Duty and Nature

The Christianity of the masses is often a Christianity of duty, not Christ. Like busy Martha it is service to Christ, but not proper service. (Lk. 10:40) That stems from seeing Christ as everything and having the heart overflowing with affections towards His person. That is Mary. (Lk. 10:42) Duty must spring from affections and affections must be cultivated at the feet of Jesus. But we do not get to those feet unless we are low upon our knees and Christ is everything to the soul. And the servant does not move until his heart (not his hand) is ready, being full of the Master and His will.

There is much activity today, but little intelligence as to the Master's will from which one's service should spring. Religious activity, vigorous service and good deeds to others, these may be praised by men and counted as "sacrifices", but that is no matter - to obey is always better than to sacrifice. (1 Sam. 15:22) It is the heart in subjection to God's will, not the busy hand, which God is primarily looking for. Why is this? Because it is in the will being broken that the result of our doings will bear the stamp of the kind of divine intelligence that brings delight and honor to our Lord. How often this is missed! God does not call saints to do great things, He calls them to His great Son!

But if men deny duty (what I should do) as the heartbeat of Christianity they usually replace it with natural affections (what I like to do); denying convictions for the sake of community. Love for people. Caring for others. Not offending anyone. These are considered everything, but we want more than what man considers everything according to nature. "Let the dead bury their own dead!" (Mt. 8:22) Thus is the Lord's response to nature's necessities and affections when compared to what the moment demanded - following Him. For the Christian disciple, the moment still demands this. Not that natural affections are irrelevant, but they are not primary. Christ Himself is primary. Everything else stems from this. Mere affections and good intentions stemming from nature will not do.

Peter on the transfigured mount suggested three tabernacles out of affection for great ones, but he was interrupted by the voice out of heaven that overshadowed his "good intentions." (Mt. 17:4-5) The crowd shouted to Jesus that "His mother and brethren" were waiting in line, but our Lord did not acknowledge appeals according to nature - everything was for the will and word of God, even though the honey of nature would compel Him otherwise. (Mt. 12:46-50; Lk. 8:20-21) Even at an early age, though always an obedient child, His words were, "Did you not know I had too be about my Father's business?" (Lk. 2:49) The Father's business (not the family business) was everything. How many Christian's today know not the Father's business! They may know their churches business or their mission board's business or some religious committee's business (even the business of the world), but not the Father's. Natural affections stem from no such knowledge because they start with what man thinks, not God, and take him into account more than Jesus (who is the primary object of the Father's thoughts). Such is nature and flesh.

But Divine love starts with Christ and then reaches out towards man. When this order is reversed, when the needs of men are put before Christ's interests, you have that which pleases the eyes of men, that which looks very nice to religious flesh, that which the world will even applaud ... but from the Divine perspective it grieves the heart of the Spirit! The Father does not honor that which is produced from mere duty nor sincerity of heart, but that which is produced by the Holy Spirit in the heart willing to obey and make everything and all of Christ to the glory of God the Father! This is where true Christianity begins, starts, and ends.

Nothing but Christ as on we tread,
The gift unpriced, God's living bread,
With staff in hand and feet well shod,
Nothing but Christ, the Christ of God!


Vin Santanelli