Distinguishing Marks of Saving Faith (11)

(This article continues the translation of Chapter 33 of The Christian’s Reasonable Service.)

All this temporal believers may do, motivated by love for virtue and to do God service. An old rhyme states: Oderunt peccare, etc., that is, The virtuous hate sin because they love virtue, but evil persons hate sin for fear of punishment. Paul said of himself prior to his conversion, in Acts 26:9, “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” “Yea, the time Cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). Is this not the opinion of all idolaters in their activity?

From all this we may perceive that the natural man may make much progress in refraining from sin, as well as in the practice of virtue. Therefore one may not assure himself from the aforementioned that he is a believer, a partaker of the covenant of grace, and regenerate. However, we must realize that although a person can proceed this far in the state of nature and by means of external illumination, very few have progressed to that degree. Even if there were only one example, yes, even if in the absence of an example the mere possibility existed, this provides no proof that one could consider himself converted. The temporal believer is generally motivated by a desire for his own honor, a desire to be seen of men, and other motives which are not pure. We are convinced that temporal believers generally do not proceed this far. God will send a judgment upon them because they disobey His truth with which they are acquainted. They are ambitious individuals who seek honor, esteem, love, and sympathy, which some will obtain by way of magnanimity and others by humility, depending on how they themselves view their opportunities. At first their conscience warns them that their actions are not proper; however, they convince themselves that their intentions are correct. Possibly they have viewed their behavior so long from one perspective that they are of the opinion it is proper. Thus they quiet their consciences, and without consideration of their initial motive and objective, they say, “See my zeal for the LORD” (2 Kings 10:16).

Temporal believers are also generally not comfortable with a close walk of life. If they can accomplish their objective with a much more liberal approach, they will turn around and depart from the way of internal holiness, especially if it yields them more glory and honor as well as more pleasure and less anxiety. Yes, when godliness becomes a matter of shame, when the godly are despised and persecuted, temporal believers will part ways with them and will become oppressors as well—often of the severest sort. A Dutch proverb states, “Every apostate hates his prior association.” The Lord testifies of this in Matthew 13:21, “For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended.”

At this point the thought may perhaps arise for the reader, “If heathens, Quakers, and temporal believers can proceed so far and nevertheless be lost, who then can be saved? What more can you expect from an individual? What do true believers possess above and beyond all this?” My response to this is that if you were only to consider that which is of an external nature, the godly would be excelled by others in many things. However, there is something within the godly which incomparably exceeds that which is most impressive in the temporal believer. If you ask, “What is this?,” I respond, “Spirit and life.” Is not a living dog better than a dead lion? Is not a deformed but living person to be preferred over a beautiful person which consists only of fine, molten gold, and is but a sculpture? Are not the most insignificant motions of life to be preferred to the noise and rattle of the internal workings of a clock? Obviously the answer is “yes.” Such is also the case here. Temporal believers are void of both Spirit and life; however, true believers possess both. This is the reason that all activity of the temporal believer misses the mark, whereas that of the believer does not. Spirit and life must be present or else all is in vain, “…if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13); “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

There is something within the godly which incomparably exceeds that which is most impressive in the temporal believer. If you ask, “What is this?,” I respond, “Spirit and life.”

The difference is as follows: Temporal believers are motivated by reason, honesty, or the desirability of religion, by virtue of their character, upbringing, a fear of punishment, and a desire to be seen of men—in order to openly or subtly obtain honor, love, esteem, admiration, and possessions. However, they are not motivated by the Spirit and the principle of spiritual life. The godly, on the contrary, are motivated by the Spirit and the internal principle of spiritual life.

Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635–1711), a Second Reformation divine, was a leading representative of practical Reformed Orthodoxy in the Netherlands who became most renowned for his major work, Redelijke Godsdienst (The Christian’s Reasonable Service).

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