Holy in Christ.
by Andrew Murray.
PREFACE.
There is not in Scripture a word more distinctly Divine in its origin and meaning than the word holy. There is not a word that leads us higher into the mystery of Deity, nor deeper into the privilege and the blessedness of G.o.d"s children. And yet it is a word that many a Christian has never studied or understood.
There are not a few who can praise G.o.d that during the past twenty years the watchword BE HOLY has been taken up in many a church and Christian circle with greater earnestness than before. In books and magazines, in conventions and conferences, in the testimonies and the lives of believers, we have abundant tokens that what is called the Holiness-movement is a reality.
And yet how much is still wanting! What mult.i.tudes of believing Christians there are who have none but the very vaguest thoughts of what holiness is! And of those who are seeking after it how many who have hardly learnt what it is to come to G.o.d"s Word and to G.o.d Himself for the teaching that can alone reveal this part of the mystery of Christ and of G.o.d! To many, holiness has simply been a general expression for the Christian life in its more earnest form, without much thought of what the term really means.
In writing this little book, my object has been to discover in what sense G.o.d uses the word, that so it may mean to us what it means to Him.
I have sought to trace the word through some of the most important pa.s.sages of Holy Scripture where it occurs, there to learn what G.o.d"s holiness is, what ours is to be, and what the way by which we attain it.
I have been specially anxious to point out how many and various the elements are that go to make up true holiness as the Divine expression of the Christian life in all its fulness and perfection. I have at the same time striven continually to keep in mind the wonderful unity and simplicity there is in it, as centred in the person of Jesus. As I proceeded in my work, I felt ever more deeply how high the task was I had undertaken in offering to guide others even into the outer courts of the Holy Place of the Most High. And yet the very difficulty of the task convinced me of how needful it was.
I fear there are some to whom the book may be a disappointment. They have heard that the entrance to the life of holiness is often but a step. They have heard of or seen believers who could tell of the blessed change that has come over their lives since they found the wonderful secret of holiness by faith. And now they are seeking for this secret.
They cannot understand that the secret comes to those who seek it not, but only seek Jesus. They might fain have a book in which all they need to know of Holiness and the way to it is gathered into a few simple lessons, easy to learn, to remember, and to practise. This they will not find. There is such a thing as a Pentecost still to the disciples of Jesus; but it comes to him who has forsaken all to follow Jesus only, and in following fully has allowed the Master to reprove and instruct him. There are often very blessed revelations of Christ, as a Saviour from sin, both in the secret chamber and in the meetings of the saints; but these are given to those for whom they have been prepared, and who have been prepared to receive. Let all learn to trust in Jesus, and rejoice in Him, even though their experience be not what they would wish. He will make us holy. But whether we have entered the blessed life of faith in Jesus as our sanctification, or are still longing for it from afar, we all need one thing, the simple, believing, and obedient acceptance of each word that our G.o.d has spoken. It has been my earnest desire that I might be a helper of the faith of my brethren in seeking to trace with them the wondrous revelation of G.o.d"s Holiness through the ages as recorded in His blessed Word. It has been my continual prayer that G.o.d might use what is written to increase in His children the conviction that we must be holy, the knowledge of how we are to be holy, the joy that we may be holy, the faith that we can be holy. And may He stir us all to cry day and night to Him for a visitation of the Spirit and the Power of Holiness upon all His people, that the name of Christian and of saint may be synonymous, and every believer be a vessel made holy and meet for the Master"s use.
A. M.
Wellington, _16th November 1887_.
First Day.
HOLY IN CHRIST.
G.o.d"s Call to Holiness.
"Like as He which called you is _holy_, be ye yourselves also _holy_ in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be _holy_, for I am _holy_."--1 Pet. i. 15, 16.
The call of G.o.d is the manifestation in time of the purpose of eternity: "Whom He predestinated, them He also _called_." Believers are "the _called_ according to His purpose." In His call He reveals to us what His thoughts and His will concerning us are, and what the life to which He invites us. In His call He makes clear to us what the hope of our calling is; as we spiritually apprehend and enter into this, our life on earth will be the reflection of His purpose in eternity.
Holy Scripture uses more than one word to indicate the object or aim of our calling, but none more frequently than what Peter speaks of here--G.o.d has called us _to be holy_ as He is holy. Paul addresses believers twice as "called to be _holy_" (Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2). "G.o.d called us", he says, "not for uncleanness, but _in sanctification_"
(1 Thess. iv. 7). When he writes, "The G.o.d of peace _sanctify_ you wholly," he adds, "Faithful is He which _calleth_ you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. v. 24). The calling itself is spoken of as "a _holy_ calling." The eternal purpose of which the calling is the outcome, is continually also connected with holiness as its aim. "He hath _chosen_ us in Him, that we should be _holy_ and without blame" (Eph. i. 4).
"Whom G.o.d _chose_ from the beginning unto _salvation in sanctification_"
(2 Thess. ii. 12). "_Elect_ according to the foreknowledge of the Father, through _sanctification_ of the Spirit" (1 Pet. i. 2). The call is the unveiling of the purpose that the Father from eternity had set His heart upon: that we should be holy.
It needs no proof that it is of infinite importance to know aright what G.o.d has called us to. A misunderstanding here may have fatal results.
You may have heard that G.o.d calls you to salvation or to happiness, to receive pardon or to obtain heaven, and never noticed that all these were subordinate. It was to "salvation _in sanctification_," it was to Holiness in the first place, as the element in which salvation and heaven are to be found. The complaints of many Christians as to lack of joy and strength, as to failure and want of growth, are simply owing to this--the place G.o.d gave Holiness in His call they have not given it in their response. G.o.d and they have never yet come to an agreement on this.
No wonder that Paul, in the chapter in which he had spoken to the Ephesians of their being "chosen to be holy" prays for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of G.o.d to be given to believers, that they might know "the hope of their _calling_" (i. 17, 18). Let all of us, who feel that we have too little realized that we are called to Holiness, pray this prayer. It is just what we need. Let us ask G.o.d to show us how, as He who hath called us is Himself holy, so we are to be holy too; our calling is a holy calling, a calling before and above everything, to Holiness. Let us ask Him to show us what Holiness is, His Holiness first, and then our Holiness; to show us how He has set His heart upon it as the one thing He wants to see in us, as being His own image and likeness; to show us too the unutterable blessedness and glory of sharing with Christ in His Holiness. Oh! that G.o.d by His Spirit would teach us what it means that we are called to be holy as He is holy. We can easily conceive what a mighty influence it would exert.
"Like as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy". How this call of G.o.d shows us the true _motive_ to Holiness. "Be ye holy, for I am holy." It is as if G.o.d said, Holiness is my blessedness and my glory: without this you cannot, in the very nature of things, see me or enjoy me. Holiness is my blessedness and my glory: there is nothing higher to be conceived; I invite you to share with me in it, I invite you to likeness to myself: "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Is it not enough, has it no attraction, does it not move and draw you mightily, the hope of being with me, partakers of my Holiness? I have nothing better to offer--I offer you myself: "Be holy, for I am holy." Shall we not cry earnestly to G.o.d to show us the glory of His Holiness, that our souls may be made willing to give everything in response to this wondrous call?
As we listen to the call, it shows also the _nature_ of true Holiness.
"_Like as_ He is holy, so be ye also holy." To be holy is to be G.o.dlike, to have a disposition, a will, a character like G.o.d. The thought almost looks like blasphemy, until we listen again, "He hath chosen us _in Christ_ to be holy." In Christ the Holiness of G.o.d appeared in a human life: in Christ"s example, in His mind and Spirit, we have the Holiness of the Invisible One translated into the forms of human life and conduct. To be Christlike is to be G.o.dlike; to be Christlike is to be holy as G.o.d is holy.
The call equally reveals the _power_ of Holiness. "There is none holy but the Lord;" there is no Holiness but what He has, or rather what He is, and gives. Holiness is not something we do or attain: it is the communication of the Divine life, the inbreathing of the Divine nature, the power of the Divine Presence resting on us. And our power to become holy is to be found in the call of G.o.d: the Holy One calls us to Himself, that He may make us holy in possessing Himself. He not only says "I am holy," but "I am the Lord, who make holy." It is because the call to Holiness comes from the G.o.d of infinite Power and Love that we may have the confidence: we can be holy.
The call no less reveals the _standard_ of Holiness. "_Like as He_ is holy, _so ye also_ yourselves," or (as in margin, R.V.), "Like the Holy One, which calleth you, be ye yourselves also holy." There is not one standard of Holiness for G.o.d and another for man. The nature of light is the same, whether we see it in the sun or in a candle: the nature of Holiness remains unchanged, whether it be G.o.d or man in whom it dwells.
The Lord Jesus could say nothing less than, "Be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." When G.o.d calls us to Holiness, He calls us to Himself and His own life: the more carefully we listen to the voice, and let it sink into our hearts, the more will all human standards fall away, and only the words be heard, Holy, as I am holy.
And the call shows us the _path_ to Holiness. The calling of G.o.d is one of mighty efficacy, an effectual calling. Oh! let us but listen to it, let us but listen to Him, and the call will with Divine power work what it offers. He calleth the things that are not as though they were: His call gives life to the dead, and holiness to those whom He has made alive. He calls us to listen as He speaks of His Holiness, and of our holiness like His. He calls us to Himself, to study, to fear, to love, to claim His Holiness. He calls us to Christ, in whom Divine Holiness became human Holiness, to see and admire, to desire and accept what is all for us. He calls us to the indwelling and the teaching of the Spirit of Holiness, to yield ourselves that He may bring home to us and breathe within us what is ours in Christ. Christian! listen to G.o.d calling thee to Holiness. Come and learn what His Holiness is, and what thine is and must be.
Yes, be very silent and listen. When G.o.d called Abraham, he answered, Here am I. When G.o.d called Moses from the bush, he answered, Here am I, and he hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon G.o.d. G.o.d is calling thee to Holiness, to Himself the Holy One, that He may make thee holy.
Let thy whole soul answer, Here am I, Lord! Speak, Lord! Show Thyself, Lord! Here am I. As you listen, the voice will sound ever deeper and ever stiller: Be holy, _as_ I am holy. Be holy, _for_ I am holy. You will hear a voice coming out of the great eternity, from the council-chamber of redemption, and as you catch its distant whisper, it will be, Be holy, I am holy. You will hear a voice from Paradise, the Creator making the seventh day holy for man whom He had created, and saying, Be holy. You will hear the voice from Sinai, amid thunderings and lightnings, and still it is, Be holy, as I am holy. You will hear a voice from Calvary, and there above all it is, Be holy, for I am holy.
Child of G.o.d, have you ever realized it, our Father is calling us to Himself, to be holy as He is holy? Must we not confess that happiness has been to us more than holiness, salvation than sanctification? Oh! it is not too late to redeem the error. Let us now band ourselves together to listen to the voice that calls, to draw nigh, and find out and know what Holiness is, or rather, find out and know Himself the Holy One. And if the first approach to Him fill us with shame and confusion, make us fear and shrink back, let us still listen to the Voice and the Call, "Be holy, as I am holy." "Faithful is He which _calleth_, who also _will do it_." All our fears and questions will be met by the Holy One who has revealed His Holiness, with this one purpose in view, that we might share it with Him. As we yield ourselves in deep stillness of soul to listen to the Holy Voice that calls us, it will waken within us new desire and strong faith, and the most precious of all promises will be to us this word of Divine command:
BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.
O Lord! the alone Holy One, Thou hast called us to be holy, even as Thou art holy. Lord! how can we, unless Thou reveal to us Thy Holiness. Show us, we pray Thee, how Thou art holy, how holy Thou art, what Thy holiness is, that we may know how we are to be holy, how holy we are to be. And when the sight of Thy Holiness only shows us the more how unholy we are, teach us that Thou makest partakers of Thy own Holiness those who come to Thee for it.
O G.o.d! we come to Thee, the Holy One. It is in knowing and finding and having Thyself, that the soul finds Holiness. We do beseech Thee, as we now come to Thee, establish it in the thoughts of our heart, that the one object of Thy calling us, and of our coming to Thee, is Holiness.
Thou wouldst have us like Thyself, partakers of Thy Holiness. If ever our heart becomes afraid, as if it were too high, or rests content with a salvation less than Holiness, Blessed G.o.d! let us hear Thy voice calling again, Be holy, I am holy. Let that call be our motive and our strength, because faithful is He that calleth, who also will do it. Let that call mark our standard and our path; oh! let our life be such as Thou art able to make it.
Holy Father! I bow in lowly worship and silence before Thee. Let now Thine own voice sound in the depths of my heart calling me, Be holy, as I am holy. Amen.
1. Let me press it upon every reader of this little book, that if it is to help him in the pursuit of Holiness, he must begin _with G.o.d Himself_. You must go _to Him who calls you_. It is only in the personal revelation of G.o.d to you, as He speaks, I am holy, that the command, Be ye holy, can have life or power.
2. Remember, as a believer, you have already accepted G.o.d"s call, even though you did not fully understand it. Let it be a settled matter, that whatever you see to be the meaning of the call, you will at once accept and carry out. If G.o.d calls me to be holy, holy I will be.
3. Take fast hold of the word: "The G.o.d of peace sanctify you wholly: faithful is He which _calleth_ you, _who also will do it_." In that faith listen to G.o.d calling you.
4. Do be still now, and listen to your Father calling you. Ask for and count upon the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Holiness, to open your heart to understand this holy calling. And then speak out the answer you have to give to this call.
Second Day.
HOLY IN CHRIST.
G.o.d"s Provision for Holiness.
"To those that are _made holy_ in Christ Jesus, called to be _holy_."--1 Cor. i. 2.
"To all the _holy ones_ in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. Salute every _holy one_ in Christ Jesus."[1]--Phil. i. 1, iv. 21.