How To Become Like Christ by Marcus Dods

How to Become Like Christ
HOW TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST

By Marcus Dods
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CONTENTS
How to Become Like Christ The Transfiguration Indiscreet Importunity Shame on Account of Gods Disp easure !aaman Cured The Lame "an at the Temp e Gate
HOW TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST.

#But we a $ with un%ei ed face ref ecting as a mirror the g ory of the Lord$ are changed into the same image from g ory to g ory$ e%en as &y the Spirit of the Lord'())* C+,' iii' -. /,e%ised 0ersion1' I suppose there is a most no one who wou d deny$ if it were put to him$ that the greatest possi& e attainment a man can make in this wor d is ikeness to The Lord 2esus Christ' Certain y no one wou d deny that there is nothing &ut character that we can carry out of ife with us$ and that our prospect of good in any future ife wi certain y %ary with the resem& ance of our character to that of 2esus Christ$ which is to ru e the who e future' 3e a admit that4 &ut a most e%ery one of us offers to himse f some apo ogy for not &eing ike Christ$ and has scarce y any c ear rea ity of aim of &ecoming ike Him' 3hy$ we say to ourse %es$ or we say in our practice$ it is rea y impossi& e in a wor d such as ours is to &ecome perfect y ho y' +ne or two men in a century may &ecome great saints4 gi%en a certain natura disposition and gi%en e5ceptiona y fa%ouring circumstances$ men may &ecome saint y4 &ut sure y the ordinary run of men$ men such as we know ourse %es to &e$ with secu ar disposition and with many strong$ %igorous passions6sure y we can rea y not &e e5pected to &ecome ike Christ$ or$ if it is e5pected of us$ we know that it is impossi& e' +n the contrary$ 7au says$ #3e a $( #we a '( 8%ery Christian has that for a destiny9 to &e changed into the image of his Lord' And he not on y says so$ &ut in this one %erse he re%ea s to us the mode of &ecoming ike Christ$ and a mode$ as we sha find$ so simp e and
so infa i& e in its working that a man cannot understand it without renewing his hope that e%en he may one day &ecome ike Christ' In order to understand this simp est mode of sanctification we must ook &ack at the incident that we read in the Book of 85odus /555i%' *:);<'1' 7au had &een reading how when "oses came down from the mount where he had &een speaking with God his face shone$ so as to da== e and a arm those who were near him' They at once recognised that that was the g ory of God ref ected from him4 and >ust as it is a most as difficu t for us to ook at the sun ref ected from a mirror as to ook direct y at the sun$ so these men fe t it a most as difficu t to ook straight at the face of "oses as to ook straight at the face of God' But "oses was a wise man$ and he showed his wisdom in this instance as we as e sewhere' He knew that that g ory was on y on the skin of his face$ and that of course it wou d pass away' It was a superficia shining' And according y he put a %ei o%er his face$ that the chi dren of Israe might not see it dying out from minute to minute and from hour to hour$ &ecause he knew these Israe ites thorough y$ and he knew that when they saw the g ory dying out they wou d say$ #God has forsaken "oses' 3e need not attend to him any more' His authority is gone$ and the g ory of Gods presence has passed from him'( So "oses wore the %ei that they might not see the g ory dying out' But whene%er he was ca ed &ack to the presence of God he took off the %ei and recei%ed a new access of g ory on his face$ and thus went #from g ory to g ory'( #That$( says 7au $ #is precise y the process through which we Christian men &ecome ike Christ'( 3e go &ack to the presence of Christ with un%ei ed face4 and as often as we stand in His presence$ as often as we dea in our spirit with the i%ing Christ$ so often do we take on a itt e of His g ory' The g ory of Christ is His character4
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and as often as we stand &efore Christ$ and think of Him$ and rea ise what He was$ our heart goes out and ref ects some of His character' And that ref ection$ that g ory$ is not any onger mere y on the skin of the face4 as 7au wishes us to recognise$ it is a spiritua g ory$ it is wrought &y the spirit of Christ upon our spirit$ and it is we ourse %es that are changed from g ory to g ory into the %ery image of the Lord' !ow o&%ious y this mode of sanctification has e5traordinary recommendations' In the first p ace$ it is a&so ute y simp e' If you go to some priest or spiritua director$ or minister of the Gospe $ or friend$ and ask what you are to do if you wish to &ecome a ho y man$ why$ e%en the &est of them wi a most certain y te you to read certain &ooks$ to spend so much time in prayer and reading your Bi& e$ to go regu ar y to church$ to engage in this and that good work' If you had app ied to a spiritua director of the midd e ages of this wor ds history and of the history of Christianity$ he wou d ha%e to d you that you must retire from the wor d a together in order to &ecome ho y' 7au says$ #Away with a that nonsense?( 3e are i%ing in a rea wor d4 Christ i%ed in a rea wor d9 Christ did not retire from men' And He says a that you ha%e to do in order to &e ike Christ is to carry His image with you in your heart' That is a ' To &e with Him$ to et Him stand &efore you and command your o%e$ that wi infa i& y change you into His image' I do not know that we sufficient y recognise the simp icity of Christian methods' 3e do not understand what 7au meant &y proc aiming it as the re igion of the spirit$ as a re igion superior to e%erything mechanica and e5terna ' Think of the de i%erance it was for him who had grown up under a re igion which commanded him to go a >ourney three times a year$ to take the &est of his goods and offer
them in the Temp e$ to comp y with a mu titude of oppressi%e o&ser%ances and ordinances' Think of the emancipation when he found a spiritua re igion' 3hy$ in those times a man must ha%e despaired of &ecoming a ho y man4 But now 7au says you wi infa i& y &ecome ho y if you earn this easy esson of carrying the Lord 2esus with you in your heart' Another recommendation of this method is that it is so o&%ious y grounded on our own nature' !o sooner are we to d &y 7au that we must act as mirrors of Christ than we recognise that nature has made us to &e mirrors$ that we cannot &ut ref ect what is passing &efore us' @ou are wa king a ong the street$ and$ a itt e chi d runs &efore a carriage4 you shrink &ack as if you were in danger' @ou see a man fa from a scaffo ding$ crushed4 your face takes on an e5pression of pain$ ref ecting what is passing in him' @ou go and spend an e%ening with a man much stronger$ much purer$ much saner$ than yourse f$ and you come away knowing yourse f a stronger and a &etter man' 3hyA Because you are a mirror$ &ecause in your inmost nature you ha%e responded to and ref ected the good that was in him' Look into any fami y$ and what do you seeA @ou see the &oy$ not imitating conscious y$ &ut taking on$ his fathers ooks and attitudes and ways4 and as the &oy grows up these &ecome his own ooks and attitudes and ways' He has ref ected his father from one degree of proficiency unto another$ from one intimacy$ from one days o&ser%ation of his father to another$ unti he is the image of the o d man o%er again' #Simi ar y$( says 7au $ # i%e with Christ4 earn to carry His image with you$ earn to adore Him$ earn to o%e Him$ and infa i& y$ whether you wi or not$ &y this simp e method you wi &ecome$
Christ o%er again4 you wi &ecome conformed$ as God means you to &ecome conformed$ to the image of His Son'( This has &een tested &y the e5perience of thousands4 and it has &een found to &e a true method' 8%ery one who spends &ut two minutes in the morning in the o&ser%ation of Christ$ e%ery one who wi &e at the pains to et the image of Christ rise &efore him and to remem&er the purity$ the unwor d iness$ the hea%en iness$ the god iness of 2esus Christ$ that man is the &etter for this e5ercise' And how utter y use ess is it to offer any other method of sanctification to thousands of our fe ow)citi=ens' How can many of our fe ow)citi=ens secrete themse %es for prayerA If you ask them to go and pray as you pray in your comforta& e home$ if you ask them to read the Bi& e &efore they go out at fi%e or si5 oc ock in the morning$ do you e5pect that your word wi &e fo owedA 3hy$ the thing is impossi& e' But ask a man to carry Christ with him in his mind$ that is a thing he can do4 and if he does it once$ if on y once the man sees Christ &efore him$ rea ises that this i%ing 7erson is with him$ and remem&ers the character of Christ as it is written for us in the Gospe s$ that man knows that he has made a step in ad%ance$ knows that he is the &etter for it$ knows that he does ref ect$ for a itt e$ e%en though it &e &ut for a itt e$ the %ery image of the Lord 2esus Christ4 and other peop e know it a so' !ow$ if that is so$ there are o&%ious y three things that we must do' 3e must in the first p ace$ earn to associate with Christ' I say that e%en one ref ection does something$ &ut we need to ref ect Christ constant y$ continua y$ if we are to &ecome ike Him' 3hen you pass away from &efore a mirror the ref ection a so 'goes' In the case of "oses the ref ection stayed for a itt e$ and that is perhaps a truer figure of what happens to the Christian who sets Christ &efore him and ref ects him'
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But %ery often as soon as Christ is not conscious y remem&ered you fa &ack to other remem&rances and ref ect other things' @ou go out in the morning with your associates$ and they carry you away4 you ha%e not as yet sufficient y impressed upon yourse f the image of Christ' Therefore we must earn to carry Christ with us a ways$ as a constant Companion' Some one may say that is impossi& e' !o one wi say it is impossi& e who is i%ing in a&sence from anyone he o%es' 3hat happens when we are i%ing separated from some one we o%eA This happens9 that his image is continua y in our minds' At the most une5pected times that image rises$ and especia y$ if we are proposing to ourse %es to do what that person wou d not appro%e' At once his image rises to re&uke us and to ho d us &ack' So that it is not on y possi& e to carry with us the image of Christ9 it is a&so ute y certain that we sha carry that image with us if on y we gi%e Him that o%e and re%erence which is due from e%ery human &eing' 3ho has done for us what Christ has doneA 3ho commands our re%erence as He doesA If once He gets ho d of our affection$ it is impossi& e that He shou d not i%e constant y in our hearts' And if we say that persons deep y immersed in &usiness cannot carry Christ with them thus$ remem&er what He Himse f says9 #If any man o%e "e$ he wi keep "y word4 and "y Bather wi o%e him$ and we wi come unto him'( So that He is most present with the &usiest and with those who stri%e as &est they can to keep His commandments' But we must not on y associate with Christ and make Him our constant company9 we must$ in the second p ace$ set ourse %es sCuare with Christ' @ou know that if you ook into a mirror o& iCue y$ if a mirror is not set sCuare with you$ you do not see
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yourse f$ &ut what is at the opposite ang e$ something that is p easant or something that is disagreea& e to you4 it matters not6 you cannot see yourse f' And un ess we as mirrors set ourse %es perfect y sCuare with Christ$ we do not ref ect Him$ &ut perhaps things that are in His sight monstrous' And$ in point of fact$ that is what happens with most of us$ &ecause it is here that we are chief y tried' A persons &rought up within the Christian Church pay some attention to Christ' 3e too we understand His e5ce ence and we too we understand the ad%antages of &eing Christian men not to pay some attention to Christ' But that wi not make us conform to His image' In order to &e conformed to the image of Christ we must &e who y His' Suppose you enter a studio where a scu ptor is working$ wi he hand you his hammer and chise to finish the most difficu t piece of his work or to do any part of itA Assured y not' It is his own idea that he is working out$ and none &ut his own hand can work it out' So with us who are to &e mou ded &y Christ' Christ cannot mou d us into His image un ess we are who y His' 8%ery stroke that is made upon us &y the chise and ma et of the wor d is ost to His idea ' As often as we ref ect what is not pure y Christian$ so often do we mar the I image of Christ' !ow how is it with usA !eed we askA 3hen we go a ong the street$ what is it that we ref ectA Do we not ref ect a thousand things that Christ disappro%esA 3hat is it that our heart responds to when we are engaged in &usinessA Is it to appea s that this wor d makes to usA Is it the appea that a prospect of gain makes to us that we respond to eager yA That is what is making us4 that is what is mou ding and making us the men that we are destined to &e' 3e are mou ded into the character that we are destined to i%e with for e%er and e%er$ &y our ikings and dis ikings$ &y the actua response
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that we are now gi%ing day &y day to the things that we ha%e to do with in this wor d' 3e may oathe the character of the sensua ist4 no anguage is too strong for us when we speak of him9 &ut if we$ in point of fact$ respond to appea s made to the f esh rather than appea s made to the spirit$ we are &ecoming sensua ' 3e may oathe and despise the character of the a%aricious wor d y man4 we may see its itt eness$ and pettiness$ and greed$ and se fishness9 &ut do our own hearts go out in response to any offer of gain more eager y than they go out to Christian work or to the interests of Christs kingdomA Then we are &ecoming wor d y and a%aricious4 we are &ecoming the %ery kind of men that we despise' +f course we know this' 3e Dnow that we are &eing made &y what we respond to$ and the o der we grow we know it the more c ear y4 we see it written on our own character that we ha%e &ecome the kind of men that we itt e thought one day we shou d &ecome$ and we know that we ha%e &ecome such men &y responding to certain things which are not the things of the Spirit' !e%er was a truer word said than that he that Soweth to the f esh sha of the f esh reap corruption$ and he on y that soweth to the Spirit sha reap ife' That is what in other terms 7au here says' He says$ #If you set yourse %es sCuare with Christ$ you wi &ecome ike Him4 that is to say$ if you find your a in Him$ if you can &e a&so ute y frank and honest with Him$ if you can say$ E"ou d and fashion me according to Thy wi 4 ead me according to Thy wi 4 make me in this wor d what Thou wi t4 do with me what Thou wi t9 I put myse f who y at Thy disposa 4 I do not wish to crane to see past Christs figure to some &etter thing &eyond4 I gi%e myse f who y and free y to him6the man that says this$ the man that does this$ he wi certain y &ecome ike to Him'
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But the man who e%en when he prays knows that he has desires in his heart that Christ cannot gratify$ the man that ne%er goes out from his own home or ne%er goes into his own home without knowing that he has responded to things that Christ disappro%es6 how can that man hope to &e ike HimA( 3e must then associate with Christ$ and we must set ourse %es sCuare y4 we must' &e a&so ute y true in our entire and a&so ute de%otion' Sure y no man thinks that this is a hardship4 that his nature and ife wi &e restricted &y gi%ing himse f who y to ChristA It is on y$ as e%ery Christian wi te you6it is on y when you gi%e yourse f entire y to Christ that you know what freedom means4 that you know what it is to i%e in this wor d afraid of nothing' Superior to things that &efore you were afraid of and an5ious a&out$ you at ength earn what it is to &e a chi d of God' Let no man think that he ames his nature and makes his ife poorer &y &ecoming entire y the possession of Christ' But$ third y$ we must set Christ &efore us and i%e &efore Him with un%ei ed face' #3e a with un%ei ed face ref ecting as a mirror'( Throw a napkin o%er a mirror$ and it ref ects nothing' 7erfect &eauty may stand &efore it$ &ut the mirror gi%es no sign' And this is why in a dispensation ike ours$ the Christian dispensation$ with e%erything contri%ed to ref ect Christ$ to e5hi&it Christ$ the who e thing set a)going for this purpose of e5hi&iting Christ$ we so itt e see Him' How is it that two men can sit at a Communion ta& e together$ and the one &e ifted to the se%enth hea%en and see the Ding in His &eauty$ whi e the other on y en%ies his neigh&our his %isionA 3hy is it that in the same househo d two persons wi pass through identica y the same domestic circumstances$ the same e%ents$ from year to year$ and the one see Christ e%erywhere$ whi e the other grows su en$ sour$ indifferentA 3hy is itA Because the one wears a %ei that pre%ents him from seeing Christ4 the other i%es
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with un%ei ed face' How was it that the 7sa mist$ in the changes of the seasons e%en$ in the mountain$ in the sea$ in e%erything that he had to do$ found GodA How was it that he knew that e%en though he made his &ed in he he wou d find GodA Because he had an un%ei ed face4 he was prepared to find God' How is it that many of us can come into church and &e much more taken up with the presence of some friend than with the presence of ChristA The same reason sti 9 we wear a %ei 4 we do not come with un%ei ed face prepared to see Him' And 3hen we ask ourse %es$ #3hat$ in point of fact$ is the %ei that I wearA 3hat is it that has kept me from responding to the perfect &eauty of Christs characterA I know that that character is perfect4 I know that I ought to respond to it4 I know that I ought to go out eager y towards Christ and stri%e to &ecome ike Him4 why do I not do itA( we find that the %ei that keeps us from responding thus to Christ and ref ecting Him is not ike the mere dimness on a mirror which the &right and warm presence of Christ Himse f wou d dry off4 it is ike an incrustation that has &een growing out from our hearts a our ife ong$ and that now is imper%ious$ so far as we can see$ to the image of Christ' How can hearts steeped in wor d iness ref ect this a&so ute y unwor d y$ this hea%en y 7ersonA 3hen we ook into our hearts$ what do we find in point of factA 3e find a thousand $things that we know ha%e no right there4 that we know to &e wrong' How can such hearts ref ect this perfect purity of ChristA 3e $ we must see to it that these hearts &e c eansed4 we must ho d ourse %es &efore Christ unti from %ery shame these passions of ours are su&dued$ unti His purity works its way into our hearts through a o&structions4 and we must keep our hearts$ we must keep the mirror free from dust$ free from incrustations$ once we ha%e c eansed it'
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In some circumstances you might &e tempted to say that rea y it is not so much that there is a %ei on the mirror as that there is no Cuicksi %er at a &ehind' @ou meet in ife characters so thin$ so sha ow$ that e%ery good thought seems to go through and out of them at the other side4 they hear with one ear$ and it goes out at the other' @ou can make no impression upon them' There is nothing to impress$ no character there to work upon' They are utter y indifferent to spiritua things$ and ne%er gi%e a thought to their own character' 3hat is to &e done with such personsA God is the great Teacher of us a 4 God$ in His pro%idence$ has made many a man who has &egun ife as sha ow and superficia as man can &e$ deep enough &efore He has done with him' Two particu ars in which the perfectness of this method appears may &e pointed out' Birst of a $ it is perfect in this9 that anyone who &egins it is &ound to go on to the end' The %ery nature of the case eads him to go on and on from g ory to g ory$ &ack and &ack to Christ$ unti the process is$ actua y comp eted$ and he is ike Christ' The reason is this9 that the Christian conscience is ne%er much taken up with attainment made$ &ut a ways with attainment that is yet to &e made' It is the difference not the ikeness that touches the conscience' A friend has &een away in Austra ia for ten years$ and he sends you his ikeness$ and you take it out eager y$ and you say$ #@es$ the eyes are the %ery eyes4 the &row$ the hair are e5act y ike$( &ut there is something a&out the mouth that you do not ike$ and you thrust it away in a drawer and ne%er ook at it again' 3hyA Because the one point of un ikeness destroys the who e to you' 2ust so when any Christian presents himse f &efore Christ it is not the points of ikeness$ supposing there are any$ which strike his conscience6it is the remaining points of difference that ine%ita& y strike him$ and so he is urged on and on from one degree of proficiency to another unti the process is comp eted$ &ecause there
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is no point at which a man has made a sufficient attainment in the ikeness of Christ' There is no point at which Christ draws a ine and says$ #@ou wi do we if you reach this height$ and you need not stri%e further'( 3hy$ we shou d &e dissatisfied$ we shou d throw up our a egiance to Christ if He treated us so' He is our idea $ and it is resem& ance to Him that draws us and makes us stri%e forward4 and so a man is &ound$ to go on$ and on$ and on$ sti drawn on to his idea $ sti re&uked &y his shortcomings unti he perfect y resem& es Christ' And this character of Christ that is our idea is not assumed &y Him for the nonce' He did not change His nature when He came to this earth4 He did not put on this character to set us an e5amp e' The things that He did$ He did &ecause it was His nature to do them' He came to this wor d &ecause His o%e wou d not et Him stay away from us' It was His nature that &rought Him here$ and it is His nature to &e what He is$ and so his character is to &ecome our nature4 it is to &e so wrought in us that we cannot gi%e it up' It is our eterna character$ and therefore any amount of pains is worth spending on the achie%ement of it' The second point of perfectness ies here' @ou know that in painting a ikeness or cutting out a &ust one feature often may &e a most finished whi e the rest are scarce y touched$ &ut in standing &efore a mirror the who e comes out at once' !ow we often in the Christian ife dea with ourse %es as if we were painters and scu ptors$ not as if we were mirrors9 we hammer and chise away at ourse %es to &ring out some resem& ance to Christ in some particu ars$ thinking that we can do it piecemea 4 we might as we try to feed up our &ody piecemea 4 we might as we try to make our eye &right without gi%ing our cheek co our and our hands strength' The &ody is a who e$ and we must feed the who e and nourish the who e if any one part of it is to &e %igorous'
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So it is with character' The character is a who e$ and you can on y dea with your character as a who e' 3hat has resu ted when we ha%e tried the other processA Sometimes we set ourse %es to su&due a sin or cu ti%ate a grace' 3e $ candid y say what has come of this' 2udging from my own e5perience$ I wou d say that this comes of it9 that in three or four days you forget what sin it was that you were trying to su&due' The temptation is away$ and the sin is not there$ and you forget a a&out it' That is the %ery snare of sin' +r you &ecome a itt e &etter in a point that you were trying to cu ti%ate' In that grace you are a shade impro%ed' But that on y &rings out more astounding y your frightfu shortcoming in other particu ars' !ow$ adopting 7au s method$ this happens9 Christ acts on our character >ust as a person acts upon a mirror' The who e image is ref ected at once' How is it that society mou ds a manA How can you te in what c ass in society a man has &een &rought upA !ot &y one thing$ not &y his accent$ not &y his &earing$ not &y his conduct$ &ut the who e man' And whyA Because a man does not conscious y imitate this or that feature of the society in which he is &rought up$ does not do it conscious y at a 4 he is mere y ref ecting it as a mirror$ and society acts on him as a who e$ and makes him the man he is' #2ust so$( says 7au ' #Li%e with Christ$ and He wi make you the man that you are destined to &e'( +ne word in conc usion' I suppose there is no one who at one time or other has not earnest y desired to &e of some use in the wor d' 7erhaps there are few who ha%e not e%en definite y desired to &e of some use in the kingdom of Christ' As soon as we recognise the uniCueness of Christs purpose and the uniCueness of His power in the wor d$ as soon as we recognise that a good inf uence and a super ati%e y dominant inf uence proceeds from Him$ and that rea y the hope of our race ies in 2esus Christ6as soon as we rea ise that$ as soon as we see that with our reason$ and not as a
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thing that we ha%e &een taught to &e ie%e$ as soon as we ay ho d on it for ourse %es$ we cannot &ut wish to do something to forward His purposes in the wor d' But as soon as we form the wish we say$ #3hat can we doA 3e ha%e not &een &orn with great gifts4 we ha%e not &een &orn in superior positions4 we ha%e not wea th4 we are shut off from the common ways of doing good4 we cannot teach in the Sa&&ath schoo 4 we cannot go and preach4 we cannot go and speak to the sick4 we cannot speak e%en to our fe ow at the desk' 3hat can we doA( 3e can do the &est thing of a $ as of course a the &est things are open to e%ery man' Lo%e$ faith$ >oy$ hope$ a these things$ a the &est things$ are open to a men4 and so here it is open to a of us to forward the cause of Christ in the most inf uentia way possi& e$ if not in the most prominent way' 3hat happens when a person is ooking into a shop window where there is a mirror$ and some one comes up &ehind6some one he knowsA He does not ook any onger at the image4 he turns to ook at the person whose image is ref ected' +r if he sees ref ected on the mirror something %ery striking9 he does not content himse f with ooking at the image4 he turns and ooks at the thing itse f' So it is a ways with the persons that you ha%e to do with' If you &ecome a mirror to Christ your friends wi detect it in a %ery few days4 they wi see appearing in you$ the mirror$ an image which they know has not &een originated in you$ and they wi turn to ook straight at the 7erson that you are ref ecting' It is in that way that Christianity passes from man to man' THE TRANSFIGURATION. #And it came to pass a&out eight days after these sayings$ He took 7eter and 2ohn and 2ames and went up into the mountain to pray'(6LFD8 i5' *.);G'
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The pu& ic ife or our Lord fa s into two parts4 and the incident here recorded is the turning point &etween them' In order that He might ea%e &ehind Him when He died a sure foundation for His Church$ it was necessary that His intimate companions shou d at a e%ents know that He was the Christ$ and that the Christ must enter into g ory &y suffering death' +n y then$ when they understood ' this$ cou d He die and ea%e them on earth &ehind' !ow it is >ust at this point in His ife that it has &ecome Cuite c ear that the first artic e of the Christian creed6that 2esus is the Christ6 had &een at ast definite y accepted &y the discip es' 0ery so emn y our Lord has put it to them9 #3ho say ye that I am A( !o dou&t it was a trying moment for Him as for them' 3hat was He to do if it had not now &ecome p ain at east to a few steadfast sou s that He was the Christ6the "essenger of God to menA Happi y the impu si%eness of 7eter gi%es Him itt e space for an5iety4 for he$ with that generous out&urst of affectionate trust which shou d ring through e%ery creed$ said$ #Thou art the Christ$ the Son of the i%ing God'( @ou see the intensified re ief which this &rought to our Lord$ the keen satisfaction He fe t as He heard it distinct y and so emn y uttered as the creed of the Twe %e4 as He heard what hitherto He cou d on y ha%e gathered from casua e5pressions$ from wistfu awe)struck ooks$ from o%erheard Cuestionings and de&atings with one another' @ou see how at once$ He steps on to a new footing with them$ as He cordia y$ and with intense gratitude$ says to 7eter$ #B essed art thou$ Simon Bar>ona'( In this Di%ine y) wrought confession of 7eters$ He finds at ast the foundation stone of the earth y &ui ding the &eginning of that inte igent and hearty reception of Himse f which was to make earth the recipient of a hea%ens fu ness' But as yet on y ha f the work is done' "en &e ie%e that He is the Ding$ &ut as yet they ha%e %ery itt e idea of what the kingdom is to consist' They think Him worthy of a g ory$ &ut the kind of g ory$ and the way to it they are ignorant of' Brom$ that
18
time forth$ therefore$ &egan 2esus to show unto them how He must go unto 2erusa em and suffer many things$ e%en of the men who ought chief y to ha%e recognised Him$ and to &e raised again the third day' +nce &efore our Lord had &een tempted in another way to the throne of the uni%ersa dominion of men4 again this temptation is pressed upon Him &y the %ery men who shou d ha%e he ped Him to resist it4 His c osest$ His warmest$ His most en ightened friends$ those who stand on Cuite a different p ane from the wor d at arge$ are His tempters' Satan found in them an adeCuate mouthpiece' They$ who shou d ha%e cheered and heartened Him to face the terri& e prospect$ were hindrances$ were an additiona &urden and an5iety to Him' !ow$ it is to this con%ersation that the incident known as the transfiguration is inked &y a the e%ange ists who re ate it6the first three' It was si5 days after /or$ as Luke says$ eight days after1 this con%ersation that 2esus went up "ount Hermon for the sake of retirement and prayer' 7 ain y He was aware that the great crisis of His ife had come' The time had come when He must cease teaching$ and face His destiny' He had made upon His discip es an impression which wou d &e inde i& e' 3ith de i&eration they had accepted Him as the "essiah4 the Church was founded4 His work$ so far as His teaching went$ was accomp ished' It remained that He shou d die' To consecrate Himse f to this hard necessity$ He retired to the so itude of "ount Hermon' 3e start$ then$ from the wrong point of %iew$ if we suppose that 2esus c im&ed Hermon in order to en>oy spiritua ecstasy$ or e5hi&it His g ory to those three men' 8cstasy of this kind must come unsought4 and the way to it ies through conf ict$ humi iation$ se f)mastery' It was not simp y to pray that 2esus retired4 it was to engage in the great conf ict of His ife' And &ecause He fe t$ Himse f so much in need of kindness and
19
support$ He took with Him the three companions He cou d most depend upon' They were oya friends4 and their %ery presence was a strength to Him' So human was 2esus$ and now so hea%i y &urdened$ that the de%otedness of these three p ain men6the sound of their %oices$ the touch of their hands as they c am&ered the hi together$ ga%e Him strength and courage' Let no one &e ashamed to ean upon the affection of his fe ow)men' Let us$ a so$ re%erent y$ and with sympathy$ accompany our Lord and witness$ and endea%our to understand$ the conf ict in which He now engaged' It has &een suggested that the transfiguration may &est &e understood as a temptation' Fndou&ted y there must ha%e &een temptation in the e5perience of 2esus at this crisis' It was for the purpose of fina y consecrating Himse f to death$ with a its painfu accompaniments$ that He now retired' But the %ery difficu ty of this act of consecration consisted >ust in this9 that He might$ if He p eased$ a%oid death' It was &ecause 7eters words$ #This &e far from Thee$( touched a deep chord in His own spirit$ and strengthened that within Himse f which made Him trem& e and wish that Gods wi cou d in any other wise &e accomp ished6it was this which caused Him so sharp y and sudden y to re&uke 7eter' 7eters words penetrated to what was urking near at hand as His norma temptation' 3e may %ery readi y underrate the tria and temptation of Christ$ and thus ha%e on y a forma $ not a rea $ esteem for His manhood' 3e a ways underrate it when we do not fu y apprehend His human nature$ and &e ie%e that He was tempted in a points as we are' But$ on the other hand$ we underrate it if we forget that His position was who y different from ours' That 2esus had a&undant ner%e and courage no reader of the Gospe s can$ of course$ dou&t' He was ca m in the midst of a storm which terrified e5perienced &oat)men4 in riots that threatened His ife$ in the hands of so diers stri%ing to torment Him and &reak Him down$ in the presence of >udges and enemies$ He
20
maintained a dignity which on y the highest courage cou d maintain' That such a 7erson shou d ha%e Cuai ed at the prospect of physica suffering$ which thousands of men and women ha%e %o untari y and ca m y faced$ is simp y impossi& e to &e ie%e' !either was it entire y His perception of the spiritua significance of death which made it to Him a far more painfu prospect than to any other' Certain y this c ear perception of the meaning of death did add immense y to its terrors4 &ut if we are e%en to &egin to understand His tria $ and &egin is a we can do6we must &ear in mind what 7eter had >ust confessed$ and what 2esus Himse f knew 6that He was the Christ' It was this which made the difference' Socrates cou d toss off the poison as unmo%ed as if it had &een a s eeping)draught$ &ecause he was dying for himse f a one' 2esus cou d on y with trem& ing take into His hand the fata cup$ &ecause He knew that He was standing for a men' If He fai ed$ a fai ed' 8%erything hung upon Him' The genera who spends the who e night pacing his tent$ de&ating the chances of &att e on the morrow$ is not tormented with the thought of his own pri%ate fate$ &ut with the possi&i ities of disaster to his men and to his country$ if his design or his ski shou d at any moment of the &att e fai ' 2esus was human4 and we deny His humanity$ and fai to gi%e Him the honour due to it$ if we do not recognise the difficu ty which He must a ways ha%e fe t in &e ie%ing that His sing e act cou d sa%e the wor d$ and the &urden of responsi&i ity which must ha%e weighed upon Him when He rea ised that it was &y the Spirit He maintained in ife and in death$ that God meant to & ess a men' It was &ecause He knew Himse f to &e the Christ$ and &ecause e%ery man depended upon Him as the Christ$ and &ecause$ therefore$ the who e & essing God meant for the wor d depended upon His maintaining faith in God through the most trying circumstances6it was &ecause of this that He trem& ed est a shou d end in fai ure' It was this which dro%e Him$ again$ and again$ and again to the
21
hi s to spend a night in prayer$ in aying His &urden upon the on y Strength that cou d &ear it' But in retiring in order$ with de i&eration$ fina y to dedicate Himse f to death$ this temptation must of necessity appear in a its strength' It is on y in presence of a that can induce Him to another course that He can reso %e upon the God)appointed way' As He prays two figures necessari y rise &efore Him$ and intensify the temptation' "oses and 8 ias were Gods greatest ser%ants in the past$ and neither of them had passed to g ory through so se%ere an ordea ' "oses$ with eye undimmed and strength una&ated$ was taken from earth &y a departure so easy that it was said to &e #&y the kiss of God'( 8 i>ah$ instead of remo%a &y death$ ascended to his rest in a chariot of fire' 3as it not possi& e that as easy an e5odus might &efit HimA "ight not this ignominious death He ooked forward to make it impossi& e for the peop e to &e ie%e in HimA How cou d they rank Him with those o d prophets whom God had dea t with so different y and so p ain y honouredA 3ou d peop e not a most necessari y accept the death of the cross as proof that He was a&andonedA !ay$ did not their sacred &ooks >ustify them in considering Him accursed of GodA 3as He correct in His interpretation of the Scriptures6an interpretation which ed Him to &e ie%e that the "essiah must suffer and die$ &ut which none of His friends admitted$ and none of the authorities and ski ed interpreters in His country admittedA 3as it not$ after a $ possi& e that His kingdom might &e esta& ished &y other meansA 3e can see &ut a sma part of the force of these temptations$ &ut If the presence of those august figures intensified the norma temptation of this period$ their presence was a so a %ery effectua aid against this temptation' In their presence His anticipated end cou d no onger &e ca ed death4 rather the departure$ or$ as the narrati%e says$ the 85odus' The eterna wi and mighty hand which had
22
guided and uphe d "oses when he &ore the responsi&i ity and toi of emancipating a host of s a%es from the most powerfu of ru ers wou d upho d 2esus in the infinite y weightier responsi&i ities which now ay upon Him' 8 i>ah$ a so$ at a crisis of his peop es history$ had stood a one against a the might and ma ignity of 2e=e&e and the priests of Baa 4 a one$ and with death staring him in the face$ he confessed God$ and$ &y his sing e)handed %ictory$ wrought de i%erance for the who e peop e' Their com&ined %oice$ therefore$ says to 2esus$ #Banish a fear4 ook forward to your decease at 2erusa em as a&out to effect an immeasura& y grander de i%erance than that which ga%e freedom to your peop e' Do not shrink from trusting that the sacrifice of +ne can open up a source of & essing to a ' Steadfast su&mission to Gods wi is e%er the path to g ory'( But not on y must our Lord ha%e &een encouraged and heartened &y reca ing the indi%idua e5periences of these men$ &ut their presence reminds Him of His re ation to them in Gods purposes4 for "oses and 8 i>ah represent the who e + d Testament Church' By the Law and the 7rophets had God up to this time dea t with men4 through these He had re%ea ed Himse f' But 2esus had ong since recognised that neither "oses nor 8 ias$ neither Law nor 7rophets$ were sufficient' The Christ must come to effect a rea mediation &etween God and man4 and 2esus knew that He Himse f was the Christ' +n Him ay the task of making the sa %ation of the 2ews the sa %ation of the who e wor d4 of &ringing a men to 2eho%ah' It was under pressure of this responsi&i ity that He had searched the Scriptures$ and found in the Scriptures what those had not found6that it was necessary that Christ shou d suffer and so enter into g ory' 7ro&a& y it was not so much any one passage of Scripture which had carried home to the mind of 2esus that the Christ must die' 3e
23
may seek for that in %ain4 it was His perception of the rea needs of men$ and of what the Law and the 7rophets had done to satisfy these needs$ that showed Him what remained for the fina ,e%ea er and "ediator to accomp ish' The Law and the 7rophets had to d men that God is ho y$ and mens & essedness$ e%en as Gods & essedness$ ies in ho iness' But this %ery teaching seemed to widen the &reach &etween men and God$ and to make union &etween them tru y hope ess' By the aw came not union with God$ &ut the know edge of sin' To put it short y$ fe owship or union with God$ which is the &eginning and end of a re igion$ is &ut another name for ho iness' Ho iness is union with God$ and ho iness can &etter &e secured &y re%ea ing the ho y God as a God of o%e than &y aw or &y prophets' It is this ho y o%e and o%ingness that the cross of Christ &rings home to e%ery heart' This re%e ation of the Bather$ no document and no officia s cou d possi& y make4 on y the Be o%ed Son$ on y one who stood in a persona re ation to the Bather$ and was of the same nature$ as tru y di%ine as human' Therefore the %oice goes forth annu ing a pre%ious utterances$ and turning a eyes to 2esus6#Hear Him?( Therefore$ as often as the mind of Christ was emp oyed on this su&>ect$ so often did He see the necessity of death' It was on y &y dying that mens sins cou d &e e5piated$ and on y &y dying the fu ness of Gods o%e cou d &e e5hi&ited' The Law and the 7rophets spoke to Him a ways$ and now once more of the decease He must accomp ish at 2erusa em' They spoke of His death$ &ecause it was His death that was presupposed &y e%ery sacrifice of the Law4 &y e%ery prophecy that foreto d good to man' The Law found its highest fu fi ment in the most aw ess of transgressions4 prophecy found its richest in that which seemed to crush out hope itse f' !othing$ then$ cou d ha%e &een more opportune than this for the encouragement of our Lord' +n earth He had found incredu ity
24
among His &est friends4 incapacity to see why He shou d die4 indifference to His o&>ect here' He now meets with those who$ with &reath ess interest$ await His death as if it were the one on y future e%ent' In their persons He sees$ at one %iew$ a who had put their trust in God from the foundation of the wor d4 a who had put faith in a sacrifice for sin$ knowing it was Gods appointment$ and that He wou d %indicate His own wisdom and truth &y finding a rea propitiation4 a who$ through dark and trou& ous times$ had strained to see the conso ation of Israe 4 a who$ in the misery of their own thought$ had sti &e ie%ed that there was a true g ory for men somewhere to &e attained4 a who through the darkness and storm and fear of earth had trusted in God$ scarce y daring to think what wou d &ecome of their trust$ &ut assured that God had spoken$ nay$ had co%enanted with His peop e$ and finding true rest in Him' 3hen a these now stand &efore our Lord in the persons of "oses and 8 ias$ the hitherto mediators &etween God and man$ must not their waiting eyes$ their onging$ trustfu e5pectation$ ha%e confirmed His reso %e that their hope shou d not &e put to shameA The who e an5iety of gui ty consciences$ the who e hope of men awakened$ the who e onging sigh for a God re%ea ed$ that had &reathed from the ancient Church$ at once &ecame audi& e to His ear' At once He fe t the dependence of a who had died in faith in the promise' He meets the eager$ Cuestioning ga=e of a who had hoped for sa %ation concentrated on Himse f' Is this He who can sa%e the ost$ He who can &ear the weight of a wor ds dependenceA 3hat an appea there is here to His compassion? How steadfast y now does He set His face towards 2erusa em$ fee ing straitened ti the wor ds sa %ation is secured$ and a possi&i ity of fai ure for e%er at an end' This$ then$ was for 2esus an appea that was irresisti& e' As the fu meaning of a that God had done for His peop e through Law and
25
7rophets was &orne in upon Him$ He saw that He must die' !ow$ for the ast time$ He put aside a His hesitations$ and as He prays$ He yie ds Himse f to the wi of the Bather' Those are the supreme moments in human ife when man$ through sore conf ict and at great cost$ gi%es himse f up to the wi of God' !e%er was there so sore a conf ict$ and ne%er so much >oy as here' His face was transfigured4 it &eamed with the ight and peace of hea%en that shone from within' The eyes of the discip es c osed on a face$ e%ery ine of which they knew and o%ed6a face fu of wisdom and reso %e and deep)founded peace$ showing marks of trou& e$ of tria $ of endurance$ of premature age4 their eyes opened upon a face that shines with a preternatura radiance6a face e5pressing$ more than e%er face had done$ the dignity and g ory and >oy of perfect harmony with God' He was God)possessed$ and the Di%ine g ory shone from His face' It was at the moment of his yie ding a to God that 2esus attained His highest g ory' "ans ife is transformed when he a ows Gods wi to fi it and shine through it4 his person is transformed when he di%ests himse f of se f)wi $ and a ows God who y to possess it' How easy was it for the discip es at that hour to hear Him4 to isten now when He spoke of the cross$ which$ for Him and for a His discip es$ is the path eading from earth to hea%en$ from what is se fish y human to true human g ory? It is on the cross that 2esus is tru y enthroned' It is &ecause He &ecame the Ser%ant of a that He is greatest of a ' If anyone cou d ri%a Him in the ser%ice he wou d ri%a Him in the g ory' It is &ecause He ga%e Himse f for us$ wi ing to do a to sa%e us in our direst need$ that He takes a p ace in our confidence and in our heart that &e ongs to no other' He &ecomes the one a&so ute need of e%ery man$ &ecause He is that which &rings us to God$ and gi%es God to us'
26
Hear Him$ therefore$ when$ through His 7ro%idence$ He preaches to you this difficu t esson' If your difficu ties and distresses are rea 4 if you cannot a&our without thinking of them4 if you cannot rest from a&our through fear of their possessing you4 if your trou& es ha%e assumed so hard a form$ so rea a p ace in your ife$ that a e se has come to seem unrea and empty$ then remem&er that He whose end was to &e eterna g ory chose sorrow$ that He might &reak a way to g ory through human suffering' If there is nothing in your ot in ife which crosses and hum& es you4 if there is nothing in your circumstances which compe s you to see that this ife is not for se f)indu gence and se f)gratification$ then sti you must win participation in your Lords g ory &y accepting His ow iness and hea%en iness of mind' It is not to outward success that you are ca ed in His kingdom$ it is to inward %ictory' @ou are ca ed to meekness$ and ow iness$ and mercy4 to the osing of your ife in this wor d$ that you may ha%e ife e%er asting' !otice$ in conc usion$ the impression made on the discip es$ as disc osed in 7eters words$ #It is good to &e here'( 7eter knew when he was in good company' He was not %ery wise himse f$ &ut he had sense enough to recognise wisdom in others' He was not himse f a finished saint$ &ut he had a hearty appreciation of those who had attained saint iness' He had re%erence$ power to recognise$ and ungrudging y to worship$ what was good' He had an honest de ight in seeing his "aster honoured$ a de ight which$ perhaps$ some of us en%y' It was not a forced e5pression$ it was not a feigned de ight' He was a man who a ways fe t that something shou d &e said$ and so here what was uppermost came out' 3hy did 7eter fee it was good for him to &e thereA 7ossi& y it was in part &ecause here was g ory without shame4 recognition and homage without suffering4 &ut no dou&t part y &ecause he fe t that in such company he was a &etter man than e sewhere' Christ kept
27
him right4 seemed to understand him &etter than others4 to consider him more' There was no resentment on 7eters part on account of the se%ere answers he recei%ed from Christ' He knew these were >ust$ and he had earned to trust his Lord4 and it sudden y f ashes upon him that$ if on y he cou d i%e Cuiet y with 2esus in such retirement as they then en>oyed$ he wou d &e a &etter man' 3e ha%e the same consciousness as 7eter$ that if e%er we are right) minded and disposed for good$ and a& e to make sacrifices and &ecome a itt e hea%en y4 if e%er we hate sin cordia y6it is when we are in the presence of Christ' If we find it as impossi& e as 7eter did to i%e retired from a conf ict and intercourse with a kinds of men4 if$ ike 7eter$ we ha%e to descend into a %a ey ringing with demoniacs cries4 if we are ca ed upon to dea with the wor d as it actua y is6deformed$ dehumanised &y sin4 is it nothing that we can assure ourse %es of the society and friendship of +ne who means to remo%e a suffering and a sin$ and who does so$ not &y a %io ent act of authority$ &ut &y sympathy and patient o%e$ so that we can &e His proper instruments$ and in hea ing and he ping others$ he p and hea ourse %es?
28
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How To Become Like Christ by Marcus Dods

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How To Become Like Christ by Marcus Dods

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How to Become Like Christ