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The way to trust Christ is to know Christ。 You cannot help trusting
Him them。 You are changed。 By knowing Him faith is begotten in you；
as cause and effect。 To trust Him without knowing Him as thousands
do； is not faith； but credulity。 I believe a great deal of prayer
for faith is thrown away。 What we should pray for is that we may
be able to fulfill the condition； and when we have fulfilled the
condition； the faith necessarily follows。 The way； therefore； to
increase our faith is to increase our intimacy with Christ。 We
trust Him more and more the better we know Him。
And then another immediate effect of this way of sanctifying the
character is the tranquility that it brings over the Christian
life。 How disturbed and distressed and anxious Christian people
are about their growth in grace！ Now； the moment you give that
over into Christ's carethe moment you see that you are BEING
changedthat anxiety passes away。 You see that it must follow
by an inevitable process and by a natural law if you fulfill the
simple condition； so that peace is the reward of that life and
fellowship with Christ。
Many other things follow。 A man's usefulness depends to a large
extent upon his fellowship with Christ。 That is obvious。 Only Christ
can influence the world； but all that the world sees of Christ is
what it sees of you and me。 Christ said： 〃The world seeth Me no
more； but ye see Me。〃 You see Him； and standing in front of Him
reflect Him； and the world sees the reflection。 It cannot see Him。
So that a Christian's usefulness depends solely upon that relationship。
Now； I have only pointed out a few of the things that follow from
the standing before Christfrom the abiding in Christ。 You will
find； if you run over the texts about abiding in Christ； many
other things will suggest themselves in the same relations。 Almost
everything in Christian experience and character follows and
follows necessarily； from standing before Christ and reflecting
his character。 But the supreme consummation is that we are changed
into THE SAME IMAGE； 〃even as by the Lord the Spirit。〃 That is to
say that in some way； unknown to us； but possibly not more mysterious
than the doctrine of personal influence； we are changed into the
image of Christ。
This method cannot fail。 I am not setting before you an opinion
or a theory； but this is
A certainly successful means
of sanctification。 〃We all； with unveiled face； reflecting in a
mirror the glory of Christ （the character of Christ） assuredlywithout
any miscarriagewithout any possibility of miscarriageare changed
into the same image。〃 It is an immense thing to be anchored in
some great principle like that。 Emerson says： 〃The hero is the
man who is immovably centered。〃 Get immovably centered in that
doctrine of sanctification。 Do not be carried away by the hundred
and one theories of sanctification that are floating about in
religious literature of the country at the present time； but go to
the bottom of the thing for yourself； and see the RATIONALE of it
for yourself； and you will come to see that it is a matter of cause
and effect； and that if you will fulfill the condition laid down
by Christ； the effect must follow by a natural law。
What a prospect！ To be changed into the same image。 Think of
that！ That is what we are here for。 That is what we are elected
for。 Not to be saved； in the common acceptation； but 〃whom He did
foreknow He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
His Son。〃 Not merely to be saved； but TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE
OF HIS SON。 Conserve that principle。 And as we must spend time
in cultivating our earthly friendships if we are to have their
blessings； so we must
Spend time
in cultivating the fellowship and companionship of Christ。 And
there is nothing so much worth taking into our lives as a profounder
sense of what is to be had by living in communion with Christ； and
by getting nearer to Him。 It will matter much if we take away with
us some of the thoughts about theology； and some of the new light
that has been shed upon the text of Scripture； it will matter
infinitely more if our fellowship with the Lord Jesus become a little
closer； and our theory of holy living a little more rational。 And
then as we go forth； men will take knowledge of us； that we have
been with Jesus； and as we reflect Him upon them； they will begin
to be changed into the same image。
It seems to me the preaching is of infinitely smaller account than
the life which mirrors Christ。 That is bound to tell； without
speech or languagelike the voices of the stars。 It throws out
its impressions on every side。 The one simple thing we have to do
is to be therein the right relation； to go through life hand in
hand with Him； to have Him in the room with us； and keeping us company
wherever we go； to depend upon Him and lean upon Him； and so have
His life reflected in the fullness of its beauty and perfection
into ours。
III。 The first experiment。
Then you reduce religion to a common Friendship？ A common
Friendshipwho talks of a COMMON Friendship？ There is no such
thing in the world。
On earth no word is more sublime。 Friendship is the nearest thing
we know to what religion is。 God is love。 And to make religion
akin to Friendship is simply to give it the highest expression
conceivable by man。 But if by demurring to 〃a common friendship〃 is
meant a protest against the greatest and the holiest in religion
being spoken of in intelligible terms； then I am afraid the
objection is all to real。 Men always look for a mystery when one
talks of sanctification； some mystery apart from that which must ever
be mysterious wherever Spirit works。 It is thought some peculiar
secret lies behind it； some occult experience which only the
initiated know。 Thousands of persons go to church every Sunday
hoping to solve this mystery。 At meeting； at conferences； many
a time they have reached what they thought was the very brink of
it； but somehow no further revelation came。 Poring over religious
books； how often were they not within a paragraph of it； the next
page； the next sentence； would discover all； and they would be
borne on a flowing tide forever。 But nothing happened。 The next
sentence and the next page were read； and still it eluded them；
and though the promise of its coming kept faithfully up to the end；
the last chapter found them still pursuing。
Why did nothing happen？ Because there was nothing to happennothing
of the kind they were looking for。 Why did it elude them？ Because
there was no 〃it。〃 When shall we learn that the pursuit of holiness
is simply
The pursuit of Christ？
When shall we substitute for the 〃it〃 of a fictitious aspiration；
the approach to a Living Friend？ Sanctity is in character and not
in moods； Divinity in our own plain calm humanity； and in no mystic
rapture of the soul。