“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam. 15:2323For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (1 Samuel 15:23)). These are weighty words for a moment like the present, when man’s will is developing itself with such extraordinary force. It is deemed manly to assert our will; but Scripture teaches the direct opposite.
The two grand elements of human perfection—of perfect manhood—are these, namely, dependence and obedience. In proportion as anyone departs from these, he departs from the true spirit and attitude of a man. Hence, when we turn our eyes to Him who was the perfect Man—the Man Christ Jesus, we see these two grand features perfectly adjusted and perfectly developed, from first to last. That blessed One was never, for a single moment, out of the attitude of perfect dependence and absolute obedience.
To prove and illustrate this fact would take us through the entire gospel narrative. But take the scene of the temptation, and there you will find a sample of the whole of that blessed life. His one unvarying reply to the tempter was, “It is written.” No reasonings, no arguments, no questions. He lived by the Word of God. He conquered Satan by holding fast the only true position of a man—dependence and obedience. He could depend upon God; and He would obey Him. What could Satan do in such a case? Absolutely nothing.
Well, then, this is our example. We, as having the life of Christ, are called to live in habitual dependence and obedience. This is walking in the Spirit. This is the safe and happy path of the Christian.
Independence and disobedience go together. They are utterly unchristian and unmanly. We find these two things in the first man, as we find the two opposites in the Second Adam in the garden sought to be independent. He was not content with being a man, and abiding in the only true place and spirit of a man, and he became disobedient. Here lies the secret of fallen humanity—these are the two elements which make up fallen manhood. Trace it where you will—before the flood, after the flood; without law, under the law; Heathen, Pagan, Jew, Turk, or nominal Christian; analyze it as closely as you please—and you will see that it resolves itself into these two component parts—independence and disobedience. And when you reach the close of man’s history in this world, when you view him in that last sad sphere in which he is to figure, how do you see him? In what character does he appear? As “the Willful king,” and the “Lawless man.”