“Truth in the
heart is an exact copy of the truth in God's Word-- they agree as the face in
the mirror corresponds to the face of the man who looks into it.
"We have had
our conversation," Paul said to the Corinthians, "in simplicity and
godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom" 2 Corinthians 1:12. The
Christian will not subject heart to head-- conscience to his policy. Because he
commits himself to God he does not fear other people; and neither does he risk
putting a hole in his conscience to keep his skin whole, but openly trusts God
no matter what happens.
The hypocrite,
though, shifts his sails and flies whatever colors the world unfurls in front
of him. If the coast is clear and no danger is in sight he will appear as
religious as anyone else; but no sooner does he discover a problem than he
changes his course, concluding that the right road is any one which leads to
safety. But "the highway to the upright is to depart from evil" Proverbs
16:17.
Truth in the heart
is an exact copy of the truth in God's Word-- they agree as the face in the
mirror corresponds to the face of the man who looks into it. Therefore if truth
in the Word is harmonious, then truth in the heart, which is nothing but the
impression of it, must be also. There is a threefold uniformity in the sincere
Christian's obedience. He is uniform as to the object, subject, and several
circumstances, which accompany his obedience.
The hypocrite may
touch the law of God in one point-- in some particular command, which pleases
him-- but ignore all the rest; yet a sincere heart stays close to the whole law
in desire and action. The upright man's foot is said to stand "in an even
place"-- he is sensitive to the will of God in its entirety Proverbs
26:12. But Solomon said "the legs of the lame are not equal" and
cannot stand in an even place because one leg is long and the other is short Proverbs
26:7.
The Pharisees, for
example, pretended to have great zeal for some of the commandments. They fasted
and prayed, but prayed for their prey; and when they had fasted all day they
ate at the expense of the widow whose house they devoured.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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