"God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness" (Heb. 12:10).
God does not afflict His children willingly. He takes no delight in seeing our tears - or hearing our groans. But He does take delight in doing us good, making us holy, conforming us to His own image, and fitting us to dwell in His own presence.
He treats us as the sculptor does the marble under his hand, which from a rough unsightly mass, he intends to carve into a splendid statue - a glorious work of art. Every application of the chisel, every blow of the mallet, is to strike off some bit of the stone, which must be removed to bring out the figure in perfection, which he designs to form.
In our case, how much is necessary to be struck off from our corrupt nature, before we can be brought into that form and beauty which it is the intention of the divine Craftsman that we should bear. How much pride, vanity, carnality, worldly-mindedness, self-sufficiency, independence, creature-love, earthly dependence; must be removed by each blow of the mallet, and each cut of the chisel, before the beauties of holiness, humility, meekness, heavenly-mindedness; and all the graceful proportions and features of His own image, can be exhibited in us.
~John Angell James~
(The End)
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A Lamb With A Wolf's Head!
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).
Christians should excel in the manifestation of Christ's character. The The mind which was in Jesus, should be in them. They should consider His character as a model of their own; and be conspicuous for their poverty of spirit, meekness, gentleness and love.
It is matter of surprise and regret, that many people seem to to think that Christianity has nothing to do with character! And that provided they are free from gross sins, and have lively feelings in devotional exercises, they may be as petulant, irritable, and implacable as they please! This is a dreadful error, and has done great mischief to the cause of God!
A sour, ill-natured Chritian, is like a lamb with a wolf's head! Or like a dove with a vulture's beak!
If there be any one word which above all others should describe a Christian's character, it is that which represents his divine Father; and as it is said, that "God is love", so should it be also affirmed, that a Christian is love - love embodied, an incarnation of love! His words, his conduct, his very looks - should be so many expressions of love!
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us!" (Eph. 4:32; 5:2).
~John Angell James~
(The End)
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As To Your Opponent
As to your opponent, I wish, that, before you set pen to paper against him, and during the whole time you are preparing your answer, you may commend him by earnest prayer to the Lord’s teaching and blessing. This practice will have a direct tendency to conciliate your heart to love and pity him; and such a disposition will have a good influence upon every page you write. If you account him a believer, though greatly mistaken in the subject of debate between you, the words of David to Joab, concerning Absalom, are very applicable: “Deal gently with him for my sake.” The Lord loves him and bears with him; therefore you must not despise him, or treat him harshly. The Lord bears with you likewise, and expects that you should shew tenderness to others, from a sense of the much forgiveness you need yourself. In a little while you will meet in heaven; he will then be dearer to you than the nearest friend you have upon earth is to you now. Anticipate that period in your thoughts; and though you may find it necessary to oppose his errors, view him personally as a kindred soul, with whom you are to be happy in Christ for ever. But if you look upon him as an unconverted person, in a state of enmity against God and his grace, (a supposition which, without good evidence, you should be very unwilling to admit,) he is a more proper object of your compassion than of your anger. Alas! “he knows not what he does.” But you know who has made you to differ. If God, in his sovereign pleasure, had so appointed, you might have been as he is now; and he, instead of you, might have been set for the defence of the Gospel. You were both equally blind by nature. If you attend to this, you will not reproach or hate him, because the Lord has been pleased to open your eyes, and not his. Of all people who engage in controversy, we, who are called Calvinists, are most expressly bound by our own principles to the exercise of gentleness and moderation. If, indeed, they who differ from us have a power of changing themselves, if they can open their own eyes, and soften their own hearts, then we might with less inconsistence be offended at their obstinacy; but if we believe the very contrary to this, our part is, not to strive, but in meekness to instruct those who oppose, “if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth.” If you write with a desire of being an instrument of correcting mistakes, you will of course be cautious of laying stumbling-blocks in the way of the blind, or of using any expressions that may exasperate their passions, confirm them in their prejudices, and thereby make their conviction, humanly speaking, more impracticable.
~John Newton~
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