True Discipleship 2
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D. Now, wherever there is this rooting of the word in the heart, there will be a continuance in it. But I will here make one observation lest my language discourage any of you. It does not follow from this description that you may not have very many sinkings, fears, exercises, doubts, misgivings, and questionings about your state and standing. It does not follow from your having a root to your religion, that you always find the root good or find it always, or often, drawing up nutriment into your soul. Not only is the root itself hidden, butgrowth from it is usually imperceptible. Who has ever seen a tree grow? We see it when we come back to an old spot after a long absence from it, and we say almost immediately and involuntarily– "Dear me, how the trees have grown since I was here!" But those upon the spot did not see those trees grow; and yet they were growing all the time.
So it is with the growth of grace in the soul; we cannot see our own growth, if growth we have; nor see firmness in the root, nor how our soul draws nutriment out of Christ through his word; because it is by the invisible and almost insensible operations of God's grace that the work of faith is carried on. And yet there is a growth in grace, and this growth springs from a continuance in the word. For the word of God is made very precious to God's people. All the faith which they have in the Son of God springs from the word which testifies of, and reveals him; all the hope they have, which is a good hope through grace, comes from the power of God's word applied to their souls; and all the love and affection which they have to the Lord of life and glory is conveyed into, and shed abroad in the soul by the Spirit opening him up in his Person, work, blood and righteousness, grace and glory as revealed in the word.
Religion is not an airy, imaginary, enthusiastic something, which stands independent of the word of God. It is not something mystical and visionary, the creation of the human brain, like some poetical dream, or the mere ebbing and flowing of natural feelings, however deep, various, or refined. This is mysticism, not religion; delusion, not salvation; enthusiasm, not the work of faith with power. True and saving religion is the work of the Holy Spirit operating upon the heart through the word; giving us faith by the application of the word, raising up hope by the power of the word, shedding abroad love by bringing the truth of the word with power into the soul. Does not our Lord, in our text, speak of "continuing in the word," or rather "my word," that being the means whereby we "receive of his fullness grace for grace," and thus by abiding in the word abide in him, as he speaks so plainly and beautifully in the parable of the vine? "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me." (John 15:4.) We forget sometimes these things, expecting religion to be wrought in our heart almost independent of the word of truth. But how striking are those words of our gracious Lord– "For I have given unto them the words which you gave me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came from you, and they have believed that you did send me." (John 17:8.)
But bear in mind, also, that the Lord is very tender over his own work upon the soul. He is exceedingly gracious unto those that fear his name; has purposes of eternal mercy and love toward them; has sworn never to leave or forsake them; is pledged to bring them home to himself; and therefore, having begun the work, for his own name's sake, he will surely carry that work on. It is the Father's will that every one who sees the Son and believes on him should have eternal life. He has promised that not one of his sheep shall perish, and that none shall pluck them out of his hand; their continuance, therefore, does not depend upon creature exertion, creature ability, creature faith, or creature strength; but depends upon the good will and everlasting purposes of God the Father, the eternal love of the Lord the Lamb, and the gracious operations of the Spirit in unison with the choice of the Father and the love and blood of his dear Son. Therefore, they continue in the word, not because they have any strength, or goodness, or wisdom, or righteousness of their own, enabling them to do so; but because the eternal thoughts of God were towards them, because they are savingly interested in a covenant ordered in all things and sure, and because he who understood their cause is able, and not only willing, but firmly resolved to bring them through every trouble, and plant them before his blissful presence for evermore.
II. But I pass on to show the FRUIT of continuance– "Then are you my disciples indeed."
The Lord here intimates that those to whom he is speaking were not his disciples indeed. They were his disciples professedly so; but not his disciples really so. There is a distinction between being a disciple, and being a disciple indeed. He would, therefore, thus say to them, "You listen to my words; you receive them as the words of God; they have some influence and effect upon you; you believe on me through that word– now if you continue in this word, it will make it manifest that you are disciples, not merely who receive my word just for a time and then fall away, but that there is that reality in you which will manifest you to be more than mere disciples in name. There will be a reality stamped upon your discipleship, and you will be disciples indeed, and not disciples in name."
What, then, is "a disciple indeed?" for that is the point which we now have to consider. Though I might mention others, yet I will briefly name three as the most conspicuous.
1. First, then, he is one who turns away from every other instruction and every other Master, and takes all his lessons from his heavenly Lord and Master. Not that he despises means; not that he thinks little of books written by godly men, of sermons heard from the servants of God, of the spiritual conversation of the people of God, and various helps that the Lord is pleased to furnish his people with, in their search after truth. But this is a special characteristic of "the disciple indeed," that he receives his instruction immediately from the Lord, even though it may come through some of the channels that I have named. He sees by faith, as the Lord is pleased to enlighten his mind, such a beauty, such a blessedness, such a heavenly sweetness, such a divine loveliness, and such a fullness of surpassing grace, such tender condescension, such unwearied patience, such infinite compassion in the Lord of life and glory, that he is as if invincibly and irresistibly drawn by these attractive influences to come to his feet to learn of him. It is not merely that he is driven by convictions from all other teachers; it is not merely that he is hunted out of all false refuges by the wintry storm to make him cleave to the Rock for lack of a shelter. But so far as the Lord is pleased to reveal himself in some measure to his soul, by the sweet glimpses and glances which he thus obtains of his Person and countenance, he is drawn to his blessed Majesty by the cords of a man and the bands of love to look up unto him and beg of him that he would drop his word with life and power into his heart.
He knows that "with the word of a king there is power," and this power he longs again and again to feel. If ever he has received instruction from his sacred lips, there was a sweetness attending it, a power resting upon it, a strength given to believe, to hope, and to love, which manifested itself in the light of its own testimony. To hear this voice of instruction, is to hear that voice of which the Lord himself said– "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Having once, then, got a view of the glorious Shepherd of Israel, once heard his blessed voice, and once felt the power of his word in the heart, the disciple indeed longs again and again to receive the words of grace and truth which fall from his lips. This cuts him off from all other teachers and all other saviors; for he feels as Peter felt when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure, that you are the Christ the Son of the living God." Jesus has the words of eternal life; and having the words of eternal life, to Jesus he must ever go for instruction.
2. But "the disciple indeed" catches the SPIRIT of his Master. This is his second mark. Go into a school– you will soon learn what the master is by the scholars. If you see a disorderly school, the master has no order. If you see a well ordered school, the master is the spring of the order which pervades it; for the scholars drink into his spirit, and a quiet air of order runs through the whole school. Thus the disciple not only receives the teaching but catches the spirit of the master. So disciples indeed drink into the Spirit of their Lord; because they are ever looking to him, and to him alone, to receive of his fullness. They know there is no life or efficacy in the word except attended with power from him. There must be the Spirit of their divine Master attending the word of his grace, to animate it, to make it spirit and life to them; and thus, by receiving his word into their hearts, they drink into his spirit, which is meek and lowly, gentle and tender, holy, humble, and amiable. He never teaches his people to quarrel. He never sets members of churches to fight with one another. He never puts cutting words into their lips, cruel thoughts into their minds, and dark suspicions into their breasts. This is not the spirit of the Master nor the spirit "of the disciple indeed."
3. And as he drinks into his Master's spirit, he desires to follow his Master's EXAMPLE;to walk in his footsteps as well as hear his word and believe. This is the third mark of "a disciple indeed." Such a one will endeavor not to do those things which displease his heavenly Friend, because he knows the consequences; guilt in the conscience, the hiding of his face, the chastisements of his hand, and the withdrawing of his manifested love. Influenced too by gratitude and constrained by love, true disciples of Jesus desire to walk in his footsteps, that they may have clear evidences their faith is a faith of the operation of God, as producing the fruits of faith, that they may adorn the doctrine by their words and works, and live to his praise who has done so much for them.
Being, thus, disciples indeed, what they learn is to good purpose, for they are taught of him of whom it is said that he teaches to profit. (Isaiah 48:17.) Thus they are manifested to be among those of whom we read– "All your children shall be taught of the Lord." and as taught of him, are ever learning profitable lessons, as the Lord is pleased to open up his word to their hearts.
They get also various kinds of instruction from the word of God as the Spirit is pleased to open it to them. Sometimes, for instance, it is in his hands a word of reproof, sometimes a word of admonition, sometimes a word of conviction, sometimes a word of encouragement. Now and then a promise drops in to cheer; or a truth on which to stay the mind; or a blessing that delivers from temptation, or supports in trial, or comforts in sorrow. As a master in a school does not teach all exactly the same lesson, but teaches each according to his capacity, his age, his circumstances, and according to that which shall be for his welfare, so our gracious Lord, who gathers round his feet his disciples indeed, deals out to each such instructions as he knows will edify his soul, be for his good, and redound to his own glory.
III. But as time is running on, I must pass on to our third point– the FRUITof genuine discipleship. "You shall know the truth." There are links in this chain. The truth is not known at first in all its sweetness, liberty, and power. We have "to continue in the word;" it may be at times in very great darkness, distress, exercise, temptation, and trouble; and yet, such has been the power of the word upon the heart, it cannot, will not let us go. We see and feel the misery of departing from the truth, the wretchedness of getting back into the world, and being entangled in the spirit of it; and what must be the consequence if we leave those things we profess to know and believe, and embrace error or fall into the arms of sin. There is, therefore, a continuance in the word– it may be often, as I have said, in much darkness, much exercise, many trials, many temptations– but still we are brought to this point, never to give up the word which has been made life and spirit to the soul. And though the Lord sometimes may very much hide his face, and we seem to be very poor, dull scholars, and to be much condemned for our unfruitfulness, to know so little of the spirit of the Master, and walk so little in his blessed ways; yet there is a looking unto him, a longing after him, a cleaving to him; and this manifests genuine discipleship.
Now, as we still cling, and cleave, and hang, and trust, and hope, we begin to know the truth– it is opened up to the mind; it falls with weight and power upon the heart; it is made exactly suitable to our state and case; we seem to enter more feelingly, and believingly, and thoroughly into it; and the wonderful way in which it addresses and adapts itself to our various and pressing needs and necessities becomes more and more manifest. Take, for instance, the grand and glorious truths which concern the Person of the Son of God; the precious blood which he shed upon the cross to put away sin; the glorious righteousness which he wrought out and brought in for our justification; his resurrection from the dead; his sitting at the right hand of God in glory; and his ability to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him. These truths, as we journey onward, become increasingly precious; we feel that we cannot do without them. Take away Jesus, and that he is the Son of the Father in truth and love, where are we and what are we? Of all men most miserable. Take away his precious blood, where is any atonement made for transgression? What hope have we of eternal life? How can we get our sins put away and pardoned? Take away his righteousness, where is our justification? Take away his resurrection, where are our risen hopes? As the apostle says, "We are yet in our sins." Take away his intercession, whom have we as Mediator between God and our soul? Take away the teaching and testimony, work and witness of the Holy Spirit, what do we know and feel aright? Take away the power and blessedness of the word of God, what comfort have we in trouble, what support under the various trials of life, and how shall we find our mind supported on a bed of sickness, languishing, and death? Thus we are obliged, sometimes from sheer necessity, from the desperate state of the case as having no hope nor help anywhere else, to cleave to God's word. That seems at times to afford sweet relief, open a door whereby we can enter into the presence of God, to throw back, as it were, the windows of heaven that we may see something of the blessedness and glory of Jesus at the right hand of the Father, and thus to bring down blessed inlets of life and feeling into the heart. Thus we know the truth, not only by the necessity of our case, which is often very deep and pressing, but by the power of the truth adapted to that necessity. There is something in truth unspeakably sweet and precious to a believing heart, and to know it in its purity and power is liberty indeed.
IV. And this leads us to our last point, which is the FRUITof the knowledge of the truth– "The truth shall make you free." This liberty embraces various particulars.
1. We are by nature in bondage to the law. It is a yoke tied round our neck, followed by a dreadful curse; and we must be set free from that galling yoke and dreadful curse, or have it like a millstone tied round our neck to overwhelm us in the depths of an eternal sea. Now nothing but an experimental knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus can give us freedom from the galling yoke of a condemning law; nothing can remove that curse from our neck, or take the guilt from our conscience produced by it, but a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, of his blood and righteousness and dying love, what he is in himself as the Christ and Lamb of God, and what he is of God made unto us. All experimental knowledge of the truth in its purity and power brings blessed freedom with it, so as to deliver the soul from the galling yoke of the law, its curse and bondage, into the sweet liberty of gospel truth.
2. This freedom is also a freedom from the world and all its alluring charms, its vain attractions, its sensual pleasures, its carking cares, its toils and anxieties; it sets the soul free from being entangled in, overcome and burdened by these things as if they were our all. We still have to do with the world. Many of you are in business and must needs be daily occupied with it. But then the truth will give you sweet liberty from it; you will not walk with the men of the world, nor love the company of the world, nor be entangled in the love of the world; because the truth in its purity and power applied to your heart will make you free from its power and influence.
3. So also it will free you from the dominion of sin. No man ever was delivered from the power and rule of sin except by the truth of God entering into his soul. We may strive against sin in our own strength and only fall more foully than before. We may wet our couch with tears and cry out mightily against sin, and yet only be the more entangled in it. But the truth of God– especially those truths which concern the Person and work of Christ– coming into the heart with liberating power, break to pieces the dominion of sin; and as the power of sin is broken, the love of sin is mortified.
4. The many fears also, distracting doubts, and cutting anxieties that many of God's dear people feel, and some even to the very last– there is no getting free from these things except by a sweet experimental knowledge of the truth applied to the heart with divine power.
The gospel is "the law of liberty," for our blessed Lord came "to preach deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." The only freedom we have, or can have, is by believing the truth. All other freedom is licentiousness. There is no holy liberty but the freedom which springs from the blessed influence and operations of the Holy Spirit on the heart, applying the word of God with power to the soul. This gives true freedom, brings into the soul real liberty, and relieves it from that bondage in which we have so often to walk.
And what is the CAUSE of much of this bondage? Is it not looking to our miserable selves, pondering over the evils of our heart, thinking of our sins and backslidings, and many things that conscience testifies against? It is this which brings in bondage, clouds the mind with doubt and fear, and darkens our evidences. The only way, then, whereby we can get freedom from these things is by believing the truth. But we can only believe the truth by its coming home with divine power to the heart, so as to raise up a living faith in that truth and our interest in it.
Thus, the whole of our text forms a beautiful chain, of which every link is harmoniously connected. We begin by receiving the word. If that reception is of God, there is acontinuance in it. By continuance in it we manifest ourselves to be disciples indeed. If disciples indeed, we learn the truth from the lips of him who is truth itself. And as he speaks a word to the heart with his gracious lips, liberty comes with it, and by this liberty we are set free from a thousand things that bring bondage.
We cannot displace God's order. He is a God of order in nature, in providence, and in grace. We cannot leap at once from earth to heaven, carry salvation by storm, and get hold of the choice blessings of the gospel in a few days or weeks. Did we become men and women in a day, a week, a month, or a year? What little we may know in natural things, in business, trade, or information– was all that gathered in a week or month? It was a process of years. So it usually is in the things of God. It is years sometimes before we know God's truth in its liberating power and glorious freedom. But we have to continue in the word; get a little here and a little there; learn line upon line; still hoping, still believing; still hearing the word, and still hanging upon a faithful Lord, determined never to let him go, until he blesses us; but ever desirous to hear what he has to say to us; and determined to hang 'our eternal all' upon his faithful word of promise. Thus to continue in the word, will manifest us, sooner or later, to be disciples indeed; it will be proved we know the truth by the teaching and operation of the Holy Spirit; and we shall find holy freedom and blessed liberty in the things of God.
I lay these things before you. Think over them; compare them with the word of God and your experience, and then judge for yourself how far my words this evening are the words of soberness and truth.
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