How to Succeed in the Christian LifeTorrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Religion
How to Succeed in the Christian Life
Torrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer)
Christian life -- Congregational authors
The failure to realize that Jesus is Lord and King, as well as Saviour,
has led to many a false start in the Christian life. We begin with Him
as our Saviour, as our sin-bearer and our Deliverer from the power of
sin, but we must not end with Him merely as Saviour, we must know Him as
Lord and King. There is nothing more important in a right beginning of
the Christian life than an unconditional surrender, both of the thoughts
and the conduct to Jesus. Say from your heart and say it again and again,
“_All_ for Jesus.” Many fail because they shrink back from this entire
surrender. They wish to serve Jesus with half their heart, and part of
themselves and part of their possessions. To hold back anything from
Jesus means a wretched life of stumbling and failure.
The life of entire surrender is a joyous life all along the way. If you
have never done it before, go alone with God to-day, get down on your
knees and say, “All for Jesus,” and mean it. Say it very earnestly; say
it from the bottom of your heart. Stay there until you realize what it
means and what you are doing. It is a wondrous step forward when one
really takes it. If you have taken it already, take it again, take it
often. It always has fresh meaning and brings fresh blessedness. In
this absolute surrender is found the key to the truth. Doubts rapidly
disappear for one who surrenders all (John 7: 17). In this absolute
surrender is found the secret of power in prayer (1 John 3: 22). In this
absolute surrender is found the supreme condition of receiving the Holy
Ghost (Acts 5: 32).
Taking Christ as your Lord and King involves obedience to His will as far
as you know it in each smallest detail of life. There are those who tell
us that they have taken Christ as their Lord and King who at the same
time are disobeying Him daily in business, in domestic life, in social
life and in personal conduct Such persons are deceiving themselves. You
have not taken Jesus as your Lord and King if you are not striving to
obey Him in everything each day. He Himself says, “Why call ye Me ‘Lord,
Lord!’ and do not the things that I say?” (Luke 6: 46).
To sum it all up, the right way to begin the Christian life is to accept
Jesus Christ as your sin-bearer and to trust God to forgive your sins
because Jesus Christ died in your place; to accept Him as your risen
Saviour who ever lives to make intercession for you, and who has all
power to keep you, and to trust Him to keep you from day to day; and
to accept Him as your Lord and King to whom you surrender the absolute
control of your thoughts and of your life. This is the right beginning,
the only right beginning of the Christian life. If you have made this
beginning, all that follows will be comparatively easy. If you have not
made this beginning, make it now.
II
THE OPEN CONFESSION OF CHRIST
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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