In the New Testament, Paul writes of four stages of growth in a Christian’s life. This hymn meditation focuses on the third stage – sanctification – and the self reflection that is necessary in order to become More Like the Master.
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was born in Wilton, Iowa in 1856 and spent his first 17 years on a farm. A talented musician, he taught himself to play the organ and by the age of 16, he was teaching singing in schools. He moved to California in 1887 and served as Music Director at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in San Francisco from 1890 until 1902.
While working at Grace Church, he wrote his first commercial song, “Send the Light.” He worked with Homer Rodeheaver, a composer and music publisher in Chicago. Many of Gabriel’s gospel songs became popular through the Billy Sunday-Homer Rodeheaver urban revivals.
Charles Gabriel was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1982, 50 years after his death in Hollywood, California in 1932.
In total, Gabriel wrote/composed approximately 7000 songs. A few of the most famous include:
Send the Light
Will the Circle be Unbroken
Higher Ground
Awakening Chorus
I Stand Amazed
The Way of the Cross Leads Home
Crown Him with Many Crowns
Since Jesus Came Into My Heart
More Like the Master
The words to More Like the Master are very significant in describing the Christian life. Pay close attention to the lyrics.
More like the Master I would ever be,
More of His meekness, more humility;
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work He bids me do.
Chorus:
Take Thou my heart, I would be Thine alone;
Take Thou my heart and make it all Thine own.
Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore,
Wash me and keep me Thine forevermore.
More like the Master is my daily prayer;
More strength to carry crosses I must bear;
More earnest effort to bring His kingdom in,
More of His Spirit, the wanderer to win. (Chorus)
More like the Master I would live and grow;
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be. (Chorus) Source
I write this meditation from the conviction of the Holy Spirit revealing truths through reflection on my own walk with God. I am “preaching” to myself and to no one else! Here are some of the phrases in this hymn that get my attention:
“More like the Master I would ever be”
“Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore”
“More like the Master is my daily prayer”
“More like the Master I would live and grow”
Four stages of growth for a Christian
According to Paul’s writings in the Bible, there are four major theological doctrines that describe the Christian life. Paul identifies these four in Romans 8:28-30:
| Calling Justification Sanctification Glorification |
This hymn focuses my attention on the third doctrine … sanctification. Becoming more like the master (Jesus) is sanctification. Let’s briefly review these four doctrines and then look in more detail at sanctification.
As I understand it, God first calls me … draws me to Him. He gives me a new heart that is responsive to Him (Ezekiel 36). This regeneration includes turning from sin to Him through repentance and faith. Then, He declares me to be justified (righteous before Him) based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. His only begotten Son paid the debt (which I could not pay) for my sins so that I could take on His righteousness before God. I am “not guilty” before God!
Then, the third process begins. The Holy Spirit works within me and along with my efforts, I become more like Christ. I grow in holiness. During this life, I will not attain that state. But, my life should be characterized as moving in that direction … less and less sin … more and more love and obedience to God. This process leads to the final stage — glorification: I become like Him and dwell with the triune God in Heaven for eternal life. There are innumerable references on this subject. One that has helped me is Redemption – Accomplished and Applied by John Murray.
Now let’s look in more detail at this process of sanctification. First, it is God’s will that we be sanctified as Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4 – “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life”. Second, Jesus commands us to be like Him. When He was washing the feet of the disciples in the Upper Room, He told them (us) to be like Him. He set the example for us (John 13:15-17).
Jesus underscored this command in His prayer to God (High Priestly Prayer) just before He was taken to be crucified. In John 17:17, Jesus is not praying for the world, but He is praying for those given to Him by the Father … believers. He prays the following; “sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
Later on in verse 19, He says, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” This passage is key for me.
If I am to be sanctified … set apart from sin, it is by the Word of God. His Word points to Jesus. That’s how I come to know Him.
Coming to know Him and what He has done for me, leads to appreciation and love for Him. And, if I love Him, I will obey Him. Obedience leads to less sin, more worship, and a closer walk with Him … sanctification (holiness).
The Christian life, as I understand it for me, is not justification … one and done … and continuing in my old ways because now I’m “saved.” Instead, it is a life-long process of God working in me and me “making every effort to make my calling and election sure.” I have a daily challenge to become “more like the Master” by growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, which leads to love and obedience. Paul devotes an entire chapter to this subject – Romans 6.
The pursuit of holiness
Returning to my initial comments … why am I convicted by this issue? The Bible answers that question for me. So, allow me to present four key passages. Then, you be the judge for yourself.
Luke 9:23 – 26. Jesus says the following.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Luke 9: 23-26
Matthew 7:21 -23. Jesus says the following.
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Matthew 7: 21-23
Hebrews 12:14. The author writes the following.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14
1 Peter 1:13 – 16. Peter writes the following.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1: 13-16
So, based on these verses and many more, I am convinced and convicted that I must “make every effort to make my calling and election sure.” It is a daily call to pursue holiness … not of duty, but motivated by my love and devotion to Him.
How about you?
May our prayers and efforts be directed toward being “more like the Master”!
Hymns for Him 