SOME THINGS NOT INCLUDED

"If you hold the standard too high, you drive men to despair; if you hold it too low, you drive them to hell fire.'' -- John Wesley.

There are many senses in which He walked, poor finite creatures may not follow Him. If we include irrational and absurd things in our concept we will stumble and confuse sincere souls.

What Is It To Walk As He Walked?

As following in His steps who did no sin is but another Scriptural way of putting "that holiness, apart from which no man shall see the Lord," and as the "Positive" side of a subject is more strikingly seen by contrast with the "Negative," we will show concisely what is not meant and then particularly some practical evidences of a Christlike walk.

First:

We do not understand by this obligation that we are to have His omnipotent, unlimited power. We must ever be painfully conscious of limitations. "Absolute Perfection" is that perfection to which nothing can be added. Such belongs to God alone. Ours is relative, dependent, and finite. "Infallibility," one has said, "the Pope, and other irresponsible persons claim." We do not. Perfection of mind, infallibility, intuitive knowledge or omniscience, faultless judgment and memory are not claimed. We may have, however, His pure mind (Let this mind be in you which was in Christ); blameless judgment, and His blood to cover defects of memory and consequent blunders.

Second:

Will Obliteration is not meant. On the contrary, will was an essential part of Jesus' makeup as a man. His will was, however, invariably submitted to God's will. When conscious, submission to God's will, caused Him intensest suffering He gladly said, "If this cup may not pass from me except I drink it, thy will be done." "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." The great, dominant principle of His life was expressed by David: "I delight to do Thy will, O my God." So our wills are not taken from us or destroyed, but brought to a glad submission to the will of God, however contrary His will may be to the natural will and whatever suffering is involved. We still have our wills and could will contrary to God's will and take ourselves from His hand, but the disposition to want our way is gone. We have will submission, and not will obliteration! It is proper to remark here, submission to God, and not to every fanatic who roams the land. The language of our heart is:

"I worship thee, sweet will of God,
And all thy ways adore;
And every day I live,
I learn to love thee more and more."

Third:

"Walking as He Walked" Does Not Include Exemption from Sorrow. Jesus was the humanest man that ever lived. He was no "unpitying divinity" aloof from and untouched by the sorrows and sufferings of humanity. Stoicism, and indifference, to men of like passions, all about us, have no claim to Christ-like walking. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His great heart was sympathetic of earth's sorrows. He wept at the grief and bereavement of His friends. Every pang we feel, He has felt the same. "He hath suffered," being tempted.

"Touched with a sympathy within,
He knows our feeble frame;
He knows what sore temptations mean,
For He hath felt the same."

He was made perfect through suffering. Hear Him, "Now is my soul sorrowful even unto death," and "being in an agony," He prayed more earnestly.

Nothing is a clearer evidence of the absence of walking like Jesus than loss of sympathy for the sorrowing. A fanatic, at his wife's funeral, arose and said: "I want to testify, I have gotten so far along I do not feel grief now." The pastor dropped his head, as if in brief meditation, then suddenly looked up and said, "Brother, go home, and ask God to forgive you!" Amen. God wants none to get so far along!

Fourth:

In the present order of society it does not seem God's purpose to destroy one essential element of our humanity. Many have held aloof from the holy life for fear of dehumanization -extinction of legitimate sex functions of the body. Others, finding after the reception of sanctification they still retained human instincts, have thought themselves mistaken in thinking they had attained, and have given up. No doubt a proper under. standing and adjustment of this delicate subject greatly concerns the individual holiness professor and the progress of the movement. There are extremes. We must strike the happy medium. If a holy life incapacitates for the propagation of the race, inspiration conflicts in its commands: "Be fruitful and multiply... If thou marry thou hast not sinned; .... Marriage is honorable in all." We are to be preserved blameless in body -- not out of it -- not destroy any of its essential and God-ordained elements. God's purpose in sanctifying is to secure a reasonable control of the animal instincts. Revelation gives no evidence that these functions, or their continent and legitimate use, in their proper sphere, are sinful. They are as pure as any other organs or functions of the body. Children coming to continent parents are to be looked on as a blessing. "Behold, they are the heritage of the Lord." "They shall be like olive plants about thy table." "Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them." "Thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God" -- not cursed, as modern sentiment has it. If any class should have progeny, it is holy people! Still, "the wife as the weaker vessel should be given honor, and when necessary rigid self-denial should be practiced to help bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ! A safe rule for holy people in the proper adjustment of these delicate matters is: Never to violate their tender, sensitive, enlightened consciences! Blessed are they who condemn not themselves in those things which they allow.

Fifth:

We are not to suppose Jesus inherited, as men do now, perverted instincts and a weakened constitution. There was no taint through heredity of weakness or infirmity in Him. He was the one perfect man! He knew nothing of the carnal nature and its bent to sin, with consequent perversions of natural appetites. He was holy, spotless, pure. Many of us are subjects of prenatal markings and inclinations to various infirmities and weaknesses of which He was free.

"Consequently, it is safe to say we may not wholly be free from purely instinctive elements of our physical constitutions which, unbidden, may occasionally and instinctively arise in the presence of their appropriate objects," though by watchfulness, carefulness, and prayerfulness these may be kept under proper subjugation and obedience to the dictates of reason and an enlightened and sensitive conscience. Said Paul, "I beat my body and keep it under." I hold it; it does not hold me. I am not controlled by it; it is controlled by me. I am not subject to its power; it is subject to me!

Sixth:

By the obligation to walk as He walked, we understand we are to so do in a relative, limited sense, up to our capacity. The wise schoolman does not expect eighth grade ability of first grade pupils. God does not require angelic, Adamic, or absolute obedience of finite creatures, but only up to our capacity, lie does not expect of us perfection of knowledge, mind, memory, or judgment; or impeccability (not capable of sinning), infallibility, immutability, omnipotence, nor omniscience. Not will obliteration, but submission. Not freedom from blunders, errors, infirmities, humanity, or mistakes, but willingness to correct these as far as possible. Not exemption from pain, sorrow, temptation, trial, and testing. Not unanimity of taste, but modest apparel for each individual. Not perfection of development, maturity, manners, speech, or conduct. Not above praying the Lord's prayer, and consciously needing the merit of His atoning blood to cover numerous defects, limitations, and ignorances. Not sinlessness or faultlessness, but blameless before God. And if there be anything else contrary to sound reason and rationality, the Bible, and experience, we do not mean that! "The subject must be disguised and misrepresented to be opposed by rational men," said Mr. Wesley.