The Way of Holiness Part 8

HOLINESS AND HUMILITY

Those who oppose holiness often say that we who profess it are proud, and that the doctrine tends to spiritual pride. But the truth is, that holiness goes down to the root of all pride, and digs it up utterly. A holy man is one who has found himself out, and pronounced judgment against himself, and comes to Jesus to be made every whit whole. And so long as he keeps the blessing, he is deeply humble.

God said to Israel by the Prophet Ezekiel, 'Then shall ye remember your evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations.'

This is a certain effect of entire sanctification. The sinful heart apologizes for itself, excuses inbred sin, favors it, argues for it. A man who still has the carnal mind says, 'I think one ought to have a little pride. I would not give a snap of my finger for a man who had not some temper. A man who will not stand up for his rights is weak.' And so he excuses, and argues in favor of, the sin in his own heart.

Not so the man who is holy. He remembers his former pride, and loathes himself for it, and longs and prays to sink deeper and deeper into the infinite ocean of his Saviour's humility, until every trace and stain of pride are for ever washed away. He remembers his hasty temper, and hates it, and cries day and night for the perfect meekness of the Lamb of God, who, like a sheep dumb before her shearers, 'opened not His mouth,' while His enemies worked their fiendish will; and, so far from smiting back, would not even talk back, but prayed, 'Father, forgive them.'

He sees the beauty of God's holiness, and loves it. He sees the full extent of his former corruption, and acknowledges and loathes it. Before, he thought man had some natural goodness, but now he knows and confesses that 'the whole head is sick. and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.' (Isaiah i. 5, 6.)

He sees his own evil ways. At one time he thought that there was not one holy man on earth, for he could see a mote in every man's eye; but now he discovers that there are many holy men, and the mote which he was sure he saw in his neighbor's eye, he now finds to have been the shadow of the beam that was in his own eye.

An earnest, sanctified man once said to me, 'There are certain sins I once thought it was morally impossible for me to commit, but the Holy Spirit has shown me the awful deceitfulness of my heart, and I now see that before He cleansed me there were in me the seeds of all iniquity, and there is no sin I might not have committed, and no depth of moral degradation to which I might not have sunk, but for the restraining grace of God.'

One who has thus seen the plague of his own heart may be cleansed in the precious Blood, and may have a holy heart, but he will never say to another, 'Stand thou there, for I am holier than thou;' but, remembering his own former condition, he will point him to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.

True humility makes a person particularly attractive to God, Listen to what Isaiah says, 'Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones' (Isaiah lvii. 15.)

Jesus said, 'Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted' (Matt. xxii& 12;); and James said, 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble (James iv. 6.)

'Do you wish to be great?' asks St. Augustine, 'then begin by being little.'

'Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,' said Jesus, 'the same is greatest' (not shall be, but 'is greatest') 'in the kingdom of heaven.'

Here are some of the marks of a truly humble person.

1. A truly humble soul does not take offense easily, but is 'pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.' (James iii, 17.)

2. He is not jealous of his position and dignity, or quick to resent what seems to touch them. Before the disciples were sanctified, they found a man who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus, and they took offense because he did not follow them; and forbade him. Self is very sensitive. 'But Jesus said, Forbid him not.' (Mark ix. 39.)

One day the Spirit of the Lord rested on two men in the camp of Israel in the wilderness, and they prophesied. 'And there ran a young man, and told Moses..... And Joshua,..... the servant of Moses, said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses' (the meekest of men) 'said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!'

3. A truly humble person does not seek great things for himself, but agrees with Solomon when he says, 'Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.' (Prov. xvi. 19.) He rejoices in lowly service, and is more anxious to be faithful to duty and loyal to principle than to be renowned among men.

The disciples were often disputing among themselves which should be the greatest, but Jesus washed their feet as an object lesson, and commanded them to become servants of one another, if they would be great.

4. Humble people are modest in dress. They think more of 'the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit' than of the clothes they wear. They will endeavor always to be clean and neat, but never fine and showy.

5. They are also plain and simple in speech. They seek to speak the truth with clearness and accuracy and in the power of the Holy Spirit, but never with 'great swelling words' and bombast, or with forced tears and pathos that will arouse admiration for themselves. They never try to show off. To them it is painful to have people say, 'You are clever,' 'That was a fine speech.' But they are full of humble, thankful joy when they learn that through their word some sinful soul was saved, some erring one corrected, or some tempted one delivered. They speak not to please men, but their Heavenly Master; not to be applauded, but to feed hungry hearts; not to be admired of men, but to be approved of God.

And, on the other hand, their humility keeps them from criticizing and judging those who have not these marks of humility. They pray for such people, and leave all judgment to God, who in His own time will try every man's work by fire. (I Cor. iii. 13.)

'Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.' (I Peter v. 5.)

Anger and sloth, desire and pride.

This moment be subdued!

Be cast into the crimson tide

Of my Redeemer's blood!

The Way of Holiness Part 7

HOLINESS AND UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE

Some people often sing:

"Oh, to be nothing, nothing;"

but, in reality, to be something, to be useful, is one of the first and strongest desires that spring up in the heart of a truly saved person. And one of the blessed things about a holy life is its supernatural, constant, and often unconscious influence for good. A holy person does not have to resolve, and struggle to be a blessing. Without conscious effort, his life and talk and looks inspire the fainthearted, encourage the timid, instruct the ignorant, feed the hungry, and rebuke the proud, and selfish, and wayward. He blesses people in all sorts of ways, without at the time knowing it, and is often surprised to learn how the Lord has been blessing him.

Luke says that 'The whole multitude sought to touch Jesus; for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all.' And, just so, virtue goes out from holy people, as perfume floats from a rose, or warmth from fire, or light from a flame.

A sanctified Officer said to a comrade who was deserting his post, 'I feel that woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel.' Some weeks later an Officer said to him, 'I overheard you that day when you said, "Woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel," and it stirred my soul, and made me feel that way too.' Those words had been said quietly, but God was in them, and they were with power. This fits Solomon's saying, 'The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.' (Eccles. ix. 17.)

A number of years ago in America, two sanctified Salvationists, a man and his wife, were followed home from their meetings several nights by a nurse from the hospital near by. She could not get away from her duties long enough to attend the meetings, but she said to herself, 'I will walk home behind them, and maybe I shall get something for my soul.'

And she did. All unconscious that a hungry heart was feeding upon their words, the Salvationists talked out of their clean hearts about Jesus, and His love, and His word, and His uttermost salvation, and as a result, the nurse was so filled with desire to glorify God and save souls that she left her work for people's bodies, and became a missionary, and is now in the far east. This strange story came back to the two Salvationists from Korea, after many days, to surprise and gladden them, and fill them with wonder at the unconscious power of holy conversation.

The very silence of a holy man is with power. I have known such silence to still the voice of slander and foolishness, and hush the laugh of silliness and folly. An Officer with a clean heart aflame with love, met a girl who had offered herself for the Slum Work. She was giggling and chattering in a way that convinced him that instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit she was empty. He wanted to speak to her about her soul, but hardly knew how to begin, so he was silent, and prayed in his heart for her. Afterward she said, 'I looked at his face, and said to myself, "There is a holy man, a man dead to sin. But I am alive yet." And that sight of his face led her to seek and find the blessing, and now for years she has been a most useful and devoted Officer. The very presence of such a man is a rebuke to sin and half-heartedness and folly, and is a mighty inspiration to goodness.

After the overthrow of Sisera and all his host, Deborah and Barak sang a song of triumph and thanksgiving and closed it with these words, 'Let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.' (Judges v. 31.) Think of it! How mighty the sun is! how he floods the world with light! how he melts the snow, and thaws the iceberg, and warms the whole earth, and quickens and gladdens every living thing! None can stop him in his course; and so God means that it shall be with holy men and women. They comfort those that are right, and convict those that are wrong, just as the sun energizes everything that has life, and hastens the dissolution of everything that is dead.

But while holy people have power to bless and do good, they also have a strange influence often to arouse persecution. They prove the saying of Jesus, 'I came not to send peace, but a sword' (Matt. x. 34.)

But even this will turn to a blessing. God makes it work for good to them that love Him, and it often leads to the salvation of the persecutors. The godly life and testimony of Joseph rebuked his unclean brothers, and they sold him into slavery. But years after, when he ruled over all Egypt, and his brothers were seeking his forgiveness and mercy, be said, "Fear not: as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.' (Gen. 1. 19, 20.) Thus persecution often leads to the salvation of many people.

This very power of a holy life to arouse hatred and persecution and opposition, is a part of the unconscious influence of holiness, and is mightily used by God for the advancement of His Kingdom on earth, so that many have been able to say with Paul when he was put into jail, that locking them up had only made the Gospel spread more, and made other men bolder to preach it. (Phil. i. 12-20.)

'Come,' said a distinguished Scotch professor to a German skeptic, 'and I will show you a student that will make you think of Jesus.'

'There is no difference between him and the Book,' said his fellow-townsmen of a Chinese convert.

'Ye are the light of the world,' said Jesus; 'ye are the salt of the earth,'

Such lives are full of healing, cleansing, helping, comforting power; and such may be your life, my brother, my sister, no matter how dark your surroundings, if you will consecrate yourself entirely to God, take up your cross and follow Jesus, and seek, ask for, and receive the Holy Spirit as your Sanctifier.

Oh, that He may come into your heart right now, and nevermore be grieved, or allowed to depart!

Oh, make my life one blazing fire

Of pure and fervent heart desire,

The lost to find, the low to raise,

And give them cause Thy name to praise,

Because, wherever I may go,

I show Thy power to every foe!

The Way of Holiness Part 6

HOLINESS AND THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE BODY

The Prophet Isaiah says that God inhabits eternity (Isaiah lvii. 15); and Solomon says, 'The heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee.' (I Kings viii. 27.) But, wonder of wonders! Paul says that we are a habitation of God. 'What!' says he, 'know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?' (I Cor. vi. 19.)' And again, 'Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?' (I Cor. iii. 16.)

This is a very solemn truth; but it ought to be a joy-giving one. It certainly adds dignity and honor to us beyond anything that earthly rulers could possibly bestow, and it lifts our bodies from their kinship to the beasts into a sacred fellowship with the Lord. This fact makes the sanctification of the body both a glorious privilege and an important duty.

Many people think that sanctification, or holiness, has to do only with the soul. But the truth is, that it has to do with every part of our nature, and every article of our possession. The body is to be sanctified as well as the soul. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians as follows: 'The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' (1 Thess. v. 23.) By this he means that the body is to be set apart and kept as a holy thing for the Lord.

We are to make a present of our bodies to the Lord. Paul says, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren,..... that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.' (Rom. xii. 1.) Just as the soldier surrenders his personal liberty, and gives his body to his country, for hard campaigns, for toilsome marches, for weary sieges, and, if need be, for death, so we are to present our bodies, to the Lord. Jesus gave His body for us, and we are to give our bodies to Him.

Not only are we to present our bodies as a whole to the Lord, but each member as well; the eyes, the ears, the hands, the feet, the tongue, each and all are to be given to Him. (See Rom. vi. 13.)

The eyes are to be turned away from the things that would wean the soul from God. The General tells of a holy man he knew, who, when he walked the streets, kept his eyes straight before him, not looking into the shop windows, lest his communion with God should be hindered, and his mind be filled with worldly, foolish, and covetous, thoughts.

Some years ago, silver bracelets were very fashionable, and a girl who had plenty of money went to buy a pair. But before she found any pretty and dainty enough to suit her she got saved, and then she knew she had no right to spend her money foolishly, or to wear such things even if she had them. But her eyes had got into the habit of searching shop windows in every city where she went, for those bracelets, and she found that the habit was very bad for her soul. It made her care less to pray, and hindered her thinking about Jesus when she was out walking, and actually lessened her desire to get souls saved. So she had to give her eyes to God, to be kept from leading her away from Jesus; and for years afterwards, she said she never went through a shopping street without praying David's prayer, 'Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.'

It was a longing look toward the fertile plains of Sodom and Gomorrah that led to all the sorrows and losses of Lot. It was a covetous look at the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold that led to the utter ruin of Achan. It was a lustful look that led to the sad downfall and shame of David.

There are some things that a Christian should not look at, and if by chance his eyes should fall upon them, they should be turned away quickly lest sin should get into his heart through Eye-gate, Everyone who wishes to be holy will say with Job, 'I have made a covenant with mine eyes.'

Again, the ears are to be sanctified, The holy man will guard himself lest sin enter into his heart through Ear-gate. 'Take heed what ye hear,' said Jesus; and again, 'Take heed how ye hear.' Just so surely as the body can be poisoned or flourished and strengthened by the things we eat, according to whether they be good or bad so surely can the soul be poisoned or nourished by the things we hear. No pure-minded man or woman, boy or girl, will listen to an impure story, an obscene song, or unclean talk.

Some time ago, two Salvation Army Officers were traveling by train. The railway carriage was crowded, and they were separated. One of them sat down by an elderly man, and in a short time, they were in conversation with a gentleman in front of them. Soon the elderly man looked about and said, 'There are no women near, who can hear, are there? I want to tell a story.' The Officer was at once on guard, and said, 'I am a Salvationist, sir. I do not wish to hear a story that would be unfit for ladies to hear.' The old man looked ashamed, the gentleman in front looked a look of wonder, and the nasty story was not told, and the Salvationist, no doubt, escaped a great temptation.

But while we should not listen to evil, neither should we speak it. Sometimes it is impossible to avoid hearing wicked and filthy things, however much we may wish to do so, for we cannot control the tongues of others. That was one of the sorrows of Lot in Sodom. His soul was 'vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.' While we cannot control the tongues of others, we must control our own, and while we may not be always able to avoid hearing wicked and evil and unclean things, we can avoid saying them.

If we would be holy, and enjoy God's smile, we must sanctify our tongues, and keep our lips pure. 'Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.' (Eph. iv. 20.) We must not forget, however, that the heart is the fountain from which flows all our talk, and if that be clean the conversation will be pure. Jesus said, 'Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' Therefore, 'keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.'

Take my voice, and let me sing

Always, only for my King;

Take my lips, and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Let the feet also be given to the Lord, no longer to walk in the ways of sin, but to walk patiently and gladly in the path of duty, and to run on errands of mercy.

Take my feet, and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee

The hands are to be used for holy service, and no longer to smite and pilfer.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Thus the whole body is to be given to the Lord, and kept and used for Him. Since Jesus ascended to Heaven, He has no body upon earth. So, will you prove your love to Him, my Comrade, by letting Him have yours? If so, no sexual impurity is to be allowed, no unclean habit is to be indulged, no appetite is to be permitted to gain the mastery, but the whole body is to be kept under, and made the servant of the soul.

Athletes, football and cricket players, and prizefighters when in training, are exceedingly careful about their health. They select their food with care, and eat nothing that would disagree with them, omitting heavy suppers; they abstain from strong drink and tobacco; they bathe their bodies daily; they go to bed and get up at regular hours; they sleep with open windows, and, of course, the have plenty of fresh air and systematic exercise. This they do for months, and sometimes for years, simply that they may beat some other fellows in contests of strength and skill. Now they do it, says Paul, 'to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.' And then he adds, 'I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.' (I Cor. ix. 25-27.)

I know a man who noticed that when he ate too much he became irritable, and was subject to various temptations from which a careful diet freed him. He had to control his appetite in order to keep a clean heart.

Young people are likely to squander their health in all sorts of useless and careless ways, and are tempted to laugh and sneer at their elders when they lift a warning voice. But they will some day find that advance in holiness, progress toward Heaven, and happiness and usefulness, are more dependent on the right care of the body than they supposed.

'Beloved. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth.' (3 John 2.)

Let my hands perform His bidding,

Let my feet run in His ways,

Let mine eyes see Jesus only,

Let my lips speak forth His praise.

All for Jesus.

Let my lips speak forth His praise.

Deuteronomy Study Thirteen: The Death of Moses

 Today's study comes from Deuteronomy 34: 1-12 and is entitled, "The Death of Moses." Obviously, this part of Scripture was not written by Moses, perhaps it was added by Joshua, Eleazer, or Samuel. In the previous chapter, we read Moses' dying words. Here, we have an account of his dying work. Some scholars believe that this last chapter of Deuteronomy may have been the first chapter of the book of Joshua. The Hebrew writings were written on scrolls and this would have been a natural transition into the book of Joshua. 

The first section is: "The View of the Land." vv. 1-4 In verse 2, we learn that Moses "went up" Mount Nebo which is east of Jericho. The summit of Pisgah is slightly to the west. The lofty vantage point allows Moses to look northward to the Sea of Galilee (the area allotment to Dan and Naphtali), to the Mediterranean Sea, south to the Negeb desert and along to the Jordan Rift Valley as far south as Zoar. 

Moses and Aaron had failed to honor God at the waters of Meribah (Numbers 20: 8-13). As a result, they were not allowed to bring the children of Israel into the Promised Land. We should stop and reflect at this point how seriously God feels about sin. Moses had been faithful in so much, and had been given so much, that his willful act had serious consequences. We must never over look or "wink" at sin. It will have disasterous effects. Yet, it must have been both exciting and gratifying for Moses to view the beautiful land that the Israelites were to possess. For forty years, Moses had endured hardships, misunderstandings, and disappointments; he had endured and persevered. However, it must have been "bittersweet" as he was not allowed to "go over thither." Matthew Henry said, "Sometimes God reserves the righteous discoveries of His grace to His people to be the support of their dying moments." John Wesley's final words were, "Best of all, God is with us." May this be our dying declaration.

The second section is "The Death of the Man." vv. 5-9 Moses is referred to as "the servant of the Lord." He was 120 years old when he died. He had spent 40 years in Pharaoh's court, 40 years in the desert of Midian, and 40 years as Israel's commander. Even though he was old, "his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." Historical and Biblical records indicate that Moses was the only man to be buried by the hand of the Lord. No doubt this was done to prevent a monument being created that could easily turned into a place of idol worship. "the children of Israel wept for Moses." The normal period of mourning was 7 days, but for Moses it lasted 30 days. It is important that when we experience the loss of a leader, that we know that God has another in place to serve as God's man to be in charge. We are not to be in perpetual grief. God already had another leader for Israel. Moses had "laid his hands upon him (Joshua)" Moses was gone but God had a man to continue to lead the people. In the Christian life, there will be times of transition. When that happens, know that God is caught by surprise. However, know that the transition can be a bit offering. While Moses was a prophet, Joshua was more of a civil leader and military commander. He was like Moses in that he received his direction from God in the administration of the people. As believers, we should never fear transition, but trust in the Providence of God to see us through.

The third section is "The Tribute to His Life." vv. 10-12 Moses was a faithful servant of God. He was used to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, received the law directly from God, and brought the children to the brink of the Promised Land. Moses was the founder and mediator of the Old Covenant. As wonderful as these events were, they do not compare with the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not God's servant, He was His Son. Moses mediated the Old Covenant, Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant. Moses brought the people to the Promised Land, but it was Jesus that brings us into the Promised Land through His shed blood. The Law brings men into the wilderness of conviction, but not into the Canaan of rest and settled peace. There is a rest for the people of God and that rest is full salvation from sin (both the acts of sin and the sin nature). 

The Golden Text is: "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17) As necessary as the Law is to bring people to conviction, the grace that leads to salvation comes through Jesus Christ. The Law brings death. Grace brings life. Is there any wonder that the New Covenant is referred to as a "better covenant?" Christ has brought grace which opposes condemnation and He brings "life and life more abundantly." 

My summary points:

1. It is good to view the promised rest God provides, but much better to enter into that rest.

2. We will all die and face judgment. We must be ready.

3. The Law brings conviction, but grace brings life.

Next week we begin a new quarter of study on the book of Matthew! (Matthew 28: 1-10) "He is Risen!"

Should Christians Celebrate the Passover?

 Passover commemorates God's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. The Passover meal, seder (SAY der) is a ritual meal that symbolizes the night the death angel passed over those homes that had the lamb's blood on the sides and top of the doorframe. There was a process of ten plagues placed upon the Egyptians by the hand of God with Moses as His spokesman. The tenth plague brought death to the firstborn sons of Egypt. Finally, Pharaoh allowed the Jews to leave. Passover was to be a lasting ordinance for generations to come. (see Leviticus 23: 4-5; Exodus 12: 1-4)

Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples stating that He eagerly desired to eat this Passover with them before He was arrested, suffered and crucified (Luke 22: 7-16). Jesus had regularly traveled to Jerusalem, even as a boy, for the Passover celebrations. There were three feasts that required travel to Jerusalem to worship and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread was one of them. Passover was the day before the Feast of the Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23: 6-8; Exodus 12: 15-20). After the meal, they sang a hymn and went to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26: 30). Most Bibles call this last meal, "The Last Supper." The Lord's Supper is a remembrance of His sacrifice as the perfect Passover Lamb and the fulfilment of the New Covenant between God and man (Luke 22: 20; 1 Corinthians 5: 7; Ephesians 2: 11-13).  

There are two questions:

1. Was the meal Jesus ate with His disciples a Passover seder? There is no consensus of opinion. You may disagree, but do so respectfully.

2. What should we as Christians do to celebrate the Passover holiday?

Regarding the first question, I direct you to an article I wrote on the subject in May, 2010, set forth below:

The Last Supper

By Dr. Barry Jenkins

"Some people think that Jesus was creating something new when He established the “Lord’s Supper.” Most English Bibles will say something like, “The Lord’s Supper Instituted.” Others seeking to establish the Hebraic roots of the faith insist that Yeshua (Jesus) was celebrating a traditional Passover meal. Who is right or, are they both wrong? Scripture and Hebraic customs shed some light.

In 30 A.D., Wednesday was Nisan 13. After sunset, Passover began on Nisan 14, which was a Thursday. Friday was Nisan 15 and was a Sabbath day. Saturday was Nisan 16 and was the seventh day Sabbath. In 30 A.D., there were back to back Sabbaths. It was on Wednesday that Jesus began to make plans for Passover. Later Christian tradition moves the last meal to Thursday night. It appears that Jesus was arrested on Wednesday night, crucified on Thursday, never had the passover meal on Thursday evening, and rose from the dead on Nisan 17, which was early morning on the day after the last Sabbath (what we call Sunday). How can we know this time table is accurate?

John specifies that the Wednesday night “last supper” was “before the festival of Passover (John 13:1).”He also informs us that when Jesus’ accusers appeared before Pilate on Thursday morning, they would not enter Pilate’s courtyard because they would be defiled and would not be able to eat the Passover that evening (John 18:28). I find it convincing proof that Jesus was not celebrating Passover because of the Greek word used for “bread.” It was artos and refers to a loaf of bread, i.e. the bread had leaven and had risen. In the Septuagint, a different Greek word is used to describe the unleavened bread commanded to be used in Exodus 12. It is the word azymos and it means unleavened or unfermented. Jesus used a loaf of bread on the night before His arrest. Have you ever seen a loaf of matzos? No Torah observant Jew would eat leavened bread once Passover began. Further, no Torah observant Jew would encourage others to disobey God’s command to eat unleavened bread. For Jesus to remain Torah observant, the last meal could not be a Passover meal.

Another point of interest is would Jesus choose not to be with His four brothers, two sisters, and mother on such an important celebration as Passover? It would seem that what we call the “Last Supper” occurred on Passover eve. We need to investigate all the things we think we know. We need Biblical truth. It is there, if we will investigate."

Regarding the second question, what should we do? It seems that we should behave and act like the One we claim to follow. If you are a follower of Jesus, you should remember the Passover, commemorate the occasion by reading the Passover story. Read and sing Psalm 118, and spend some time in prayer. I would take the bread (risen) and the wine and do as Jesus instructed us to do so in remembrance of Him. While this approach does not follow the exact pattern of a Jewish Passover seder, it will follow the format that is expressed in the gospels that we read. The modern day Passover ritual has undergone changes by Rabbis since that last meal with Jesus and I am not interested in man's changes. I desire to follow my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. So this year, on Passover, we will take the Lord's Supper. What about you?  

The Way of Holiness Part 5

WHEN CAN WE BE MADE HOLY?

A bright young Soldier got up in one of my meetings several years ago, and said, 'Since the Lord converted me, I never wanted any bad thing, but there was something in me that did.'

A little boy of my acquaintance got blessedly saved, and was very happy and good for some time. But one day he came to his mother, and said, 'Mamma, I'm tired of living this way.'

'Why, what is the matter now?,' asked the mother.

'I want to be good all the time,' said the little fellow. 'You tell me to go and do things, and I go and do them; but I feel angry inside, and I want to be good all the time.'

Both the young man and the boy were converted. Each wanted to be good, but each found in himself something wrong, and he knew that while that something remained, he was not holy. However correct the outward life might be, the heart was not clean. This is the experience of every converted person who has not pressed on into holiness, and it corresponds to the Scripture in which Paul says, 'When I would do good, evil is present with me.'

When we are converted, our sins are forgiven, and we feel a sweet peace within, and we love God and man, and want to do good and be good all the time, and we have power to do good, and to overcome bad habits and temptation, but there is still something in our hearts that needs to be removed before we are holy. That something within, the Bible calls, 'the old man.' It is the old nature that gets angry when people or things do not suit us; that is deceitful, and proud, and unclean, and disobedient, and silly, and selfish. Of course, conversion gives a great blow to this 'old man,' and subdues him, and makes him behave himself, so that he no longer acts so badly as he once did; but he is still alive, and watching his chance to get the victory again. And, sad to say, he often does get the victory, causing converted people to do and say things that are wrong, and that grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. The 'old man' causes quarrels and jealousies, and envyings and evil speakings, in churches and in Corps, a nd leads to backslidings of all kinds, and the ruin of many Christian lives. Paul had a Corps that was greatly troubled in this way. (See I Cor. iii.)

Before we can be holy, this 'old man' must be put off, this evil within must die, this seed of all sin must be destroyed, and this is something that can and does take place just as soon after conversion as we see the need and the possibility of its being done, and come to Jesus with all our heart, and with perfect faith to have it done.

Some people say that we cannot get rid of this evil nature until we die; but we must stick to the Bible, and believe what that Book says. And the Bible certainly teaches that we can be made holy in this life. The Bible says, 'Be ye holy;' and that means now, not after death. If a man says to his boy, 'Be honest, be truthful,' he means, Be honest and truthful now, for this world, not in Heaven only. And so God means that we must be holy here, and now.

Again the Bible says, 'Put off ..... the old man, which is corrupt ..... and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' (Eph. iv. 22-24) We are told to 'put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.' And we are told to 'be filled with the Spirit.' All this is to take place now.

We read of the disciples who 'were all filled with the Holy Ghost' (Acts ii. 4), and of 'Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost' (Acts vi. 5), and of believers whose hearts were purified by faith (Acts xv. 9) long before they got to Heaven. God is no respecter of persons; and just as He gave this great blessing to the early Christians, He will surely give it to us, when we give ourselves fully to Him.

I shall never forget how one Sunday afternoon, after hearing of the possibility and blessedness of a pure heart, a beautiful girl of sixteen walked straight up to the penitent-form, fell on her knees, and lifting her face to Heaven with tears, told the Lord how she wanted a clean heart filled with the Holy Spirit just then. She saw that she need not wait, but that now was the accepted time. And oh! how God blessed her! Soon the smiles were chasing away the tears, and the joy of Heaven was shining on her face. Years after, I found her on the platform, a Lieutenant, with her face still shining, and her heart still cleansed.

And so, my dear young Comrade, this priceless blessing may be yours. Jesus has died to purchase this uttermost salvation, and it is your Heavenly Father's will for you, just now. Have faith in God, give yourself utterly to Him, even now, and begin to seek the blessing with a determination never to stop seeking until it is yours, and you shall not be long without it. Praise the Lord!

Saviour, to Thee my soul looks up,

My present Saviour Thou;

In all the confidence of hope

I claim the blessing now.

'Tis done! Thou dost this moment save,

With full salvation bless;

Salvation through Thy blood I have,

And spotless love and peace.

The Way of Holiness Part 4

WHEN CAN WE BE MADE HOLY?

A bright young Soldier got up in one of my meetings several years ago, and said, 'Since the Lord converted me, I never wanted any bad thing, but there was something in me that did.'

A little boy of my acquaintance got blessedly saved, and was very happy and good for some time. But one day he came to his mother, and said, 'Mamma, I'm tired of living this way.'

'Why, what is the matter now?,' asked the mother.

'I want to be good all the time,' said the little fellow. 'You tell me to go and do things, and I go and do them; but I feel angry inside, and I want to be good all the time.'

Both the young man and the boy were converted. Each wanted to be good, but each found in himself something wrong, and he knew that while that something remained, he was not holy. However correct the outward life might be, the heart was not clean. This is the experience of every converted person who has not pressed on into holiness, and it corresponds to the Scripture in which Paul says, 'When I would do good, evil is present with me.'

When we are converted, our sins are forgiven, and we feel a sweet peace within, and we love God and man, and want to do good and be good all the time, and we have power to do good, and to overcome bad habits and temptation, but there is still something in our hearts that needs to be removed before we are holy. That something within, the Bible calls, 'the old man.' It is the old nature that gets angry when people or things do not suit us; that is deceitful, and proud, and unclean, and disobedient, and silly, and selfish. Of course, conversion gives a great blow to this 'old man,' and subdues him, and makes him behave himself, so that he no longer acts so badly as he once did; but he is still alive, and watching his chance to get the victory again. And, sad to say, he often does get the victory, causing converted people to do and say things that are wrong, and that grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. The 'old man' causes quarrels and jealousies, and envyings and evil speakings, in churches and in Corps, a nd leads to backslidings of all kinds, and the ruin of many Christian lives. Paul had a Corps that was greatly troubled in this way. (See I Cor. iii.)

Before we can be holy, this 'old man' must be put off, this evil within must die, this seed of all sin must be destroyed, and this is something that can and does take place just as soon after conversion as we see the need and the possibility of its being done, and come to Jesus with all our heart, and with perfect faith to have it done.

Some people say that we cannot get rid of this evil nature until we die; but we must stick to the Bible, and believe what that Book says. And the Bible certainly teaches that we can be made holy in this life. The Bible says, 'Be ye holy;' and that means now, not after death. If a man says to his boy, 'Be honest, be truthful,' he means, Be honest and truthful now, for this world, not in Heaven only. And so God means that we must be holy here, and now.

Again the Bible says, 'Put off ..... the old man, which is corrupt ..... and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' (Eph. iv. 22-24) We are told to 'put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.' And we are told to 'be filled with the Spirit.' All this is to take place now.

We read of the disciples who 'were all filled with the Holy Ghost' (Acts ii. 4), and of 'Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost' (Acts vi. 5), and of believers whose hearts were purified by faith (Acts xv. 9) long before they got to Heaven. God is no respecter of persons; and just as He gave this great blessing to the early Christians, He will surely give it to us, when we give ourselves fully to Him.

I shall never forget how one Sunday afternoon, after hearing of the possibility and blessedness of a pure heart, a beautiful girl of sixteen walked straight up to the penitent-form, fell on her knees, and lifting her face to Heaven with tears, told the Lord how she wanted a clean heart filled with the Holy Spirit just then. She saw that she need not wait, but that now was the accepted time. And oh! how God blessed her! Soon the smiles were chasing away the tears, and the joy of Heaven was shining on her face. Years after, I found her on the platform, a Lieutenant, with her face still shining, and her heart still cleansed.

And so, my dear young Comrade, this priceless blessing may be yours. Jesus has died to purchase this uttermost salvation, and it is your Heavenly Father's will for you, just now. Have faith in God, give yourself utterly to Him, even now, and begin to seek the blessing with a determination never to stop seeking until it is yours, and you shall not be long without it. Praise the Lord!

Saviour, to Thee my soul looks up,

My present Saviour Thou;

In all the confidence of hope

I claim the blessing now.

'Tis done! Thou dost this moment save,

With full salvation bless;

Salvation through Thy blood I have,

And spotless love and peace.

The Way of Holiness Part 3

HOW TO GET HOLINESS

God never raises a crop of potatoes or a field of wheat or a bushel of oats without man's help. He takes men into partnership with Him in such matters, He furnishes the sunshine and the air, the rain and the dew, the day and the night, the fruitful seasons, the busy, burrowing little earthworms and insects which keep the lungs of the earth open so that it can breathe, and He gives life to the seed, so that it may grow. Man must prepare the ground, plant the seed, keep down the weeds, and gather in the harvest. Men sometimes think that they are doing it all, but they are quite mistaken in this. Our loving Heavenly Father has been preparing the earth for thousands of years for every potato that grows, and He ceaselessly works, by day and by night, to help man to raise his crops.

And so it is in matters that concern our souls. God and man must work together, both to save and to sanctify. God never saves a sinner without that sinner's help, and usually the help of some other folks as well, who preach or pray, or write and sing, or suffer that he may be saved. Ages before we were born, God provided the means of salvation for all. Angels and prophets spoke God's truth. Jesus came and showed us God's love, and died for our sins; the Holy Spirit was given, the blessed Bible was written, and all things were made ready.

But now, the sinner must hear the truth for himself, must repent, most confess his sins and give them up, and must ask God for pardon, and believe, before he can be saved. And for a sinner to expect salvation without doing this would be as big a piece of folly as for a farmer to expect a crop of potatoes without having planted them.

And so, to get the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit -- a clean heart -- we must work together with God. On God's side, all things are ready, and He waits and longs to give the blessing; but before He can do so, we must, with His help, get ourselves ready; we must do our part, which is very simple, and easily within our power to do.

1. We must see our need of the blessing, and to see this need, we must be clearly justified. No sinner has his spiritual eyes open to see the need of a clean heart. He is blind to these things. He may have dreadful hatred in his heart, but so long as he restrains himself, and does the person he hates no harm, he thinks he is a very good sort of fellow. He cannot see that in the eyes of God he is a murderer, for does not God say, 'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer'? (I John iii. 15.) He may have lust in his heart, but so long as he does not commit adultery, he flatters himself that he is quite respectable in God's sight, in spite of the fact that Jesus says that the look of lust is adultery.

The first thing, then, is to be well saved, and so fully in the light of God's smile that we can see our need of cleansing.

2. We must not try to hide the need, but frankly confess it. Let me ask you, do you know that you are saved? You say, 'Oh, yes, I know that I have given my heart to God, and I feel that my sins have been forgiven and my life has been changed, and I feel that I am saved just now.'

Good, but do you know that your heart is clean? Are all the roots of bitterness gone? Do you bear patiently the faults of others? Do you bear meekly, and with a forgiving spirit, the unkindness of others? Do you love God with all your heart and soul and mind, and your neighbor as yourself? Do you feel that all malice and pride, and jealousy and envy, and evil and filthy desire, and unholy ambition and unbelief, and all foolish things have been taken out of your heart, and that the Holy Spirit has His own way in you all the while? Remember that holiness has to do with the heart, and that, as Solomon says, 'Out of the heart are the issues of life.' It is at the heart that Jesus looks, and He says, 'Blessed are the pure in heart.'

Now, if your heart is not clean, do not be afraid or ashamed to say so, but frankly tell your Heavenly Father the whole truth about the matter.

3. The next thing is to believe that the blessing is for you. Of course, if you do not believe that you can be cleansed from envy and jealousy, and quick temper and all sin, and be kept pure and good all the time, you will not seek for it.

Satan will surely do all he can to discourage you, and make you doubt the possibility of holiness for yourself He will tell you that it is for other people, but not for you. But he might as well tell you that the sun shines for other people, but not for you! Our Heavenly Father 'maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good. and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' He is no respecter of persons. Bless His holy Name! And He offers His full salvation to all who will take it.

Satan will tell you that your disposition is so peculiar, or your circumstances at home, or at school, or in the shop, or mine, or mill, are so disagreeable that you cannot hope to be holy.

Your disposition may be peculiar, but God will take all the sin out of it, so that where it is now peculiarly impatient and jealous, and envious and lustful, and bad, it will be peculiarly good and patient, and loving and generous, and humble and chaste. A highly-strung, quick-tempered girl got sanctified, and it made her gentle like Jesus. A proud, ambitious young fellow whom I know got a clean heart, and he was made humble and self-sacrificing, until his friends hardly knew him.

As for your circumstances, holiness will make you their master instead of their servant. The other day, I wanted a hole in the hard rubber cap of the fountain-pen with which I am writing these words, so I heated a pin, and burned the hole right through. If the pin had been cold, I should probably have broken either the pin or the cap, and should certainly have failed to make that hole. Holiness will make you hot enough to burn your way through your circumstances. 'Our God is a consuming fire,' and holiness is God in you.

Satan may tell you that you have failed so often that God will not now give you the blessing. That is a lie of the devil's. Don't believe it. Your mother might treat you in that way, but God won't, for 'God is love.' He knows all about your failures, and pities you, and loves you still, and wants to give you the blessing far more than you want to receive it. Peter failed again and again during the three years he was with Jesus, and finally there was an awful failure during that sad hour when he cursed and swore that he did not know Him; but in spite of it all, Jesus loved him, and within a few weeks of that time, Peter got the blessing, and we find him winning three thousand souls in a single day.

Again, Satan may tell you that if you do get the blessing, people will not believe that you have it. Well, suppose they do not, what then? Will you refuse to believe God because people will not believe you? If you get the blessing, and live in the joy and sweetness and power and glory of it, they will have to believe you sooner or later, just as people have to believe there is fire in the stove when they feel it.

To get the blessing, you must resist the devil, and believe that it is for you.

4. You must believe that it is for you now. It is astonishing how sinners wish to put off the time of salvation, and it is even more astonishing how saved people put off seeking a clean heart until some other time. The devil and their evil hearts of unbelief keep saying, 'Some time, but not just now.' But the dear Lord in mercy keeps whispering, 'Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.' 'Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.' Nothing grieves the Holy Spirit and hardens the heart like this delay of unbelief.

5. The next thing to do is to come to Jesus for the blessing, with a true heart, holding back nothing, but giving your all to Him for time and eternity. that He may give His all to you. At this point there must be no hypocrisy, no double-dealing, no half-heartedness, no holding back part of the price. The Lord offers us the biggest blessing this side of Heaven. He offers us perfect cleansing from sin, perfect victory over the devil, and the Holy Spirit to dwell in our clean hearts to teach and guide and comfort us; but in exchange He asks us to give Him our little all.

How infinitely and hopelessly foolish shall we be if we are so selfish or tearful or unbelieving as to refuse! It is as though a king should offer a poor beggar garments of velvet and gold in exchange for rags, diamonds in exchange for dirt, and a glorious palace in place of a cellar or garret. How foolish would the beggar be who should insist on keeping a few of his rags, a little handful of his dirt, and the privilege of going back to his cellar now and again. until the king finally withdrew all the splendid things he had offered! And yet so foolish, and more so, are they who try to get this blessing from God, while refusing to consecrate their all and obey Him fully.

The Lord's word to us on this point is, 'Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house; and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.' (Mal. iii. 10.) It is no little blessing, but an overflowing one that the Lord means to give you.

When Jonathan Edwards, one of God's mighty men of the past, was but a boy student, he wrote as follows in his diary:

'I have this day solemnly renewed my covenant and dedication. I have been before God, and given myself and all that I am and have to Him, so that I am not in any respect my own, and can claim no right to myself -- to this understanding, to this will, these affections; and have no right to this body -- to this tongue, these hands, these feet; no right to these senses. I have given every power to God, so that for the future I will claim no right to myself.'

Does such a life seem unattractive to you? Someone has written:--

'A cathedral window seen from without is dull and meaningless; but enter, and the light of heaven streaming through it glorifies it with every beauty of form and color. Consecration to God for service may seem dull enough when seen from without, but enter into that experience, and the light of the Divine Love streaming through it shall glorify your life with a beauty and blessedness which are Heaven's own.'

To make such a consecration we may have to go over it several times, and assure ourselves that we have given all, and that we mean it with all our heart. But, having done this, until we can look up into the face of Jesus without a doubt, and sing --

My all is on the altar,

I'm waiting for the fire --

we may be sure we are near the blessing.

If we thus give ourselves to God, there is but one thing more to do; that is, to take it by faith, and wait patiently on Him for the witness of the Spirit that it is done.

A nobleman whose son was sick came to Jesus, 'and besought Him that He would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.' (John iv. 47-50.) The next day when he got home, he found his boy well. Hallelujah! That is the kind of faith that walks off with the blessing.

Jesus will not fail you at this point, if you patiently look to Him, and hold fast your faith.

Again and again I have seen people burst into the light when they have consecrated their all, and believed in this way. Some time ago in a Holiness Meeting, the penitent form was full of seekers, among whom were several earnest young men. I asked one of them who seemed to be the most deeply in earnest, 'Do you now give yourself and your all to God?'

'Yes, I do,' said he.

'Well, whose man are you, then?' I inquired.

'I am the Lord's.'

'Can you trust the Lord to sanctify His own man?'

'Yes, I can.'

'When?'

'Now!' and he burst into the holy joy of faith, and began to praise the Lord at once; and several others got the blessing that morning in the same way.

You too, my brother, my sister, you can have the blessing just now, if you thus meet the conditions.

Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees,

And looks to that alone;

Laughs at impossibilities,

And cries, It shall be done.

The Way of Holiness Part 2

WHY SHOULD WE BE HOLY?

We should be holy because God wants us to be holy. He commands it. He says, 'As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.' God is in earnest about this. It is God's will, and it cannot be evaded. Just as a man wants his watch to keep perfect time, his gun to fire true, wants his friends to be steadfast, his children to be obedient, his wife to be faithful, so God wants us to be holy.

To many, however, the command seems harsh. They have been accustomed to commands accompanied by curses or kicks, or blows. But we must not forget that 'God is love,' and His commands are not harsh, but kind. They come from the fullness of an infinitely loving and all-wise heart. They are meant for our good. If a railway train could think or talk, it might argue that running on two rails over the same road year after year was very commonplace. But if it insisted on larger liberty, and so jumped the track, it would certainly ruin itself. So the man who wants freedom, and refuses to obey God's commands to be holy, destroys himself. The train was made to run on the tracks, and so we were made to live according to God's commandment, to be holy, and only in that way can we gain everlasting good.

Oh, how tender are His words! Listen. 'And now, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and His statutes .... for thy good?' (Deut. x. 12, 13.)

For thy good! for thy good! Do you not see it, my brother, my sister? It is 'for thy good.' There is nothing harsh, nothing selfish in our dear Lord's command. It is 'thy good' He is seeking. Bless His name! 'God is love.'

We should be holy, because Jesus died to make us holy. He gave Himself to stripes, and spitting, and cruel mockings, and the crown of thorns, and death on the cross for this purpose. He wants a holy people. For this He prayed. 'Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.' (John xvii. 17.) For this He died. 'Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' (Titus ii. 14.) 'He loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it,..... that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish,' Let us not disappoint Him. Let not His precious blood be spent in vain.

We should be holy, in order that we may be useful.

Who have been the mightiest men of God of all the ages? They have been holy men; men with clean hearts on fire with love to God and man; unselfish men; humble men, who forgot themselves in their love and toil for others; faithful men, whose lives were 'hid with Christ in God.' Moses, the meekest of men; Paul, who would gladly pour out his life a sacrifice for the people; Luther and Fox, and St. Francis and Wesley, and the General and Mrs. Booth, and ten thousand times ten thousand other men and women, who were 'great in the sight of the Lord.' These are the ones whom God has used.

So long as there are any roots of sin in the heart, the Holy Spirit cannot have all His way in us, and so our usefulness is hindered, But when our hearts are clean, the Holy Spirit dwells within, and then we have power for service. Then we can work for God and do good, in spite of all our ignorance and weakness. Hallelujah!

A plain, humble young Irishman heard about the blessing of a clean heart, and went alone, and fell on his knees before the Lord, and cried to Him for it. A man happened to overhear him, and wrote about it, saying, 'I shall never forget his petition. "O God, I plead with Thee for this blessing!' Then, as if God was showing him what was in the way, he said, "My Father, I will give up every known sin, only I plead with Thee for power." And then, as if his individual sins were passing before him, he said again and again, "I will give them up; I will give them up."

'Then without any emotion he rose from his knees, turned his face heavenward, and simply said, "And now, I claim the blessing." For the first time he now became aware of my presence, and with a shining face reached out his hand to clasp mine. You could feel the presence of the Spirit as he said, "I have received Him; I have received Him!"

'And I believe he had. for in the next few months he led more than sixty men into the Kingdom of God. His whole life was transformed.'

To be holy and useful is possible for each one of us, and it is far better than to be great and famous. To save a soul is better than to command an army, to win a battle, to rule an empire, or to sit upon a throne.

Again. we should be holy that we may be safe. Sin in the heart is more dangerous than gunpowder in the cellar. Before Peter got the blessing of a clean heart and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he yielded to the sinful nature within, and cursed and swore, and denied Jesus. Before David got this experience, he too fell into awful sin, and nearly lost his soul.

Remember that holiness is nothing more nor less than perfect love, for God and man, in a clean heart. If we love God with all our hearts we shall gladly keep all His commandments, and do all His will as He makes it known to us. And if we love our fellow-men as we love ourselves, we shall not knowingly do any wrong to them. So we see that this holy love is the surest possible safeguard against all kinds of sin, either against God or man, and we cannot count ourselves safe unless we have it. Without it, Peter and David fell; but with it, Joseph and Daniel resisted the temptations of kings' courts, and the three Hebrew children and the fire-baptized Stephen and Paul gladly faced death rather than deny their Lord.

Finally, we should be holy, because we are most solemnly assured that without holiness 'no man shall see the Lord' (Heb. xii. 14), and God has made all things ready, so that we may have the blessing if we will thus leaving those who refuse or trifle and fail without excuse.

I bless Him that years ago, He wakened me to the infinite importance of this matter, sent holy people to testify to and explain the experience, enabled me to consecrate my whole being to Him, and seek Him with all my heart, and He gave me the blessing,

Will you have it, my Comrade? If so receive Jesus as your Sanctifier just now.

My idols I cast at Thy feet,

My all I return Thee who gave;

This moment the work is complete,

For Thou art almighty to save.

O Saviour, I dare to believe,

Thy blood for my cleansing I see;

And, asking in faith, I receive

Salvation, full, present, and free.

The Way of Holiness Part 1

 We will examine a portion of “The Way of Holiness” written by Salvation Army leader Samuel Brengle who wrote much on the subject of holiness.

WHAT IS HOLINESS?

A number of years ago, before many of the young people for whom this book is written were born, a girl asked me, 'What is this sanctification, or holiness, that people are talking so much about?'

She had heard the experience testified to, and talked and preached about, for nearly a year, until I thought that, of course, she understood it. Her question surprised and almost discouraged me, but I rallied, and asked, 'Have you a bad temper?'

'Oh, yes,' said she, 'I have a temper like a volcano.'

'Sanctification,' I replied, 'is to have that bad temper taken out.' That definition set her thinking, and did her good; but it was too narrow. If I had said, 'Sanctification is to have temper and all sin taken away, and the heart filled with love to God and man,' that would have done, for that is sanctification. that is holiness. It is, in our measure, to be made like God. It is to be made a 'partaker of the Divine nature.' (2 Peter i. 4)

A spark from the fire is like the fire. The tiniest twig on the giant oak, or the smallest branch of the vine, has the nature of the oak or the vine, and is in that respect like the oak or the vine. A drop of water on the end of your finger from the ocean is like the ocean: not in its size, of course, for the big ships cannot float upon it, nor the big fishes swim in it; but it is like the ocean in its essence, in its character, in its nature. Just so, a holy person is like God. Not that he is infinite as God is; he does not know everything; he has not all power and wisdom as God has; but he is like God in his nature. He is good and pure, and loving and just, in the same way that God is.

Holiness, then, is conformity to the nature of God. It is likeness to God, as He is revealed in Jesus.

But someone will cry out, 'Impossible! We are poor sinful creatures. We cannot be like Jesus. He was Divine. Show me a man like Jesus Christ.'

Well, now, let us be patient, and keep quiet, and go to the Bible, and see what that says about the matter before we further define holiness. What did Jesus Himself say? Listen!

1. In speaking of the separation of His disciples from the world, Jesus says, 'They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.' And again, 'As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.' (John xvii. 16, 18.) We art, then, to be like Jesus in separation from the world, Jesus was in the world, but He was not of the world. He took no pleasure in its wicked ways. He was not spoiled at all by its proud, sinful, selfish spirit, While he worked and associated with bad people to do them good, yet He was always separate from them in spirit.

One of our dear, pure Rescue Officers went to a house full of bad women, to see a sick girl, and while she was there the health authorities declared the girl's sickness to be smallpox, and they sealed up the place, and the Officer was shut in for weeks among those poor lost women. She was in an evil place, but she was not of it. Her pure spirit was utterly opposed to the spirit of sin that ruled there. So Jesus was in the world, but not of it; and in the same way, holy people are so changed, that while they are in the world, they are not of it. They belong to heaven, and are but strangers and pilgrims doing all the good they can while passing through this world to their Father's house, their heavenly home. They are separate from the world.

2. The Apostle John, in speaking of those who expect to see Jesus, and to be like Him in Heaven, says, 'And everyone that hath this hope in Him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure.' That is a lofty standard of purity, for there was no impurity in Jesus. He allowed no unclean habits. He indulged in no impure thoughts or desires. He used no unkind words. He kept Himself pure in all things. So we are to be pure in heart and in life, as He was.

3. Again, Jesus said, in speaking of God's kindness and love for unjust and evil people, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.'

Again, He says, 'A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.' How? According to what standard? 'As I have loved you, that ye also love one another.' We are, then, to be like Jesus in love to God and to all men, even to our enemies, but especially to our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

4. In speaking of Himself, Jesus Says, 'Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me.' (John xiv, 11.) And then He says of His disciples, 'At that day' (the day of Pentecost, when the Comforter comes), 'ye shall know that I am in My Father and ye in Me, and I in you.' (John xiv. 20.) We are, then, to be like Jesus by having God dwelling in us.

So we see that the Bible teaches that we can be like Jesus. We are to be like Him in our separation from the world, in purity, in love, and in the fullness of the Spirit. This is holiness.

This work was begun in you when you were converted, You gave up your sins. You were in some measure separated from the world; the love of God was in some degree shed abroad in your heart, and you felt that God was with you. But unless you have been sanctified wholly, you also feel that there are yet roots of bitterness within: quickness of temper, stirrings of pride, too great a sensitiveness to praise or blame, shame of the Cross, love of ease, worldly-mindedness, and the like. These must be taken away before your heart can be made clean, and love to God and man made perfect, and the Holy Spirit have all His way in you. When this is done, you will have the experience which the Bible calls holiness, and which The Salvation Army rightly teaches is the birthright of all God's dear children.

Holiness, then, for you and for me, is not maturity, but purity: a clean heart in which the Holy Spirit dwells, filling it with pure, tender, and constant love to God and man.

There is a plant in South America, called the 'pitcher plant,' on the stalk of which is a little cup-like formation which is always full of water. When it is very small it is full; as it grows larger it is still full; and when it reaches its maturity it is full. That illustrates holiness, All that God asks is that the heart should be cleansed from sin, and full of love, whether it be the tender heart of the little child, with feeble powers of loving, or of the full-grown man, or of the flaming archangel before the Throne. This is holiness, and this only. It is nothing less than this, and it can be nothing more.

Jesus, Thine all-victorious love

Shed in my heart abroad:

Then shall my feet no longer rove,

Rooted and fixed in God.

Deuteronomy Study Twelve: The Song of Moses

 Today's lesson comes from Deuteronomy 31: 30; 32: 1-12. The majority of chapter 32 (vv. 1-43) comprises a beautiful piece of Hebrew poetry. Verses 1-3 is the Introduction. Verses 4-18 compares the Faithfulness of God versus The Unfaithfulness of Israel. Verses 19-33 teaches the Chastisement and the Need for it. Verses 34-43 covers God's Compassion on His People- the Final Triumph of God's Purpose and Grace. Songs such as this one have a definite place in the worship, edification, and instruction of the church (Col. 3: 16).

The first section is "Proclaim His Glory." (vv. 1-3) In this portion, we see Moses's desire to exult the Lord. Consider how his words, like moisture, were intended to produce life and fruitfulness. Moses called the elders and officers together and he gave them a song which they would teach the Israelites. Moses' words would be like a "drop as the rain," which means that the words would be like a gentle rain bringing forth fruit. Moses desired to proclaim the name of the LORD. That name would be of great use in the prevention of sin, and the preservation of the people as they followed God in all His ways. 

It should be noted that music is a very important way of remembering things. From learning the ABCs or the year "Columbus sailed the ocean blue," song lyrics have a way of remaining in our memory. The music you hear on Sunday may be in your thoughts long after you have forgotten the pastor's message. I remember one "worship" service I attended and the lyrics were about "sunshine and butterflies." The messages contained in the traditional hymns have depth, doctrine and substance. "What a friend we have in Jesus." "Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me." These words when added to Scripture enable you to face the challenges and the blessings in life. We should choose wisely. What are you proclaiming with your life? What is your song?

The second section is "Corrupted Children." vv. 4-6 In these verses, Moses draws a sharp contrast between God and Israel. The characteristics and deeds of God are: He is a Rock, His work is perfect, His ways are judgment (everything God does is good), He is truthful without iniquity, and He is just and right. In contrast, the Israelites would become corrupt, their ways would not look or represent the ways of God, and they would be perverse and crooked. It would be from a rebellious heart that they would do what is forbidden. Moses asked, "Do ye thus requite (repay) the LORD?" After God had delivered the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, preserved them in the wilderness with food and water, given them His Law, and brought them to their inheritance, was this anyway to repay Him for His goodness, grace, and mercy? Moses anticipated that after his death, the Israelites would turn their backs on God. What causes people to turn their backs on God today?

The third section is "The Lord's Portion." vv. 7-9 From asking questions, Moses now begins to give commands, "remember...consider." Moses reminds the Israelites of God's past actions in dealing with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When we consider God's faithful actions in the past, it should impact our present conduct. From eternity past, God saw the nation of Israel and set the bounds of their habitations. God had in mind His people. He knew exactly what the "number of the children of Israel" would be. In the same way, God has set the bounds of your habitation. It is not an accident or coincidence that you live in the country you do. God has set your bounds. That is a great comfort regardless of the challenges we face today. Israel was, and we are His portion.

The fourth section is "Enduring Love." vv. 10-12 The third and fourth sections of the lesson can be studied together. These verses reveal how God gave consideration to the Israelites, even before they became a nation. His special care is described in verse ten and is illustrated in verse eleven. In the same way, God takes special care of us today including our salvation, protection, instruction, encouragement and support.  Strong faith is developed by exercising it. Trust in the Lord's enduring love.

The Golden Text is: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." (Psalm 103: 2) We remember God's past faithfulness towards us and we return our grateful remembrance of those mercies to Him. The past enables us to embrace the struggles and challenges of the future. We must never forget God's faithfulness, grace, and mercy.

My summary points:

1. The LORD's name will prevent sin and preserve us as a people.

2. We must guard against turning our backs on God.

3. God's special care for us should never be forgotten.

Next week: "The Death of Moses." (Deuteronomy 34: 1-12)

Please read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.

Saved by a Shout!

 SAVED, BY A SHOUT

From "Parson of the Islands,"
By Adam Wallace
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Joshua Thomas arrived one day while the servicer was in progress, and was called up to "exhort," after the sermon had been concluded. The eyes of the congregation kindled, as they followed him in his movement towards the "stand." Arriving there, he pulled off his low crowned hat and cast it aside, he then took off his overcoat, and laid it away, and, turning to the expectant people, he said, "It comes to me, I must first shout!" He thereupon began to jump, and clap his hands, saying, "GLORY!" "GLORY!" and continued thus until he was in a fine glow of religious fervor.
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The people looked at the man, and then at each other, with smiles at the oddity of this movement, but after a little, some ventured an "Amen." and the feeling began to infect those in immediate proximity to the stand, until quite a number were responding, and shouting in concert. He then quieted down, and gave an earnest exhortation, full of good sense, and commanding the eager attention of his congregation.
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A gentleman was present on that occasion, and became the subject of deep conviction under this singular proceeding. His statement, afterwards, was in substance as follows: "At first I thought the man was a fool, and the preachers were to blame for asking him up. I was about leaving my seat in disgust and indignation, and retiring from the ground; for, though I was not a professor of religion, I respected its order too much, to see it caricatured in that manner.
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I finally concluded to stand it out, rather than attract attention by my departure. I took a steady look at him, and in that instant one of the strangest sensations I ever had experienced, came over me. I felt that the Spirit of the Lord was there, actuating the man in what he said and did, and FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALL MY LIFE, I TREMBLED FROM HEAD TO FOOT, UNDER A NEW AND OVER-POWERING CONVICTION THAT I WAS A LOST SINNER.
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"I tried to shake it off by going outside among my friends, and made some effort to leave the place altogether, but I could not. The hand of God was on me. I went forward and humbled myself publicly as a penitent seeker of pardon, through the atoning merits of Christ.
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"Before leaving that place I obtained an evidence of acceptance with God, and was inwardly assured, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee.'
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"I had been all my life a hearer of the gospel. I had paid a decent respect to the observances of the church, and had sometimes thought myself as good as was necessary, or, at least, as good as others around me, until that scene of shouting unsettled my balance, and swept away my false foundation. I can now," he added, "most cordially endorse a good holy shout anywhere, and help a good Christian at any time to praise a pardoning God."
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This gentleman became a prominent member of the church, and ATTRIBUTED HIS CONVERSION TO THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF BROTHER THOMAS, under the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit. "His ways are not our ways, neither are our thoughts his thoughts. He will send by whom he will send," and work out his own designs, according to the counsels of his will and wisdom, by means that human ingenuity is incapable of devising.
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Sometimes an impulse received in the pulpit, or an impression conceived in a moment, may be from the right source; and to crush or disregard it, would be doing violence to the Spirit, and wrong to one's self, when, if followed, some great and good result might be attained.
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Parson Thomas considered himself authorized to shout, as clearly as it appeared to be his duty to sing or pray. Many a private opportunity he has improved in this way, when none but the God he loved and praised was nigh.

Blow the Trumpet!

05 -- BLOW THE TRUMPET LONG AND LOUD

There are breakers ahead! The church of God is in the midst of increasing dangers! These are perilous times! Infidelity, the rum curse, and the devil and secretism more than ever are bold, active and rampant, while multitudes in the churches are either blind, asleep or dead.

There is a rising tide of unbelief, carelessness, recklessness, licentiousness, fraud, worldliness and ungodliness setting in around the church on all sides. How powerless many professing Christians, to resist these evil influences and exert good ones!

The way many churches are treating the duty and privilege of personal sanctification is manifestly displeasing God, and grieving his Holy Spirit.

The obligation to be pure in heart and entirely devoted to God, who can deny? Mark how God enjoins holiness, and how he enforces it, and how his appeals are rejected, and his provision for it neglected. He reveals his own unsullied holiness, and then commands his people to be holy as he is holy. He gives his own Son as an atoning sacrifice, whose precious blood cleanseth from all sin. He gives the church "exceeding great and precious promises," that she may be filled with the "divine nature." He furnishes us the Holy Spirit and commands us to "be filled with it," as a living, divine energy. He tells his church plainly that "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

How are these important and blessed truths treated by the mass of the church? Great multitudes doubt and deny the practicability of becoming holy as God requires, until death. The future life alone they set apart for entire sanctification; the present they regard as destined to mixed holiness and sin. That man can and ought to be saved from all sin in this life is regarded as rank heresy. Many of our fashionable churches will not endure the plain, faithful preaching of entire sanctification.

Unbelief is the great sin of these times, both within and without the church, and it is fruitful of the most alarming results. Nothing can be so fatal to the soul as unbelief. It always has been so. It is now so, and it always will be so, and I may add, it ought to be so. When the church harbors unbelief she forfeits her hold upon the promised strength of God, and like Samson, is shorn of her locks. Unbelief would paralyze the energies of an angel.

Oh! how much tolerating, countenancing and defending sin there is among church members. It gives place to the devil, displeases God and works ruin. This is that which we fear is gradually killing thousands of American churches which are cold and seemingly powerless to evangelize this world and bring lost men to God.

There never was a time, perhaps, when light and truth were poured in upon the church more than now, and the duty and privilege of being saved from sin and made pure in heart; and yet there probably was never half as much effort, learning, talent and philosophy expended to defend sin and hold on to it as now.

Christ came to put away sin; his blood cleanseth from all sin. He cannot and will not sanction any sin. When those who profess to be his people stand back from duty, and excuse, defend and hold on to sin, he will forsake them. This is the reason why the heavens over many of the churches are brass; they are pining and dying out, while infidelity, licentiousness, Sabbath desecration, drunkenness, rowdyism and the like are on the increase almost everywhere.

God has a controversy today with the Christian church for her unbelief, remissness, failure to put on her strength and come up to his help against the mighty. Millions are marching hellward, while the great body of the visible church are doubting, hesitating, or caviling over the duty and privilege of Christian sanctification.

It is as clear as the sun in mid-heavens that the pressing need of the church is holiness and power, evangelical, aggressive power. This is needed a thousand times more than anything else to save the church from her miserable wranglings, her cursing church trials, her paralyzing unbelief, her fairs, her festivals and church frolics, and from all torpidity, worldliness and spiritual death.

Satan is prowling around our churches, and backsliders are dropping out on every side, and this is no time for the ministers of God to sleep at their posts. The lines need to be more sharply drawn and the watchmen more bold, independent, and outspoken. Let Zion's watchman "cry aloud, spare not, lift up their voice like a trumpet and show God's people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins."

"Let Zion's watchmen all arise,

And take the alarm they give,"

and let the trumpet be blown long and loud until millions come who are ready to perish.

Holiness or Perdition

04 -- ON TO HOLINESS OR BACK TO PERDITION

All progress toward holiness is on toward heaven, and all backsliding from holiness is back toward hell. In religious experience not to go forward, is to go backward. Strictly speaking there is no standing still in moral condition. It is either progression, or retrogression. Israel could not stand on the borders of Jordan, not to go over was to go back. The alternative after regeneration, is either entire sanctification or apostasy.

Thousands of Christian professors advance to certain points in Christian life, then pause, and then recede. Though indisposed to go forward, they fluctuate between life and death, and finally either consent to be holy and wholly the Lord's or entirely fall away. Whenever a believer is brought to see his need of perfect holiness, and his duty to seek it, and he refuses to yield fully to God and do his duty, he will inevitably go back, grieve the Holy Spirit, and drift toward perdition. All backsliding is in that direction.

What is the principal cause of so much backsliding among Christians? Why is the faith of so many weakened? their hope dimmed? their love cooled? their zeal abated? their meekness gone? their patience exhausted? their joy fled? their prospects blurred? their peace disturbed? and every other grace diminished? The plain truth is, they did not follow their convictions, yield fully to God and seek to be holy. Inbred sin was allowed to remain in their hearts, and as a result their peace, faith and love have been antagonized, stabbed, and choked by it. The remaining carnal propensities in the believer, foster pride, levity, anger, worldliness, self-indulgence and every other sin. Indwelling sin harbored will open the gates or avenues of the heart, for all kinds of unholiness to enter. The neglect of entire sanctification produces backsliding, while seeking, obtaining and retaining it, is an infallible remedy against it.

Young converts, generally are happy because for a time they are faithful to the light and grace they have, and they never need be any less happy than in the first stages of Christian life, but more, much more so, if they live up to their light and duty. Among the first lessons of the Bible and the Holy Spirit after conversion is to hasten on over into the Canaan of perfect love; but alas! how many when convicted of their indwelling sin and need of purity, refuse to go forward, content themselves with what they have experienced, and consequently start back and downward toward perdition. Unwilling to go forward, they take the backtrack, and then come the dismal results of a wilderness state -- discontent, perturbation of mind, painful doubts, gloomy fears, fiery trials and heavy crosses. The church of God is terribly suffering everywhere, with multitudes of backslidden professors, in just this unhappy, melancholy condition. Is it strange that the world thinks that religion must be a gloomy thing?

What is true of the members of the church, in this respect, is equally true of ministers who fail to press on after entire sanctification. If a minister neglects his duty, and fails to be a holy man, the work of grace in his heart will decline, his power and usefulness diminish, and he will become more and more a failure. He may study hard, and try to make up in earnestness, literary attainments, and hard work, but with a declining religious life and decreasing devotion to God, his ministry will be less and less satisfactory and useful.

When personal holiness is not sought, the natural results are more selfishness, more covetousness and self-indulgence, and less ardent, persistent successful work for God and souls.

When any Christian refuses to seek holiness he turns his back upon Christ, whose blood "cleanseth from all sin," and draws his heart away from fellowship with God. The result is barrenness of soul, fiery chastisements, and a scourge of many troubles. Those, who were once happy in God and happy in their work, now become subjects of distressing temptations, violent suggestions from Satan, and doubt that they were ever converted. God seems to suffer the devil to harass and distress them to drive them back to Christ. O, how many who were once full of peace, light, and usefulness have gone back, and have closed up their lives in doubt, shadows, and disappointments!

Backsliders, and apostates from Christianity are not only the most guilty, but the most unhappy of mortals. By refusing to go forward and seek holiness, they sin against greatest light, and become more miserable than ordinary sinners. The love of God withers and fades out of their hearts, and they become soured, jealous, dissatisfied, and seek relief in earthly pleasures, and become "worldly, sensual and devilish." "The latter end of them is worse than the beginning." They do not go on to holiness, but back to perdition. Reader, which way are you going? Are you headed, and making progress heavenward, or are you on the down grade? Which -- on to holiness, or back to perdition?