Identification of the Godly.

Next Part Identification of the Godly. 2

In a day like the present, when, because of the abounding of iniquity, the love of many has waxed cold—it might be thought that it is no easy matter to distinguish the genuine from the spurious, the living Christian from the lifeless professor. But that is a mistaken notion. The very opposite is the case, as a little reflection should intimate to those favored with spiritual understanding. It is in times of revival, when the Spirit of God is working mightily in a community, that many are temporarily awakened, convicted of their sins and have their emotions deeply stirred. Though not regenerated, impressions are made upon them, and fearing the wrath to come—they exercise a natural and temporary faith in Christ—and find peace therein.

Such are they who "receive the word with joy" (Luke 8:13)—yet have they "no root in themselves" (Mark 4:17; Matthew 13:20). They float with the tide of revival, and are carried into companies of God's people; but as Matthew 13:21 goes on to say, they endure "for a while" only, for their goodness is "as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away" (Hosea 6:4).

What we have pointed out above—unpalatable as it may be to those who like to think that all which glitters is real gold—is illustrated and demonstrated all through religious history. We are plainly told that the Lord "called him [Abraham] alone" (Isaiah 51:2) when He bade him leave Chaldea and go forth unto a better inheritance. Yet Genesis 11:31 tells us that Terah his, father, accompanied him "to go into the land of Canaan;" but he never arrived there, dying at Haran (verse 32) which means, "Half-way." When the Lord put forth His mighty hand and delivered the Hebrews from the house of bondage, we are told that, "a mixed multitude went up also with them" (Exodus 12:38)! That mixed multitude soon became a thornin Israel's side, for they were the ones who "fell a lusting" for the fleshpots of Egypt and evilly influenced God's people to become dissatisfied with the manna (Num 11:4, 5). Just as surely as Israel's exodus from Egypt was a Divinely- designed type of the redemption of God's elect, so that "mixed multitude" who joined themselves unto them foreshadowed the crowd of empty professors who have ever associated with them.

At a later date, when God wrought so wondrously through Joshua, we read of the Gibeonites who determined to throw in their lot with Israel, and so cleverly did they pose as "strangers and pilgrims" that God's servant was deceived by them. They came to him with the language of piety, saying, "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt," etc. (Joshua 9:9, 10), which serves to illustrate the same principle and fact.

We all know how it was with Christ during the days of His earthly ministry. Speaking as never men spoke, going about doing good, working miracles, great multitudes flocked to Him, many "believed in his name," yet with a non-saving faith (John 2:23, 24) and "walked with" Him as His "disciples" for a season—but later deserted Him (John 6:66). While they "walked with" Him, do you suppose that it was easy to perceive their real character? No indeed, as our Lord's next words to the apostles indicate: "Will you also go away?" (John 6:67). It was only when the hour of testing came, that their real character was revealed.

And thus it has been all through the centuries of this Christian era. When the Holy Spirit has wrought in power, regenerating and reviving the elect, a "mixed multitude" has always joined their ranks, and while the revival continued, it was rarely possible for human judgment to distinguish the taresfrom the wheat.

Thus, it was in the blessed days of the Reformers and the early Puritans. Thus, it was under the preaching of George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon. But such is very far from being the case now or for many years past. Our lot is cast in a day when the Spirit is "grieved," and His power withheld, when in most places, He has been "quenched" and His presence withdrawn. Over the great majority of "churches" and "chapels," the sentence is written, "your house is left unto you desolate!" and though the services are continued, they are lifeless and unctionless; and though new members are still added, they are but barren branches as their fruitless lives evidence; and thus, they are easily distinguished from the genuine saint, and so are very different in caliber from the professors of earlier and better times.

It is the Spirit's holy presence and gracious operations which make all the difference, not only to the regenerate but also to the unregenerate. There are His general operations, as well as particular—the former being His work upon the many, while the latter is His quickening work within only a few. Even the ungodly who attend services where the power of an ungrieved Spirit is felt, are at least sobered and awed, many moved unto a reformation of life, and not a few to make a profession and unite with God's people; and if their profession is to be credited, their walk must be orderly. But in a day when the Spirit is "quenched," His powerful operations more or less cease, and then the whole tone of things is rapidly lowered, and professors with a disorderly walk can still maintain their standing; nevertheless, they are much more easily recognized! There is no good reason why any child of God should be mistaken about empty professors. He has but to measure them, as he should himself also, by the unerring standard of God's Word.

In it, the Lord has plainly described His people by many different 'marks', by which they may be identified. We will look at one now which is less known and about which far less is written and said than about many others. "Yes, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Observe how searching that assertion is: Not "some" but all; not "may" but "shall suffer persecution," if they will (are determined) to "live godly." What is godly living? It is giving God His due place in our hearts and lives. It is to spurn the customs of this world, to lean not unto our own understanding—but to have our character and conduct formed and regulated by the Word. It is sincerely and earnestly seeking to please God in all things. It is for the graces of faith, hope and love to be constantly exercised upon Him—so that they bring forth their appropriate fruits.

Now those who will "live godly"—all of them who do so, "shall suffer persecution." They have always done so, and they always will in this world. Godly Abel was persecuted by Cain, Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael, David was persecuted by Saul, the prophets were persecuted by the apostates, Christ was persecuted by the Jews. And both Scripture and history show that persecution has always come most from nominal saints, from theprofessing Christian world.

True, there are various degrees of persecution: From the sneer and cold shoulder, to being dis-fellowshipped by the church; from being dubbed "puritanical," to being placed in the stocks.

So also persecution takes different forms: As it exists in the heart, issues from the tongue, or by actions; but generally, it is done under the cloak of religion.

Now, a professing Christian may escape "persecution" by merely compromising. But he will not call it that; rather, does he say, "he is avoiding extremes," "acting prudently," etc. But real Christians refuse to trim their sails; and therefore, they will, do, and must—suffer persecution. Reader, if you are not being persecuted in some form or other—you are not entitled to regard yourself as living a godly life.

There are those who believe that "persecution" in a more pronounced form is soon to be the lot of Christendom. Personally, we emphatically dissent. Most certainly what is known as "organized Christianity" is not on the eve of being persecuted as in earlier ages. Why are we so dogmatic? Because Satan is the author of persecution, and he will not stir up opposition against the "churches" as they now are. He is only too well pleased to leave them alone in their heterodoxy or dead formality. There is far too little of godliness prevailing in them today to cause Satan any uneasiness! The strong man armed has full possession of the hearts of windy professors; and therefore, he lets them rest in a false peace. But if the Spirit should again work in an unmistakable manner—outside in "the wilderness"—then the Devil would rage and stir up his ecclesiastical agents to do everything in their power to put a stop to it. But he is still opposing godly livers, and by his opposition, we may identify them.

"When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace" (Luke 11:21). The "strong man" here is Satan, as the context shows. His "palace" has a double reference: Individually, it signifies the sinner's heart, in which the Devil resides and rules. Collectively, it is an apostate Christendom, where he presides as "god" of the religious world (2 Corinthians 4:4). His "goods" are the faculties of the individual soul and his deluded victims in the corporate company. But what we would specially observe, is that Satan preserves his goods "in peace." There is no ceaseless conflict within the one whom Satan "keeps," but rather, the sleep of death. So in his "synagogue" (Revelation 2:9), he keeps its members at peace with each other. It is the saints—those who are determined by grace to "live godly"—that are the objects of his malice, and against whom he stirs up persecution, using when he can, professing Christians as his instruments.

Next Part Identification of the Godly. 2

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