| Christian Life and Doctrine | February 1977 |
The Answer of a Good Conscience Toward God
IN MARK the 10th chapter, starting with verse 17, we have the account of our Lord’s encounter with the rich young man. He apparently was a sincere individual endeavoring to follow the precepts of the Law; and yet in spite of all his efforts, he was painfully aware of the fact that he had not attained to the reward that perfect obedience to the Law would give, namely, life. And so the question, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”—vs. 17
The answer that Jesus gave to the young man’s question is recorded in verse 21, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” The account goes on to say that the young man was sad and went away grieved, for he had great possessions. The thought of divesting himself of his worldly possessions was too much. Perhaps he realized additionally that the disposition of his wealth would also mean the loss of his worldly friends, his status and influence, and the cessation of a generally privileged life from the world’s standpoint.
And then there was the additional thought of following in the footsteps of Jesus. This obviously involved a life of dedicated service, sacrifice, and suffering.
While these terms appeared severe to the rich young man, they are the same terms that are offered to everyone whom the Lord calls to the high calling during the Gospel Age. If the one called responds and the consecration that ensues is accepted, the terms are made effective. It is true that we are not asked to dispose of our possessions physically, but the spirit of divestment must be a reality. We must realize that these possessions are no longer ours, that our position relative to them is that of a steward for the Lord. Of course this involves a great change in priorities in the arrangement of our lives. Whereas previously we were involved primarily in providing for self and selfish interests, from this point on the consecrated are chiefly interested in serving the Lord and his interests.
The Heavenly Father requires that nothing will come before him in our hearts. The Scripture states, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” (Mark 12:30) This means that our natural affection for family, friends, and other attachments is relegated to a second place in our hearts.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus is a meaningful expression to the consecrated Christian, for it implies a life of suffering and self-denial in serving the Lord, the truth, and the brethren. When James and John came to Jesus to ask for a special place in the kingdom, Jesus asked, “Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38) Jesus was not speaking of the symbol of water baptism, but of the real baptism—that of being immersed into Christ’s death. Romans 6:3-5 reads, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”
Being buried with him by baptism into death means that we have agreed to lay our lives down in the manner that Jesus laid his down. Jesus was figuratively beheaded as far as his own will was concerned. He spent his strength, his mind, his all, in serving the Heavenly Father, the truth, the brethren, and the kingdom interests. Part of this service was his commission to preach the Gospel, and it was his faithfulness in this that brought on most of his trials and was eventually responsible for his death. We have the same commission to promulgate the Gospel, with the same promise of trials, for the darkness hateth the light. Being faithful in walking in this narrow way as Jesus walked will accomplish our baptism into his death.
Why are the consecrated footstep followers of the Lord so motivated to take such steps? We believe that it results from our overflowing feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving for all that the Heavenly Father has done for us.
When the Lord first begins to deal with us, he permits us to see and understand some facet of truth that makes an impression on our mind; and as we are led further into his Word we are overwhelmed with the Lord’s goodness, love, and mercy. The Apostle Paul, in II Corinthians 5:14,15, expresses the thought thus: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
The word “constraineth” means compels. A more detailed explanation of this text would seem to be that when we see and understand the fact that Jesus gave his life as a willing sacrifice—not only for us but also to take Adam’s place in death—in order that not only Adam but the whole human race might have life, we are compelled from a sense of gratitude to give our ransomed life in service to the magnificent One who died for us.
We realize, of course, that from God’s standpoint the whole world is dead, the blood of Christ not having been applied yet on their behalf. But the apostle states that “they which live” are so motivated that henceforth they desire to live unto him which died for them. It is only the consecrated and spirit-begotten of the Gospel Age who can be said to possess life, for they have been begotten to a new life, with the hope of attaining the divine nature. The Apostle Peter says that this compelling sense of gratitude is “the answer of a good conscience toward God.”—I Pet. 3:21
The activities of the Christian, which follow as the result of the answer of his good conscience toward God, are likened by the Apostle Peter unto baptism. He states, “When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” (vss. 20,21) The apostle was not referring to water baptism, which is but a symbol of the real baptism into death. The comparison being made is that just as Noah and his family were saved from the waters of the Flood by entering into the ark (a type of Christ), so the footstep followers of Jesus are saved from their covenant with death by being baptized into Christ. (Rom. 6:3-5) The symbol of water immersion illustrates beautifully the Christian’s baptism into Christ. As the immerser lowers the candidate backwards into the water, it pictures the candidate’s complete surrender of himself, his will, his talents, his aims, ambitions, and desires, to the Heavenly Father. Figuratively, the candidate at this point is at the complete mercy of the immerser. But then, as he is raised up out of the water, it pictures his new life, new hopes, aims, ambitions, and desires. The new direction of his life is to become a living sacrifice, surrendering daily all of his efforts, talents, strength, and means to the Heavenly Father and his cause. By taking this step the Christian is following in the footsteps of Jesus and is counted by God as being a partner in Christ’s sacrifice and sufferings. Not that the sacrifice or sufferings of the footstep followers of Jesus were needed, nor that they contributed any merit to the efficacious sacrifice of Jesus, but by God’s grace they are counted as having a share.
The Apostle Paul, in Romans 12:1, states, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present [yield] your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” In this text the apostle is admonishing consecrated brethren to consummate the covenant of sacrifice that has previously been made. To do thus, they must yield their bodies to be sacrificed. This means that without consideration of self, the strength, time, and talents of the Christian must be used up in the Lord’s service as the opportunity affords, or as he is directed. This involves such activities as preaching the Gospel in the many ways that this is possible, ministering to the brethren, visiting the sick, etc. It is a living sacrifice because from God’s standpoint the Christian has had the benefit of the blood of Christ applied on his behalf. This means that adamic condemnation has been lifted from him and that he is reckoned as having a perfect life to offer in sacrifice, even as Jesus had a perfect life to offer. The sacrifice is holy and acceptable only because of the application of the blood of Christ. The final thought of the text—that such a sacrifice is a “reasonable service”—is a conclusion resulting from the answer of a good conscience toward God.
The day-to-day experiences of the Christian as he endeavors to walk in the footsteps of Jesus are a most necessary part of his preparation to be a part of the royal family. These day-to-day experiences were also necessary for Jesus. The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews 5:8,9, says, “Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
What does it mean that Jesus learned obedience? We know that from the standpoint of Jesus’ being a perfect man he was always obedient to the Heavenly Father. It was only from the standpoint of his changed status after being spirit-begotten at his baptism in the River Jordan that he had to be tested, tried, and proven. According to Strong’s Concordance the word “obedience” simply means submission. The word “suffer” means to endure, or experience. The proper thought of the text then is that Jesus learned to be submissive by the experiences that he was permitted to have. These experiences came to him under very difficult and trying circumstances, and, of course, his final test of obedience resulted in his death on the cross. The thought of Jesus’ being made perfect is that his experiences consummated his character and made it possible for God to resurrect him from death and exalt him to the divine nature.
The purpose of our Lord’s suffering is affirmed by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 2:10, “For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain [Jesus] of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” The sufferings of Christ did not atone for sins but were an instrument used by the Heavenly Father to perfect Christ as a new creature.—Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22
In Colossians 1:24 we read of the Apostle Paul saying of himself, “who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Here the Apostle Paul must have had in mind the many difficult experiences that he suffered at the hands of the Jews and others as he endeavored to serve and encourage the brethren. His thought is that he rejoiced in the privilege of being a partaker of Christ’s sufferings, realizing that they were brought about in the course of his ministry to the church; therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Like the Apostle Paul, the footstep followers of Jesus must be partakers of Christ’s sufferings if they are to share with him the glories of the kingdom. Romans 8:16,17 reads, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him [together, Diaglott], that we may be also glorified together.” It is only through suffering that the church is enabled to perfect the new mind—to learn to be submissive under difficult and trying circumstances—and to develop the fruits and graces of the Spirit.
The Apostle Peter, in I Peter 4:12,13, states that the footstep followers of Jesus should not be surprised and wonder when they have fiery trials, but that they should expect them and welcome them as the means whereby they might attain to the divine nature. Again, in I Peter 2:19-21 we read, “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”
We realize, of course, that if we were to attempt to accomplish all of these things in our own strength we would surely fail. In Mark 10:26,27, the disciples in contemplating some of these things questioned Jesus, “And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
And so we, like the Apostle Paul, must endeavor to rely completely on the power of God. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling.”—II Tim. 1:7-9
In Mark 10:28 Peter asks our Lord a question that has been in the mind of every consecrated child of the Lord at some time during his Christian experience. “Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” And the Lord answered, “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the Gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, … and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29,30) The Matthew account of this incident adds this wonderful promise, “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”—Matt. 19:28
And so, brethren, may we from a full and overflowing heart express our gratitude by giving our answer of a good conscience toward God.