I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24 NLT)
Here is something that you and I must dwell
upon. Personally, I am constantly brought to this: I have not yet learnt
thoroughly to believe what I believe in! I believe in the finished work of
Christ, yet sometimes I am just as miserable about myself as any man could be. I
am often almost at the point of giving up because of what a wretched kind of
thing I am. If there is anything in this world that would cause me to give up
the Christian ministry, it is myself. Do you understand what I mean? Oh, how we
are discouraged by what we find in ourselves! And so, we don't believe what we
believe in. We believe in the finished work of Christ, and that God puts all
that finished work to our account. God does not see us in ourselves – He sees us
in Christ. He does not see us, He sees Christ in us. We don't believe that! If
we really did we would be delivered from ourselves and would indeed be
triumphant Christians.
Of course, that does not mean that we can just
behave anyhow. We may speak and act wrongly, but for every Christian there is a
refuge – a mercy seat. It has not to be made; it is there with the precious
Blood. That has not to be shed; it is shed. There is a High Priest making
intercession for us. There is everything that we need. The work is finished,
completed. Oh, we Christians must believe our beliefs! We must take hold, with
both hands, of the things which are of our Christian faith.