A Good Name: The Best Fruit

The master, Jesus, said that a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. So what is good fruit? A better question still might even be what is the best fruit? How do we measure success in life? Or can success in life even be measured? Are great riches and financial prosperity success? No, they are not success; but they are good success indicators. They indicate success, but may be had by means other than following God's commandments. Thus Ahab was able to get Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-29). But the vineyard was not an indicator of success for Ahab (or rather it was the indicator of a short-lived success that would end in defeat). For Naboth the vineyard was an indicator of success, but for Ahab the same vineyard was an indicator of eventual defeat. Thus we must understand that an abundance of worldly goods is only an approximate indicator in this life.

The Bible sets forth one indicator of success that stands above all others: a good name. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; and favor rather than silver or gold" (Prov. 22:1). The supreme example of a good name is that of Jesus. His good name was given to him by God as a reward for successful service throughout his life and finally on the cross. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). Peter declared that it was not only by his name that men were healed, but also that it is the only name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:10-12).

Men know instinctively the value of a good name and will often attempt to get a good name even as covenant-breakers. So in Genesis 11:4 men said, "Go to, let us build a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." Men seek a legacy; a name that will be known and remembered. This striving after a name may be nothing more than pride; but it is important to remember that God regards a good name as more than simply fame and that seeking a good name is more than mere pride.

Qoheleth regarded being forgotten as a curse or vanity; an affliction to be avoided. "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever" (Eccl. 1:4); "there is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after" (Eccl. 1:11); "for there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Eccl. 2:16-17).

Genuine success in this life is the same as success in the next life: it consists in conforming our lives to God's law by the power of his grace. Money is not success, but it is an indicator of success. Fame is not success, but it too is an indicator of success. A good reputation is not success, but it may well be the best indicator we have of success. There are typically sanctions (positive for obedience and negative for disobedience) regarding how successful we are in conforming our lives to the law of God. The more successful we are at covenant-keeping, the more success indicators we will have in our lives. The less successful we are at covenant-keeping, the fewer success indicators we will have and will likely have failure indicators instead.

There is an excellent passage in Scripture that speaks to this very issue: Deuteronomy 28. The blessings that God speaks of in the passage are really nothing other than indicators of how successful we have been at keeping God's covenant.

"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field," Deut. 28:1-3. The blessings are the indicators; the success lies in keeping God's covenant.

Biblically speaking, i.e. covenantally speaking, blessings are marks of success and curses are marks of failure. We must never confuse reward with duty. Covenant-keeping is the duty; one at which we are told to excel (Matthew 5:17-20). The blessings of this life and the next are the rewards of covenant-keeping.

So, what kind of a name do you have? That of a covenant-keeper or that of a covenant-breaker? What kind of name should you be seeking after?

REB

Men Also Play

 

Here is one of my son's blogs. He is building a small trebuchet.

trebuchet

■ n. a machine used in medieval siege warfare for hurling large missiles.

– origin ME: from OFr., from trebucher ‘overthrow’.

Trebuchet Part 10

REB

Watson On Affliction

Puritan gems; or, Wise and holy sayings of ... Thomas Watson By Thomas Watson: "Christians mistake in supposing that when God afflicts he ceases to love. Affliction is his pruning knife; he would rather have the branches of his vine bleed than be unfruitful. He prunes us that we may bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness"

Paul Washer

Steele In Our Spines: Description of Uprightness

The meditations under this listing [Steele In Our Spines] are from Richard Steele's The Properties And Privileges Of An Upright Man, first published in 1670.

The nature or being of uprightness of life shines in simplicity. Proverbs 28:6, "better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich." And Proverbs 28:18, "whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved, but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once." The word for "ways" in both places is dual, and intimates two ways. A hypocrite is a man with two ways. One he goes in; the other he seems to go in. The poor, upright man has but one way, and that's better than them both. 2 Corinthians 1:12, "for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." When this apostle was traduced by men, yet this afforded him not only content[ment], but joy, to wit, the testimony of his conscience.

A hypocrite may have quiet in his conscience, but an upright man has a testimony in his conscience. He carries everywhere testimonial letters in his bosom. And why all this joy? "That we have had our conversation in simplicity. As our ends have been single in preaching the gospel, so our lives have not been double. The drift of our preaching and lives has been the same." Happy is the preacher who can here subscribe his hand.

The simplicity of an upright man sometimes makes him the subject of loss and sometimes the object of scorn. Job 12:4, "The just, upright man is laughed to scorn." Many times he is called a simpleton, yet he goes on and carries it to the end. His great consideration is, "What is my duty?" Proverbs 4:25, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee." That is, without squinting at events, or how it will please, or whom it will lose; he is resolved to live and die in his duty. Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that prudence and integrity cannot dwell together; certainly they may and ought to. His simplicity only excludes the subtlety of the fox, which stands in being cunning to do mischief, not the wisdom of the serpent, which stands in carefully avoiding it.

Uprightness of life also stands in purity. Proverbs 16:17, "The highway of the upright is to depart from evil." His usual road is as far from the broad way as he can have it be; and his care herein sometimes carries him rather too far, upon which account his conscience breeds more scruples than other men's, who can swallow anything that comes to pass. But his integrity in other things apologizes for him to all wise men, and at least brings him off with peace and comfort. And this very thing has brought upon very many of these upright men the badge of a "Puritan," which is by too many applied to subvert sincere holiness and to cast an odium on downright Christianity, and the practice of that we all profess.

I am sure that the Scripture opens heaven's gates to none but those whose lives are pure and holy. Psalm 24:3-4, "who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart." Hence the upright man dares not mingle with those vain fooleries, vicious excesses, or suspicious recreations that men of devastated consciences are drowned in; nor can all the good nature that's in him, nor importunity of neighbors or kindred, draw him to such company or courses that would sting his conscience when he should sleep -- unless God leaves him to himself sometimes to humble him.

This uprightness of life shines in the perfection of his life. I mean here a perfection of parts, in that each part of him is sincere. See Isaiah 33:14, "fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrite. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" That is, who shall stand before the holy, just, and upright Jehovah? Who can approach him when he executes judgments here or passes final sentence hereafter? When all hypocrites shall be in a fright, when their cobweb coverings shall fall off and they must stand naked (like so many cheats on a pillory) before God, angels, and men, who then shall stand with comfort and confidence?

Mark [Isaiah 33] verse 15, "he that walketh righteously [his feet walk uprightly] and speaketh uprightly [carries an upright tongue], he that despiseth the gain of oppressions [keeps an upright heart in him], that shaketh his hands from holding bribes [both his hands are upright too], that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood [his ears are tipped with integrity], and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil [he looks with an upright eye]."

Thus you see he is upright all over. Let him deal with friends or enemies, with godly or ungodly, with wise or foolish; you may trust him, for he stands in awe of his God and of himself. He does not have one heart for his religion and another for his bargains and calling, but he studies the Scripture and drives his life into it as near as he can. This is to obey God's voice indeed. And from this perfection flows an excellent evenness of conversation, so that Queen Elizabeth's motto well becomes his life, "Always the same."

This uprightness shines in the plainness of his life. There are few criticisms in the life of an upright man. He's plain, and that's his prayer. Psalm 27:11, "Lord, lead me in a plain path" -- that's my desire. He has no quirks, tricks, or legerdemain. If he cannot stand by plain dealing, he'll fall by it; when he trades and bargains, though he is discreet and careful, yet he is plain. When he reproves a fault or advises, he is sober, wise, and affectionate -- but still he is plain. His discourse and sermons, though elaborate, yet still are plain. Among his very enemies, though he is cautious and considerate, yet there he is plain also. "Lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies." He is like him who wished his body were made of crystal so that his sincerity might be transparent.

Such was that martyr whom the persecutors required to reveal his companion whom they were prosecuting, promising to him his own life for the discovery; and so either by denying his knowledge of the place of his friends abode, or by betraying it, he might have saved his own life. After a little pause, he broke out into these words, "I cannot lie, and I will not betray him." So he laid down his life to save one of his brethren. Here was an upright man that would not tell a lie to save a life, who would rather die than lie. He will be plain, though he suffers for it. But how generally is this plainness banished out of this world? Most men walk in a vain show, disguising their intentions, looking one way and rowing another. The tropics are not more distant from England than most men's intentions are from their actions.

REB

Steele In Our Spines: An Upright Life

The meditations under this listing [Steele In Our Spines] are from Richard Steele's The Properties And Privileges Of An Upright Man, first published in 1670.

Uprightness of life must accompany regeneration, or else it is but like a candle in a dark lantern which burns away to no purpose. This is the very sinew of human society and makes men happy in one another. It is such an excellent thing that they who never practice it yet always pretend to it. The knaves abhor to be so called, and would be reputed and called honest and upright men. And that must be amiable which all men commend, and must be necessary which no society can subsist without. So that there abides a crown of honor for a downright heathen as well as a crown of glory for an upright Christian; and there will be an easier punishment for those "christian pagans" than for the abundance of our pagan Christians.

This uprightness of life is not sufficient without regeneration. It is good, but it is not good enough. To be a fast friend to men and a broken bow to God will yield you little comfort. Yet how many sit down here and think themselves well? They would not steal a shoe latchet from their neighbor for all the world, and yet they make no conscience of stealing from God his honor and his day. They would not wrong their brethren's name by any reproach for all the world, and yet they make no bones of wronging the name of the great God, and take it in vain day by day. The squareness of your actions may crown you with reputation; but the rottenness of your hearts will leave you in condemnation by that God who tries the hearts and reins. As in the law, without blood there is no remission of sin, so in the gospel, without oil there is no admission into the kingdom of heaven. Civility and sanctity are two separate things.

This uprightness of life cannot be without that uprightness of heart. It loses in truth its name and nature for want of a principle. For that which is truly good must have all its causes, which this lacks. It is a common experiment that water will not ascend above its spring without a violence upon nature; and it is as true that no man's actions can carry to a higher level than the fountain of them. So to make the life upright, you must begin at the heart; first make the tree good, and then the fruit will be good also.

Now this uprightness of life is the exact agreement of a man's words and actions with an honest and upright heart. Uprightness is when the life is the picture of the heart, and there is a blessed harmony between the frame of the soul within and the course of the life without; when a man does not frame his life to gratify the company or serve the times he lives in, or the corrupt humors of others, or any carnal ends of his own -- but his heart is sincere, and so are his words and deeds. Not that we expect an absolute exactness here; the most upright man on earth has enough to humble and afflict him. But for the most part, there is no known ordinary and willing swerving of his course from his frame within, or of that from the holy will of God.

REB

Steele In Our Spines: Necessity of Regeneration

The meditations under this listing [Steele In Our Spines] are from Richard Steele's The Properties And Privileges Of An Upright Man, first published in 1670.

And thus I have opened in some poor measure an upright heart. By all this, dearly beloved, you may see the absolute necessity of regeneration, I mean, the thorough change of heart from the state of nature to the state of grace. For certainly man's heart by nature is false, and is far from this uprightness described. How can the soul receive Christ Jesus as he is offered in the gospel, or resign itself to him, without regeneration? How can the heart of a sinful child of Adam be either single, sound, pure, perfect, or plain without regeneration?

What man will study or practice inward, universal, and constant religion till he is regenerated? Who will walk before God, with God, after God, and like God before his heart is changed? Alas these things are neither conceived by the mind nor received by the will of a natural man. He is ignorant in them and an enemy to them. Oh, you must be new creatures or else all our entreaties stand for nothing. We must still begin here, and can parley no further with you unless you yield in this.

Will you be renewed in the spirit of your mind? Would you give all the world for a new heart? Till then you are but rotten at the heart; you walk in a vain show. For all your talk against hypocrites, you are errand [errant?] hypocrites, and shall be condemned as such when those you have so reproached shall be your judges, and shall be openly honored before angels and men. Those poor Mordecais shall be royally arrayed, and you, like proud Haman, shall see it to the breaking of your hearts.

To prevent this, learn this one lesson, sound conversion, which is but restoring the image that you lost in Adam. Your bones were all put out of joint by the fall; this is the painful pluck that puts them in joint again. Would not any man abide a painful pluck to set one bone in joint? Oh, abide one pluck to bring all your soul into frame again. You must be new men or else you cannot be upright men; you must be in Christ before you can walk like him. Your religion is but skin deep till the Holy Ghost has made a holy change.

And therefore, for the Lord's sake, and for your soul's sake, study this point into practice. Give no sound sleep to your eyes while you are such near neighbors to hell; your temperate, just, and honest behavior may make you fall the softer, but without holiness you can never see the Lord -- and a carnal heart can never be holy and upright without regeneration.

REB