the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Luke 9:23. Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27-33. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. Ephesians 5:1. Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:12.
By His merits Christ has redeemed us from sin, but not from following Him, much more to His imitation. Whoever believes that by Christ’s merits and justification he is not only set free from the punishment and condemnation of sin, but also from its power and rule, that he no longer must serve sin as a chained bondman, but has by Christ received and receives daily grace, ’power and life, so that he now voluntarily clings to the Savior, follows after Him, and becomes like Him, has the true faith regarding redemption. All others remain in the prison, in the chains of sin, of the flesh and of the world, and shout, We are redeemed! Who will believe the declaration of these fools that they are free, so long as they carry chains and sit in prison? Christ has emphatically made the imitation of His holy life, self-denial and patience, a condition of being His disciple. He who emancipates himself therefrom, renounces Christ, His Spirit and His Gospel. For this is a ’’power of God unto salvation" for the whole man. There are many who boast of the doctrine of justification and laugh at the imitation of Christ, and disregard it as something pertaining to the law, exactly as if Christ were dead for sinners that they might live lawlessly to sin and to the world, and not to Him who died for them. According to St. Paul, you will not inherit the promise by a faith that makes Christ a servant of sin, but by "faith and patience," that is, by a faith that works patience and gives you strength to carry your cross, to deny yourself, and to become like unto Christ a follower of God.
Breathe, oh, breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning.
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
