| The Christian Life | October 1943 |
Spiritual Balance
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”—II Timothy 1:7
NEITHER radicalism nor fanaticism are component elements of true Christian character. It is never necessary to be a fanatic in order to be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord and His Word of truth. The Apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do” (Philippians 3:13), but this “one thing” included all of the things embraced in the will of God for the Christian. The Christian may, indeed, appear to be “one-sided” as viewed from the worldly standpoint; but not so from God’s standpoint, if he gives heed to all that the Lord would have him do and be. Paul was not a radical in the sense of being an extremist along one particular line of Christian endeavor; yet he was uncompromising in his loyalty to God and to the truth.
In our text the apostle reveals that it is the influence of the Holy Spirit of God in the Christian’s life that gives him strength to perform the divine will. It is the Spirit of God that creates the desire to sacrifice for others—which is God-like love in action. It is the Spirit of God also that gives the Christian a “sound mind.” In the text, the spirit of fear is contrasted with that of power and love and a sound mind. One who is filled with fear, and controlled more or less by it, cannot, at the same time, exercise a balanced judgment.
One of the most essential prerequisites to the exercise of the spirit of a sound mind is, therefore, to slay the monster fear by the exercise of faith and confidence in the promises of God. God assures us through His Word that irrespective of how formidable our enemies may be, He will help us to overcome them; no matter how weak we are, His grace will be sufficient; no matter how much we lack wisdom, He will give us liberally of His wisdom. He has promised, in fact, to supply all our needs.
By relying upon these promises,—and not one of them has ever failed—the Christian is able to approach the study of the divine will with full assurance that no matter what may be involved, no contingency can ever arise in the doing of that will which has not been foreseen and provided for by the divine Planner of our lives. This means that we need never hesitate in undertaking any course in life which God indicates to be His will for us. No part of the divine will needs to be omitted or only partially obeyed because of human limitations. Our obedience to all that God requires will certainly result in what our text describes as the spirit of a sound mind.
The spirit of a sound mind—spiritual balance—is obtained through a study of the Word of God and the application of its precepts in our daily lives. But it is necessary that we “rightly divide the Word of truth,” and yield ourselves fully to its influence. As the apostle indicates, our rightly dividing of the Word of truth is to be for the sole purpose of showing ourselves “approved unto God.” (II Timothy 2:15) This means that the slightest degree of selfishness or of insincerity in our study of the Bible will prevent our understanding it properly. Unwillingness to be doers of the Word, perhaps more than any other one thing, accounts for the hundreds of different ways in which the Bible has been interpreted.
God Tests Our Sincerity
God is dealing with the Christian according to his faith and the sincerity of his consecration. For this reason He has permitted His Word to be written in such a way as to make a practical test of our real desire to know and do His will. The shop-worn statement that “the Bible is like an old fiddle on which any tune can be played,” is true if, in our study of the sacred Word, we seek merely to find justification for the manner in which we would like to live the Christian life.
Practical application of Christian principles is presented in the Bible in such a way that if we have any degree of self-will, we can find justification for almost any extreme position which may meet the approval of our selfish fancy. An example of how we may misuse the Bible in this way is the manner in which the Apostles Paul and James present the relative importance of faith without works and faith supported by works in the Christian life.
Paul says we are “justified by faith,” and in setting forth the importance of faith he cites the example of Abraham. (Romans 4:1-4; 5:1) Paul also says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” To emphasize this thought, he adds, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9) James, on the other hand, shows that had not Abraham acted on his faith, wherein would be the evidence or proof of his loyalty to God and His will.—James 2:21-24
Certainly these Scriptures make it plain that salvation is not obtainable upon the basis of our own works, but rather upon the proof, the demonstration of our faith. However, this does not justify any misuse or distortion of the Scriptures to substantiate the erroneous thought that being inactive in the service of the Lord is included in the divine will; yet, should we be looking for an opportunity to avoid the privilege of sacrifice we could find in these words of Paul a comfortable resting-place on the couch of inactivity. However, if we are to have the spirit of a sound mind, we will need to take into consideration that while salvation is of faith and grace, yet God expects those who obtain it upon this basis, to show forth His praises by laying down their lives in His service.
Acceptable and Unacceptable Service
On the matter of “works” the Scriptures show that it is possible to be busily engaged working for the Lord and yet not have God’s approval. Jesus, telling of some who would come to Him and claim His friendship on the basis of the “many wonderful works” they had done in His name, indicates His answer to be, “I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23) This text should surely have an influence in helping us to maintain spiritual balance, and if we are sincere in our desire to know and to do the divine will, we will not use it as an excuse for not doing anything in God’s service.
Unquestionably, it is pleasing to God for a Christian to be actively engaged in the divine service. In fact, the ideal Christian life is one that is wholly and directly spent for God, even as was that of the Master’s. However, few are in a position to render such direct and full-time service. The Bible itself circumscribes the energies of the Christian by pointing out the earthly obligations, especially toward one’s family, that must be met before one may properly feel free to devote time and strength in the direct service of God.
The sincere Christian will find no great difficulty in fitting himself in with these various Scriptural requirements, yet if we are not sincere it will be possible to find in them an excuse to shirk the responsibilities of our consecration vow—a vow which calls for the presenting of our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.”—Romans 12:1
The divine commission given to the church most unmistakably implies self-sacrificing activity in proclaiming the glad tidings of the Kingdom. The examples of the apostles in this respect indicate clearly what they understood this commission to mean. Their instructions to the church emphasize and re-emphasize the importance of faithfulness in the Lord’s service. But this does not mean that all the Lord requires of a Christian is that he be everlastingly active in a feverish campaign of “great works.”
Yes, the Bible says a great deal about working for the Lord; hence if one wishes to believe that he can simply “work” his way into the Kingdom, and ignore all the other important instructions for growth in Christian character, he will be able to justify himself in such a course. In so doing, however, he will not be exercising “the Spirit of a sound mind.” Let us then, be on guard against this one-sided viewpoint of the Christian life, and thus avoid being in that class who, in the end of this age, come to Jesus to claim a place in His favor upon the basis of the “wonderful works” which they have performed.
The true balance between faith and works is to realize that our standing of justification before God is based entirely upon our faith in the merit of Christ’s shed blood, and that the blessing of atonement is nothing we have merited ourselves, but is the “gift of God.” Beyond that, and out of sheer appreciation to God for His bountiful provisions for us, our hearts should spontaneously respond to God’s goodness as did Saul of Tarsus, asking, “What wilt Thou have me to do?”—Acts 8:6
Searching the Scriptures sincerely for an answer to this question, we find definite instructions to the effect that we are to be “ministers of reconciliation”; and that as such we are to be faithful ambassadors of the truth; that we are to “preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season.” The Bible, however, does not suggest that merely by so doing we can earn a place in the Kingdom.—II Corinthians 5:18; II Timothy 4:2
Acceptable service is that kind which results because the love of God has so touched our hearts that we simply cannot refrain from showing forth His praises at every opportunity. The evidence of such self-sacrificing love and devotion will ascend as a “sweet incense” to Him. Thus by our works is our faith made manifest, even as James suggests.
No Thought for the Morrow
Another illustration of how the Lord tests the sincerity of our consecration is the manner in which He deals with us in respect to our earthly needs. The twelfth chapter of Luke records very important instructions to the disciples along this line. Jesus reminded them of the Heavenly Father’s care over those who serve Him, using the sparrows and the ravens and the lilies as illustrations of His loving care. He then assured His disciples that they who are worth more than the sparrows can trust God fully with respect to all their material needs.
Then He urged upon them such whole-hearted devotion and service, such singleness of purpose with respect to their spiritual interests, that their earthly affairs should be relatively ignored and forgotten. He said, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.”—Luke 12:22
This is a very heart-searching command. The English translation does not convey accurately Jesus’ evident meaning of taking no anxious thought for the material things of life. Manifestly, there are only a few who have ever tried to fully apply the great principle here laid down for the guidance of the Christian life. Some, however, have applied these words too literally, and as a result, have become fanatics, unbalanced Christians, and additionally, public charges.
Surely this is not what Jesus meant, nor did the apostles get this thought from His instructions to them. Later, we find the Apostle Paul giving specific instructions to the church that its members were expected to give some thought to material needs. In Romans 12:17 we are told to provide things honest in the sight of all men. In I Timothy 5:8 we read, “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
If we are to be balanced Christians, we must take these passages, and those of similar import, put them over against Jesus’ words in Luke 12, and seek to know and practice the harmony of thought that lies between. Jesus’ instructions undoubtedly mean that the consecrated Christian is to regard his whole life as devoted to the service of God. He is to seek first the Kingdom of heaven and its righteousness. He is to do this in full confidence that the Heavenly Father will take care of his earthly interests.
On the other hand, while one can consecrate himself, personally to the Lord, he cannot consecrate his family, in the sense that they must become a part of the sacrifice he is making. Thus the practical carrying out of one’s consecration vows must be circumscribed to the extent to which the Scriptures obligate him to those dependent upon his care and support.
But herein is another heart-searching test of our sincerity before God. If our consecration to the Lord was from the heart, we will see to it that our all is really consumed upon the altar of sacrifice, as directly and as effectively as possible in the divine service. But if, since making our consecration, we have to any degree become weary in well-doing and our zeal is proportionately cooled, then we can misinterpret the instructions to provide things honest in the sight of all men as justification for sacrificing very little on God’s altar. In other words, it is possible to wrongly consider “honest” things as meaning luxurious things, and the command which obligates us to provide for our own, may be erroneously used as justification to lay up treasures for our relatives to quarrel over after we die.
Here again, the Spirit of God operating through His Word will enable us, if we are thoroughly consecrated to Him, to exercise the “spirit of a sound mind.” We will recognize that we belong wholly to God, and that we are to be entirely consumed in His service. We will realize, on the other hand, that God would have us use some of our time and some of our strength—as much as is absolutely necessary—to care for those who, by ties of blood or marriage, are properly dependent upon us. But even these necessary obligations, by divine grace, we will discharge as unto the Lord, and to His glory, while redeeming as much of our time and substance as possible to be used directly in the divine cause.
Work Out Your Own Salvation
In Philippians 2:12,13, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,” assuring us that it is “God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” These are words which unmistakably emphasize that in the final analysis no one can work out our salvation for us; that it is a personal matter between us and the Lord. It means that we are individually responsible to the Lord for the things we believe and the things we do. As individuals, we are to “prove all things,” not accepting anything as true simply because it reaches us through some trusted friend, or leader, no matter how much confidence we may have in that friend or leader.
To work out our own salvation means also that we will have a love for Christian liberty, not permitting ourselves to be bound by earthly sects and creeds which “fetter reason with their rules.” In the exercise of true Christian liberty, we will take hold upon the promises of God as individuals and realize that they apply to us, irrespective of the opinions and rulings of men or of man-made organizations. Laying hold upon these divine promises individually, we will rejoice in the Lord no matter what may come or what may go. If we have privileges of service for the truth, we will rejoice; if we are denied them, we can also rejoice in His will.
Our individual union with God and with Christ, should be so real and so vitally and substantially established upon the basis of personal faith, that even though our dearest friend, or even the one who first brought us the truth, should fall away, we will continue to stand, energetically working out our own salvation.
While thus exercising our individual privileges as Christians, we are not to ignore the fact that we also have a responsibility toward others; and that the Lord in His wisdom has arranged that many of the blessings which we receive as individuals must come to us through fellow-Christians. Working out our own salvation then, does not mean that we can be successful Christians while ignoring the association of Christians with which we, as individuals, are a part. In other words, Paul does not mean that we should neglect the assembling of ourselves together “as the manner of some is.”—Hebrews 10:25
God does work in us wonderfully and powerfully, but He doesn’t do this independent of our association with others of like precious faith. He doesn’t miraculously lift us up from the crowd and deal with us in ways and means of our own choosing. God has His own way of working in us, and if we want to work with Hun it is essential that we work in harmony with the way He has chosen. He works according to His own plan, not according to ours.
In the 4th chapter of Ephesians, we find that God works in His people, not only through the prophets and the apostles, but also through various other servants—evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc. This means that in order to properly maintain our own individual standing in Christ, we must co-operate with others whom He may choose to use in the work of the ministry. Surely we cannot be individualists to the extent of ignoring the messages of the prophets and apostles, nor can we safely be independent Christians in the sense of ignoring the help that may come to us through the elders of the ecclesia, or others whom the Lord may use to encourage His people.
It would be a mistake—an evidence of spiritual unbalance—to follow the line of Christian individualism to the extent of disobeying the Lord’s instructions relative to proper order and decorum in the church. Just as it would be wrong for any Christian to lean upon others, either individuals or organizations, so it would be equally wrong, in taking a stand against this false practice, to refuse participation in Scriptural arrangements for local ecclesia co-operation. The Bible declares that “the fear of man bringeth a snare,” and evidently in this matter it is possible to be snared into becoming unbalanced in the application of Christian principles relative to fellowship and co-operation among God’s people.—Proverbs 29:25
The Bondage of Fear
Liberty of thought and action within the circumscribed limits of the Bible is one of the most precious heritages of the Christian, but sometimes one becomes “bound” and does not realize the true nature of his condition. One of the worst and most subtle forms of bondage is to be bound by our own fears. If we hold back from the enjoyment of the blessings that can come to us through association with God’s people simply because we are fearful of becoming entangled in an organization, then we are bound or restrained by our fears, even though we may think we are free and exercising Christian liberty.
In Hebrews 10:24,25, we are admonished to consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works, and not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. God’s arrangement for the assembling of His people is one of the ways by which He works in us “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” This means that each one of us as an individual Christian can, and should be, a help to others in the narrow way. This does not give us an excuse for “lording it over” each other, but it does place before us our responsibility to others of the household of faith.
It isn’t the eloquent sermon that always proves the greatest blessing. Sometimes a few words of comfort spoken privately, even by a brother or sister who may not possess talents for expression, may prove to be a divine message of consolation to one in need of encouragement, and may be more effective than a hundred eloquent sermons. So, brethren, let us be watchful for every opportunity we can find to lay down our lives for each other as we journey along together in the narrow way.
The “spirit of a sound mind”—or true spiritual balance between individualism and collectivism, or co-operation in the body of Christ—means we should continue to recognize that we have an individual standing with the Lord which we must cherish and safeguard. We should safeguard it even though “a thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand.” (Psalm 91:7) As individual Christians, enjoying the blessings of personal relationship and communion with the Lord, we also will be on the alert to avail ourselves of every possible opportunity to associate with our brethren in Christ, as well as to encourage them. We will be on guard against any subtleties of Satan that may creep in among the Lord’s people, but we will be ready to accept and to rejoice in the precious messages of truth and encouragement which come from the Lord’s brethren, and which, indeed, are predominant among truth people today.
Let us then, dear brethren, in all of these ways, sincerely and humbly seek the Lord’s guidance, trusting fully in His ability to overrule for our good every issue of our consecrated lives, if we but whole-heartedly submit to His will and endeavor self-sacrificingly to carry it out in our lives. Let us, above all, seek to avoid interpreting the Scriptures in a way to favor the selfish desires of the flesh. Let us ever remember that as followers in the Master’s footsteps, His will for us is to suffer and to die, and that He has promised to give us strength to carry us through all the way to the end of this pathway of suffering and death.
Absolute honesty with one’s self and with the Lord manifested in a fearless interpretation of His Word no matter what the cost may be, and a zealous, faithful performance of the divine will, is most difficult for any Christian. Only by divine help can this standard be attained and maintained. To keep one’s life sincerely devoted to God requires a constant battle against the selfish tendencies of the fallen flesh, which tendencies are augmented by the spirit of selfishness emanating from Satan and from his present dominated world.
The words of David in Psalm 19:12 are appropriate for every consecrated Christian to take well to heart, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse Thou me from secret faults.” The secret of understanding our errors lies largely in our willingness to have the Lord cleanse us “with the washing of water by the Word.” (Eph. 5:26) We will be glad to have our errors of doctrine revealed and cleansed away by the Word of truth. If this be true, then we may enjoy the spiritual advantages of those to whom the Lord, through His Word, gives “the spirit of a sound mind.”