Greatest of Possessions
By H. W. Cottrell
It Brings Rest, Peace, and Contentment—The New Creation
THE greatest of all possessions is Christianity. The divine reason of this is, that Christianity is a real condition, born of God's love; and like God, its Author, it never slumbers nor sleeps, neither does it age with time. Men and women, boys and girls, and little children slumber and sleep, and many of them grow old. Our garments grow old. Surely the earth itself groans under the age of the curse resting upon it, and it has grown old. The covenant that our ancestors made with God, that they would obey Him—that is, be good—when they did not have Christ abiding within them individually, waxed old, and at the cross of Christ it vanished away. All similar contracts that men make in this our day, are ineffective at the time of making, and because there is no Christ in them, are ready to vanish. Through Himself, Christ would make both men and "all things new." When our divine Lord was here upon earth, He held a conversation with a great and wise man—speaking after the manner of men; but that man did not really know who Christ was. He thought Him to be a mere man like himself, but one who had been with God. The great Master, observing that Nicodemus did not discern His Deity, said to him, "Ye must be born again," "born from above," "born of the Spirit," "born of God." This new birth gives to the individual assurance of spiritual organization, spiritual life, spiritual sight, and spiritual strength to endure to the end, that he may reap eternal salvation. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND NEW CREATION
In this lesson, Christ gave assurance that there must come into the individual life a personal experience, not of fancy, but of fact. Otherwise one might, like Nicodemus, see physically, but be blind spiritually; be strong physically, but paralyzed spiritually. Surely, in the absence of personal experience, none can see or enter the kingdom of God. This is another reason why Christianity is the greatest thing in the world. Without it there is surely no hope for those who labor. "Come unto Me, all ye that labor," said He, "and I will give you rest." This is not make-believe rest. If the door of one's heart, or life, is opened for Christ's admission, and He abides within, He will subdue the carnal tendencies to cherished evil. Fruit will be borne in the new life, and such a one becomes a new creation. The physical man is3spiritually organized. He has a new life, a new mind, a new heart, and new desires. In a thought, the will of God—whatever it is—is his will. RESTS NOT ON FEELING, EMOTION, OR SENTIMENT
His Christianity will not rest upon feeling, emotion, or sentiment, but upon a daily acquaintance with the divine Christ who has so bountifully bestowed the treasure. His anchorage is that Rock within the veil, even Jesus. The storms of misunderstanding, or misrepresentation, or discourtesy, may, perchance, be his to endure on his earthly voyage, and this may cause anguish of spirit and sorrow of heart without; but at the same time, there is contentment, peace, and rest within the soul where the Redeemer—the Author of Christianity—abides. This experience is Heaven-ordained to every one who will comply with the conditions; namely, surrender all, and accept Him. It is Heaven-honored, time-honored, and to become eternity-honored. The experience, in fact, is found at Jesus' feet, and comes, let me suggest, by personal experience.