Condition More than Position

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites …” (Mt 23:23)

“Condition is more than position.” This was the often repeated statement of an elderly and much used servant of God. And it is a salt word to which we do well to give heed. There is great danger in being satisfied with an external position in association with fellow Christians while our hearts may be far from God, and our lives taken up with the things of time and sense, with moneymaking, or with pleasure-seeking, perhaps under the plea of health.

The mazy divisions among true believers have led, it may be, to this, in great measure. Which company is right? has been the question, and the consideration of the matter has occupied many hours. Then when a decision has been come to, a secret satisfaction has filled the breast and the feeling of assurance of being “on the right ground” has ministered to pride and self-glorying.

The state of soul has been an object of minor consideration altogether, during this period, and now that an end is reached, the subject of thought when alone, and of consideration and conversation when with fellow-Christians, has been the wrong conduct of these or those we have left, or who have left us, and the correctness of the place in which we ourselves are found. All this is robbing Christ of His true place in our hearts. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks, and this constant reference to and occupation with evil declares plainly that Christ Himself and the things concerning Himself have been crowded out of our thoughts. We think that our position is correct, while we lose sight of the serious fact that our condition is altogether at fault.

Shall we not judge ourselves in the light of His presence with whom we have to do, and seek to learn whether our state of heart is such as to be acceptable to the Lord? The Pharisees of old were punctilious in their care as to their associations, and despised others who were not as they were. But it was in vain that they were thus separated from others, it was not a separation to God. Their thoughts were far from Him. They were taken up with their position while their condition was as wrong as it well could be.

May it be ours to labour to be acceptable to our Lord, in that our condition of heart be in accordance with His gracious desires for us!

I.F.