LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Truth in the Inward Parts
“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts…” (Psalms 51:6).
The human life unfolds in two very different scopes. One is the private scope, and the other would be the public or social. This double dimension of our life tends to have some points of contact and, surely, many mix-ups. That is to say, we are not the same in private as we are in public.
The Lord Jesus would say of the Pharisees: “Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Mat. 23:3). The word “say” refers to the public, and the word “do” to what is private. What they preached as good, in public, they would not do in their intimacy. They would do in public, only what was socially accepted; but in their private life, they were like tombs full of “dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”
To make the intimate and the public lives coincide is very difficult to do-impossible for the natural man. King David proved it when he sinned against God in reference to Bathsheba and Uriah. He proved that in his intimacy he had sinful tendencies that were extraordinarily dangerous. He probably never thought how far they would take him, which was the extreme of his sinfulness. He had to fall into shameful adultery and a cruel crime to find out the horrible reality; that is to say, the double standard of his personality, and how interested God is in both aspects.
On the other hand, for a servant of God, the knowledge of God’s holiness, cannot be simple a doctrinal knowledge of one of God’s attributes, but the daily experience of walking in holiness, for this holiness has been communicated by the Holy Spirit that was poured in him.
The apostle reminds us and admonishes us: “Be holy, for I am holy” (1st Peter 1:16). How holy is God? The measure of his holiness is unknown for us, for we were born in sin, and conceived in sin by our mother. In our walk with God we progressively learn more about God’s holiness. There will be moments when we will be totally amazed by his holiness. It will be like when our eyes see the light that blinds us and prevents us, for a while, to walk. The knowledge of God’s holiness makes us see how sinful we are.
God works in us until we live holiness in all the areas of our life, for He loves the truth in the inward parts. Perhaps many falls will come before reaching this measure. There will be many harvests of death, many bitter tears by sins committed. But, finally, He will reach his purpose. Because He started the good work in us, He will perfect it at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be his name.