MAN THE VEHICLE FOR EXHIBITING GOD'S PERFECTIONS.
Man was created for a purpose, and that purpose was to glorify his Creator
(Isa. 43:7). But man sinned and came short of the glory of God. The Lord,
that he may yet be glorified in the man, provides a way of redemption.
Through the redemption we have in Christ we can live to the glory of God.
This is God's purpose. The whole of life should be such as will glorify
the Creator, and all that we do should be done with that end in view.
help us. Living for God, honoring his Word, magnifying his name--this is
the duty of man. Awful responsibility! Oh, what carefulness it should work
in us. What vehement desire! what earnest seeking after God! that we may
live such a life.
Jesus was here in the world and was the light of the world. He had a human
body and in that body lived a life that glorified God. That was an
exemplary life. Such a life, and such a life only, is to the glory of God.
We must fashion our life after his if we would spend life as we should. To
know how Jesus lived is to know how we should live. Every life that is in
the likeness of Christ's life is accepted of God. No other life can be.
While Christ was here in the body, he was in the express image of the
Father. The true, holy character of God was revealed through Jesus' human
life to a lost and sinning world. God had done all he could to reveal his
true character to man by laws, ceremonies, and ordinances; but these were
only the shadow of the true life that was to be the light of the world.
Christ was both God and man. Having a physical form, which is visible, he
could set the holiness of God in plain view before the world. If you would
know the true life, look to Jesus.
But his life could be perfect only as it was given in sacrifice for man.
His life was holy because it was a life sacrificed to God. No life can be
possessed by God and used to his glory, that is not sacrificed to him.
Jesus gave himself as an offering and sacrifice to God for us (Eph. 5:2).
This left him without a body or human life through which to demonstrate
moral principle to the world. But now comes the command to man, "I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service." Rom. 12:1. God would have this human life of ours
offered up in sacrifice, so that we are no more ours but his. When we do
so, there will be a change, a great and wonderful change. That life will
no longer be worldly or in the course of ordinary earthly-minded men. It
will be a transformed life, a life in which God can live and do his will.
Through the sacrifice of Christ, God will take the sacrificed life of man
and possess it by his Spirit and again demonstrate moral principle to the
world. O man, that is your calling in life. You are the vehicle to convey
the perfections of God to an unbelieving world. Only an empty vessel for
God to fill with himself and use to his glory.
O man, consider thyself, and know thyself, the purpose for which thou wert
created, and the place which thou dost occupy in creation. Thou art no
mean creature. Thou art highest of all. God condescends to walk and talk
with thee. He upholds thee in his hand. Angels minister to thee. When thou
passest through the waters, God himself will be with thee so that they
shall not overflow thee, and when thou walkest through the fire, he will
walk with thee so that the flame shall not kindle upon thee; because thou
art precious in his sight and honorable, and he has set his love upon
thee. Thou art so precious to him that he gave his only begotten Son to
die to ransom thee.
In the vast created universe, what place does man occupy? He stands out as
a creature that bears the stamp of the divine image, a creature that is
endowed with eternity. The heavens shall pass away, but man shall be
forever. He was made capable of holding communion with the Creator. He
occupies the relationship with God as child with parent. Being made in the
likeness of God, he steps out upon the stage of the mighty universe to
play the highest and noblest part in the entire drama of created
existences. The songs of the morning stars as they sing together, pouring
their anthems into the ears of God, are not such sweet music as is the
voice of praise and adoration from the holy soul of man.
Man was created for the very highest purpose in the mind of God. He is
chosen to represent the divine character. On the stage men and women
represent certain characters. Man upon the great stage of life is selected
to represent the holy character of God. Oh, that he might play his part
well! He who occupies the highest and most responsible part in this
wonderful play of the universe will sink to the lowest shame and disgrace
if he fails. The eyes of earth, heaven, and hell were turned upon man as
he stepped out to play his part. A garden eastward in Eden was selected as
the ground of exhibition. It was whispered throughout the corridors of the
universe, "Will he succeed? Will he play his part well?" Ah, the sad
story! He failed and he fell, bringing a world into shame and disgrace,
causing angels to weep and God to repent that he had ever made him.
But heaven's love was set upon him, and God sought a way whereby the
fallen man could be lifted from his low, degraded plane to the high
position he once occupied. After searching heaven through, God found but
one way for man's redemption, but one price to pay. Would he pay it? He
called his Son, his only Son, and pointed out to him the fallen condition
of man, and how He was robbed of glory and devils were rejoicing. The
Father said to his Son, "Only thy entering into that lower world in the
likeness of sinful flesh and suffering and dying can redeem man." The Son
replied, "I will go. I will suffer. I will lay down my life that man may
be restored to his former position, so that he can again take up the part
he was to play." The price was paid; the plan of man's redemption was
effected; the divine image was again stamped upon the man, so that in
Christ Jesus he could again come out and in his life's play reveal the
character of God to the world.
Reader, this brings us down to your day and mine. We have our part to play
in life. That part is to display the divine perfections. Through Christ
this is possible. Oh, what responsibility! Will we play our part well?
Again the eyes of earth, heaven, and hell are turned upon us. The apostle
says, "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men."
1 Cor. 4:9. "Men" includes both good and bad; likewise the term "angels"
includes both good and bad angels. So, as I have said, earth, heaven, and
hell are spectators. To live life as it should be lived is to act out our
part upon the stage of life in such a way as to honor God and demonstrate
his character before this mighty host of spectators.
Such is man. Through him the righteous character of God is made visible to
the world. God himself is invisible; but since he comes into our heart and
life, and since our life is physical and visible, his holiness becomes
visible in our holy living. This is how to live. He who lives on a lower
plane than perfect holiness is not living to God's requirements.
God did not redeem man at such a great price merely for man's sake. He
redeemed him for his own glory. Redeemed man is God's purchased
possession, that 'he should show forth the virtues of him who hath called
him out of darkness into his marvelous light' (see marginal reading of 1
Pet. 2:9). Here again we learn that the mission of man is to show forth in
his daily life the true, holy virtues of his Maker and Redeemer. This
should be the first business of our life--living solely, purposely, and
earnestly for God. We are beings in whom God dwells and through whom God
is to display his own holy perfections. This is wonderful; this is
weighty. There is, I repeat, great responsibility on man. But unless he
feels it, he will never fill to the full the measure of life. Oh, how
delighted is the loving heart of God to find in this world a being in whom
he can dwell and through whom he can reveal his own beautiful life! Shall
we yield ourselves to him? Shall we invite him into our hearts? Shall we
consecrate our lives to him that he may hide our life in his life? Yes,
dear Lord, we are thine, wholly thine, now and forever. Take full
possession; live in us; reign in our hearts; use every faculty of our
beings to thy own glory. Thy will be done in us and with us as it is done
in heaven.
Jesus will gather his holy angels before him and address them thus: "Do
you behold Brother--? He is a pilgrim and stranger down there in the
earth. He is my child. I have washed him in my blood and clothed him with
the beautiful garments of salvation. His heart is pure and full of love.
He is dead to sin and the world. He loves my will, and his daily meat and
drink is to do it. He loves my Word and has hid it in his heart. He keeps
all my commandments. He seeks my glory. He often communes with me. He is
fervent in spirit and zealous in good works. His good deeds and prayers I
bottle up here in heaven, See that beautiful mansion yonder with its gates
of gold and walls of jasper, its floors of transparent glass, its
corridors of chalcedony, and colonades of topaz and beryl. That mansion is
to be his home when his pilgrimage in that under-world is done. By his
holy walk and devoted life he is now confessing me before men, and I take
great delight in telling you that he is my child and in confessing him
before you and my Father on his throne. Just as I have said in my Word, he
that will confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father and
the holy angels."
Redeemed man is a light in the world. In the darkness of this world he is
a dispeller of gloom. His life shines, shedding its peaceful rays of light
wherever he goes.
Man's life, when meeting the fullest purpose of God, is used as a
magnifying-glass through which others may look and see the beauties of
divine perfections. Alas! it is to be lamented that the life of many who
profess to be followers of Jesus is such that it blurs the perfections of
God.
In concluding this chapter, let me give you a few rules for daily living--
rules which, if followed, will make your life a conveyancer of light,
peace, and holiness from God to the world.
Live such a life that the pure and devoted will be pleased to have you
come again.
Live so near to God that every man that meets you is made a little better
by having met you.
Live such a life each day that the world can see in you the true way of
life.
Be such a light that others can see the way to walk.
More
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A VALUABLE LEGACY.
A legacy is a gift that some one makes to another; usually something that one leaves behind, when departing from this world, for others to enjoy. Some have left great sums of money to others and to institutions, and these bequests have been called... A VIEW OF JESUS.
Let us take a look at Jesus. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may unveil him and present him to us clearly. Now we see him. We see him as our all and as in all. Can you see him thus? Is he everything to you? and is he in everything that comes to y... ALONE WITH GOD.
This life of ours will never be all that it should be unless we are much alone with God. Only those who are oft alone with him know the benefit that is derived therefrom. You can not be like God unless you are much with him, and you can not live l... BE DOERS OF THE WORD.
I want to remind you again that the mission of this little volume is to teach you how to live. The life beyond depends on the life here. Let me emphasize what I have repeatedly said before: to live as we should, we must live by every word of God. ... CONSIDER THE LILIES.
What a beautiful lesson Jesus has taught us of rest and quietness from the lilies! "Consider the lilies of the field," he says, "how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin." He is trying to teach us how free we can be--free from all earthl... DEVOTION TO GOD.
Devotion to God implies ardent affection for him--a yielding of the heart to him with reverence, faith, and piety in every act, particularly in prayer and meditation. We catch a glimpse of the true meaning of devotion from what is said of the cent... DEVOTIONAL READING.
A person may almost be known by the books he reads. If he habitually reads bad books, we can pretty safely conclude that he is a bad man; on the other hand, if he habitually reads religious books, we can reasonably presume that he is a religious m... GENTLENESS.
Fruit-bearing trees are used in the Scriptures to represent the race of mankind. The Savior likens the wicked to "corrupt trees," which bear evil fruit and the righteous to "good trees" which bear good fruit (Matt. 7:15, 20). He also teaches very ... GODLY LIVING.
When some one is spoken of as living a worldly life, it is meant that he lives in a worldly manner, or in a manner like the world. Likewise, when some one is spoken of as living a godly life, it is meant that he lives in a godly manner, or in a ma... HE CARETH FOR THEE.
Life will never be successful unless we learn to let God care for us. Unless we have faith to know that God is our keeper and that hence we have nothing to fear, we shall never be the cheer and sunlight in this dark world that God designed us to b... HOW TO KEEP THE WORD OF GOD IN THE HEART.
Since keeping the Word of God in the heart is the only way to successful Christian living, you will at once want to know how to keep it in the heart. The Word is kept in the heart the same as food is kept in the body. The food is eaten, and then b... HOW TO LIVE THE CHRISTLIFE.
Man can not naturally live the Christ-life. But Christ has promised to come into our hearts and live in us. In order that we may have Christ dwell in our hearts and that we may live his life, there must be a giving up of our self-life. There must ... HOW TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S WILL.
In order to do God's will we must first know his will. In order to have real satisfaction, rest, and contentment in the Christian life--and there is no true rest outside the Christian life--we must have the full assurance that we are doing the wil... HOW WE MAY LIVE AS THE BIBLE READS.
It is just as natural and easy for a Christian to live the Christian life as it is for a sinner to live a sinful life. The sinner needs make no effort to live a sinful life; he lives it naturally and easily. Life proceeds from the heart. The heart... INTRODUCTION.
We have only one life to live, only one. Think of this for a moment. Here we are in this world of time making the journey of life. Each day we are farther from the cradle and nearer the grave. Solemn thought. See the mighty concourse of human live... KEEP THE ROOTS WATERED.
How often you admire a tree for the loveliness of its green foliage and the profusion of its luscious fruit. You speak to your friend of the beauty of the tree and of the goodness of God in bestowing such a gift to men; but perhaps you do not spea... KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS A TEST OF LOVE.
We are commanded to love God. It is the first and greatest commandment. Love is more than an emotion; it is an act of the will. A mother loves her child constantly, though she may not always experience the emotions of love. Her care for her child ... KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS.
God's Word is pure. Heaven itself and the great white throne is no more pure than the Word of God. That life may be pure, it must be in sweet harmony with the blessed Bible. A life that is lived in obedience to the Bible is as pure as the Bible. S... LIVE BY FAITH.
Live by faith. There is no other true and right way to live. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and of course the life that pleases God is the only life that is perfect. We can please God; we can walk each day in a way that is pleasing ... LUKEWARMNESS.
A lukewarm life is a displeasure to God; he would have us to be fervent in spirit. God is pleased with us when we are lively stones, but not when we are formal and lukewarm. A lukewarm state is a dangerous state. One very dangerous thing about it ... MAN THE VEHICLE FOR EXHIBITING GOD'S PERFECTIONS.
Man was created for a purpose, and that purpose was to glorify his Creator (Isa. 43:7). But man sinned and came short of the glory of God. The Lord, that he may yet be glorified in the man, provides a way of redemption. Through the redemption we h... OUR LIFE IS TO ADORN THE GOSPEL.
To adorn is to make attractive, to beautify. We are exhorted by the apostle Paul to adorn the doctrine of the New Testament by our every-day life. This thought should be a powerful incentive to close living with God and assiduously keeping all of ... PRAYER.
A work of this nature would be inexcusable for not saying something about prayer, for who can live life triumphantly without prayer? Who can properly estimate the true worth of prayer or rightly appreciate the privilege of prayer? Man esteems it a... PRAYERFUL REMEMBRANCE.
At evening time when dark'ning shades draw nigh And flickering rays of light go chasing by, When all around glad nature sweetly sings And seems you hear the sound of angel's wings, Some one in memory may be brought to thee. Maybe s... PREFACE.
If the reading of this little book encourages any on their pilgrim way; if it arouses them to greater diligence; if it creates in them a stronger desire to live more like Christ; if it gives them a better understanding of how to live,--this poor s... SHUT THE DOOR.
It is as impossible to live and prosper spiritually without prayer as it is to live and prosper physically without food. Those who enjoy a close walk with God and have power with him are those who pray. Natural abilities and intellectuality can ne... SOME USE TO JESUS.
O Christ, the way, the truth, the life, Keep me safe mid the raging strife; Help me a warrior brave to be And take the battle-field for thee. I fear not the swift arrow's power Since thou art my high, strong-built tower; The dar... SOMETHING TO DO.
There is so much to do that every one is needed to help in doing it. In this great, busy world of life there is something for every one to do. The command is, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Think over these words for a ... SORROWFUL YET ALWAYS REJOICING.
This world is sometimes called "the vale of tears." Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation," but he also said, "In me ye shall have peace." The way to heaven is through tribulations. Those whom John saw standing before the throne and ... SPIRITUAL DRYNESS.
We often meet with those who complain of dryness and deadness in their worship. They are very unlike the Psalmist's picture of the "blessed man." "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;... STEADFASTNESS.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Cor. 15:58. Steadfastness is an essential principle in Christian character. There can be no success nor prosperity in the Christian life when... TENDERNESS.
In order for life to be what it should, it must flow from a heart full of tenderness. This is that quality of soul which enables us to give kind attention to others, to be willing and eager to do good, to exercise great carefulness to give no offe... THE BIBLE WAY.
If the Bible had not been given us, we should not always know the way that Jesus walked. But he has given us his Word. The way of the Bible is the way of Christ, and is therefore the true path of life. O pilgrim to the heavenly kingdom, the Word o... THE BLESSEDNESS OF OBEYING GOD'S WORD.
Everything is said in the Scriptures that can be said to show us the need of living in harmony with the Bible. If our lives are out of harmony with one text in that blessed book, we are not yet fitted for heaven. We can never be admitted into the ... THE CHRISTIAN AN EPISTLE OF CHRIST.
The life we live is being read. We are not going through the world unnoticed. Some one is looking on, and some one is to some extent fashioning his life after ours. Our life each day is being written down in some one's memory. My own dear children... THE CHRISTIAN IS TO WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly." Eph. 5:15. To walk circumspectly is to walk cautiously; to look where one is stepping; to be vigilant, watchful, diligent, attentive. Be our pathway ever so light, if we do not look where we are stepping, we ... THE CHRISTIAN WALK.
Life is termed a walk in the Scriptures. Where they say that we ought to walk as Jesus walked, they have reference to our manner of life. The way in which a Christian walks is called the way of life. It is called the way of life because it leads t... THE CHRISTIAN'S WALK A WALK WITH GOD.
"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." Micah 6:8. The life of Enoch is descriptive of the Christian's life, and it is said that he "... THE GOLDEN RULE OF LIFE.
"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them like wise." Luke 6:31. This is a good rule for every-day living. It is known throughout the Christian world as "The Golden Rule." It has great depths. It contains more no doubt than an... THE HEAVENLY WAY.
There is a heaven. There is a place of rest and happiness. I have not gone to heaven, but heaven has come to me; therefore I know there is a heaven. Many who have eaten oranges have never been in a land where oranges grow, but these persons know t... THE LATEST IMPROVED.
As we walk along the streets of villages and cities, we see machines of different kinds exposed to view and bearing a card with these words: "The Latest Improved." For our life to be perfect every day, it must be our latest improved. The world is ... THE MODEL LIFE.
In doing anything, it is always well to have a model by which to fashion our work. In fact, nothing is done without a pattern, either real or imaginary. The little boy making a toy has in in his mind a model by which he is framing his work. Likewi... THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH CHRIST THROUGH OBEDIENCE.
The reason why it is more blessed to obey the Word of God than to be the mother of Jesus is obvious. Spiritual things are higher than physical things. Spiritual relation is closer than natural relation. Brotherhood in Christ is closer than brother... THE WARFARE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
It is blessed and glorious to be a Christian. No other life is so beautiful and pure; no other life is so tranquilly peaceful; no other is so full of rest, happiness, and satisfaction. The Christian, however, does not go to heaven on flowery beds ... THE WAY THE SAIL IS SET.
I stood beside the open sea; The ships went sailing by; The wind blew softly o'er the lea; The sun had cloudless sky. Some ships sailed eastward, some sailed west, Some north, some southward trend. How can ships sail this w... TIMELINESS IN DOING GOOD.
To spend well this one brief life of ours, we must be active in doing good. This we have already learned. But not only should we be active in doing good, but we should do the good act when the act will be most helpful. Do the good deed when the go... UNDER THE FIGTREE.
In the beginning of his ministry Christ called to Philip to follow him. Upon being called Philip went in search of Nathanael to tell him that he (Philip) had found the Christ. Nathanael was somewhat doubtful, but at Philip's invitation he went to ... WHO ARE THE WISE?
Who is a foolish man? It is a man who hears the sayings of Jesus and fails to do them. He is likened to a man who was foolish enough to build his house upon the sand. This man would better not have built at all, for the cost of building was lost. ...