Jeshurun means 'the righteous one.' How far beneath the ideal of the
name these Jewish people fell we all know, and yet the name is applied
to them. Although the realisation of the ideal has been so imperfect,
the ideal is not destroyed. Although they have done so many sins, yet
He calls them by His name of 'righteous.' And so we Christian people
find that the New Testament calls us 'saints.' That name is not applied
to some select and lofty specimens of Christianity, but to all
Christians, however imperfect their present life and character may be.
Then people sneer and say, 'Ah! a strange kind of saints these
Christians are! Do you think that a man can condone practical
immorality by saying that he is trusting in Jesus Christ? The Church's
"saint" seems to mean less than the world's "man of honour."' God
forbid that it should be fancied that Christian sainthood is more
tolerant of evil than worldly morality, or has any fantastic standard
of goodness which makes up for departures from the plain rule of right
by prayers and raptures. But surely there may be a principle of action
deep down at the bottom of a heart, very feeble in its present exercise
and manifestation, which yet is the true man, and is destined to
conquer the whole nature which now wars against it. Here, for instance,
is a tiny spark, and there is a huge pile of damp, green wood. Yes; and
the little spark will turn all the wood into flame, if you give it time
and fair play. The leaven may be hid in an immensely greater mass of
meal, but it, and not the three measures of flour, is the active
principle. And if there is in a man, overlaid by ever so many
absurdities, and contradictions, and inconsistencies, a little seed of
faith in Jesus Christ, there will be in him proportionately a little
particle of a divine life which is omnipotent, which is immortal, which
will conquer and transform all the rest into its own likeness; and He
who sees not as men see, beholds the inmost tendencies and desires of
the nature, as well as the facts of the life, and discerning the inmost
and true self of His children, and knowing that it will conquer, calls
us 'righteous ones,' even while the outward life has not yet been
brought into harmony with the new man, created in righteousness after
God's image.
All wrong-doing is inconsistent with Christianity, but, thank God, it
is not for us to say that _any_ wrong-doing is incompatible with it;
and therefore, for ourselves there is hope, and for our estimate of one
another there ought to be charity, and for all Christian people there
is the lesson--live up to your name. _Noblesse oblige!_ Fulfil your
ideal. Be what God calls you, and 'press toward the mark for the prize.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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