Helps to Young Christians: Part 1

From: Young Christian: Volume 5, 1915

• 4 min. read • grade level: 4

1st. Renounce, once and for all, the legal thought that your acceptance before God depends on anything you are, or can be, or anything you do, or can do. Christ, and not your condition, or your conduct, is the ground of your acceptance. God accepts Christ for you, and accepts you in Christ. (Rom. 4:25; 5:1, 2; 8:1, 2²⁵Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1‑2)
¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1‑2); Eph. 1:6, 7⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:6‑7); Col. 1:12-14¹²Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: ¹³Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: ¹⁴In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:12‑14).)

You’re not worthy—oh, no! Christ alone

Is righteous and true in God’s sight,

But you are in Him, who for sin did atone,

In whom is found all God’s delight.

2nd. Remember that you are now a Christian—Christ’s one, and as such seek to adorn “that beautiful name by which you are called.” (Acts 11:26²⁶And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Acts 11:26); Eph. 3:15¹⁵Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (Ephesians 3:15); James 2:7⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? (James 2:7).) What is a Christian? Someone has said, “A Christian is C-H-R-I-S-T—Christ in full; and I-A-N (I am nothing)—me in initial.” Look up, then, for grace to be nothing, and to make Christ everything.

O to be but emptier, lowlier,

Mean, unnoticed, and unknown,

And to God, a vessel holier,

Filled with Christ, and Christ alone!

3rd. Be careful to have “a good conscience” —a conscience instructed by Scripture—pure and sensitive. Let conscience be like some finely polished mirror, that is dimmed by the slightest breath of the tempter. If you sin, confess at once, not as a sinner to God, but as a child to the Father. (Acts 24:16¹⁶And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (Acts 24:16); Heb. 13:18¹⁸Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. (Hebrews 13:18); 1 John 1:9; 2:1, 2⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
¹My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ²And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1‑2).)

Speak a shade more kindly

Than you have before;

Pray a little oftener,

Serve a little more;

Cling a little closer

To the Father’s love;

Life will then grow liker

To the life above!

4th. Be as lenient to the faults of others as you are hard on your own. Remember those three gracious F’s—Forbear; Forgive; Forget. If you detect the smallest grain of malice in your heart toward another, do not rest while it is there. You cannot be happy with the Lord till it is gone. (Rom. 12; Col. 3:12-15¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ¹⁴And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:12‑15); Phil. 2; Eph. 4:1-3; 31-32¹I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ²With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1‑3).)

O, what a little thing can turn

A heavy heart from sigh to song!

A smile can make the world less stern;

A word can cause the soul to burn

With glow of heaven all night long.

5th. Keep a large heart as you tread the narrow way. By a large heart I mean a heart that takes in “all saints.” The path of faithfulness amid the ruins becomes increasingly narrow and exclusive, but a heart filled with the love of Christ expands, and becomes increasingly large and inclusive. (Look up the term “all saints,” as found in the epistles.)

Have you had a kindness shown?

Pass it on.

‘Twas not given for thee alone—

Pass it on.

Let it travel down the years,

Let it wipe another’s tears,

Till in heaven the deed appears

Pass it on.

6th. In any difficulty, let the Lord be your first resource. You have no wiser, kinder, nor stronger friend. Whatever, then, be the care—be it in the home circle, the school circle, the business circle, the church circle, the world circle, or the tiny circle of your own soul—go to Him about it. He delights to enter into our little concerns, and the simpler our faith the better it pleases him. (Phil. 4:6⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6); 1 Peter 5:6, 7⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6‑7).)

No human voice may cheer thee,

No earthly listener hear thee;

But, oh, one Friend is near thee,