to see His face

Consider, if you will, the following statement:

"If you would live your days endeavoring to pattern your life after the life of Jesus, then you will live in vain."

That is a direct quote from a book written by Charles S. Price (1887 - 1947), a man who walked with God in a remarkable way.  His words, above quoted, are meant to be taken at face value; they mean just what they say.

A few years ago, the phrase, What would Jesus do?, came to be widely used.  It was printed on articles of clothing and bracelets.  It frequently was the subject of sermons.  That phrase was so widely recognized, in fact, it was often referred to merely by its acronym, WWJD.  But the question posed in that phrase begs yet another question, namely: How might anyone know what Jesus would do?  Most Christians, probably, would answer the latter question by suggesting that one may know what Jesus would do ~ in practically any situation, by means of familiarity with the character of Jesus as that is illustrated in the four Gospels of the New Testament.  But that notion is precisely what Charles S. Price refuted (in the above quote).

Which leaves one (or should leave one) wondering: What on earth, then, is a Christian ~ if it is not one who seeks to pattern his or her life after the model of Jesus Christ?  Isn't that what the very name, 'Christian,' is supposed to mean: 'Christ-like'?  How can one be Christ-like, unless he or she strives continually to be like Christ was in his earthly life?

Allow me to quote Price further ~ in keeping with the context of the above quotation, as follows:

"The loftiest ideal and purpose of [Christ's] Divine heart is to express Himself through human personality and to manifest His own life through these little lives of ours."

There it is.  Do you see it?  The difference may at first seem subtle, though I assure you it is not at all subtle; it is wide as a chasm.  Most professors of the Christian religion suppose that being a Christian means that one should take as a role model for his or her own life, the life of Jesus Christ as that appears in Scripture.  Whereas, true Christianity consists in unceasingly seeking to know and to submit oneself unto the WILL of that living, Divine Person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The former approach essentially looks unto the text of Scripture as a guide.  While the latter approach looks immediately unto Jesus Christ himself.  Of what use or importance is the Scripture, in that case? you may ask.  The Bible is, first of all, a "schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ" (Galatians 3:24).  The written Word of God, moreover, is "a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place ~ until the day dawn, and the day star [Christ] arise in your hearts...." (2 Peter 1:19).  God's written Word is given to be a check against mysticism and other, erroneous flights of human imagination.

A spiritual compass and guide ~ and a most useful one, indeed the Scripture is.  Yet, God never gave His Word to mankind to be a substitute in the place of a vital relationship with the living Spirit of God.  (Likewise, neither did God give the Holy Ghost to be a substitute for His Word; but, rather, the Holy Ghost ~ "the Spirit of Truth," is the revealer of the Word.)  The Psalmist David wrote that he did hide God's Word in his (David's) heart ~ in order that he might not sin against God.  The text of Scripture is a pure reflection of God's unchanging mind; though God has not disclosed ALL of His mind in the Book. 

Jesus said: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).  Jesus also said: "[N]o man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him" (Luke 10:22).

Moses wrote some of ~ if not the very earliest writings of Scripture.  What Bible did Moses have?  He had none ~ except, the 'oral tradition' that was passed down through generations since Adam, and was taught him (Moses) by his own Mother (and, much later, perhaps, by his Father-in-law?)  Yet, Moses came to possess a personal knowledge of God that doubtless surpassed that of most every modern-day Christian with a Bible.

I want to be very, very careful not to appear to belittle the unspeakably great value and importance of the Bible!  We cannot do without it.  Nor did God ever intend that we should try to make do without the Bible.  I believe a thorough knowledge of Scripture is necessary to a right knowledge and understanding of God and of Christ.

But what can they do, for example, who are ~ for whatever reason ~ deprived of the Bible?  Are they thus deprived of any opportunity, or of any other means, whereby such person(s) may obtain the knowledge of God?  I reckon God is not so limited.  Are they nevertheless at some kind of disadvantage?  I suppose they must thereby be at some disadvantage: for, the Word speaks concerning the "advantage" to those Jews who were the first to receive the oracles of God.

But what about Abraham?  Or Melchizedek?  Did those men have a Bible?  But were they not prophets?  Was not Melchizedek, in fact, a "priest of the most high God"? (Genesis 14:18).

Consider, too, if you will, the lives of the early disciples; especially, the apostles of Christ.  Yes, they had the writings of the Old Testament.  But they had not yet (during much of their own lifetimes) any New Testament scriptures as such.  Ah! but they did have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus himself.  And that surely made ALL the difference in their lives.

As it happened through the passing of many centuries, fundamental (as we now perceive that) doctrines of Scripture became obscured, to the point of being practically concealed by the darkness of Popery.  The doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, for example, was evidently little known or understood (for how long?) ~ until, Martin Luther 'rediscovered' that great truth in Scripture, sometime in the early sixteenth-century.  Later still, the doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost evidently remained suppressed, until the great, worldwide Pentecostal Revival(s) began just over a hundred years ago.

Who's to say there is not still some perspective ~ that is to say, a way of 'seeing' Christ and one's relationship to Him, that needs to be (and shall be) restored to the Church in these last days prior to Christ's return?  I, for one, wholeheartedly believe that is the case!!  For, I plainly see the modern-day Church very little resembles what it was merely a century ago ~ much less is it like what the Church was nearly two-thousand years ago! 

In my own life, I am seeking God to lead me to a much deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the agency of the blessed Holy Ghost.  I want to walk with him in a more perfect and complete way.  I want to learn of him ~ as though coming to sit at his feet for the very first time to be taught by him.  I want to experience more of the reality, more of the benefits, more of the power of that union with Christ ~ of which the Bible speaks.  I want my thoughts and my vision to be more filled with the person of Jesus Christ.  All of which is to say, I want more of Christ to be more and more the life I live.

I can never return to bind myself under a yoke of ritual and tradition.  I don't know how I may henceforth be of service to Christ, except, to continue to seek him with my whole heart and be prepared to do whatever he gives me to do, from day to day.  Which, really, is how I've been living for quite some time, now.  Still, I'm looking ~ and expecting ~ more than ever before, far greater things in God than I have ever yet known.  Amazing to me, I believe God is giving me signs and confirmation of good things to come . . . notwithstanding I very often wrestle with strong feelings: of isolation; of fruitlessness; of questioning myself; of deep concerns for the spiritual life of my own family, not to mention of this my generation.

I encourage myself in the Lord, with many insights he has taught me.  I recall how that Jesus himself never preached a sermon; never healed a sick person; never worked a miracle; never sought disciples  ~ though he was a full grown man, the perfect, sinless Son of God.  Until . . , one day, all of that began to change in his life.  Thenceforth, the power of God began to be revealed in the life of Christ in ever-increasing measure.

I'm not a thrill-seeker, but a God-seeker.  I'm not seeking "signs and wonders"; I'm seeking the revelation of Jesus Christ.  I've spent most of my life trying to learn about him.  Now, I want to see his face; to know him as he is.