Abide in Christ; With Christ in the School of Prayer; Humility

'In Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not. '— 1 John iii. 5, 6.

^"yE know/ the apostle had said, *that He was man- J- ifested to take away our sin,' and had thus indicated salvation from sin as the great object for which the Son was made man. The connection shows clearly that the taking away has reference not only to the atonement and freedom from guilt, but to deliverance from the power of sin, so that the believer no longer does it. It is Christ's personal holiness that constitutes His power to effect this purpose. He admits sinners into life union with Himself; the result is, that their life becomes like His. 'In Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth m Him sinneth not. ' As long as he abides, and as far as he abides, the believer does not sin. Our holiness of life has its root in the personal holiness of Jesus. *If the root be holy, so also are the branches.'

The question at once arises: How is this consistent with what the Bible teaches of the abiding corruption of our human nature, or with what John himself tells

US of the utter falsehood of our profession, if we say that we have no sin, that we have not sinned? {see 1 John i, 8^ 10). It is just this passage which, if we look carefully at it, will teach us to understand our text aright. Note the difference in the two statements {ver. S)y 'If we say that we have no sin^^ and {ver. 10)^ *If we say that ive have not sinned,'^ The two expressions cannot be equivalent; the second would then be an unmeaning repetition of the first. Having sin in ver. 8 is not the same as doing sioi in ver. 10. Having sin is having a sinful nature. The holiest believer must each moment confess that he has sin within him, — the flesh, namely, in which dwelleth no good thing. Sinning or doing sin is something very different: it is yielding to indwelling sinful nature, and falling into actual transgression. And so we have two admissions that every true believer must make. The one is that he has still sin within him (ver, 8); the second, that that sin has in former times broken out into sinful actions {ver. 10), No believer can say either, 'I hdve no sin in me,' or *I have in time past never sinned.' If we say we have no sin at present, or that we have not sinned in the past, we deceive ourselves. But no confession, though we have sin in the present, is demanded that we are doing sin in the present too; the confession of actual sinning refers to the past. It may, as appears from chap. ii. 2, be in the present also, but is expected not to be. And so we see how the deepest confession of sin in the past (as Paul's of his having been a persecutor), and the deepest consciousness of having still a vile and corrupt nature in the present, may consist with humble but joyful praise to Him who keeps from stumbling.

But how is it possible that a believer, having sin in him, — sin of such intense vitality, and such terriT3le power as we know the flesh to have, — that a believer having sin should yet not he doing sin? The answer is: 'In Him is no sin. He that abideth in Him sinneth not.' When the abiding in Christ becomes close and unbroken, so that the soul lives from moment to moment in the perfect union with the Lord its keeper, He does, indeed, keep down the power of the old nature, so that it does not regain dominion over the soul. We have seen that there are degrees in the abiding. With most Christians the abiding is so feeble and intermittent, that sin continually obtains the ascendancy, and brings the soul into subjection. The Divine promise given to faith is: 'Sin shall not have dominion over you.' But with the promise is the command: 'Let not sin reign in your mortal body.' The believer who claims the promise in full faith has the power to obey the command, and sin is kept from asserting its supremacy. Ignorance of the promise, or unbelief, or unwatchfulness, opens the door for sin to reign. And so the life of many believers is a course of continual stumbling and sinning. But when the believer seeks full admission into, and a permanent abode in Jesus, the Sinless One, then the life of Christ keeps from actual transgression. *In Him is no sin. He that abideth in Him sinneth not.' Jesus does indeed save him from his sin, — not by the removal of his sinful nature, but by keeping him from yielding to it.

I have read of a young lion whom nothing could awe or keep down but the eye of his keeper. With the keeper you could come near him, and he would crouch, his savage nature all unchanged, and thirsting for blood, — trembling at the keeper's feet. You might put your foot on his neck, as long as the keeper was with you. To approach him without the keeper would be instant death. And so it is that the believer can have sin and yet not do sin. The evil nature, the flesh, is unchanged in its enmity against God, but the abiding presence of Jesus keeps it down. In faith the believer entrusts himself to the keeping, to the indwelling, of the Son of God; he abides in Him, and counts on Jesus to abide in Him too. The union and fellowship is the secret of a holy life: 'In Him is no sin; he that abideth in Him sinneth not.'

And now another question will arise: Admitted that the complete abiding in the Sinless One will keep from sinning, is such abiding possible? May we hope to be able so to abide in Christ, say, even for one day, that we may be kept from actual transgressions? The question has only to be fairly stated and considered, — it will suggest its own answer. When Christ commanded us to abide in Him, and promised us such rich fruit-bearing to the glory of the Father, and such mighty power in our intercessions, can He have meant anything but the healthy, vigorous, complete union of the branch with the vine? When He promised that as we abide in Him He would abide in us, could He mean anything but that His dwelling in us would be a reality of Divine power and love? Is not this way of saving from sin just that which will glorify Him? — ^keeping us daily humble and helpless in the consciousness of the evil nature, watchful and active in the knowledge of its terrible power, dependent and trustful in the remembrance that only His presence can keep the lion down. 0 let us believe that when Jesus said, 'Abide in me, and I in you,' He did indeed mean that, while we were not to be freed from the world and its tribulation, from the sinful nature and its temptations, we were at least to have this blessing fully secured to us, — grace to abide wholly, only, ever in our Lord. The abiding in Jesus makes it possible to keep from actual sinning; and Jesus Himself makes it possible to abide in Him. Beloved Christian! I do not wonder if the promise of the text appears almost too high. Do not, I pray, let your attention be diverted by the question as to whether it would be possible to be kept for your whole life, or for so many years, without sinning. Faith has ever only to deal with the present moment. Ask this: Can Jesus at the present moment, as I abide in Him, keep me from those actual transgressions which have been the stain and the weariness of my daily life? Thou canst not but say, Surely He can. Take Him then at this present moment, and say, 'Jesus keeps me now, Jesus saves me now.' Yield yourself to Him in the earnest and believing prayer to be kept abiding, by His own abiding in you, — and go into the next moment, and the succeeding hours, with this trust continually renewed. As often as the opportunity occurs in the moments between your occupations, renew your faith in an act of devotion: Jesus keeps me now, Jesus saves me now. Let failure and sin, instead of discouraging you, only urge you still more to seek your safety in abiding in the Sinless One. Abiding is a grace in which you can grow wonderfully, if you will, but make at once the complete surrender, and then persevere with ever larger expectations. Eegard it as His work to keep you abiding in Him, and His work to keep you from sinning. It is indeed your work to abide in Him; but it is that, only because it is His work as Vine to bear and hold the branch. Gaze upon His holy human nature as what He prejpared for you to he partaher of ivith Himself^ and you will see that there is something even higher and better than being kept from sin,— that is but the restraining from evil: there is the positive and larger blessing of being now a vessel purified and cleansed, of being filled with His fulness, and made the channel of showing forth His power, His blessing, and His glory.

^Why is it that, when we possess a Saviour whose love and power are infinite, we are so often filled with fear and despondency? We are wearied and faint in our minds, because we do not look stedfastly unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who is set down at the right hand of God, — unto Him whose omnipotence embraces both heaven and earth, who is strong and mighty in His feeble saints.

* While we remember our weakness, we forget His all-sufficient power. While we acknowledge that apart from Christ we can do nothing, we do not rise to the height or depth of Christian humility: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. While we trust in the power of the death of Jesus to cancel the guilt of sin, we do not exercise a reliant and appropriating faith in the omnipotence of the living Saviour to deliver us from the bondage a7id poiver of sin in our daily life. We forget that Christ worketh in us mightily, and that, one with Him^ we possess strength sufficient to overcome every te^nptation.

We are apt either to forget our nothingness, and imagine that in our daily path we can live without sin, that the duties and trials of our everyday life can be performed and borne in our own strength; or we do not avail ourselves of the omnipotence of Jesus^ who is able to subdue all things to Himself, and to heep us from the daily infirmities and falls ivhich we are apt to imagine an inevitable necessity. If we really depended in all things and at all times on Christ, we would in all things and at all times gain the victory, through Him whose power is infinite, and who is appointed by the Father to be the Captain of our salvation. Then all our deeds would be wrought, not merely before, but in God. We would then do all things to the glory of the Father, in the all-powerful name of Jesus, who is our sanctification. Eemember that unto Him all power is given in heaven and on earth, and live iy the constant exercise of faith in His power. Let us most fully believe that we have and are nothing^ that with man it is impossible, that in ourselves we have no life which can bring forth fruit; but that Christ is all, — that abiding in Him, and His word dwelling in us, we can iring forth fruit to the glory of the Father.* — From Christ and the Church, Sermons by Adolph Saphir. The italics are not in the original.

'AH power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. '— Matt, xxviii. 18.*

'Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. ' — Eph. vi. 10.

TIIEEE is no truth more generally admitted among earnest Christians than that of their utter weakness. There is no truth more generally misunderstood and abused. Here, as elsewhere, God's thoughts are heaven-high above man's thoughts.

The Christian often tries to forget his weakness: God wants us to remember it, to feel it deeply. The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it: God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it. The Christian mourns over his weakness: Christ teaches His servant to say, 'I take pleasure in

* The word power in this verse is properly authority (R. v.), but the two ideas are so closely linked, and the authority as a living Divine reality is so inseparable from the power, that I have felt at liberty to retain the word power.

infirmities; most gladly will I glory in my infirmities.' The Christian thinks his weakness his greatest hindrance in the life and service of God: God tells ns that it is the secret of strength and success. It is our weakness, heartily accepted and continually realized, that gives ns our claim and access to the strength of Him who has said, 'My strength is made perfect in weakness, '

When our Lord was about to take His seat upon the throne, one of His last words was: 'All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth.' Just as His taking His place at the right hand of the power of God was something new and true, — a real advance in the history of the God-man, — so w^as this clothing with all power. Omnipotence was now entrusted to the man Christ Jesus, that from henceforth through the channels of human nature it might put forth its mighty energies. Hence He connected with this revelation of what He was to receive, the promise of the share that His disciples would have in it: When I am ascended, ye shall receive power from on high {LuTce xxiv. Jf9; Acts i. 8), It is in the power of the omnipotent Saviour that the believer must find his strength for life and for work.

It was thus with the disciples. During ten days they worshipped and waited at the footstool of His throne. They gave expression to their faith in Him as their Saviour, to their adoration of Him as their

Lord, to their love to Him as their Friend, to their deyotion and readiness to work for Him as their Master. Jesus Christ was the one object of thought, of love, of delight. In such worship of faith and devotion their souls grew up into intensest communion with Him upon the throne, and when they were prepared, the baptism of power came. It was power within and power around.

The power came to qualify for the work to which they had yielded themselves — of testifying by life and word to their unseen Lord. With some the chief testimony was to be that of a holy life, revealing the heaven and the Christ from whom it came. The power came to set up the kingdom within them, to give them the victory over sin and self, to fit them by living experience to testify to the power of Jesus on the throne, to make men live in the world as saints. Others were to give themselves up entirely to the speaking in the name of Jesus. But all needed and all received the gift of power, to prove that now Jesus. had received the kingdom of the Father, all power in heaven and earth was indeed given to Him, and by Him imparted to His people just as they needed it, whether for a holy life or effective service. They received the gift of power, to prove to the world that the kingdom of God, to which they professed to belong, was not in word but in power. By having power within, they had power without and around.

The power of God was felt even by those who would not yield themselves to it {Acts it. 4S^ iv. 18^ v, IS).

And what Jesus was to these first disciples, He is to us too. Our whole life and calling as disciples find their origin and their guarantee in the words: 'All power is given to me in heaven and on earth. ' What He does in and through us, He does with almighty power. What He claims or demands. He works Himself by that same power. All He gives. He gives with power. Every blessing He bestows, every promise He fulfils, every grace He works, — all, all is to be with power. Everything that comes from this Jesus on the throne of power is to bear the stamp of power. The weakest believer may be confident that in asking to be kept from sin, to grow in holiness, to bring forth much fruit, he may count upon these his petitions being fulfilled with Divine power. The power is in Jesus; Jesus is ours with all His fulness; it is in us His members that the power is to work and be made manifest.

And if we want to know how the power is bestowed, the answer is simple: Christ gives His power in us by giving His life in us. He does not, as so many believers imagine, take the feeble life He finds in them, and impart a little strength to aid them in their feeble efforts. No; it is in giving His own life in us that He gives us His power. The Holy Spirit came down to the disciples direct from the heart of their exalted Lord, bringing down into them the glorious life of heaven into which He had entered. And so His people are still taught to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. When He strengthens them, it is not by taking away the sense of feebleness, and giving in its place the feeling of strength. By no means. But in a very wonderful way leaving and even increasing the sense of utter impotence. He gives them along with it the consciousness of strength in Him. 'We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. ' The feebleness and the strength are side by side; as the one grows, the other too, until they understand the saying, 'When I am weak, then am I strong; I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me.' The believing believer learns to look upon Christ on the throne, Christ the Omnipotent, as his life. He studies that life in its infinite perfection and purity, in its strength and glory; it is the eternal life dwelling in a glorified man. And when he thinks of his own inner life, and longs for holiness,, to live well-pleasing unto God, or for power to do the Father's work, he looks up, and, rejoicing that Christ is his life, he confidently reckons that that life will work mightily in him all he needs. In things little and things great, in the being kept from sin from moment to moment for which he has learned to look, or in the struggle with some special diflBculty or temptation, the potver of Christ is the measure of his expectation. He lives a most joyous and blessed life, not because he is no longer feeble, but because, being utterly helpless, he consents and expects to have the mighty Saviour work in him.

The lessons these thoughts teach us for practical life are simple, but very precious. The first is, that all our strength is in Christ, laid up and waiting for use. It is there as an Almighty life, which is in Him for us, ready to flow in according to the measure in which it finds the channels open. But whether its flow is strong or feeble, whatever our experience of it be, there it is in Christ: All power in heaven and earth. Let us take time to study this. Let us get our minds filled with the thought: That Jesus might be to us a perfect Saviour, the Father gave Him all power. That is the qualification that fits Him for our needs: All the power of heaven over all the powers of earth, over every power of earth in our heart and life too.

The second lesson is: This power flows into us as we abide in close union with Him. When the union is feeble, little valued or cultivated, the inflow of strength will be feeble. When the union with Christ is rejoiced in as our highest good, and everything sacrificed for the sake of maintaining it, the power will work: 'His strength will be made perfect in our weakness.' Our one care must therefore be to abide in Christ as our strength. Our one duty is to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Let our faith cultivate large and clear apprehensions of the exceeding greatness of God's power in them that believe, eve^i that power of the risen and exalted Christ by which He triumphed over every enemy {Eph. i, 19-21). Let our faith consent to God's wonderful and most blessed arrangement: nothing but feebleness in us as our own^ all the power in Christ, and yet within our reach as surely as if it were in us. Let our faith daily go out of self and its life into the life of Christ, placing our whole being at His disposal for Him to work in us. Let our faith, above all, confidently rejoice in the assurance that He will in very deed, with His almighty power, perfect His work in us. As we thus abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His power, will work mightily in us, and we too shall sing, 'Jehovah is my strength and song: IK Jehovah I have righteousness and strength,'^ 'I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.'