“And the Father himself which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”
Do I then believe in an individual inspiration to anyone who chooses to lay claim to it? Yes—to everyone who claims it from God; not to everyone who claims from men the recognition of his possessing it. He who has a thing does not need to have it recognized. If I did not believe in a special inspiration to every man who asks for the holy spirit, I should have to throw aside the whole tale as an imposture; for the Lord has, according to that tale, promised such inspiration to those who ask it. If an objector has not this spirit, is not inspired with the truth, he knows nothing of the words that are spirit and life. His assent equally is but the blowing of an idle horn. And how is one to tell whether it be in truth the spirit of God that is speaking in a man? You are not called upon to tell. The question for you is whether you have the spirit of Christ yourself. The question is for you to put to yourself, to answer for yourself: Am I alive with the life of Christ? Is his spirit dwelling in me? Everyone who desires to follow the Master has the spirit of the Master, and will receive more that he may follow in his very footsteps. He is not called upon to prove to this or that or any man that he has the light of Jesus; he has to let his light shine. It does not follow that his work is to teach others. When the truth urges him, let him speak it out and not be afraid—content to be condemned for it; comforted that if he mistake, the Lord himself will condemn him, and save him “as by fire.” If he speaks true, the Lord will say “I sent him.” For all truth is of him; no man can see a true thing to be true but by the Lord, the spirit.
Commentary
by James House
Some of MacDonald's own quotes to help deepen some points of today's reading:
"The clear pure light of the morning made me long for the truth in my heart, which alone could make me pure and clear as the morning, tune me up to the concert-pitch of the nature around me. And the wind that blew from the sunrise made me hope in the God who had first breathed into my nostrils the breath of life, that he would at length so fill me with his breath, his wind, his spirit, that I should think only his thoughts and live his life, finding therein my own life, only glorified infinitely."
(from The Seaboard Parish)
"A Christian is just one that does what the Lord Jesus tells him. Neither more nor less than that makes a Christian. It is not even understanding the Lord Jesus that makes one a Christian. That makes one dear to the Father; but it is being a Christian, that is, doing what he tells us, that makes us understand him. Peter says the Holy Spirit is given to them that obey him: what else is that but just actually, really, doing what he says—just as if I was to tell you to go and fetch me my Bible, and you would get up and go? Did you ever do anything, my child, just because Jesus told you to do it?"
(from Mary Marston)