A Chat with Young Christians

(Continued from page 117)

The second of four papers, used by permission of the author, and to be had in pamphlet form when completed, as will be announced later.

Now let us get on with our hunting expedition. Before settling down to the "beasts" we shall find that we have to deal with some winged enemies.

Abram had made a sacrifice to God, to confirm a solemn covenant made with Him. But, as he watched, the fowls of the air came down on the sacrifice and would have snatched it away. Abram was, however, on his guard, and we read that he "drove them away" (Gen. 15:11).

Without any doubt we shall find that unclean birds of the air will come down upon the sacrifice which we lay on God's altar as those who owe all to the blood of Christ, and will seek to pluck away some portion of that sacrifice. Ananias and Sapphira did not watch, and were entrapped by the temptation to "keep back part of the price"-to take back part of that which they had professedly surrendered to God. How many since then have allowed unworthy, disloyal suggestions, like birds of prey, to alight upon their sacrifice and pluck it off the altar!

Like Abram, we must watch unceasingly and drive these spiritual vultures away, or, better still, we should, as David exhorted, "Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar" (Ps. 118:27). Our Lord drew us with "cords of love" (Hosea 11:4). Let us use the same cords to bind our "living sacrifice" (Rom. 12:1) to the altar, so that we may never withdraw nor diminish our heart's loyal allegiance to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us!

We will now go fox-hunting. Foxes are beasts that we must fight with to the death.

Now, whoever heard of a dove being invited to join in a fox-hunt? Yet this is the proposition made in the Song of Songs 2:14, 15:"O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock…take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines!"

It is essential for the progress of our spiritual life that we "take the foxes." Yet at the outset we must understand clearly that we are as unfit for such exploits and have as little hope of success, by our own unaided efforts, as a dove would have in setting out to catch a set of foxes! The whole project would have to be abandoned, were it not that the Organizer of the hunt says, "Take US the foxes;" in other words, "Let US take the foxes. You and I together will hunt these beasts and overcome them. My strength is made perfect in your weakness." Thus we start on our hunt with assurance of success, because His presence is with us and will ensure the victory.

Emphasis is often laid on the fact that the foxes referred to are "little foxes." They are able to squeeze themselves through holes where larger ones could not penetrate. We need to watch most carefully the tendency to palliate certain sins, because we think they are only "little sins." The reason why "little sins" are so dangerous is that they grow up inevitably to be "big foxes." They do not stay little.

Our Lord referred to a full-grown fox in Luke 13:31, 32:"Go and tell that fox," He said of Herod. That lustful, superstitious coward began his despicable career as a "little fox." No doubt in the nursery he lay down on the floor and kicked, if he did not get just what he wanted. When he grew to be a man, he did the same thing in a grown-up way. If he set his vile, undisciplined heart on anything, he let no consideration of right and wrong, no law of God or man, stand in his way. There is no knowing what "little foxes" may grow into. That is why we must despatch them while still little. What if your heart is harboring an embryo Herod?

There is a type of fox called the "fennec fox," which some declare to be the kind referred to in this passage in the Song of Songs. It has large eyes and enormous ears. The "lust of the eyes" (1 John 2:16), the longing to see things which are not permissible or profitable, and "itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3), the inordinate longing to listen to things not helpful to true Christian manhood, are characteristics that must be dealt with while still "little foxes," or we may soon find we have developed a full-grown Herod!

The reason why the dove is exhorted to join in "taking the foxes" in Solomon's Song, is because they "spoil the vines," and the vines "have tender grapes"-that is to say, it does not take very much to spoil them. My readers will doubtless remember that the Lord Jesus Himself is "the Vine," and His believing people are "the branches" (John 15:1). While the spiritual fruit they are bearing is still undeveloped and "tender," how particularly watchful they should be, lest one or more of these "little foxes"-self-indulgence in various apparently 'innocent forms-creep in and spoil the "tender grapes," the fruit that His Spirit is bearing in us! Here are some of the "tender grapes" that the "little foxes" cast longing eyes on:"Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control," described as "fruit of the Spirit," in Galatians S:22,23. The "birds of the air" and the "little foxes" will do all they can to mar our Christian life, if we give them the slightest opportunity of doing so.

It is a fact of natural history that on no account will a fox eat any kind of bird of prey. We shall find that the "little foxes" and the "birds of the air" are in league with one another to accomplish, if possible, the downfall of our soul.

Here is a test that every reader ought to apply to himself. Could it be said of your heart:"Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head?" Have those "little foxes" been allowed to squeeze through the meshes of your self-discipline and make "holes" for themselves in your heart? And have the "birds of the air" been allowed not only to swoop down occasionally to pick something off the altar, but even to build their nests within the realm of your spiritual nature? And is there little or no place where the Son of Man can be "at home?"

May your heart never have room for the "foxes" and the "birds of the air," but always be a place where the Lord Himself may "come and abide," as He said:"If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). Author Gook

(To be continued, D.V.)