Great Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 6 March, 2023 A.D.

Striving against sin.—Hebrews12:4 [KJV]

 'What poor, low, legal work is this?' say some. 'We are happyin Christ without such a strife.'—'We are perfect, fully bornagain, perfectly sanctified and freed from all sin; therefore our strife is at an end,' say others. Alas! poor, honest, uprightChristian, thou art ever in danger; on the right hand, oflicentiousness; on the left hand, of pride and delusion, andalso from a deceitful heart within. What with the white devilof pride, and the black devil of lust, thou art ever liable to beseduced from the truth. What a mercy to have a truetouchstone to try men and doctrines by! The experience ofChristians of old, as recorded by the Spirit of truth, affords usquite different sentiments of the influence of gospel-grace.The regenerate soul being restored to the life and love of Godby the faith of Jesus, ever, while it is imprisoned in the body,is surrounded, within and without, with foes of every kind.These, like mighty combatants, strive and fight against itsrest, holiness, and comfort. Here the Christian, under theinfluence of the Spirit, cannot, will not dare be passive tosuffer sin, in its tyrannizing nature, to lord it over him: but hewill be active; fighting, striving, wrestling against his bosominmate, his worst foe, indwelling sin. It reflects a dishonorupon the author and the grace of faith, to suppose that itleaves the soul in an idle kind of waiting, or melancholy sitting still; or that it can be satisfied with carnal gratifications, andsensual delights of a perishing world. No: being alive to God,possessing the faith of Jesus, we shall strive for the mastery,and be temperate in all things. Our very sighs and groans,sensible weariness and heaviness, evidence our conflicts andstruggles; our cry to Jesus for strength proves our wisdom,and forebodes our victory; our patient enduring, submissivewaiting, steady persevering, and constant striving, tilldeliverance, perfect deliverance is granted, shew that "wehave the mind of Christ"—the life of Christ—the Spirit ofChrist; that we are the beloved brethren of Christ, and thatsoon we shall be for ever with Christ.Now the Lord's promise is, "I will drive out your foes by littleand little." In a very, very short time, (O Christian, lift up thyhead with joy, thy redemption draweth nigh) the joyful soundof perfect victory shall be proclaimed, "and the enemies youthis day see, feel, and groan under, strive and fight against,you shall see them no more for ever." 

Lord, I esteem Thy judgments right,And all Thy statutes just:Thence I maintain a constant fightWith ev'ry flatt'ring lust.In vain we boast perfection here,While sin defiles our frame;And sinks our virtues down so far,They scarce deserve the name 

-William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.) 


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