CHRIST OR I by A. C. Bainbridge

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 11, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 50.

CHRIST OR I.

By A. C. Bainbridge

Do I know the character of I, the flesh? This is an important question for each one of us to consider. As recorded in Matt. 15:18, 19, Jesus says that evil comes from the heart of man, and takes the form of evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. In Mark 7:21, 22 a longer list is added. Do you receive this testimony? It is in the Word of God; and we must believe it, for He knows; but unless we have learned it by experience, we shall always be expecting some good thing from the flesh. How often do we say, “I will do better next time,” or, “I would do so differently if I could live my life over again.” When we say these things, we forget the real nature of the flesh. As it is continually and incurably evil, how could it act any differently in the future from what it has in the past? Nothing (surely not we) can change it but divine power.

In Romans 7 we have a sketch of a living Christian, one ignorant, however, of the full grace of God in redemption, trying to produce the fruit of a Christian life by obedience to the law. Reaching the seventeenth verse, we find the flesh will have its way, and that way is always sin; so He tells us, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) ‘dwelleth no good thing.’” Verse 18. He has learned his lesson; and from this time he ceases to expect anything but evil from the flesh. Truly this is a blessed lesson for each Christian to learn. There are two ways of learning it, and we may take our choice: First, in the presence of God, in constant communion with Him; or, second, in the presence of Satan in failure and sin.

Paul himself would seem to be an example of the first class. In Phil. 3:4-6 we are told that he had every temptation to think there was some good in himself (the flesh). “Tho I might also have confidence in the flesh,” he says; “if any other man thinketh that he ‘hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.” Then he proceeds to tell us that he was blameless in the law, etc. But when a glorified Christ burst upon his vision, a complete change was wrought in his soul, and the new man took God’s part against the flesh. Read verses 7, 8. That became the abiding choice of his life; and he constantly, moment by moment, refused the flesh as evil; and if we would have a full experience of the power of redeeming grace, we must do the same. No matter how well-educated, refined, or cultured, the flesh can never bear fruit for God.

Peter is an example of the second class, who learned the character of the flesh through sin. A warm-hearted, impulsive man, he loved his Master ardently. When warned by the Lord, “All ye shall ‘be offended because of Me this night,” Peter, strong in his love, replied, “Yet will not I.” Mark 14:27-29. He was ready to die for Him; and what was he trusting for strength?—His own flesh,—his affection for his Master. You know the result; strong as his love for Jesus was, it was like a straw in the presence of Satan and his temptations; and down, down, down into the very abyss of denial went poor, loving Peter. What a commentary on our evil nature! The flesh, asserting its own corruption, dragged him into the mire of sin. His fall was overruled to God’s glory and the everlasting blessing of Peter; and in his humiliation we may learn that in the flesh of even a loving, devoted disciple dwelleth no good thing.

In one of these two ways, every one who would know the power of the Christ-life must learn the lesson. If we do not, we shall always be expecting something from ourselves, and, as surely, we shall always be disappointed. A bad tree always bears bad fruit, and when we have practically accepted this truth, we shall be done with expecting anything from self, and shall expect only from the Lord.

Through unwatchfulness, the flesh may assert itself and betray us into sin; but we are not deceived. The lesson is clearly learned; and as in the presence of God we judge ourselves, we seek grace to be kept watching. Until we have learned this lesson, we can not know abiding peace. If we turn from it, we, like the children of Israel, shall be exposed to all the wilderness trials and failures; but if we accept God’s testimony as true, and so fully learn its truth in our own souls that we habitually take God’s part against ourselves (the carnal self), we enter the dawning of another day,—a day, no matter what our trials and sorrows, filled with the shining of His face.

“The Spirit and the bride say, Come!”

A. C. BAINBRIDGE.