THE BOYS in our picture have made themselves an old car, and they have done a pretty good job. It looks like a convertible, complete with headlights, front bumper, grill, rear view mirror, and no doubt it has other accessories that one would find on a real car.
But there is one thing that real autos possess that this car doesn’t have — it has no engine under the hood. It has no power! When the boys want to make her go, Bill climbs “bind the wheel,” while Joe gets at the back and gives her a shove, and away they go down the sidewalk. Hover, by and by Joe gets tired of pushing and the convertible rolls to a stop.
The boys’ car makes me think of many boys and girls I know — and older folks too who want others to think they are real Christians. They are very nice and kind, and well mannered; they are honest, they go to Sunday school and church regularly, they don’t do anybody any harm, instead they try to do others good; and they hope to go to heaven someday. Sometimes they put forth great efforts in this direction and may pass through this world as real Christians; yet they have no true spiritual power. The time comes when they realize that their human efforts are all in vain; they have no peace with God in their hearts. They make the sad discovery that they are not true Christians at all, for they have never been saved from their sins. They are afraid to meet God.
Now, a true Christian is one who is “born again” by the Spirit of God and he has power from on high. He has taken his place as a sinner before God and has accepted Jesus as his Saviour. He is cleansed from his sins by the blood of Christ, and the Spirit of God now dwells forever in his heart. That blessed Spirit is the power that enables him to give up his old sinful pleasures and to walk no more in his old sinful ways. It is the power that enables him to walk as a child of God, in ways pleasing to Him.
The Apostle John tell us, “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12). Also St. Peter tells us that these are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time.” 1 Peter 1:55Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5).
Let me ask you, dear young reader, are you a make-believe Christian, or a true one? Are you “born again,” and do you have the Spirit of God dwelling in your heart as that power from above? May God Himself “fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Rom. 15:1313Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13). He has said in 1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13), “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”
ML-06/16/1963