...TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." —1 Corinthians 10:5 [KJV]

It is fit that soldiers of Jesus should have the sentence of death in themselves. They are hereby taught not to trust in themselves. Though armed with the spiritual weapons of their warfare, yet they are no farther mighty and conquering but as aided by the power of God. Poor souls, by trusting to their graces instead of the God of all grace, have been foiled by the enemy, and have fallen. "I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me: but, through the Lord, will we push down our enemies." —Psalm 44:5, 6. 

This is the language of faith, this the confidence of humble souls: after believers have escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust, and have been turned from their sinful courses to the Lord Jesus, then danger threatens from another quarter; self-righteousness will exalt its baneful head against them. "Now I am somebody; I have received inherent grace and strength, I am justified, my sins are pardoned, and I have got a clean heart." Thus towering imaginations swell against God's everlasting love, His election of grace, the imputed righteousness of Jesus, and final perseverance of the saints. 

When these evangelical truths are rejected, it argues that pride, self-sufficiency, and self-righteousness prevail. Verily, O soul, "thou trustest in thine own beauty, and playest the harlot, because of thy renown. Woe, woe, unto thee." This is a severe reproof from the mouth of the Lord—Ezekiel 16:30. St. Austin is peremptory, "that it hath been profitable to some proud spirits to fall into gross offence; for they have not lost so much by their fall as they have got by being down." It is better to be humble under sin, than to be proud of grace. God will suffer no flesh to glory in His presence; His truths tried at the bar of carnal reason will be rejected. But as free-grace truths are precious to that Spirit who indited them, so He will bring disciples to submit to them. 

To reject the doctrines of grace, under a specious pretence to holiness, is to blaspheme the God of wisdom. High thoughts of ourselves oppose the truths of God; vain imaginations strengthen self-confidence, which is contrary to the faith of Christ. To see Jesus all in all, and to see ourselves nothing at all, is to see and know aright, in the light of truth, and by the views of the Spirit of truth. There is an inward obedience of the heart, a submission to the righteousness of God, as well as an outward obedient walk. There may be much of the pride and holiness of the Pharisee without, where there is none of the simple faith and love of Jesus within.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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