May 7, 2012

• The Dangerous Tendency of Delay (Andrew Fuller)

  Andrew Fuller passed into glory on this day in 1815. Fuller, a Calvinist pastor, was instrumental in correcting the errors of hypercalvinism (which had led to a squashing of the missionary enterprise). As a result, the modern missionary movement was unleashed in the late 18th century, beginning with William Carey. The following is an excerpt from Fuller's sermon, "The Instances, the Evil Nature, and the Dangerous Tendency of Delay, in the Concerns of Religion,"  given on April 27, 1791:

  "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built." — Hag. i. 2. [KJV]......

  We see many things that should be done; but there are difficulties in the way, and we wait for the removal of these difficulties. We are very apt to indulge a kind of prudent caution, (as we call it,) which foresees and magnifies difficulties beyond what they really are. It is granted there may be such things in the way of an undertaking as may render it impracticable; and, in that case, it is our duty for the present to stand still; but it becomes us to beware lest we account that impracticable which only requires such a degree of exertion as we are not inclined to give it. Perhaps the work requires expense; and Covetousness says, Wait a little longer, till I have gained so and so in trade, till I have rendered my circumstances respectable, and settled my children comfortably in the world. But is not this like ceiling our own houses, while the house of God lies waste? Perhaps it requires concurrence; and we wait for every body to be of a mind, which is never to be expected. He who through a dread of opposition and reproach desists from known duty is in danger of being found among the "fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable."

  Had Luther and his contemporaries acted upon this principle, they had never gone about the glorious work of the Reformation. When he saw the abominations of popery, he might have said, These things ought not to be; but what can I do? If the chief priests and rulers in different nations would but unite, something might be effected; but what can I do, an individual, and a poor man? I may render myself an object of persecution, or, which is worse, of universal contempt; and what good end will be answered by it? Had Luther reasoned thus -- had he fancied that, because princes and prelates were not the first to engage in the good work, therefore the time was not come to build the house of the Lord -- the house of the Lord, for any thing he had done, might have lain waste to this day.

  Instead of waiting for the removal of difficulties, we ought, in many cases, to consider them as purposely laid in our way, in order to try the sincerity of our religion. He who had all power in heaven and earth could not only have sent forth his apostles into all the world, but have so ordered it that all the world should treat them with kindness, and aid them in their mission; but, instead of that, he told them to lay their accounts with persecution and the loss of all things. This was no doubt to try their sincerity; and the difficulties laid in our way are equally designed to try ours.

  * * *

  How has the Lord been calling you to build His house?

  What difficulties have been laid in your way?

  What excuses have you been giving to delay obeying the Lord's will for you?

  Have you been more consumed about the state of your own house than the Lord's house?

  Do you have any burden at all for the Lord's house to be rebuilt?

  Years ago we sat under a pastor who exhorted us with these words:

  "Delayed obedience is disobedience."

  
  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
  (James 4:17)
  

  May God give each of us grace to examine ourselves rightly. May we soberly consider our ways, and may we tremble as we consider that any sinful delay on our part not only robs God of glory but also robs Him of His pleasure...

  Haggai 1:1  In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2  “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” 3  Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4  “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5  Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6  You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
  
  7  “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8  Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.  9  You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10  Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11  And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

  Our Lord's commandments are not burdensome (I John 5:3). Our God is not a hard taskmaster, but for each and every commandment, our God has promised to richly and fully provide all we need to obey His commandments.

  Philippians 2:12  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

  
  I Thessalonians 5:23  Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

  ---

  HT: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/fuller.a.sermon.delay.html for the text of Fuller's "Delay..."

  Related posts:

  • postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
  • the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)
  • More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
  • "Consider your ways" (Haggai 1)
  • who is your master? (Bible Reading - Matthew)
  • what's your price? (Bible reading - Matthew 26:14-16)
  • a story of God and mammon: "the Lord's Calf" from Martyn Lloyd-Jones
  • Lent V. - You follow me! (Are we steadfastly setting our faces to His will?)
  • Is your ambition holy? / What are you living for? (Louis Paul Lehman) | The Christian's Aim
  • Are you robbing God? Where is God telling you to "Rise and go!" for the joy of others?
  • adopting God's purpose for the nations is for you joy & His glory
  • the infinite significance of the eternal Kingdom
  • Are You Working on the Wall? (redemption, spiritual gifts, the glory of God, joy & holy ambition)
  • every brand snatched is a brand dispatched ~ Reflections on 9/11, Redemption & God's Mission
  • Resurrection Day: Don't Waste Your Life (Lecrae) | Whose Life is it anyhow?
  • Neck check (Bible reading: Nehemiah 3)
  • 200 years ago ... Adoniram & Ann Judson ~ Don't waste YOUR marriage
  • Lenten Reflections: "the Son of Man must suffer many things" ~ what about us?
  • Father's Day ~ William Carey & his son | duty, risk & the obedient Son
  • Prayer & Revival in Ireland (R.A. Torrey) & Livingstone in Africa: Are we in our closets?

  Related resources:

  • Brief biography of Andrew Fuller
  • Tons of information on Andrew Fuller is available through the Baptist History Homepage via this webpage: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/fuller.andrew.index.html
  • The Andrew Fuller Center
  • Michael A.G. Haykin's biographical message on Andrew Fuller: Sweet Sensibility: Andrew Fuller's Defense of Religious Affections
  • John Piper's biographical message on Andrew Fuller: Holy Faith, Worthy Gospel, World Vision

  Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  Work found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Andrew_Fuller.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Public domain

  • 11:56 PM
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