The Yoke of Christ # 2

The Yoke of Christ # 2

First, the Lord says, "Take My yoke upon you" (Matt. 11:29). To take His yoke upon us is to enlist under His banner, to make a public profession of His Gospel, to surrender to His Lordship.

"Learn of Me." To learn of Him is to take our place at His feet as little children to be instructed by Him. It is to submit ourselves wholly to His will, to obey His precepts, and to pattern our lives after His example. 

Those are the conditions which must be fulfilled by us if we are to obtain rest unto our souls.

Then, second, He assures us "For My yoke is easy, and burden is light." That is the inducement to comply with His terms. By those words, each professing Christian reader should honestly and seriously examine himself. They afford a sure criterion by which we may test ourselves and ascertain whether or not we have really taken His yoke upon us.

Each one may identify himself by his answers to these questions: Am I find the yoke I am wearing easy or difficult? Is the burden I am carrying light or heavy? As John Newton declared, "This verse alone, if seriously attended to, might  convince multitudes that, though they bear the name of Christians and are found among the Lord's worshiping people, they are as yet entire strangers to the religion of the Gospel. Can it be supposed that our Lord would give a false character of His yoke? If not, how can any dream that they are His followers while they account a life of communion with God and entire devotedness to His service, to be dull and burdensome? Those, however, who have made the happy trial, find it to be such a burden as wings are to a bird. Far from complaining of it, they are convinced that there is no real pleasure attainable in any other way."

Christ's commandments are not, in themselves, "grievous" (1 John 5:3), but are "holy, just, and good" (Romans 7:12). They are given in love, and are to be fulfilled by love. "In keeping of them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:11). For the keeping of them, full assistance is obtainable from Him if we do but seek the same. It is the way of transgressors that is "hard" (Proverbs 13:15), but strong consolation is to be found in the way of Christian duty, and in Christ's presence there is fullness of joy. Wisdom's ways "are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:17). It must be so, for every part is lighted from above, the whole path is strewn with precious promises, each step is heavenward. The only happiness worth seeking is to be found therein.

Yes, it must be so, for there is comfort and contentment in walking with God.

If, then, the way along which the reader is journeying is unpleasant, he is a stranger to Wisdom's ways and is a fool. Those ways are pleasant only to Wisdom's children. The yoke of Christ is irksome and distasteful to the unregenerate, for it makes directly against the motions of the carnal nature. The service of Christ is veritable drudgery to those who are in love with the world and who find their delight in gratifying the lusts of the flesh. To the self-willed and self-seeking, the commandments of the Lord cannot but be offensive - for they require the denying of self and the pursuit and cultivation of personal holiness.

But to one whose heart has been captivated by Christ, to be under His yoke is delectable. If he comes to Him daily to be renewed in the inner man, yields himself afresh to His rule, sits at His feet to be taught of Him the loveliness of meekness and lowliness, enjoys communion with Him, then, His will is "good and acceptable" (Romans 12:2) to him.

None can adequately describe the radical contrast there is between the bondage and misery of the service of sin - and the liberty and peace of practical holiness. But anyone who has personally experienced both, need have no difficulty in determining whether he is out of Christ - or yoked to Him. If you have a peace which passes understanding and a joy which the world knows nothing of - you are a godly person. If despite both upward and outward opposition, you find obedience to Christ desirable and agreeable - then, His Spirit must indwell you, and the more you grow in grace, the easier His yoke and the lighter His burden.

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)