“My
little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1
John 2:1).
If
the child of God has still within him a fallen, sinful nature, it is not only
possible, but there is the constant danger of his falling into sin, unless he
is guarded by the truth, and by the power of God. Sin is not looked upon as a
trifle, nor as something habitual. “Whosoever is born of God does not commit
sin” (1 John 3:9). Any doctrine, therefore, that teaches that we are to think
lightly of sin is not the doctrine of Christ, but of Satan.
But,
on the other hand, there is the opposite extreme. Satan would seek, first, to
make the believer careless and lead him into sin, and then to overwhelm him
with despair. Both are the opposites of that which grace does. It warns against
sin, speaks of its danger; but for one who has fallen into sin, it shows the
remedy, and means of restoration to God.
Failure
What
is the root and origin of all failure in the child of God? Self-confidence:
this leads to self-pleasing, begets carelessness, and the eye is taken off the
Lord Jesus. A living faith in Him alone is what keeps the saint in God’s ways.
“By faith you stand” (2 Cor. 1:24). God has called His people to make progress
in His ways, to go on from strength to strength, and not to be standing still.
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue …” (2 Pet. 1:5). When the
soul is thus pressing on after Christ, with the one object to be with Him and
like Him on high, he will despise the attractions of the world and the
enticements of the flesh, and will withstand the wiles of the devil. But “he
who lacks these things is blind” (2 Pet. 1:9). It is spiritual sloth in the
child of God that leads to neglect of prayer and feeding on the manna; and thus
Satan’s opportunity has come. Well is it for the soul if this inward declension
is owned at once, and restoration take place immediately. The Lord’s eye, as a
flame of fire, sees down in the secrets of the heart, and knows when love has
grown cold. “You have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4)—this is the beginning
and root of all declension; and to this one He says, “Repent.” This is a call
to judge the state of the heart, to turn afresh to Him whose love is as intense
and almighty as when He laid down His life and rose again. His love fans the
heart’s dull flame into brightness and warmth, and restoration is effected in
His grace.
Suppose
this state of coldness and worldliness is neglected; it increases, and becomes
manifest in some form of outward evil. This may be some gross act like the sin
of David, or that of Peter when he denied his Lord; or it may be increased
worldliness, taking up the ways of the world, its pleasures or its
covetousness. Many things, doubtless, that are not regarded by man as evil are
in the Lord’s eyes a fall. Indeed, the gross act may be used by Him to awaken
the saint, who would otherwise go on with a cold and careless heart. A fall:is
it a trifle? God keep us from thinking so. It means dishonor to Christ, linking
His holy name with sin. It means the encouragement of the world to go on in
sin, to despise God, to reject Christ. It means an example to fellow-Christians
that may embolden them to trifle with sin. Who can tell the consequences of
such an act?
Restoration
If
the child of God were left alone after a fall, he would be hopeless; Satan
could fill him with despair, and he would plunge still more deeply into sin, or
lapse into hopeless indifference. But there is a mightier One than Satan. The
good Shepherd has His eye upon His poor wandering sheep, and none shall pluck
him out of His hands. So He begins the work of restoration. “He restores my
soul” (Psa. 23:3). Indeed, this had been anticipated for, as He said to Peter,
“I have prayed for you” (Luke 22:61); and this was before Peter dreamed of his
danger. “He ever lives to make intercession for [us]” (Heb. 7:25) but He must
bring the sin home to the conscience; for otherwise one would remain
indifferent. So He recalls the soul:“The Lord turned and looked upon Peter”
(Luke 22:61). This brings back the warning, shows the sin, and breaks the
heart. Its effect is wonderful and most blessed. All his pride and
self-confidence is gone, and in true sorrow Peter goes out, not to continue in
his denial, but to weep bitterly.
Nathan’s
words to David, “You are the man” (2 Sam. 12:7), and the effect upon David—“I
have sinned against the Lord” (12:13)—tells the same story. The work of
recovery is now effectually begun; the soul has judged its sin and confessed
it. Confession and self-judgment, in simple faith, are God’s means of restoring
the soul to communion. This is the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13)—a
bringing home to the conscience the sense of sin, and leading to true confession
to the Lord. And He is as ready to forgive and restore (not to save, which had
already been done when the soul first came to the Lord) as He was to receive
the first feeble call of faith. There are many lessons, humbling and painful,
that He has to teach, showing the root of the evil, and how it developed,
leading them to increased self-distrust, hatred and loathing of the sin, and
earnest departure from it. Thus following restoration to communion, and the joy
of the Lord, is the walk in the Lord’s path, in childlike obedience and happy
engagement in His service.
(From
Help and Food, Vol. 25.)