beauty for ashes 7-1

8/6/2019 Beauty for Ashes 7-1

1/42

Beauty for Ashes ~ Vol. 7:1 Autumn

Email:[email protected] Web Site:http:www.despatch.cth.com.au/Publish: Beauty for Ashes 4 issues @ $15p.a. [Despatch 4 issues @ $30]


Endtime Ministries...Christian Resource Centre[P.O.B. 1265, Burpengary.Q. 4505]Ph. (for redirect during this quarter only ring) 0754941672

1

Publication of Endtime Ministries ... Women for Christ

The Beauty of the Ascended Christ

He that descended is the same also that ascended upfar above all heavens, that he might fill all things) Ephesians 4:10

84

SINLESS PER.ECTION IS: The belief that the old naturecan be eradicated, thus making the Christian believer unable to ever fall into

sin again. This is not Scriptural. There is NO Scripture which supports the

eradication of the old sin nature. The old nature is a part of the flesh and

as such will naturally be dealt with by the Lord when the body itself is

renewed at resurrection. God does not eradicate the old nature or the

flesh now, any more than he is going right now to eradicate the world or

the devil. The old nature (or flesh) is one of our foes, along with the world

and the devil see Galatians 5:16; 1 John 4:4; 5:4.

BUT Jesus Christ can give habitual and complete VICTORY over the old

nature by the Spirit: .or the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath

made me free from the law of sin and death .or what the law could not

do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in

the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That the righteousness of the law might be .UL.ILLED IN US, who

walk not after the flesh [old nature], but after the Spirit Romans 8: 2-4.

IT IS POSSIBLE .OR ME TO NOT SIN,

BUT IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE .OR ME TO SIN

There are very important reasons why we must not accept the erroneous

doctrines of sinless perfection that says that eradication of the old nature is

possible. Parents who had the sin nature eradicated would have children who

were born with no sin nature passed onto them, unfallen children! There is no

such thing. If we had our sin natures eradicated then we would not need the

wonderful ministry of the Indwelling Christ at all. But the Bible is always

informing us that we must walk by the Spirit and to be empowered by Christs

Life.

THE VICTORIOUS LI.E The Bible teaches Jesus Christ canby the Spirit alone take away the pull to the bondage of sin. He puts into

action His own righteousness and sin does not pull down the believer. This

is not saying that the old nature has been eradicated, nor is it saying that the

believer himself or herself has no sin. The old nature is ALL sin; God cannot

deal with the old creation to clean up the old man. His Son is given to us

through the Holy Spirit to do what we can never do as the fallen creation -

HE gives His Life as our holiness, for our daily walk. I know that in my

flesh dwelleth no good thing Romans 7:18. Scripture warns us that we

must not say that we have NO SIN NATURE, or that we have not sinned as

fallen humans, see 1 John 1:8 & 10. See 1 John 3:9 for these glorious words:

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his seed

remaineth in him; he cannot sin, because he is born of God


2/42





2

Endtime Ministriesis aNon-Profit, Independ-ent Service Centre.A Salvation GospelMinistry, not socialLiberation orientated.No personal, financialgain received by anystaff member.

Presenting the TRUTH,a clear Trumpet call.

Affirming that theWord of God, noneother than the KJVBible is the truth in itsentirety.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,Where can mortal be more blest?There I lay my sins and sorrows,And, when weary, find sweet rest.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,There I love to weep and pray,

While I from His fullness gather,Grace and comfort every day.

(Source unknown).

He...ascendedup

faraboveallheave

ns,

thathemightfill

allthings.

Ephesians

4:10

Wendy B. HowardEditor of `Despatch

A periodical spiritual handbook, which is presented

in order to glorify Christ Jesus:

6o praise Him, and to offer thanksgiving;

6o show Him to be ALL that any true believer

could need, or ever yearn for.

Beauty for Ashes^ has also the aimto express the reality of the Exchanged Life:

There is ]*A=KJO , the Lord Jesus ChristHimself, Whose Life is given for the Ashes ofour own sin-destroyed lives;

Jesus Christ, Who is Himself, the whole of

renewal, sanctification, revival, the joy unspeak-

able of Christian holiness. The Life that satis-

fies the Christian, and pleases the Almighty God

is found only in Him.

The wonder-filled words of Isaiah 61:3 might

have a primary interpretation pertaining to the

restoration of Israel. However, they also have a

delightful, awe-inspiring application to the ChurchAge Christian believer. Do you want to exchange

]*A=KJO^for the Ashes of your own fruit-lessness, independence, failure and striving to do

better? Then come to the One Who is All you need.

83

and then try to stir you up to get annoyed or irritated - thus provingfor all to see (they might think) that your doctrine and experiencewith Christ are false! Just hid behind Jesus within you by the HolySpirit, He can handle all that for you.3. Other believers could go further, they might consider your testi-

mony of deliverance just self-righteousness, holier-than-thou delu-sion. If you do not fall into sin at their provoking, they could accuse

you of sin when you are not sinning in any way. This has happenedto me already. They might say when you forget an appointment, orcome late to a meeting through no fault of your own, or show disap-pointment or disapproval over something, or even eat a cream cake,that you are sinning! You can be accused of greed, thoughtlessness,judging, tardiness and a score of other things, when the IndwellingChrist has never let you down at all, He has never allowed you tofall into sin at all. Be aware that those who will not surrender fullyto Christ for Victory can be jealous and guilty inside when they seethe wonder that CHRIST alone is doing, for His glory alone. Enterinto deep prayer for their deliverance from the bondage of sin.

Here we see the contrast between the very SEED of God, JesusChrist the Son, Who can deliver us from the bondage of sin, and the

old nature that makes those respectable sins of Christians so im-possible to conquer - irritability, temper, worry, anxiety, self-love, im-patience, envy, jealousy etc. Christ can deliver from the pull of sinand its awesome power, and set us free from the tyranny of the oldnature, completely, but we could sin at any time if we attempted tolive righteously by our own disciplining of the old nature - with Godshelp? NO! God will not deal with the old nature at all, He willNOT patch up the old nature.

NOTE : a great disservice can be done to many sincere Chris-tians by Pastors who call their flock Spirit-filled Christians ,with the proof of this being dramatic experiences in their churches.People can imagine that all of the Life of Christ is in them infullness because they think of themselves as Spirit-fi lledbecause of emotion and experiences. No one is Spirit-filled unlessthe RUIT of the Spirit is filling them with power over SIN,righteousness as a gift is the fullness of Jesus Christ in thebeliever. Dont lose out on a blessing by embracing this error!


3/42





3

Personal Revival...

... There was always before an escapehatch, a lifeboat waiting when I failed,which I expected to happen sometime duringthe day. Lifeboats are essential to every ocean

liner, not because people expect to use them.A liner might never use lifeboats, and fullyexpects not to need them. I expected to usecleansing for sin according to 1 John 1:9every day! I was living in the lifeboat, andnot in the Liner! ...

Contd page 10...

82

I. YOU ENTER INTO VICTORIOUS LIVING

It is imperative that you believe that Jesus Christ will overcomeALL sin, not just the big kind. My own mistake has been to rejectthis ALL as unbiblical through misunderstanding 1 John 1:8 and 1John 1:10. Remember; let no one talk you out of the entire victory.

Christ cannot give entire control and victory, and lasting abundantlife, if you hold back some sins as being too hard for Him.1 John 1:8 means: that you must always recognize that the old

man or the sin nature is always with you until eternity. It doesnot mean that you have to remain sinning the little sins regularlywithout expecting full deliverance.

1 John 1:9 means: you must keep before you that you came from asinful, fallen race. Dont get cocky, Wherefore let him that thinkethhe standeth take heed lest he fall. (1 Cor. 10:12).

COMPARE 1 John 1:10 with the glory of 1 John 2:4. There areTWO LIARS in these two verses. If 1 John 1:10 really meant that we

will never be free from the little sins all our days on earth, then 1John 2:4 makes no sense at all. We know Jesus Christ intimatelywhen we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS by His mighty, per-fect power. See verse 5, Christ can perfect the love of God in us byHis GIT of righteousness. Love is the overcoming of sin.

The prayer for this booklet is that it will not be I but WHENyou enter in, and are saved ULLY from the dominion of sin!

What may the response be from other Christians?1. You may find that few casual friends or acquaintances notice a

difference in you or accept your victory. It is so exciting to oneself;the joy of being saved from the power of sin so delightful, that onethinks everyone will see the vast difference in your face and behav-iour. This may not be so at all. Your nearest and dearest most cer-tainly will realize all is new, for your behavior and joy will be obviousto them. Remember that Christ Himself was perfect in holiness, infull sinlessness as God incarnate as Man on earth, yet his enemiesaccused Him of being a sinner! (John 9:16).

2. A general trend may be that other believers could try to makeyou sin! They may well be angered into joking about your witness,


4/42





4

TO GIVE A WARNINGIt is this: Satan will do his utmost to cloud your

mind. He will bring all sorts of doubts and difficulties tolight. Why is this?

Just because he is eager to prevent you from gaining

Victory! Believe me, the devil does not mind yourbeing religious, and he does not mind how muchPOWERLESS work you attempt so long as you fall shortof the Victorious Life.

So long as you go to the world for your pleasures,and so long as you fall into the usual sins of respectable people, THE MORE YOU ATTEMPT OR CHRIST the more the DEVIL IS PLEASED. He simply revels inseeing defeated, worldly Christians desperately busy

for Christ. But the devil will do his level best todiscredit Victorious Life teaching and to keep you fromeven SEEKING to understand it. He is quite an adept inusing - i.e., misusing - Scripture.

But be confident of this very thing - that the teach-ing is striking home and striking him - the devil - whendifficulties are suggested to your mind or some verseof Scripture comes to you, which seems to contradictsome statement made in these chapters.

No one is more anxious than the writer that onlythe truth as it is in Christ shall be heard. If any state-ment is not true to Scripture or to experience, none will bemore delighted to have this pointed out than the writer,who is possessed with a consuming desire that everyChristian shall be filled with all the fullness of God.

(End of quote) rom How to Live the Victorious Lifeby An Unknown Christian, page 7.

81

care less who criticizes this glory they are in dark-ness to the Truth revealed in the Scriptures!

I have entered heaven on earth. orget about theobjections people have set up, it is as real as being born-again. No, not a new born-again experience, a ULL SAL-

VATION reality! Would you let anyone talk you out ofbeing Born Again because they had not entered in them-selves?

Then dont let anyone talk you out of this.

DONT write and say, It didnt work for me.

If Jesus Christ does not take complete custodyof you in full control as He indwells you to the

uttermost, then the only reason is YOU have notfully surrendered, abandoned all sin and self.

HE is no respecter of persons, if He did it forme, He will do it for you! He is willing, waiting andable...

Praise His name!


5/42





5

Dearly beloved of God -I am writing from a heart filled with joyunspeakable and unchanging! Since I wrote the lastBeauty for Ashes in 2003 so many things have happened in

my co-workers and my own life. Change of residence, and the traumaof such a transition; a complete life-style change; the loss of ourcherished pets, two cats and a dog; building a new house; meeting

with new friends and a closer interaction with old friends, many morechanges. Until - the most happy and glorious period of my life sofar began. I want to share some of it with you, as you are my closespiritual companions along the Way.

I am writing sitting on a beach chair, looking out at MortonIsland. The bay is sparkling with star-like beauty this morning. Thissea change has been a mighty blessing in itself, but that is not theorigin of joy unspeakable and unchanging. JESUS has Himselfbrought about the wonders of which I speak. This issue of Beautyfor Ashes will be exclusively about the REE GIT that Jesus Christgave me, and He is offering this gift to everyone who will take it. He

wanted me to have it, and He wants you to have it just as much. I praythat you will take His gift; Grace is all about gifts from God. I praythat you the reader will want to be saved from the power of sin andhave the Victorious Life. The REE GIT of righteousness throughthe Indwelling Christ, our Lord and Master.

irstly, let me insist that the reality of this life and joy is NOTsinless perfection. Neither is it something that is a concept thatwe can understand through study and merely growing in mentalapprehension. It is more, much more; it is a revelation from God andAbundant Life given. A GIT indeed, that is massively greater thana mere grasping of doctrine. It is the Living Word which is Jesus Christ

revealing the Living Truth of the written Word of the Bible - Godbestows this. I write of the VICTORIOUS LIE.All right, let us get down to really dealing with what brought

about a transformation for me that will never depart. My friend andco-worker found a little old book in a secondhand store, written byAn Unknown Christian. It was first distributed back in 1966, calledHow to live the Victorious LIE. She paid 25 cents for it! It con-tains no new teaching really, the same holiness by Grace through faith

80

The enjoyment of sexy, violent or trashy films?

The cold, hard, pious heart that is too proud religiouslyto be kind to others, and humble?

The meanness you express when someoneinterrupts your study time, even the feeling ofselfish irritability?

I could go on and on.

If you do not have any desire to be free from the bond-age of ALL sin, then you never will be free. The Victori-ous Lifedoes not come in dribs and drabs i.e. this weekI managed to control my temper with Gods help, nextweek I will get Him to help me to be more loving and

patient, and so on. This is the traditional way of gettingholiness, it does not work, it will never work. I have beena Christian for many, many years, it does not work forvery long, and you never grow into holiness at all in theend, you only SUPPRESS your natural instincts.

Jesus Christ gave to me in one glorious GIT, wholedeliverance from the power of sin instantly! rom ALLsin, just like that in a moment. How? It is an exchangedlife; I died and exchanged my life for His IN REALITY!

I want you to have this wonderful gift too; will you be-lieve the Bible on this? I have been formerly kept fromvictory and the abundant life in ULL, never to go back,because I would not trust Jesus to deliver me from ALLsin, every moment and every day. I listened to criticismsabout the sinless perfect bogey! Right now I am sothrilled by the reality of Victory as a gift that I couldnt


6/42





6

that has thrilled my soul for a long, long time. I read the book expect-ing nothing new - but it led me to a deeper surrender to the Lord thanhad ever happened before to me. Was God directing this surrender,even the buying of the little book? Yes, I believe He initiated every-thing that took place.

I abandoned myself to the Lord in a way that I will explain indepth later on. I cried out to the Lord that I could no longer bear tolive the way I had done for many years. This was by keeping a cleanvesselby repentance and cleansing according to 1 John 1:9. My dayswould be like this, habitually. I would keep short accountswithGod by being cleansed as soon as I fell into sin. These were always theso-called little sinsof course. Not adultery, stealing, murder, lying,drunkenness and gross sins, but irritation, impatience, worry, anxi-ety, pride, envy, jealousy, bitterness, resentment, temper and so on. Iwould ask the Lord to cleanse me from these sins when I fell, and tofill me with the Holy Spirit when I was a clean vessel. And so my dayswould go, earnest and wanting God to make me righteous by ChristsLife alone - but never expecting to be kept from the power of sinentirely. I said to God that there must be something better than this

for Jesus Christ has promised that sin would have no dominion overus, no more power over us:

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, butalive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin thereforereign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from thedead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.or sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under thelaw, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not

under the law, but under grace? God forbid.Romans 6:11-15.I had been living a l ife where I had to be cleaned up from little

sins every day! I could now see no reason that I should not havecomplete victory. I knew in my heart what the Bible said, and it wasnot sinless perfection at all. The New Testament states over andagain that Christians should expect victory from the bondage to sin,not just until they could be made clean again after an inevitable fall,but entirely. (I will give you many Scripture verses on this as we pro-

79

APPENDIX: 2

AN EARNEST ENTREATY.

Do you really want to be saved from the power of sin?

Do you want with all your heartto be rid of ALL SIN forever?

SINS LIKE THESE:

The irritability you feel in the morning, and express;

The nasty criticism and gossip you enter into againstyour Christian friends so that others can pray for them, of course!

The competition for recognition in Christian circles?

Do you want to get rid of forever the rejection youfeel when you are not used by the pastor?

The impatient moaning when your husband or wife,or family, keep you waiting?

The rush of pride when you do something well,and the superiority it engenders?

The greed for material things, shop til you dropmentality? Greed for money in the bank?


7/42





7

ceed). SO - I asked the Lord Jesus to save me from the dominion orpower of sin entirely. I wanted to never return to any of my sins, everagain, full stop. No running to be cleansed a half dozen times a day, oreven once or twice a day. I could never conquer sin fully, ever, so Itrusted the Indwelling Christ to fill me wholly and to do it for me.What happened?

The Lord instantaneously gave me the gift of righteousness throughHis Grace alone. He gave me instantaneously VICTORY over sin, allsin. Joy unspeakable filled me - and has remained unchanging for anumber of weeks. I am stunned really, I cannot explain fully. or daysI walked as one on air, my soul is in precious joy until now. I expectthis will remain for a lifetime.WHY? Because I am totally taken overby a willing Guest within, Who does not want to go, and He willkeep me united to Him in this way. I have always wanted to live in thepresence of Christ moment by moment but found this impossible in asinful world of distractions. Now, without one thought or struggle todo so, I am filled with Christs sweet Presence both day and night. Itis the things of the world that grow strangely dim not Jesus. Wewent to a lovely concert recently, and Jesus Christ was so close with

me that I missed a lot of that concert because I was wrapped in loveand adoration with my Beloved Saviour! I am in His Presence always- it just happens.

What do I mean by instantaneous righteousness? As glorious asjoy and ecstasy with Jesus is the true test of the Victorious Life is hassin lost its power? It has lost its power, it did from the moment I tookthe gift of Christs filling Life as my only righteousness. There is nowno struggle or determination to overcome, no disciplining myself toovercome. Jesus is keeping me entirely from being pulled down bysin. There is no desire to sin, nothing rises up in me - it is a miracle ofGrace. I can hardly believe what is happening; I did not realize that

victory could be this complete. A momentary temptation sometimescomes, very seldom at this stage, and I hide myself behind the ChristWho dwells within through the Holy Spirit, and He smashes the temp-tation to pieces. There are now no irritations, temper, worry, self-pity,pride etc happening in me at all - all is rest and peace. I dont justrepress sin - it is simply not there. A Quaker I read about once wascomplimented on her lack of temper. She said that she might be allsmiles and calm on the outside when things upset her, but she is seeth-

78

grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trial, much strength?No fear that His resources will be unequal to the emergency! And hisresources are mine, for He is mine, and is with me and dwells in me. All this springs from the believers oneness with Christ. And sinceChrist has thus dwelt in my heart by faith, how happy I have been! Iwish I could tell you, instead of writing about it. I am no better thanbefore (may I not say, in a sense, I do not wish to be nor am I strivingto be); but I am dead and buried with Christ - aye, and risen too andascended; and now Christ lives in me, and

the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son ofGod, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Gal.2: 20).

I now believe I am dead to sin. God reckons me so, and tells me toreckon myself so. He knows best. All my past experience may haveshown that it was not so, but I dare not say it is not sow, when He saysit is. I feel and know that old things have passed away. I am as capableof sinning as ever, but Christ is realized as present as never before. Hecannot sin, and He can keep me from sinning. I cannot say (I amsorry to have to confess it) that since I have seen this light I have notsinned, but I so feel there was no need to have done so. And further -walking more in the light, my conscience has been more tender; sinhas been instantly seen, confessed, pardoned; and peace and joy (with

humility instantly restored: with one exception, when for several hourspeace and joy did not return - from want, as I had to learn, of fullconfession, and from some attempt to justify self.

aith, I now see, is the substance of things hoped for (Heb. 11: 1,italics added) and not mere shadow. It is not less than sight, but more.Sight only shows the outward forms of things; faith gives the sub-stance. You can rest on substance, feed on substance. Christ dwellingin the heart by faith (i.e. His word of promise credited) is power in-deed, is life indeed. And Christ and sin will not dwell together; nor canwe have His presence with love of the world, or carefulness about manythings.

And now I must close. I have not said half I would, nor as I would

had I more time. May God give you to lay hold on these blessed truths.Do not let us continue to say, in effect, Who shall ascend into heaven?( that is , to bring Christ down from above) (Rom. 10: 6). In otherwords, do not let us consider Him as afar off, when God has made usone with Him, members of His very body. Nor should we look uponthis experience, these truths, as for the few. They are the birth-rightof every child of God, and no one can dispense with them withoutdishonor to our Lord. The only power for deliverance from sin or fortrue service is Christ.


8/42





8

ing on the inside. That is not victory in Christ. I am finding thatwith Christ in total control to save from the power of sin, the impos-sible is occurring - the temper or impatience is not there at all, I am atpeace inside. I am set free from the bondage of sin just as the Biblepromised: Because greater is He that is in you, than he that is inthe world (Satan).1 John 4:4. I live,said Paul,yet not I, Christ liveth in me. I am crucified with Christ:nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which

I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who lovedme, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for ifrighteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.Gal. 2:20.

Galatians 2:20 is telling us that righteousness does not come by thelaw, nor forced effort or works of the flesh. If we had to overcome sinourselves, its guilt and its power as well, then why would Christ haveto die at all? My life has become a delightful dream of a life, and Iknow that living like this with Jesus Christ as my entire Life is enoughto meet every desire or need I have ever had or will have for eternity.He is the Pearl of Great Price - I would as soon lose everything andeveryone in my life rather than lose such a glorious walk with Jesus.

HE is the whole gift of God.I awake each day and say, Save me from the power of sin, Lord

Jesus, for the whole day. Give me Your victory over all sin. And Itrust Him to do it. Only once so far has sin entered, and I could haveeasily avoided it completely, there was no real reason to fall. The lapseseemed like the blackness of the pit of hell itself! I had anger in myheart which began with a temptation. I did not hide behind my Sav-iour right away, I entertained anger for a space of a few minutes, andthen asked for cleansing according to 1 John 1:9. That has been theonly time sin has had dominion over me. Am I claiming holiness andsinless perfection? Not of myself, indeed the very opposite.

Jesus Christ has led me to see that I am totally incapable of anyholiness or righteousness at all. God will not deal with me, I am theold creation - God cannot change ME bit-by-bit slowly molding MEto grow into Grace and righteousness. On the other hand, Jesus Christis incapable totally of sin in any form. He came to live in me throughthe Holy Spirit when I was saved in the first place. When anyonecompletely abandons themselves to let Him fi ll them, HE cannot sinfor He has become our Life, living through us, and we are dead. Is this

77

rather made Him a liar! Unbelief was, I felt, the damning sin of theworld - yet I indulged in it. I prayed for faith, but it came not.What was I to do?

When my agony of soul was at its height, a sentence in a letter fromdear McCarthy was used to remove the scales from my eyes, and theSpirit of God revealed the truth of our oneness with Jesus, as I hadnever known it before. McCarthy, who had been much exercised bythe sense of failure, but saw the light before I did, wrote

(I quote from memory): But how to get faith strengthened? Not bystriving after faith, but by resting on the aithful One. As I read I sawit all! If we believe not.he abideth faithful (II Tim.2: 13, italics added).I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, of, how joy flowed!) thatHe had said, I will never leave [you] (Heb.13: 5). Ah, there is rest!I thought. I have striven in vain to rest in Him. Ill strive no more.or has He not promised to abide with me - never to leave me, never tofail me? And, dearie, He never will! . Oh, my dear sister, it is a won-derful thing to be really one with a risen and exalted Saviour, to be amember of Christ! Think what it involves. Can Christ be rich and Ipoor? Can your right hand be rich and the left poor? Or your head bewell fed while your body starves? Again, think of its bearing on prayer.Could a bank clerk say to a customer, It was only your hand that

wrote that check, not you, or I cannot pay this sum to your hand, butonly to yourself? No more can your prayer, or mine, be discredited ifoffered in the name of Jesus (i.e. not in our own name, or for the sakeof Jesus merely, but on the ground that we are His, His members) solong as we keep within the extent of Christs credit - a tolerably widelimit! If we ask anything unscriptural or not in accordance with the will of God, Christ Himself could not do that; but, If we ask andthing according to his will, he heareth us: and.we know that we havethe petitions that we desired of him (I John 5: 14-15).

The sweetest part, if one may speak of one part being sweeter thananother, is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I amno longer anxious about anything, as I realize this; for He, I know, is

able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matterwhere He places me of how. That is rather for Him to consider thanfor me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and inthe most difficult His grace is sufficient. It little matters to my servantwhether I send him to buy a few cash worth of things, or the mostexpensive articles. In either case he looks to me for the money andbrings me his purchases. So, if God place me in great perplexity, mustHe not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much


9/42





9

scriptural? The New Testament is filled with this, yet how many takethese truths seriously as God meant us to do.Said Paul: It is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me.

What aboutIf we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.1 John 1:8.This verse can keep us from walking into the loveliest life we can

ever know on this earth! Look at the context, the verses around it. We

see that God promises that Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sin(v.7); if we confess He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (v 9);and God says that He has written these things so that ye sin not. (1John 2:1).

Then God shows these amazing truths in chapter two -hereby we do know that we know him (Christ) I WE KEEP HISCOMMANDMENTS. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not hiscommandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whosokeepeth his word, in him verily is the LOVE O GOD PERECTED:hereby know we that we are in him,

And then the most amazing verse of all:

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk,even as he (Christ) walked.(1 John chapter two).

WHAT! God expects saved people to keep His commandmentsalways, keep His Word, to have His love perfected in us, to abide inChrist and to walk or live each day as Jesus Himself walked or lived!How could I have missed it. This is impossible for the old creation todo; we can never be like Christ. But Christ Himself can exchange HisLife for ours, and we will NOT then imitate Him - He will live HisLife in us and save us from the power of sin, entirely. Our sin naturecan never be eradicated while we are on this earth; I would right nowsin at any moment if I tried to be good myself, in my own enabling.

But Christ is keeping me; He is doing it and giving a glorious victoryas a free gift. Someone said years ago about being sanctified by Gracealone, It is possible for me not to sin, but it is not impossible for meto sin. Am I claiming to be perfect like Christ? No, I am a frailhuman being; I am experiencing a perfection within imperfection.An illustration from the book by the Unknown Christian can be ofhelp here. A small boy might, with all his heart, write in his school-book what he perceives to be perfect writing, and it is at his stage of

76

get so fretted in this climate that temptations to irritability, hardthoughts and sometimes unkind words are all the more difficult tocontrol. Each day brought its register of sin and failure, of lack ofpower. To will was indeed present with me, but how to perform I foundnot.

Then came the question,Is there no rescue? Must it be thus to the end - constant conflict

and, instead of victory, too often defeat?How, too, could I preach with sincerity that to those who receive

Jesus, to them gave he power to become the sons of God (John 1:12)(i.e. godlike), when it was not so in my own experience? Instead ofgrowing stronger, I seemed to be getting weaker and to have less poweragainst sin; and no wonder, for faith and even hope were getting verylow. I hated myself; I hated my sin; and yet I gained no strength againstit. I felt I was a child of God; His Spirit in my heart would cry, in spiteof all, Abba, ather, but to rise to my privileges as a child, I wasutterly powerless. I thought that holiness, practical holiness, was tobe gradually attained by a diligent use of the means of grace. I feltthat there was nothing I so much desired in this world, nothing I somuch needed. But so far from in any measure attaining it, the more Ipursued and strobe after it, the more THE EXCHANGED LIE it

eluded my grasp, till hope itself almost died out, and I began to thinkthat, perhaps to make heaven the sweeter God would not give it downhere. I so not think I was striving to attain it in my own strength. Iknew I was powerless. I told the Lord so and asked Him to hive mehelp and strength, and sometimes I almost believed He would keepand uphold me. But on looking back in the evening, alas! There wasbut sin and failure to confess and mourn before God. All the time I feltassured that there was in Christ all I needed, but the practical questionwas how to get it out. He was rich, truly, but I was poor; He strong,but I weak. I knew full well that there was in the root, the stem, abun-dant fatness, but how to get it into my puny little branch was the ques-tion.

As gradually the light was dawning on me, I saw that faith was theonly prerequisite, was the hand to lay hold on His fullness and make itmy own. But I had not this faith. I strove for it, but it would not come;tried to exercise it, but in vain. Seeing more and more the wondroussupply of grace laid up in Jesus, the fullness of our precious Saviour -my helplessness and guilt seemed to increase. Sins committed ap- peared but as trifles compared with the sin of unbelief which wastheir cause, which could not or would not take God at His Word, but


10/42





10

development. But compare his script with an educated adults finecopperplate handwritten letter - and we see how imperfect it really is.There is perfection within imperfection. God and Christ Jesus areholy beyond our wildest understanding, only eternity will reveal howpure and perfect.

What Surrender or Abandonment to the Lord did I enter into?I want to spell this out clearly. Most sincere, dedicated Christians wouldbe insulted if anyone said they were not fully surrendered to Christ. I

also would have thought I needed no further depth of surrender be-fore this period of my life. What was actually deeper and differentabout the surrender that started all this? I want to write about thisbecause I believe doing so could help others to enter the life of Vic-tory that has revolutionized my entire being. What surrender? I died.

I gave everything material that was mine to God, never to take itback again. I gave Him the house we are building to do with what Hewants, the money in our bank, the car - everything for Him to disposeof or use as he sees fit. It is ALL His, never to be taken back. Deeperthan that, I told the Lord I wanted Him to live forever as me, I amdead to all plans of my own, initiatives of my own - my will is given

freely over to Him forever and completely, never to be taken up again.And Jesus is keeping me there - as my Indwelling Life.

The wonderful words you have just read are true! What has mademy own heart sing is that the longing to please God all the time hasbeen made possible for me. God can fulfill His entire will in little

me of a fallen race, becauseHis own Son is doing theliving for me. This is abun-dant life that will not end.Why? Because I want to be

saved to the uttermost from

sin, and will not be deceivedinto believing this wonder isimpossible. There was alwaysbefore an escape hatch, a

lifeboat waiting when Ifailed, which I expected to

happen sometime during the day.Lifeboats are essential to every ocean

75

stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, all indeed. Aye, and farmore too! He is the soil and sunshine, air and rain - more than we canask, think, or desire. Let us not then want to get anything out of Him,but rejoice in being ourselves in Him - one with Him, and, conse-quently, with all His fullness. Not seeking for faith to bring holiness,but rejoicing in the fact of perfect holiness in Christ, let us realize that- inseparably one with Him - this holiness is ours, and accepting thefact, find it so indeed. But I must stop.

Six weeks after these experiences, when Mr. Taylor was rejoicing in

the abiding fullness of this new life, a letter reached him from Englandthat specially touched his heart. It was from his sister, Mrs. Broomhall,the intimate friend and correspondent of his early years, who, now witha growing family round her, was sore pressed, as he had been himself, byoutward responsibilities and inward conflict rather than at rest in spir-itual things. With a great longing to help one so dear to him, Mr. Taylortook up his pen to reply. As he wrote, the whole story of his own ex-tremity and deliverance was poured out in a letter that is so precious:

October 17, 1869: So many thanks for your long, dear letter... I donot think you have written me such a letter since we have been in China.I know it is with you as with me - you cannot, not you will not. Mindand body will not bear more than a certain amount of strain, or do

more than a certain amount of work. As to work, mine was never soplentiful, so responsible, or so difficult; but the weight and strain areall gone. The last month or more has been, perhaps, the happiest ofmy life; and I long to tell you a little of what the Lord has done for mysoul. I do not know how far I may be able to make myself intelligibleabout it, for there is nothing new or strange or wonderful - and yet, allis new!

In a word, Whereas [once] I was blind, now I see (John 9: 25).Perhaps I shall make myself more clear if I go back a little. Well,dearie, my mind has been greatly exercised for six or eight monthspast, feeling the need personally, and for our mission, of more holi-ness, life, power in our souls. But personal needs took first and was

the greatest. I felt the ingratitude, the danger, the sin of not livingnearer to God. I prayed, agonized, fasted, strove made resolutions,read the Word more diligently, sought more time for retirement andmeditation - but all was without effect. Every day, almost every hour,the consciousness of sin oppressed me. I knew that if I could onlyabide in Christ all would be well, but I could not. I began the day withprayer, determined not to take my eye from Him for a moment, butpressure of duties, sometimes very trying, constant interruptions aptto be so wearing, often caused me to forget Him. Then ones nerves


11/42





11

liner, not because people expect to use them. A liner might neveruse lifeboats, and fully expects not to need them. I expected to usecleansing for sin according to 1 John 1:9 every day! I was living in thelifeboat, and not in the liner! But, the Bible does not present thisexpected failing at all. If we read 1 John 2:1 carefully we will see thatJohn says that he is writing so that YE SIN NOT. Yet, if the unex-pected happens and we let down the Indwelling Christ by yielding toa sudden temptation sometime, our advocate or lawyer, Jesus Christ,

will plead our cause before the ather, presenting His own righteous-ness imputed to us. We should never expect to ever need that l ifeboatof cleansing. He wants to save us entirely from the power of sin, whywould He not want to? Believe it! Dont expect to fail as a habit, HEcannot fail.

Consider many of the old hymns of the aith, written often intimes of revival, thrilling times to read about.

Here is one favourite:

Rock of Ages cleft for me,Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,rom Thy wounded side which flowed,Be of sin a DOUBLE CURE,

Save me from its guilt and POWER.

NOTHING NEW??One great barrier to entering into this Victorious Life could

be that you feel that you have heard it all before, nothing new.Here is a quote from byAn Unknown Christian

that helps with this block:

There is nothing new in all this! is the impatient, well-nigh

querulous comment so often made concerning this teaching. But the

very tone of voice betrays an unwillingness to attempt to really

assimilate this ancient teaching.

The real trouble is that so many people who deplore higher

criticism, themselves indulge in what we venture to call Highest crit icism.

74

things in one who had long and truly known the Lord. Ah, was it notthat very fact that made it possible? Nearness to Christ had been to himso real and blessed that any distance was unbearable. So deeply did helove that any clouding of the Masters face was felt, and felt at once withanguish of heart. It is the bride who mourns the absence of the bride-groom, not one who has been a stranger to His love. Reaching the littlecrowded house at Chinkiang, Mr. Taylor made his way as soon as possi-ble to his room to attend to correspondence. There, amid a pile of letters,was one from Mr. McCarthy. We do not know if he was alone as he read

it; we do not know just how the miracle was wrought. But -As I read, I saw it all. I looked to Jesus; and when I saw, oh how

joy flowed! It was Saturday, September 4, 1869; the house was full, andothers were coming; somehow they must be put up and kept over Sun-day, for this great joy could not but be shared. As soon as he could breakaway from his glad thanksgiving, Mr. Taylor went out, a new man in anew world, to tell what the Lord had done for his soul. He took theletters, Mr. McCarthys and one from Miss aulding in the same strain,and, gathering the household together in the sitting room upstairs, toldwhat his whole life was telling from that time onward to the gloriousend. Other harts were moved and blessed; the streams began to flow.rom that little crowded home in Chinkiang city, they flowed on and

out, and are flowing still -rivers of living water (John 7: 38). or who-soever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, Jesus said, shall neverthirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of waterspringing up into everlasting life (John 4: 14). And he did more thantell. Pressed though he was with business matters, his correspondencetook on a new tone. Here is one of the first letters written with that tideof joy and life more abundant sweeping through his soul. The penciledlines on half a sheet of notepaper show that he was very busy - but howat leisure in spirit!

My dear sister - We had a very happy day here yesterday. I was sohappy! A letter from Mr. McCarthy on this subject has been blessed toseveral of us. He and Miss aulding also seem so happy! He says: I

feel as though the first glimmer of the dawn of a glorious day hadrisen upon me. I hail it with trembling, yet with trust. The part spe-cially helpful to me is: How then to have our faith increased? Only bythinking of all that Jesus is, and all He is for us. His life, His death,His work, He Himself as revealed to us in the Word, to be the subjectof our constant thoughts. Not a striving to have faith, or to increaseour faith, but a looking off to the aithful One seems all we need.Here, I feel, is the secret: not asking how I an to get sap out of thevine into myself, but remembering that Jesus is the Vine - the root,


12/42





12

They must acknowledge that this Victorious Life is scriptural, but

they openly declare that it is impossible. They do not deny the truth

of the Word of God, but they tacitly believe that it is unworkable. Oh,

if we could only just take Christ at His Word! If we only had a simple

childlike faith in God! If our faith were but more simple we should

take Him at His word; and our lives would be all sunshine in the glory

of the Lord. (End of quote).

If you have dealt with this barrier to faith,if you believe with all your heart that GOD wants you to

have the free gift of righteousness that does not falldown under every test, then what are you to do?

HUDSON TAYLORS CON.ESSION[cf Appendix for full Extract of this chapter Exchanged Life]

Hudson Taylor, when he was a missionary in China, wrote a letterto his sister confessing that he had searched and agonized to findholiness and that he could not find it, although the New Testament

shows it very clearly, but he could not see.

Here is what he wrote:I prayed, fasted, agonized, strove, made resolutions, read the Bible

more diligently, sought more time for retirement and meditation [he

meant quietness with God] - but all without effect. Every day - almost

every hour - the consciousness of sin oppressed me. Then came the

question: Is there no rescue? Must it be this to the end - constant

conflict, and instead of victory, too often defeat? I hated myself, I

hated my sin, and yet I gained no strength against it. I felt I was a

child of God, but how to rise to my privileges as a child I was utterly

powerless to see. I thought that holiness, practical holiness, was to be

gradually attained by a diligent use of the means of grace. I felt there

was nothing I so much desired in the world, nothing I so much

needed. When my agony of soul was at its height a sentence in a

letter was used to remove the scales from my eyes, and the Spirit of

God revealed the truth of our oneness wi th Jesus.

73

Life was, if anything, especially full and busyfor Mr. Taylor at this time. The outcry aboutthe Yangchow riots had blown over, allowing

him to resume work for the Inland Mission. Hehad returned from his journey round the older

stations to an endless succession of duties that kepthim on the move between Yangchow andChinkiang. Both were now, in a sense, theheadquarters of the mission, and the growing,church in the former and the demands of the

printing press in the latter filled every momentthat could be spared from account keeping, corre-sp ond - ence and directorial matters. There had recently beenbaptisms in Yangchow, and Mr. Judd, who, along with his wife, had beenfirst to volunteer to be in Yangchow after the riot, was glad of all the helpMr. Taylor could give in caring for the young converts. The heat ofsummer had taken its toll upon all the party, and Mr. Taylor himself hadbeen laid aside by severe illness in the middle of August, 1869. Now,early in September, he was recovering, and trying to overtake the workthat had accumulated. It was no time, surely, for an outstanding crisis inspiritual things. Yet, oh, how deep the heart-hunger, in and through allelse! That did not diminish. It seemed to increase, rather, with all theneed there was to minister to others. Leaving a full house in Chinkiang,Mr. Taylor had run up to Yangchow to see a patient and was returningnow alone by a little boat chosen less for comfort than for speed. It wasearly in the morning, and he was eager to be in Chinkiang, where Mrs.Taylor was, in time for breakfast, so as not to lose a moment of the dayfor work. Coming down the Grand Canal and crossing the Yangtze (twomiles wide) he had quiet for thought - thought and prayer. Were it notrecorded in his own words, it would be difficult to believe, certainly im-possible to imagine, such conflict, suffering, almost despair in spiritual

APPENDIX: 1

THE EXCHANGED LI.E

EXTRACT:Spiritual Secret of Hudson Taylor,by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor.

pp. 256 - 265 Whitaker House. USA.ISBN - 0-88368-387-3

1832-1905

(1832-1905)


13/42





13

WELL! so what did Hudson Taylor find? He had a revelation fromthe Lord because his desire was to be saved from ALL sin. Do you hateyour sin and long to be saved from its power?

Or are you really thinking those little sins are not too bad.

Here is that letter Hudson referred to:[cf Appendix for full Extract of this chapter Exchanged Life]

By faith a channel is formed by which Christs fullness plenteouslyflows down. The barren branch becomes a portion of the fruitful stem.

He is most holy who has most of Christ within. It is defective faith that

clogs the feet and causes many a fall. Abiding - not struggling or

striving - looking off to H im; trusting Him for present power; trusting

Him to subdue ALL inward corruption; resting in the conscious joy of

a COMPLETE salvation; a salvation from ALL SIN; willing that He

should be TRULY SUPREME. This is not new, yet it is NEW TO ME.

I seem to have got to the edge only, but to the edge of a sea that

is boundless. Christ literally ALL seems to me now the power, the

only power for service, the only ground for unchanging joy. Now,

then, is this faith increased? Only by thinking of all that Jesus is andall that He is for us: His life, His death, His work, HIMSEL, as

revealed to us in His Word, to be the subject of our constant thoughts.

Not striving to have faith, or to increase our faith, but a looking off to

the AITHUL ONE seems all we need - a resting in the Loved One

entirely for time and eternity. It DOES NOT APPEAR TO ME ANYTHING

NEW - only formerly misapprehended. (Emphasis added).

What sentence did the Holy Spirit enlighten in particular?This following sentence penetrated the blindness and gave

Hudson Taylor the light he so desperately sought:

Not a striving to have faith, but a looking offto the .aithful Onewho seems all we need.

I, myself, am amazed by the fact that victory over sin, expectingnot to fall, is taught clearly in scripture, yet I did not see it. When Iwas ready to jump over the devils objections and expect totaldeliverance, then all was as clear as a bell. I deceived myself that fulldeliverance was not possible, I let others deceive me (unintentionallyin most cases).

72

of the flesh (5:16). In such a one this conflict exists, and though he

is delivered from the lust of the flesh, it is because he is walking in

dependence upon the Spirit.

Extract: p.201, L. S. Chafer, Major Bible Themes

RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPARTED BY THE SPIRIT

When filled with the Spirit, the child of God will produce the

righteous works (Rom. 8:4) of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23) and

will manifest the gifts for service which are by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7).

These results are distinctly said to be due to the immediate working

of the Spirit in and through the believer [this is the Indwelling Christ

through the agency of the Spirit]. Reference is made, therefore, to a

manner of life which is in one way produced by the believer; it is

rather a manner of life which is produced through him by the Spirit.

To those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, the

righteousness of the law, which in this case means no less than the

realization of the whole will of God for the believer, is fulfilled in them.

It could never by fulfilled by them. When thus wrought by the Spirit,

it is none other than a life which is the imparted righteousness of

God. (End of quotes).

REERENCES:How to Live the Vitorious Life, by An Unknown Christian* Copies of this public text book available from Endtime Ministries for costof post & photocopying. $ 6

The Kneeling Christian, by An Unknown Christian* Copies of this public text book available from Endtime Ministries for costof post & photocopying. $ 6.50

The Christians Secret of a Happy Life, by H. Whittal-Smith* Copies of this public text book available from Endtime Ministries for cost

of post & photocopying. $ 9* The Extract How to Enter In $2 posted.

[*Her other book not used in this issue... The God of All Comfort, can be posted for $9.50]

Bone of His Bone, by . J. Heugel

rances Ridley Havergal, Biography & Victorious Life material $3


14/42





14

Will you break down all barriers and believe

that you can be saved fully from the power of sin?

I pray that you will. Often people will say that they have neverbeen delivered from the dominion of sin themselves, so it cannot betrue! Let such a one truly yield utterly to the Lord, and be willing tolet go all sin, such as pride, religious superiority, aggression and illtemper etc, let that one TRUST Jesus to be his/her very life and theywill know the doctrine is true, because they will be living it with

Jesus. God does not want His children to live under the bondage ofsin, struggling by works and the law to do better. Amen and amen.

Awake to righteousness, and sin not,for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak to your shame.

I Corinthians 15:34.or he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

II Corinthians 5:21....perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

II Corinthians 7:1b.Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free,and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galations. 5:1.

ARE YOU LIKE AN A.RICAN BABOON?

In Africa baboons are caught in a cunningway. A hole is made in a hollow log; fruit is

placed in the log, and the hunter hides and waits.Soon a baboon might wander along, and thenhe smells the fruit and puts his hand into thelog. When he grabs the fruit, and a heavy fist

is formed with the fruit inside, the baboon cannot get away - why?Because he will not let go of the fruit in order to pull his fist out! Hewont just walk away because he just cannot bear to lose his lusciousmeal. So the hunter has him! He is captured by his own foolishnessand shortsightedness. He is just an animal, but human Christians canlack wisdom and be limited in their thinking - just like that baboon.

71

Extract: p.p.194-195, L. S. Chafer, Major Bible Themes

THE ONLY WAY O. VICTORY

(Various teachings are suggested which attempt to secure

deliverance for the Christian from the power of sin.)

1 It is claimed that the Christian will be compelled to l ive to the glory

of God if he observes sufficient rules. This law principle is doomed to

fail because it depends upon the very flesh from which deliverance is

sought (Rom. 6:14).

2 It is widely claimed that the Christian may seek and secure theeradication of the old nature, being thus permanently free from the

power of sin. There are objections to this theory. There is no Scripture

upon which the theory of eradication may be based.

THE PROBLEM O. SIN IN THE LI.E O. A CHRISTIAN

Having received the divine nature (II Pet. 1.4) while still retaining the

old nature, every child of God possesses two natures, one is incapable

of sinning, and the other is incapable of holiness. [Despatch comment:

the old nature is YOU, the new natu re is the Indwelling CHRIST]. The

old nature sometimes called sin (meaning the source of sin ) and

old man, is a part of the flesh; for, in scriptural usage, the termflesh, when used in a moral sense, refers to the spirit and as well

as the body-especially of the unregenerate man. Therefore, the Apostle

Paul states, or I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no

good thing (Rom.7: 18,19). On the other hand, when considering the

imparted divine nature, the apostle John writes, Whosoever is born of

God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and

he cannot sin! because he is born of God (1 John 3:9). This passage

teaches that every Christian, being born of God, does not practice

sins or keep on sinning. (The verb is in the present tense implying

continuous action.) However. it should be observed that it is this

same epistle which warns every child of God against professing thathe has no sin nature (1:8), or that he has not sinned ( 1:10 ) . These

two sources of action in the believer are again considered in Galatians

5:17, where both the Holy Spirit and the flesh are seen constantly to

be active and in unceasing conflict: or the fl esh lusteth against the

Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one

to the other. The apostle is not writing here of the carnal Christian,

but of the. most spiritual, even of the one who is not fulfilling the lust


15/42





15

Are you holding onto something minor, some pet enjoyment or sat-isfying sin, so that you cannot surrender to Christ fully? Are youhanging onto a piece of fruit and wont let go, and so you cannotbe free in Christ and know His liberty? It may be something very bigin your fist, like a de facto relationship, a business based on fraud, orliving some sort of major lie! No matter what it is, let go and abandonyourself to Christ, and be REE from sin and failure in His poweralone. He will handle all the complications Himself; dont be afraid of

what will happen. Your piece of fruit might be just legalism, adetermined insistence that you can be righteous by your ownworks, and that this Victorious Living malarkey is heresy.

Drop your fruit and be .REE,Satan will do anything to keep you in bondage in your log

SOME SURPRISING RESULTSSome of the lovely surprises that are occurring for me are that the

sting has gone from various experiences in my life. or instance, realsuffering happened before if a person or persons denied some truththat was in the Bible, or some information about the New WorldOrder or related scams in the churches. I mean, perhaps there was adisagreement over the Alpha Course, or whether the World Govern-ment was already in power, or maybe some discussion about EternalSecurity ended in disagreement. I not only would be displeased, butalso inside the sting of being disbelieved, challenged unjustly, or wavedaside would be grievous. Especially if this happened without any in-vestigative material presented to the adversary was accepted, or evenglanced at, let a lone read! The sting would hurt down in my spirit andthis could go on for days if the adversary was, for instance, an old

and trusted friend. That sting has gone! I can only reason that SELwas the reason for this, and SEL is the old-nature results that hap-pened because of SIN. Jesus has Himself taken away the dominion ofsin over me! Praise God. I will stress here that I am not talking aboutrepression of this sting and hurt, anyone even in the world could dothat, even unsaved people - no, the pain for SEL has gone. What amiracle of Grace!

70

unchangeable demands of His own righteousness through the sacrificial

death of Christ. Grace is more than love; it is love set free and made

to be a triumphant victor over the righteous judgments of God against

the sinner. When He saves a sinner by grace, it is necessary that

God shall deal with every sin. for they would otherwise demand

judgment and thus hinder His grace. This He has wrought in the

death of His Son. It is also necessary that every obligation be

cancelled, and to this end salvation has been made a gift from God

(l John I0:28; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8)). Likewise it is necessary thatevery human merit shall be set aside, lest the thing which God

accomplishes be in any measure based on the merit of men and not

on His sovereign grace alone (Ron 11:32, Gal. 3). Since every human

element is excluded, gospel of grace is the proclamation of the mighty

redeem transforming grace of God, which offers eternal life and

eternal glory to all who will believe.

b The divine program of safekeeping through grace demonstrates

that through grace alone God keeps those who are saved. Having

provided a way whereby He can act in freedom His own righteous

demands against sin, having disposed of every human obligation for

payment, and having set aside eternally every human merit. God hasonly to continue the exercise of grace toward the saved one to secure

his safekeeping forever. This He does, and the child of God is said to

stand in grace. (Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 5:12).

c. God provides also a rule of life for the saved by the grace

principle. God teaches those who are saved and kept, how they

should live in grace and how they may live to His eternal glory. As

the law provided a complete rule of conduct for Israel, so God has

provided a complete rule of conduct for the Christian. Since all rules

of life which are presented in the Bible are complete in themselves,

it is not necessary that they be combined. Therefore the child of

God is not under law as a rule of life, but he is under the counselsof grace. What He does under grace is not done to secure the favor

of God, but it because he is already accepted in the Beloved. It is

not undertaken in the energy of the flesh, but it is the outliving

and manifestation of the power of the indwelling Spirit. It is a life lived

on the principle of faith:

The just shall live by faith


16/42





16

Another lovely surprise that has occurred is that the reasons foreverything I do are being readjusted. I can no longer plan or maybedaydream about what I want to do in the future, I must follow theShepherd in a new and different way. He is showing me areas of myservice that He must examine. Why do I want to do that, what is thereal reason for doing this - I no longer want anything left in my lifethat is just about defining myself, or that is about gaining approval oracknowledgement from other humans. I am set free to be satisfied in

just pleasing God, and letting Him define me. What a freedom this is,so much pain can come from being ignored or denounced by otherpeople - but it cant hurt when Jesus lives instead of me. I have alwayswanted this, now it is mine through the GIT of the Indwelling Christsrighteousness.

The harassing from sins has gone! What discomfort and wretched-ness comes into our lives when we suffer from temper, pride, jealousy,anxiety, avarice or maybe lust. We try to deny that these sins are there,or we suppress them inside and pretend to others on the outside thatwe are not overcome by sin - but the suffering goes on. Often peoplecan read our faces, anyway, our blush or turn of mouth, our eyes

looking away and the forced mechanical smile. Jesus can and will takeaway the dominion and hurt of these sins - He is doing it for me,without one struggle or effort on my part, and I am not even havingthese things enter my mind!!!!! Last night, I had a flash of envy whena rich friend was speaking to me, a temptation came from the devil,and I hid behind the Indwelling Christ and He smashed it to smither-eens.

I can see now why the lovely walk with Jesus I had prior to thiswent away periodically. My revival did not include Victory overALL SIN. I was living with my eye on 1 John 1:9 and never expectedto be delivered from ALL SINS POWER.

In How to Live the Victorious Life pp. 112,113:

Now it is just as true that when we enter i nto death with Christ we

are dead unto sin. We can, indeed, reckon ourselves dead indeed

unto sin. (Rom. 6:11) - i.e. to temper, pride, jealousy, avarice, lust.

Hitherto such sins have been our taskmasters. The reason why many

Christians are constantly falling into sin is because they try to obey

69

commands of the Mosaic system and the commands which are to

govern in the kingdom are not now the guiding principles of the

Christian. They have been superseded by a new and gracious rule of

conduct which includes in itself all that is vital in the law, but restates

it under the peculiar order and character of grace. 2. The child of God

under grace has been delivered from the burden of a covenant of

works. He is not now striving to be accepted, but rather is free to live

as one who is accepted in Christ. (Eph. 1:6) 3. The child of God is

not now called upon to live by the energy of his own flesh He hasbeen delivered from this feature of the law and may live in the power

of the indwelling Spirit. Since the Written law was addressed to Israel.

she alone could be delivered from the Written commandments of

Moses by the death of Christ. However, both Jew and Gentile were

delivered by that death from the hopeless principle of human merit

and from the useless struggle of the flesh 4. In contrast with law the

word grace refers to the unmerited favor which represents the div ine

method of dealing with man that was introduced with Adam. Under

grace, God does not treat men as they deserve, but He treats them

in infinite mercy and grace without reference to their desserts. This

He is free to do on the ground that the righteous punishment for sin,which His holiness would otherwise impose upon sinners as their just

dessert, was borne for the sinner by the Son of God.

Although the people of Israel experienced the grace of God in

many ways as a rule of life they passed from a grace relationship to

God to a law relationship to God. When they accepted the law as

recorded in Exodus 19:3-2S, they foolishly presumed that they would

be able to keep the law of God through ignorance of their need of

grace as the only possible basis of being accepted before God. The

experience of Israel under the law, accordingly, demonstrates to all

men the impossibility of being delivered from the power of sin by the

law of principle.5 In contrast with law, grace is revealed in three difference aspects:(a) salvation by grace,

(b) safekeeping through grace, and

(c) grace as a rule of life for the saved.

a God saves sinners by grace and there is no other salvation

offered to men (Acts 4:1). Saving grace is the limitless, unrestrained

love of God for the lost acting in compliance with the exact and

17


17/42





17

only one-half of Pauls injunctions, Neither yield your members as

instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, says Paul.

Yes, many Christians do not expect the Indwelling Christ to deliver

them from ALL their sins, they will not even consider that they are

yielding themselves to unrighteousness when they are irritated, anxious,

puffed up with self-congratulations, suffering wounded self-esteem,

are bitter from rejection and so on. I, formerly, would wait until I had

got over the suffering and sin, and then ask for cleansing in the Blood

from my lapse. I did not dream of expecting what the Bible plainlyshows, being dead indeed unto sin Romans 6:11.

THE ABUNDANT LI.EIS A SURRENDERED LI.E

Take a look at Romans 6:10-14. ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your

spirit to the meaning of these verses, filled with glory as they are.

Apply these verses not just to half your sins, or three quarters of your

personal sins, apply them to ALL your personal-living sins. Not just

drinking, gambling, smoking, watching rude videos, or the grosser

sins like shop-lifting, violence or adultery. Most Christians would not

yield to those sins anyway. Let the promises of God and the

commandments of God reach the all-encompassing ALL of your sins,

including all the little sins that are wrecking your peace and witness.

.or in that he [Christ ] died, he died unto sin once: but in that he

liveth, he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye also yourselves

to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus

Christ our Lord Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,

that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither yield ye your

members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield

yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and

your members as instruments of righteousness unto God .orsin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the

law, but under grace (Romans 6: 10-14).

It is God that worketh in you both to will and TO DO(Phil.2:13).

Now unto him that is able TO KEEP YOU .ROM .ALLING [in to

sin], and to present you faultless before the presence of his

glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 1:24).

68

Extract: p.190, L. S. Chafer, Major Bible Themes

SALVATION ROM THE POWER O SIN

The Problem of Sin in the life of a Christian Having received the

divine nature (11 Pet. 1.4) while still retaining the old nature, every

child of God possesses two natures, one is incapable of sinning, and

the other is incapable of holiness.[Despatch comment : the old nature

is YOU, the new nature is the Indwelling CHRIST]The old nature sometimes called sin (meaning the source of

sin) and old man, is a part of the flesh; for, in scriptural usage, the

term flesh, when used in a moral sense, refers to the spirit and as

well as the body-especially of the unregenerate man. Therefore, the

Apostle Paul states, or I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)

dwelleth no good thing (Rom.7: 18,19). On the other hand, when

considering the imparted divine nature, the apostle John writes,

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his

seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin! because he is born of

God (1 John 3:9). This passage teaches that every Christian, being

born of God, does not practice sins or keep on sinning. (The verb isin the present tense implying continuous action.) However. it should

be observed that it is this same epistle which warns every child of

God against professing that he has no sin nature (1:8), or that he has

not sinned (1:10 ) . These two sources of action in the believer are

again considered in Galatians 5:17, where both the Holy Spirit and

the flesh are seen constantly to be active and in unceasing conflict:

or the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the

flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other. The apostle is not

writing here of the carnal Christian, but of the. most spiritual, even of

the one who is not fulfilling the lust of the flesh (5:16). In such a one

this conflict exists, and though he is delivered from the lust of theflesh, it is because he is walking in dependence upon the Spirit.

Extract: p.192-6, L. S. Chafer, Major Bible Themes

SALVATION .ROM THE POWER O. SIN

Grace as a Rule of Life or the child of God under grace, every

aspect of the law is now done away- (John 1:16, 17 Rom. 6.14; 7:l-

6, 2 Cor. 3:1-18; Gal. 3:19-25; Eph. 2:15; CoI. 2:14). 1. The legal

QUOTES .ROM SPERRY CHA.ER

B f A h V l 7 1 A18 67


18/42





18

PRAYING HYDE &THE VICTORIOUS LI.E

67

Perhaps the secret of Victory in Christ lies just here. God gives

needed grace just when it is needed. Have you dying grace? a lady

asked Charles Spurgeon. No, madam, and I do not want it now - but

praise God, I have living grace, was his reply.

Surrender Let go

Then look to Christ in faith

Let GOD!

Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to crucify you and to give you His

Resurrection Life. In that delightful little book,The Christians Secret of a Happy Life, by H. Whittal-Smith.

there is a chapter on How To Enter InThe way suggested is to pray,

Lord Jesus, I believe that Thou art able and willing to deliver

me from all the care and unrest and sin of my Christian life

Thou didst die to set me free, not only in the future, but here

and now I believe that Thou art stronger than sin and canst

keep me from yielding to it Lord, I am going to trust Thee to

keep me I have tried keeping myself and have fai led

grievously I am also helpless So now I will trust Thee I give

myself to Thee I keep nothing back And now I AM ThineI believe that THOU dost accept this poor, weak, foolish

heart; and that it has been taken possession of by Thee; and

that Thou hast at this moment begun to work in me to will

and to do of Thy good pleasure I trust Thee utterly, I trust

Thee now AMEN

But be careful to remember that surrender is not simply making

a promise to God to forsake sin and always to do His wil l. That would

be living under the Law. Surrender is just turning over to God all that

we are and have, OR HIM TO DO WITH US whatever He wishes.

Surrendered Christians are often defeated, because they think theycan carry out their good resolutions by Gods help. No! Just hand

yourself over to God, and then trust Christ to do His part. He is able

to keep.

It is not our surrender that gives us the victory. It is not even our

faith! It is CHRIST HIMSEL - the aithful One. Surrender and trust, and

Christ will never fail you. (End of Quotes: How to Live a Victorious Life.)

John Hyde 1865-1912

We have all heard of the man who was called Praying

HydeA man who was so used of God in prayer

that his intercession brought miracles of souls

converted, and many lives were transformed in

revival unto the Lord. John Hyde was just an average

Christian until he surrendered completely to the

Indwelling Christ and accepted entire deliverance from the power

of sin through Him. Doesnt this make you think about PRAYER in the

evaluation of what the Victorious Life can bring with it - with HIM?

Jesus Christ will Himself intercede through us in mighty power, I we

let Him live instead of ourselves, if we fully surrender and abandon

ourselves to Him. Doesnt the Bible tell us He will do so?

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that

come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession

for them Hebrews 7:25.

I saw this verse in one way only until now. Yes, Jesus Christ is living

to plead for the redeemed ones like ourselves before the ather, but

He will also take over and intercede for us, in our place, when

we realize we ourselves cannot pray as God wants us to. Our

families, friends, neighbours, churches, our country and the world

need the INDWELLING CHRIST to intercede THROUGH us, so that

miracles of Grace can occur.

The following quote shows John Hyde receiving victory over the

power of sin, complete victory, as the Indwelling Christ takes

control. rom The Kneeling Christian by An Unknown Christian:

The missionary spoke,said John Hyde, and I was told

that he was speaking about Jesus Christ as the real Saviour from

sin. When he had finished his address, a respectable-looking man,

speaking good English, asked the missionary whether he himself had

been thus saved (from the POWER of sin, not from its guilt and

punishment per se). The question went home to my heart; for if it had

been asked me, I would have had to confess that Christ had not fully

saved me, because I knew there was a sin in my life which had not

B t f A h V l 7 1 A t h l 1966


19/42





19

been taken away. [Here he speaks not of the free gift of eternal life,

but of victory over committing sins in his Christian walk]. I realized

what a dishonour it would be on the name of Christ to have to

confess that I was preaching a Christ that had not delivered me from

[the power of] sin, though I was proclaiming to others that He was a

Perfect Saviour. I went back to my room and shut myself in, and told

the Lord that it must be one of two things: either He must give me

VICTORY OVER ALL MY SINS, and especially over the sin that so

easily beset me, or I must return to America and seek there for someother work. I said I could not stand up to preach the Gospel until I

could testify of its power in my own l ie. I realized how reasonable this

was, and the Lord assured me that He was able and willing to deliver

me from ALL SIN. He did deliver me, and I have not had a doubt of

this since. (End of quote, emphasis added).

THE BACKGROUNDTO MY OWN LI.E O. VICTORY

Surrender is NOT just a promise made to God to forsake all thatyou have, and always to do His will! That would be works of the Law.Surrender is coming to God and turning over everything you are andhave, to do absolutely whatever He wants to do with you - and withall that belongs to you. It is not wanting the glory of becoming a greatevangelist or healer, or to be seen by others as a spiritual believer.What God does with you, after a real absolute surrender has beenentered into, is entirely up to Him. It has nothing to do with you, youare dead. Christians often fail in their absolute surrender endeav-ours because they think they can carry out their commitment and

dedication THEMSELVES. It is not you that fulfills your surrenderit is only Christ Who can. Possibly many who speak against the Vic-torious Life teachings have come themselves to God to surrender, andthen have gone on to discipline themselves to be the fully surrenderedChristian that they feel they should be - with Gods help of course,they think. Naturally they fall down very soon under the power ofsin, and then say, it does not work, this erroneous Victorious Livingteaching.

66

THEN THERE IS THE PRESENT3 How will this be affected? All unlove, bitterness, irritability, pride,

jealousy, resentment, censoriousness -all must go, really go. An active

lady worker said to the writer, Thats easy enough for me, for I

havent an enemy in the world! The next day she was limping. Ive

fallen down, she explained. I saw that horrid Miss K-coming along

and I didnt want to acknowledge her, and in looking the other way,

I slipped off the curb and fell in the gutter!

Now we may be sure that if there is anyone against whom we

harbor any ill-feeling or resentment, or owe a grudge - anyone to

whom we could not show Christian love and kindliness - we are not

living the Victorious Life. Dr. Schofield once said, If you have a sin

in your life which you cannot let go, bring it to Jesus and let Him kill

it. It may be some habit which others regard as harmless.

Whenever you talk of surrender, said a man to the writer, I

always think of my pipe. Not a word had been said about smoking -

but the pipe went. orgive this remark - it is true or it would not be

recorded here: You will find very few fully surrendered Christians

whose consciences allow them to smoke.

One word of warning: Do not allow any fear of the future to rob

you of present victory. Ive surrendered all to Christ, said a missionary

at Keswick last summer, And I am so happy. But Im fearful what will

happen when I get home. Do you see, the future was not really

surrendered.

Dr. A. T. Pierson in his last address at Mildmay said, Believe

me as a dying man, no one ever obtained as much as he might have

obtained from God. Why? Because God cannot give all He would

until we surrender all we have - and are. If you find any difficulty in

this matter - then just surrender your surrender to the Lord Jesus.

NOW IS THE DAY O. VICTORYThe present is the time for Victory. Let your aim ever be to glorify the

Lord Jesus now. So many Christians let present opportunities s lip by

unused, because their minds are fixed upon something they are going

to do TOMORROW or next Sunday. School yourself to live in the

present. How can Christ Jesus manifest forth His glory -Himself

through me today - now, this very moment?

Beauty for Ashes ~ Vol 7:1 AutumnB t f A h V l 7 1 A t20 65

8/6/2019 Beauty for

beauty for ashes 7-1

Documents