LEARNING SELF IN GOD'S PRESENCE

LEARNING SELF IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Your letter cheered me much; there is nothing morally finer than that a soul should feel the pravity of man naturally, in the light of God’s presence in grace. Without the latter it would be the darkness of distance. With you, thank the Lord, it is the consequence of nearness. This experience will make your future history glorious in the eye of God, most pleasing to the heart of Christ, and a blessing, almost second to none, to yourself. Now, you feel that, “In me (that is, in my flesh),

dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7: 18). One has often the doctrine of the end of man before one really rejoices that one is fully freed from it in the cross. Then you can heartily thank God through Jesus Christ. It is a terrible experience - I know it, dear brother - to be so disgusted with the old self that we are glad to be set free from it in the life of Him who set us free. I do not believe that any one has really valued freedom from the law of sin and death until he has felt the corruption of himself. Then he hails with joy his freedom from it. It is then the doctrine of it is truly valued. The most of us learn it through experience, by seeing and feeling the precipices to which the flesh carried us. Were it not for the hand that ever holds us, we should have tumbled down! Surely then we are not only glad to be in Christ, and free, but we dread the flesh even more than before.

I have had you often in mind before the Lord. Surely I am encouraged now more than ever. I look now that you may come out to be fully for Him here.