“Apart from Faith in Jesus Christ; there can be no explanation for such a life.” Whose life? His name was William Borden; he spent his last moments dying from an infection that he contracted while he was on his way to begin his work in the mission fields.
He would succumb to his illness and die at the very young age of twenty five. In his short twenty five years; William lived a life that one described as: “Apart from Faith in Jesus Christ; there is no explanation for such a life.” How did he live you ask?
Today, we will revisit the life of one of the world’s greatest saints.
His life
William Borden was born into what “the world” would consider a wealthy family. To those around William; William had at his disposal “the greatest gain”. Many people saw him as someone who was young, rich, and possessing an unlimited amount of potential. William saw himself as a follower of Jesus Christ; having accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a teenager.
William found contentment with godliness understanding this was the greatest gain.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6 KJV)
How do we know? We can tell by taking a look at William’s actions. William decided at a very young age to spend his life working in the mission field.
During his college years, he gave away large amounts of his inherited wealth. He spent his time in college working in outreach ministries, starting and leading bible studies and upon graduation instead of seeking high paying jobs he headed to the mission fields.
His death
Upon graduation, William headed to China to begin his work as a missionary. Deciding first to make a stop in Egypt to study Arabic; it was during this stop that he would contract the disease that would ultimately end his life. At the age of twenty five, William Borden laid there dying because of decisions that he made with his life! A young life wasted? Right! Wrong!
William truly knew what it meant to deny oneself, take up your cross and follow Christ! How do we know; well look at what he wrote in his journal during his college years:
“Say no to self and yes to Jesus every time.”
Borden of Yale 09, by Geraldine Guinness Taylor (Philadelphia: China Inland Mission, 1927)
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 KJV)
What William wrote is how he lived and how he lived is ultimately how he died: in Christ!
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21 KJV)
No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets
The phrase “No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets” have become synonymous with William Borden. During different stages in his life he would jot down “two” of the six words in his Bible.
The first record was “No Reserve”; which he recorded in his Bible after he let his family know of his desire to become a missionary. His decision to follow Jesus Christ left him with “No Reserve” in this life.
The second record was “No Retreat”; which he recorded in his Bible when he decided to forgo the family business or high paying jobs and sail to China. His decision to live his life for Jesus Christ left him with no place to retreat too!
And lastly, “No Regrets” which he recorded in his Bible as he laid dying in his hospital bed.
William had “No Regrets”, for the decisions that he made with his life. “No Regrets” for the example that he left for so many. “No Regrets”, for a life well lived!
A wise preacher once said:
“It is not how long you live it is how you live that matters”
-Leonard Ravenhill
William Borden can truly say; what things were gain to me I counted them as a loss for the excellency and knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord!
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” (Philippians 3:7-8 KJV)
Faith in Jesus Christ
William Borden had a lot of money; he gave it away! William had a bright future; he gave it to Christ! William counted all things in this life as dung so that he may win Christ.
I agree, apart from Faith in Jesus Christ there can be no explanation for such a life!
William Borden, one of those precious individuals of whom the world was not worthy….
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Download my FREE eighteen day devotional titled: At the Voice of the Son of God. At the Voice of the Son of God was written to remind a generation that we must ALL stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
FREE 18 Day Devotional: At The Voice of the Son of God
Read more about our Christ by clicking on any of the blogs on atabran.
Read more about some of the world’s greatest saints by clicking on the tab; “of whom the world was not worthy”. Here are a few quick links:
John Wesley: One of the World’s Greatest Saints
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