The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-07-26
what We Owe to Christ.


Of Esquire +. Il Nsyior, OF this
place al the Southwestern Baptist Univer-
sfty jackson. Tenn, and read before the
B. Y. P. q OF the First Baptist Church in
Jackson:
We all owe Christ a debt which must
be paid. We owe him our lives, our
everything. BY step Of faith we get
into Christ; by a process we are made to
grow up into Him in all things He
makes us into a vessel unto his own hon
or, meat for his own use and prepared to
every good work. To state it in brief,
would say, that mans part is to trust
and Gods part is to work, to do the viii |
God. Besetting sins are to be conquered |
evil habits are to be overcome. Wrong |
dispositions and feeling are to be rooted |
out. and how are we to do this2 Either
we must do it for ourselves or Another
must do it foru We have most Of US tried |
to do it for ourselves at first and have
grievously failed; then we discover from
the scriptures and from our own expe-
riences that it is work we are utterly un-
able to do for ourselves, but that the Lord
Jesus Christ has come on purpose to do
it and that he will do it for all who put
themselves wholly into His hands, and
trust Him to do it. The believeTcan do
nothing but trust. The preacher who is
speaking on mans part in the matter,
can not speak Of anything but surrender
and trust, because this is all the man
can do. And yet such preachers are
constantly criticized as tho in saying this
they had meant TO imply there was no
other part, and that there was nothing
but trusting to be done, and the cry goes
out that this doctrine Of faith does away
with all realities, that souls are justtold to
trust, and that il is the end of it and they
sit down thenceforward in a sort Of re-
hgious easy chair, dreaming away life
fruitless of any actual result. When we
trust the Lord works and great deal is
done; but by Him. Actual results are
reached by our trusting, because our Lord
undertakes the thing trusted to Him, and
accomplishes it. We must be obedient
to our Savior. Perfect obedience would
be perfect happiness if only we had per-
feet confidence in the power we we're.
obeying You little know, dear hesitat-
ing soul, of the joy you are missing. The
Master has revealed himself to us and IS.
calling for our complete surrender, and
we shrink and hesitate. A measure OF
surrender we are willing to make and
think indeed it is fit and proper that we
should. But an utter abandonment, with
out any reserve, seems to us, too much to
be asked for We are afraid of it. 1t
involves too much, we think, and is too
great risk. To be measurably obedient
we desire, to be perfectly obedient APP
pals us, and then too, we see other souls
who seem able to walk with easy cons
sciences ia far wider path than that
which appears to be marked out for US,
thatwe must leave undone what they have
liberty to do All! dear Christians, this
very difference between us is our priv
ilege tho we do not yet know It. Our
Lord says ole that hath my command
ments and keepeth them, he tits that
loyeth me, and he that Ioveth me shall be
loved of my Father and will love him
and manifest myself to him." We have
his commandments. Is not this a
privilege? Is it cause for regret that
our soul is brought into such near and
intimate relations with our Master, that
HE'S able to tell us the thing which those
who are further off may not know He
loves with more than the love of friend-
ship AS bridegroom rejoices over his
bride so does He rejoice of over US, and
nothing but the BRIDES surrender will
satisfy Him. He hath given us all and
He asks for all in return. The slightest
reserve will grieve Him to the heart.
He spared not Himself and how can we
spare ourselevs? For us He poured
out in a lavish abundance all that we
have without stint or measure. We
must be generous in our self surrender.
Meet his measureless devotion for us,
with a measureless devotion for Him.
Whatever there is of US let Him have it
all. Give up forever everything that is
separate from Him. Consent to resign
from this time forward all liberty Of
choice, and glory in the blessed nearness
Of union which makes this enthusiasm Of
devotedness not only possible but neces-
2 sary. If then, we are hearing the sweet
5 voice Of our Lord calling US unto place
] Of nearness to Himself, which will re.
!, quire separation from all else and
' which will make an enthusiasm of de
j votedness not only possible but necessary
! will We shrink or hesitate? Will We
!, think it hard that He reveals to US more
Z Of His mind than he does 70 others, anC
that He will not allow us TO be as happ,
in anything which separates US from
HIMSELF Do we want TO go wher
he can not 20 with US, or to have pursuit
: which he cannot have? No, thousan'
y times no. We will spring out to NEE
His dear will with eager joy. Even Hi
! slightest wish will become binding lay
e 10 US, which it would fairly break gu
Z; hearts, to disobey. We viii glory in TIL