If even the end
of your tongue, or one cent of your money, or a straw's weight of
false ambition, or spirit of dictation, or one ounce of your
reputation, or will, or believing powers be left off the altar,
you can no more believe than a bird without wings can fly.
"'Only believe' is only for those seekers of holiness who are
truly converted, fully consecrated, and crucified to everything
but the whole will of God. Teachers who apply this to people who
have not yet reached these stations need themselves to be taught.
All who have reached them may believe, and if they do believe,
may look God in the face, and triumphantly sing:
"'The blood, the blood is all my plea,
Hallelujah, for it cleanseth me.'"
II. _The Experience_.--Simply to be skilled in the doctrine
is not sufficient for us as leaders. We may be as orthodox as St.
Paul himself, and yet be only as "sounding brass and clanging
cymbals," unless we are rooted in the blessed experience of
holiness. If we would save ourselves and them that follow us, if
we would make havoc of the Devil's kingdom and build up God's
kingdom, we must not only know and preach the truth, but we must
be living examples of the saving and sanctifying power of the
truth. We are to be "living epistles, known and read of all men";
we must be able to say with Paul, "follow me as I follow Christ";
and "those things which ye learned and received and heard and saw
in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185