Grace Gems for MAY 2006
Dig into these golden mines!
(Robert Leighton)
Let this commend the Scriptures much to our diligence
and affection--that their great theme is our Redeemer,
and redemption wrought by Him. They contain the doctrine
of His excellencies, and are the lively picture of His matchless
beauty. Were we more in them, we would daily see more of
Him in them--and so of necessity love Him more. But we
must look within them--the letter is but the case--the
spiritual sense is what we should desire to see.
We usually huddle them over, and see no further than
their outside, and therefore find so little sweetness in
them. We read them, but we don't search them as He
requires. Would we dig into these golden mines, we
would find treasures of comfort which cannot be spent,
but which would furnish us in the hardest times!
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands
within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your
heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and
cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for
silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you
will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge
of God." Proverbs 2:1-5
man's views of sin
(William S. Plumer, "The Christian", 1878)
Sin digs every grave, and wrings out every sigh and wail
from earth and hell. Sin is the worst of all evils. Nothing
can compare with it. It is worse than the plague. Sin is
unspeakably hateful. God calls it horrible and abominable.
Godly men in every age lament it--lament it much in
others, most in themselves.
A man's views of sin give a complexion to all his
character. If he regards it as a trifle, he will laugh at
it, when he should weep over it. He will make a mock
of it. He will dally with it. He will take his fill of it. He
will have low thoughts of God, and low estimates of
salvation. He will despise Jesus Christ.
If, on the other hand, he considers sin as very dreadful and
very hateful--he will hate every false way. He will long for
holiness. He will hunger and thirst after righteousness.
He will loathe and abhor himself on account of sin. He will
have exalted thoughts of the being, perfections, word, and
government of God. To him Christ will be most precious,
the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.
Job's sense of sin was vastly increased by the great
discoveries he had of God's majesty and glory: "I have
heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye
sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust
and ashes!" Increased views of God's glory had the same
effect on Isaiah, and made him cry out, "Woe is me! for
I am undone!" (Job 42:5-6; Isaiah 6:5).
God's presence is infinite; His power is infinite; His nature
is infinite; His existence is infinite; and so to sin against Him
must be an infinite insult and wrong. Sin is an infinite evil.
Sin is that abominable thing which He hates. He hates sin
with infinite loathing.
A remedy for everything
(Harvey Newcomb, "The Young Man's Guide to the
Harmonious Development of Christian Character, 1847)
It is a mistake often made--to associate piety with a downcast
look, a sad countenance, and an aching heart. But there is
nothing in true piety inconsistent with habitual cheerfulness.
There is a difference between cheerfulness and levity.
Cheerfulness is serene and peaceful. Levity is light and trifling.
Cheerfulness promotes evenness of temper and equanimity of
enjoyment. Levity drowns sorrow and pain for a short time,
only to have it return again with redoubled power.
I do not deny that there are certain kinds of sinful pleasures
which piety spoils; but then it first removes the taste and
desire for them--so their loss is nothing to be lamented.
The Christian hope, and the promises and consolations of
God's Word, furnish the only true ground of cheerfulness.
Who should be cheerful and happy, if not one who is delivered
from the terrors of hell and the fear of death--who is raised to
the dignity of a child of God--who has the hope of eternal life--
the prospect of dwelling forever in the presence of God, and in
the enjoyment of perfect felicity? But no one would associate
these things with that frivolity, levity and mirth, which are the
delight of the pleasure-loving world.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has a remedy for everything in
life that is calculated to make us gloomy and sad. It offers the
pardon of sin to the penitent and believing; the aid of grace to
those who struggle against an evil disposition; and help against
temptation. It promises to relieve the believer from fear, and
affords consolation in affliction.
There is no reason why a true Christian should not be cheerful.
There are, indeed, many things, which he sees, within and without,
that must give him pain. But there is that in his Christian hope, and
in the considerations brought to his mind from the Word of God,
which is able to bear him high above them all.
A striking peculiarity!
(Alexander, "Thoughts on Religious Experience" 1844)
It is incongruous for Christians to be enjoying ease
and prosperity in this world, when their Lord was "a
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief". (Isa 53:3)
For the Christian to seek great things for himself here
in this world, does not befit the character of a disciple
of the meek and lowly Jesus.
It is a striking peculiarity in the religion of Christ,
that in the conditions of discipleship--"taking up the
cross" is the first thing (Matt 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke
9:23). He never enticed any to follow Him with the
promise of earthly prosperity, or exemption from
suffering. On the contrary, He assures them that in
the world they shall have tribulation. (John 16:33)
Whoever will not take Christ with His cross shall never
sit with Him on His throne. "No cross--no crown",
holds out an important truth in few words.
I have often been shocked with the thought
(Alexander, "Thoughts on Religious Experience")
I have often been shocked with the thought,
that while a man's eulogy is being pronounced upon
earth--his poor soul may be writhing and blaspheming
in the torments of hell!
"The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where
he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far
away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him--
Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
because I am in agony in this fire!" Luke 16:22-24
You would not suspect him to be a Christian
(Archibald Alexander, "The Backslider" 1844)
"You have forsaken your first love." Revelation 2:4
Backsliding occurs when the Christian is gradually led
off from close walking with God, loses the lively sense of
divine things, becomes too much attached to the world
and too much occupied with secular concerns; until at
length the keeping of the heart is neglected, prayer
and the seeking of the Lord in private are omitted or
slightly performed, zeal for the advancement of religion
is quenched, and many things once rejected by a
sensitive conscience are now indulged and defended.
All this may take place and continue long before the
person is aware of his danger, or acknowledges that
there has been any serious departure from God. The
'forms of religion' may still be kept up, and 'open sin'
avoided. But more commonly backsliders fall into some
evil habits--they are evidently too much conformed to
the world, and often go too far in participating in the
pleasures and amusements of the world.
Too often there is an indulgence in known sin into which
they are gradually led, and on account of which they
experience frequent compunction, and make solemn
resolutions to avoid it in future. But when the hour of
temptation comes, they are overcome again and again,
and thus they live a miserable life, enslaved by some sin,
over which, though they sometimes struggle hard, they
cannot get the victory.
There is no more inconsistent thing than a backsliding
Christian. Look at one side of his character and he seems
to have sincere, penitential feelings, and his heart to be
right in its purposes and aims; but look at the other side,
and he seems to be "carnal, sold under sin". O wretched
man! how he writhes often in anguish, and groans for
deliverance--but he is like Samson shorn of his locks--
his strength is departed, and he is not able to rise and
go forth at liberty as in former times.
The sleeping backslider is one who, being surrounded
with earthly comforts and engaged in secular pursuits,
and mingling much with the decent and respectable
people of the world, by degrees loses the deep impression
of divine and eternal things. His spiritual senses become
obtuse, and he has no longer the views and feelings of
one awake to the reality of spiritual things. His case nearly
resembles that of a man gradually sinking into sleep. Still
he sees dimly and hears indistinctly--but he is fast losing
the impression of the objects of the spiritual world, and is
sinking under the impression of the things of time and sense.
There may be no remarkable change in the external conduct
of such a person, except that he has no longer any relish for
pious conversation, and rather is disposed to waive it. The
difference between such a one and the rest of the world
becomes less and less distinguishable. From anything you
see or hear--you would not suspect him to be a
Christian, until you see him taking his seat at church!
The living guide to Jesus
(Ruth Bryan)
"When the Comforter comes, the One I will
send to you from the Father--the Spirit of
truth who proceeds from the Father--He
will testify about Me."
Grace Gems for MAY 2006
By Grace Gems