Our doing is a manifestation of our state of grace, our degree of spiritual growth; it is an effect, not a cause, the outgrowth, not the source, of our faith; the fruit of the tree, not the tree itself. Our doing is a gauge to measure the depths of the spirit within us. "Be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18), is the command; but we come far short of such fulness, and are more likely to be very shallow in our spiritual state; our doing marks the depth. Again, our doing is not a stepping stone to heaven, but a milestone in the way of life, to show us how far we are along. Now most Christians view this matter in the way just opposite to the truth. They must do in order to be right within; being faithful is doing a great deal; their doing they think is the means of spiritual growth, the way to increase their faith; in their estimation it is the tree that is to bring forth all the fruits of the spirit, and a ladder by which to climb to heaven. Christians do not express their view thus directly, but practically the above is their faith. This is a subtle snare of the devil, and oft times those who think they are trusting in God, are in reality trusting in self. Remember that a very little of this legal doing will vitiate and neutralize a great deal of faith. You cannot even help in the smallest degree to save yourself or to make yourself better any more than the clay can help the potter. If anything beautiful and good is ever made of you, God must do it, and He alone. "Let these sayings sink down into your ears" (Lk. 9:44).
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 05:46:16 +0000
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