Questions of the Day and THE Question of the Day

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, JANUARY 26, 1873,

BY REV. C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"What do you think of the Christ?" Matthew 22:42.

IT was a custom among the Jews before the Paschal Lamb was killed to
shut it up for several days for examination. It was at first selected
with great care, for it must be "a lamb without blemish, a male of the
first year," and lest at the first choice some blemish should have been
overlooked it was continually inspected from day to day. It was meet
that the Lamb of God's Passover should pass through a similar ordeal.
It is remarkable that our Savior, during the days which preceded His
being offered up for us on Calvary was examined and questioned, both by
friends and foes. The sharpest eyes were brought to bear upon Him–eyes
made preternaturally keen through the malice of wicked hearts. He
passed under the scrutiny of Pharisees, of Herodians, of Sadducees, and
of lawyers. They tested Him in all parts and tried Him from all points,
yet they found no fault in Him. "They marveled, and left Him, and went
their way." And, like Pilate, they found no fault in Him.

Read the chapter before us in that light and it becomes singularly
interesting, as exhibiting the unassailable perfection of our Divine
Redeemer. Let us pray that when we are proved and tested we, also, may
endure the fiery trial and be found to be pure gold. As they tried our
Master, so will they also try us–may we, through His triumphant Grace,
endure even to the end. As I looked upon our text in my study, another
current of thought passed through my mind. The text stands in a
remarkable connection. The chapter which contains it opens with the
parable of the wedding feast. The marriage banquet was spread, the
guests were invited–they would not come–and therefore special
messengers were sent to compel as many as they could find to partake of
the feast. Then as to warn ministers in all generations that the
greatest hindrances they would ever meet with would arise from the
quibbling, critical spirit of mankind, we have in the same chapter a
long account of the various cavilers that assailed our Lord.

When we preach the Gospel, men do not repel us point blank by telling
us that there is no importance in our message–instead they suggest
difficulties, propound frivolous enquiries, or fly off at a tangent
upon some other less important topic. They evade the pursuit of the
Gospel by plunging into the mists of debate. Like the cuttle-fish,
which escapes by clouding the water all around it, so do they avoid the
invitations and declarations of the Word of God by raising questions of
a secondary character. It was so in Christ's day. His adversaries met
His arguments with quibbles, or with wrangling. It is certainly so now.
We cannot get at men–they stave us off, they parry our home thrusts
and baffle us by hiding behind the shields of evil questions.

We cannot get close to them–they lie entrenched behind the ramparts of
disputation. With other questions they push off the main question and
keep far from them the soul-saving Truth of God. The Lord Jesus Christ
here teaches His ministers the art of leaping over the sinner's
defenses, dashing into the center of his stronghold and smiting him
with the edge of the sword by means of the enquiry–"What do you think
of the Christ?" We should deal with matters of disputation as He
did–answer them, as far as they are to be answered, with wisdom and
prudence. But then He would have us carry the war into the enemy's
country and attack the human conscience with the demand, "What do you
think of the Christ?"

This morning I purpose, first, to speak upon questions of the day and
then to press home upon you the question of the day–the question of
all questions in which life and death are wrapped up.

I. First, a little upon some of the QUESTIONS OF THE DAY, not with any
intent of interesting you in them, but rather of calling you somewhat
away from them lest they too much engross you. The first question of
the day is nearly akin to that which was proposed to our Lord by the
Pharisees and the Herodians. It deals with the connection between
politics and religion, the vexatious question of Church and State. How
far does Caesar's rule go? Where does it end? And where are we amenable
to God alone?

This enquiry, in a very practical shape, presses upon the Dissenters of
England. I very largely attribute the partial decline of religious
prosperity in some of our churches to the interest which has been taken
in the questions which naturally arise out of the unscriptural and
adulterous connection at present existing between the Church and the
State in this land. We have, each of us, a certain amount of mental
power, of time, of energy and no more–and if it is a necessity, as it
is a necessity–that every Nonconformist should contend for his rights
and liberties and should never rest till perfect religious equality is
established in the land–then so much of our strength is taken away
from higher and better matters to attend to that which, nevertheless,
it is unavoidable that we should consider. It is not possible for us to
cease from our efforts to obtain deliverance from the degrading yoke
which now burdens us.

We are told that we enjoy toleration–the very word is insult! What
would the members of the dominant sect think if we talked of tolerating
them? We shall never be satisfied until all religious communities stand
upon an equal footing before the Law. Caesar has no right to demand of
us that we shall support the religion or the superstition which he
chooses to select. An Established Church is a spiritual tyranny! We
wear no chains upon our wrists, but on our spirits our oppressors have
thrust fetters which gall us worse than bands of steel. We are
compelled, as a part of the nation, to support, through taxation, a
church whose business it is to pull down that which with prayers and
tears we live to build up and would even die to maintain.

As Protestant lamenters, we see the Truths we preach assailed by an
army of Anglican Papists whom we are compelled to support that they may
oppose our most cherished designs! Popery is this day installed and
endowed among us and we are compelled to acknowledge its puppets as the
clergy of our own national Church! That which our fathers died to
overthrow we are compelled to support! We cannot help being
indignant–we should be less than men if our blood did not boil within
us at such injustice! If men want Popery, or any other form of error,
let them pay for it themselves and call it their own–but to foist
their superstition on us as part of the nation is an oppression against
which we appeal to the Judge of all the earth! Men cannot long bear to
be saddled with the maintenance of a superstition which they
abhor–least of all can the descendants of the Ironsides endure it,
who, though they have laid aside all carnal weapons, cannot quite
forget the fields on which their fathers made the Cavaliers feel the
weight of their right arms!

The insult to our consciences which is embodied in the present Church
and State is a daily provocation to us as men and Christians. Of the
present unrighteous domination I would say, Down with it! Down with it,
all you who have a spark of justice left in your souls! As for us, we
will never rest till we are free from this excuseless injustice and
free we will be, as sure as God, the God of righteousness yet lives!

Now, we cannot think about all this and be earnest about it–we confess
it and are grieved it is so–without very much of our strength running
in that direction. And that is strength which we would rather spend
upon pure, spiritual religion. We desire to be always and alone
preaching Christ. We desire to be building up His Church and living at
peace with all our brethren. We need, in all things, to be giving unto
God all our heart and soul and strength. But this altercation
concerning God and Caesar will come in. It imperatively demands our
attention and so it distracts us in a measure from our higher work and,
therefore, the sooner it is done with the better. We cannot be always
taken up with this matter. We count the Gospel to be worth 10,000 times
as much.

The Savior, when the Caesar question was brought forward, answered it
most completely. They said, "Shall we pay tribute to Caesar?" "Whose
money is this?" said He. "Caesar's money." "Very well. You have
evidently submitted to Caesar's government, you are under his sway.
Therefore pay to him the tax which he demands of you, but still by no
means forget that you are under God's government. Therefore render unto
God the things that are God's." He drew a line of distinction here
which always ought to be maintained. "To Caesar the things that are
Caesar's." To maintain order, to repress crime, to preserve individual
liberty, to protect each man's rights–this is Caesar's business.

To teach us religion? Is Caesar to do that? God forbid, for what
religion will Caesar teach us? Is he a Pagan? He will enforce idolatry!
Is he a Papist? He will ordain Popery! Is he an atheist? He will
establish infidelity. Remember the days of Queen Mary and see what
Caesar is capable of when he meddles with religion! It is none of
Caesar's business to deal with our consciences! Neither will we ever
obey Caesar in any matter which touches conscience. He may make what
laws he will about religion, but by our loyalty to God we pour contempt
on Caesar when he usurps the place of God! He is no more to us than the
meanest beggar in the street if he goes beyond his own legitimate
authority.

To Caesar, Caesar's politics to politicians. Obedience, cheerful and
prompt, to civil rulers. To God, and to God only, things that are
God's! And what are these? Our hearts, our souls, our consciences. Man
himself is the coin upon which God has stamped His image and
superscription (though, alas, both are sadly marred!), and we must
render to God our manhood, our wills, our thoughts, our judgments, our
minds, our hearts. Consciences are for God. Any law that touches a
conscience is null and void, ipso facto, for the simple reason that
kings and parliaments have no right to interfere in the realm of
conscience. Conscience is under law to none but God. We do not believe
in liberty of conscience towards God. We are bound towards Him–to
believe what He tells us and to do what He bids us–but liberty of
conscience in respect to all mankind is the natural right of every man
of woman born and it ought to be tenderly respected. Our Lord, here,
lays the controversy to sleep by telling us to render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.

Now, if there is any person here who is unconverted, but whose mind is
much occupied with the Church and State dispute, whichever side of the
question he may take up, I would earnestly say to him–important as
this is and to some of us it is the question which, next to our soul's
salvation, weighs most heavily on our hearts–yet still, first of all,
attend to the more serious enquiry–"What do you think of the Christ?"
Is He the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Mighty God, in your esteem? Are
you saved by Him? If not, I would bid you waive the topic upon which we
have just now spoken until the higher question is answered.

When a man is at the point of death the question is, what can we do to
restore him? When the vessel is going down, the one thing necessary for
every man is, "how can I get to the boat?" Sometimes in a desperate
case, as that of sudden shipwreck, the love of life may drive men to do
even more than they should do for themselves and tempt them in their
mortal terror to become forgetful of the claims of others. O, I wish
that something like that excess of diligence, if such could be, would
come upon men's hearts with regard to their souls. There are enough
saved men who can fight out the ecclesiastical dispute–you unsaved
ones had better go to the Cross–and there seek and find salvation. The
question has, doubtless, vast importance, but with you the far more
important matter is to believe in Christ!

Suppose you were to die tonight? It would then be a small matter to you
what may be done in the next session of Parliament with the question of
the separation of Church and State. If you have to stand before the bar
of God before this year is out, the Established Churches will be of
small account to you if you are banished from Heaven and hope!
Therefore, see to it, I pray you, that no business interferes with the
business of your soul!

A second problem of the age also crops up in this chapter–the enquiry
into the details of the future state. I think none of us remember a
time in which so many strange theories have been brought forward with
regard to the doom of the ungodly and the condition of the righteous.
Some are teaching, and teaching with great vehemence that Believers, as
well as others, die at the time when they depart out of this world and
that there is no more existence for the righteous until the day of the
resurrection! They teach that there are no such things as immortal
souls, but that even the godly dissolve into dust and cease to be until
the resurrection raises them out of the grave.

Now these are solemn topics and I believe that it is highly necessary
to be orthodox upon them. I do not think any man wastes his time who
stands up to defend the old faith with regard to these things. I am
persuaded that the generally received views are truthful and healthful
and that the novelties which swarm around us will breed abounding
mischief. Still, for all that, there are other matters to be thought
about besides that carnival of errors which comprises soul-sleeping,
annihilation, universal restoration and the like. There is a prior
question, and that is, "What do you think of the Christ?"

However, since the facts of the future ought to be known, our Savior
dealt with the Sadducees' heresy. The Sadducees, believing in pure
materialism and denying the resurrection, the Savior declared to them
the certainty of a future state and took out of their hands a weapon of
fancied difficulty. In answer to their question about the woman married
seven times, He declared that in the next world men are neither married
nor given in marriage–where death's ravages are unknown there is no
need of reproduction. Since the Sadducees denied that there were
angels, our Lord, without noticing their skepticism, declared that the
risen ones are as the angels of God–thus killing two birds with one
stone. He corrected their views as to what men would be in the other
world and quietly confirmed that there are spirits called angels.

Then the great Teacher proved beyond question the continuous existence
of the saints by reminding the Sadducees of the Voice that spoke out of
the bush to Moses. The Pentateuch was the great authority of the
Sadducees–they did not reject the other Inspired Books–but they held
the writings of Moses in superior veneration. Therefore our Lord, with
wisdom, selects from the book of Exodus and quotes the Words of the
Lord's address to Moses out of the bush, "I am the God of Abraham, and
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He then added a well-known
Jewish axiom, "God is not the God of the dead but of the living," and
routed the skeptics in one battle! It followed clearly enough that
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not alive in Moses' day. They were in
their graves–that was certain–therefore it was equally certain that a
something which was truly Abraham was not in the grave, but was
somewhere else. That is to say, that the souls of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob were living, and living in the possession of God, though their
bodies had been consumed by the worm.

There was the Savior's argument. The Patriarchs, as to their bodies,
had been dead for some generations. Yet God called Himself their God!
Therefore, in the truest sense, they could not be really dead, but must
still exist. It has been said that the nerve of this argument lies in
the fact that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were, as to their bodies, dead
at the time–that is true, and yet the argument would be strong if
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had been alive at the time. Note this well,
and consider the point. When God says to a man, "I am your God," what
an infinite blessing He bestows and how much the words imply! As long
as God exists He belongs to that man and, therefore, the man himself
must exist as long as God does–for that which does not exist cannot
possess anything! That which possesses anything must itself
exist–therefore it follows that as Abraham and all other saints must
forever possess God, as their God, according to the Word–"I am your
God"–therefore they must eternally exist.

In order to receive and experience the sum and substance of the Divine
promise, nothing less than eternity will suffice. When God bestows a
blessing upon a man, He gives him such a range of being as shall give
him the capacity for enjoying that blessing. Temporal blessings have
attached to them a natural being. The vast spiritual blessing of
possessing God is infinite and needs an everlasting existence for its
enjoyment. The saints are still living or else God could not be their
God–and the saints are still conscious, for God is not the God of
unconscious things that by hundreds of years together neither think nor
feel. He is the God of those who are living in the sense of being
active. They still worship and adore. They still love and serve. Their
rest with Jesus is not that of unconsciousness. They are living–not
merely existing–but living unto the living God.

This was our Savior's proof and it is one which is overwhelmingly
convincing. The doctrine of the continued existence of the righteous is
bound up with that of the resurrection. Immortality and the
resurrection are kindred Truths of God. When God said, "I am the God of
Abraham," He did not say "I am the God of Abraham's soul." If He had,
the existence of Abraham's soul would have fulfilled the promise. But,
"I am the God of Abraham," includes the whole of his person and Abraham
was body as well as soul–it was necessary, therefore, that Abraham's
body should rise to enjoy the fullness of God. There was, as a learned
writer observes, an advance all the way. God was the God of Abraham
while he was in the body of this death. He was the God of Abraham when
unclothed and He will be the God of Abraham when he is clothed with his
house which is from Heaven.

Now, my dear Hearers, I would at once call you back to the main point.
These questions ought to be thought of and you should receive the
teaching of Christ about them and yield to none of the inventions of
these evil days. Yet is there for you this more pressing
question–"What do you think of the Christ?" Have you a part and a lot
in Him? Are you saved by Him? It seems to me mere folly for an
unconverted man to be asking, "What is the nature of Heaven? What is
the form of the resurrection body?" Did you ever see a poor, shivering,
miserable beggar in the street, starving for lack of food, and yet
curious about the exact details of the imperial revenue for the current
quarter of the year? What business can that be of his? Is not this his
first business–to win a morsel of bread? And should it not be your
first concern, as a man, that you should be pardoned? That you should
be accepted before God? That you should be saved from Hell?

Speculations upon the Second Advent and the prophecies of Ezekiel and
Daniel–what have they to do with you while you are without Christ? Are
you mad, you unsaved ones? Will you gratify curiosity while your souls
are perishing for lack of the knowledge of Christ? The wrath of God
abides on you! You are like a man in a condemned cell waiting for the
day of execution! Is this a time to be puzzling your head about things
which concern others, but which as yet certainly do not concern you?
"What do you think of the Christ?" Put other things aside till that is
settled. Then you shall attend to them in order, according as God shall
help you.

There are, however, other questions which will arise–questions upon
theology. One of these was asked of our Savior by the Pharisees. They
wanted to know which was the first and chief Commandment. They believed
that Moses had given them 365 Commandments, corresponding to the number
of days in the year and that he had given them 248 prohibitions. They
made a great point of knowing the exact numbers. Among them there were
great disputes as to which entailed the more sin–the breaking of this
or the breaking of the other command. Some maintained that the
ceremonial ordinances were more important than the moral commands.
Another party held that the ceremonial precepts were very secondary as
compared with the moral Law.

Scribes and lawyers wrangled without end. Our Savior answered their
question by telling them that the love of God and the love of their
neighbor were the two great Commandments and so He ended that matter.
But He did not permit their thoughts to stay there. He pushed on to the
more vital question, "What do you think of the Christ?" At the present
day, if you speak to a man about his soul, he will ask you, "Are you an
Arminian or a Calvinist?" To this we reply, "Dear Fellow, are you
saved? That is your matter. We will tell you what we are another time.
For the present you need a Savior and there ought your mind to settle."
"Well," he says, "what is your opinion in reference to Baptism?" Our
answer is ready enough, for we see the Lord's will plainly enough in
His Word, but we beg you to think more of Jesus than of ordinances.

"But," says the quibbler, "are you Presbyterian in church polity, or do
you favor Episcopacy?" Dear Friend, what has that to do with you? Have
you passed from death unto life? That is the point. A man is drowning
and I put out my arm to rescue him, but he will not grasp my hand till
I can assure him that I pronounce a certain Latin word correctly–is he
not an idiot? My dear Fellow, right quantities or false quantities are
inconsiderable things compared with your being drowned–let us get you
on dry land, first, and then we will talk about long vowels and short
ones. So also we cannot afford to split hairs while souls are being
lost. We are far from saying that any doctrine is inconsiderable and
that any Truth of God is unimportant–a grain of Truth is worth dying
for–still, there are solemn facts to be thought of before we come to
controversial doctrines.

There are persons who will say, "But how would you celebrate the Lord's
Supper?" I reply, "We do not celebrate it at all with such as you are.
Until you know the Savior we have no Lord's Supper for you whatever."
"But," he says–and he begins to question you whether there should be
an altar of stone or a table of wood, and whether the elements should
be dispensed by a priest or by a minister, or by a common
Christian–"These are very weighty matters, and I must have them all
solved at once." Dear Friends, we also think them weighty and our
testimony about them never hesitates, but we are not going to dispute
with you, for we earnestly entreat you, first of all, to know Christ
and Him Crucified! Make your calling and election sure and then we will
be ready to give you reasons from the Word for our faith and practice.
At present, "What do you think of the Christ?" is the one sole enquiry
which demands your care.

I think I spoke out plainly enough, just now, upon the first question
referring to politics and religion to let you know that I am by no
means lukewarm on minor points. And I would speak with equal
definiteness here about doctrines and ordinances if it were necessary
to show you that I do not undervalue them. But for all that, "What do
you think of the Christ?" is far above all other questions for a man
who is unredeemed. And I do beseech you not to let those other points
destroy you, as they may do by taking away your thoughts from the one
thing necessary. Till you are saved you need your mind concentrated on
the one essential point. After that we will teach you to observe all
things whatever the Lord has spoken.

Just now, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved,"
is the most important text in the Bible for you to consider.

II. Now let us come to the second part of our subject–THE QUESTION OF
ALL QUESTIONS, the question of the day, the question of all days until
days shall end–"What do you think of the Christ?" Observe that it is
an enquiry which concerns the Savior. "What do you think of the
Messiah, the Sent One, the Christos, the Anointed One of God?" Do you
think His errand was necessary? Was there a need for such a Person to
come here? Was a Savior necessary in your case? He came to save men
from their sins–have you any sins? Have you sins from which you cannot
escape of yourself, for which you can make no atonement yourself? Have
you felt this? Do you feel it now?

If you say you have no sin, your thoughts of Christ will be that He was
a needless commissioner from Heaven as far as your case is concerned.
He came not to call those who need not to be saved–why should He do
such a work of supererogation? Have you felt sin? Do you confess it? Do
you believe, therefore, that God, in sending Christ to save His people
from their sins, has done a gracious and merciful act? Do you accept
the Person whom He has sent? Are you willing to be saved by Him? Are
you willing to be saved on His terms, which are that you yield yourself
up to Him, that He shall be your ONLY Savior, that He shall have all
the glory of your salvation, that you shall not be saved by any merit
of your own, but be pardoned through His blood and righteousness? Do
you agree to that? Does your soul say, "Yes," to that before the living
God? If so, your thoughts of Christ are right. But if not, if you kick
at His sacrifice and say, "I see no need for it." If you think it
insufficient to put away sin and if, therefore, you do not trust in
Him, then you have made God a liar by not believing His testimony
concerning His Son!

But I trust that this morning your thoughts of Christ are just
these–"I am a sinner deserving punishment from God. I see that God has
punished sin in Jesus Christ and I trust myself in Christ, the atoning
Sacrifice, wholly and alone. I give myself up to Christ Jesus that He
may save me, that He may rule me, that He may make me holy even as He
is holy. If He will but have me, I have no opposition to Him. No, I
feel, on the contrary, a complete yielding of my soul to His Divine
will, happy to be saved by such a Savior."

I am favored, indeed, to be addressing persons who feel this in their
very souls! Whatever else you have to perplex you, Beloved, always hold
to that and let your thoughts of our dear Savior ever be humble, ever
sweet, and ever pleasant to your hearts. Then shall you be strong for
sacred service! But never, never, never cease to think well of Jesus.
Please notice that this question not only concerns the Savior, but it
concerns the Person of the Savior and this is a point too often
forgotten. We speak of the Lord's teachings and doings, but we ought,
more often, to remember that He is a real Person–not a name, or a
fiction–not a shadow that has passed across the historic page, but a
Man of whom we may ask the question–"Whose Son is He?" as the Master
asked it here.

Now, shall I put the question to you? What do you think of the Person
of Christ? Do you understand how Sonship and Lordship blend in Him? Do
you understand Him to be the Son of David and, therefore, yielding
obedience on earth, both to man and to God, He became the Servant of
servants for our sake? Do you believe He was obedient, even unto
death–and yet do you comprehend that He is Lord of all, that the
government is upon His shoulders? Is Christ your Savior and yet your
Master? Has He washed your feet and yet do you bow down and kiss His
feet? Has He done all for you and now do you feel that He is enthroned
in your heart's best love and that you would do anything and everything
for Him?

Jesus bleeding on the Cross and yet exalted on the Throne–can you
reconcile these two things? The crown of thorns and the crown of
universal monarchy–have you seen how these two are united in His
blessed Person? What do you think of Christ–Sonship and Lordship
blended? And have you seen, and does your faith know that He is both
Human and Divine–Son of David, truly such by natural descent–Son of
God, also by Nature and Essence? It is no use our mincing words–we
cannot believe in the salvation of a man who does not believe in the
Deity of Christ! We would have the utmost charity possible, but we must
have honesty, too, and it seems to us that the rejection of Christ as
God is the rejection of His salvation altogether!

Beloved, have you accepted Christ, the whole Christ, the Man Christ,
the God Christ, Immanuel, God with us? Is He your trust? If not, may
the Lord bring you to look the question in the face before any other.
Put all the rest in the background and consider this–Have you thought
rightly concerning God in Christ Jesus, the Savior of men? Have you
thought rightly of Him, too, in the matter of the opposition which is
rendered to His kingdom and yet of the sure conquest He will gain?

Notice how the Holy Spirit has led David to write concerning it, "The
Lord said unto my Lord, sit you at My right hand, until I make Your
enemies Your footstool." Christ is opposed. Do you see it? Do you also
lament it? Does your faith, at the same time, grasp the thought that
all this opposition will be overcome, that Christ will yet sit upon the
Throne of His Father David and will sway His scepter over the most
fierce of all His adversaries? Oh, it is well when we can get to
this–Christ in my own soul fighting with sin! Christ resisted by my
depravity and corruption! And yet Christ sure to reign and sit as King
when all my sins are overcome and all my corruptions overthrown! It is
a blessed sight to see the struggling and soon the triumphing of the
Savior and to think of Him in that respect! I exhort you to make sure
work about the Divine Person of our dear Lord Jesus Christ and to let
all other things go or wait their turn for many a long day until you
know Him and are found in Him–and are saved with a complete salvation
in Him!

But I must pass on a little further. This question is not only about
the Redeemer and His Person, but it is about thoughts. "What do you
think of the Christ?" It has been said that we shall not be hanged for
our thoughts. It may be. But many have been damned for their thoughts.
Indeed, this is the source of damnation–that men will think amiss–and
from thinking amiss go on to speak and act amiss. "What do you think of
the Christ?" This is a searching enquiry to some, for their relations
to Christ consist of anything else you like except thinking. Many who
attend a place of worship never give themselves the trouble of
thinking. They say a prayer night and morning, but as to thinking, that
is out of the question. They go to their "sacraments" and they do not
mind how often, but they never think. What is a priest but an invention
to think for me, to do my religion for me? But the question is, "What
do you think of the Christ?"

If there is no thought in your religion, there is no life in it! Man
invents mechanical forms and modes in order to get away from the
horrible necessity of thinking, but in so doing he destroys his soul.
Every man should do his own thinking and do it at home, too, and not
need to put it out for somebody else to perform it for him. The mind
must exercise itself towards God and if it does not, our worship is
dead worship. Our Savior suggests to us that we must think and think of
Him–"What do you think of the Christ?" Is it a pleasure to you to
think of Christ? Do you so love Him, is He so comely in your esteem
that you delight to think of Him? Do you frequently think of Christ,
just as you often think of those you love? And do you naturally think
of Christ just as we naturally think of food without being reminded of
it, seeing we have to live upon it and therefore inward appetites
render impossible to forget?

Have you a passion for Christ? These are the kind of enquiries which
try a man. Is your nature so changed that Christ has become your Friend
and therefore you delight in Him? Has He become your food and therefore
you inevitably long for Him and must do so because of new appetites and
cravings within your nature? Do you think of Christ joyfully? Can you
say–

"In the heavenly Lamb

Thrice happy I am,

And my heart it does leap

At the sound of His name?"

Do you think of Christ, desiring still nearer access and a clearer view
of Him, sighing out with sacred love-sickness, saying, "O that I were
with Him where He is, or that He were with me where I am"? Do you think
of Him with admiration, wondering at the Altogether Lovely One? Do you
think of Him with an ardent wish to be conformed to His image, saying,
"Gracious Savior, make me like Yourself"? Do you think of Him with
practical love, so that you help His cause, succor His poor people,
proclaim His Truth, aid His Church and pity sinners for whom He shed
His blood?

Do you so think of Christ as to speak well of Him and commend Him to
the love of mankind? Do thoughts of Jesus keep you back from sin and
incite you to continue in the paths of holiness for His name's sake? Do
you so think of Christ that you pray for Him, that you give to Him,
that you work for Him? "What do you think of the Christ?" Is He worthy
of your actual, practical, diligent service, or is it to be all talk
and idle chat and broken resolutions and vain professions? "What do you
think of the Christ?"

Then notice, the question is about your own thoughts. How pleased we
all are with the work of judging other people. There are certain
persons to whom, if you will speak against all Churches and all
religious people, and say, "How all are departing from the Truth and
all going aside," you are furnishing them with the sweetest possible
nuts. They delight in sacred scandal! Now it may be true that everybody
is very bad, but I do not particularly see what I have to do with that.
The main thing, at any rate, for the most of you to consider is–"What
do you think of the Christ?"–you! "Ah," says one, "I like to see
abuses exposed." Very well, come here and let us turn your heart inside
out. "What do you think of the Christ?" "I like a searching ministry,"
says one. Very well, then let this question search you and go right
through your soul like a hurricane–"What do you think of the Christ?"

"Alas, my neighbors are great Sabbath-breakers." What are you, Sir?
Cannot you break the Sabbath and yet attend a place of worship? Do you
not carry burdens in your soul on Sunday–and is it not ordained to be
a day of rest for the mind as well as for the body? "Ah, but some of my
neighbors are very erroneous in their doctrine." What are you the
better for your orthodoxy? That is the point. May it not involve more
sin to have the light and not to act upon it than to be in the dark
altogether? I beseech you, each man, each woman for himself–put the
question to your own soul, "What do you think of the Christ?" How many
times after a sermon have you said, "I wonder how So-and-So could sit
still and listen to that part of it. I thought as I was sitting there
what a home-thrust the preacher gave So-and-So"?

Were such thoughts right? Is that the way to hear the Gospel? Are we
not to hear for ourselves? Should there not be a personal application
on all matters? I push home this demand with vehemence–with leave or
without leave, I beseech each one of you to answer to this
enquiry–"What do you think of the Christ?" And here let me close by
saying that this question, though it only deals with thoughts, is
entangled with every other spiritual subject. If you are not right
here, you are right in nothing. The hymn says correctly–

"You cannot be right in the rest

Unless you think rightly of HIM."

I never knew a man think little of the Savior but what he thought
little of sin. There was never a man who thought little of the Mediator
but what he had very strange ideas of the Godhead. Never a man went
astray in his thoughts about Christ but he also was going wrong in his
thoughts of himself. If you know Jesus to be a Savior to the fullest,
putting away all sin by the Sacrifice of Himself–then you will know
yourself to be a sinner, with sin to put away–and soon you will know
yourself to be a saint with sin put away and so you will get right
ideas of everything else.

Go to the Fountainhead, I pray you! Make heart-work of that essential
question–"What do you think of the Christ?" If you would allow me to
catechize you upon your spiritual state, I shall not treat of any
peculiarity of creed or sect, but I shall begin and end with this one
thing–"What do you think of the Christ?" If a man has a disease in the
vitals, the mere adornment of his person will avail little–the inward
parts must be set right. And if you are wrong in reference to the Lord
Jesus, the evil must be remedied by the Grace of God or you will die
eternally! Remember, if our views of Christ are wrong, our state is
wrong. When a man is born-again he knows Christ. He may think he knew
Him before, but he did not, for only the spiritual man understands
spiritual things. If your present state is wrong, your future state
will be wrong unless you are set right in reference to the Lord Jesus,
so that the question before us encompasses both time and eternity.

Do I address any Brother or Sister here who is already saved, but who
possesses a scant measure of joy? Dear Brother or Sister, I should not
wonder but what the reason of your despondency may be mean, unworthy
thoughts of Christ Jesus! If you knew more about your union with the
living Savior, about the perfection that is given to all His people
through His blood and righteousness, surely your joy would overflow and
your despondency would cease! If we permit groveling ideas of our Lord
to dwell in our minds, our whole spiritual nature will decline in
consequence. Narrow notions of the Redeemer narrow our love to Him and
our enterprise for His glory. Low thoughts of Christ will palsy the
strongest arm, but a great Savior greatly loved, leads to great deeds.

See Him to be lovely beyond all things and let Him engross your heart
and fire your spirit and He will make a man of you to the fullness of
your manhood so that you shall serve God to purpose. Let not Jesus be a
shadow to you, or your religion will be unsubstantial. Let Him not be
just a name to you, or your religion will be nominal. Let Him not be
just a myth of history, or your religion will be mere fancy. Let Him be
not just a teacher, or you will lack a Savior! Let Him be not alone an
exemplar, or you will fail to appreciate the merit of His blood. Let
Him be the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the All in
All of your spirits.

As He is God's Beloved, so let Him be your Beloved! As He is Lord of
lords, let Him be your Lord and when any enquire of you, "What do you
think of the Christ?" tell them, "He is all my salvation and He is all
my desire." Amen and amen.

PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SEASON–Matthew 22.
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Always and for All Things