PRACTICAL Christianity means being laborers together with God every day; not working for Christ now and then, but continuously. A neglect to reveal practical righteousness in our lives is a denial of our faith and of the power of God. God is seeking for a sanctified people, a people set apart for His service, a people who will heed and accept the invitation, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me."
How earnestly Christ prosecuted the work of our salvation! What devotion His life revealed, as He sought to give value to fallen man by imputing to every repenting, believing sinner the merits of His spotless righteousness! How untiringly He worked! In the temple and the synagogue, in the streets of the cities, in the market-place, in the workshop, by the seaside, among the hills, He preached the Gospel and healed the sick. He gave all there was of Himself, that He might work out the plan of redeeming grace.
Christ was under no obligation to make this great sacrifice. Voluntarily He pledged Himself to bear the punishment due to the transgressor of His law. His love was His only obligation. And without a murmur He endured every pang and welcomed every indignity that was part of the plan of salvation.
The life of Christ was one of unselfish service, and His life is our lesson-book. The work that He began we are to carry forward. With His life of toil and sacrifice before them, can those who profess His name hesitate to deny self, to lift the cross and follow Him? He humbled Himself to the lowest depths that we might be lifted to the heights of purity and holiness and completeness.
He became poor that He might pour into our poverty-stricken souls the fulness of His riches. He endured the cross of shame that He might give us peace and rest and joy, and make us partakers of the glories of His throne.
Should we not appreciate the privilege of working for Him, and be eager to practise self-denial and self-sacrifice for His sake? Should we not give back to God all that He has redeemed, the affections He has purified, and the body that He has purchased to be kept unto sanctification and holiness?
Jesus Healing the Leper. Matt. 8:1-3
The apostle Paul had learned the principles of true service when he wrote the words, "I am debtor to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."
In what sense was Paul debtor both to the Jew and to the Greek? — To him had been given the commission, as it is given to every disciple of Christ, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." In accepting Christ, Paul accepted this commission. He realized that upon him rested the obligation of laboring for all classes of men, — for Jew and Gentile, for learned and unlearned, for those occupying high positions and for those in the most lowly walks of life. From a zealous persecutor of the followers of Christ, Paul became one of the Saviour's most devoted and effective workers. Suddenly arrested in his career of persecution, he was given a view of the Saviour, and a complete transformation took place in him. Henceforth his life was wholly devoted to the Crucified One.
Paul's calling demanded from him service of varied kinds, — working with his hands to earn his living, traveling from place to place, establishing churches, writing letters to the churches already established. Yet in the midst of these varied labors, he declared, "This one thing I do." One thing he kept steadfastly before him in all his work, — to be faithful to Christ, who, when Paul was blaspheming His name and using every means in his power to make others blaspheme it, had revealed Himself to him. The one great purpose of his life was to serve and honor Him whose name had once filled him with contempt.
Paul's one desire was to win souls to the Saviour. Jew and Gentile might oppose him, but nothing could turn him from his purpose. Henceforth his testimony was, "Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."4The responsibility of each human agent is measured by the amount of gifts he holds in trust. All are to be workers; but upon the worker who has had the greatest opportunities, the greatest clearness of mind in understanding the Scriptures, rests the highest responsibility. Every receiver must hold himself accountable to God, and use his talents for God's glory. Christian reader, let the great purpose that constrained Paul to press forward in the face of hardship and difficulty, lead you to consecrate yourself wholly to God's service. Whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might. Let your daily prayer be: "Lord, help me to do my best. Teach me how to do better work. Help me to bring into my service the loving ministry of the Saviour."
