What Is A Christian? # 3

What A Christian IS (continued)

There is only one way, really, of knowing Jesus, and that is by coming to Him. It may seem very unreal and foolish to say something to someone of whose existence you have no inward proof; but might this not be the same in other circumstances? You have heard of a physician. What you have heard makes you feel that he is just the man for your case. Will you say that you don't believe that there is such a person? Will you say that there is plenty of evidence available that he was killed some time ago? Will you go as far as going to his house and seeing the man spoken of, and then telling the man that you don't believe that he is the physician? If you will do this, then either your case is not very serious, or you are refusing to admit its seriousness. If you are really alive to your to your need, the very least that you will do will be to go to the physician, tell him your trouble, and say: "I am advised that you can meet my need, and I ask you to do so. My coming to you represents an honest inquiry and committal, in spite of many doubts and questions."

My friend, Jesus Christ was ever ready to make the desired gesture to an approach like that. The discovery that Christ is a living reality is the first thing in the Christian life. This is a test as well as a testimony.

2. "What wilt Thou have me to do, Lord?"

The second thing - in Paul's case, as in every true Christian life - is represented by one sentence: "What wilt Thou have me to do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10).

This represents a new position and a new relationship. How very different from that of the old Saul! Hitherto his life and activity had been out from himself - what he thought, he would do, what he proposed, purposed, planned, determined, and desired. Self-determination had been his way of life, although he would have said that it was done in a good cause - even done for God. What an example Saul was of the fact that a man's very best intentions and devotions, in what he believes to be God's interests, may yet be doing God the greatest disservice - and he himself be totally blind to the fact. We shall speak of this again later (chapter 2, section 2).

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 4)