Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end:… We are to imitate the apostles; but the imitation is to be, not in doing what they did, but in doing, like them, tbat which is fit in every case. A doctor is called to prescribe for a fever, and he gives a cooling draught. His young Esculapius, coming after him, is called to prescribe for congestive chills. He says, "My teacher gave a cooling draught, and I will give a cooling draught." He imitates his teacher exactly, like a fool. And there is no greater fool than a man who imitates just what the apostles did, instead of imitating the principle on which they did it. It is the inside which is to be followed, and not the outside. One of my boys comes in crying, and says, "Father, I ran against a lamp-post and bruised my face." I say, "My son, do not run against lamp-posts." The next day he comes in again with another bruise on his face, and says, "I did not run against a lamp-post; I ran against a tree." "Well," I say, "do not run against lamp-posts nor trees." The next day he comes in, having had another whack, and says, "I did not run against a lamp-post nor a tree; I ran against an iron railing." He had obeyed me, and yet he was hurt. But the spirit of my order was that he should not run against anything that would hurt him. (H. W. Beecher.) Parallel Verses KJV: And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:WEB: We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, |
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