THE VICE OF THE VIRTUOUS

By A. W. Tozer
 

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
                                                             -  -  Romans 12:21

A bad disposition has been called "the vice of the
virtuous," which brings us directly to the conclusion
that it is time we Christians stop trying to excuse our
un-Christlike dispositions and frankly admit our failure
to live as we should!

Wesley said that we will not injure the cause of Christ
by admitting our sins, but that we are sure to do so by
denying them.

Dispositional sins are as many as the various facets of
human nature. Just so there be no misunderstanding let
us list a few of them: Sensitiveness, irritability, churlishness,
faultfinding, peevishness, temper, resentfulness, cruelty,
uncharitable attitudes; and of course there are many more.

These kill the spirit of the church and slow down
any progress which the gospel may be making in the
community. Many persons who had been secretly
longing to find Christ have been turned away and
embittered by manifestations of ugly dispositional
flaws in the lives of the very persons who were trying
to win them!

Unsaintly saints are the tragedy of Christianity. The
low state of religion in our day is largely due to the lack
of public confidence in religious people.

There is a remedy for inward evil. The power of
Christ can enable the worst of us to live lives of purity
and love. We have but to seek it and to lay hold of it in
faith. God will not disappoint us!
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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.