February 24For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit — Rom. 8:3, 4.
What comfort and consolation are in these assurances! These are wonderful words of life, indeed! They inspire us with hope. If God will accept perfect heart-intentions, as instead of the absolute perfection of the flesh, then indeed we have hope of attaining to the standard which He has marked for us, the standard of perfection. … We can walk after the Spirit, though, so far as our mortal bodies are concerned, we cannot walk up to the Spirit's requirements. Our minds can walk up to the Spirit, our intentions can be perfect; and this is what our Heavenly Father seeks in us, perfection of intention—Z '02, 248 (R 3060). On account of the fall our physical, mental, moral and religious faculties are imperfect, and we are unable to fulfill the Law, which is the measure of a perfect man's ability; but Christ's sacrifice on our behalf furnishes us in faith a robe of righteousness, which covers all our sins of weakness and ignorance. These thus not counting against us, we can in the new heart, mind and will fulfill the righteousness of the Law, inasmuch as we walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit—P '27, 15, 16. Parallel passages: Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:20; 7:5-11; 10:4; Gal. 2:16; 4:4, 5; Heb. 7:18; 10:1, 2; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 5:16, 25; Titus 2:11, 12. Hymns: 5, 9, 15, 54, 124, 187, 246. Poems of Dawn, 89: Filled with Christ's Fulness. Tower Reading: Z '12, 239 (R 5070). Questions: Have I this week trusted in the finished work of Christ? How? Why? How did it affect me? |
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FILLED WITH CHRIST'S FULNESS
JESUS, my Lord, Thou art my life,
My rest in labor, strength in strife;
Thy love begets my love of Thee;
Thy fullness that which filleth me.
Long, long I struggled ere I knew
My struggling vain, my life untrue.
I sought by efforts of mine own
What is the gift of Christ alone.
I prayed, and wrestled in my prayer,
I wrought, but self was ever there;
Joy never came, nor rest, nor peace,
Nor faith, nor hope, nor love's increase.
Mine effort vain, my weakness learned,
Weary, from self to Christ I turned,
Content to let His fulness be
An unbought fulness unto me.
Life's heavenly secret was revealed—
In Christ all riches are concealed.
We try and fail; we ask, He gives,
And in His rest our spirit lives.
O peaceful rest! O Life Divine!
Mine efforts cannot make Thee mine.
I yield my sinful heart to Thee.
And in Thy love Thou fillest me.
JESUS, my Lord, Thou art my life,
My rest in labor, strength in strife;
Thy love begets my love of Thee;
Thy fullness that which filleth me.
Long, long I struggled ere I knew
My struggling vain, my life untrue.
I sought by efforts of mine own
What is the gift of Christ alone.
I prayed, and wrestled in my prayer,
I wrought, but self was ever there;
Joy never came, nor rest, nor peace,
Nor faith, nor hope, nor love's increase.
Mine effort vain, my weakness learned,
Weary, from self to Christ I turned,
Content to let His fulness be
An unbought fulness unto me.
Life's heavenly secret was revealed—
In Christ all riches are concealed.
We try and fail; we ask, He gives,
And in His rest our spirit lives.
O peaceful rest! O Life Divine!
Mine efforts cannot make Thee mine.
I yield my sinful heart to Thee.
And in Thy love Thou fillest me.
