The Most Natural of All

While working through Dallas Willard’s suggested resources, I found this quote from Horatius Bonar in God’s Way of Holiness.  He lived from 1808 to 1889, was from a long line of ministers that served in the Church of Scotland for a total of 364 years, and was best remembered as a poet and hymn writer.  He penned the words of one of my favorite hymns which my family arranged on a music CD: “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.” (Click to hear it.)

I think he does a good job of explaining discipleship as a holy life.  He walks beyond a consumer concept of Christianity and it’s counter-part, super-Christianity.  Discipleship does not move towards a mere “liberal sympathy” nor a “punctual devotion,” but something entirely natural.  It is based on an unbroken fellowship with Jesus, with the goal of “not copying a copy, but copying [Christ] Himself.” What a joy to anticipate learning from the Master Teacher who will bring us to a place where we can become “like the most natural of all creatures, a little child.”

A holy life in man’s estimation may be simply a life of benevolence, or of austerity, or of punctual devotion, or of kindly geniality, or noble uprightness, or liberal sympathy with all creeds, all sects, all truths, and all errors. But a holy life in God’s estimation, and according to Bible teaching, must be founded upon truth, must begin personally, in conscious peace with God through the blood of the everlasting covenant, must grow with the increase of truth and deliverance from error, must be maintained by fellowship with God, in Christ Jesus, through the indwelling of the “Spirit of holiness” (Rom 1:4). Error or imperfect truth must hinder holiness. Uncertainty as to our reconciliation with God must cloud us, straiten us, fetter us, and so prevent the true holiness, besides also fostering the false. Fellowship must be preserved unbroken, that the transmission of the heavenly electricity, in all its sanctifying, quickening power, may go on uninterrupted. Nothing must come between: not the world, nor self, nor the flesh, nor vanity, nor idols, nor the love of ease and pleasure.

The Word must be studied in all its fullness. Over its whole length and breadth we must spread ourselves. Above all theologies, creeds, catechisms, books and hymns, the Word must be meditated on, that we may grow in the knowledge of all its parts, and in assimilation to its models. Our souls must be steeped in it, not in certain favourite parts of it, but in the whole. We must know it, not from the report of others, but from our own experience and vision, else will our life be but an imitation, our religion second-hand, and therefore second-rate. Another cannot breathe the air for us, nor eat for us, nor drink for us. We must do these for ourselves. So no one can do our religion for us, nor infuse into us the life of truth which he may possess. These are not things of proxy or merchandise, or human impartation. Out of the Book of God and by the Spirit of God must each one of us be taught, else we learn in vain. Hence the exceeding danger of human influence or authority. A place of influence in such a case becomes perilous alike to the possessor of the influence and to those over whom that sway is wielded. Even when altogether on the side of truth, its issue may be but an unfruitful formalism, a correct petrifaction, an intelligent orthodoxy, and both they who possess the influence or are under its power ought to be greatly on their guard lest the human supplant the divine, and the fear of God be “taught by the precept of men” (Isa 29:13)—lest an artificial piety be the result, a mere facsimile religion, without vitality, without comfort, and without influence.

One who has “learned of Christ,” who “walks with God,” will not be an artificial man, not one playing a part or sustaining a character. He will be thoroughly natural in manners, words, looks, tones, and habits. He will be like that most natural of all creatures, a little child. Christianity becomes repulsive the moment that it is suspected to be fictitious. Religion must be ingenuous. No affectation, nor pedantry, nor conceit, nor set airs, nor what the world calls “whining,” can serve the cause of Christ, or give weight to character, or win an adversary of the Cross. The “epistle of Christ,” to be “known and read of all men” (2Co 3:2) must be transparent and natural. In living for Christ, we must follow Him fully, not copying a copy, but copying Himself; otherwise ours will be an imperfect testimony, a reflected and feeble religion, devoid of ease, and simplicity, and grace, bearing the marks of imitation and art, if not of forgery.

(Bonar, Horatius. God's Way of Holiness (Kindle Locations 1308-1334). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.)