rtf1ansiansicpg1252deff0deflang1033fonttblf0fnilfcharset0 Georgia;f1fnilfprq2fcharset0 Padua; colortbl ;red0green128blue0; viewkind4uc1pardf0fs24 par b The Model of a Holy Life.b0 par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Rev_14:4cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par cf11ulbf1fs22 Joh_11:22cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par cf11ulbf1fs22 2Pe_2:21cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par cf11ulbf1fs22 2Co_10:1cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24. par par These four passages point more or less to our responsibility for a holy lifeu8212?and to Christ as the true model of that life. We are redeemedu8212?that we may be holy. We are freely pardonedu8212?that we may be holy. We look to Jesusu8212?that we may be holy. We are filled with the Spiritu8212?that we may be holy. The true religious life rises out of redemptionu8212?and is a copy of Christ's walk on earth. Beholding Himu8212?we are changed into His image, from glory to glory. par par The first of these passages refers specially to the future honor of the saints. Their peculiar privilege is to be attendance on the Lambu8212?'forever with the Lord;' forever beholding His face; forever waiting on Him, sharing His fellowship, doing His will, enjoying His blessedness, when day has broken, and the shadows fled away. They are to be to the Lamb in His exaltation, what the twelve disciples were in His humiliationu8212?'followers'u8212?though in a far higher sense than was known in the days of His flesh. Yet we may use this verse to point out Christu8212?as our present leader and example. We follow Him here in suffering and serviceu8212?as we shall follow Him hereafter in glory and in joy! par par Christ was our substitute when He was here on earthu8212?we are His representatives now that He is absent. We are to be 'lights in the world,' as He was. For this end we are to 'follow His steps,' live as He lived, love as He loved, speak as He spoke. He is our pattern and model. Shine as He shone! He was the 'Israelite indeed,' the true Nathanael, in whom was no deceit. He was the true Nazarite. Let us be Nazarites as He wasu8212?consecrated to God, and separate from the world. Look up, Christian, look up! Not Babylon; but Jerusalem, is your hope and your home. Thus Peter points to Christ as our 'example,' remembering perhaps His last words to himself, 'Follow me.' par par The third of these passages connects together the suffering and the example. In it Peter places both before us at once, that we may have our eye on both, not separating the blood from the holiness, yet keeping both distinct, the former as the fountainhead of the latter. Jesus by His blood 'washes,' 'sanctifies', 'justifies' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rom_5:9cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24; cf11ulbf1fs22 1Co_6:11cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). And while doing so, presents Himself as our modelu8212?the true doer of the Father's will. par par Let us note Peter's words more at length. Christ for us, or Christ our substituteu8212?that is the first thing. Christ in us, or Christ our lifeu8212?that is the next. Christ before us, or Christ our modelu8212?that is the next. These three great truths make up a large portion of Christianity. par par We look to Christ for salvation, and we obtain it as surely and simply as Israel obtained healing by looking at the brazen serpent. We look to Christ for conformity to His likenessu8212?and b we are changed into His likeness as we gaze upon Him!b0 par par The model or pattern is a COMPLETE one. Others models have only one feature of beauty, and are imperfect. Christ is perfect. Every feature is there; every line is there. We are to grow like it; to be imitators of Christ. We are to copy Him. In copying a man, there is danger of producing a stiff, second-hand, second-rate resemblance. Not so in copying Christ. He is the divine model. It is God's purpose and desire that we copy Him. He is gone to heaven, but has left this pattern as a legacy. par par A Christian, then, is a copy of Christ. His inner and outer man are to be copies of Christ. It is Christ's footsteps he is to walk in. It is Christ's image that he is to reflect. It is not Paul, nor Peter, nor Luther, nor Calvin, nor Rutherford that he is to copyu8212?but Christ Himself. Other models may illustrate this, and so help in the imitation of Christ; but only as doing this are they useful; otherwise they are dangerous. par par What then is a Christian man? par par b I. He is a man of FAITH.b0 It was by giving credit to God's word that he became a Christian man; for it is by faith that we become sons of God. And his whole life is to be a life of faith. As Christ lived by faith on the Father, so does he. Christ is his model as a believing man. The more that he understands of Christ's life, the more will he see the faith that marks it, and will learn to copy it, to live, act, speak, and walk by faith. par par b II. He is a man of PRAYER.b0 In this too he follows Christ. Christ's life was a life of prayer. In the morning we find Him praying a great while before day. All night we find Him praying more. No one, we would say, needed prayer lessu8212?yet no one prayed more. And the disciple herein imitates the Master. He prays without ceasing. He is instant in supplication. His life is a life of prayeru8212?constant communion with God. par par b III. He is a man of HOPE.b0 Christ looked to the joy set before Himu8212?and so endured the cross. He anticipated the glory, and so was a man of hope. There is the hope, the same glory, the same joy for us. The things hoped for are the things we live upon and rejoice in. Our prospects are brightu8212?and we keep them ever in view. The kingdom, the crown, the city, the inheritanceu8212?these are before our eyes. They cheer, and sustain, and purify us! Were it not for the hope, what would become of us? What would this world be to us? Learn to hope as well as to believe. par par b IV. He is man of HOLINESS.b0 He is the follower of a holy Master. He hears the voiceu8212?Be holy, for I am holy. He knows that he is redeemed to be holyu8212?to do good worksu8212?to follow righteousnessu8212?to be one of a peculiar people. He is not content with merely being savedu8212?he seeks to put off sin, lust, evil, vanityu8212?and to put on righteousness, holiness, and every heavenly characteristic. He seeks to rise higher and higheru8212?to grow more unlike this worldu8212?more like the world to come. He marks Christ's footsteps, and walks in them. He studies the Master's mind, and seeks to possess it; mortifying his members and crucifying the flesh. He aims at shining as He shone, and testifying as He testified. par par b V. He is a man of LOVE.b0 He has known Christ's love, and drunk it in, and found his joy in it. So he seeks to be like Him in loveu8212?to love the Father, to love the brethren, to love sinnersu8212?to show love at all times, in word and deed. His life is to be a life of love, his words the words of love, his daily doings the outflow of a heart of love. He is to be a living witness of the gospel of love. Loveu8212?not hatred, nor coldness, nor malice, nor revenge, nor selfishness, nor indifferenceu8212?love such as was in Christu8212?that he endeavors to embody and exhibit. par par b VI. He is to be a man of ZEAL.b0 'Zeal for Your house has eaten me up,' said Christ. His life was one of zeal for Godu8212?zeal for His Father's honor and His Father's business. So is the disciple to be 'zealous of good works.' Zeal steady and ferventu8212?not by fits and starts; not according to convenience, but in season and out of season; prudent, yet warm and loving; willing to suffer and to sacrifice; no sparing self or the flesh, but ever burning; zeal for Jehovah's glory, for Christ's name, for the Church's edification, for the salvation of lost menu8212?this is to give complexion and character to his life. par par These things are to mark a Christian man. He is not to be content with less. He is to grow in all these thingsu8212?not to be barren, not to stagnate, not to be lukewarmu8212?but to increase in resemblance to his Lordu8212?to be transformed daily into His likeness, that there may be no mistake about himu8212?as to who or what he is. par par The last of the passages set down at the head of this mediation takes up something special in Christ which we are to imitateu8212?His 'meekness and gentleness.' In the book of the Revelation He is chiefly known by the name of 'the Lamb.' That is His chief name in heaven. He has other titles, but this is given as peculiarly His in the place of His glory. par par As Peter thus points to Christ as our model, so also does Paul in the above passage. One feature in His character he specially notes, which shone out very brightly in this coarse, crude worldu8212?a world where, all along, man has trodden down man, the stronger the weaker; where strong deeds, as well as strong language, have been accounted heroism and manlinessu8212?the proper expression of dignity and superiorityu8212?this feature is the Lord's submissive and non-resistance, even with the full consciousness of superior poweru8212?His 'meekness and gentleness.' par par This meekness of Christ Paul takes up and points to. On this he bases his entreaties to the Corinthians. This is one of the strongest and most earnest of Paul's 'beseechings.' He has many of these; for he 'entreats' when he might 'command;' he uses love when he might wield the rod. 'I beseech you by the mercies of God' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rom_12:1cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). 'I beseech you by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Rom_15:30cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). 'We beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ' (cf11ulbf1fs22 2Th_2:1cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). Here, it is by the meekness and gentleness of Christ that he beseeches. par par And why does he beseech them by this? For two reasonsu8212?(1) He reminds them of this meekness and gentleness, as if to say, 'Imitate Him who you call Lord and Master and do not proudly withstand the authority of me His servant;' (2) he reminds them of it, as if to say, 'Do not constrain me, the servant, to make use of anything but the meekness and gentleness of the Master.' It is the apostle's last argument in dealing with the rebellious members of the Church. Is it not weighty? Is it not irresistible? par par But it is chiefly b the 'character of Christ'b0 itself that we would dwell upon here, yet noticing also the bearing of that character upon the obedience of saints, and the submission of sinners to His rule. par par b I. The PERSON.b0 It is 'the Christ of God.' He has many names, each revealing His personu8212?the Word; the Son; the Only-begotten of the Father; the Light; Immanuel. These express the marvelous constitution of His person as the Christ; Son of God, and Son of man; very God and very man; the Word made flesh; having all divine and all human perfections, all created and all uncreated excellencies exhibited in Him, all fullness deposited in Him; full of grace and truth; the glory of Godhead; the glory of the King of kings. par par b II. The CHARACTER.b0 It is that of meekness and gentlenessu8212?meekness in bearing and forbearing; gentleness in His tender loving treatment of usu8212?both in word and deed. He is 'meek and lowly;' He did not strive nor cry, neither did any man hear His voice in the street; the bruised reed He broke not, the smoking flax He quenched not; He entered Jerusalem on an donkey's colt, as the prophet had written, 'Behold, your King comes' (cf11ulbf1fs22 Zec_9:9cf0ulnoneb0f0fs24). No doubt there are other declarations which speak of wrath, and judgment, and vengeance; but these are His 'strange acts' as the great Judge. par par His character, as exhibited on earth in all His words and worksu8212?was that of lowliness and love. Fury was not in Him. He bore the insults of sinners against Himself; when He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not. He loved, He pitied, He wept, He invited, He entreated, He blessed. He frowned on none except the Pharisee. He spoke no harsh wordsu8212?He displayed no repulsive looks or tonesu8212?He was ever courteous, polite, and affable. All in Him was graceu8212?grace to the uttermost. He was the embodiment of that love which the Apostle Paul has described. He was patient , kind, not easily provoked, thinking no evil, rejoicing not in iniquity, bearing all things, believing all things, enduring all things, never failing! Meeker than Moses, gentler than John, more patient than Job, tenderer by far than His own tender earthly motheru8212?He is in the embodiment of all that is winning and attractive. par par All this He was on earthu8212?all this He is stillu8212?unchanged and unchangeableu8212?with nothing in Him or about Him to repel usu8212?but everything to attract usu8212?everything to win our confidence. At once the highest of the high, and the lowliest of the lowly. His is the almightiness of divine royalty, for all power is given hereu8212?yet the disposition to use that almightiness only to save, and comfort, and bless. Almighty meekness, and meek almightiness! Almighty gentleness, and gentle almightiness! How admirable! How glorious! How blessed! So holy, yet so meek and gentle to the unholy! So abhorrent of sin, yet so pitiful and patience toward the sinner! So capable of executing vengeance and utterly destroying His enemies, yet so patient, so gracious; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance! So terrible as the Judge, yet so tender as the Savior! His is the iron rod, and the sword of vengeance, and the purging fan, and the devouring fireu8212?yet He saysu8212?Come unto me. He weeps over Jerusalem. He prays for His murderers. Ah, what meekness and gentleness are His! Nothing like it on earth, or in heavenu8212?the meekness and gentleness of the God-man. 'Christ did not please Himself!' par par b III. The bearing of all this on us.b0 It is not in vain that He is thus presented to us. This meekness and gentleness ought to show both on the believer and the unbeliever. par par b (1.) On the BELIEVER.b0 The meekness and gentleness of Jesus is the strongest motive to our obedience and submission. It is the most impressive rebuke to all pride, or murmuring, or self-will. Having daily to do with one so meek and gentle, shall we not become like Him? Shall we not love Him, and shall we not honor His laws? Shall we not fear to offend Him, and shrink from wounding Him? O believer! Look at this meekness and gentleness, and put away all stubbornness, and self-will, and self-pleasing. And having to do with one so meek and gentle, shall we not put away from us all doubting, all despondency? Shall we allow one hard, one suspicious thought to linger within us? Shall we not put ourselves implicitly into His hands and trust Him forever? par par b (2.) On the UNBELIEVER.b0 'Come unto me' are the His first words to you. And His second are like unto them, 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.' Yes, He bids you come; He asks you to learn. He is the most accessible of all beings. His door is ever open; His heart is ever open; His arms are ever open. There is nothing in Him or about Him to repel you, though you are the chief of sinners, and the worst of men. His words to the sinner are pre-eminently the words of meekness and gentleness. They are infinitely attractive and encouraging. 'Him who comes to me I will never cast out.' Look at Him; listen to Him; draw near to Him; speak to Him; doubt not, despair not, depart not. Go up to Himu8212?He will receive you. Tell Him your caseu8212?He will bid you welcome. He will not cast you away. b He has patience to bear with all your foolishness, and ignorance, and stupidity, and unteachableness!b0 He will not get angry with you, as proud men lose their temper with the unteachable or obstinate. He will bear with you. The greatness of your sins shall be no hindrance. The desperateness of your diseases will not make Him repel you. He will receive you graciously, and love you freely. Yes, He comes to you and saysu8212?'Behold, I stand at the door and knock!'