From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part five of a series of selections from chapter three of
Profiting From the Word by Arthur W. Pink

Edited by Dr. Paul M. Elliott, President, TeachingTheWord Ministries

Do you say with the psalmist, "Whom have I in heaven but You?"

In our last article, Arthur Pink dealt with the issue of the believer's need to gain a deeper knowledge of the divine attributes of Christ. The Word made flesh is fully and absolutely the Creator God of the universe, and He is the believer's great resource in all of His perfections. In the next section of Profiting From the Word, Pink deals with the issue of the need for Jesus Christ to become more precious, to be prized above all else, in the believer's thinking and living:

An individual is profited from the Scriptures as Christ becomes more precious to him. Christ is precious in the esteem of all true believers (1 Peter 2:7). They count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord (Philippians 3:8). His name to them is as ointment poured forth (Song of Solomon 1:3). As the glory of God that appeared in the wondrous beauty of the temple, and in the wisdom and splendor of Solomon, drew worshippers to him from the uttermost parts of the earth, so the unparalleled excellency of Christ which was prefigured thereby does more powerfully attract the hearts of His people.

The Devil knows this full well, therefore is he ceaselessly engaged in blinding the minds of them that believe not, by placing between them and Christ the allurements of this world. God permits him to assail the believer also, but it is written, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you' (James 4:7). Resist him by definite and earnest prayer, entreating the Spirit to draw out your affections to Christ.

The more we are engaged with Christ's perfections, the more we love and adore Him. It is lack of experimental acquaintance with Him that makes our hearts so cold towards Him. But where real and daily fellowship is cultivated the Christian will be able to say with the Psalmist, 'Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee' (Psalm 73:25). This it is which is the very essence and distinguishing nature of true Christianity. Legalistic zealots may be busily engaged in tithing mint and anise and cumin, they may encompass sea and land to make one proselyte, and yet have no love for God in Christ. It is the heart that God looks at: 'My son, give me thine heart' (Proverbs 23:26) is His demand. The more precious Christ is to us, the more delight does He have in us.

The preciousness of Christ should occupy the saints on earth, as it will occupy them in glory:

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:11-13)

Next: Do You Have Increasing Confidence in Christ?

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