Obedience to God
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 38, No. 6, June 1899
The obligation that we are all under to render obedience to God as his creatures, arises from the relationship of creatureship, and is enhanced by his goodness in bestowing providential blessings upon us. Though in a sense we are "nothing, less than nothing, and vanity," yet in another sense we are something and should so regard ourselves. We are still God's creatures notwithstanding our ruined, sinful state, and are the objects of his providential care and the highly favored recipients of his blessings. We are endowed with intellectual and physical ability to make great advancement in science and art, and capable of accomplishing much in discoveries and inventions. While "they that are in the flesh cannot please God" in rendering acceptable gospel obedience, yet even they can lead lives of integrity and usefulness in the world. We would have our children to know that they are something as God's creatures, and that they are able to be useful citizens. We desire to hold up themoral precepts of God's word, and teach them and others that the "conclusion of the whole matter" is to "fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." It is true that none can live entirely without sin, "for there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not," yet it is our duty to do the very best we can to live right morally. Do any of us do the best we can? Perhaps not. Who of all our readers can truthfully say, "I do the very best I can"? If any presume to say they do, we will ask upon what ground such a claim is made. Is it upon the ground that you commit no sin at all? The above quotation disputes that. Then is it upon the ground that you are actually compelled to commit all the sins of which you are guilty? Surely not, for that would make you a mere machine or tool, and therefore not guilty. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, then, we shall take it for granted that you all admit you could do better than you do. Mistakes are made and sins committed by us that we could avoid, and moral duties are neglected at times that we are able to perform. All this is true in the face of the recognized fact that we are passing through time, and that there is to be no retracing our steps - no back traveling. We appeal to all, both to the people of God and those who make no pretensions to christianity, is it not best for us to do better? No one ever yet regretted having done right. If, then, we see any place in our habitual conduct where an improvement can be made let us make it at once. It is our right and privilege to desire to be respected by the best class of people, and thus build up a reputation that will prove of more real value to us than gold. If we would merit a good reputation we should strive to build up a moral character worthy of it, remembering that our reputation is what we appear to be, while our character is what we really are.
Young readers, your "castles of air" may now afford you temporary delight as you gaze upon their dazzling pinnacles and gilded domes. You should know that all these things will soon be remembered as a mere mirage, but if your character is such as to insure you a permanent and well founded reputation you will still have solid footing in the midst of the quagmire that surrounds you. Do something for yourself and be something in the world. If you put your finger in the fire it will burn you, so if you heedlessly plunge into sinful conduct you must suffer its consequences. Do right, not only for your own benefit, but because it is right. This is the very best of reasons, and is of itself sufficient.
Older readers, we know this is good advice for the young, and that it would now be much better for us if we had carefully heeded it from our youth, but let us still take it to ourselves. We still have some road left to travel over (God only knows how much), and may we not also profit by what is here written? Even if we have succeeded well according to our own standard of morals, we need not expect to be finally saved from our pollution through what we have done. We will be disappointed if we do. While we cannot entertain a hope of that kind yet, we know that a course of upright conduct will not fail of reward, and after the leap into eternity is taken it will remain a far better monument to our memory than the most costly tombstone that money could buy. Then "let us do with our might what our hands find to do." Seek not opportunities to do great things, but remember that little acts of kindness, little deeds of love, all go to make up a life of usefulness here, just as little grains of sand form the mighty sandbar. Our duty to our Creator and to our fellow beings demands our most serious consideration. In our next issue we propose to treat of the obedience required of the Lord's children.
Copyright c. 2003. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
