J. C. CLEMENS by J. C. Clemens

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 1, 1874

J. C. CLEMENS

By J. C. Clemens

Consecration.

We frequently express a desire, to be more completely consecrated to God, that by this means our zeal and earnestness may be increased. We often pray for this spirit of consecration, yet we seem to understand very little of the nature and requirements of such a spirit and what its fruits must be. Our daily lives must furnish the proof of the sincerity of our desire, and if our prayers are the expression of the true sentiments of our hearts, then will our actions testify thereof. We must not wait in patient expectation for the bestowal of this coveted blessing, but must strive as earnestly as we pray, and season our petitions with faith. We must also endeavor with divine assistance to overcome and expel those carnal affections which are the offspring of a spirit of evil, and foreign to a regenerate nature.

Let us note some of the preparatory steps necessary to the attainment of the desired state of consecration. Our blessed Saviour says, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me,” Mark 8 : 34. Then in order to come after him, or be consecrated to his service, we first must practice self-denial; and this is to be accomplished as our various positions and relations demand. In order to obey all God’s commands it sometimes becomes necessary for us to endure much in the way of inconvenience or even persecution. We must not allow our love of ease to influence us in any degree, but be willing to sacrifice self on the altar of duty. We should look to God for strength to endure and overcome.

If social or financial interests conflict with duty, we should not hesitate to sacrifice these as of minor importance compared with the eternal interests that are at stake. The trial may be a severe one; but Jesus endured, for our sakes, trials much more severe; and it becomes us to deny ourselves, and thus manifest our gratitude.

Next comes cross-bearing. It may be profitable to note the rendering which Luke gives this interesting passage, “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily.” Certainly, no day passes without bringing to every one of us at least one opportunity to give evidence of the completeness of our consecration by bearing our cross in the discharge of some apparent duty. It must be borne humbly, to emulate the meekness of Him who is our example; also promptly and cheerfully; for thus only can we bear it profitably and acceptably.

“And follow me.” How much is comprised in those few words! How can we fully and entirely follow our dear Leader? Only in such measure as our finite natures compare with his infinity can we do this. We may yearn for the salvation of our fellows with something of the spirit that caused our Lord to weep over the perverseness of Jerusalem, and may devote our powers entirely to the work of pointing sinners to the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world;” we may pray with and for the inquiring and despondent; we also may weep over the heedless and the ungrateful, and thus in some measure follow Jesus. We may also follow him in the exercise of a spirit of meekness remembering that, when reviled, he reviled not again, but maintained before his false-hearted accusers his patience and his dignity, being “led like a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth.”

The necessity of being consecrated becomes plainly manifest when we view the magnitude of the work to be accomplished and the fast approaching end; and whatever we may endure of care and trial here will only the better prepare us to enjoy the pleasures of that blessed state. To manifest our appreciation of Christ’s love for, and mercy toward, us, we, in turn, may devote our lives fully and entirely to him, ever denying ourselves as occasion requires, bearing cheerfully every cross that is presented—faithfully, humbly, trustingly following Jesus. And God grant that we may finally be accounted worthy to obtain eternal life, “which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ his Son.”