Abide With Me # 4

Abide With Me # 4

My dear friends, we live in stirring times, everything is full of life and vigor - except the Church of Christ, which ought to be more so than anything else. We hear of the outpouring of the Spirit, and of a great revival of religion in another land, and we need the same blessing in our own. Many seem to be impressed with this fact, and means are being used to obtain such a blessing. But is it not to be feared that many are looking to meetings, to excitement, and to the use of means - rather than to God? And is there not reason to fear that the feelings produced by exciting circumstances and startling news from abroad, will end with them? It is not mere excitement that we need - but something purer, deeper, and more spiritual. We may have physical excitement, mental excitement, and even spiritual excitement - and it may end in nothing. We need deep spirituality. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need abiding in Christ, that we may breathe the spirit of Christ, copy the example of Christ, and so be extensively useful in the cause of Christ.

Shall we have a revival of pure and undefiled religion? Shall we be instrumental in obtaining and bringing about such a blessed state of things? If so, we must attend to the following things:

First, we must be in Christ. Apart from Christ, without union to Him - we can do nothing in this matter. As poor sinners, we must feel our need of Christ, come to Christ, obtain salvation from Christ, and by faith and love be united to the person of Christ. No union to Christ - no grace, no spiritual life, no acceptance with God, or access with confidence to God. Without union to Christ, we have no power with God; and unless we have power with God, we shall have no power with man for spiritual and saving purposes.

Second, we must be intimate with Christ. We must live by faith in Him. We must walk with Him. We must carry everything to Him. We must seek all we need from Him. We must be constantly going to Christ, conversing with Christ, and obtaining from Christ.

The branch receives from the vine night and day, summer and winter; there is a constant communication from the root, through the trunk to the branches, and hence the buds, the blossoms, and the fruit.

Just so, there must be constant fellowship between Christ and our souls. The more we receive from Christ, the more we can do for Christ. This leads me to observe, 

Thirdly, that we must act for Christ. There are many things done by religious people, and in the cause of God - but they are not done for Christ. Jesus could not say, "You did it unto Me." We may act from pity - or from pride, for applause - or to satisfy conscience; but we should act for Christ. The glory of Christ should ever be our aim and end in all our religious actions. As all that Christ did, as the Saviour - He did for us; so all that we do as Christians - should be done for Him.

Now, unless we are in union with Christ, we cannot be intimate with Christ; so unless we are intimate with Christ, we shall not, in our efforts and endeavors to do good acts for Christ.

Fourth, we must be like Christ. We may possess His nature, for "if any man has not the Spirit of Christ - he is none of His." We must become His disciples, and learn of Him. We must copy His example, breathe His spirit, and imbibe His temper.

Every Christian should represent Christ in the world, in the family, and in the Church; and if we do not give a fair representation of Christ - we do not answer the end of our new creation.

Until we are more like Christ, it cannot be said of us, "You are manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ, written not with ink - but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone - but in the fleshy tables of the heart." O for grace to make us more like Christ!

Finally, we must receive the Holy Spirit from Christ. The Father promised to give His Holy Spirit to the Church. When the Son had finished His work on earth, He went up to Heaven, and received of the Father the promised Spirit. On the day of Pentecost He sent down that Spirit into His Church; and by the wisdom, power, and operations of that Spirit - sinners were converted, the Church increased, and believers were edified.

Now, the great thing we need for ourselves, is the Spirit in His fullness and in power. That fullness and power of the Spirit that we need must be obtained from Christ - but it can only be obtained by close walking with Christ.

~James Smith~

(continued with # 5)