In a day when many are fixated with outward beauty, it was good to be reminded of the beauty that matters at the fourth annual Southern Presbytery Family Conference. Over seventy people gathered in Partick on 30th November to hear Rev. David Campbell, of North Preston Evangelical Church, speak on a Beautiful Christ Life Outlined and a Beautiful Christian Life Illustrated.

Basing his remarks on Galatians 5:22-26, Mr Campbell began by noting that even without grace, there can be something of beauty seen in people’s lives. There is magnificence in man, but it is the magnificence of a ruin, for something is missing. Man in sin lacks holiness, which is our greatest beauty. He needs to be renewed by the Spirit of God and to experience the Spirit’s work of removing the ugly works of the flesh and sin and replacing these with the beauty of holiness. There is a great deal of work to do!

Mr Campbell delivering the morning address.

In producing fruit, it was noted that the various aspects of fruit mentioned in Galatians 5 are not uniquely Christian. Mr Campbell referred to love and joy, both of which are displayed by the unregenerate. The Spirit, however, takes these qualities and redirects them into a new channel in a unique and spiritual way. Thus, the believer now loves God, and this love expresses itself in serving God, delighting in him and worshipping him. He now loves other believers with a prayerful and practical concern for them. His love is enriched with new objects and ways of expression. Similarly, there is now a joy in the Lord, in salvation and in the progress of the Kingdom of God in this world.

Reflecting a pastoral concern, Mr Campbell observed that when we examine ourselves, we will often find uneven fruitfulness, with some more “riper” than others. Through time the believer should become more like Christ. After all, this is the goal of our sanctification (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:16). Christ, whose human nature was filled with the Spirit, was always showing and bearing all the fruit of the Spirit throughout his life, bearing it to perfection at each stage of his development and service.

In applying this challenging outline, we were encouraged by being reminded that, for the believer, this beauty is attainable, pleases God, adorns the Gospel and one day will be perfected. As the ruin of Eileen Donan Castle was rebuilt in the early 20th Century into the beautiful building we see today, so one day believers shall appear gloriously renewed and perfected. Then the Lord will rejoice over us as he sees his gracious work completed in us (Zephaniah 3:17).

After lunch, fellowship and a time of Psalm-singing, Mr Campbell illustrated a beautiful Christian life from the life of James Gilmour. Born in Glasgow in 1843, Gilmour set out as a Missionary to Mongolia with the London Missionary Society. His life was full of trials, difficulties and disappointments. He experienced great loneliness in his work, and knew little success for his labours. Yet, he persevered in his calling out of love to God and the people he had come to serve. Through it all Christ gave him the victory, despite apparent non-success. In a day when the Church is struggling and we often feel defeated, it was good to be reminded that our life is not a failure if we are patient and faithful to the Lord.

Mr Craig leading the Psalmody Session.

Both addresses are available on the Partick FCC SermonAudio page. Next year’s Southern Presbytery Family Conference is scheduled DV for Saturday 28th November 2026 in Partick.

Mr Campbell is pictured with members of the Free Southern Presbytery, back, left to right, Murray Mackay, Norman Smith, Andrew R Allan. Front, left to right, John N Gillies, Graeme Craig, and John Campbell.