SUFFERING FOR THE TRUTH
SUFFERING FOR THE TRUTH
It is necessarily a time of trial every way to every faithful one. But for every truly godly one there must be [p. 35] persecution in this day. Dear ———— seems to feel very much the indifference with which he is treated. He has been a popular man. I have not been one; and I can feel when I am slighted, not myself personally, but the truth which I seek to present, for something which I know has not the same worth in it. To see people preferring milk and water, while you are through mercy offering them pure milk, is very depressing; but the way you ought to feel it is for the Lord’s sake; for it is really He who is slighted, and not you. I rather rejoice now unless I have by anything of nature, or any imperfect way of putting the truth, raised a true cause of objection to it.
We had ———— here, and he, in the most eloquent way, described the superiority of these days to any but the Pentecostal. ‘The truth flying over the earth reaching to China, meetings in the name of the Lord springing up everywhere,’ etc. I had to warn him against Laodicea, and he retorted he ‘disliked croaking’. The fact is, his standard came out as being just assured of heaven, and final perseverance. To live Christ on earth, and to know Him as our life where we have walked in death, to live like Him who has delivered us from death and judgment, does not enter into his mind. Christ to bring me to heaven, he is clear enough about; but Christ my life and object where I had walked in the flesh, and in enmity to God, is quite another thing. He died for me to bring me out of death and judgment, but in Him I live His life where I am dead in myself. His death sets me free from death and safe for heaven; but His life sets me as He was here, while I know Him as He is in heaven; so that I live Christ. There are the two parts; Christ died for me and saved me, and in His life I now live Him here. The thief sets forth one side — safe for heaven. ———— goes no further than this. Paul has a living Saviour in heaven, and he lives Christ before he goes to heaven. To be assured of heaven is not everything with Paul. Living Christ is everything, and this on earth.