Performance And Profit

by R. ARMSTRONG, Toronto, Canada | Category: General | Aug 1963

Twentieth century human endeavour is being built around the dual concepts of performance and profit.

Both words, "performance" and "profit", appear in Scripture, containing spiritual lessons as well as practical applications in our life for God. All that God has performed, and will yet perform, is toward the fulfilment of His eternal purposes in the Lord Jesus Christ for the blessing and profit of all who obey Him. Let us consider "performance"under the heading:

From God to man

In Luke 1.45 we find the Greek word teleiosis, rendered "performance" in the A.V. (fulfilment, in the R.V.). Elizabeth and Mary by divine election fill their unique and very significant part in the purposes of God. An angel of God spoke to Zacharias the priest concerning his wife, Elizabeth, "Fear not ... thy prayer is heard and thy wife ... shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John" (Luke 1.18, A.V.).

Mary also had a message from God. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that which is to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1.35). God's work through the Holy Spirit resulted in the miraculous incarnation of the eternal Son of God. Mary's answer to the announcement of the angelic messenger was, "Behold, the handmaid of the LORD; be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1.38).

Subsequently, these two godly women shared wonderful days of fellowship together, in the holy atmosphere of that quiet home in the Judean hills, speaking about the birth of One who would change men's lives, and the course of human history : "Behold", said Elizabeth to Mary, "when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy" (Luke 1.44). Elizabeth recognized Mary's submission to the Lord, and she, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, "Blessed is she (Mary) that believed ; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the LORD" (Luke 1.45, A.V.). Mary heard, believed, submitted, and God performed!

While God does cause heart stirrings by His Holy Spirit, He does not override the freedom of the human will. Mary chose to submit to God's marvellous plan for her.

Brightly it beamed on man forlorn,

When Christ, the Holy Child was born.

And in its fullest splendour shone

When Jesus, dying, cried, "Tis done."

God will perform His will, and will show His power through our lives if we arc subject to Him. Have we learned the lesson that obedience and blessing go together? How often the sin of unbelief and insubjection to the will of God has hindered the free flow of the Holy Spirit's power and blessing amongst God's people! "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew

13.58). May this not be true of us, as it was of those of whom it was written.

The word "perform" is used prophetically in Isaiah 9. 6, 7, speaking of Christ, "a Child is born ... a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end ... The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall perform this." What a glorious future is His, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"! (Hebrews 12.2).

In His zeal to accomplish all that is encompassed within the will of God in regard to His people and the world in general the Lord will come again. The darkest hours are just before the dawn, and in them will appear the Morning Star. Afterwards, the Son of Man will return to earth in the triumphant rising of Himself, the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in His wings (Malachi 4.2).

In this future revelation of the Lord Jesus as the King of kings, a world-wide reign of righteousness, peace and prosperity of unprecedented magnitude will begin. "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth" (Psalm 72.8). "FOR HE MUST REIGN". The whole creation will be liberated from the bondage of corruption, and will at last enter into its long sabbatic rest. At present the cry, "How long, 0 Lord ?" rises from many hearts.

Men cannot bring about lasting peace. As Scripture clearly states of others, "The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgement in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein doth not know peace" (Isaiah 59.8). So will it be with them! We thank God that the Lord Jesus is on the throne of heaven, awaiting the time of God's appointment.

"And then at last earth's mighty groan shall cease,

Creation's restless throb of pain be stilled;

Soothed by the presence of the Prince of Peace,

When, with His glory, this fair earth is filled."

We rejoice at the thought of these glorious coming events, concerning which "the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall perform this" (Isaiah 9.7). The word "perform" here is the Hebrew word asah, which means to accomplish, advance, fulfil, finish.

We now turn to the consideration of performance and profit.

From man to God

The question is asked in Job 22.2, "Can a man be profitable unto God?" The present return or profit God receives from what was sown in the cross-work of His dear Son is the joy of children being born into the divine family (John 1.12). Then there is joy to Him from lives completely yielded to His will, in which He sees conformity to the image of His Son. John speaks of having no "greater joy" than that of seeing his children walking in the Truth (3 John verse 4). As partakers of the divine nature we should be performing those

things in keeping with the divine will. Learning and doing the will of God, as revealed in the Scriptures, should be our deepest longing. How slow we are to respond! Our intentions may be good, but how often it is the case, that the good works "which God afore prepared that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2.10) are still unfulfilled. Paul wrote to the church of God in Corinth, to stir them into action about a matter of material giving to which they had committed themselves. A whole year had gone by since they had purposed to send relief to needy Christians in the church in Jerusalem, but at the time of Paul's second epistle, the task remained unfinished. "Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have" (2 Corinthians 8.11, A.V.). When material or spiritual resources are withheld, God is robbed, the soul impoverished, and others may go unblest.

The time has come to face the question squarely of poor performance in the realm of spiritual things, and the little profit for God in our lives. We readily subscribe to the truth of the indwelling Holy Spirit. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you,... ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body" (1 Corinthians 6.19, 20). God, through Christ, has bought us completely, spirit, soul, and body. Is it not reasonable then, that His profit from us should be our greatest concern, and highest endeavour? Should not His love, now shed abroad in our hearts, cause us to respond to those soul-searching words, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12.1)? There is no doubt about what is involved here-an unreserved commitment of all we have and are to God, who has made us His own. Can we continue to hold back from Him that which is His, spiritually, intellectually, materially ? All belongs to Him, and until we are absolutely surrendered to His will, spiritual performance will be poor.

The question may be profitably asked here, How then does a Christian in the house of God perform for profit?

Performance for spiritual profit in the preparation of the heart In a day when there is an increasing tendency to mix holy and common things, we need a fresh evaluation of spiritual values. In the presence of God, on our knees with His word, we must ask Him for a fresh vision of the things He values. Here, in the light of His presence, we will learn to love the things God loves, and to seek only the things that bring pleasure to Him.

Performance in worship

Do we fail to gather with the church of God in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus? As we draw near, hearts, touched afresh by the love of God and the sufferings of Christ at Calvary, are poured out in worship and praise to Him. In the Holies is the place of holy priesthood service, where collectively, we offer spiritual sacrifices to God through our great High Priest. Hebrews 8.1-8 teaches that Christ, as High Priest, is "a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man", and He must of necessity have somewhat to offer. Are we bringing to Him, as He waits in the sanctuary above to have His hands filled with spiritual sacrifices from full hearts ? Do men sit in silence ? Have they nothing to offer? Perhaps through our lack of preparation beforehand God is robbed of His portion from the holy priesthood. In worship, as in everything we give, God requires the first and the best. May there be real exercise of heart in worship, seeing God has said, that "none shall appear before Me empty".

Performance in Prayer

An essential spiritual exercise in the lives of God's people individually and collectively is prayer. True prayer brings us into communion with God. This is prayer in the Holy Spirit. Those who have power with God in prayer, have power with men in testimony. Nor is true prayer the mere repetition of words or old familiar phrases, but rather it is persevering, mighty wrestlings that avail in the presence of God. Deep earnest prayers and supplications with intercession in the Holy Spirit is the kind of prayer the Scriptures teach, and is the kind of prayer that prevails with God. Such prayer is not easy. It calls for time and self-sacrifice. It calls for discipline and being alone with God for long periods. It calls for a Jacob-like purpose, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Doubtless for lack of this kind of prayer there is lack of power in our lives and ministry. May God help us all to take a fresh look at prayer in our life, that we may know experimentally the Spirit helping our infirmities! (See Romans 8.26.) The people of God need to pray more than ever in these days of world crises, when the enemy is coming in like a flood (Isaiah 59.19, R.V.M.). In times like these, when the baneful influences of an evil and adulterous generation is weakening spiritual life, may we continue steadfastly in prayer!

Performance in Scripture Reading

Family Bible reading is being neglected in many Christian homes today. The reading and study of the Scriptures is essential to equip and maintain the people of God in the conflict against the "spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places". We need to be fortified against the inroads of evil and declining standards. Those who do not make Bible reading and meditation a daily practice of life, cannot hope to grow spiritually. They cannot expect, if they have families, to see anything but poor spiritual development in their children. If children and young people say they cannot understand the Bible, then it is the responsibility of parents and older people to see that they are helped to an understanding of the Scriptures. Let us get back to daily gathering around the Scriptures. All the theological books in the world, however useful, will never take the place of reading the living word of God. There is absolutely no substitute for the Bible

Performance in witnessing

We should bear fearless witness for the Lord. This is perhaps another area of great weakness in our lives. It is not always easy to speak to someone about the Lord Jesus, and more so if we attempt it in our own strength. We must speak often to the Lord about this, and ask Him to lead us to someone He knows about, and ask for the right Scriptures to read and words to speak. Each time we do this, we shall find it becomes easier. We may be ashamed of our weakness here, and may rather try to conceal it. We may relieve our conscience by saying we are not cut out for this kind of service. If this is so, and particularly to young Christians we say, speak to the Lord about it in prayer. He will give you His confidence to overcome selfconsciousness, and perhaps direct you to someone known for witnessing, from whom you may receive counsel and help. The Lord's words ring in our hearts, "Ye shall be My witnesses", and witness we must! It is a vital part of our ministry individually and as churches of God for the continuity of divine testimony. To witness effectively we must pray for guidance to overcome fear of self and man. We need to be skilled workmen, asking God to help us to deal with people in His way. We need to be well equipped, knowing the Scriptures, for therein is the power of God unto salvation. We might just as well try to feed a hungry man without giving him food, as attempt to lead a soul to Christ without using the word of God.

We must live a clean life, and be in daily fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Thus will we be able to speak with authority from the word of God, and show others how Christ alone knows and can meet their need.

May the Lord of the harvest awaken us to our responsibility and the great need around us! Consecrated workers are needed at home and abroad; "the fields ... are white already unto harvest !" "Remember Jesus Christ" ... "who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession" (2 Timothy 2. 8; 1 Timothy' 6.18).

May we all know the blessings of spiritual performance for spiritual profit

R. ARMSTRONG, Toronto, Canada | Aug 1963
General