by J. R. Miller
That which makes one a Christian is not . . . the acceptance of Christ's teaching, the uniting with His church, the adoption of His morals, the espousing of His cause—but the receiving of Him as our personal Savior, the entering into a covenant of eternal friendship with Him as our Lord and Master.
We are not saved by a creed which gathers up the essence of the truth about Christ's person and work, in a few golden sentences. We must have the Christ Himself, whom the creed holds forth, in His radiant beauty and grace.
A good many people think that being a Christian is . . . to pray a few moments morning and evening, to read a daily chapter or two in the Bible, and to attend church on Sundays. These duties are important as means of grace—but they are not vital religion.
True religion is living out the principles of Christianity in one's ordinary week-day life. It is getting the Bible and the prayers and the services—into thought and act and character!
We must not cut our lives in two and call one part secular, governing it by one set of principles—and regarding the other part as sacred, to be controlled by another set of rules. All of life is to be made religious, in the sense that everything is to be done in such a way as to please God, under the direction of His counsel. We have just as much religion, as we get into our week—your life, and not a whit more!
That which makes one a Christian is not . . . the acceptance of Christ's teaching, the uniting with His church, the adoption of His morals, the espousing of His cause—but the receiving of Him as our personal Savior, the entering into a covenant of eternal friendship with Him as our Lord and Master.
We are not saved by a creed which gathers up the essence of the truth about Christ's person and work, in a few golden sentences. We must have the Christ Himself, whom the creed holds forth, in His radiant beauty and grace.
A good many people think that being a Christian is . . . to pray a few moments morning and evening, to read a daily chapter or two in the Bible, and to attend church on Sundays. These duties are important as means of grace—but they are not vital religion.
True religion is living out the principles of Christianity in one's ordinary week-day life. It is getting the Bible and the prayers and the services—into thought and act and character!
We must not cut our lives in two and call one part secular, governing it by one set of principles—and regarding the other part as sacred, to be controlled by another set of rules. All of life is to be made religious, in the sense that everything is to be done in such a way as to please God, under the direction of His counsel. We have just as much religion, as we get into our week—your life, and not a whit more!