0388. THE POWERLESS STAFF.

THE POWERLESS STAFF.

"Gehazi laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing" (2Ki_4:31).

The staff belonged to Elisha the prophet, and was doubtless a good staff, quite fit to do all the work of a staff, but it was useless in bringing life to the dead. There are many things good enough in their own way as helps, but which are utterly powerless to save the soul from sin and death. There is, for instance-

I. The Staff of Religious Upbringing. This is a beautiful staff, and quite prophetic in a way. It is a great advantage to be trained from youth to honour and respect everything religious. But to trust in this as fitness for the Kingdom of God is to lean on a rotten stick. "The child is not awaked."

II. The Staff of Regular Praying. This is another staff, good in itself, that is often trusted to bring life to the dead. "I have said my prayers from my youth up." Very good, but dead prayers cannot bring to life any more than a dead staff. We are not saved because we pray, but we use prayer as a staff to help us to the God of salvation.

III. The Staff of Good Works. Good works are always good, but those who lean on them to help them to Heaven are always found glorying in themselves, because they don’t feel indebted to any other for the hope that is in them. They are limping on with these two crutches what they have done and what they have not done. They are leaning on the arm of flesh and refuse the arm of God.

IV. The Staff of Godly Parentage. To be well connected in a religious sense is much to be thankful for, but remember that Judas was also well connected, and that the rich man who "lifted up his eyes in hell" (Luk_16:23) was a son of Abraham. Lot’s wife was very well connected, yet she perished. If you are trusting to this staff you are depending on a rope of sand.

V. The Staff of Church Membership. Those who trust this crutch to save them generally lean hard on it. They make a point of hearing the Word preached at least once a week, and never miss a communion if they are well. They seem to think that every attendance at a communion gains for them a mark of favour in the Book of Life. To use the means of grace is good, as you would use the cup hanging at a fountain; but to trust them is to remain in your sins.

VI. The Staff of Scriptural Knowledge. This staff is perhaps the most ornamental of all; at least it is well varnished. Those who lean on this for salvation seem very wise. You can tell them nothing new; they have known it all from their youth. Yet are they utter strangers to that new life begotten by the Spirit of God. They say, "We know," and then ask, "How can a man be born when he is old" (Joh_3:4). Life is not found in searching the Scriptures, but in Christ.

VII. The Staff of Historical Belief. This staff appears to be both long and strong, so there be many who hope for life through it. They believe in the Bible, the Creed, and the Confession of Faith; they believe in Heaven and in Hell, in Christ and the Devil, in demons and in angels, and in everything that is in the Bible, just as they believe everything that is in the History of Scotland, and with the very same result. They are dead while they live.

Autor: James Smith