The New Life

The New Life.
in the knowledge of Jesus, that we may know what
is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward
who believe. Amen.
1. So long as the Christian thinks of the service of God or of
sanctification as something that is hard and difficult, he will
make no progress in it. He must see that this very thing is for
him impossible. Then he will cease still endeavoring to do
something ; he will surrender himself that Christ may work all
in him. See these thoughts set forth in detail in Professor Hofmeyr'sbook,
Out of Darkness into Light : a Course of Instruction
on Conversion, the Surrender of Faith, and Sanctification * (J. H.
Rose, Cape Town), chapter third and following of the third
part.
2. The complaint about weakness is often nothing else than
an apology for our idleness. There is power to be obtained in
Christ for those who will take the pains to have it.
3.
" Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."
Mind that. I must abide in the Lord and in the power of His
might, then I become strong. To have His power I must have
Himself The strength is His, and continues His ;
the weakness
continues mine. He, the Strong, works in me, the weak
;
I,
the weak, abide by faith in Him, the Strong ; so that I, in the
self-same moment, know myself to be weak and strong.
4. Strength is for work. He who would be strong simply to
be pious, will not be so. He who in his weakness begins to
work for the Lord, shall become strong.
* Professor N. J. Hofmeyr is senior professor of the Theological
College of the Dutch Reformed Church, Stellenbosch, Cape
Colony. The volume referred to has been recently published in
English under the title, The Blessed Life : How to Find and Live
It (J. Nisbet fit Co.).—Tr.
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