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they do this? Will they persevere in this warfare? Will they be careful
to depart from all iniquity? Christ is denied in many ways. We may
deny Him by speaking contrary to truth, by speaking evil of others, by
foolish talking or jesting, or by words that are idle. In these things we
manifest but little shrewdness or wisdom. We make ourselves weak;
our efforts are feeble to resist our great enemy, and we are conquered.
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” and through
lack of watchfulness we confess that Christ is not in us. Those who
hesitate to devote themselves unreservedly to God make poor work of
following Christ. They follow Him at so great a distance that half the
time they do not really know whether they are following His footprints
or the footsteps of their great enemy. Why are we so slow to give up
our interest in the things of this world and take Christ for our only
portion? Why should we wish to keep the friendship of our Lord’s
enemies, and follow their customs, and be led by their opinions? There
must be an entire, unreserved surrender to God, a forsaking and turning
away from the love of the world and earthly things, or we cannot be
Christ’s disciples.
The life and spirit of Christ is the only standard of excellence and
perfection, and our only safe course is to follow His example. If we do
this He will guide us by His counsel and afterward receive us to glory.
We must strive diligently and be willing to suffer much in order to
walk in the footsteps of our Redeemer. God is willing to work for us,
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to give us of His free Spirit, if we will strive for it, live for it, believe
for it; and then we can walk in the light as He is in the light. We can
feast upon His love and drink in of His rich fullness.
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