Life Out Of Death

LIFE OUT OF DEATH Taken from an old magazine, Issue April 1970

From an article in The Life of Faith, I quote: “There is only one Name that matters, ultimately, the whole concept of holiness is bedeviled by man-made groupings and systems. There is no more dreadful paradox than that Christians should have found in the doctrines of holiness yet another occasion for froming defensive groups and attacking each other. If we would know the truth about holiness we must follow Wesley – “Names and sects and parties fall; Thou, O Christ, art All in All.” The only thing to be said is – Amen! … …I am sometimes asked when I am traveling: “What School of Sanctification do you belong to?” And I always rejoice to be able to say: “To none”. Has not our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ been “made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30) ? In Him; united to Him in His death, resurrection, and ascension we have all we can possibly need for deliverance from the dominion of sin and self, equipment for service, and authority over the power of the enemy. Apart from Him we have nothing, and can do nothing. We covet to have said of us what Bishop Ryle wrote of the leaders of the great evangelical revival.; “They loved Christ’s person; they rejoiced in Christ’s promises; they urged men to walk after Christ’s example.” Finally, I realize that no single man, or body of men, has a monopoly of truth. To the best of our ability we long to make Him known; and to minister ‘as the truth is in Jesus’ (Eph. 4:21); but you will always be able to find flaws in understanding and presentation of the Scriptures. I do not know about you, but the longer I live the more conscious I become of my own weakness, sinfulness, and need; and the real peril of preaching to others, but living on a level, which is not that of the truth one has grasped mentally; and therefore failing shamefully to reach the goal of Christ-likeness set before us. I have sometimes quoted a saying that was taken from a little book of hints for motorists, which runs like this:”The car you need to watch is the car behind the one in front of you’. This is as true of the Christian life, as it is for the man driving in heavy traffic. May you and I be anabled to go steadily on, being recreated into His image now in some measure, and then fully when we see Him as He is. I am looking at a postcard which I bought in Canada, and keep in a prominent place in my study. I had been traveling in mid-winter, the skies were grey, and the countryside was hidden under deep snow. In a book store I suddenly saw a picture of the same district in brilliant sunshine, and rich with waving, golden corn. My first reaction was- “I don’t believe it!”. Then I bought the postcard, and it is a constant reminder that life comes out of death; and that in spite of all appearances to the contrary a glorious harvest will be gathered in, because amidst the unrelieved darkness of the Cross The Saviour bore “our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes” we are healed – see 1 Peter 2:24. How good He is to us! And He alone is worthy! Yours as ever in Him, J.C. Metcalfe Parkstone. February 1970.

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