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 of ease. His pathway is not strewn with
roses all the way; there is now and then a thorn. It is not sunshine all
the time; now and then a shadow falls. To win heaven he must fight. There
/>
are some things to oppose a Christian on his pilgrimage to the skies;
these he must contend against. The contending against those things
prepares him for his blissful home above.
"All things work together for good to them that love God." Heaven's
blessings and hell's venom, angels' smiles and Satan's frowns, comforts of
grace and spiritual wickedness, good and ill, love and hatred, all work
good to those who have union with God. It is the battle that disciplines
and makes strong and brave the warrior, and not the victory. We are
exhorted to "endure hardness as a good soldier." There are some things to
endure along the Christian way. James says, "Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation." Temptations are outward influences acting upon our
natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the
law of grace to satisfy self. We need not expect to be free from
temptations; therefore let us settle it that we will endure them. It is
really a blessed thing to endure them. You may think it would be a blessed
thing to be free from them, but such would not be the case. It is more
blessed to endure them. Temptations will never cease to attack the soul as
long as it inhabits this "muddy vesture of decay." Be brave, O soul, and
endure temptations. Be brave and fight the good fight of faith. Do not
faint because you have temptations. Do not fear because there are long and
fierce battles to fight. Be strong and of good courage. It is a life-long
struggle, and it is also a life-long victory, and in the end eternal
victory. Strong and well-developed spiritual sinews are the result of
resisted temptations.
It is not sinful to be tempted. We never lose any spirituality by being
tempted. It is the slight yieldings that cause a leaking, a loss of grace.
Clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look at your
beautiful glittering crown of life. It is not gold, neither crystal. Do
not look at it as such, but see it a crown of life. Yes, you will be
crowned with eternal life if you will but endure temptation. Think of this
in the hour of thy sore trial. Fight on; heaven awaits to reward you.