Have You Chosen Christ?

Just before his death, Joshua called upon the children of Israel to decide whether or not they would be loyal to the God of Heaven. Said he, «Choose you this day whom ye will serve.» The decision made by Israel that day is one that all are called upon to make; for there are still rival powers in the world. Let us consider the characters of these powers that are claiming the homage of men.

Christ, the loved commander of the hosts of Heaven, left the world of glory and the honor that he had with the Father, and came to this earth to live as a man among men, that he might rescue man from the pit of destruction into which he had fallen. He might have appeared with all the display of royalty, attended by ten thousand times ten thousand of his ministering angels; but he did not do this. He humbled himself, not only to take our nature, but to take upon him the form of a servant, to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He came to do good, to help the needy and the distressed; to heal the sick; to speak peace to the suffering; to deliver those whom Satan was afflicting; to bring redemption to all who would accept the Heaven-sent blessing. Such is the character of Him who says, «If ye love me, keep my commandments.»

There is another who claims to be the prince of this world; and very few have any idea of his activity and subtlety. He seeks the destruction of the children of men; the ruin of souls is his delight and his only employment. But his step is noiseless, his movements stealthy, and his batteries masked. He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing malignity, activity, and power. If he were to show himself openly in his true character, he would arouse the Christian’s dormant energies, and send him to God in prayer.

Many have forgotten the past record of our old adversary; soon they will cease to regard him as an enemy at all, but will look upon him as a friend, one who is doing a good work. Under his specious, bewitching influence they will obey the worst impulses of the human heart, and yet believe that God is leading them. Could their eyes be opened to distinguish their captain, they would see that they are not serving God, but the enemy of all righteousness. They would see that the independence of which they boast is one of the heaviest fetters that Satan can rivet on unbalanced minds.

When Christ was in the world, Satan was constantly working to turn men’s minds from him; and he succeeded to a great degree, because the natural heart chooses to do evil rather than good. There was an unceasing battle between Satan and his angels, and Christ and his angels. Our Saviour himself encountered this wily foe in the wilderness of temptation. During the forty days and nights of Christ’s long fast, Satan, concealing his real character, sought by every means which he could devise, to overcome the Saviour of the world. He even disguised himself as an angel of light, a Heaven-sent friend, and offered to show him an easier way to gain his object than the path of trial and suffering upon which he had entered. But Jesus repulsed the enemy, and forced him to depart, a conquered foe.

And now Satan comes with his temptations to the children of men, who are often ignorant of his devices, and here he has better success. One of his most successful devices is to keep men in ignorance of his devices; for they will not be on their guard against an enemy of whose existence they are ignorant. It is not very long since I was asked, «Do you believe in a personal devil?» «I do,» was the reply. «Well,» rejoined the questioner, «I do not believe that there is any such being; our evil thoughts and impulses are all the devil we know anything about!» «But,» I asked, «who suggests these thoughts? Whence do they originate, if not from Satan?»

Christian friends, do not be deceived by the fast-spreading delusion that Satan has no existence. Just as surely as we have a personal Saviour, we have also a personal adversary, cruel and cunning, who ever watches our steps, and plots to lead us astray. Wherever the opinion is entertained that he does not exist, there he is most busy. When we least suspect his presence, he is gaining advantage over us. I feel alarmed as I see so many yielding to his power while they know it not. Did they but see their danger, they would flee to Christ, the sinner’s refuge. They would resist the wiles of the adversary. They would pray much for wisdom, grace, and strength, and would seek most earnestly to overcome every evil trait of character. They would walk in the path that Jesus trod, and shun that which Satan urges them to choose.

The tempter often whispers that the Christian life is one of exaction, of rigorous duties; that it is hard to be on the watch continually, and there is no need of being so particular. It was thus that he deceived and overthrew Eve in Eden, telling her that God’s commands were arbitrary and unjust, given to prevent man from becoming free and exalted, like himself. His object is the same now that it was then. He desires to deceive and ruin us.

It is true that our Saviour represents his service as a yoke, and the Christian life as one of burden-bearing; yet contrasting these with the cruel power of Satan and the burdens imposed by sin, he exclaims, «My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.» If we try to meet the responsibilities of the Christian life and to perform its duties without Jesus as a helper, the yoke is galling, and the burden intolerably heavy. But it is not necessary that we should do this. We should study the life of Christ, cherish his spirit, and copy his example; then we shall be like him, and his peace will rule in our hearts. And the more we become like him, the more clearly shall we discern the temptations of Satan, and the more successfully resist his power.

Jesus invites us: «Come unto me, and I will give you rest.» «Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.» True happiness is to be found, not in self-indulgence and self-pleasing, but in learning of Christ, taking his yoke, and bearing his burden. Those who trust to their own wisdom and follow their own ways, go complaining at every step, because the burden which selfishness imposes upon them is so heavy and its yoke so galling. Selfishness cannot exist in a heart where Christ dwells; if cherished, it will crowd out everything else. It will lead persons to follow inclination rather than duty, to make self the subject of thought, and to gratify and indulge themselves, instead of seeking to be a blessing to others. Their wants, their pleasures, must come before everything else. In all this they exemplify the spirit of Satan. By their words and deeds they represent his character, instead of the character of Christ.

All this might be changed; for the grace of Christ is sufficient, if they would come to him. If they would lay off their self-imposed burden, renounce their allegiance to Satan, and take the burden which Jesus gives them, and let his yoke bind them to him in willing service, hope and joy would spring up in their hearts.

Jesus loves the purchase of his blood, and he longs to see them possess the peace which he alone can impart. He bids them learn of him meekness and lowliness of heart. This precious grace is rarely seen at the present day, even in those who profess to be Christians. Their own ways seem right in their eyes. In accepting the name of Christ, they do not accept his character, or submit to wear his yoke; therefore they know nothing of the joy and peace to be found in his service.

If we have become the disciples of Christ, we shall be learning of him—every day learning how to overcome some unlovely trait of character, every day copying his example, and coming a little nearer the pattern. If we are ever to inherit those mansions that he has gone to prepare for us, we must here be forming characters in accordance with our high destiny,—characters that will not mar the bliss of Heaven.

We now have the privilege of deciding whether we will be numbered with the servants of Christ or the servants of Satan; and every day we show by our conduct whose service we have chosen. If we are wise, we shall decide as did Joshua: «As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.»