To
adorn is to make attractive, to beautify. We are exhorted
by the apostle Paul to adorn the doctrine of the New
Testament by our every-day life. This thought should be a
powerful incentive to close living with God and
assiduously keeping all of His commandments. Who would not
take pleasure in adorning the teachings of Jesus by a pure
life? This is the joy of the Christian's heart. He cares
nothing for the adornings of the world, but oh, that he
may so live as to make beautiful the blessed Bible!—this
is happiness enough to him.
In another of the Pauline Epistles
we are commanded to "let our manner of life be as it
becometh the gospel of Christ." To become is also to
make attractive or to give a better appearance to. An
article of dress is becoming to us when it gives us a
better appearance. We speak of any one's bad conduct as
not being becoming to him. We are to become the gospel of
Christ by holy living. When a life is lived as God
designed that life should be, that life will be an
adornment-to the Scriptures.
God will beautify his children with
the glories of his redeeming grace; he will adorn them
with a meek and quiet spirit, which in his sight is very
precious, that they, in turn, may adorn his commandments.
As a bride decks herself with jewels, so the heavenly
Father beautifies his children with the robe of
righteousness.
The life of a Christian is God's
special treasure. "They shall be mine," says the
Lord, "in that day when I make up my jewels, "
or "special treasure" as rendered by the margin
(see Mal 3:1). By reading the context we learn that it is
those who fear the Lord that are his jewels. To fear God
and keep his commandments is man's whole duty. It is a
perfect life. Such a life is the Lord's jewel. Such a life
is recorded in heaven. Oh, how animating is such
knowledge! How it strengthens our hearts to live a
righteous life. To live a life that is worthy to be
recorded in heaven and is a special treasure to God is
truly wonderful.
Our souls are awed by such a
thought. Oh, how it ought to move our hearts to
carefulness in life! How diligent we should be to walk as
worthy citizens of our heavenly state! Some day the Lord
will come and gather up these holy lives and place them in
his heavenly courts above, where they shall shine as the
stars forever.
Oh, take this life, this life of mine
(To thee, O God, 'tis freely given),
And polish it, that it may shine,
And ornament thy Word divine.
