August 12

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. — Gal 5:25

The best way to get evil out of our hearts is to let good in.

We have it in Paul’s counsel: “Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” If the Spirit leads us, it will be toward more and more of Christ; for He will kindle in our hearts more love for the Saviour, and we shall become more and more deeply interested in the work of Christ.

The result will be that we shall care less and less for the world.

Dr. Chalmers preached a sermon on these words of Paul’s, calling it “The expulsive Power of a New Affliction.” A great love for Christ in a heart will expel all other loves that are not holy and pure. The evil things that are to be expelled are named in this same chapter.

It is a terribly black list. The only way to keep them out is to get so filled with the things in the white list, that there will be no room for the evil things of the black list. Light drives out darkness. Love expels hate. Holiness displaces sin.