Penetrating Questions from George Eddy - Part V

October 13, 2008 – 10:56 am

Question Five: Have I victory over sin?

Am I leading a victorious life, the normal Christian life, the blessed life? “Blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.” “The poor in spirit.” That is the condition of every advance and blessing in the Christian life. Humility is the spirit of heaven, the spirit of Jesus. For He said, “I seek not mine own glory,” “I receive not glory from men,” “Father, glorify thy name,” “I am glorified in them.” Does self obtrude like a putrifying limb cut off from the life of the body; or does Christ have His way in a humble heart? Is God able to trust me with power? Let us remember that humility is the only rational position, that the only glory that is real is the glory of God. Does pride shut God out of my heart?

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Do I? Do I see Him in His Word, in daily life, in the lives of men? “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord; and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.” Have I? Do I bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ? “If a man cleanse himself he shall be a vessel unto honor ready for the Master’s use.” Is God able to use me largely?

During a border war in India I saw in the paper the number of men who were rejected as “unfit for service”; and I thought, In this great warfare of the Kingdom how many are “unfit for service”? “Whoso committeth sin is the bond slave of sin; but if the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed.” Am I free indeed? Do I long to be freed this day? Do I long to have the shackles stricken off forever and go out a free man in Christ? It is His will.

“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.” “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [sic] thee out of my mouth.” Have I been dead in earnest back there at that college? Have I been in earnest in my studies, and glorified God there? Have I been in earnest in my missionary purpose? We shall pass this way but once. Four years of opportunity, never to meet those men again! Are they wasted years? And Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come and drink, and out of the depths of his life shall flow rivers - rivers of living water.

Are they flowing today, or are the channels choked with sin? Are you hungering and thirsting after righteousness? If any man thirst, let him drink, today.

See Penetrating Questions I, Penetrating Questions II, Penetrating Questions III , and Penetrating Questions IV for the context of these questions.

The above excerpt is derived from the volume Students and the Present Missionary Crisis, which is the complete record of all messages delivered at the 1910 Student Volunteer Movement Rochester Convention. The volume is public domain. The book can be viewed online.