absolute surrender and other addresses

8/9/2019 Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses

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ABSOLUTE SURRENDER

and Other Addresses

By Andrew Murray

Contents:

Absolute Surrender

The Frut o! the S"rt #s Lo$e%

Se"arated unto the &oly 'host

(eter)s Re"entan*e

#+"ossble wth Man, (ossble wth 'od

O -ret*hed Man that # A+%

&a$n. Be.un n the S"rt%

/e"t by the (ower o! 'od

0e Are the Bran*hes%

1And Ben2hadad the 3n. o! Syra .athered all hs host to.ether: andthere were thrty and two 3n.s wth h+, and horses, and *harots:and he went u" and bese.ed Sa+ara, and warred a.anst t4 And hesent +essen.ers to Ahab 3n. o! #srael nto the *ty, and sad untoh+, Thus sath Ben2hadad, Thy sl$er and thy .old s +ne5 thy w$esalso and thy *hldren, e$en the .oodlest, are +ne4 And the 3n. o!#srael answered and sad, My lord, O 3n., a**ordn. to thy sayn., #a+ thne and all that # ha$e1 6# /n.s 78: 92;4

-hat Ben &adad as3ed was absolute surrender5 and what Ahab .a$ewas what was as3ed o! h+2absolute surrender4 # want to use thesewords: 1My lord, O 3n., a**ordn. to thy sayn., # a+ thne, and allthat # ha$e,1 as the words o! absolute surrender wth wh*h e$ery*hld o! 'od ou.ht to yeld h+sel! to hs Father4 -e ha$e heard t

be!ore, but we need to hear t $ery de!ntely 2 the *ondton o! 'od)sblessn. s absolute surrender o! all nto &s hands4 (rase 'od< #! our


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hearts are wlln. !or that, there s no end to what 'od wll do !or us,and to the blessn. 'od wll bestow4

Absolute surrender 2 let +e tell you where # .ot those words4 # usedthe+ +ysel! o!ten, and you ha$e heard the+ nu+berless t+es4 But n

S*otland on*e # was n a *o+"any where we were tal3n. about the*ondton o! Chrst)s Chur*h, and what the .reat need o! the Chur*hand o! bele$ers s5 and there was n our *o+"any a .odly wor3er whohas +u*h to do n trann. wor3ers, and # as3ed h+ what he wouldsay was the .reat need o! the Chur*h, and the +essa.e that ou.ht to

be "rea*hed4 &e answered $ery =uetly and s+"ly and deter+nedly:

1Absolute surrender to 'od s the one thn.41

The words stru*3 +e as ne$er be!ore4 And that +an be.an to tell how,n the wor3ers wth who+ he) had to deal, he !nds that ! they aresound on that "ont, e$en thou.h they be ba*3ward, they are wlln. to

be tau.ht and hel"ed, and they always +"ro$e5 whereas others whoare not sound there $ery o!ten .o ba*3 and lea$e the wor34 The*ondton !or obtann. 'od)s !ull blessn. s absolute surrender to&+4

And now, # desre by 'od)s .ra*e to .$e to you ths +essa.e 2 thatyour 'od n &ea$en answers the "rayers wh*h you ha$e o!!ered !orblessn. on yoursel$es and !or blessn. on those around you by thsone de+and: Are you wlln. to surrender yoursel$es absolutely nto&s hands> -hat s our answer to be> 'od 3nows there are hundredso! hearts who ha$e sad t, and there are hundreds +ore who lon. to

say t but hardly dare to do so4 And there are hearts who ha$e sad t,but who ha$e yet +serably !aled, and who !eel the+sel$es*onde+ned be*ause they dd not !nd the se*ret o! the "ower to l$ethat l!e4 May 'od ha$e a word !or all

And ! 'od sad that o! h+, wll not 'od say t !ar +ore o! e$ery *hldo! &s>Oh, # want to en*oura.e you, and # want you to *ast away e$ery !ear4Co+e wth that !eeble desre5 and ! there s the !ear wh*h says: 1Oh,+y desre s not stron. enou.h, # a+ not wlln. !or e$erythn. that+ay *o+e, # do not !eel bold enou.h to say # *an *on=uer e$erythn.1 2# "ray you, learn to 3now and trust your 'od now4 Say: 1My 'od, # a+

wlln. that Thou shouldst +a3e +e wlln.41 #! there s anythn.holdn. you ba*3, or any sa*r!*e you are a!rad o! +a3n., *o+e to'od now, and "ro$e how .ra*ous your 'od s, and be not a!rad that&e wll *o++and !ro+ you what &e wll not bestow4

'od *o+es and o!!ers to wor3 ths absolute surrender n you4 Allthese sear*hn.s and hun.ern.s and lon.n.s that are n your heart, #tell you they are the drawn.s o! the d$ne +a.net, Chrst esus4 &el$ed a l!e o! absolute surrender, &e has "ossesson o! you5 &e sl$n. n your heart by &s &oly S"rt4 0ou ha$e hndered andhndered &+ terrbly, but &e desres to hel" you to .et hold o! &+entrely4 And &e *o+es and draws you now by &s +essa.e and

words4 -ll you not *o+e and trust 'od to wor3 n you that absolutesurrender to &+sel!> 0es, blessed be 'od, &e *an do t, and &e wlldo t4

'od not only *la+s t and wor3s t, but 'od a**e"ts t when we brn.t to &+4

'od A**e"ts 0our Surrender

'od wor3s t n the se*ret o! our heart, 'od ur.es us by the hdden"ower o! &s &oly S"rt to *o+e and s"ea3 t out, and we ha$e to

brn. and to yeld to &+ that absolute surrender4 But re+e+ber,when you *o+e and brn. 'od that absolute surrender, t +ay, as !aras your !eeln.s or your *ons*ousness .o, be a thn. o! .reat+"er!e*ton, and you +ay doubt and hestate and say:

1#s t absolute>1

But, oh, re+e+ber there was on*e a +an to who+ Chrst had sad:1#! thou *anst bele$e, all thn.s are "ossble to h+ that bele$eth41

And hs heart was a!rad, and he *red out:1Lord, # bele$e, hel" thou +ne unbele!41


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That was a !ath that tru+"hed o$er the De$l, and the e$l s"rt was*ast out4 And ! you *o+e and say: 1Lord, # yeld +ysel! n absolutesurrender to +y 'od,1 e$en thou.h t be wth a tre+bln. heart and

wth the *ons*ousness: 1# do not !eel the "ower, # do not !eel thedeter+naton, # do not !eel the assuran*e,1 t wll su**eed4 Be not

a!rad, but *o+e @ust as you are, and e$en n the +dst o! yourtre+bln. the "ower o! the &oly 'host wll wor34

&a$e you ne$er yet learned the lesson that the &oly 'host wor3s wth+.hty "ower, whle on the hu+an sde e$erythn. a""ears !eeble>Loo3 at the Lord esus Chrst n 'ethse+ane4 -e read that &e,1throu.h the eternal S"rt,1 o!!ered &+sel! a sa*r!*e unto 'od4 The

Al+.hty S"rt o! 'od was enabln. &+ to do t4 And yet what a.onyand !ear and e?*eedn. sorrow *a+e o$er &+, and how &e "rayed

#n ths +atter o! surrender there are two: 'od and # 2 # a wor+, 'odthe e$erlastn. and o+n"otent eho$ah4 -or+, wll you be a!rad totrust yoursel! to ths +.hty 'od now> 'od s wlln.4 Do you not

bele$e that &e *an 3ee" you *ontnually, day by day, and +o+ent by+o+ent>

Mo+ent by +o+ent #)+ 3e"t n &s lo$e5Mo+ent by +o+ent #)$e l!e !ro+ abo$e4

#! 'od allows the sun to shne u"on you +o+ent by +o+ent, wthoutnter+sson, wll not 'od let &s l!e shne u"on you e$ery +o+ent>

And why ha$e you not e?"eren*ed t> Be*ause you ha$e not trusted'od !or t, and you do not surrender yoursel! absolutely to 'od n thattrust4

A l!e o! absolute surrender has ts d!!*ultes4 # do not deny that4 0es,t has so+ethn. !ar +ore than d!!*ultes: t s a l!e that wth +en sabsolutely +"ossble4 But by the .ra*e o! 'od, by the "ower o! 'od,

by the "ower o! the &oly S"rt dwelln. n us, t s a l!e to wh*h weare destned, and a l!e that s "ossble !or us, "rase 'od< Let us

bele$e that 'od wll +antan t4

So+e o! you ha$e read the words o! that a.ed sant who, on hsnneteth brthday, told o! all 'od)s .oodness to h+ 2 # +ean 'eor.eMuller4 -hat dd he say he bele$ed to be the se*ret o! hs ha""ness,and o! all the blessn. wh*h 'od had .$en h+> &e sad he bele$edthere were two reasons4 The one was that he had been enabled by.ra*e to +antan a .ood *ons*en*e be!ore 'od day by day5 the other

was, that he was a lo$er o! 'od)s -ord4 Ah, yes, a .ood *ons*en*e s*o+"lete obeden*e to 'od day by day, and !ellowsh" wth 'od e$eryday n &s -ord, and "rayer 2 that s a l!e o! absolute surrender44

Su*h a l!e has two sdes 2 on the one sde, absolute surrender to wor3

what 'od wants you to do5 on the other sde, to let 'od wor3 what &ewants to do4

Frst, to do what 'od wants you to do4'$e u" yoursel$es absolutely to the wll o! 'od4 0ou 3now so+ethn.o! that wll5 not enou.h, !ar !ro+ all4 But say absolutely to the Lord'od: 1By Thy .ra*e # desre to do Thy wll n e$erythn., e$ery+o+ent o! e$ery day41 Say: 1Lord 'od, not a word u"on +y ton.ue


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but !or Thy .lory, not a +o$e+ent o! +y te+"er but !or Thy .lory, notan a!!e*ton o! lo$e or hate n +y heart but !or Thy .lory, anda**ordn. to Thy blessed wll41So+eone says: 1Do you thn3 that "ossble>1

# as3, -hat has 'od "ro+sed you, and what *an 'od do to !ll a$essel absolutely surrendered to &+> Oh, 'od wants to bless you n away beyond what you e?"e*t4 Fro+ the be.nnn., ear hath not heard,nether hath the eye seen, what 'od hath "re"ared !or the+ that wat!or &+4 'od has "re"ared unheard2o!2thn.s, blessn.s +u*h +ore

wonder!ul than you *an +a.ne, +ore +.hty than you *an *on*e$e4They are d$ne blessn.s4 Oh, say now:

1# .$e +ysel! absolutely to 'od, to &s wll, to do only what 'odwants41

#t s 'od who wll enable you to *arry out the surrender4And, on the other sde, *o+e and say: 1# .$e +ysel! absolutely to 'od,to let &+ wor3 n +e to wll and to do o! &s .ood "leasure, as &e has"ro+sed to do41

0es, the l$n. 'od wants to wor3 n &s *hldren n a way that we*annot understand, but that 'od)s -ord has re$ealed, and &e wantsto wor3 n us e$ery +o+ent o! the day4 'od s wlln. to +antan ourl!e4 Only let our absolute surrender be one o! s+"le, *hldl3e, andunbounded trust4

'od Blesses -hen 0ou Surrender

Ths absolute surrender to 'od wll wonder!ully bless4-hat Ahab sad to hs ene+y, /n. Ben2hadad 2 1My lord, O 3n.,a**ordn. to thy word # a+ thne, and all that # ha$e1 2 shall we not sayto our 'od and lo$n. Father> #! we do say t, 'od)s blessn. wll *o+eu"on us4 'od wants us to be se"arate !ro+ the world5 we are *alled to*o+e out !ro+ the world that hates 'od4 Co+e out !or 'od, and say:1Lord, anythn. !or Thee41 #! you say that wth "rayer, and s"ea3 thatnto 'od)s ear, &e wll a**e"t t, and &e wll tea*h you what t +eans4

# say a.an, 'od wll bless you4 0ou ha$e been "rayn. !or blessn.4But do re+e+ber, there +ust be absolute surrender4 At e$ery tea2

table you see t4 -hy s tea "oured nto that *u"> Be*ause t s e+"ty,and .$en u" !or the tea4 But "ut n3, or $ne.ar, or wne nto t, and

wll they "our the tea nto the $essel> And *an 'od !ll you, *an 'odbless you ! you are not absolutely surrendered to &+> &e *annot4Let us bele$e 'od has wonder!ul blessn.s !or us, ! we wll but standu" !or 'od, and say, be t wth a tre+bln. wll, yet wth a bele$n.heart:


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1O 'od, # a**e"t Thy de+ands4 # a+ thne and all that # ha$e4 Absolutesurrender s what +y soul yelds to Thee by d$ne .ra*e41

0ou +ay not ha$e su*h stron. and *lear !eeln.s o! del$eran*es asyou would desre to ha$e, but hu+ble yoursel$es n &s s.ht, and

a*3nowled.e that you ha$e .re$ed the &oly S"rt by your sel!2wll,sel!2*on!den*e, and sel!2e!!ort4 Bow hu+bly be!ore h+ n the*on!esson o! that, and as3 h+ to brea3 the heart and to brn. younto the dust be!ore &+4 Then, as you bow be!ore &+, @ust a**e"t'od)s tea*hn. that n your !lesh 1there dwelleth no .ood thn.,1 andthat nothn. wll hel" you e?*e"t another l!e wh*h +ust *o+e n4

0ou +ust deny sel! on*e !or all4 Denyn. sel! +ust e$ery +o+ent bethe "ower o! your l!e, and then Chrst wll *o+e n and ta3e"ossesson o! you4

-hen was (eter del$ered> -hen was the *han.e a**o+"lshed> The*han.e be.an wth (eter wee"n., and the &oly 'host *a+e down and!lled hs heart4'od the Father lo$es to .$e us the "ower o! the S"rt4 -e ha$e theS"rt o! 'od dwelln. wthn us4 -e *o+e to 'od *on!essn. that, and"rasn. 'od !or t, and yet *on!essn. how we ha$e .re$ed the S"rt4

And then we bow our 3nees to the Father to as3 that &e wouldstren.then us wth all +.ht by the S"rt n the nner +an, and that&e would !ll us wth &s +.hty "ower4 And as the S"rt re$ealsChrst to us, Chrst *o+es to l$e n our hearts !ore$er, and the sel!2l!e s *ast out4

Let us bow be!ore 'od n hu+lty, and n that hu+lty *on!ess be!ore

&+ the state o! the whole Chur*h4 No words *an tell the sad state o!the Chur*h o! Chrst on earth4 # wsh # had words to s"ea3 what #so+et+es !eel about t4 @ust thn3 o! the Chrstans around you4 # donot s"ea3 o! no+nal Chrstans, or o! "ro!essn. Chrstans, but #s"ea3 o! hundreds and thousands o! honest, earnest Chrstans whoare not l$n. a l!e n the "ower o! 'od or to &s .lory4 So lttle "ower,so lttle de$oton or *onse*raton to 'od, so lttle "er*e"ton o! thetruth that a Chrstan s a +an utterly surrendered to 'od)s wll< Oh,

we want to *on!ess the sns o! 'od)s "eo"le around us, and to hu+bleoursel$es4 -e are +e+bers o! that s*3ly body, and the s*3lness o!the body wll hnder us, and brea3 us down, unless we *o+e to 'od,

and n *on!esson se"arate oursel$es !ro+ "artnersh" wthworldlness, wth *oldness toward ea*h other, unless we .$e u"oursel$es to be entrely and wholly !or 'od4

&ow +u*h Chrstan wor3 s ben. done n the s"rt o! the !lesh andn the "ower o! sel!< &ow +u*h wor3, day by day, n wh*h hu+anener.y 2 our wll and our thou.hts about the wor3 2 s *ontnually+an!ested, and n wh*h there s but lttle o! watn. u"on 'od, and


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u"on the "ower o! the &oly 'host< Let us +a3e *on!esson4 But as we*on!ess the state o! the Chur*h and the !eebleness and sn!ulness o!

wor3 !or 'od a+on. us, let us *o+e ba*3 to oursel$es4 -ho s therewho truly lon.s to be del$ered !ro+ the "ower o! the sel!2l!e, whotruly a*3nowled.es that t s the "ower o! sel! and the !lesh, and who

s wlln. to *ast all at the !eet o! Chrst> There s del$eran*e4

# heard o! one who had been an earnest Chrstan, and who s"o3eabout the 1*ruel1 thou.ht o! se"araton and death4 But you do notthn3 that, do you> -hat are we to thn3 o! se"araton and death>Ths: death was the "ath to .lory !or Chrst4 For the @oy set be!ore &+&e endured the *ross4 The *ross was the brth"la*e o! &s e$erlastn..lory4 Do you lo$e Chrst> Do you lon. to be n Chrst, and not l3e&+> Let death be to you the +ost desrable thn. on earth 2 death tosel!, and !ellowsh" wth Chrst4 Se"araton 2 do you thn3 t a hardthn. to be *alled to be entrely !ree !ro+ the world, and by thatse"araton to be unted to 'od and &s lo$e, by se"araton to be*o+e"re"ared !or l$n. and wal3n. wth 'od e$ery day> Surely one ou.htto say:

1Anythn. to brn. +e to se"araton, to death, !or a l!e o! !ull!ellowsh" wth 'od and Chrst41

Co+e and *ast ths sel!2l!e and !lesh2l!e at the !eet o! esus4 Thentrust &+4 Do not worry yoursel$es wth tryn. to understand allabout t, but *o+e n the l$n. !ath that Chrst wll *o+e nto you

wth the "ower o! &s death and the "ower o! &s l!e5 and then the&oly S"rt wll brn. the whole Chrst 2 Chrst *ru*!ed and rsen and

l$n. n .lory 2 nto your heart4 # want to loo3 at the !a*t o! a l!e !lledwth the &oly S"rt +ore !ro+ the "ra*t*al sde, and to show howths l!e wll show tsel! n our daly wal3 and *ondu*t4Under the Old Testa+ent you 3now the &oly S"rt o!ten *a+e u"on+en as a d$ne S"rt o! re$elaton to re$eal the +ysteres o! 'od, or!or "ower to do the wor3 o! 'od4 But &e dd not then dwell n the+4Now, +any @ust want the Old Testa+ent .!t o! "ower !or wor3, but3now $ery lttle o! the New Testa+ent .!t o! the ndwelln. S"rt,an+atn. and renewn. the whole l!e4 -hen 'od .$es the &olyS"rt, &s .reat ob@e*t s the !or+aton o! a holy *hara*ter4 #t s a .!to! a holy +nd and s"rtual ds"oston, and what we need abo$e

e$erythn. else, s to say:

1# +ust ha$e the &oly S"rt san*t!yn. +y whole nner l!e ! # a+really to l$e !or 'od)s .lory41

0ou +.ht say that when Chrst "ro+sed the S"rt to the ds*"les,&e dd so that they +.ht ha$e "ower to be wtnesses4 True, but thenthey re*e$ed the &oly 'host n su*h hea$enly "ower and realty that


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&e too3 "ossesson o! ther whole ben. at on*e and so !tted the+ asholy +en !or don. the wor3 wth "ower as they had to do t4 Chrsts"o3e o! "ower to the ds*"les, but t was the S"rt !lln. ther whole

ben. that wor3ed the "ower4

# wsh now to dwell u"on the "assa.e !ound n 'alatans :77:

1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41

-e read that 1Lo$e s the !ul!lln. o! the law,1 and +y desre s tos"ea3 on lo$e as a !rut o! the S"rt wth a two!old ob@e*t4 One s thatths word +ay be a sear*hl.ht n our hearts, and .$e us a test by

wh*h to try all our thou.hts about the &oly S"rt and all oure?"eren*e o! the holy l!e4 Let us try oursel$es by ths word4 &as ths

been our daly habt, to see3 the ben. !lled wth the &oly S"rt as theS"rt o! lo$e> 1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41 &as t been oure?"eren*e that the +ore we ha$e o! the &oly S"rt the +ore lo$n.

we be*o+e> #n *la+n. the &oly S"rt we should +a3e ths the !rstob@e*t o! our e?"e*taton4 The &oly S"rt *o+es as a S"rt o! lo$e4

Oh, ! ths were true n the Chur*h o! Chrst how d!!erent her statewould be< May 'od hel" us to .et hold o! ths s+"le, hea$enly truththat the !rut o! the S"rt s a lo$e wh*h a""ears n the l!e, and that

@ust as the &oly S"rt .ets real "ossesson o! the l!e, the heart wll be!lled wth real, d$ne, un$ersal lo$e4

One o! the .reat *auses why 'od *annot bless &s Chur*h s the wanto! lo$e4 -hen the body s d$ded, there *annot be stren.th4 #n the

t+e o! ther .reat rel.ous wars, when &olland stood out so noblya.anst S"an, one o! ther +ottoes was: 1Unty .$es stren.th41 #t sonly when 'od)s "eo"le stand as one body, one be!ore 'od n the!ellowsh" o! lo$e, one toward another n dee" a!!e*ton, one be!orethe world n a lo$e that the world *an see2t s only then that they wllha$e "ower to se*ure the blessn. wh*h they as3 o! 'od4 Re+e+berthat ! a $essel that ou.ht to be one whole s *ra*3ed nto +any "e*es,t *annot be !lled4 0ou *an ta3e a "otsherd, one "art o! a $essel, andd" out a lttle water nto that, but ! you want the $essel !ull, the

$essel +ust be whole4 That s lterally true o! Chrst)s Chur*h, and !there s one thn. we +ust "ray !or stll, t s ths: Lord, +elt us

to.ether nto one by the "ower o! the &oly S"rt5 let the &oly S"rt,who at (ente*ost +ade the+ all o! one heart and one soul, do &sblessed wor3 a+on. us4 (rase 'od, we *an lo$e ea*h other n a d$nelo$e, !or 1the !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41 '$e yoursel$es u" to lo$e,and the &oly S"rt wll *o+e5 re*e$e the S"rt, and &e wll tea*h youto lo$e +ore4

'od #s Lo$e


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Now, why s t that the !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e> Be*ause 'od s lo$e4And what does that +ean>

#t s the $ery nature and ben. o! 'od to del.ht n *o++un*atn.

&+sel!4 'od has no sel!shness, 'od 3ee"s nothn. to &+sel!4 'od)snature s to be always .$n.4 #n the sun and the +oon and the stars,n e$ery !lower you see t, n e$ery brd n the ar, n e$ery !sh, n thesea 4 'od *o++un*ates l!e to &s *reatures4 And the an.els around&s throne, the sera"h+ and *heru+b+ 6s*; who are !la+es o! !re2 when*e ha$e they ther .lory> #t s be*ause 'od s lo$e, and &e+"arts to the+ o! &s br.htness and &s blessedness4 And we, &sredee+ed *hldren 2 'od del.hts to "our &s lo$e nto us4 And why>Be*ause, as # sad, 'od 3ee"s nothn. !or &+sel!4 Fro+ eternty 'odhad &s only be.otten Son, and the Father .a$e &+ all thn.s, andnothn. that 'od had was 3e"t ba*34 1'od s lo$e41One o! the old Chur*h !athers sad that we *annot better understandthe Trnty than as a re$elaton o! d$ne lo$e 2 the Father, the lo$n.One, the Fountan o! lo$e5 the Son, the belo$ed one, the Reser$or o!lo$e, n who+ the lo$e was "oured out5 and the S"rt, the l$n. lo$ethat unted both and then o$er!lowed nto ths world4 The S"rt o!(ente*ost, the S"rt o! the Father, and the S"rt o! the Son s lo$e4

And when the &oly S"rt *o+es to us and to other +en, wll &e beless a S"rt o! lo$e than &e s n 'od> #t *annot be5 &e *annot *han.e&s nature4 The S"rt o! 'od s lo$e, and 1the !rut o! the S"rt slo$e41

Man3nd Needs Lo$e

-hy s that so> That was the one .reat need o! +an3nd, that was thethn. wh*h Chrst)s rede+"ton *a+e to a**o+"lsh: to restore lo$eto ths world4

-hen +an snned, why was t that he snned> Sel!shness tru+"hed 2he sou.ht sel! nstead o! 'od4 And @ust loo3< Ada+ at on*e be.ns toa**use the wo+an o! ha$n. led h+ astray4 Lo$e to 'od had .one,lo$e to +an was lost4 Loo3 a.an: o! the !rst two *hldren o! Ada+ theone be*o+es a +urderer o! hs brother4

Does not that tea*h us that sn had robbed the world o! lo$e> Ah< what

a "roo! the hstory o! the world has been o! lo$e ha$n. been lost The S"rt o! lo$e, to *o+e and bansh sel!shness and en$y and

"rde, and brn. the lo$e o! 'od nto the hearts o! +en4

1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41

And what was the "re"araton !or the "ro+se o! the &oly S"rt> 0ou3now that "ro+se as !ound n the !ourteenth *ha"ter o! ohn)s'os"el4 But re+e+ber what "re*edes n the thrteenth *ha"ter4Be!ore Chrst "ro+sed the &oly S"rt, &e .a$e a new*o++and+ent, and about that new *o++and+ent &e sad

wonder!ul thn.s4 One thn. was: 1E$en as # ha$e lo$ed you, so lo$e yeone another,1 To the+ &s dyn. lo$e was to be the only law o! ther*ondu*t and nter*ourse wth ea*h other4 -hat a +essa.e to those!sher+en, to those +en !ull o! "rde and sel!shness< 1Learn to lo$eea*h other,1 sad Chrst, 1as # ha$e lo$ed you41 And by the .ra*e o!'od they dd t4 -hen (ente*ost *a+e, they were o! one heart and onesoul4 Chrst dd t !or the+4

And now &e *alls us to dwell and to wal3 n lo$e4 &e de+ands thatthou.h a +an hate you, stll you lo$e h+4 True lo$e *annot be*on=uered by anythn. n &ea$en or u"on the earth4 The +ore hatredthere s, the +ore lo$e tru+"hs throu.h t all and shows ts truenature4 Ths s the lo$e that Chrst *o++anded &s ds*"les toe?er*se4

-hat +ore dd &e say> 1By ths shall all +en 3now that ye are +yds*"les, ! ye ha$e lo$e one to another41

0ou all 3now what t s to wear a bad.e4 And Chrst sad to &sds*"les n e!!e*t: 1# .$e you a bad.e, and that bad.e s lo$e4 That sto be your +ar34 #t s the only thn. n &ea$en or on earth by wh*h+en *an 3now +e41Do we not be.n to !ear that lo$e has !led !ro+ the earth> That ! we

were to as3 the world: 1&a$e you seen us wear the bad.e o! lo$e>1 theworld would say: 1No5 what we ha$e heard o! the Chur*h o! Chrst s

that there s not a "la*e where there s no =uarreln. and se"araton41Let us as3 'od wth one heart that we +ay wear the bad.e o! esus)lo$e4 'od s able to .$e t4

Lo$e Con=uers Sel!shness

1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41 -hy> Be*ause nothn. but lo$e *ane?"el and *on=uer our sel!shness4


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Sel! s the .reat *urse, whether n ts relaton to 'od, or to our !ellow2+en n .eneral, or to !ellow2Chrstans, thn3n. o! oursel$es andsee3n. our own4 Sel! s our .reatest *urse4 But, "rase 'od, Chrst*a+e to redee+ us !ro+ sel!4 -e so+et+es tal3 about del$eran*e

!ro+ the sel!2l!e 2 and than3 'od !or e$ery word that *an be sadabout t to hel" us 2 but # a+ a!rad so+e "eo"le thn3 del$eran*e!ro+ the sel!2l!e +eans that now they are .on. to ha$e no lon.er anytrouble n ser$n. 'od5 and they !or.et that del$eran*e !ro+ sel!2l!e+eans to be a $essel o$er!lown. wth lo$e to e$erybody all the day4

And there you ha$e the reason why +any "eo"le "ray !or the "ower o!the &oly 'host, and they .et so+ethn., but oh, so lttle< be*ause they"rayed !or "ower !or wor3, and "ower !or blessn., but they ha$e not"rayed !or "ower !or !ull del$eran*e !ro+ sel!4 That +eans not onlythe r.hteous sel! n nter*ourse wth 'od, but the unlo$n. sel! nnter*ourse wth +en4 And there s del$eran*e4 1The !rut o! theS"rt s lo$e41 # brn. you the .lorous "ro+se o! Chrst that &e sable to !ll our hearts wth lo$e4

A .reat +any o! us try hard at t+es to lo$e4 -e try to !or*e oursel$esto lo$e, and # do not say that s wron.5 t s better than nothn.4 Butthe end o! t s always $ery sad4 1# !al *ontnually,1 su*h as one +ust*on!ess4 And what s the reason> The reason s s+"ly ths: Be*ausethey ha$e ne$er learned to bele$e and a**e"t the truth that the &olyS"rt *an "our 'od)s lo$e nto ther heart4 That blessed te?t5 o!ten thas been l+ted< 2 1The lo$e o! 'od s shed abroad n our hearts41 #thas o!ten been understood n ths sense: #t +eans the lo$e o! 'od to

+e4 oh, what a l+taton< That s only the be.nnn.4 The lo$e o! 'ods always the lo$e o! 'od n ts entrety, n ts !ullness as an ndwelln."ower, a lo$e o! 'od to +e that lea"s ba*3 to &+ n lo$e, ando$er!lows to +y !ellow2+en n lo$e2'od)s lo$e to +e, and +y lo$e to'od, and +y lo$e to +y !ellow2+en4 The three are one5 you *annotse"arate the+4

Do bele$e that the lo$e o! 'od *an be shed abroad n your heart and+ne so that we *an lo$e all the day41Ah No4 -hy not> #t s so beaut!ul and.entle4 &as a la+b to study to be .entle> No4 -hy does that *o+e soeasy> #t s ts nature4 And a wol! 2 why does t *ost a wol! no trouble to

be *ruel, and to "ut ts !an.s nto the "oor la+b or shee"> Be*ausethat s ts nature4 #t has not to su++on u" ts *oura.e5 the wol!2nature s there4


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And how *an # learn to lo$e> Ne$er untl the S"rt o! 'od !lls +yheart wth 'od)s lo$e, and # be.n to lon. !or 'od)s lo$e n a $eryd!!erent sense !ro+ wh*h # ha$e sou.ht t so sel!shly, as a *o+!ortand a @oy and a ha""ness and a "leasure to +ysel!5 ne$er untl # be.nto learn that 1'od s lo$e,1 and to *la+ t, and re*e$e t as an

ndwelln. "ower !or sel!2sa*r!*e5 ne$er untl # be.n to see that +y.lory, +y blessedness, s to be l3e 'od and l3e Chrst, n .$n. u"e$erythn. n +ysel! !or +y !ellow2+en4 May 'od tea*h us that< Oh,the d$ne blessedness o! the lo$e wth wh*h the &oly S"rt *an !llour hearts< 1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41

Lo$e #s 'od)s '!t

On*e a.an # as3, -hy +ust ths be so> And +y answer s: -thoutths we *annot l$e the daly l!e o! lo$e4&ow o!ten, when we s"ea3 about the *onse*rated l!e, we ha$e tos"ea3 about te+"er, and so+e "eo"le ha$e so+et+es sad:

10ou +a3e too +u*h o! te+"er41

# do not thn3 we *an +a3e too +u*h o! t4 Thn3 !or a +o+ent o! a*lo*3 and o! what ts hands +ean4 The hands tell +e what s wthnthe *lo*3, and ! # see that the hands stand stll, or that the hands"ont wron., or that the *lo*3 s slow or !ast, # say that so+ethn.nsde the *lo*3 s not wor3n. "ro"erly4 And te+"er s @ust l3e there$elaton that the *lo*3 .$es o! what s wthn4 Te+"er s a "roo!

whether the lo$e o! Chrst s !lln. the heart, or not4 &ow +any thereare who !nd t easer n *hur*h, or n "rayer2+eetn., or n wor3 !or

the Lord 2 dl.ent, earnest wor3 2 to be holy and ha""y than n thedaly l!e wth w!e and *hldren and ser$ant5 easer to be holy andha""y outsde the ho+e than n t< -here s the lo$e o! 'od> #nChrst4 'od has "re"ared !or us a wonder!ul rede+"ton n Chrst,and &e lon.s to +a3e so+ethn. su"ernatural o! us4 &a$e we learnedto lon. !or t, and as3 !or t, and e?"e*t t n ts !ullness>

Then there s the ton.ue< -e so+et+es s"ea3 o! the ton.ue when wetal3 o! the better l!e, and the rest!ul l!e, but @ust thn3 what lberty+any Chrstans .$e to ther ton.ues4 They say:

1# ha$e a r.ht to thn3 what # l3e41

-hen they s"ea3 about ea*h other, when they s"ea3 about therne.hbors, when they s"ea3 about other Chrstans, how o!ten thereare shar" re+ar3s< 'od 3ee" +e !ro+ sayn. anythn. that would beunlo$n.5 'od shut +y +outh ! # a+ not to s"ea3 n tender lo$e4 But

what # a+ sayn. s a !a*t4 &ow o!ten there are !ound a+on.Chrstans who are banded to.ether n wor3, shar" *rt*s+, shar"


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@ud.+ent, hasty o"non, unlo$n. words, se*ret *onte+"t o! ea*hother, se*ret *onde+naton o! ea*h other< Oh, @ust as a +other)s lo$e*o$ers her *hldren and del.hts n the+ and has the tenderest*o+"asson wth ther !obles or !alures, so there ou.ht to be n theheart o! e$ery bele$er a +otherly lo$e toward e$ery brother and

sster n Chrst4 &a$e you a+ed at that> &a$e you sou.ht t> &a$e youe$er "leaded !or t> esus Chrst sad: 1As # ha$e lo$ed you 444 lo$e oneanother41 And &e dd not "ut that a+on. the other *o++and+ents,

but &e sad n e!!e*t:

1That s a new *o++and+ent, the one *o++and+ent: Lo$e oneanother as # ha$e lo$ed you41

#t s n our daly l!e and *ondu*t that the !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e4Fro+ that there *o+es all the .ra*es and $rtues n wh*h lo$e s+an!ested: @oy, "ea*e, lon.su!!ern., .entleness, .oodness5 noshar"ness or hardness n your tone, no un3ndness or sel!shness5+ee3ness be!ore 'od and +an4 0ou see that all these are the .entler

$rtues4 # ha$e o!ten thou.ht as # read those words n Colossans, 1(uton there!ore as the ele*t o! 'od, holy and belo$ed, bowels o! +er*es,3ndness, hu+bleness o! +nd, +ee3ness, lon.su!!ern.,1 that ! wehad wrtten, we should ha$e "ut n the !ore.round the +anly $rtues,su*h as eal, *oura.e and dl.en*e5 but we need to see how the.entler, the +ost wo+anly $rtues are s"e*ally *onne*ted wthde"enden*e u"on the &oly S"rt4 These are ndeed hea$enly .ra*es4They ne$er were !ound n the heathen world4 Chrst was needed to*o+e !ro+ &ea$en to tea*h us4 0our blessedness s lon.su!!ern.,+ee3ness, 3ndness5 your .lory s hu+lty be!ore 'od4 The !rut o!

the S"rt that &e brou.ht !ro+ &ea$en out o! the heart o! the*ru*!ed Chrst, and that &e .$es n our heart, s !rst and !ore+ost 2lo$e4

0ou 3now what ohn says: 1No +an hath seen 'od at any t+e4 #! welo$e one another, 'od dwelleth n us41 That s, # *annot see 'od, butas a *o+"ensaton # *an see +y brother, and ! # lo$e h+, 'od dwellsn +e4 #s that really true> That # *annot see 'od, but # +ust lo$e +y

brother, and 'od wll dwell n +e> Lo$n. +y brother s the way toreal !ellowsh" wth 'od4 0ou 3now what ohn !urther says n that+ost sole+n test, 1#! a +an say, # lo$e 'od, and hateth hs brother, he

s a lar5 !or he that lo$eth not hs brother who+ he hath seen, how*an he lo$e 'od who+ he hath not seen>1 6# ohn :78;4 There s a

brother, a +ost unlo$able +an4 &e worres you e$ery t+e you +eeth+4 &e s o! the $ery o""oste ds"oston to yours4 0ou are a *are!ul

busness+an, and you ha$e to do wth h+ n your busness4 &e s+ost untdy, unbusness2l3e4 0ou say:

1# *annot lo$e h+41


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Oh, !rend, you ha$e not learned the lesson that Chrst wanted totea*h abo$e e$erythn.4 Let a +an be what he wll, you are to lo$eh+4 Lo$e s to be the !rut o! the S"rt all the day and e$ery day4 0es,lsten< ! a +an lo$es not hs brother who+ he hath seen 2 ! you don)t

lo$e that unlo$able +an who+ you ha$e seen, how *an you lo$e 'odwho+ you ha$e not seen> 0ou *an de*e$e yoursel! wth beaut!ulthou.hts about lo$n. 'od4 0ou +ust "ro$e your lo$e to 'od by yourlo$e to your brother5 that s the one standard by wh*h 'od wll @ud.e

your lo$e to &+4 #! the lo$e o! 'od s n your heart you wll lo$e yourbrother4 The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e4

And what s the reason that 'od)s &oly S"rt *annot *o+e n "ower>#s t not "ossble>

0ou re+e+ber the *o+"arson # used n s"ea3n. o! the $essel4 # *and" a lttle water nto a "otsherd, a bt o! a $essel5 but ! a $essel s to

be !ull, t +ust be unbro3en4 And the *hldren o! 'od, where$er they*o+e to.ether, to whate$er *hur*h or +sson or so*ety they belon.,+ust lo$e ea*h other ntensely, or the S"rt o! 'od *annot do &s

wor34 -e tal3 about .re$n. the S"rt o! 'od by worldlness andrtuals+ and !or+alty and error and nd!!eren*e, but, # tell you, theone thn. abo$e e$erythn. that .re$es 'od)s S"rt s ths want o!lo$e4 Let e$ery heart sear*h tsel!, and as3 that 'od +ay sear*h t4

Our Lo$e Shows 'od)s (ower

-hy are we tau.ht that 1the !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e1> Be*ause theS"rt o! 'od has *o+e to +a3e our daly l!e an e?hbton o! d$ne

"ower and a re$elaton o! what 'od *an do !or &s *hldren4

#n the se*ond and the !ourth *ha"ters o! A*ts we read that theds*"les were o! one heart and o! one soul4 Durn. the three yearsthey had wal3ed wth Chrst they ne$er had been n that s"rt4 AllChrst)s tea*hn. *ould not +a3e the+ o! one heart and one soul4 Butthe &oly S"rt *a+e !ro+ &ea$en and shed the lo$e o! 'od n therhearts, and they were o! one heart and one soul4 The sa+e &oly S"rtthat brou.ht the lo$e o! &ea$en nto ther hearts +ust !ll us too4Nothn. less wll do4 E$en as Chrst dd, one +.ht "rea*h lo$e !orthree years wth the ton.ue o! an an.el, but that would not tea*h any

+an to lo$e unless the "ower o! the &oly S"rt should *o+e u"onh+ to brn. the lo$e o! &ea$en nto hs heart4Thn3 o! the *hur*h at lar.e4 -hat d$sons< Thn3 o! the d!!erent

bodes4 Ta3e the =ueston o! holness, ta3e the =ueston o! the*leansn. blood, ta3e the =ueston o! the ba"ts+ o! the S"rt 2 whatd!!eren*es are *aused a+on. dear bele$ers by su*h =uestons< Thatthere are d!!eren*es o! o"non does not trouble +e4 -e do not ha$ethe sa+e *onsttuton and te+"era+ent and +nd4 But how o!ten


17/71

hate, btterness, *onte+"t, se"araton, unlo$n.ness are *aused bythe holest truths o! 'od)s -ord< Our do*trnes, our *reeds, ha$e

been +ore +"ortant than lo$e4 -e o!ten thn3 we are $alant !or thetruth and we !or.et 'od)s *o++and to s"ea3 the truth n lo$e4 And t

was so n the t+e o! the Re!or+aton between the Lutheran and

Cal$nst* *hur*hes4 -hat btterness there was than n re.ard to the&oly Su""er, wh*h was +eant to be the bond o! unon a+on. allbele$ers< And so, down the a.es, the $ery dearest truths o! 'od ha$ebe*o+e +ountans that ha$e se"arated us4

#! we want to "ray n "ower, and ! we want to e?"e*t the &oly S"rt to*o+e down n "ower, and ! we want ndeed that 'od shall "our out&s S"rt, we +ust enter nto a *o$enant wth 'od that we lo$e oneanother wth a hea$enly lo$e4

Are you ready !or that> Only that s true lo$e that s lar.e enou.h tota3e n all 'od)s *hldren, the +ost unlo$n. and unlo$able, andunworthy, and unbearable, and tryn.4 #! +y $ow 2 absolute surrenderto 'od 2 was true, then t +ust +ean absolute surrender to the d$nelo$e to !ll +e5 to be a ser$ant o! lo$e to lo$e e$ery *hld o! 'od around+e4 1The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41

Oh, 'od dd so+ethn. wonder!ul when &e .a$e Chrst, at &s r.hthand, the &oly S"rt to *o+e down out o! the heart o! the Father and&s e$erlastn. lo$e4 And how we ha$e de.raded the &oly S"rt nto a+ere "ower by wh*h we ha$e to do our wor3< 'od !or.$e us< Oh,that the &oly S"rt +.ht be held n honor as a "ower to !ll us wththe $ery l!e and nature o! 'od and o! Chrst Do we not o!ten underta3e Chrstan wor3be*ause our +nster or !rend *alls us to t> And do we not o!ten"er!or+ Chrstan wor3 wth a *ertan eal but wthout ha$n. had a

ba"ts+ o! lo$e>

(eo"le o!ten as3: 1-hat s the ba"ts+ o! !re>1


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# ha$e answered +ore than on*e: # 3now no !re l3e the !re o! 'od,the !re o! e$erlastn. lo$e that *onsu+ed the sa*r!*e on Cal$ary4 The

ba"ts+ o! lo$e s what the Chur*h needs, and to .et that we +ustbe.n at on*e to .et down u"on our !a*es be!ore 'od n *on!esson,and "lead:

1Lord, let lo$e !ro+ &ea$en !low down nto +y heart4 # a+ .$n. u"+y l!e to "ray and l$e as one who has .$en h+sel! u" !or thee$erlastn. lo$e to dwell n and !ll h+41

Ah, yes, ! the lo$e o! 'od were n our hearts, what a d!!eren*e twould +a3e< There are hundreds o! bele$ers who say:

1# wor3 !or Chrst, and # !eel # *ould wor3 +u*h harder, but # ha$e notthe .!t4 # do not 3now how or where to be.n4 # do not 3now what #*an do41

Brother, sster, as3 'od to ba"te you wth the S"rt o! lo$e, and lo$ewll !nd ts way4 Lo$e s a !re that wll burn throu.h e$ery d!!*ulty40ou +ay be a shy, hestatn. +an, who *annot s"ea3 well, but lo$e *anburn throu.h e$erythn.4 'od !ll us wth lo$e< -e need t !or ourwor34

0ou ha$e read +any a tou*hn. story o! lo$e e?"ressed, and you ha$esad, &ow beaut!ul< # heard one not lon. a.o4 A lady had been as3edto s"ea3 at a Res*ue &o+e where there were a nu+ber o! "oor

wo+en4 As she arr$ed there and .ot to the wndow wth the +atron,she saw outsde a wret*hed ob@e*t sttn., and as3ed:

1-ho s that>1

The +atron answered: 1She has been nto the house thrty or !ortyt+es, and she has always .one away a.an4 Nothn. *an be done wthher, she s so low and hard41But the lady sad: 1She +ust *o+e n41

The +atron then sad: 1-e ha$e been watn. !or you, and the*o+"any s asse+bled, and you ha$e only an hour !or the address41

The lady re"led: 1No, ths s o! +ore +"ortan*e15 and she went

outsde where the wo+an was sttn. and sad:1My sster, what s the +atter>11# a+ not your sster,1 was the re"ly4

Then the lady lad her hand on her, and sad: 10es, # a+ your sster,and # lo$e you15 and so she s"o3e untl the heart o! the "oor wo+an

was tou*hed4


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The *on$ersaton lasted so+e t+e, and the *o+"any were watn."atently4 Ult+ately the lady brou.ht the wo+an nto the roo+4There was the "oor wret*hed, de.raded *reature, !ull o! sha+e4 She

would not st on a *har, but sat down on a stool besde the s"ea3er)sseat, and she let her lean a.anst her, wth her ar+s around the "oor

wo+an)s ne*3, whle she s"o3e to the asse+bled "eo"le4 And that lo$etou*hed the wo+an)s heart5 she had !ound one who really lo$ed her,and that lo$e .a$e a**ess to the lo$e o! esus4(rase 'od< there s lo$e u"on earth n the hearts o! 'od)s *hldren5

but oh, that there were +ore Then +a3e *on!essonand say be!ore &+, 1O Lord, +y la*3 o! heart, +y la*3 o! lo$e 2 #*on!ess t41 And then, as you *ast that la*3 at &s !eet, bele$e that the

blood *leanses you, that esus *o+es n &s +.hty, *leansn., sa$n."ower to del$er you, and that &e wll .$e &s &oly S"rt41The !rut o! the S"rt s lo$e41 1Now there were n the *hur*h that

was at Anto*h *ertan "ro"hets and tea*hers5 as Barnabas, andS+eon that was *alled N.er, and Lu*us o!4 Cyrene, and Manaen 444and Saul41As they +nstered to the Lord, and !asted, the &oly 'host sad,Se"arate +e Barnabas and Saul !or the wor3 whereunto # ha$e *alledthe+41And when they had !asted and "rayed, and lad ther hands on the+,they sent the+ away4 So they, ben. sent !orth by the &oly 'host,de"arted unto Seleu*a1 6A*ts 9:92;4#n the story o! our te?t we shall !nd so+e "re*ous thou.hts to .ude

us as to what 'od would ha$e o! us, and what 'od would do !or us4The .reat lesson o! the $erses =uoted s ths: The &oly 'host s thedre*tor o! the wor3 o! 'od u"on the earth4 And what we should do !

we are to wor3 r.htly !or 'od, and ! 'od s to bless our wor3, s tosee that we stand n a r.ht relaton to the &oly 'host, that we .$e&+ e$ery day the "la*e o! honor that belon.s to &+, and that n allour wor3 and 6what s +ore; n all our "r$ate nner l!e, the &oly'host shall always ha$e the !rst "la*e4 Let +e "ont out to you so+eo! the "re*ous thou.hts our "assa.e su..ests4

Frst o! all, we see that 'od has &s own "lans wth re.ard to &s

3n.do+4&s *hur*h at Anto*h had been establshed4 'od had *ertan "lansand ntentons wth re.ard to Asa, and wth re.ard to Euro"e4, &ehad *on*e$ed the+5 they were &s, and &e +ade the+ 3nown to &sser$ants4

Our .reat Co++ander or.anes e$ery *a+"a.n, and &s .eneralsand o!!*ers do not always 3now the .reat "lans4 They o!ten re*e$e


21/71

sealed orders, and they ha$e to wat on &+ !or what &e .$es the+ asorders4 'od n &ea$en has wshes, and a wll, n re.ard to any wor3that ou.ht to be done, and to the way n wh*h t has to be done4Blessed s the +an who .ets nto 'od)s se*rets and wor3s under 'od4

So+e years a.o, at -elln.ton, South A!r*a, where # l$e, we o"eneda Msson #nsttute 2 what s *ounted there a !ne lar.e buldn.4 At ouro"enn. ser$*es the "rn*"al sad so+ethn. that # ha$e ne$er!or.otten4 &e re+ar3ed:

1Last year we .athered here to lay the !oundaton2stone, and what wasthere then to be seen> Nothn. but rubbsh, and stones, and br*3s,and runs o! an old buldn. that had been "ulled down4 There we ladthe !oundaton2stone, and $ery !ew 3new what the buldn. was that

was to rse4 No one 3now t "er!e*tly n e$ery detal e?*e"t one +an,the ar*hte*t4 #n hs +nd t was all *lear, and as the *ontra*tor andthe +ason and the *ar"enter *a+e to ther wor3 they too3 therorders !ro+ h+, and the hu+blest laborer had to be obedent toorders, and the stru*ture rose, and ths beaut!ul buldn. has been*o+"leted4 And @ust so,1 he added, 1ths buldn. that we o"en todays but layn. the !oundaton o! a wor3 o! wh*h only 'od 3nows whats to be*o+e41

But 'od has &s wor3ers and &s "lans *learly +a""ed out, and our"oston s to wat, that 'od should *o++un*ate to us as +u*h o! &s

wll as ea*h t+e s need!ul4-e ha$e s+"ly to be !ath!ul n obeden*e, *arryn. out &s orders4'od has a "lan !or &s Chur*h u"on earth4 But alas< we too o!ten

+a3e our "lan, and we thn3 that we 3now what ou.ht to be done4 -eas3 'od !rst to bless our !eeble e!!orts, nstead o! absolutely re!usn.to .o unless 'od .o be!ore us4 'od has "lanned !or the wor3 and thee?tenson o! &s 3n.do+4 The &oly 'host has had that wor3 .$en n*har.e to &+4 1The wor3 whereunto # ha$e *alled the+41 May 'od,there!ore, hel" us all to be a!rad o! tou*hn. 1the ar3 o! 'od1 e?*e"tas we are led by the &oly 'host4

Then the se*ond thou.ht 2 'od s wlln. and able to re$eal to &sser$ants what &s wll s4

0es, blessed be 'od, *o++un*atons stll *o+e down !ro+ &ea$en -hat are we to do wth that !lesh that s entrely under the"ower o! sn> Del$eran*e !ro+ that s what we need4 (eter 3new tnot, and there!ore t was that n hs sel!2*on!den*e he went !orth anddened hs Lord4Not*e how Chrst uses4 that word deny tw*e4 &e sad to (eter the!rst t+e, 1Deny sel!15 &e sad to (eter the se*ond t+e, 1Thou wltdeny +e41 #t s ether o! the two4 There s no *ho*e !or us5 we +ustether deny sel! or deny Chrst4 There are two .reat "owers !.htn.ea*h other 2 the sel!2nature n the "ower o! sn, and Chrst n the"ower o! 'od4 Ether o! these +ust rule wthn us4

#t was sel! that +ade the De$l4 &e was an an.el o! 'od, but he wantedto e?alt sel!4 &e be*a+e a De$l n &all4 Sel! was the *ause o! the !all o!+an4 E$e wanted so+ethn. !or hersel!, and so our !rst "arents !ellnto all the wret*hedness o! sn4 -e ther *hldren ha$e nherted anaw!ul nature o! sn4

(eter)s Re"entan*e

(eter dened hs Lord thr*e, and then the Lord loo3ed u"on h+5 andthat loo3 o! esus bro3e the heart o! (eter, and all at on*e thereo"ened u" be!ore h+ the terrble sn that he had *o++tted, the

terrble !alure that had *o+e, and the de"th nto wh*h he had !allen,and 1(eter went out and we"t btterly41

Oh< who *an tell what that re"entan*e +ust ha$e been> Durn. the!ollown. hours o! that n.ht, and the ne?t day, when he saw Chrst*ru*!ed and bured, and the ne?t day, the Sabbath 2 oh, n whatho"eless des"ar and sha+e he +ust ha$e s"ent that day


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1My Lord s .one, +y ho"e s .one, and # dened +y Lord4 A!ter thatl!e o! lo$e, a!ter that blessed !ellowsh" o! three years, # dened +yLord4 'od ha$e +er*y u"on +e


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0ou re+e+ber hs sel!2e?altaton5 but now he has !ound out that 1theorna+ent o! a +ee3 and =uet s"rt s n the s.ht o! 'od o! .reat"r*e41 A.an he tells us to be 1sub@e*t one to another, and be *lothed

wth hu+lty41

Dear !rend, # besee*h you, loo3 at (eter utterly *han.ed 2 the sel!2"leasn., the sel!2trustn., the sel!2see3n. (eter, !ull o! sn,*ontnually .ettn. nto trouble, !oolsh and +"etuous, but now !lled

wth the S"rt and the l!e o! esus4 Chrst had done t !or h+ by the&oly 'host4

And now, what s +y ob@e*t n ha$n. thus $ery bre!ly "onted to thestory o! (eter> That story +ust be the hstory o! e$ery bele$er who sreally to be +ade a blessn. by 'od4 That story s a "ro"he*y o! whate$eryone *an re*e$e !ro+ 'od n &ea$en4Now let us @ust .lan*e hurredly at what these lessons tea*h us4

The !rst lesson s ths 2 0ou +ay be a $ery earnest, .odly, de$otedbele$er, n who+ the "ower o! the !lesh s yet $ery stron.4

That s a $ery sole+n truth4 (eter, be!ore he dened Chrst, had *astout de$ls and had healed the s*35 and yet the !lesh had "ower, andthe !lesh had roo+ n h+4 Oh, belo$ed, we want to reale that t s

@ust be*ause there s so +u*h o! that sel!2l!e n us that the "ower o!'od *annot wor3 n us as +.htly as 'od s wlln. that t should

wor34 Do you reale that the .reat 'od s lon.n. to double &sblessn., to .$e ten!old blessn. throu.h us> But there s so+ethn.hndern. &+, and that so+ethn. s a "roo! o! nothn. but the sel!2

l!e4 -e tal3 about the "rde o! (eter, and the +"etuosty o! (eter,and the sel!2*on!den*e o! (eter4 #t all rooted n that one word, sel!4Chrst had sad, 1Deny sel!,1 and (eter had ne$er understood, andne$er obeyed5 and e$ery !aln. *a+e out o! that4

-hat a sole+n thou.ht, and what an ur.ent "lea !or us to *ry: O 'od,do ds*o$er ths to us, that none o! us +ay be l$n. the sel!2l!e< #t hasha""ened to +any a one who had been a Chrstan !or years, who had"erha"s o**u"ed a "ro+nent "oston, that 'od !ound h+ out andtau.ht h+ to !nd h+sel! out, and he be*a+e utterly asha+ed,!alln. down bro3en be!ore 'od4 Oh, the btter sha+e and sorrow and

"an and a.ony that *a+e to h+, untl at last he !ound that there wasdel$eran*e< (eter went out and we"t btterly, and there +ay be +anya .odly one n who+ the "ower o! the !lesh stll rules4

And then +y se*ond lesson s 2 #t s the wor3 o! our blessed Lordesus to ds*o$er the "ower o! sel!4


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&ow was t that (eter, the *arnal (eter, sel!2wlled (eter, (eter wththe stron. sel!2lo$e, e$er be*a+e a +an o! (ente*ost and the wrter o!hs e"stle> #t was be*ause Chrst had h+ n *har.e, and Chrst

wat*hed o$er h+, and Chrst tau.ht and blessed h+4 The warnn.sthat Chrst had .$en h+ were "art o! the trann.5 and last o! all

there *a+e that loo3 o! lo$e4 #n &s su!!ern. Chrst dd not !or.eth+, but turned round and loo3ed u"on h+, and 1(eter went out andwe"t btterly41 And the Chrst who led (eter to (ente*ost s watn.today to ta3e *har.e o! e$ery heart that s wlln. to surrender tsel! to&+4

Are there not so+e sayn.: 1Ah< that s the +s*he! wth +e5 t salways the sel!2l!e, and sel!2*o+!ort, and sel!2*ons*ousness, and sel!2"leasn., and sel!2wll5 how a+ # to .et rd o! t>1

My answer s: #t s Chrst esus who *an rd you o! t5 none else butChrst esus *an .$e del$eran*e !ro+ the "ower o! sel!4 And whatdoes &e as3 you to do> &e as3s that you should hu+ble yoursel!

be!ore &+4 1And he sad, The thn.s wh*h are +"ossble wth +enare "ossble wth 'od1 6Lu3e 9:7G;4

Chrst had sad to the r*h youn. ruler, 1Sell all that thou hast 444 and*o+e, !ollow +e41 The youn. +an went away sorrow!ul4 Chrst thenturned to the ds*"les, and sad: 1&ow hardly shall they that ha$er*hes enter nto the 3n.do+ o! 'od


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and always !als4 And yet $ery o!ten he does not e$en then learn thelesson: -th +an t s +"ossble to ser$e 'od and Chrst4 (eter s"entthree years n Chrst)s s*hool, and he ne$er learned that, #t s+"ossble, untl he had dened hs Lord and went out and we"t

btterly4 Then he learned t4

ust loo3 !or a +o+ent at a +an who s learnn. ths lesson4 At !rsthe !.hts a.anst t5 then he sub+ts to t, but relu*tantly and ndes"ar5 at last he a**e"ts t wlln.ly and re@o*es n t4 At the

be.nnn. o! the Chrstan l!e the youn. *on$ert has no *on*e"ton o!ths truth4 &e has been *on$erted, he has the @oy o! the Lord n hsheart, he be.ns to run the ra*e and !.ht the battle5 he s sure he *an*on=uer, !or he s earnest and honest, and 'od wll hel" h+4 0et,so+ehow, $ery soon he !als where he dd not e?"e*t t, and sn .etsthe better o! h+4 &e s dsa""onted5 but he thn3s: 1# was not

wat*h!ul enou.h, # dd not +a3e +y resolutons stron. enou.h41 Anda.an he $ows, and a.an he "rays, and yet he !als4 &e thou.ht: 1A+ #not a re.enerate +an> &a$e # not the l!e o! 'od wthn +e>1 And hethn3s a.an: 10es, and # ha$e Chrst to hel" +e, # *an l$e the holyl!e41

At a later "erod he *o+es to another state o! +nd4 &e be.ns to seesu*h a l!e s +"ossble, but he does not a**e"t t4 There are+ulttudes o! Chrstans who *o+e to ths "ont: 1# *annot15 and thenthn3 'od ne$er e?"e*ted the+ to do what they *annot do4 #! you tellthe+ that 'od does e?"e*t t, t a""ears to the+ a +ystery4 A .ood+any Chrstans are l$n. a low l!e, a l!e o! !alure and o! sn,nstead o! rest and $*tory, be*ause they be.an to see: 1# *annot, t s

+"ossble41 And yet they do not understand t !ully, and so, under the+"resson, # *annot, they .$e way to des"ar4 They wll do ther best,

but they ne$er e?"e*t to .et on $ery !ar4

But 'od leads &s *hldren on to a thrd sta.e, when a +an *o+es tota3e that, #t s +"ossble, n ts !ull truth, and yet at the sa+e t+esays: 1# +ust do t, and # wll do t 2 t s +"ossble !or +an, and yet #+ust do t15 when the renewed wll be.ns to e?er*se ts whole "ower,and n ntense lon.n. and "rayer be.ns to *ry to 'od: 1Lord, what sthe +eann. o! ths> 2 how a+ # to be !reed !ro+ the "ower o! sn>1

#t s the state o! the re.enerate +an n Ro+ans G4 There you wll !ndthe Chrstan +an tryn. hs $ery ut+ost to l$e a holy l!e4 'od)s lawhas been re$ealed to h+ as rea*hn. down nto the $ery de"th o! thedesres o! the heart, and the +an *an dare to say:1# del.ht n the law o! 'od a!ter the nward +an4 To wll what s .oods "resent wth +e4 My heart lo$es the law o! 'od, and +y wll has*hosen that law41


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Can a +an l3e that !al, wth hs heart !ull o! del.ht n 'od)s law andwth hs wll deter+ned to do what s r.ht> 0es4 That s whatRo+ans G tea*hes us4 There s so+ethn. +ore needed4 Not only +ust# del.ht n the law o! 'od a!ter the nward +an, and wll what 'od

wlls, but # need a d$ne o+n"oten*e to wor3 t n +e4 And that s

what the a"ostle (aul tea*hes n (hl""ans 7:9:

1#t s 'od wh*h wor3eth n you, both to wll and to do41

Note the *ontrast4 #n Ro+ans G, the re.enerate +an says: 1To wll s"resent wth +e, but to do 2 # !nd # *annot do4 # wll, but # *annot"er!or+41 But n (hl""ans 7, you ha$e a +an who has been led on!arther, a +an who understands that when 'od has wor3ed therenewed wll, 'od wll .$e the "ower to a**o+"lsh what that wlldesres4 Let us re*e$e ths as the !rst .reat lesson n the s"rtual l!e:1#t s +"ossble !or +e, +y 'od5 let there be an end o! the !lesh andall ts "owers, an end o! sel!, and lot t be +y .lory to be hel"less41

(rase 'od !or the d$ne tea*hn. that +a3es us hel"less &a$e you learned to deal so *losely wth anal+.hty 'od that you 3now o+n"oten*e s wor3n. n you> #noutward a""earan*e there s o!ten so lttle s.n o! t4 The a"ostle (aulsad: 1# was wth you n wea3ness and n !ear and n +u*h tre+bln.,and 4 4 4 +y "rea*hn. was 444 n de+onstraton o! the S"rt and o!"ower41 Fro+ the hu+an sde there was !eebleness, !ro+ the d$nesde there was d$ne o+n"oten*e4 And that s true o! e$ery .odly l!e5and ! we would only learn that lesson better, and .$e a

wholehearted, und$ded surrender to t, we should learn whatblessedness there s n dwelln. e$ery hour and e$ery +o+ent wth anal+.hty 'od4 &a$e you e$er studed n the Bble the attrbute o!'od)s o+n"oten*e> 0ou 3now that t was 'od)s o+n"oten*e that*reated the world, and *reated !.ht out o! dar3ness, and *reated+an4 But ha$e you studed 'od)s o+n"oten*e n the wor3s o!rede+"ton>

Loo3 at Abraha+4 -hen 'od *alled h+ to be the !ather o! that "eo"leout o! wh*h Chrst was to be born, 'od sad to h+: 1# a+ 'od

Al+.hty, wal3 be!ore +e and be thou "er!e*t41 And 'od traned

Abraha+ to trust &+ as the o+n"otent One5 and whether t was hs.on. out to a land that he 3new not, or hs !ath as a "l.r+ +dst thethousands o! Canaantes 2 hs !ath sad: Ths s +y land 2 or whethert was hs !ath n watn. twenty2!$e years !or a son n hs old a.e,a.anst all ho"e, or whether t was the rasn. u" o! #saa* !ro+ thedead on Mount Morah when he was .on. to sa*r!*e h+ 2 Abraha+

bele$ed 'od4 &e was stron. n !ath, .$n. .lory to 'od, be*ause hea**ounted &+ who had "ro+sed able to "er!or+4


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The *ause o! the wea3ness o! your Chrstan l!e s that you want towor3 t out "artly, and to let 'od hel" you4 And that *annot be4 0ou+ust *o+e to be utterly hel"less, to let 'od wor3, and 'od wll wor3.lorously4 #t s ths that we need ! we are ndeed to be wor3ers !or

'od4 # *ould .o throu.h S*r"ture and "ro$e to you how Moses, whenhe led #srael out o! E.y"t5 how oshua, when he brou.ht the+ nto theland o! Canaan5 how all 'od)s ser$ants n the Old Testa+ent *ountedu"on the o+n"oten*e o! 'od don. +"ossbltes4 And ths 'odl$es today, and ths 'od s the 'od o! e$ery *hld o! &s4 And yet weare so+e o! us wantn. 'od to .$e us a lttle hel" whle we do our

best, nstead o! *o+n. to understand what 'od wants, and to say: 1#*an do nothn.4 'od +ust and wll do all41 &a$e you sad: 1#n worsh",n wor3, n san*t!*aton, n obeden*e to 'od, # *an do nothn. o!+ysel!, and so +y "la*e s to worsh" the o+n"otent 'od, and to

bele$e that &e wll wor3 n +e e$ery +o+ent1> Oh, +ay 'od tea*h usths< Oh, that 'od would by &s .ra*e show you what a 'od you ha$e,and to what a 'od you ha$e entrusted yoursel! 2 an o+n"otent 'od,

wlln. wth &s whole o+n"oten*e to "la*e &+sel! at the ds"osalo! e$ery *hld o! &s< Shall we not ta3e the lesson o! the Lord esusand say: 1A+en5 the thn.s wh*h are +"ossble wth +en are"ossble wth 'od1>

Re+e+ber what we ha$e sad about (eter, hs sel!2*on!den*e, sel!2"ower, sel!2wll, and how he *a+e to deny hs Lord4 0ou !eel, 1Ah1Brother, sster, 1the thn.s wh*h are +"ossble wth +en are"ossble wth 'od41 Do bele$e that when &e ta3es *har.e o! you nChrst, t s "ossble !or 'od to +a3e you a +an o! absolute surrender4

And 'od s able to +antan that4 &e s able to let you rse !ro+ bed

e$ery +ornn. o! the wee3 wth that blessed thou.ht dre*tly orndre*tly: 1# a+ n 'od)s *har.e4 My 'od s wor3n. out +y l!e !or+e41

So+e are weary o! thn3n. about san*t!*aton4 0ou "ray, you ha$elon.ed and *red !or t, and yet t a""eared so !ar o!!< The holness andhu+lty o! esus 2 you are so *ons*ous o! how dstant t s4 Belo$ed!rends, the one do*trne o! san*t!*aton that s s*r"tural and realand e!!e*tual s: 1The thn.s wh*h are +"ossble wth +en are"ossble wth 'od41 'od *an san*t!y +en, and by &s al+.hty andsan*t!yn. "ower e$ery +o+ent 'od *an 3ee" the+4 Oh, that we+.ht .et a ste" nearer to our 'od now< Oh, that the l.ht o! 'od+.ht shne, and that we +.ht 3now our 'od better Do you not see that t s an o+n"otent 'od

wor3n. by &s o+n"oten*e n the heart o! &s bele$n. *hldren, sothat Chrst *an be*o+e an ndwelln. Sa$our> 0ou ha$e tred to .ras"

t and to see t, and you ha$e tred to bele$e t, and t would not*o+e4 #t was be*ause you had not been brou.ht to bele$e that 1thethn.s wh*h are +"ossble wth +en are "ossble wth 'od41

And so, # trust that the word s"o3en about lo$e +ay ha$e brou.ht+any to see that we +ust ha$e an n!lown. o! lo$e n =ute a new

way5 our heart +ust be !lled wth l!e !ro+ abo$e, !ro+ the Fountano! e$erlastn. lo$e, ! t s .on. to o$er!low all the day5 then t wll be

@ust as natural !or us to lo$e our !ellow+en as t s natural !or thela+b to be .entle and the wol! to be *ruel4 Untl # a+ brou.ht to su*h astate that the +ore a +an hates and s"ea3s e$l o! +e, the +ore

unl3able and unlo$able a +an s, # shall lo$e h+ all the +ore5 untl #a+ brou.ht to su*h a state that the +ore the obsta*les and hatred andn.rattude, the +ore *an the "ower o! lo$e tru+"h n +e 2 untl # a+

brou.ht to see that, # a+ not sayn.: 1#t s +"ossble wth +en41 But! you ha$e been led to say: 1Ths +essa.e has s"o3en to +e about alo$e utterly beyond +y "ower5 t s absolutely +"ossble1 2 then we*an *o+e to 'od and say: 1#t s "ossble wth Thee41


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So+e are *ryn. to 'od !or a .reat re$$al4 # *an say that that s the"rayer o! +y heart un*easn.ly4 Oh, ! 'od would only re$$e &s

bele$n. "eo"le< # *annot thn3 n the !rst "la*e o! the un*on$erted!or+alsts o! the Chur*h, or o! the n!dels and s3e"t*s, or o! all the

wret*hed and "ershn. around +e, +y heart "rays n the !rst "la*e:

1My 'od, re$$e Thy Chur*h and "eo"le41 #t s not !or nothn. thatthere are n thousands o! hearts yearnn.s a!ter holness and*onse*raton: t s a !orerunner o! 'od)s "ower4 'od wor3s to wll andthen &e wor3s to do4 These yearnn.s are a wtness and a "roo! that'od has wor3ed to wll4 Oh, let us n !ath bele$e that the o+n"otent'od wll wor3 to do a+on. &s "eo"le +ore than we *an as34 1Untoh+,1 (aul sad, 1who s able to do e?*eedn. abundantly abo$e allthat we as3 or thn34444 unto h+ be .lory41 Let our hearts say that4'lory to 'od, the o+n"otent One, who *an do abo$e what we dare toas3 or thn3 #than3 'od throu.h esus Chrst our Lord1 6Ro+ans G:7, 7;4

0ou 3now the wonder!ul "la*e that ths te?t has n the wonder!ule"stle to the Ro+ans4 #t stands here at the end o! the se$enth *ha"teras the .ateway nto the e.hth4 #n the !rst s?teen $erses o! the e.hth*ha"ter the na+e o! the &oly S"rt s !ound s?teen t+es5 you ha$ethere the des*r"ton and "ro+se o! the l!e that a *hld o! 'od *anl$e n the "ower o! the &oly 'host4 Ths be.ns n the se*ond $erse:1The law o! the S"rt o! l!e n Chrst esus hath +ade +e !ree !ro+the law o! sn and death41 Fro+ that (aul .oes on to s"ea3 o! the .reat

"r$le.es o! the *hld o! 'od, who s to be led by the S"rt o! 'od4 The.ateway nto all ths s n the twenty2!ourth $erse o! the se$enth*ha"ter:

1O wret*hed +an that # a+


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and wrestled n hs own "ower to obey the holy law o! 'od, and had!aled4 But n answer to hs own =ueston he now !nds the trueanswer and *res out: 1# than3 'od throu.h esus Chrst our Lord41Fro+ that he .oes on to s"ea3 o! what that del$eran*e s that he has!ound4

# want !ro+ these words to des*rbe the "ath by wh*h a +an *an beled out o! the s"rt o! bonda.e nto the s"rt o! lberty4 0ou 3nowhow dstn*tly t s sad: 10e ha$e not re*e$ed the s"rt o! bonda.ea.an to !ear41 -e are *ontnually warned that ths s the .reat dan.ero! the Chrstan l!e, to .o a.an nto bonda.e5 and # want to des*rbethe "ath by wh*h a +an *an .et out o! bonda.e nto the .lorouslberty o! the *hldren o! 'od4 Rather, # want to des*rbe the +anh+sel!4

Frst, these words are the lan.ua.e o! a re.enerate +an5 se*ond, o! an+"otent +an5 thrd, o! a wret*hed +an5 and !ourth, o! a +an on the

borders o! *o+"lete lberty4

The Re.enerate Man

There s +u*h e$den*e o! re.eneraton !ro+ the !ourteenth $erse o!the *ha"ter on to the twenty2thrd4 1#t s no +ore # that do t, but snthat dwelleth n +e1: that s the lan.ua.e o! a re.enerate +an, a +an

who 3nows that hs heart and nature ha$e been renewed, and that sns now a "ower n h+ that s not h+sel!4 1# del.ht n the law o! theLord a!ter the nward +an1: that a.an s the lan.ua.e o! a re.enerate+an4 &e dares to say when he does e$l: 1#t s no +ore # that do t, but

sn that dwelleth n +e41 #t s o! .reat +"ortan*e to understand ths4

#n the !rst two .reat se*tons o! the e"stle, (aul deals wth@ust!*aton and san*t!*aton4 #n dealn. wth @ust!*aton, he laysthe !oundaton o! the do*trne n the tea*hn. about sn, not n thesn.ular sn, but n the "lural, sns 2 the a*tual trans.ressons4 #n these*ond "art o! the !!th *ha"ter he be.ns to deal wth sn, not asa*tual trans.resson, but as a "ower4 @ust +a.ne what a loss t wouldha$e been to us ! we had not ths se*ond hal! o! the se$enth *ha"ter o!the E"stle to the Ro+ans, ! (aul had o+tted n hs tea*hn. ths $tal=ueston o! the sn!ulness o! the bele$er4 -e should ha$e +ssed the

=ueston we all want answered as to sn n the bele$er4 -hat s theanswer> The re.enerate +an s one n who+ the wll has beenrenewed, and who *an say: 1# del.ht n the law o! 'od a!ter thenward +an41

The #+"otent Man


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&ere s the .reat +sta3e +ade by +any Chrstan "eo"le: they thn3that when there s a renewed wll, t s enou.h5 but that s not the *ase4Ths re.enerate +an tells us: 1# wll to do what s .ood, but the "owerto "er!or+ # !nd not41 &ow o!ten "eo"le tell us that ! you set yoursel!deter+nedly, you *an "er!or+ what you wll< But ths +an was as

deter+ned as any +an *an be, and yet he +ade the *on!esson: 1Towll s "resent wth +e5 but how to "er!or+ that wh*h s .ood, # !ndnot41

But, you as3: 1&ow s t 'od +a3es a re.enerate +an utter su*h a*on!esson, wth a r.ht wll, wth a heart that lon.s to do .ood, andlon.s to do ts $ery ut+ost to lo$e 'od>1Let us loo3 at ths =ueston4 -hat has 'od .$en us our wll !or> &adthe an.els who !ell, n ther own wll, the stren.th to stand> Herly, no4The wll o! the *reature s nothn. but an e+"ty $essel n wh*h the"ower o! 'od s to be +ade +an!est4 The *reature +ust see3 n 'odall that t s to be4 0ou ha$e t n the se*ond *ha"ter o! the e"stle tothe (hl""ans, and you ha$e t here also, that 'od)s wor3 s to wor3n us both to wll and to do o! &s .ood "leasure4 &ere s a +an whoa""ears to say: 1'od has not wor3ed to do n +e41 But we are tau.htthat 'od wor3s both to wll and to do4 &ow s the a""arent*ontrad*ton to be re*on*led>

0ou wll !nd that n ths "assa.e 6Ro+4 G:27; the na+e o! the &olyS"rt does not o**ur on*e, nor does the na+e o! Chrst o**ur4 The+an s wrestln. and stru..ln. to !ul!ll 'od)s law4 #nstead o! the&oly S"rt and o! Chrst, the law s +entoned nearly twenty t+es4 #nths *ha"ter, t shows a bele$er don. hs $ery best to obey the law o!

'od wth hs re.enerate wll4 Not only ths5 but you wll !nd the lttlewords, #, +e, +y, o**ur +ore than !orty t+es4 #t s the re.enerate # nts +"oten*e see3n. to obey the law wthout ben. !lled wth theS"rt4 Ths s the e?"eren*e o! al+ost e$ery sant4 A!ter *on$erson a+an be.ns to do hs best, and he !als5 but ! we are brou.ht nto the!ull l.ht, we need !al no lon.er4 Nor need we !al at all ! we ha$ere*e$ed the S"rt n &s !ullness at *on$erson4'od allows that !alure that the re.enerate +an should be tau.ht hsown utter +"oten*e4 #t s n the *ourse o! ths stru..le that there*o+es to us ths sense o! our utter sn!ulness4 #t s 'od)s way o!dealn. wth us4 &e allows that +an to str$e to !ul!ll the law that, as

he str$es and wrestles, he +ay be brou.ht to ths: 1# a+ a re.enerate*hld o! 'od, but # a+ utterly hel"less to obey &s law41 See whatstron. words are used all throu.h the *ha"ter to des*rbe ths*ondton: 1# a+ *arnal, sold under sn15 1# see another law n +y+e+bers brn.n. +e nto *a"t$ty15 and last o! all, 1O wret*hed +anthat # a+< who shall del$er +e !ro+ the body o! ths death>1 Ths

bele$er who bows here n dee" *ontrton s utterly unable to obeythe law o! 'od4


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The -ret*hed Man

Not only s the +an who +a3es ths *on!esson a re.enerate and an

+"otent +an, but he s also a wret*hed +an4 &e s utterly unha""yand +serable5 and what s t that +a3es h+ so utterly +serable> #ts be*ause 'od has .$en h+ a nature that lo$es &+sel!4 &e s dee"ly

wret*hed be*ause he !eels he s not obeyn. hs 'od4 &e says, wthbro3enness o! heart: 1#t s not # that do t, but # a+ under the aw!ul"ower o! sn, wh*h s holdn. +e down4 #t s #, and yet not #: alas Be*ause t swhen a +an s brou.ht to ths *on!esson that del$eran*e s at hand4And re+e+ber t was not only the sense o! ben. +"otent and ta3en*a"t$e that +ade h+ wret*hed, but t was abo$e all the sense o!

snnn. a.anst hs 'od4 The law was don. ts wor3, +a3n. sne?*eedn. sn!ul n hs s.ht4 The thou.ht o! *ontnually .re$n. 'od

be*a+e utterly unbearable 2 t was ths brou.ht !orth the "er*n. *ry:1O wret*hed +an


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be "ressed not only to as3: 1-ho shall del$er us>1 but to *ry: 1# than3'od throu.h esus Chrst +y Lord41

The Al+ost2Del$ered Man

The +an has tred to obey the beaut!ul law o! 'od4 &e has lo$ed t, hehas we"t o$er hs sn, he has tred to *on=uer, he has tred too$er*o+e !ault a!ter !ault, but e$ery t+e he has ended n !alure4

-hat dd he +ean by 1the body o! ths death1> Dd he +ean, +y bodywhen # de> Herly no4 #n the e.hth *ha"ter you ha$e the answer toths =ueston n the words: 1#! ye throu.h the S"rt do +ort!y thedeeds o! the body, ye shall l$e41 That s the body o! death !ro+ wh*hhe s see3n. del$eran*e4

And now he s on the brn3 o! del$eran*e< #n the twenty2thrd $erse o!the se$enth *ha"ter we ha$e the words: 1# see another law n +y+e+bers, warrn. a.anst the law o! +y +nd, and brn.n. +e nto*a"t$ty to the law o! sn wh*h s n +y +e+bers41 #t s a *a"t$e that*res: 1O wret*hed +an that # a+< who shall del$er +e !ro+ the bodyo! ths death>1 &e s a +an who !eels h+sel! bound4 But loo3 to the*ontrast n the se*ond $erse o! the e.hth *ha"ter: 1The law o! theS"rt o! l!e n Chrst esus hath +ade +e !ree !ro+ the law o! sn anddeath41 That s the del$eran*e throu.h esus Chrst our Lord5 thelberty to the *a"t$e wh*h the S"rt brn.s4 Can you 3ee" *a"t$e anylon.er a +an +ade !ree by the 1law o! the S"rt o! l!e n Chrstesus1>

But you say, the re.enerate +an, had not he the S"rt o! esus when

he s"o3e n the s?th *ha"ter> 0es, but he dd not 3now what the &olyS"rt *ould do !or h+4'od does not wor3 by &s S"rt as &e wor3s by a blnd !or*e nnature4 &e leads &s "eo"le on as reasonable, ntell.ent ben.s, andthere!ore when &e wants to .$e us that &oly S"rt who+ &e has"ro+sed, &e brn.s us !rst to the end o! sel!, to the *on$*ton thatthou.h we ha$e been str$n. to obey the law, we ha$e !aled4 -hen

we ha$e *o+e to the end o! that, then &e shows us that n the &olyS"rt we ha$e the "ower o! obeden*e, the "ower o! $*tory, and the"ower o! real holness4

'od wor3s to wll, and &e s ready to wor3 to do, but, alas< +anyChrstans +sunderstand ths4 They thn3 be*ause they ha$e the wll,t s enou.h, and that now they are able to do4 Ths s not so4 The new

wll s a "er+anent .!t, an attrbute o! the new nature4 The "ower todo s not a "er+anent .!t, but +ust be ea*h +o+ent re*e$ed !ro+the &oly S"rt4 #t s the +an who s *ons*ous o! hs own +"oten*eas a bele$er who wll learn that by the &oly S"rt he *an l$e a holyl!e4 Ths +an s on the brn3 o! that .reat del$eran*e5 the way has


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been "re"ared !or the .lorous e.hth *ha"ter4 # now as3 ths sole+n=ueston: -here are you l$n.> #s t wth you, 1O wret*hed +an that #a+< who shall del$er +e>1 wth now and then a lttle e?"eren*e o!the "ower o! the &oly S"rt> or s t, 1# than3 'od throu.h esusChrst< The law o! the S"rt hath set +e !ree !ro+ the law o! sn and

o! death1>

-hat the &oly S"rt does s to .$e the $*tory4 1#! ye throu.h theS"rt do +ort!y the deeds o! the !lesh, ye shall l$e41 #t s the &oly'host who does ths 2 the thrd (erson o! the 'odhead4 &e t s who,

when the heart s o"ened wde to re*e$e &+, *o+es n and re.nsthere, and +ort!es the deeds o! the body, day by day, hour by hour,and +o+ent by +o+ent4

# want to brn. ths to a "ont4 Re+e+ber, dear !rend, what we needs to *o+e to de*son and a*ton4 There are n S*r"ture two $eryd!!erent sorts o! Chrstans4 The Bble s"ea3s n Ro+ans, Cornthansand 'alatans about yeldn. to the !lesh5 and that s the l!e o! tens o!thousands o! bele$ers4 All ther la*3 o! @oy n the &oly 'host, andther la*3 o! the lberty &e .$es, s @ust own. to the !lesh4 The S"rts wthn the+, but the !lesh rules the l!e4 To be led by the S"rt o!'od s what they need4 -ould 'od that # *ould +a3e e$ery *hld o!&s reale what t +eans that the e$erlastn. 'od has .$en &s dearSon, Chrst esus, to wat*h o$er you e$ery day, and that what youha$e to do s to trust5 and that the wor3 o! the &oly S"rt s to enable

you4 e$ery +o+ent to re+e+ber esus, and to trust &+< The S"rthas *o+e to 3ee" the ln3 wth &+ unbro3en e$ery +o+ent4 (rase'od !or the &oly 'host< -e are so a**usto+ed to thn3 o! the &oly

S"rt as a lu?ury, !or s"e*al t+es, or !or s"e*al +nsters and +en4But the &oly S"rt s ne*essary !or e$ery bele$er, e$ery +o+ent o!the day4 (rase 'od you ha$e &+, and that &e .$es you the !ulle?"eren*e o! the del$eran*e n Chrst, as &e +a3es you !ree !ro+ the"ower o! sn4

-ho lon.s to ha$e the "ower and the lberty o! the &oly S"rt> Oh,brother, bow be!ore 'od n one !nal *ry o! des"ar:1O 'od, +ust # .o on snnn. ths way !ore$er> -ho shall del$er +e,O wret*hed +an that # a+< !ro+ the body o! ths death>1

Are you ready to sn3 be!ore 'od n that *ry and see3 the "ower o!esus to dwell and wor3 n you> Are you ready to say: 1# than3 'odthrou.h esus Chrst1>

-hat .ood does t do that we .o to *hur*h or attend *on$entons, thatwe study our Bbles and "ray, unless our l$es are !lled wth the &olyS"rt> That s what 'od wants5 and nothn. else wll enable us to l$ea l!e o! "ower and "ea*e4 0ou 3now that when a +nster or "arent susn. the *ate*hs+, when a =ueston s as3ed an answer s e?"e*ted4


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Alas< how +any Chrstans are *ontent wth the =ueston "ut here: 1Owret*hed +an that # a+< who shall del$er +e !ro+ the body o! thsdeath>1 but ne$er .$e the answer4 #nstead o! answern., they areslent4 #nstead o! sayn.: 1# than3 'od throu.h esus Chrst ourLord,1 they are !ore$er re"eatn. the =ueston wthout the answer4 #!

you want the "ath to the !ull del$eran*e o! Chrst, and the lberty o!the S"rt, the .lorous lberty o! the *hldren o! 'od, ta3e t throu.hthe se$enth *ha"ter o! Ro+ans5 and then say: 1# than3 'od throu.hesus Chrst our Lord41 Be not *ontent to re+an e$er .roann., butsay: 1#, a wret*hed +an, than3 'od, throu.h esus Chrst4 E$enthou.h # do not see t all, # a+ .on. to "rase 'od41

There s del$eran*e, there s the lberty o! the &oly S"rt4 The3n.do+ o! 'od s 1@oy n the &oly 'host41 The words !ro+ wh*h #

wsh to address you, you wll !nd n the e"stle to the 'alatans, thethrd *ha"ter, the thrd $erse5 let us read the se*ond $erse also: 1Thsonly would # learn o! you, Re*e$ed ye the S"rt by the wor3s o! thelaw, or by the hearn. o! !ath> Are ye so !oolsh>1 And then *o+es +yte?t 2 1&a$n. be.un n the S"rt, are ye now +ade "er!e*t by the!lesh>1

-hen we s"ea3 o! the =u*3enn. or the dee"enn. or thestren.thenn. o! the s"rtual l!e, we are thn3n. o! so+ethn. that s!eeble and wron. and sn!ul5 and t s a .reat thn. to ta3e our "la*e

be!ore 'od wth the *on!esson:1Oh, 'od, our s"rtual l!e s not what t should be There +ustbe a reason !or t4 &as 'od not .$en Chrst &s Al+.hty Son to be the/ee"er o! e$ery bele$er, to +a3e Chrst an e$er2"resent realty, andto +"art and *o++un*ate to us all that we ha$e n Chrst> 'od has.$en &s Son, and 'od has .$en &s S"rt4 &ow s t that bele$ersdo not l$e u" to ther "r$le.es>


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-e !nd n +ore than one o! the e"stles a $ery sole+n answer to that=ueston4 There are e"stles, su*h as the !rst to the Thessalonans,

where (aul wrtes to the Chrstans, n e!!e*t: 1# want you to .row, toabound, to n*rease +ore and +ore41 They were youn., and there

were thn.s la*3n. n ther !ath, but ther state was so !ar

sats!a*tory, and .a$e h+ .reat @oy, and he wrtes t+e a!ter t+e: 1#"ray 'od that you +ay abound +ore and +ore5 # wrte to you ton*rease +ore and +ore41 But there are other e"stles where he ta3esa $ery d!!erent tone, es"e*ally the e"stles to the Cornthans and tothe 'alatans, and he tells the+ n +any d!!erent ways what the onereason was, that they were not l$n. as Chrstans ou.ht to l$e5 +any

were under the "ower o! the !lesh4 My te?t s one e?a+"le4 &ere+nds the+ that by the "rea*hn. o! !ath they had re*e$ed the&oly S"rt4 &e had "rea*hed Chrst to the+5 they had a**e"ted thatChrst, and had re*e$ed the &oly S"rt n "ower4 But whatha""ened> &a$n. be.un n the S"rt, they tred to "er!e*t the wor3that the S"rt had be.un n the !lesh by ther own e!!ort4 -e !nd thesa+e tea*hn. n the e"stle to the Cornthans4

Now, we ha$e here a sole+n ds*o$ery o! what the .reat want s n the*hur*h, o! Chrst4 'od has *alled the *hur*h o! Chrst to l$e n the"ower o! the &oly S"rt, and the *hur*h s l$n. !or the +ost "art nthe "ower o! hu+an !lesh, and o! wll and ener.y and e!!ort a"art!ro+ the S"rt o! 'od4 # doubt not that that s the *ase wth +anynd$dual bele$ers5 and oh, ! 'od wll use +e to .$e you a +essa.e!ro+ &+, +y one +essa.e wll be ths: 1#! the *hur*h wll return toa*3nowled.e that the &oly S"rt s her stren.th and her hel", and !the *hur*h wll return to .$e u" e$erythn., and wat u"on 'od to be

!lled wth the S"rt, her days o! beauty and .ladness wll return, andwe shall see the .lory o! 'od re$ealed a+on. us41 Ths s +y +essa.eto e$ery nd$dual bele$er: 1Nothn. wll hel" you unless you *o+eto understand that you +ust l$e e$ery day under the "ower o! the&oly 'host41

'od wants you to be a l$n. $essel n who+ the "ower o! the S"rt sto be +an!ested e$ery hour and e$ery +o+ent o! your l!e, and 'od

wll enable you to be that4Now let us try to learn that ths word to the 'alatans tea*hes us 2so+e $ery s+"le thou.hts4 #t shows us how 69; the be.nnn. o! the

Chrstan l!e s re*e$n. the &oly S"rt4 #t shows us 67; what .reatdan.er there s o! !or.ettn. that we are to l$e by the S"rt, and notl$e a!ter the !lesh4 #t shows us 6; what are the !ruts and the "roo!so! our see3n. "er!e*ton n the !lesh4 And then t su..ests to us 6;the way o! del$eran*e !ro+ ths state4

Re*e$n. the &oly S"rt


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Frst o! all, (aul says: 1&a$n. be.un n the S"rt41 Re+e+ber, thea"ostle not only "rea*hed @ust!*aton by !ath, but he "rea*hedso+ethn. +ore4 &e "rea*hed ths 2 the e"stle s !ull o! t 2 that

@ust!ed +en *annot l$e but by the &oly S"rt, and that there!ore'od .$es to e$ery @ust!ed +an the &oly S"rt to seal h+4 The

a"ostle says to the+ n e!!e*t +ore than on*e:1&ow dd you re*e$e the &oly S"rt> -as t by the "rea*hn. o! thelaw, or by the "rea*hn. o! !ath>1

&e *ould "ont ba*3 to that t+e when there had been a +.hty re$$alunder hs tea*hn.4 The "ower o! 'od had been +an!ested, and the'alatans were *o+"elled to *on!ess:10es, we ha$e .ot the &oly 'host: a**e"tn. Chrst by !ath, by !ath

we re*e$ed the &oly S"rt41

Now, t s to be !eared that there are +any Chrstans who hardly3now that when they bele$ed, they re*e$ed the &oly 'host4 A .reat+any Chrstans *an say: 1# re*e$ed "ardon and # re*e$ed "ea*e41But ! you were to as3 the+: 1&a$e you re*e$ed the &oly 'host>1 they

would hestate, and +any, ! they were to say 0es, would say t wthhestaton5 and they would tell you that they hardly 3new what t was,sn*e that t+e, to wal3 n the "ower o! the &oly S"rt4 Let us try andta3e hold o! ths .reat truth: The be.nnn. o! the true Chrstan l!e sto re*e$e the &oly 'host4 And the wor3 o! e$ery Chrstan +nster sthat wh*h was the wor3 o! (aul 2 to re+nd hs "eo"le that theyre*e$ed the &oly 'host, and +ust l$e a**ordn. to &s .udan*e andn &s "ower4#! those 'alatans who re*e$ed the &oly S"rt n "ower were te+"ted

to .o astray by that terrble dan.er o! "er!e*tn. n the !lesh what hadbeen be.un n the S"rt, how +u*h +ore dan.er do those Chrstansrun who hardly e$er 3now that they ha$e re*e$ed the &oly S"rt, or

who, ! they 3now t as a +atter o! bele!, hardly e$er thn3 o! t andhardly e$er "rase 'od !or t Str$n. to be @ust!ed bythe wor3s o! the law4 And yet they were =uarreln. and n dan.er o!de$ourn. one another4 Count u" the e?"ressons that the a"ostleuses to nd*ate ther want o! lo$e, and you wll !nd +ore than twel$e2 en$y, @ealousy, btterness, str!e, and all sorts o! e?"ressons4 Readn the !ourth and !!th *ha"ters what he says about that4 0ou see howthey tred to ser$e 'od n ther own stren.th, and they !aled utterly4

All ths rel.ous e!!ort resulted n !alure4 The "ower o! sn and thesn!ul !lesh .ot the better o! the+, and ther whole *ondton was oneo! the saddest that *ould be thou.ht o!4

Ths *o+es to us wth uns"ea3able sole+nty4 There s a *o+"lante$erywhere n the Chrstan Chur*h o! the want o! a h.h standard o!

nte.rty and .odlness, e$en a+on. the "ro!essn. +e+bers o!Chrstan *hur*hes4 # re+e+ber a ser+on wh*h # heard "rea*hed on*o++er*al +oralty4 And, oh, ! we s"ea3 not only o! the *o++er*al+oralty or ++oralty, but ! we .o nto the ho+es o! Chrstans, and! we thn3 o! the l!e to wh*h 'od has *alled &s *hldren, and wh*h&e enables the+ to l$e by the &oly 'host, and ! we thn3 o! how+u*h, ne$ertheless, there s o! unlo$n.ness and te+"er andshar"ness and btterness, and ! we thn3 how +u*h there s $eryo!ten o! str!e a+on. the +e+bers o! *hur*hes, and how +u*h theres o! en$y and @ealousy and senst$eness and "rde, then we are*o+"elled to say: 1-here are +ar3s o! the "resen*e o! the S"rt o!

the La+b o! 'od>1 -antn., sadly wantn.

Belo$ed !rend, the answer s s+"le and easy4 #! that tran has beenshunted o!!, there s nothn. !or t but to *o+e ba*3 to the "ont at

wh*h t was led away4 The 'alatans had no other way n returnn.but to *o+e ba*3 to where they had .one wron., to *o+e ba*3 !ro+ allrel.ous e!!ort n ther own stren.th, and !ro+ see3n. anythn. byther own wor3, and to yeld the+sel$es hu+bly to the &oly S"rt4There s no other way !or us as nd$duals4


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#s there any brother or sster whose heart s *ons*ous: 1Alas< +y l!e3nows but lttle o! the "ower o! the &oly 'host1> # *o+e to you wth'od)s +essa.e that you *an ha$e no *on*e"ton o! what your l!e

would be n the "ower o! the &oly S"rt4 #t s too h.h and too blessedand too wonder!ul, but # brn. you the +essa.e that @ust as truly as

the e$erlastn. Son o! 'od *a+e to ths world and wrou.ht &swonder!ul wor3s, that @ust as truly as on Cal$ary &e ded and wrou.htout your rede+"ton by &s "re*ous blood, so, @ust as truly, *an the&oly S"rt *o+e nto your heart that wth &s d$ne "ower &e +aysan*t!y you and enable you to do 'od)s blessed wll, and !ll yourheart wth @oy and wth stren.th4 But, alas< we ha$e !or.otten, we ha$e.re$ed, we ha$e dshonored the &oly S"rt, and &e has not been ableto do &s wor34 But # brn. you the +essa.e: The Father n &ea$enlo$es to !ll &s *hldren wth &s &oly S"rt4 'od lon.s to .$e ea*hone nd$dually, se"arately, the "ower o! the &oly S"rt !or daly l!e4The *o++and *o+es to us nd$dually, untedly4 'od wants us as &s*hldren to arse and "la*e our sns be!ore &+, and to *all u"on &+!or +er*y4 Oh, are ye so !oolsh> &a$n. be.un n the S"rt, are ye"er!e*tn. n the !lesh that wh*h was be.un n the S"rt> Let us bown sha+e, and *on!ess be!ore 'od how our !leshly rel.on, our sel!2e!!ort, and sel!2*on!den*e, ha$e been the *ause o! e$ery !alure4

# ha$e o!ten been as3ed by youn. Chrstans: 1-hy s t that # !al so> #dd so sole+nly $ow wth +y whole heart, and dd desre to ser$e'od5 why ha$e # !aled>1To su*h # always .$e the one answer: 1My dear !rend, you are tryn.to do n your own stren.th what Chrst alone *an do n you41

And when they tell +e: 1# a+ sure # 3new Chrst alone *ould do t, #

was not trustn. n +ysel!,1 +y answer always s:10ou were trustn. n yoursel! or you *ould not ha$e !aled4 #! you hadtrusted Chrst, &e *ould not !al41

Oh, ths "er!e*tn. n the !lesh what was be.un n the S"rt runs !ardee"er throu.h us than we 3now4 Let us as3 'od to ds*o$er to us thatt s only when we are brou.ht to utter sha+e and e+"tness that weshall be "re"ared to re*e$e the blessn. that *o+es !ro+ on h.h4

And so # *o+e wth these two =uestons4 Are you l$n., belo$edbrother2+nster 2 # as3 t o! e$ery +nster o! the 'os"el 2 are you

l$n. under the "ower o! the &oly 'host> Are you l$n. as ananonted, S"rt2!lled +an n your +nstry and your l!e be!ore 'od>O brethren, our "la*e s an aw!ul one4 -e ha$e to show "eo"le what'od wll do !or us, not n our words and tea*hn., but n our l!e4 'odhel" us to do t

0ou well 3now that the hu+an sde o! *onse*raton wll not hel" you4 #+ay *onse*rate +ysel! a hundred t+es wth all the ntensty o! +y

ben., and that wll not hel" +e4 -hat wll hel" +e s ths 2 that 'od!ro+ &ea$en a**e"ts and seals the *onse*raton4

And now are you wlln. to .$e yoursel$es u" to the &oly S"rt> 0ou*an do t now4 A .reat deal +ay stll be dar3 and d+, and beyond

what we understand, and you +ay !eel nothn.5 but *o+e4 'od alone*an e!!e*t the *han.e4 'od alone, who .a$e us the &oly S"rt, *anrestore the &oly S"rt n "ower nto our l!e4 'od alone *an1stren.then us wth +.ht by hs S"rt n the nner +an41 And toe$ery watn. heart that wll +a3e the sa*r!*e, and .$e u"e$erythn., and .$e t+e to *ry and "ray to 'od, the answer wll*o+e4 The blessn. s not !ar o!!4 Our 'od del.hts to hel" us4 &e wllenable us to "er!e*t, not n the !lesh, but n the S"rt, what was be.unn the S"rt4 The words !ro+ wh*h # s"ea3, you wll !nd n # (eter9:4 The thrd, !ourth and !!th $erses are: 1Blessed be the 'od andFather o! our Lord esus Chrst, wh*h 444 hath be.otten us a.an unto

a l$ely ho"e by the resurre*ton o! esus Chrst !ro+ the dead, to annhertan*e n*orru"tble 444 reser$ed n hea$en !or you, who are 3e"t

by the "ower o! 'od throu.h !ath unto sal$aton41 The words o! +yte?t are: 1/e"t by the "ower o! 'od throu.h !ath41

There we ha$e two wonder!ul, blessed truths about the 3ee"n. bywh*h a bele$er s 3e"t unto sal$aton4 One truth s, /e"t by the"ower o! 'od5 and the other truth s, /e"t throu.h !ath4 -e shouldloo3 at the two sdes 2 at 'od)s sde and &s al+.hty "ower, o!!ered tous to be our /ee"er e$ery +o+ent o! the day5 and at the hu+an sde,

we ha$n. nothn. to do but n !ath to let 'od do &s 3ee"n. wor34

-e are be.otten a.an to an nhertan*e 3e"t n &ea$en !or us5 and weare 3e"t here on earth by the "ower o! 'od4 -e see there s a double3ee"n. 2 the nhertan*e 3e"t !or +e n &ea$en, and # on earth 3e"t!or the nhertan*e there4

Now, as to the !rst "art o! ths 3ee"n., there s no doubt and no=ueston4 'od 3ee"s the nhertan*e n &ea$en $ery wonder!ully and


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"er!e*tly, and t s watn. there sa!ely4 And the sa+e 'od 3ee"s +e!or the nhertan*e4 That s what # want to understand4

0ou 3now t s $ery !oolsh o! a !ather to ta3e .reat trouble to ha$e annhertan*e !or hs *hldren, and to 3ee" t !or the+, ! he does not

3ee" the+ !or t4 -hat would you thn3 o! a +an s"endn. hs wholet+e and +a3n. e$ery sa*r!*e to a+ass +oney, and as he .ets hstens o! thousands, you as3 h+ why t s that he sa*r!*es h+sel! so,and hs answer s: 1# want to lea$e +y *hldren a lar.e nhertan*e,and # a+ 3ee"n. t !or the+1 2 ! you were then to hear that that +anta3es no trouble to edu*ate hs *hldren, that he allows the+ to runu"on the street wld, and to .o on n "aths o! sn and .noran*e and!olly, what would you thn3 o! h+> -ould not you say: 1(oor +an< hes 3ee"n. an nhertan*e !or hs *hldren, but he s not 3ee"n. or"re"arn. hs *hldren !or the nhertan*e1< And there are so +anyChrstans who thn3: 1My 'od s 3ee"n. the nhertan*e !or +e15 butthey *annot bele$e: 1My 'od s 3ee"n. +e !or that nhertan*e41 Thesa+e "ower, the sa+e lo$e, the sa+e 'od don. the double wor34

Now, # want to s"ea3 about a wor3 'od does u"on us 2 3ee"n. us !orthe nhertan*e4 # ha$e already sad that we ha$e two $ery s+"letruths: the one the d$ne sde 2 we are 3e"t by the "ower o! 'od5 theother, the hu+an sde 2 we are 3e"t throu.h !ath4

/e"t by the (ower o! 'od

Loo3 at the d$ne sde: Chrstans are 3e"t by the "ower o! 'od4

/ee"n. #n*ludes All

Thn3, !rst o! all, that ths 3ee"n. s all2n*lus$e4-hat s 3e"t> 0ou are 3e"t4 &ow +u*h o! you> The whole ben.4 Does'od 3ee" one "art o! you and not another> No4 So+e "eo"le ha$e andea that ths s a sort o! $a.ue, .eneral 3ee"n., and that 'od wll3ee" the+ n su*h a way that when they de they wll .et to &ea$en4But they do not a""ly that word 3e"t to e$erythn. n ther ben. andnature4 And yet that s what 'od wants4

&ere # ha$e a wat*h4 Su""ose that ths wat*h had been borrowed !ro+a !rend, and he sad to +e:1-hen you .o to Euro"e, # wll let you ta3e t wth you, but +nd you3ee" t sa!ely and brn. t ba*341

And su""ose # da+a.ed the wat*h, and had the hands bro3en, and the!a*e de!a*ed, and so+e o! the wheels and s"rn.s s"oled, and too3 t

ba*3 n that *ondton, and handed t to +y !rend5 he would say:1Ah, but # .a$e you that wat*h on *ondton that you would 3ee" t41


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1&a$e # not 3e"t t> There s the wat*h411But # dd not want you to 3ee" t n that .eneral way, so that youshould brn. +e ba*3 only the shell o! the wat*h, or the re+ans4 #e?"e*ted you to 3ee" e$ery "art o! t41

And so 'od does not want to 3ee" us n ths .eneral way, so that at the

last, so+ehow or other, we shall4 be sa$ed as by !re, and @ust .et nto&ea$en4 But the 3ee"n. "ower and the lo$e o! 'od a""les to e$ery"art*ular o! our ben.4

There are so+e "eo"le who thn3 'od wll 3ee" the+ n s"rtualthn.s, but not n te+"oral thn.s4 Ths latter, they say, les outsde o!&s lne4 Now, 'od sends you to wor3 n the world, but &e dd not say:1# +ust now lea$e you to .o and earn your own +oney, and to .et yourl$elhood !or yoursel!41 &e 3nows you are not able to 3ee" yoursel!4But 'od says: 1My *hld, there s no wor3 you are to do, and no

busness n wh*h you are en.a.ed, and not a *ent wh*h you are tos"end, but #, your Father, wll ta3e that u" nto +y 3ee"n.41 'od notonly *ares !or the s"rtual, but !or the te+"oral also4 The .reater "arto! the l!e o! +any "eo"le +ust be s"ent, so+et+es e.ht or nne orten hours a day, a+d the te+"tatons and dstra*tons o! busness5

but 'od wll *are !or you there4 The 3ee"n. o! 'od n*ludes all4

There are other "eo"le who thn3: 1Ah< n t+e o! tral 'od 3ee"s +e,but n t+es o! "ros"erty # do not need &s 3ee"n.5 then # !or.et &+and let &+ .o41 Others, a.an, thn3 the $ery o""oste4 They thn3:1#n t+e o! "ros"erty, when thn.s are s+ooth and =uet, # a+ able to*ln. to 'od, but when hea$y trals *o+e, so+ehow or other +y wllrebels, and 'od does not 3ee" +e then41

Now, # brn. you the +essa.e that n "ros"erty as n ad$ersty, n thesunshne as n the dar3, your 'od s ready to 3ee" you all the t+e4Then a.an, there are others who thn3 o! ths 3ee"n. thus: 1'od wll3ee" +e !ro+ don. $ery .reat w*3edness, but there are s+all sns #*annot e?"e*t 'od to 3ee" +e !ro+4 There s the sn o! te+"er4 #*annot e?"e*t 'od to *on=uer that41

-hen you hear o! so+e +an who has been te+"ted and .one astrayor !allen nto drun3enness or +urder, you than3 'od !or &s 3ee"n."ower41# +.ht ha$e done the sa+e as that +an,1 you say, 1! 'od had not

3e"t +e41 And you bele$e &e 3e"t you !ro+ drun3enness and+urder4

And why do you not need bele$e that 'od *an 3ee" you !ro+outbrea3s o! te+"er> 0ou thou.ht that ths was o! less +"ortan*e5

you dd not re+e+ber that the .reat *o++and+ent o! the NewTesta+ent s 2 1Lo$e one another as # ha$e lo$ed you41 And when yourte+"er and hasty @ud.+ent and shar" words *a+e out, you snned


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a.anst the h.hest law 2 the law o! 'od)s lo$

absolute surrender and other addresses

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