The Better Way

This clear exposition carefully compares and contrasts walking in the salvation experience with the better way of walking also in His Rest. The renown authour Beverly Carradine gently takes us on a guided tour of every point and kindly and gently wafts us into a far better understanding of these things:

"The very expression "better hope" should have aroused thought; but it did not at the time. It brings in perfection; not pardon, but perfection. Pardon, according to the writings of David, the prophets, and John the Baptist, had been known before. But a blessing called "perfection," a completing, perfecting work of grace in the soul, is brought to the Church by the Savior. What this perfection is we will speak of again in the next chapter; will simply add here that the Methodist Church has much to say about it, calling it by the various terms of "perfection," "perfect love," "made perfect," etc."

These terms are not synonyms of pardon, but represent something to be possessed and enjoyed after justification. This fact is sounded forth in the words of the pastor of every Methodist Church with all new accessions to the membership, in the exhortation in the Ritual: "Brethren, do all in your power to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love;" while in the Conference the bishop asks every preacher who seeks admission into the travelling connection, and into the local ranks as an ordained minister, the questions: "Are you going on to perfection?" " Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?" "Are you groaning after it?" A second result of the better hope, we are told in the nineteenth verse, is, that "we draw nigh unto God."

There is also a "Better Experience".

" A good experience is taught in Rom. v, I: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A better experience is spoken of in Philippians iv, 7, where the apostle says: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." The contrasted experiences are "peace with God," and "the peace of God." The prepositions are different; their meaning is not the same; and the latter expression is so much profounder than the other.

Peace with God is the result of a changed relation. Being justified or pardoned through faith, we are turned from enemies into the friends of God, and have peace with Him. It is a very blessed change, and the peace is very sweet. But we do not possess it long before we discover how easily it is affected by circumstance—by change of weather, departure of health, and loss of friends and property.

Sometimes without any explainable cause, it is gone, and the heart is left restless and the soul burdened. In vain we seek the reason; clouds are round about the throne, and darkness is in us. Truly there should be a sweeter, steadier, and more abiding experience than this; and, thank God, there is such a grace and blessing."

In like manner every topic is addressed. Near the end, there are many brief but impressive Wesleyan testimonies. CONTENTS (All 59 pages selected)
 
 
 

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