The Way of Holiness---Application of Holiness

APPLICATION OF HOLINESS IN THREE USES

By Jonathan Edwards, 1722

"A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there." Isaiah 35:8-9

INFERENCEIf it be so that none but those that are holy are in the way to heaven, how many poor creatures are there that think they are in the way to heaven who are not? There are many that think that they are undoubtedly in the way to heaven, and without question shall enter there at last, who have not the least grain of true holiness, that manifest none in their lives and conversations, of whom we may be certain that either they have no holiness at all, or that which they have is a dormant, inactive sort—which is in effect to be certain that there is none. There are a great many others that are not so distinctly and plainly perceived, that have nothing but what is external, the shell without the kernel. Vast multitude are of these two kinds.

What a pitiable, miserable condition are they in--to step out of this world into an uncertain eternity, with an expectation of finding themselves exceedingly happy and blessed in the highest heaven--and all at once find themselves undeceived, and sinking in the bottomless pit!

TRIALIf none are in the way to heaven but those that are holy, let us try and examine ourselves by this doctrine to see whereabouts we are, and see whether or not we are in the way to heaven. To know which way we are going, whether towards heaven or hell; for if we think ourselves in the road to heaven, but are traveling to the place of torment all the while, and continue deceived, without doubt fire and brimstone will undeceive us! If we find ourselves in the broad way to destruction, how dare we stir a step further. If we would know whether we are holy or not, let us try ourselves by then five following things:

First. Meditate on the holiness of God, and see if you cannot see a conformity, a likeness in your mind. There is no likeness or comparison in degree—we speak not of that—but yet there is a likeness in nature between God and the soul of the believer he holy soul, when it thinks and meditates upon God's nature, finds a pleasure and delight, because there is an agreeableness in his new nature to the divine perfections. If those that think themselves in the way to heaven, that are unholy in the meantime in their hearts, would compare themselves and their nature to the holy nature of God--such a glorious light as the holiness of God would quickly discover their rottenness and unsoundness.

Second. See if you can see any resemblance in your life to the life of Christ. It is not supposed that ever any copy comes near to this original, nor ever will; but yet they may perceive whether the same spirit, the same temper and disposition, in a lesser degree--is in them, that was manifested by he life and conversation of Jesus Christ.

Third. Is there an agreeableness between your souls and the Word of God? The Bible is the epistle of Christ that he has written to us; now, if the same epistle is also written in our hearts that is written in the Scriptures, it may be found out by comparing. Have you love to all God's commands and a respect to them in your actions? Is it your delight to obey and hearken to the will of God? Do you obey them of choice? Is it what you would choose to do if God had not threatened to punish the breach of them?

Fourth. Do you find by a comparison a likeness and agreeableness between your hearts and lives, and the hearts and lives of those holy men that we are assured were such by the Word of God? Do you walk with God as Enoch did, or distinguish yourselves by your piety in the midst of wicked examples--as Noah did? And when you read the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets, wherein holiness is drawn to the life, you may viewing so exact a picture discover whether you have not the root of the matter in you, though it be much obscurer in you than in them. When we read the Psalms of David, we may clearly see what David's holiness was, by that spirit that is breathed there. When we read the Epistles of the apostles, we may know what is a truly evangelical spirit--and whether such a spirit reigns in our souls.

Fifth. Do you in a measure imitate the saints and angels in heaven? They spend their existence to the glory of God; they love him above all things, are delighted with the beauties of Jesus Christ, entirely love one another--and hate sin. And those that are holy on earth have also a resemblance and imitation of them--they are of an heavenly temper, of heavenly lives and conversions.

EXHORTATIONExhort all to holiness. You have heard what holiness is and of the necessity of it, the absolute necessity in order to escaping hell; what we must have or die forever, must be forever forsaken. Now, nothing is so necessary to us as holiness; other things may be necessary to discover this life, and things that are necessary men will strive for with all their might, if there is a probability of obtaining them. How much more is that to be sought after, without which we shall fare infinitely worse than die ten thousand deaths!

This is motive enough without any other; for what can be a greater motive than necessity? But besides that, if it were not necessary, the amiable and excellent nature of it. is enough to make it worthy the most earnest seeking after.

Holiness is a most beautiful, lovely thing. Men are apt to drink in strange notions of holiness from their childhood, as if it were a melancholy, morose, sour, and unpleasant thing. But there is nothing in it but what is sweet and ravishingly lovely. It is the highest beauty and amiableness, vastly above all other beauties. It a divine beauty, makes the soul heavenly and far purer than anything here on earth—this world is like mire and filth and defilement compared to that soul which is sanctified. It is of a sweet, lovely, delightful, serene, calm, and still nature. It is almost too high a beauty for any creature to be adorned with; it makes the soul a little, amiable, and delightful image of the blessed Jehovah. How may angels stand with pleased, delighted, and charmed eyes, and look and look with smiles of pleasure upon that soul that is holy!

Christian holiness is above all heathen virtues, of a more bright and pure nature, more serene, calm, peaceful, and delightsome. What a sweet calmness, what a calm ecstasy--does it bring to the soul! Of what a meek and humble nature is true holiness; how peaceful and quiet. How does it change the soul, and make it more pure, more bright, and more excellent than other beings!

Petty Wars Over Abstruse Points and Unimportant Questions 2/2

I resisted as much as I could yesterday not to make any comments on my blog post of August 3rd because it was from Charles Spurgeon and I kept saying to myself that it is complete, in need of nothing, especially from me.

But, this morning during my devotion time, I realized the same thing that God had put on my heart to add to the post yesterday was not only right there but had to come out. God confirmed it for me as I read Oswald Chambers devotion for August 4.  A few lines I read from the daily devotion, reminded me of what God taught me about man being caught up in unimportant questions arising from His doctrines, when in reality we have no business wasting precious times on earth, trying to decipher things that we understand mainly from our own point of view. Things that truly make no difference who’s wrong, who’s right just as long as we are living out the Christian life through  the Spirit and in God’s will.

A few years ago, when God was teaching me the abiding process, as usual, I was in a hurry and went before Him. I came across a controversial subject about whether Christians had two natures or one. Lots of eminent writers and pastors wrote about the subject. Apparently, the controversy started somewhere between fifty to sixty years ago. There is a group who believes that Christian have only one nature and another group who believes Christians have two natures. Because this was closely related to what God was going to teach me, I was getting immersed in reading as much as I could so that I could understand better how I am to walk with Him.

Those who believe that Christians have one nature writes their books from the point of view that all Christians should walk in the new nature that God has given us at the time of Salvation and some complex terminology of the word "nature".  Of course it makes sense, otherwise why would we need to be born again? Those who advocate that a Christian has two natures they based it mainly on Romans 7 where Paul was struggling with his two natures. Guess what? They are right too, because as long as we remain plain human beings, and God has not put His last touch on us to make us perfect, we will always have two natures.

God, realizing that I was wasting precious time to understand these two sides, felt the need to teach me the futility of trying to decipher who’s wrong and who’s right. Oswald Chambers said: “ The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.” He then said to me, does it really matter whether you find out you have one or two natures? Let’s say you finally settle the issue, what do you get out of it if your life is not right with me? Before I could answer He showed me the vanity of the head knowledge that I would possess that would make for great debates? Then, He showed me how both parties were right.

My dear brethren, I could try to explain it, but would never get it right because one would have to see the old nature and the new one we all possess on the inside, then see how Christ calls us to live out this life in the new nature to truly put it all together.  Suffice to say that both parties are right. As long as we are imperfect people, we will have these two natures. While there are books out there well written about how Paul who vacillated and struggled between the two natures in Romans 7, but, years after that, Paul learned to live in the spirit in the new nature, by faith. There he found peace and rest in his Saviour, hence the life in the Spirit we found being the theme of Romans 8.

Here is why both parties arguing about the one or two natures are wasting precious time.

ONE NATURE

Christians truly have one nature which is the new one God put into us at the moment of Salvation. God also knows as long as we are on this earth, we will fail Him and we will step out of the new nature to contend with the flesh. God showed me the purity of the new nature contains His very holiness and cannot be blemished with even the smallest sin. We need to be cleansed of our sins with the blood of Christ each time we walk away from Him and reconnect us to the oneness we have with Him.

TWO NATURES

As for those who argue about a Christian has two natures, they are also right, but in their mind, they do not understand that Paul had truly found rest and Romans chapter 7 was a part of his life that he left behind as he matured spiritually and learned to live in the Spirit. He also showed me that some Christians are so keen on living in the flesh, they found solace in Romans 7 and they do not want to let go, hence they enjoy knowing that Paul had the same problem too.

He taught me that it does not matter what I believe, as long as I step out of the new nature that I received when I was regenerated, there in the flesh, I am not walking with Him. There in the flesh I have taken a detour. There in the flesh, I could become so comfortable and let go of Him while I find comfort in backsliding. The new nature has been given to us to live in it. It is in the new nature that we find peace, rest, power, provision for the journey, strength to endure and so on. There in the new nature, we learn from the Spirit as we walk in faith, in Spirit. In the new nature, that is where the triune God dwells. There is a mystery that belongs only to God which explains the separation that takes place in us each time we sin.

Spiritually speaking, once you step out of your oneness with Him, through sinning, it looks like you are disconnected from your oxygen and your lungs need to get use of breathing the regular polluted oxygen that we breathe naturally every day. But, this polluted oxygen, instead of the air we breathe; spiritually speaking, it is us in our flesh as we fall back to the old nature.  He showed me the awareness we have when we first separate from Him, and how easy it is to get used to the flesh without Him. Explaining this experience in human words can never do justice to anything that we experience with God, we can only attempt to convey our spiritual experiences with human words.

The key thing He told me that should matter in my journey with Him is found in Matthew 6:33 “But, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." 

OSWALD CHAMBERS AUGUST 4TH DEVOTION

Petty Wars Over Abstruse Points and Unimportant Questions

Charles Spurgeon

"Be careful to devote yourself to good works." Titus 3:8

"Avoid foolish questions." Titus 3:9

Our days are few, and are far better spent in devoting ourselves to good works, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. Incessant discussion of subjects of no practical value, do a world of mischief. Our churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said—neither party is any the wiser! Therefore, the discussion no more promotes knowledge, than love! It is foolish to sow in so barren a field.

Questions upon . . .
  points wherein Scripture is silent;
  mysteries which belong to God alone;
  prophecies of doubtful interpretation;
  modes of observing mere human ceremonies
—are all foolish! Wise men will avoid them! Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions—but to avoid them altogether! If we observe the apostle's precept to be careful to devote ourselves to good works—we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business—to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings!

There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish—which we must not avoid—but fairly and honestly answer, such as these: 
  Am I growing in grace and Christ-likeness?
  Does my life adorn the doctrine of my Savior?
  What more can I do for Jesus?
Such inquiries as these, urgently demand our attention!

If we have been at all given to arguing and disputing, let us now turn to a service so much more profitable. Let us endeavor to lead others, both by our precept and example, to "avoid foolish questions."

Holiness—J. A. James 1846

"You ought to live holy and godly lives." 2 Peter 3:11

Holiness is a very comprehensive word, and expresses
a state of mind and conduct that includes many things.

Holiness is the work of the Spirit in our sanctification.

Holiness is the fruit of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Holiness is the operation of the new nature, which
we receive in regeneration.

Holiness may be viewed in various aspects, according
to the different objects to which it relates.

Toward God, holiness is . . .
  supreme love;
  delight in His moral character;
  submission to His will;
  obedience to His commands;
  zeal for His cause;
  seeking of His glory.

Toward Christ, holiness is . . .
  a conformity to His example,
  imbibing His spirit.

Toward man, holiness is . . .
  charity,
  integrity,
  truth,
  mercy.

Toward sin, holiness is a hatred of all iniquity,
a tender conscience easily wounded by little sins,
and scrupulously avoiding them; together with a
laborious, painful, self-denying, mortification of
all the known corruptions of our heart.

Toward self, holiness is . . .
  the control of our fleshly appetites;
  the eradication of our pride;
  the mortification of our selfishness.

Toward divine things in general, holiness is . . .
  spirituality of mind,
  the habitual current of godly thought,
  godly affections flowing through the soul.

And, toward the objects of the unseen world,
holiness is heavenly-mindedness, a turning away
from things seen and temporal, to things unseen
and eternal.

Oh, what a word is holiness! How much does
it comprehend! How little is it understood, and
how much less is it practiced!

Salvation by Grace!—Charles Spurgeon

from Spurgeon
No sinner will ever come to Christ apart from the quickening,
enlightening, drawing, converting power of the Holy Spirit,
supernaturally exercised upon the conscience and heart.

Until grace comes into our souls we have no heart for the things
of God. We may be fussily religious so far as to be attentive to
every 'outward form of worship'; but there is no heart-work, no
light of truth in all our devotion. But when once the divine light
comes in, then we become intensely real in our dealings with God.

When the grace of God comes, the Holy Spirit brings us out from
under the dominion of the old nature by creating within us a
new life, and he brings us out from under the tyranny of the
Prince of Darkness by opening our eyes to see, and our minds to
understand celestial truth. The opening of our blind eyes and
the pouring in of the light of truth are from the Lord.

The entrance of God's word into the mind by the power of the Holy
Spirit gives us light as to-- ourselves, our sin, and our danger.
With this comes light as to the way of salvation through Jesus
Christ, and light as to the mind of God concerning our
sanctification. True knowledge takes the place of ignorance,
and a desire for purity becomes supreme over the love of sin.

Not all the temptations of life, nor all the terrors of death,
nor all the furies of hell, shall prevent any soul upon whom God
has begun his work of grace from reaching eternal salvation.
What a blessing is this, and what a comfort it is!

"The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord."

The Hearing and Doing of The Word of God-Part 2/2

Luke 6:39-49

J. R. Miller

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers." This is very clear in the matter of trees. Nature never deviates from her fixed laws. No one expects to gather grapes off a bramble bush; nor does one ever find thorns growing on an apple tree. Every tree bears its own kind of fruit. The same is true of life. A bad heart does not make a good character; nor does it produce acts of beauty and holiness. It is a law of life that "as a man thinks in his heart—so is he."

We have it all here in the following verse. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart—his mouth speaks." The thoughts make the life. The temple rose in silence on Mount Moriah; no noise of hammer or ax being heard in the building all the time it was in rising, because down in the quarries under the hill, and in the shops in the valley, every stone and every piece of timber was shaped and fitted perfectly, before it was brought to be laid in its place.

Our hearts are the quarries and the workshops, and our thoughts are the blocks of stone and the pieces of timber which are prepared and are then brought up and laid in silence upon the temple-wall of our character. Think beautiful thoughts—and your life will be beautiful. Cherish holy impulses, unselfish feelings, gentle desires—and your conduct will show beauty, purity, and gentleness to all who see you.

The picture upon the canvas if first a dream, a thought in the artist's mind. Just so, all the lovely things we do have their birth in lovely thoughts within us. On the other hand, think unholy thoughts—and your life will be unholy; think impure thoughts—and your character will be stained and blotched; think bitter, unkind thoughts—and your life will be full of unkindness, resentment, and bitterness. No wonder that we are told in the Bible to "keep our heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life!" If we would be godly and live well, we must have our heart renewed by God's grace. If Christ lives in us, then all will be well.

"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Confession of Christ is a good thing—but unless the life corresponds, it is only a mockery! It is not enough to honor Christ before men, praying to Him and ascribing power and glory to Him. Jesus tells us that those alone shall enter heaven—who on earth obey the will of the Father who is in heaven. Every confession of Christ—must be confirmed and approved by obedience and holiness.

"Simply to Your cross I cling" is not all of the gospel of salvation; it is only half of it. No one is really clinging to the cross—who is not at the same time faithfully following Christ and doing whatever He commands. We never can enter heaven—unless heaven has first entered our heart. We shall do God's will in heaven when we get there; but we must learn to do it here on earth—or we never shall get there.

"I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice, is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." All turns on the doing—or not doing of Christ's words. Both the men hear the words of Christ—but one of them obeys, and thus builds upon the rock-foundation. The other hears—but does not obey, and builds upon the sand.

Both men built houses which were probably very much alike, so far as the appearance was concerned. But there were two kinds of ground in that vicinity. There was a wide valley which was dry and pleasant in the summer, when the men were looking for building sites. Then there were high, rocky bluffs. One man decided to build in the valley. It would cost less. The digging was easy, for the ground was soft. Then it was more convenient, for the bluffs were hard to reach. The other man looked farther ahead, and decided to build on high ground. It would cost far more—but it would be more safe. So the two homes went up at the same time, only the one in the valley was finished long before the other. At last the two families had settled in the two residences and were happy.

But one night there was a storm. The rain poured down in torrents, and floods swept down off the mountain. The house that was built in the valley was carried away with its dwellers. The house on the bluff was unharmed.

The illustration explains itself. He who has built in the valley is the man who has only professions—but has really never given his life to Christ, nor built on Him as a foundation. The man who built on the rock is the man who has true faith in Christ, confirmed by living obedience. The storms that burst—are earth's trials, and the tempest of death and judgment. The mere professor of religion, not a possessor, is swept away in these storms; for he has only sand under him. He who is truly in Christ is secure; for no storm can reach the shelter of Christ's love. It is a terrible thing to cherish a false hope of salvation throughout life, only to find in the end—that one has built upon the sand!

The Hearing and Doing of The Word of God

Luke 6:39-49

J. R. Miller

The Sermon on the Mount tells us the kind of people Christians should be. The Beatitudes

with which it opens, show us pictures of the character that is like God.

There is a legend which says that when Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden, an angel broke the gates into pieces, and the fragments flew all over the earth. The gems and precious stones which are picked up now in different parts of the world are these fragments of the paradise gates. It is only a fanciful legend—but it is true that in the Beatitudes, the Commandments, and other divine revealings of heavenly character we have fragments of the image of God which was on the man's soul at the beginning—but which was shattered when man fell. The Sermon on the Mount is full of these gleaming fragments. We should study them to learn God's thought for our lives. Some of these shining words we have in our present study.

The Master said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye—and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Luke 6:41. It is strange, how blind we can be to our own faults and blemishes; and how clearly at the same time we can see those of other people! A man can see a very small speck of dust in his neighbor's eye, while he is entirely unaware of the plank in his own eye. We would say that a plank in a man's eye would so blind him that he could not see the mote in his brother's eye. As Jesus expresses it, however, the man with the plank is the very one who sees the mote—and thinks himself competent to pull it out!

So it is in the common life. No man is so keen in seeing faults in another—as he who has some great fault of his own. A vain man—is the first to detect indications of vanity in another. A bad-tempered person—is most apt to be censorious toward another who displays irritability. One with a sharp, uncontrolled tongue—has the least patience with another whose speech is full of poisoned arrows. A selfish man—discovers little motes of selfishness in his neighbor. Rude people—are the first to be hurt by rudeness in others. If we are quick to perceive blemishes and faults in others—the probability is that we have similar and perhaps far greater faults in ourselves! This truth ought to make us exceedingly careful in our judgment, and modest in our expression of censure.

"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?" We do not know through what experiences our brother has passed, to receive the hurts and scars on his life which seems so ugly, so disfiguring, in our eyes. It would scarcely be in good taste for a dainty civilian, at the end of a day of battle, to criticize the soiled and torn garments and blood-stained face of the soldier just out of the struggle. We do not know through what fierce battles our brother has fought, when we look critically upon his character and note peculiarities which offend us. The marks which we call faults—may be but the scars received in life's hard battles, marks of honor, decorations of bravery and loyalty—if we only knew it.

If we knew the real cause of all that seems unlovely in those we meet, we would have more patience with them. "But is it not a kindness to a friend—to take the mote out of his eye?" someone asks. "If we meet a neighbor with a cinder in his eye, would it not be a brotherly thing to stop and take it out for him? Even if we have whole lump of coal in our eye at the same time, would it not be a kindly act for us to desire to relive our suffering fellow-man? Then it is not just as true a kindness, to want to cure another's fault, even though we have the same fault in more aggravated form in ourselves?"

If we did it in the right spirit—it would be. But the trouble is, that we are not apt to look at our neighbor's faults in this loving and sympathetic way. It is the self-righteous spirit that our Lord is here condemning. A man holds up his hands in horror at the speck he has found in his neighbor's character; and his neighbor sees in him—an immensely magnified form of the same speck! Will the neighbor be likely to be greatly benefitted by the rebuke he receives in these circumstances? Suppose a bad-tempered man lectures you on the sin of giving way to temper; or a dishonest man lectures you on some apparent lack of honesty; or a liar lectures you on the wickedness of falsehood; or a rude-mannered man lectures you on some little discourtesy of yours; or a hypocrite lectures you on insincerity; what good will such lectures do you, even admitting that you are conscious of the faults? "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye!" Luke 6:42