LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Truth in the Innermost Being
“Behold, you desire truth in the innermost being…” (Psalms 51:6).
Human life unfolds in two very different spheres. One is the private sphere, and the other is the public or social sphere. This dual dimension of our lives often has some areas that are in harmony, and to be sure, there are many points of difference; that is, we are not the same in private as we are in public.
The Lord Jesus said of the Pharisees: "All that they tell you to observe, observe and do; but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do" (Matt. 23:3). The “saying” here is primarily public, and the “doing” is private. What they preached as good in public, they did not apply to their private conduct. In public, they did only what was socially acceptable, but in private they were like tombs that harbour "dead men's bones and all uncleanness."
Making the private and the public coincide is a very difficult matter — impossible for the natural man. King David proved this when he sinned against God in regard to Bathsheba and Uriah. He found that, in private, he harboured sinful tendencies that were extraordinarily dangerous. He probably never thought about how far those tendencies could lead him, what the extent of his sinfulness was. He had to fall into shameful adultery and heinous murder to realise his appalling reality, that is, the double standard of his personality and how interested God is in both aspects.
On the other hand, for a servant of God, knowledge of God's holiness cannot be mere doctrinal knowledge of one of God's attributes, but rather the daily experience of walking in holiness, for that holiness has been communicated to him by the Holy Spirit who has been poured out within him.
"Be holy, because I am holy," the apostle reminds and admonishes us (1 Pet. 1:16). But how holy is God? The measure of His holiness is unknown to us, for we were born in sin, and in sin our mother conceived us. In our walk with God, we learn how holy God is. There will be moments when we will be overwhelmed by that holiness; it will be like when our eyes see a light that blinds us and prevents us, for a time, from walking. The knowledge of God's holiness makes us see how sinful we are.
God will work in us until we live in holiness in all areas of our lives, for He desires truth in the innermost being. Perhaps we will experience many blows before we reach this point; there will be many harvests of death, many bitter tears for sins committed. But ultimately, He will achieve His purpose. For He who began the good work in us will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.