True Disciples Hold Fast to the Truth
Horatius Bonar (1808-1898) was a Scottish minister, author, and hymn writer, penning nearly 150 hymns in his lifetime. Today, Bonar is still widely renowned for his work as a hymn writer, as churches across the world continue to sing the hymns he wrote, including “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say ‘Come unto Me and Rest.’”
The following excerpt is taken from Bonar’s work, Follow the Lamb. May it strengthen the resolve of all true-hearted disciples to hold fast to the Word of life.
Let the righteousness of the Righteous One be your daily covering.
Beware of changeableness; be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines: it is a bad sign of a man when he is frequently shifting his ground and adopting new opinions. 'It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace' (Heb. 13:9); and it is good to hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end (Heb. 3:14). The 'righteousness of God' was that which you began with, and you found it an ample covering and a sufficient resting-place. God's reckoning your sin to Christ, and His righteousness to you, was joy and peace, when you found the burden of your grief too great for you to bear. Never let go your hold of this truth. Continue to rejoice in this blessed exchange. Let the righteousness of the Righteous One be your daily covering.
Love of novelties has been the shipwreck of many a soul.
When a man gets wearied of what is old, and is always catching hold of what is new, it looks as if he had been beguiled from the simplicity that is in Christ, and had lost his relish for the things of Christ; nay, almost as if he had never been 'rooted and grounded in love.' Love of novelties has been the shipwreck of many a soul. 'Some new thing' is the craving not of the men of Athens only, but of many in the Church of God. They are restless; and are carried about with diverse and strange doctrines. Old truths get tame and stale (Eph. 4:14; Heb. 13:9; 1 John 4:1). Take care of 'itching ears' (2 Tim. 4:3), and of 'heaping to yourselves teachers' (2 Tim. 4:3).
Along with this we often see the love of controversy, which is almost equally pernicious, even when it takes the side of truth. The man who likes better to be fighting about his food than eating it, is likely to remain lean enough. Disputes, like offenses, must sometimes come, but, like David's 'sharp razor' (Ps. 52:2), they 'work deceitfully' and are difficult to handle safely. They often eat out love, even when they do not destroy faith.
Don't dally with error, and don't tamper with truth.
Yet cleave to the truth; nay, if error does assail you, 'contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints;' 'that which ye have already, hold fast, that no man take thy crown.' Satan, either as the prince of darkness or as an angel of light, resist, 'steadfast in the faith.' Don't dally with error, and don't tamper with truth. 'Buy the truth' (Prov. 23:23) at any price; but 'sell it not' for all the gold and silver of earth.