Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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From Preacher Clark’s sermon in Louisville, KY, at the New Covenant Church Mission, May 29, 1973.
Gary CD #11b, Track #5
Commenting on the over-confidence of “foolish virgins”, Preacher Clark said, “Sometimes, I see the way so straight [and narrow]. . . . If I didn’t know the scriptures as well as I do, I’d have more victory sometimes than I have. I see people violate God’s commandments, and they don’t understand it, and they’re three times happier than I am.”
It doesn’t pay to be supremely confident in ourselves. There is no place in God’s kingdom for smugness.
Jesus told his followers that, even after they had kept all of God’s commandments, they were to consider themselves to be no more than “unprofitable servants” (Lk. 17:10). The righteous, said Peter, shall “scarcely be saved” in the end (1Pet. 4:18); therefore, the wise spend their time here in fear of God (1Pet. 1:17).
These are the kinds of scriptures to which Preacher Clark was referring when he said he would have more “victory” in the Spirit if he were ignorant of them, as some were. But they, being ignorant of the fact that the way into eternal life is exceptionally narrow, lacking sufficient fear of God, may rejoice more than their lifestyle calls for.