Wholehearted Covenant Living - Are We There?

Andrew Murray was a South African writer, teacher, and Christian pastor who lived from 1828 to 1917.  He wrote many excellent books.  I just finished one of his books titled, "The Two Covenants".  In the last chapter, he says some things that make me wonder about our condition as Christians, about my condition as a Christian.

  • I wonder if we are wholeheartedly following Christ, or do we have one foot fully in the world and one foot fully of the world.
  • I wonder if things are getting so bad in the world, even in the USA, that we, as Christians, will stay in our duality of being in and of the world, rather than fully, wholeheartedly embracing a dead to self life in Christ.  Even to the point of living fully in the supernatural realm and relying not on the physical world.  Even to the point of finding a gold coin in the mouth of a fish to pay our taxes.

After reading the following excerpt from Andrew Murray's book, "The Two Covenants",  Chapter 18 - "Entering the Covenant with All The Heart", I am wondering where I stand and where I need to stand.
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All this is especially true of wholeheartedness, and loving God with all our heart. 

You may at first be very ignorant of all it implies. 
God has planted..the new heart in the midst of the flesh, with its animating principle, SELF, has to be denied, to be kept crucified, and  to be mortified by the Holy Spirit.
God has placed...you in the midst of a world, from which, with all that is of it and its spirit, you are to come out and be entirely separate. 
God has given.....you your work in His kingdom, for which He asks all your interest, and time, and strength. 
In all these 3 respects you need wholeheartedness, to enable you to make the sacrifices that may be required. 
If you take the ordinary standard of Christian life around you, you will find that wholeheartedness (intense devotion to God and His service) is hardly thought of. 
How to make the best of both worlds, innocently to enjoy as much as possible of this present life, is the ruling principle, and, as a natural consequence, the present world secures the larger share of interest. 
To please self is considered legitimate, and the Christ-like life of not pleasing self has little place. 


Wholeheartedness will lead you, and enable you, to accept Christ's command and sell all for the pearl of great price.


Though at first afraid of what it may involve, do not hesitate to speak the word frequently in the ear of your Father: with my whole heart. 

You may count on the Holy Spirit
to open up its meaning,
to show you to what service or what sacrifice God calls you in it,
to increase its power,
to reveal its blessedness,
to make it the very spirit of your life of devotion to your Covenant God.

And now, who is ready to enter into this New and Everlasting Covenant with his whole heart?  Let each of us do it.

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Do you understand what I am trying to say?  Please leave your comments below.  Thank you.

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