January 6

Read: Hebrews 6:1-3

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection… And this will we do, if God permit (Hebrews 6:1, 3).

A Higher-Up Religion

Dr. Lloyd Byron tells of a lady in one of our large cities who came under conviction for heart holiness. She was clearly converted, but felt that there must be a religious experience beyond what she possessed. She sought counsel from different ones, but none could help her. One day she met a lady whom she knew to be a genuine, zealous Christian; she stopped her with this question: “Can you tell me anything about a higher-up religion?”

“Higher-Up Religion” — that is the hunger of the sincere Christian when he finds that his devotion and service to God are less than they ought to be. Dr. Harry E. Jessop testifies: “It was not long [after I was saved] before I began to feel that, glorious as my new experience in conversion had been, God was now holding before me something of a deeper nature than that which I had already enjoyed. While my love for Christ was such that it pained me to know that I had grieved Him, my spiritual life was far from constant, and my communion was not sustained.”

Half a loaf is better than no bread. Some religion is better than none. But low-level religion is not very satisfying. The Bible does not offer a better-than-thou religion, but it does promise a better-than-yesterday experience. The Christian’s aim is never to be more holy than others. But our goal is always to be more like Christ. God offers me “a higher-up religion” whenever I am discontented with the lowlands.

More about Jesus let me learn, More of His holy will discern; Spirit of God, my Teacher be, Showing the things of Christ to me.

— E. E. Hewitt