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I would like to paint the picture of "Christian". In
the book Pilgrim's Progress, we
have an allegory of the Christian life with a man named,
"Christian". Like John Bunyan, author of the book, I
want to paint a picture of this man on canvas, so we can see his
qualities. Having such a picture, we see what to strive for in
our lives.
What pigments is this man or woman made of? As he ventures
through life, we should see the following:
(The first three involve comparing this world with the kingdom of
God.)
A. Continual hunger/thirst for righteousness
B. Continual meekness/fear/trembling
C. Continual watchfulness
(The next three involve abiding with God. They are part of
worshipping)
D. Continual prayer
E. Continual rejoicing
F. Continual peace
(The last three involve the Christian's relationship with
other people.)
G. Continual patience
H. Continual love
I. Continual grace
24 God is a Spirit: and they
that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:24
Worshipping isn't just something we do in a church
service. Worship is lived out in our fellowship with the Lord. If
we don't deal with the aspects of our fallen nature, to
which the Holy Spirit calls us, we can't pass on to a
worshipping of God in truth. Sure, we can partake in lively
worship services with arms raised in praise and enjoy a happy
feeling, but this isn't the real worship God desires. This
is a worship void of the truth of cleansing our hands and going
before Him clean. I saw a missionary on furlough who lied and
persecuted his neighbor, then appeared in church praising God
with hands upraised and a big smile of joy on his face. Do you
think this worship is acceptable before God?
9 O worship the LORD in
the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Psalm 96:9
First, we worship a holy God, and that's beautiful. Second,
since He's a holy God, we must approach Him clothed in that
same beauty of holiness. The worship of hypocrites is a stench in
His nostrils. This gives us a reason for knowing what
"Christian's" portrait should be like.
A. CONTINUAL HUNGER/THIRST
FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew
5:6
33 But seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33
It all starts here. The foundation canvas for our picture. If
there isn't this survival instinct desire, there
won't be a foundation upon which to begin the painting. Go
without eating or drinking for a day or two, and you'll
know the passion of desire. This same desire for righteousness
has to be there. It's not only the beginning, it never
ceases to continue. If it does, then apostacy of heart begins. If
you remove the canvas the painting of "Christian" is
on, the paint has no where to lay.
B. CONTINUAL
MEEKNESS/FEAR/TREMBLING
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Ephesians 4:2
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing
all meekness unto all men.
Titus 3:2
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear:
1 Peter
3:15
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalms 2:11
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of
thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy
temple.
Psalms 5:7
9 O fear the LORD, ye
his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
Psalms 34:9
1 Having therefore
these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the
fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
11 Serve the LORD with
fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalms 2:11
2,3 For I determined
not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in
much trembling.
1 Corinthians
2:2,3
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always
obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.
Philippians 2:12
The state of meekness, fear and trembling can be summed up in one
word - humble. Only by realizing our inability to walk holy, can
we begin to see the victorious Christian life. When we realize
we're weak, so fall upon God's grace, are we able to
have the Spirit of Christ dwell in us in righteousness. When
we're strong in our own confidence, then we're ready
to tumble and fall. Self- confidence is dangerous. Remember:
6 But we are all as an unclean
thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all
do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken
us away.
Isaiah 64:6
The best we can do is the production of dirty rags to God. We may
be proud of them, but before God they're garbage. When we
realize this, our heart will take on the state of meekness, fear
and trembling.
C. CONTINUAL WATCHFULNESS
41 Watch and pray, that
ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41
13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be
strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
2 Continue in prayer,
and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Colossians 4:2
7 But the end of all
things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto
prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
3 Remember therefore
how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Revelation 3:3
12 Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12
33 Be not deceived:
evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Watchfulness and prayer go together. To be watchful
demands calling upon God in prayer. What is watchfulness for? To
keep our eyes open, so we don't lose the state of sections
A & B. We're at war and located in hostile territory.
What would you do if you were in the Vietnam War and found
yourself behind enemy lines? Only the stupid would neglect to
take on a state of extreme precaution realizing what? YOUR LIFE
IS AT STAKE! Remember, be a good soldier.
Question: What happens if we aren't diligent about the
first three?
Answer: We don't attain to the second three.
D. CONTINUAL PRAYER
36 Watch ye therefore,
and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all
these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
of man.
Luke 21:36
17 Pray without
ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
6 But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,
pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth
in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6
Prayer's more than just formal petition. The last
verse in Matthew was included to show prayer in a reference to
formal petition. In comparison to the previous verses, we see
there's a wider concept of prayer that includes more than
the formal petition. Prayer includes communion with God. When
I'm with my wife, we may walk along beside each other
holding hands, but saying nothing in particular. We're
together in fellowship. Our walk with God should be much like
that. Yes, we make petitions, but don't stop there. Praise
must always be pouring forth our love with joy and rejoicing
before the one we love. If the joyful state of prayerful
fellowship isn't alive and well, a serious condition has
set in. What's more, the condition does manifest itself
outwardly in our Christian testimony. Others will see just a
prudish religious person with no joy. They won't desire to
become a Christian from that.
E. CONTINUAL REJOICING
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I
say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4
16 Rejoice
evermore.
1 Thessalonians 5:16
13 But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that,
when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy.
1 Peter 4:13
12 Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so
persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:12
15 Rejoice with them
that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Romans 12:15
This goes along with the prayer, for who else do we
rejoice to but God? The rejoicing even comes in the face of
suffering. This world's rejoicing can only be in the face
of obvious causes. The rejoicing that comes from fellowship with
God, rejoices in the face of suffering and lack of visual causes.
It perplexes the world. They can see no rational cause. Only
those who have truly tasted the Kingdom of God and know the Lord
can understand.
F. CONTINUAL PEACE
3 Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth
in thee.
Isaiah 26:3
6 For to be carnally
minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace.
Romans 8:6
17 For the kingdom of
God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17
7 And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
A grumbling disposition is far from the peace of God.
Being grouchy should flag us, we're not walking in the
Spirit of God. This peace is beyond human explanation since it,
like the rejoicing, comes out of a relationship with God. This
relationship must be living. A purely calculated, intellectual
religion gives no life. It's nothing more than an
encyclopedia of information. God is about life and fruitfulness
which issues in peace. When we see things that irritate us, (like
the tube of toothpaste being rolled when you like it squashed
flat), with the peace of God ruling in our hearts, we're
not perturbed. This may sound strange, but the peace
automatically regulates all our attitudes, even in the minor
things.
Question: What happens if we obtain the first six?
Answer: We find ourselves able to live out the last three.
Part of the issue is, we must view ourselves properly. Doing
that, we can approach God and grow with Him. With our
relationship flourishing with God, we have in us what comes from
Him to give to others. If we don't nourish this
relationship with God first, our efforts to have His attitudes
towards men will fail. A beautiful outline of this can be found 2
Peter:
2 Grace and peace be
multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus
our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all
things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And
beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to
godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind,
and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give
diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do
these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:2-11
G. CONTINUAL PATIENCE
14 Now we exhort you,
brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
24 And the servant of
the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to
teach, patient,
2 Timothy 2:24
11 Strengthened with
all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians 1:11
Patience speaks of need. If a person isn't trying,
we have nothing to be patient about. Patience calls for an
extension of love and mercy to those, who in some way,
aren't running quite right. Patience speaks of gentleness
and seeking how to reach those who need reaching. We can't
reach people by losing our temper at them.
Finally, we have longsuffering joined with patience. We see being
patient as enduring with a smile. The suffering a long time until
we see progress is there, but joyfulness is also there. This
joyfulness is evident to the person with whom we're
patient, and it shows him our work with him isn't a burden
to endure, but a labor of love and hope. This comes out of our
relationship with God. As we walk with Him, we know Him and His
ability to tackle any task, hence, hope. This again pictures that
godly man on the canvas. The fruit of a living relationship with
God.
H. CONTINUAL LOVE
31 And the second is
like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:31
10 Love worketh no ill
to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the
law.
Romans 13:10
9 And this I pray, that
your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all
judgment;
Philippians 1:9
12 And the Lord make
you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward
all men, even as we do toward you:
1 Thessalonians 3:12
The man on the canvas is marked with a certain
earnestness that's absent from the "hopeful"
religious. What do I mean by this? Unfortunately, we see people
who want to look like they're devout and love their
neighbor, quickly cut their neighbor off. They have no burning
desire to maintain the outreach of love. If you aren't
quite like them, they're eager to say bye to you, and I
mean for good. Love seeks to see the other grow in a relationship
with God and prays for the other person.
The love we have with God, that springs out of our relationship
with God, is like a plant with many flowers. Some of the flowers
may blossom, but as you can see, there are still many more
blossoms to bloom. This blooming doesn't just happen by
chance or in spite of neglect. We must meditate on God's
ways and increase in His wisdom to manifest this further
blossoming. The loving saint doesn't just love the brethren
only. He also focuses on the unbelievers, which takes us to the
last item, grace:
I. CONTINUAL GRACE
22 Say not thou, I will
recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save
thee.
Proverbs 20:22
17 Rejoice not when
thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he
stumbleth:
Proverbs 24:17
29 Say not, I will do
so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man
according to his work.
Proverbs 24:29
17 He that passeth by,
and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that
taketh a dog by the ears.
Proverbs 26:17
44 But I say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father
which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and
on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not
even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:44-48
14 Bless them which
persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Romans 12:14
17a Recompense to no
man evil for evil.
Romans 12:17a
13 For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do
all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world;
Philippians 2:13-15
15 See that none render
evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good,
both among yourselves, and to all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
14 Follow peace with
all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest
any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many
be defiled;
Hebrews 12:14,15
21 For even hereunto
were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was
reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Peter 2:21-23
9 Not rendering evil
for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing;
knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a
blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let
him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no
guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace,
and ensue it.
1 Peter 3:9-11
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
1 Peter 4:9
This is a touchy subject, and one I'm sure most
people would rather just ignore. In a way, it's the
crowning touch to the masterpiece that's being created on
the canvas. This quality is probably more prominent to the rest
of the world than any other. It also costs the most. Since there
are quite a few verses listed here, I'm not going into
detail with each, but allow me to strive for the essence. By the
way, these aren't the only verses on the subject.
You'll notice this quality of grace was expected in the Old
Testament. It's not something new in the New Testament.
Take a look at our natural man: When someone does us wrong, we
want vengeance. When those who persecute us fall into trouble, we
rejoice. When someone mistreats us, we'll treat them the
same in return. When we hear others talking about the shocking or
bad news that happens to those we dislike, we love to listen in
or add our two cents. Especially, if we hear someone bellyaching
about a common problem person, we love to join with our
complaint. If we respond to others with outward graciousness, but
inwardly are seething, the root of bitterness can start springing
up. These scriptures call for the saint to not have a murmuring
heart. The inward seething over something has to mean the peace
is absent.
These verses don't call for idiocy. We're definitely
aware of the abuses the world hurls at us, whether intentionally
or unintentionally. We can flee persecution and warn others to
stay away from those that would hurt them. We even find Paul
saying to Timothy:
14 Alexander the coppersmith
did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2 Timothy 4:14
This verse may be hard to harmonize with those previously listed,
but there's a balance. For one, Paul didn't take
vengeance, but called on the Lord to do so. We see attitudes like
this in the Psalms from David:
19 Surely thou wilt slay the
wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For
they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name
in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am
not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate
them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search
me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting.
Psalms 139:19-24
Maybe this Psalm gives us the clue to harmonizing. David
composed the Psalms with the hand of God's Spirit upon him,
and we find David summing up this Psalm with a cry of personal
purity in his thoughts. David talked about perfect hatred and saw
nothing inharmonious with godliness in this. The nature of the
men David hated is clearly described and seems to match the
description of Paul's Alexander. The enemy was someone or
ones that were conscious enemies of God. They hate God and curse
Him to his face, as the passage in Psalms shows.
Those who actively seek to destroy Christianity, we can and
should seek that God will remove their opposition. If they refuse
to repent, then may God render justice.
In light of these two passages, we also need to balance them with
passages such as Steven's stoning:
59 And they stoned Stephen,
calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not
this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell
asleep.
Acts 7:59,60
We also have Jesus' example at His crucifixion:
34 Then said Jesus, Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots.
Luke 23:34
We've looked at the painting. We see a pleasant image
before us. We literally see the image of Christ. If in doubt of
something being the right behaviour, think of what the standard
response of the average person in society would be. If your
response is no different to the rest of the world, you can be
fairly certain it's not the Christian response. The ways of
Christ and the ways of the world are at opposition, so the
responses will likewise be. The ways of Christ are both
contemptible and revolting to the world. Enough of looking at the
world. Look at Christ, see that portrait of the victorious
Christian.
Let's see your face on
that portrait!
Think of what's standard conduct of people in society in a
variety of situations. Compare the attitudes of the world with
that of the kingdom of God.
A. Response to theft
B. Response to slander
C. Response to reviling
D. Response to physical abuse
What flavors or pigments is the man or woman of the world made up
of? As he ventures through life we see the following
characteristics:
A. Continual disdain of righteousness
B. Continual self-sufficiency
C. Continual carelessness
D. Continual prayerlessness
E. Continual jesting
F. Continual activity
G. Continual impatience
H. Continual self-love
I. Continual demand of rights
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