The doctrine of justification by faith –– a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort –– has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved," but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little.

The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. We have almost forgotten that God is a Person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can. It is inherent in personality to be able to know other personalities, but full knowledge of one personality by another cannot be achieved in one encounter. It is only after long and loving mental intercourse that the full possibilities of both can be explored.

All social intercourse between human beings is a response of personality to personality, grading upward from the most casual brush between man and man to the fullest, most intimate communion of which the human soul is capable. Religion, so far as it is genuine, is in essence the response of created personalities to the Creating Personality, God. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.". . .

To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart. St. Bernard stated this holy paradox in a musical quatrain that will be instantly understood by every worshipping soul:

We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

. . . How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers. Everything is made to center upon the initial act of "accepting Christ" (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him we need nor more seek Him...

. . . Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present, or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.

Every age has its own characteristics. Right now we are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. The shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship, and that servile imitation of the world which marks our promotional methods all testify that we, in this day, know God only imperfectly, and the peace of God scarcely at all.

~ A.W. Tozer, excerpts from Chapter I, Following Hard after God in "The Pursuit of God," first published in 1948.

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Psalm 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

Is your soul following hard after Him – or are you ensnared by the deadly foe complacency and tangled in the web of religious complexity?

"Those who think they have grace enough give proof that they have little enough, or rather that they have none at all; because, wherever there is true grace, there is a desire of more grace, and a pressing towards the perfection of grace." ~ Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Philippians 3:13.

O LORD our God, incline our hearts, souls, minds, and strength to follow hard after You, to cling to You, to hold fast to You, and not to let You go. God forbid we be too-easily-satisfied religionists at ease in Zion –– but rather may we be diligent to make our calling and election sure, and show ourselves to be Your purchased possession – children of the burning heart. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us that we might be found in the company of the Shulamite woman:– zealously and jealously pursuing, panting, and pressing on for You with a holy violence!

Song of Solomon 3:1  By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2  I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3  The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 4  It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 

"Note, They who would enter into the kingdom of heaven must strive to enter; that kingdom suffers a holy violence; self must be denied, the bent and bias, the frame and temper, of the mind must be altered; there are hard sufferings to be undergone, a force to be put upon the corrupt nature; we must run, and wrestle, and fight, and be in an agony, and all little enough to win such a prize, and to get over such opposition from without and from within. The violent take it by force. They who will have an interest in the great salvation are carried out towards it with a strong desire, will have it upon any terms, and not think them hard, nor quit their hold without a blessing, Gen. xxxii. 26. They who will make their calling and election sure must give diligence. The kingdom of heaven was never intended to indulge the ease of triflers, but to be the rest of them that labour. It is a blessed sight; Oh that we could see a greater number, not with an angry contention thrusting others out of the kingdom of heaven, but with a holy contention thrusting themselves into it!" ~ from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Matthew 11.

 (Scripture quotations are taken from the KJV.)

What is a nominal Christian?
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
How’s your spiritual appetite? (Jonathan Edwards)
consider … our ways, the great cloud of witnesses, Susanna Anthony
Amazing Grace . . . upon Grace ~ the 240th anniversary
Thank Him for a little grace, and ask Him for great grace ~ Spurgeon | letter 158 on assurance & joy

Our first point about adoption is that it is the highest privilege that the gospel offers: higher even than justification. This may cause raising of eyebrows, for justification is the gift of God on which since Luther evangelicals have laid the greatest stress, and we are accustomed to say, almost without thinking, that free justification is God’s supreme blessing to us sinners. Nonetheless, careful thought will show the truth of the statement we have just made...

That justification—by which we mean God’s forgiveness of the past together with his acceptance for the future—is the primary and fundamental blessing of the gospel is not in question. Justification is the primary blessing, because it meets our primary spiritual need. We all stand by nature under God’s judgment; his law condemns us; guilt gnaws at us, making us restless, miserable, and in our lucid moments afraid; we have no peace in ourselves because we have no peace with our Maker. So we need the forgiveness of our sins, and assurance of a restored relationship with God, more than we need anything else in the world; and this the gospel offers us before it offers us anything else...

In Romans, Paul’s fullest exposition of his gospel—“the clearest gospel of all,” to Luther’s mind—justification through the cross of Christ is expounded first (chaps. 1—5), and made basic to everything else. Regularly Paul speaks of righteousness, remission of sins, and justification as the first and immediate consequence for us of Jesus’ death (Rom 3:22-26; 2 Cor 5:18-21; Gal 3:13-14; Eph 1:7; and so on). And as justification is the primary blessing, so it is the fundamental blessing, in the sense that everything else in our salvation assumes it, and rests on it—adoption included.

But this is not to say that justification is the highest blessing of the gospel. Adoption is higher, because of the richer relationship with God that it involves. Some textbooks on Christian doctrine—Berkhof’s, for instance—treat adoption as a mere subsection of justification, but this is inadequate. The two ideas are distinct, and adoption is the more exalted. Justification is a forensic idea, conceived in terms of law, and viewing God as judge. In justification, God declares of penitent believers that they are not, and never will be, liable to the death that their sins deserve, because Jesus Christ, their substitute and sacrifice, tasted death in their place on the cross.

This free gift of acquittal and peace, won for us at the cost of Calvary, is wonderful enough, in all conscience—but justification does not of itself imply any intimate or deep relationship with God the judge. In idea, at any rate, you could have the reality of justification without any close fellowship with God resulting. But contrast this, now, with adoption. Adoption is a family idea, conceived in terms of love, and viewing God as father. In adoption, God takes us into his family and fellowship—he establishes us as his children and heirs. Closeness, affection and generosity are at the heart of the relationship. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is a greater.

The point has never been better put than in the following extract from The Doctrine of Justification, by James Buchanan:

According to the Scriptures, pardon, acceptance, and adoption, are distinct privileges, the one rising above the other in the order in which they have been stated . . . while the first two properly belong to (the sinner’s) justification, as being both founded on the same relation––that of a Ruler and Subject––the third is radically distinct from them, as being founded on a nearer, more tender, and more endearing relation––that between a Father and his Son. . . . . There is a manifest difference between the position of a servant and a friend–– and also between that of a servant and a son. . . . A closer and dearer intimacy than that of a master and servant is said to subsist between Christ and His people. “Henceforth I call you not servants:  for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:  but I have called you friends” (John 15:15); and a still closer and dearer relation is said to exist in consequence of adoption; for “Thou art no more a servant, but a son, and an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7). The privilege of adoption presupposes pardon and acceptance, but is higher than either; for, “To as many as received Him, to them gave he power”––not inward strength, but authority, right, or privilege––”to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). This is a higher privilege than of Justification, as being founded on a closer and more endearing relation––“Behold! what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God.” (I John 3:1) (pp. 276-77)

~  Excerpt taken from  J.I. Packer’s “Knowing God” (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press), Sons of God (Chapter 19), 206-208. (You can read Packer's words in their fuller context in my post here.)

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Zechariah 1:8  "I saw that night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtles in the valley..."

He sees a grove of myrtles, a beautiful shrub, with glossy, dark green leaves, and white, star-like clusters of fragrant flowers, whose leaves exhaled their richest odor only when bruised. This was a symbol of the theocracy, the Jewish Church and nation. The Church is not a cedar, in its queenly pride, or an oak in its giant strength, but a lowly myrtle, humble, unpretending, and exhaling its sweetest graces when bruised by the weight of affliction. Such was the existing state of theocracy, and hence the despondency of the people, who thought that so lowly a thing must be wholly overshadowed and destroyed by the proud and godless powers of this world.

But in the midst of these myrtles he sees a man on a red horse, whom we afterwards discover to be the angel of Jehovah, that divine person whom we trace all along the history of the Old Testament, in every manifestation of God to man, in visible form, until in the New Testament we find him manifest in the flesh. It is the second person of the mysterious Trinity, the great head of the Church. The fact is thus symbolized that he is in the midst of the Church, unseen and hence though seemingly so feeble and lowly, she has this inhabitation as her glory and defence.

~ from "Zechariah" by Thomas V. Moore (orig. published New York: Robert Carter, 1856; reprinted London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1958, 1961, 1968), 46. The Scripture translation is Moore's own rending.

In the midst of the Xanga 2.0 transition, I've found myself annoyed and upset over the current appearance of my blog – the fact that it is currently so very bare bones. But then I read those words of Thomas V. Moore, after which came the conviction of the Holy Spirit. To explain...

Lately, I've been grieving and mourning over the mass of Western Christianity that has been deceived and is all too readily discarding the simplicity that is in Christ – congregation after congregation and denomination after denomination lapsing...  and, as a result, scores of professing Christians are laboring fervently – not according to the Spirit, but according to the flesh – and unequally yoking themselves with the spirit and wisdom and might of this age, striving to appeal to and attract the natural man, and seeking to appear wise, powerful, and noble in the eyes of the world.

II Corinthians 11:1  Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (KJV)

I Corinthians 1:26  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30  He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31  Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (ESV)

As we look at the Church in comparison to the world, it's far too easy for us to be tempted to think, as Moore wrote, that

so lowly a thing must be wholly overshadowed and destroyed by the proud and godless powers of this world.

And I found myself sliding into that very same temptation regarding my blog! (I Cor. 10:12-13)

I do want my blog to be helpful to those who are reading. And it's not that I want my blog to look crummy. Yet I don't want it to look good or to serve others at the expense of diminishing or concealing the glory and the simplicity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel in any way at all ~ II Corinthians 4:1-7; I Corinthians 2:1-5; Romans 1:16-17. (And yes, in case you're wondering, I do realize some of the quotation marks are displaying incorrectly in this post... and I have no idea why... Quite fitting indeed!)

As pilgrims in this fallen world, Christians are in a constant warfare – we are engaged in battle against our flesh, the world and the devil. It has always been a challenge for God's people to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and not to love the world or the things in the world (including the acclaim of the world), but rather to remain unspotted, as "a lowly myrtle, humble, unpretending," and to stay on the narrow path and to shine as lights amidst the lure of the fleshly aroma of pretentiousness and self-promotion exuding from the world.

I am thankful for one word in particular in that Scripture from Zechariah:  "I saw that night..." – what a wonderful reminder that even in dark, gloomy and benighted days of Christianity such as we are in today, Jesus Christ is still in our midst. But as soon as we begin to lose sight of the truths that our Lord is in the midst of His people, and He is building His Church in spite of all appearances, we will begin to resort to relying on earthly means and jockeying for popularity and position in the world as if we were never born again, and as if we were seeking to please men and not the living God. Instead of continuing to walk in the Spirit, we begin to walk in the flesh. Instead of relying on Jesus Christ as our defense and instead of lifting Him up as our glory, we rely on ourselves, and in the process, we rob our God of the glory due His name. We travel down Asa's foolish path:  our hearts are no longer loyal to our God, and we no longer rely on the LORD as we ought. (See 2 Chronicles 16.)

* * *

"Now 'dove's eyes' set out not only the Bride's affection, and love to Christ, but also the nature of her love, which is the thing here mainly commended, as simplicity, chastity, and singleness, for which the creature is commended, Matt. x. 'Be simple as doves.' And this is the commendation of the love that true believers have to Christ, that it is chaste, single and sincere love: singleness is the special thing Christ commends in his people."

~ from "An Exposition of the Song of Solomon" by James Durham (originally published 1840, reprinted Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1982), 118.

* * *

Lord Jesus Christ, baptize me afresh with Your Holy Spirit, that I might take Your easy yoke upon me, learn from You, and become more like You. May Your grace abound to me so I might rest and rejoice in being a lowly myrtle, humble and unpretending, for You are a Savior who is meek and humble in heart. Yes, You are the Lion of Judah, but You became a Lamb, and You humbled Yourself and You were crucified in weakness and raised to life again by the power of God. Help me to learn to delight to be weak as You were weak, that the power of God might be made perfect in my weakness.

Merciful and gracious LORD of hosts, transform my deceitful, desperately wicked, and covetous heart into a dove-like heart that loves, relishes, guards and glorifies the simplicity that is in the heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His glorious Gospel. Incline my heart to Your holy and heavenly ways, and disincline my heart from corrupt and worldly ways. May the love of Christ so fill my heart that my love for You might be single, and I might be constrained by Your love to put no confidence in my flesh or in earthly wisdom, but rather by Your grace, may I labor in the Spirit with simplicity and godly sincerity in all I do, including blogging. For there is no true rejoicing and no true boasting apart from having such a heart!

II Corinthians 1:12  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. (KJV)

II Corinthians 1:12  For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. (ESV)

Related posts:

• Why I blog and the only kind of recommendation I should seek
• Why I write and minister - My credo for being a godly encourager
• Postcards from God in England: the frisking at Heathrow
• dedication 2010 (reflections on God's Word & God's grace ~ no sugar coating...
• dedication 2010 (addendum): may He temper my tongue with love
• blogging, view count, comments, numbers and the glory of God
• "Why Do I Write Poetry"
• blogging to build up the ruined Church of God / expository exultation
• Here I stand & from here I cast (devoted to prayer & the ministry of the Word)
• my desire: "fearless and uncompromising" like Duncan Campbell, Moses, and Paul
• blogging with NO compromise: the article of justification for your joy & God’s glory

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