"What Shall I Do, Lord?" Acts 22.10

by D. Paterson, Toronto | Category: General | Sept 1943

This question breathes a spirit akin to that which characterised Paul's Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, all the days of His sojourn on the earth. He was ever animated by a spirit of complete devotion to God which found expression in such words as,- " Lo, I am come To do Thy will, 0 God, " ; or as in His Gethsemane prayer,-" Father, if Thy be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done." He also said,- " 'As the Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He that sent Me is with Me; He hath not left Me alone, for I do always the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8.28, 29). Paul also was animated by a true spirit of devotedness, and the attitude of his heart and mind was to be well-pleasing unto God. He honoured God above many, and as God has said, "Them that honour Me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2.30). No doubt Paul will have a conspicuous place in the coming reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. He stands out in the pages of Scripture as a splendid example, worthy of imitation.

In Psalm 29.8, we read,-"Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt. break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel," and in Revelation 2.20 the Son of God says,-" .He that overcometh, and he that keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of My Father." As the Son of Man the Lord Jesus has received authority to execute judgement (John 5.27), and it is clear that He will associate the overcomers with Him in this rule.

In Revelation 12.5 we read the marvellous account in symbolic language of the woman who was with child, about to be delivered, the dragon being there ready to devour her child. "She was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto His throne." Again, in Revelation 19.11 we read,-"And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He that sat thereon, called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and make war," and in verse 14,- " And the armies which are in heaven followed Him on white horses clothed in fine linen, white and pure," and in verse 16,-"And He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

We read in Isaiah 32.1, "Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgement," and in Daniel 7.13, 14 "I saw in the night visions, and; behold, there came with the clouds of heaven One like unto a son of man, and He came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him (see verse 9), And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations and languages should serve Him His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Further on in verse 27 we are told, And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High His kingdom is an ever lasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him,

Thus does God reveal the future glories of His beloved Son, and while there is much that will be shared by all who are His, there is also that which He will only share with overcomers, as we, have seen from Revelation 2.26. Paul, we believe, will be one of those, but the privilege is within the reach of any of us. The power is available for the weakest that will enable him to overcome and to keep the Lord's works to the end.

This doubtless is one of the purposes of God in saving us. It is altogether a mistaken idea that God's only purpose in saving us was that we might never know the eternal judgement which awaits those who die in their sins.

Through faith which is in Christ Jesus we become children of God. He "chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (Ephesians 1. 15).

This first chapter of Ephesians chiefly presents that which God has wrought for His own good pleasure. We are united to Christ the Head by the Holy Spirit, and are made objects of grace in the Beloved, so, in the mighty unfolding of His great purpose we learn, according to chapter 2., that God began by giving life to us when we were dead through our trespasses and sins. Further we read in verse 10 that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them."

According to the principle set forth. in the parable of Matthew 25.14-80 the Lord Jesus has graciously given us the privilege of being His servants, and as the glorified Head it is His prerogative to give gifts unto men and in the exercise of His sovereign authority He distributes as He sees fit, to one, five talents; to another, two; and to another, one; to each according to his several ability. The gifts are intended to be used for the Master. The wise servants were commended and rewarded because they had traded with the talents and gained others. It is our privilege as a royal priesthood to shew forth the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2.9). Our service should be rendered in a spirit of loving gratitude to Christ, not just out of a sense of duty, nor for the sake of reward.

Having become sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, (Galatians 3.26) God has purposed that we should be manifested as sons with the great Son of God Himself when He comes as King of kings. and Lord of lords in His own glory and the glory of His Father (Romans 8.19; Matthew 16. 27; 25.81), and according to the principle of the parable, of the talents put place in that coming kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ will depend upon how we have used the," talents" given us, the diligence and faithfulness with which we have bought up our opportunities for service.

What an incentive it should be to us to serve with zeal that we have the prospect of being approved by the Lord Himself! Each diligent servant was set over "many things " and each entered into "the joy" of his lord.

Far be it from us to be so self satisfied as to sit down knowing that we are saved and sure of being in heaven, and pass through life without fitting acknowledgment of the claims upon us of the Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us. Rather may ~e be found in the spirit of Isaiah 12. the' closing words of which are,-" Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy' One of Israel in the midst of thee." We may well speak of His mighty works before all people; as well as declare what He hath done for our souls. Let us always be in the attitude of asking, " What shall I render unto the LORD for all His benefits toward me"?

As we are daily loaded with His benefits may we utilize our mental and physical energies and. any spiritual gifts we have in seeking to glorify Him, remembering that we are not our own, having been bought with a price, even the precious blood of Christ.

D. Paterson, Toronto | Sept 1943
General