Christianity a Life by George B. Thompson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 30, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 44.

Christianity a Life

By George B. Thompson

TRUE Christianity is a life. It does not consist in outward forms and ceremonies. These can be nothing more than the urn which holds the treasure, the body in which the living soul has its abode. Christianity is a life; and it is a power. And just in proportion as men lose the life from their worship, they proceed to multiply endless rites and ceremonies. When the life and power of Christianity cease to abide in the temple of the soul, larger and more costly “temples made with hands” are reared instead.

No human scribe has ever written the history of Christianity. No scribe can. The mysterious workings of this mighty agency are not traceable by mortal pen. Much that historians term Christianity is but a form, a body from which the life has fled, a corpse putrescent to the core. The history of true Christianity is written only in sacrifice, in blood, in the groans and death-shrieks of the brave and loyal souls who loved not their lives unto death, in regenerated lives of men and women, and in the record contained in the books which will be opened at the last great day.

The Author of real Christianity is the Son of God. He is also its Finisher. In the Babe of Bethlehem, lying in a stall among cattle, sleeping, helpless, upon the bosom of His virgin mother, is found the life which permeates all true Christianity, a life which quells the dark, stormy passions of the human heart, and regenerates the believing soul. He lies there a feeble infant, yet worshiped by angels. A few hours measure His earthly existence, yet He lived before the stars began their stately march thru the heavens. In the Babe of Bethlehem is solved the problem of the ages—how man condemned to death because of transgression can be just and live. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He came that “they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” In Him is life. His is the endless life and power of genuine Christianity. It is in no sense synonymous with outward forms and ceremonies. It may use these as an instrument thru which to work, or it may exist and work without them.

The life and power of Christianity to-day, as in apostolic days, is the Holy Spirit, not some human federation. What the church of the Most High God needs at this hour is the baptism of power from on high. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Acts 1:8. “The Spirit giveth life.” 2 Cor. 3:6. “It is the Spirit that quickeneth.” John 6:63.

The Spirit of God is that unseen yet mighty agency which imparts spiritual life and power to the human soul. Without it men are dead, and Christianity is but a form. “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Rom. 8:9. Only those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. The Holy Spirit is the connecting link between the throne of God and the human heart, regenerating, sanctifying, and purifying the soul.

Everywhere there is a distressing dearth of spirituality. Many churches have withered and died. Real ministerial power is a rare article. Much labor and money are often expended with but little results. Sinners are not moved as they once were. When calls are made for laborers to help carry the Gospel to the “regions beyond” but few respond.

The Great Need.

Power from on high is the church’s greatest need. There are too many forms already. A theory of the truth is not sufficient to save us. There is no salvation even in a form of the truth. The disciples had been with the Saviour during the years of His ministry. They had witnessed His miracles in stilling the sea, healing the sick, and raising the dead, and beheld the indescribable glory revealed at the transfiguration. But all this did not qualify them to go out and labor. Tho the world was sunken in iniquity, and perishing, He bids them wait. How long?—“Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

When the disciples received this holy unction from on high, they went forth and mighty work was done. Men quailed before the truth spoken in the power of the Holy Spirit. Hard, stony hearts were changed, and the dark, stormy, sinful passions of souls were subdued. Thousands were converted in a day. The purse-strings of the believers were loosed, and funds came in to carry on their work. Even the iron monarchy of Rome yielded before the power of the message which they delivered. Being filled with the Spirit of God, they went forth “conquering and to conquer.”

Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (chapter 37:1-12) illustrates what can be accomplished thru the power of the Holy Spirit. Tho this scripture no doubt has reference to the resurrection of the dead at the last day, it contains as well a lesson for those who are dead in trespasses and sin. In this vision is represented the ruined state of humanity. Being alienated from the life of God, they are dead. “Can these bones live?” Humanly speaking, this seemed impossible. There was no sign of life, for the bones were “very dry,” only a piece here, and a piece there. Here was a condition before which human philosophy and church federation could only stand helpless. What could worldly power do in a condition like this?—Nothing. But the Spirit of God entered into them, and, behold! they lived, “an exceeding great army,” the whole house of Israel.

It is even so now. In the church are many without the breath of the Spirit of life, mere skeletons, so to speak. Whole churches are dead. Their only hope of spiritual existence is in receiving the vitalizing power of the Holy Spirit. Now, as never before, the church of God individually should reverently bow with humility of soul and confession of sin, shut in with the Most High in prayer, that the heavenly current,—the power of Christianity,—fresh from the throne of God, may fill their very being.

It is spiritual, not secular, power that the church needs. The word “power” as used in our English version of the Bible, is represented in the Greek Testament by several distinct words. The two chief forms are exousia and dunamis, the latter form being the one from which we have the word dynamite. The first of these refers more especially to authority as exercised by a ruler. Spiritual power is represented by dunamis, as in Luke 24:49; 1 Cor. 2:4, etc.

This heavenly power is the Gospel of our divine Lord. The Gospel is the power of God. That the Spirit of God does not manifest itself in the church to-day as it should, is apparent to all. Endless forms and ceremonies have been multiplied to take its place, but in vain. The Spirit is free to those who ask. There can be but one thing which hinders the bestowal of this heavenly gift, and that one thing is sin. Selfishness and unconsecration will effectually retard its operations, and not only will sin hinder its manifestations in our hearts, but having received the Spirit and refusing to yield our sins to God, the Spirit may be withdrawn. This is forcibly illustrated in the life of Saul. Being chosen king, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he was “turned into another man.” 1 Sam. 10:6. He was converted, for “God gave him another heart.” But failing to yield all to God, he lost the sweet communion with his Maker, and continuing to follow the sinful impulses of his heart, “the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” 1 Sam. 16:14. And later we see this man to whom the Lord gave a “new heart,” and anointed for His service, so far departed from Him, that, lying prostrate in the hovel of a witch, he receives instruction from an imp from the region of darkness! What a solemn and awful warning this lesson contains against the sin of “grieving” the Holy Spirit by permitting things in our lives which we know are not in harmony with the pure life of the Son of God.