The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-07-07
SERVANTS OF CHRIST.
What This Relationship Involves
Pauls 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 a servant A sery-
ant is one under authority. He does not
lose his own sense Of Individuality, but
there is to him the recognition OF a su-
perior will and of his obligation to be
obedient to II. The same thought IS pre-
sented when It said. "Ye are not your
own; ye are bought with price" "Onc
is your master. even Christ"
This relation 10 Christ covers th'
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 De
two masters; one to be served In som,
things and the other In ways that differ
There cannot be two ownerships IN the
human soul Paul said without reserve:
Whose am and whom | serve" He be-
longed 10 God In his whole person, and
he served Him with IS whole life II f.
Of the first importance that We recognize
the completeness Of the Lordship OF
Christ over us. His own prayer becomes
the model of our lives. Not Ny Will. bu'
Thine. be done" We sustain many re-
lations In life. and we speak of our sec
ular affairs and relations. as # they were
widely separated from the spiritual o.
religious. but they are inseparable. for
the reason that we are ourselves always
and in all things the servants of Christ.
We may not divest ourselves Of this
thought in any part Of our living
"Chrlst's in all things and at all times"
This is our normal relation to God.
Sin is separation: 1t is abnormal; II IS
destructive. Without God there IS only
death. The life that cannot die is in
Christ. All the outgoings Of that NO
are from Him. All the developments OF
that life are in the reception Of Hia
Spirit, and the obedience OF the hegit
10 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 obedlent 10 Christ;
there is no lowering OF our position in
becoming a servant; there Is no llmita-
ton Of our freedom Of will. but rather
the perfection of our nature in being 80
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 my
burden IS light" We are bidden 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 10 serve
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 exertlon:
II may involve the change Of our plans
and the acceptance Of many things which
at one time were repulsive to us, but II
does not require anything that initiates
against our well-belng. or our happi-
ness. for the reason that in It we are
nearest to God, and God is all to us