Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-02-04
SERVANTS OF CHRIST.
What This Relationship Involves
PauI's Attitude and
Example.

Paul delights to speak of himself as
the servant of Christ. He also thus
speaks of himself in his salutations. He
is an apostle, but also servant. A serv-
ant is one under authority. He does not
iose his own sense of Individuality, but
there is to him the recognition of a SUI
perior will and of his obligation to be
obedient to it. The same thought is pre-
sented when it said: "Ye are not your
own; We are bought with price" lone
is your master, even Christ"
This relation to Christ covers the
whole life There is no section to be re-
served, for there cannot'be a division of
personality. We are ourselves always.
and in accepting Christ we give our
whole selves to Him. There cannot be
two masters; one to be served in some
things and the other in ways that differ.
There cannot be two ownerships in the
human soul. Paul said without reserve:
Whose l am and whom serve" He be-
longed to God in his whole person. and
he served Him with is whole life. 1t is
= the first Importance that we recognize
eteness of the Lordship of
NJ SIis own prayer becomes
the model OF ourtives mot My win. but
Thine, be DONE" We sustain many re-
lations in life, and we speak of our Sec
ular affairs and relations, as if they were
widely separated from the spiritual or
religious, but they are inseparable, for
the reason that we are ourselves always,
and in ali things the servants of Christ.
We may not divest ourselves of this
thought in any part of our living.
"Christ's in all things and at all times"
This is our normal relation to God.
Sin is separation; it is abnormal; it is
destructive. Without God there is only
death. The life that cannot die is in
Christ. All the outgoings of that life
are from Him. All the developments Of
that life are in the reception of His
Spirit, and the obedience of the heart
to Him. The Lordship of Christ is the
Lordship of life, and in that life we find
our true place, both here and hereafter.
There is no violation of any law of our
nature In becoming obedient to Christ;
there is no lowering of our position in
becoming a servant; there is no limita-
ton of our freedom of will. but rather
the perfection of our nature in being so
related to Him in whom we live. that His
Will becomes ours.
There is no hardship in this service.
Jesus said: ''My yoke is easy and nv
burden is light" We are hidden TO no
unpleasant duty, for al 1.-The ways of God
are pleasantness and all His paths are
peace. The obedience to Him is the ODE
dience of loving heart. whose highest
JOY is in doing His will. There is no
service in love which is a burden and a
hardship, for love delights to serve.
Self-surrender is the highest normal de-
Velopment of manhood, and therefore in
it there is the very perfection Of nature
and the highest possible enjoyment of
life. The service may REQUIRE exertion:
It may involve the change of our plans
and the acceptance of many things which
at one time were repulsive to us. but il
does not require anything that initiates
against our well-beins. or our happi-
ness, for the reason that in it we are
nearest to God. and Cod is all to us.