THE SECOND CRISIS IN CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
24 -- THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS
In all the moral universe there is nothing so beautiful as
holiness. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit gain lustre and beauty only in
proportion as they arc adorned with holiness. Christian life and Christian
experience are beautiful only as they approximate this, the perfection of all
beauty --holiness. Holiness is "the beauty of our God" and holiness
is the essence and acme of all that is beautiful in Christian character.
Holiness is beautiful, first, because it is freedom from
moral defilement and corruption; it is cleanness and whiteness of soul; it is
freedom from sin and conformity to the divine nature and the divine image.
Holiness is transparency of character, consistency in conduct, and harmony with
heaven. Sin is moral filth, and pollutes the soul, corrupts the life, and
blackens the character. To be holy is to be clean clear through, and clear
clean through, "without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing."
Again, the beauty of holiness may be seen in the rhythm and
harmony it brings to the soul-life. Sin is discord, and puts a man out of
harmony with himself, with his fellowman, and with his God. Holiness takes out
of the heart the discordant notes, and puts a man in harmony with the object of
his creation, in harmony with his fellowman; in harmony with the laws of nature
and in harmony with his God, and so brings the very harmony and music of heaven
into the soul. The discordant tones of strife, and envy, and passion will cease,
and the dove of peace will continually sing in the soul. "The wilderness
and the solitary places shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice,
and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy
and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our
God." (Isa. 35:1, 2.)
Again, the beauty of holiness may be seen in the symmetry
and evenness it brings into the soul-life. Instead of the spasmodic and
fluctuating, up-and-down experience, it gives a steady, constant and abiding
walk with God. It safeguards the soul against extremes, and gives moderation
and soul-poise in all things. Holiness of heart means holiness of life, and so
becomes the controlling power of the thoughts, and imagination, of the
appetites and tempers, of the will and the affections, and regulates all the
life and conduct of such as really possess it. What the sun is to the solar
system, holiness is to the soul-life, in that everything radiates from and
converges to this center. Holiness is the infallible cure for fretfulness,
peevishness and ugliness, and adorns the character with the beautiful fruit of
the Spirit -- "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Again, the beauty of holiness may be seen in the
resignation, contentment, and satisfaction it brings to the soul. Only holy
hearts know what it is to have a satisfying portion. Having lost holiness in
the fall of Adam, it is utterly impossible to satisfy the craving of the soul
until holiness is regained. God never intended that any one should be satisfied
with anything less than holiness; and if men will simply heed the soul-cry it
will invariably lead them back to holiness. "He satisfieth the longing
soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." As David said, "I
shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness." Nothing less will,
nothing less can satisfy the soul. But he who has holiness -- be he young or
old will want nothing better. They may be heard to sing:
"There's thirsting for life's pleasures, Nor adorning
rich and gay;
I have found a richer treasure, One that fadeth not
away."
All they want is more of the same kind. Every longing of
the soul is now satisfied. Praise
God!
"The ornament and beauty of this lower world, next to
God and his works, are the men and
women who sparkle and shine in the Beauty of Holiness."
(John Bunyan.)
"Let the beauty of the Lord our God he upon us. (Ps.
90:17.)
