Part 133 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to Part 132 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Part 134 HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
Back to HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness
[11.] Eleventhly, The more a man lives by the rule of whether an action is spiritually beneficial—the greater measure of holiness that person has attained to. John 16:7; 2 Cor. 8:10. Weak holiness has only an eye upon the rule of lawfulness—that is, whether an action is lawful or not. But raised holiness has one eye upon the rule of lawfulness, and the other upon whether the action is spiritually beneficial. Weak holiness says, "Oh, this is lawful, and that is permissible!" Oh, but raised holiness says, "Is this spiritually beneficial? is it beneficial as well as lawful?"
That angelical apostle, Paul, always had his eye upon whether an action was spiritually beneficial or not: 1 Cor. 6:12, "Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything." And so chapter 10:23, "Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible—but not everything is constructive."
Many things may be lawful, which yet may be unnecessary or unwise for our place, state, calling, and condition in the world. It was lawful for the apostle to eat meat—but it was not beneficial for him to eat meat; when his eating of meat would make his weak brother to sin, or grieve, or stumble, or fall, Romans 14:21. And therefore he resolves that, rather than he will eat meat—that he will never eat meat while the world stands, 1 Cor. 8:13.
The more unchangeably resolved any person is to live by judging whether an action is spiritually beneficial or not—the greater measure of holiness that person has certainly attained to. The streams of holiness runs low in that Christian's heart—who only lives by the rule of lawfulness—and never lives by judging whether an action is spiritually beneficial or not. It argues a very great height of holiness for a man to make as much conscience of living by the rule of whether an action is spiritually beneficial or not, as he does of living by the rule of lawfulness. For a man to be often a-looking over his natural actions, his moral actions, and his pious actions, and to be still a-putting this question to himself, "O my soul! do you eye what is most spiritually beneficial?" Such a frame and temper of spirit speaks out much of Christ and holiness within.
Oh the sins! oh the sorrows! oh the shame! oh the reproach! oh the troubles! oh the travails! oh the trials, etc., which might have been prevented—had we more minded and followed whether an action is spiritually beneficial or not. But,