What a believer would do--if he could
(Letters of John Newton)
"For the flesh lusts against the SPIRIT,
and the SPIRIT against the flesh.
These are contrary the one to the other--
so that you cannot do the things that
you would!" Galatians 5:17
This is a humbling but an accurate
account of a Christian's attainments
in the present life, and is equally
applicable to the strongest and
to the weakest. The weakest
need not say less--
the strongest will hardly
venture to say more.
The LORD has given HIS people
a desire aiming at great things--
but they cannot do as they would.
Their best desires are weak and
ineffectual, not absolutely so--
but in comparison with the noble
mark at which they aim.
So that while they have great cause
to be thankful for the desire HE has
given them, and for the degree
in which it is answered--
they have equal reason to be
ashamed and abased under a sense
of their continual defects and the evil
mixtures which taint and debase their
best endeavors!
It would be easy to make out
a long list of particulars, which
a believer would do if he could--
but in which, from first to last,
he finds a mortifying inability.
Permit me to mention a few, which
I need not transcribe from books,
for they are always present to my mind.
He would willingly enjoy GOD in prayer.
He knows that prayer is his duty; but
he considers it likewise as his greatest
honor and privilege. In this light he can
recommend it to others, and can tell them
of the wonderful condescension of the great
GOD, who humbles HIMSELF and opens
HIS gracious ear to the supplications
of sinful worms upon earth!
The believer can bid others to expect
a pleasure in waiting upon the LORD,
different in kind and greater in degree
than all that the world can afford.
By prayer he can say:
"You have liberty to cast all your
cares upon HIM who cares for you.
By one hour's intimate access
to the throne of grace--
you may acquire more true
spiritual knowledge and comfort,
than by a week's converse with
the best of men, or the most
studious perusal of many books."
And in this light he would consider
it and improve it for himself.
But, alas;
how seldom can he do as he would!
How often does he find this privilege
to be a mere task, which he would
be glad of a just excuse to omit!
and the chief pleasure he derives
from the performance--
is to think that his task is finished!
He has been drawing near
to GOD with his lips--
while his heart was far from HIM.
Surely this is not doing as he would,
when (to borrow the expression
of an old woman here,) he is
dragged before GOD like a slave,
and comes away like a thief!
Though we aim at this good--
evil is present with us!
Alas!
how vain is man in his best estate!
How much weakness and inconsistency,
even in those whose hearts are
right with the LORD!
What reason have we to
confess that we are unworthy,
unprofitable servants!
It were easy to enlarge in this way--
would paper and time permit. But,
blessed be GOD, we are not under the law--
but under grace!
And even these distressing effects
of the remnants of indwelling
sin are overruled for good.
By these experiences--
the believer is weaned more
from SELF, and taught more highly
to prize and more absolutely to rely
on HIM, who is our WISDOM,
RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION
and REDEMPTION!
The more vile we are in our own eyes--
the more precious HE will be to us!
A deep repeated sense
of the evil of our hearts--
is necessary to preclude all
boasting, and to make us willing
to give the whole glory of our
salvation where it is due!
Again, a sense of these evils will (when
hardly anything else can do it) reconcile
us to the thoughts of DEATH!
Yes, they make us desirous to depart--
that we may sin no more; since we find
depravity so deep-rooted in our nature,
that, like the leprous house, the whole
fabric must be taken down before we
can be freed from its defilement!
Then, and not until then--
we shall be able to do the thing
that we would!
When we see JESUS--
we shall be transformed into
HIS image, and be done with
sin and sorrow forever!
~ ~ ~ ~
(Letters of John Newton)
"For the flesh lusts against the SPIRIT,
and the SPIRIT against the flesh.
These are contrary the one to the other--
so that you cannot do the things that
you would!" Galatians 5:17
This is a humbling but an accurate
account of a Christian's attainments
in the present life, and is equally
applicable to the strongest and
to the weakest. The weakest
need not say less--
the strongest will hardly
venture to say more.
The LORD has given HIS people
a desire aiming at great things--
but they cannot do as they would.
Their best desires are weak and
ineffectual, not absolutely so--
but in comparison with the noble
mark at which they aim.
So that while they have great cause
to be thankful for the desire HE has
given them, and for the degree
in which it is answered--
they have equal reason to be
ashamed and abased under a sense
of their continual defects and the evil
mixtures which taint and debase their
best endeavors!
It would be easy to make out
a long list of particulars, which
a believer would do if he could--
but in which, from first to last,
he finds a mortifying inability.
Permit me to mention a few, which
I need not transcribe from books,
for they are always present to my mind.
He would willingly enjoy GOD in prayer.
He knows that prayer is his duty; but
he considers it likewise as his greatest
honor and privilege. In this light he can
recommend it to others, and can tell them
of the wonderful condescension of the great
GOD, who humbles HIMSELF and opens
HIS gracious ear to the supplications
of sinful worms upon earth!
The believer can bid others to expect
a pleasure in waiting upon the LORD,
different in kind and greater in degree
than all that the world can afford.
By prayer he can say:
"You have liberty to cast all your
cares upon HIM who cares for you.
By one hour's intimate access
to the throne of grace--
you may acquire more true
spiritual knowledge and comfort,
than by a week's converse with
the best of men, or the most
studious perusal of many books."
And in this light he would consider
it and improve it for himself.
But, alas;
how seldom can he do as he would!
How often does he find this privilege
to be a mere task, which he would
be glad of a just excuse to omit!
and the chief pleasure he derives
from the performance--
is to think that his task is finished!
He has been drawing near
to GOD with his lips--
while his heart was far from HIM.
Surely this is not doing as he would,
when (to borrow the expression
of an old woman here,) he is
dragged before GOD like a slave,
and comes away like a thief!
Though we aim at this good--
evil is present with us!
Alas!
how vain is man in his best estate!
How much weakness and inconsistency,
even in those whose hearts are
right with the LORD!
What reason have we to
confess that we are unworthy,
unprofitable servants!
It were easy to enlarge in this way--
would paper and time permit. But,
blessed be GOD, we are not under the law--
but under grace!
And even these distressing effects
of the remnants of indwelling
sin are overruled for good.
By these experiences--
the believer is weaned more
from SELF, and taught more highly
to prize and more absolutely to rely
on HIM, who is our WISDOM,
RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION
and REDEMPTION!
The more vile we are in our own eyes--
the more precious HE will be to us!
A deep repeated sense
of the evil of our hearts--
is necessary to preclude all
boasting, and to make us willing
to give the whole glory of our
salvation where it is due!
Again, a sense of these evils will (when
hardly anything else can do it) reconcile
us to the thoughts of DEATH!
Yes, they make us desirous to depart--
that we may sin no more; since we find
depravity so deep-rooted in our nature,
that, like the leprous house, the whole
fabric must be taken down before we
can be freed from its defilement!
Then, and not until then--
we shall be able to do the thing
that we would!
When we see JESUS--
we shall be transformed into
HIS image, and be done with
sin and sorrow forever!
~ ~ ~ ~
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