Contrition. Confession. Consecration

I take this title from an article in a missionary magazine, with an account of the powerful working of God’s Spirit in a revival. Christians of long standing were by the Holy Spirit brought into true brokenness of heart and penitence on account of sins in their Christian life. When the contrition had fully mastered them, they confessed both before God and man what they had done. The faith that this confession was accepted gave courage for a new consecration of mingled joy and trembling.

We speak of the blessing by which missions will react upon the Church. Does not such a story teach us a lesson that where God’s children are brought face to face with a great evil that has been allowed in the Church, His Holy Spirit will, in answer to prayer, work that same deep contrition, and that penitent confession, without which there can be no hope of restoration to full pardon or to true consecration? The condition in which the Church finds herself placed by the twofold charge, the neglect of her own members and the neglect of the heathen entrusted to her, does indeed call for deepest contrition. There must have somewhere been a lack of watchfulness and prayer. There must have been a lack of spiritual life and power in the congregations concerned. There must have been on the part of ministers — they will be the first to acknowledge it — a lack of that devotion and faith and prayer, which would have met the evil ere it had attained such proportions.

The great thought that we must take in is the dishonour and the grief caused to God by the lapse of the lost ones, by the reproach resting on the Church of His beloved Son, and by the terrible thwarting of His so strong desire through the Church to bless the world. A spiritual truth like this cannot be grasped by the natural mind. It is by God’s Spirit alone that it can get full possession of our hearts. What is more, it takes time with God alone, for Him to breathe and then to deepen the spirit of contrition. It takes time to turn away from the world and its numberless interests, and to wait on God to bow and to bend the heart. Contrition must become such a reality that we feel something of the pain of a broken heart, and that we offer this sacrifice to God as a felt, living reality. Where such contrition has been wrought by the Spirit, He Whose name is holy will come to dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble heart.

Such contrition must first be found in secret, at least by some who mourn before God their own state and the state of the Church around them. But then it will desire to help others. The Church is a living Body; every member cares for the other and suffers with it. The contrite one will find like-minded men to cultivate and strengthen this spirit of penitential humiliation. And by the grace of God the gracious influence may be spread, and ministers will be found to give fit expression to what God claims and to what He promises.

Let us with our whole heart ask that God may give to all who seek it the spirit of true, deep, abiding contrition. As we think of all the sins that are implied in this decrease of membership, we shall feel the need of the conviction of the Holy Spirit to bring us into the true posture before God. There is the sin of blood-guiltiness, of unfaithfulness in the discharge of our duty, of unbelief in not having trusted God for His grace, of remissness in prayer and fellowship with God; all calling for deep humiliation.

Then comes CONFESSION. There is, alas! a religion in which the confession of sin is easy, because men think that it is a matter of course that we must sin, and they are sure that, if we only confess, God is ready to pardon. This is not the confession God’s Word speaks of. “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his transgressions, shall obtain mercy.” That alone is the repentance that needeth not to be repented of. “True repentance has restoring power; it never leaves you in the place in which you were.” Confession and forsaking the sin make up true contrition, and this is why it is so hard for an honest man to confess his sin. He feels that God expects him to confess and forsake. But where contrition has been deep and true, there the Christian will feel it impossible for him to confess without forsaking. Sin, whatever it be, is something very awful and God-dishonouring. It is not a simple or an easy thing to confess it in truth. It means a transaction with God in which the sin is brought out, and dealt with, and given up to God in the faith that He is righteous to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. Again I say, nothing but the deep contrition which the Holy Spirit works can fit us for true and full confession and forsaking.

When once this has been done in secret before God, then comes the time to do it before man too. The order may sometimes be reversed. Under the movings of the Holy Spirit in a company, the confession of one or more may help to rouse others to follow in his steps. But there is always a danger in this of superficiality. The only safety is that men must be led from the public confession to the inner chamber, and not to rest until they know that God has met them and accepted from them the sacrifice of a broken heart. Everything depends upon knowing that there has been a definite transaction between God and the soul, ioo THE STATE OF THE CHURCH

It is this that will give its value to public confession, and help to stir and strengthen others to follow in the same path.

Above all, this is what will give confidence for a full and entire consecration. In the letter to the Churches from the World Missionary Conference, the words occur: “God is demanding of us all a new order of life, of a more arduous and self-sacrificing nature than the old.” It calls upon us “to face the new task with a new consecration.” Where the contrition and confession that we have spoken of has been full and true, a full and a true consecration becomes possible, or rather, becomes a necessity to the penitent heart.

There are various ways of putting the terms of consecration. Keswick has one; Dr. Mott has another; Scotland has its own. Our godly fathers in the deep fear and reverence of God knew what it was to give themselves up to His will, and to live lives of holy fellowship with Him and devoted service.

There are thousands of Christians who would long to be helped to such a life, but they cannot understand how it is to be. May God raise up men in the pulpit and in the pew who can testify to their brethren what the strength is in which Christ can keep the soul that trusts Him, and enable it to walk in His presence all the day!

Do let us get hold of the thought that if the Church is to be lifted up out of her feebleness into the abundant life of Christ it can only be by ministers and people taking a new stand of separation from sin and the world, yielding themselves in a fuller surrender than ever before to follow Christ and live alone for Him. A revival among God’s children cannot be thought of unless the average standard of religion with which we have been content, make way, in the power of faith and the Holy Spirit, for a much more tender walk with Christ, and a much more complete yielding of our whole being upon the altar of sacrifice.

Can it be that God is going to do this? Can it be that, out of the shame and confusion of face with which many of the 1700 ministers have looked at the result of their work, and many of the members of the Church have confessed their share in that low vitality and feeble spirituality which had so much to do with it, God will bring such wonderful blessing? It is certain — He is most willing to work the contrition, to accept the confession, and to strengthen for the consecration.

And will He do it? That rests with us. The thought is unspeakably solemn. But so it is. He waits, He longs. He is working to draw His children to Himself. Oh, do not let us hesitate to bow before Him and listen to His voice: “Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.”

Let us not wait for others to begin. If there has been any touch of God’s Spirit as you have read and thought about the present crisis, if there has been any moving of desire to pray for the mighty power of the Holy Spirit to breathe on the Church, — begin at once. Plead with God for His almighty grace, and take no rest until you know that as a contrite penitent your consecration has been accepted and sealed. Go out then as a living witness to help and bring Christ’s call to repentance to the ears of His people, and to lead all who will listen to the place of decision and full consecration.