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 Spurgeon's Counsel
LIVE IN THE SPIRIT
"If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
--Galatians 5:25
The two most important things in our holy religion are the life of faith and the
walk of faith. He who shall rightly understand these is not far from being a
master in experimental theology, for they are vital points to a Christian. You
will never find true faith unattended by true godliness; on the other hand, you
will never discover a truly holy life which has not for its root a living faith
upon the righteousness of Christ.
Woe unto those who seek after the one
without the other! There are some who cultivate faith and forget holiness; these
may be very high in orthodoxy, but they shall be very deep in condemnation, for
they hold the truth in unrighteousness; and there are others who have strained
after holiness of life, but have denied the faith, like the Pharisees of old, of
whom the Master said, they were "whitewashed sepulchres."
We must have faith, for this is the
foundation; we must have holiness of life, for this is the superstructure. Of
what service is the mere foundation of a building to a man in the day of
tempest? Can he hide himself therein? He wants a house to cover him, as well as
a foundation for that house. Even so we need the superstructure of spiritual
life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt. But seek not a holy life
without faith, for that would be to erect a house which can afford no permanent
shelter, because it has no foundation on a rock.
Let faith and life be put together,
and, like the two abutments of an arch, they will make our piety enduring. Like
light and heat streaming from the same sun, they are alike full of blessing.
Like the two pillars of the temple, they are for glory and for beauty.
They are two streams from the fountain
of grace; two lamps lit with holy fire; two olive trees watered by heavenly
care. O Lord, give us this day life within, and it will reveal itself without to
Thy glory.
Charles Haddon
Spurgeon
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