God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:9 ESV)
Whenever we are being faced
with some new and different course, some fresh proposition or position, there is
one all-governing question that we should ask, and which we should take ample
time to ponder and pray over seriously. That question is - Does this thing
before me stand in direct line with the full purpose of God, as revealed - not
in a fragment - but in the fullness of His Word? God has left us in no doubt that
He has a clearly defined purpose in view as the ultimate object of all His
dealings. He has also made it abundantly clear what that purpose is. Further, it
is distinctly shown that believers are "called according to His purpose", and
that they are to "make their calling and election sure."
It is the business and duty of
every true Christian so to study as to be quite clear as to what that "Eternal
Purpose" is. Having done so, everything that arises to engage us must be
brought to the judgment bar of that purpose, and interrogated in its light. God
will not cut across our path, or give us particular light at any fork in the
road if we have not been diligent in this quest, or faithful to the light
given. It just will not do to allow ourselves to be influenced by questions of
comparative right or wrong, good or bad, permissibility, desirability,
expediency, or policy. Nor must ambition, soul-gratification, enlarged prospects
'for the Lord', wider acceptance in Christianity, or any such thing, color our
judgment or affect our decision. Advantage and cost are ruled out here as
deciding factors. One question, and one alone, will decide tragedy or glory:
does this that is before me stand directly in line with the full purpose of God?
When the end is reached, the full story told, the sum taken, how much that is
bound up with this will be stripped off, as having no real substance with what
is Christ, and therefore fail to be carried over into the eternal? What will the
River carry away, and what will emerge on the other side? This was the big
question that Paul put to the Corinthians.