not seek to cover up or to excuse their own sins, neither will they try to cover up or to excuse the sins of others. In short they aim at perfect holiness.  This course of conduct makes it evident that they are the true friends of God. I do not mean to say that every true friend of God is perfect, no more than I would say that every truly affectionate and obedient child is perfect, or never fails in duty to his parent. But, if he is an affectionate and obedient child, his aim is to obey always, and if be fails in any respect, he by no means justifies it, or pleads for it, or aims to cover it up, but soon as he comes to think of the matter, is dissatisfied with himself, and condemns his conduct. 

But you never see them finding fault with God.  You never hear them excusing themselves and throwing off the blame upon their Maker, by telling of their inability to obey God, or speaking as if God had required impossibilities of his creatures.  They always speak as if they felt that what God has required is right and reasonable, and themselves only to blame for their disobedience. 

2.  They manifest a deep abhorrence of the sins of other people. 
 They do not cover up the sins of others, or plead for them and excuse them, or smooth them over by "perhaps this," or "perhaps that." You never hear them apologizing for sin.  They know its horrible nature, and abhor it always. 

3.  Another thing in which this spirit manifests itself, is zeal for the honor and glory of God. 
 They show the same ardor to promote God's honor and interest that the true patriot does to promote the honor and interest of his country.  If he greatly loves his country, its government, and its interest, he sets his heart upon promoting its advancement and benefit.  He is never so happy as when he is doing something for the honor and advancement of his country. 

There are multitudes of professing Christians, and even ministers, who are very zealous to defend their own character and their own honor.  But this one class feel more engaged, and their hearts beat higher, when defending or advancing God's honor.  These are the friends of God and man.

 4.  They show that they sympathize with God in his feelings towards man.  
 They have the same kind of friendship for souls that God feels.  I do not mean that they feel in the same degree, but that they have the same kind of feelings.  There is such a thing as loving the souls of men and hating their conduct too.  This is a peculiar kind of sympathy which the real child of God feels, and manifests towards sinners.  It is a mingled feeling of abhorrence and compassion, of indignation against his sins, and pity for his person.  It is possible to feel this deep abhorrence of sin mingled with deep compassion for souls capable of such endless happiness. and yet bound to eternal misery. 

I will explain myself.  There are two kinds of love: one is the love of benevolence.  This has no respect to the character of the person loved, but merely views the individual as exposed to suffering and misery.  This God feels towards all men.  The other kind includes esteem or approval of character.  God feels this only towards the righteous.  He never feels this love towards sinners.  He infinitely abhors them.  He has an infinitely strong exercise of compassion and abhorrence at the same time.  Christians have the same feelings, only not in the same degree, but they have them at the same time.  Did you never see this?  Did you never see a parent yearning with compassion over a child, and reprove him with tears, and yet with a pungency that would make the little offender quail under his rebuke.  Jesus Christ often manifested strongly these two emotions.  He wept over Jerusalem, and yet he tells the reason in a manner that shows his burning indignation against their conduct.  "O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee!" Ah, what a full view he had of their wickedness, at the moment that he wept with compassion for the doom that hung over them. 

I wish you to remember this point - that the true friend of God and man never takes the sinner's part, because he never acts through mere compassion.  And, at the same time, he is never seen to denounce the sinner, without at the same time manifesting compassion for his soul and a strong desire to save him from death. 

5.  It is a prominent object with such Christians, in all their relationships with men, to make them friends of God. 
 Whether they converse, or pray, or attend to the duties of life, it is their prominent purpose to recommend religion and to lead everybody to glorify God.  A true and affectionate child wishes everybody to love and respect his father.  And if any one is at enmity, it is his constant aim and effort to bring him to reconciliation.  The same you would expect from a true friend of God, as a leading feature of his character, that he would make it a prominent purpose of his life to reconcile sinners to God. 

Now, mark me!  If this is not the leading feature of your character, if it is not the absorbing topic of thought and effort to reconcile men to God, you have not the root of the matter in you. Whatever appearance of religion you may have, you lack the leading and fundamental characteristic of true piety. You lack the leading feature of the character and aims of Jesus Christ, and of his apostles and prophets.  Now let me ask you, what is the leading object of your life, as it appears in your daily walk?  Is it to bring all God's enemies to submit to him?  If not, away with your pretensions to religion.  Whatever else you may have, you have not the true love of God in you. 

 6.  Where there are Persons of this class, you will see them scrupulously avoid everything that in their estimation is calculated to defeat their great end. 
 They always wish to avoid everything calculated to prevent the salvation of souls, everything calculated to divert attention or in any way to hinder the conversion of souls.  It is not the natural question with them, when anything is proposed which is doubtful, to ask, "Is this something which God expressly forbids?" The first question that naturally suggests itself to their minds is, "What will be the bearing of this upon religion?  Will it have a tendency to prevent the conversion of sinners and to hinder the progress of revivals?" If so, they do not need the thunders of Sinai ringing in their ears, to forbid their doing it.  If they see it contrary to the spirit of holiness, and contrary to the main object they have in view, that is enough.  They avoid whatever they see would hinder a revival, as a matter of course, just as a merchant would avoid anything that had a tendency to impair his credit, and defeat his object of making money by his business. 

Suppose a merchant was about to do something that you knew would injuriously affect his credit, and you go to him in the spirit of friendship and advise him not to do it. Would he turn round and say, "Show me the passage in the Bible where God has prohibited this?" No. He would not ask you to show him anything more than this, that it is inconsistent with his main objective. 

 Mark this, all of you: A person who is strongly desirous of the conversion of sinners does not need an express prohibition to prevent his doing that which he sees is calculated to prevent this.  There is no danger of his doing that which will defeat the very object of his life. 

 7. This class of professing Christians are always distressed unless they see the work of converting sinners going on. 
 They call it a lamentable state of things in the church, if no sinners are converted.  No matter what else is true, no matter how rich the congregation grows, nor popular their minister, nor how many come to hear him, their panting hearts are uneasy unless they see the work of conversion actually going on.  They see that all the rest is nothing without this - yea, that even the means of grace are doing more hurt than good, unless sinners are converted. 

Such professors as these are a great trouble to those who are religious from other motives, and who therefore wish to keep all quiet, and have everything go on regularly in the "good old way." They are often called "uneasy spirits in the church." And mark it! if a church has a few such spirits in it, the minister will be made uneasy unless his preaching is such as to convert sinners.  In fact, their hearts are grieved and their souls in agony because sinners are not converted and souls are pressing down to hell. 

 8.  You will see them when manifesting a spirit of prayer, praying not for themselves but for sinners. 
 If you know the habitual tenor of people's prayers, it will show which way the tide of their feelings sets. If a man is motivated in religion mainly by a desire to save himself, you will hear praying chiefly for himself - that he may have his sins pardoned and "enjoy" much of the Spirit of God, and the like.  But if he is truly the friend of God and man, you will find that the burden of his prayers is for the glory of God in the salvation of sinners; and he is never so copious and powerful in prayer as when he gets upon his favorite topic - the conversion of sinners.   Go into the prayer meeting where such Christians pray, and instead of seeing them all shut up in the nut of their own interests, spending their whole prayer on themselves, and just closing with a flourish about the kingdom of Christ, you will hear them pouring out their souls in prayer for the salvation of sinners.  I believe there have been cases of such Christians who were so much absorbed by their desires for the salvation of sinners, that for weeks together they did not even pray for their own salvation.  If they pray for themselves at all, it is that they may be clothed with the Spirit of God, so that they can go out and be mighty through God in pulling souls out of the fire. 

If you know nothing about the spirit of prayer for sinners, you are not the true friend of God and man.  What! no heart to feel when sinners are going to hell by your side!  No sympathy with the Son of God, who gave his life to save sinners!  Away with all such professions of religion.  "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." 

 9.  These persons do not want to ask what are the things they are "required" to do for the conversion of sinners. 
 When anything is presented to them that promises success in converting sinners, they do not wait to be commanded to do it, on pains and penalties if they do not.  They only want the evidence that it is calculated to advance the object on which their hearts are set, and they will engage in it with all their soul.  The question is not with them all the while, "What am I expressly commanded to do?" but, "In what way can I do most for the salvation of souls, and the conversion of the world to God?" 

 10.  Another characteristic of such Christians is a disposition to deny themselves to do good to others. 
God has established throughout all the universe the principle of GIVING.  Even in the natural world, the rivers, the ocean, the clouds, all give.  It is so throughout the whole kingdom of nature and of grace.  This principle is everywhere recognized.  This is the very spirit of Christ.  He sought not to please himself, but to do good to others.  He found his highest happiness in denying himself to do good to others.  So it is with this class of persons - they are ever ready to deny themselves of enjoyments and comforts, and even of necessities, when by so doing they can do more good to others. 

 11.  They are grieved if they see reason to think their minister compromises, or does not reprove the church pointedly and faithfully for their sins. 
 The other classes of professors are willing to be rocked to sleep, and willing their minister should preach smooth, flowery, and eloquent sermons, and flattering sermons, with no point and no power.  But these are not satisfied unless he preaches powerfully and pointedly, and boldly, and rebukes and entreats, with all long-suffering and doctrine. (2 Tim. 4:2) 
 
 12.  This class of persons will always stand by a faithful minister, who preaches the truth boldly and pointedly. 
 No matter if the truth he preaches hits them, they like it, and say, "Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be an excellent oil." (Ps. 141:5)    When the truth is poured forth with power, their souls are fed, and grow strong in grace.  They can pray for such a minister.  They can weep in their closet, and pour out their souls in prayer for him, that he may have the Spirit of God always with him.  While others scold and cavil at him and talk about his being extreme, and all that, you will find Christians of this sort will stand by him, yea, and would go to the stake with him for the testimony of Jesus.  And this they do for the best of all reasons - such preaching falls in with the great design for which these Christians live. 

 13.  You will always find this class of persons speaking in terms of dissatisfaction with themselves, that they do no more for the conversion of sinners. 
 However much they may really "do" for this object, it seems that the more they do, the more they long to do.  They are never satisfied.  Instead of being satisfied with the present degree of their success, there is no end of their longing for the conversion of sinners.  I recollect a good man, who used to pray till he was exhausted with praying for individuals, and for places, and for the world's conversion.  Once when he was quite exhausted with praying, he exclaimed "Oh! my longing, aching heart!  There is no such thing as satisfying my unutterable desires for the conversion of sinners.  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath." That man, though he had been useful beyond almost any other man of his age, yet he saw so much to do, and he so longed to see the work go forward and sinners saved, that his mortal frame could not sustain it. "I find," said he, one day, "that I am dying for want of strength to do more to save the souls of men.  Oh, how much I want strength, that I may save souls." 

14.  If you wish to influence this class of persons, you must make use of motives drawn from their great and leading object. 
 If you wish to move them, you must hold up the situation of sinners, and show how they dishonor God, and you will find this will move their souls and set them on fire sooner than any appeal to their hopes and fears.  Show them how they can convert sinners, and their longing hearts travail for souls, until they see them converted, and Christ formed in them. (Col. 1:27) 

I could mention many other characteristics which belong to this class of professing Christians - the true friends of God and man.  Now, do you belong to this class, or not? 

I have mentioned certain great fundamental facts which indicate the true character of individuals, by showing what is their main purpose and object in life.  You can tell whether this is your character.  When I come to the other part of the subject, I shall endeavor to describe those classes of professing Christians, whose religious zeal, prayers, and efforts, have another purpose. 

And now, I ask you before God, have you these characteristics of a child of God?  Do you know they belong to you?  Can you say, "O Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and that these are the features of my character!"

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Show Me Your Way!

Do we really need God to show us the way throughout our pilgrim’s journey on this earth?  

The first few years God led me into the wilderness I found I constantly needed guidance from Him. It was more so between the second to the fifth year. My soul ached to find a way out of my trials and the path I was on with Him. I hated the fact that my desire to be out there and get involved in saving souls was thwarted. I felt useless, the uncertainty of my life was painful, I felt anxious, and hated the fact that I lost so much control of my life. While I was happy he was training me to become what I am in Him now, but I felt I was missing the mark. So my favorite song for all those years was “show me your way that I may walk with you” by the Hillsong. I found such passion when I sang it. I found so much truth in it because it was me, I wanted to follow Him but I felt He was not showing me His way.  I was frustrated and needed Him to show me His way. Then my intimacy with Him soared, while I still like the song, I don’t care about it that much anymore. What I found strange was that my situation did not change that much, the only thing that changed was me, on the inside. Then, it bothered me that I still needed His leading but the song would not do it for me anymore.

This is the beauty of the steadfast walk in the Spirit. It is the beauty of living your life like His progeny. It is also the beauty of spiritual maturity. It is strange to see how on the outside my situation had not changed at all. I lost everything when He took me into the wilderness, but, unlike Job in the Bible who got his life back, God has not given anything back to me at all. Yet, I no longer need Him to show me the way. You see when you keep growing in your intimacy with Him, like a child with his bicycle training, you naturally move on to two wheels. When your identity is grounded in Him, and you are living as His child, you no longer need Him to show you His way. Not because you can live without His guidance. But because you have become obedient through brokenness, heavenly minded, and learned to walk moment by moment through dependence and trust, then, it does not matter what the next step is anymore. Your sole focus is to remain in the light with Him.

Now that I know and trust Him, I realize all these years I was begging Him to show me the way, He was indeed showing me His way. I was being led by Him. My life was exactly where He wanted it to be according to His plans for me. At that time, I did not like His plans for me. Now, that is all I live for. I needed Him to show me His way because my plans for my life did not coincide with His plans. I could not see it because I was so busy wanting Him to bless my own plans. Once we become heavenly minded, all that remain for us to focus on, is when we deviate so ever slightly through even the tiniest sin in our heart. As I mentioned in my book, even the tiniest sin takes us away from the light, it feels as if you are no longer attached to His divine nature, and it also feels like you have caught off your own oxygen. As we remain in the light with Him, you no longer are looking forward to do something big for Him. 

Finding Him, and finding your purpose in Him also means doing daily those tedious, “Itsy Bitsy” things that He puts in your path. As you do, while they look small in your eyes they all serve a purpose in Heaven. When you are building a house each one of us has our own job. One design the schematics, one lead the project one clean the construction site etc. As I stopped looking for God to lead me in the big things and my own way, I can see through His eyes, me being the one that sweeps the floor does not make me less in His sight. As long as I embrace His plan, I do it all for His glory, He is indeed glorified. And the guy who is smart enough to draw the schematic does not glorify Him more than I do. I am not saying being a true Christian is an easy life. In fact, it is not at all, NOT AT ALL. But, then again, we are not above the Master. And how can I not find joy in doing the most menial task He presents to me, when I know my contribution is so big in His eyes?

PRAYER: Lord God, Heavenly King, you are the God of the universe. You designed each one of us with a purpose in mind for your own glory. Father please take away the stubbornness of our hearts and the blindness that causing us to follow after our own desires. Please Lord, help us find freedom in you as you complete the work you started in us. I love you, I worship you and I give you thanks and praises for who you are and who you made me to be. May the ascended Christ be glorified in all of us. 

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Depression & Bible Verses

Oswald Chambers

Taking the Initiative Against Depression

"Arise and eat"

—1 Kings 19:5

The angel in this passage did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable. He simply told Elijah to do a very ordinary thing, that is, to get up and eat. If we were never depressed, we would not be alive—only material things don’t suffer depression. If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. There are things in life that are designed to depress us; for example, things that are associated with death. Whenever you examine yourself, always take into account your capacity for depression.

When the Spirit of God comes to us, He does not give us glorious visions, but He tells us to do the most ordinary things imaginable. Depression tends to turn us away from the everyday things of God’s creation. But whenever God steps in, His inspiration is to do the most natural, simple things-things we would never have imagined God was in, but as we do them we find Him there. The inspiration that comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression. But we must take the first step and do it in the inspiration of God. If, however, we do something simply to overcome our depression, we will only deepen it. But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone. As soon as we arise and obey, we enter a higher plane of life.

BIBLE VERSES & DEPRESSION

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

You are my lamp O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. (2 Samuel 22:29)

Anyone who is among the living has hope. (Ecclesiastes 9:4)

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalms 9:9)

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Psalm 27:14)

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. (Psalm 34:18-19)

Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. (Psalm 107:13-16)

If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-34)

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God. (Psalm 43:5)

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (Psalm 62: 5)

Nevertheless God, that comforts, those that are depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;  And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more. (2 Corinthians 7:6-7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

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Faith, Our Stumbling Block

Faith is not an abstract thing. As Christian we must move forward with God until our faith becomes genuine, authentic, with not a shred of doubt. Faith will always be a mystery to unbelievers and we cannot blame them because they are in darkness. It becomes an alarming problem that needs to be addressed when we have been Christians for a while, yet faith is still elusive to us. Without faith, we cannot please God. Faith is a gift from God and He will never give you more until you use what you possess. Thus, faith will always be tested by God. The Israelites never understood that. You see, God has never changed, in the same way He tested the Israelites, He does the same for each one of us as well. Until God tests our faith to make it personal to us, we do not realize that what we call faith is more like “faith in our own beliefs” instead of faith in Him. Faith in our own belief is so strong and real that we can live a lifetime as Christian, never possessing the real thing yet we are not aware of it. But, once faith is tested, it becomes tangible; it is no longer an abstract or just sentimentality. Faith really needs to be anchored down in the person of Jesus Christ. Every time He increases our faith, three things will happen. The first one is that we know him more intimately. The second thing is that we know ourselves better, though His eyes. The third thing is that there will be another hurdle few months that the road to increase faith once more.  

When we read the Israelite’s story from Exodus to Joshua specifically, if you pay close attention you will notice that God would take the Israelites to a mountain top experience, then He would put them through a test. In essence what He was saying is this: “guys, I just revealed more of me to you, now show me that you believe that I am who I say I am”. Our problem which was also the problem of the Israelites, to pass the test of faith God put us through we need to step out of ourselves and it is hard to do when you are hurting and uncertain of what the next step is going to be. In the case of the Israelites, they knew God provided for them, but whenever difficulties aroused all they could think about what was going to happen to them. What God wanted from them was so they would say, “okay, we know you are God, so we are going to trust you and even if it means you are taking all that we possess but because we know who you are, it is well with our souls”. While it is hard to be in this frame of mind when you are being tested, however, it is not impossible.  

This is why this life we have in Him is a life that needs to be lived intentionally for Him. If not, we miss out on almost every cue that He presents to us. For us Christians, our faith is anchored in Christ and His Cross. It is Christ that has to keep getting bigger and bigger in our lives and as He gets bigger, our faith increases too. Answers for faith cannot be provided to us unless we go forward, possessing Him in every fiber of our being. There is no other way about it. We cannot know what is spiritual with common sense and spiritual blindness comes from disobedience. Christ cannot reveal anything to our soul, unless we are ready and have been prepared for it.

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Oswald Chambers Devotion for today

Faith or Experience?

. . . the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me —Galatians 2:20

We should battle through our moods, feelings, and emotions into absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus. We must break out of our own little world of experience into abandoned devotion to Him. Think who the New Testament says Jesus Christ is, and then think of the despicable meagerness of the miserable faith we exhibit by saying, “I haven’t had this experience or that experience”! Think what faith in Jesus Christ claims and provides— He can present us faultless before the throne of God, inexpressibly pure, absolutely righteous, and profoundly justified. Stand in absolute adoring faith “in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:30). How dare we talk of making a sacrifice for the Son of God! We are saved from hell and total destruction, and then we talk about making sacrifices!
We must continually focus and firmly place our faith in Jesus Christ— not a “prayer meeting” Jesus Christ, or a “book” Jesus Christ, but the New Testament Jesus Christ, who is God Incarnate, and who ought to strike us dead at His feet. Our faith must be in the One from whom our salvation springs. Jesus Christ wants our absolute, unrestrained devotion to Himself. We can never experience Jesus Christ, or selfishly bind Him in the confines of our own hearts. Our faith must be built on strong determined confidence in Him.
It is because of our trusting in experience that we see the steadfast impatience of the Holy Spirit against unbelief. All of our fears are sinful, and we create our own fears by refusing to nourish ourselves in our faith. How can anyone who is identified with Jesus Christ suffer from doubt or fear! Our lives should be an absolute hymn of praise resulting from perfect, irrepressible, triumphant belief.

The Mark of Spiritual Insecurity

When we call ourselves Christians and never move forward with God, we remain in our immaturity stage, we usually associate with people who share our beliefs, our ways, behavior and our attitude toward Him.  We feel comfortable among people who accept our worldview style of faith. We feel accepted, valued, affirmed, and there is no pressure to move forward in spiritual maturity. Sadly, the only encouragement they receive is to remain in their infantile state. They go through life avoiding anyone or Church who would challenge them to get out of their delusion. Spiritually insecure people do not even like churches where their worldly views and lifestyles are not validated they do not feel they fit in.

Spiritual insecurity is about living in bondage. It causes us to sacrifice our relationships with our spouses, children, coworkers and friends just for the sake of being validated. It eats away the joy of life because you are forced to live a life where you are constantly self-conscious, always defensive, and anxious. It goes as far as leading to depression. Spiritually Insecure people tend to create an atmosphere that fosters unnecessary conflicts. There is a reason for it. They don't only use people to achieve their end, they also depend on other  people who makes up their little community to validate them, constantly reassure them so they can feel loved and accepted. When people around them do not respond in an expected way, they are driven to self pity, they feel the pain; they feel weak and out of control. Some of them often lashed out. What it all boils down to, it is about feeding and appeasing their fragile ego.

How then do we deal with spiritual insecurity? We learn to deal with spiritual insecurity by first of all learning to separate our fear from reality. Living in a state of spiritual insecurity is choosing a life of sin. The fact that we live in fear of not being loved and accepted says that we do not trust God’s Word because His Word tells us that there is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear.  When we feel tempted to act out we can turn to Him for strength to overcome because the scriptures tell us that God always provide a way out when we are tempted. We got to keep in mind when we live with anxiety He is not being honored, and the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. We learn to surrender to Him who is able to do more than we can possibly imagine. We stop being afraid, let Him change us and build our characters. Once our identity is anchored in Him, we no longer depend so much on someone else to make us happy, we find strength and power to live freely and we know we can let go of the fear that controls us as we learn to live in Him moment by moment. 

PRAYER: Father God your grace is enough to take us through all that we need. Yet we have a hard time trusting you for the journey. We have a hard time letting go and embrace who you are in your love, your majesty and sovereignty. I pray that you would move us to a place where we would want to be free, free from Satan’s reign, free from his chains, and free to love and serve you. Teach us to see ourselves through your eyes so we can be encouraged to walk with you and forsake all that offends you. 

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There was Never a Choice for True Christians in the US Election

I scoured the internet almost in vain, during and after the US election in the hope that I would find Christians willing to stand alone.  I know the hard way that standing alone is never easy but I expected to see the true Christians in North America taking a firm stand not for mere appearances but for God’s sake.  In these days and age it seems like every cause is louder than true Christianity. While we are called by God to be all things to all men and to yield to others, we have also been taught not to stand with man in their sins.

It has been painstaking all throughout the US presidential election as I watched one Christian after another taking a stand for Christianity through Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. Don’t get me wrong, we are all called to do our civic duty to vote. But, when you hear that Christians voted because they found one or the other candidate somewhat more pleasing to God you know Christianity has become a travesty and the diluted Gospel has permeated the hearts of North Americans “Christians.”  2 Corinthians 10: 12 say: “we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”  

It is awfully sad when you find some people who are considered to be a pillar of the Christian community like Franklin Graham not making the difference either. He has chosen to speak out through various ways. One of them was the OpEdNews, in an article written by Dr. Brasch an award-winning syndicated columnist, the Grahams told the Christian community what was the Christian things to do, (I paraphrased there) yet cowardly hide behind words expressed through their spokesman that he and his father did not endorse neither candidate.  “However, Billy Graham reportedly told Romney he would do "all I can to help you," and removed Mormonism from a list of cults on one of their web pages. In February, Franklin Graham, who earns about $600,000 a year as head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, declared that Obama had plans to create "a new nation without God or perhaps under many gods." Here is the link to the full article. It is like saying, I do not endorse anyone but read my words and observe my actions. When I put everything into context, I realize the Grahams, mainly Franklin do not think much of the people who see them as leaders.  My personal opinion they missed out on a great opportunity to educate those who believe in them as leaders and pillars of the Christian community. But, then again we can only lead as far as we have been with Him.

In the end the choice was between two men holding partial Christian beliefs and while they look great in our human eyes, spiritually speaking none of these two men have their identities grounded in Christ. Anyone with an ounce of Godly wisdom can tell you that.  Now this is not to say this might not happen to them one day, before they die. But for now that is not the case. If anything I would be inclined to say that both of these men hold something very common with most of us living in the western culture is that they believe in their own beliefs much more than believing in Christ. After all the Bible tells us in Matthew 7:15-16 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?”

President Obama lost clarity of moral fortitude; he ended up sacrificing his principles to hold onto power. As for Mitt Romney, he changes spots like a chameleon to reflect the mood and ambient temperature. The man cannot tell a truth from a lie how did he end up being a Christian choice is beyond me and deeply sad. Unless we look at sin as if it was a pimple instead of what it is in God’s eyes. Both men political standards say who they are, what they believe in, and what they are made up inside. Fundamentally these two men have immoral characters.

We know Christianity is in big trouble when you have a “The Rev. Jerry Priscano, a Catholic priest from Erie, Pa., said Obama was the anti-Christ.” This quote also has been taken from the OpEdNews article as stated in the paragraph above. When I read the comments of this Catholic priest it makes me almost want to say: ‘look who's calling the kettle black.’

Quote from the Fellowship of The Unashamed: “…. I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals! …. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops. And when He comes to get His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

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