p. 6 | FEELING by W. N. G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 7, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 39.

“FEELING.”

By W. N. G.

THIS word occurs but twice in the Bible, yet, judging by many of the social-meeting experiences we hear in the churches, it would seem to be the most prominent word in the Scriptures. The stress laid upon the expressions “I feel” or “I want to feel” thus and so are with many a mere habit, but with many more they come from the delusion that feeling is religion, and that a display of enthusiasm is evidence of extraordinary faith. The exercise of an exuberant feeling on the part of people who make a great pretense of holiness or of faith often leads the more humble or less demonstrative brother to fear that he is certainly in the background, because he is not disposed to be so enthusiastic in his testimony. The disposition to attach a high value to an impulsive outburst of feeling is apt to lead him to the conclusion that such an one or such a class has something essential to a living experience that he has not yet acquired. Unless his mind is freed from this misleading idea, he will in course of time be following after some of the numerous demonstrations of “bodily exercise” that are only calculated to arouse a superabundant sensation.

The frequent use of the phrases “I feel” or “I want to feel” carries the idea that the acme of proof is the feeling. One thinks this or that course is right because he feels it is so, or he feels that he ought to do so and so. Again, such a brother seems so happy in the way he feels, that another brother wants to do as he does in order to enjoy a like feeling. This desire to feel everything that is supposed to be right, and the disappointment because the desire is not gratified, is the imaginary cause of much of the darkness and backsliding and discouragement that we meet in the church. The real cause is unbelief; but unbelief is the last thing that any professed Christian is willing to acknowledge.

There is only one standard of truth, of holiness, of sanctification, or of duty; and that is not feeling, it is the Word of God. Right feeling is a result of having believed and having shown our belief in good works based on the Word of the Lord. Paul speaks of the Gentiles as “being past feeling,” because of “having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness [margin, “hardness”] of their heart.” Eph. 4: 18, 19. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Rom. 1: 21.

But, coming back to Ephesians 4, we read in the twentieth verse, “But ye have not so learned Christ.” In no instance do we read of his doing anything because he felt like it. No doubt he felt like doing many good things, but that was not his reason for doing them. But he did many things that he did not feel like doing. His was not a life of sentimental happiness or rapturous feeling; he was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Of his work he said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” John 6: 38. His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane was, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22: 42.

I would emphasize the thought that there is nothing wrong in being happy in the Lord, even joyful in tribulation. That is the Christian’s privilege; but it is not the proper basis of duty, nor the sole object of faith. Like the Master, the servant’s chief object is to do the will of God, without reference to his own feelings. It is not because it is a pleasure that we are to forsake all that we have for his cause, but because it is necessary to the salvation of ourselves and others. The Lord Jesus came down from heaven, not because of the pleasure there was in his sacrifice, but because of the necessity involved in our lost condition. So he tells us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Now the cross will not bring feelings of happiness and contentment in the Lord, unless it be taken up by faith, regardless of the kind of feeling one may desire to have. If Christian joy, or elation of feeling, or rest in the Lord, be sought in advance of the cross, or in murmuring because of the cross, it is evidence of selfish motive, and there will be disappointment. Or if a seeming joy in the Lord, or a forced or feigned sentimentality, be indulged for the purpose of arousing a satisfied feeling, there will be delusion. Christ “endured the cross” for “the joy set before him,” the joy yet future (Heb. 12: 2), and not for the good feelings he enjoyed in his earthly life. The apostle Paul was called to a life of sacrifice and suffering. Said the Lord, “I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” Acts 9: 16. It is true that Paul could rejoice in afflictions, but suppose he had sat down and murmured about his feelings, or made his feelings a test in all matters of faith and duty, when the Spirit bade him do this or that, how much would he ever have accomplished? Is it probable he ever could have said, “I have fought a good fight”? The Spirit of the Lord crossed Paul’s feelings many times when he felt like doing things in his own way, or going to certain places to labor. See Acts 16: 6–9; 22: 17–21.

We have several marked examples of religious feeling recorded in the Scriptures. Two of these occurred on the borders of Canaan, and both were the result of rejecting the Word of God, and resulted in disaster. When the twelve spies returned to the camp of Israel, two of them rested on the promise of God and advised going forward; but the other ten felt differently, and declared that they were not able to conquer their enemies. Then the congregation of Israel felt as the ten spies did, and their feeling was so strong that they resolved not to make the attempt. But when Moses told them the consequences of their lack of faith, their feelings were changed, and they determined to go up and take the land. The Lord told them by his servant not to go; that he would not go with them, and they would be defeated in the attempt. But their feelings were aroused to such a pitch of enthusiasm that they again disregarded the Word of the Lord, and met sore defeat. What was the trouble, then? Was it a lack of feeling?—O, no, they had plenty of feeling and zeal to enter the promised land! But we are told “that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

There is not one direction in the Scriptures that warrants us in taking our feelings as a guide in matters of faith and duty. “Faith cometh by hearing [not by feeling], and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom. 10: 17. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” [not our feeling]. 1 John 5: 4. We are justified by faith, not by feeling. Rom. 5: 1. Faith, not feeling, is “counted for righteousness.” Chap. 4: 5. “We have access by faith [not by feeling] into this grace [not feeling] wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Chap. 5: 2. And this feeling of rejoicing, and all the blessings mentioned in the succeeding verses, are the result of faith, not of feeling.

Men are prone to excuse their laxness because they do not feel right, but God’s Word always lays it at the door of unbelief, and consequently not doing right. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works [not your jubilant feelings], and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5: 16.