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{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Will Not Be Drawn Aside from This Way}
Precise Christians will not be drawn aside from this way, whether by any hopes or advantages on the one hand, or by any fears or dangers on the other. They have not taken up Christianity on such slight grounds so as to be either flattered or frightened out of it. Christians, at their first engaging in the way of the Lord, sit down and consider what it will cost them to be Christ’s disciples (Luke 14:26–33).84 They count all the charges beforehand; they reckon up all the damages they can be subject to and foresee that, whatever befalls them, there is enough in Christ to make amends for all and to save them from harm at the last. They expect tribulations, losses, reproaches, and the greatest of temptations. If they had not foreseen that the gain of godliness would counteract all the losses and inconveniences with which it is likely to be attended, they would not have ventured on it. But seeing for a certainty that they cannot be losers in Christianity, they make their abode in Christ and determine not to depart forever. They take Christ and His ways for better or worse, for richer or poorer, and in prosperity or affliction. They resolve to stand or fall, to suffer or reign, and to live or die with Him. They promise to Him, as Ruth to Naomi, “As the Lord lives, I will not leave you. Where you go I will go, where you lodge, I will lodge” (Ruth 1:16). They will take their lot with Christ wherever it falls. Christ has said to them, “I will never forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and they have said the same to Him. One who is not thus committed is no true Christian. This absolute resolution to always be the Lord’s and to never forsake Him is of the essence of true conversion. He is no true convert who is content to follow Christ only in fair weather, as far and as long as he may do so safely. A sincere convert will follow Christ absolutely and unalterably. Now being thus committed, whatever befalls them, it is no more than they expected when they are called fools and counted stubborn, refractory, self-willed, and self-conceited. They expected to be deemed such and it does not move them. They are set upon by flatteries and tempted by outward prosperity, but these cannot prevail. “Your money perish with you,” says Peter (Acts 8:20). “That German animal did not care for money,” it was said of Martin Luther. Money will do nothing with them. Preferment will do nothing with them. Prisons, banishment, or even death itself can do nothing with them. “None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my course with joy” (Acts 20:24).
And just as they will not be drawn into total apostasy from Christ, so neither will they be brought to allow themselves any little deviation. “All this has come upon us; But we have not forgotten You, Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, Nor have our steps departed from Your way” (Psalm 44:17–18 NKJV). You may see their situation from an earlier part of the psalm: “You have cast us off … You make us turn back from the enemy … those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves … You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to those around us” (Psalm 44:9–13 NKJV), and so on. Though “all this has come upon us … we have not forgotten you … Our heart has not turned back.” We do not repent of our choice. We do not wish ourselves back among the prosperous world. We never think the worse of the Lord or His way. We have as good a will to the Lord and as high an esteem of His ways as we ever had before we were thus afflicted. There is not the least abatement of our love and affection. If we were now to begin again—that is, if were now to choose whom we would serve while knowing as much as we do now—we would make the same choice. Our heart runs out the same way and in the same strength as it ever did. Those many waters that have come against us have not quenched or even cooled our loves. “Neither have our steps departed from your way.” We have neither turned back our affection, nor turned aside in our practice. Through the grace of God, our hearts have been kept upright and we have made narrow ways for our feet. We read that a decree was made that whoever petitioned any god or man except the king within thirty days’ time would be cast into the lion’s den. In Daniel 6:10 we read that Daniel would not forbear to pray to his God. When he knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house with his window open in his room and knelt down on his knees three times a day and prayed. Carnal people would have been ready to ask, what a precise fool was this Daniel? What great matter was it that he stood so much upon? It was not committing a sin that he was urged into, but only the forbearance of a duty. He was not required to fall down before an image as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were or to worship any false god. He had only to forbear, for a time, to pray to the true God. If it had been worshiping an image that had been required, some would have reasoned thus: Why, what great matter was it to bow in the house of Rimmon (2 Kings 5:18) or to bow before an image or an altar; this is not praying to them, is it? There is a great difference between worshiping an image and worshiping God while bowing down before an image; what is there in all this? But this that Daniel stands upon has not so foul a face; it was only the forbearance of his duty to God, and that only for a time. Was this such a crime, to forbear praying for a few weeks for the saving of his life? Or if he really had to pray, he might have done it secretly and kept his devotion to himself. Must he keep his hours and open his windows also? Yes, he must do it and he will do it. Daniel would not only continue his course of prayer, but he would not give his adversaries occasion to think he was afraid to pray. Daniel was being called out to give a testimony of his religion. He deemed it his duty to let his adversaries know that he had not such a light and low esteem of his religion that he was afraid to trust his God with his safety while he continued in the exercise of his duty. It is true that there are incidental matters where there may be variation without harm to the substance of godliness. When such matters are not against their consciences they may submit to these without sinning against God. Here they are neither stiff nor refractory, but for peace’s sake and in order to win the hearts of others, they are willing with the apostle to become all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22). In those things in which they can satisfy their integrity, they are willing, as far as may be, to gratify the minds of others.
But as to the substance of Christianity—matters of faith, matters of righteousness and holiness, worshiping God in spirit and truth according to His own ordinances and institutions, or in anything else with the same importance as these—here they are resolved not to relinquish or be drawn aside from them by any solicitations whatever; they must obey God rather than people, whatever comes upon them or becomes of them.
They must follow God, though in so doing they forsake and provoke all the world. In matters that God has left to their liberty, they are willing to use their liberty in such manner as to advance the Gospel. In matters that concern their personal interest as humans, they do not crave; they ought not be contentious. Only spare them the liberty to keep a good conscience, fear God, worship God, be holy and righteous, and walk before the Lord in their integrity; in anything else, you may persuade them to it with ease. But if you entice them away from their God or impose upon them to the harm of a good conscience, spare your labor; speak no more to them of such matters; they are determined and resolved. They will follow God and maintain a good conscience, whatever may come on them, to the end of their days.
84This is not at all always the case, though it should be. Many become Christians without counting the cost, indeed with little knowledge. But such genuine Christians learn to count the cost later, perhaps in response to costs that come up in life, and yet continue with Christ (Luke 8:13–15).
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