STEPS TO HOLINESS Part 3
The wisdom of the fathers
STEPS TO HOLINESS Part 3
4.) This inward search for what prevents him from walking in the light of Christlike love will begin to break down his old sense of strength and independence. Instead of finding some specific defect that might be corrected with a little more effort, he begins to discover an inner corruption that is far beyond his power to overcome. Those outcropping of one or two selfish propensities, which at first attracted his attention, were only like the mineral veins of a mine. Every vein is found to sink down into the dark region of a self-centered nature—a nature that continues to war against Christ-like love.
The very fact that he is born of God and wants to walk in Christ-like love, but finds himself in conflict with Christ’s nature, begins to cause a deep inward sorrow. He begins to see how many of his good deeds, and how much of his Christian work, has been tinged with selfishness and self-exaltation. He sees how he has really been living for his own good and his own honor rather than for the good and honor of his Lord. This deep sorrow brings about what has been called “the repentance of believers.” It prepares the heart for a deeper death to the old self-centered, self-exalting and self-sufficient form of life.
5.) The light of the Spirit is now widening on the horizon, and he sees that he needs something far more than to be sanctified in spots. His vision takes in the length and breadth of his whole nature and he sees how much he needs the Son’s life of divine love filling his soul. And because the life of God can only be revealed through a pure heart, he begins to see how this is the key to “seeing” the life of Christ as an indwelling Presence. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8)
(from "Heavenly Life" by George D. Watson)