Grace Gems for MAY 2006

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." John 15:26 The Holy Spirit is the living guide to Jesus. It is He who says, with power, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." It is He who convinces of sin, who wounds, and probes the wound, and lays open the evil of our nature--causing us to know that we are corrupt within and without. But He not only thus discovers the malady--He also applies the remedy. He abases the sinner; and exalts the Savior. He gives the deep sense of sin--that the great salvation may be more appreciated and enjoyed. A little, poor, helpless child (Jonathan Edwards) In all your path, walk with Christ as a little, poor, helpless child--taking hold of His hand, keeping your eye on the marks of the wounds in His hands and side, whence came the blood that cleanses you from sin, and hiding your nakedness under the skirt of the white shining robes of His righteousness. The secret of peace and power (Letters of Ruth Bryan) The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to be experimentally nothing, and to make Jesus our "all in all," thereby teaching us to live by faith upon Him. Oh, may you, by the Spirit's power, so lift up your eyes from all but Jesus, that you will be conformed to His image (2 Cor. 3:18). But do not expect to receive any better account of yourself--rather a worse one; for, as you get nearer the light, you will see more of your own sinfulness. I do hope, however, to hear you speak well of Him, and that, as you feelingly cry out, "Behold, I am vile!" He will melt your heart by responding, "You are absolutely beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection in you!" Oh, this wondrous Savior! He opens the secret of our wanderings and transgressions--only to declare how entirely He has put them all away by the sacrifice of Himself! Oh, what mercy that He did not say, "Let them alone, they have loved idols, after idols let them go!" What mercy that by His light, He has manifested our darkness. You shall see greater things than these. More of your own vile heart--and more of His loving heart. More of your sin--and more of His great salvation. More of your deformity--and more of His beauty. Do not be considering so much how you love Jesus, as how He loves you. Your love is but the effect; His is the cause; and the more you have to do with the cause, the more fully will the effect flow from it (1 John 4:19, and John 15:9). So with faith; if you would have it grow, it must be by looking at Him, not at your faith. In short, the more you "consider Him," and are continually coming unto Him, the more lively and healthy will be the graces of the Spirit in your soul; while yet you rejoice, not in your fruitfulness--but only in Jesus and in what He has done and suffered. If the Holy Spirit opens this to you, you will find the secret of peace and power. It is all in Christ! He says, "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." Away from self, away from all besides--to be absorbed in Him. We must learn . . . our weakness--as well as His strength; our emptiness--as well as His fullness; our ignorance--as well as His wisdom. May your eye and heart to be fixed on Him. Then will your course be steady, and you will not be greatly moved by the many changes you will ever find within. Oh, press on after a life of faith in Jesus, for it is next in blessedness to a life of glory with Jesus. Beg of the blessed Spirit to draw your faith out continually upon His precious Person and work. Oh! may He cause you to come out of self continually, and find your all in Jesus! The more you are brought so to live upon Jesus, the more stability of soul you will experience. To Him I commend you--may He be revealed more fully in your soul. Why cling to the ash-heap? (Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan) Oh, why should kings' sons and daughters go lean from day to day? True, these heavenly viands do spoil one for earth-born cares--but then much less of earth's good things suffice, when we thus live in and upon a glorious Christ. Oh, come, Spirit-born and heaven-bound ones-- why do you so linger around earthly trifles? Why cling to the ash-heap? You are princes--this befits you not! There are such loves, and glories, and wonders in Jehovah-Jesus to be enjoyed even below, as yet we little think of! Oh, come, let us arise, and go to Jesus! "Earth has no dainties half so sweet As my Redeemer brings." Jesus, our divine Magnet, attract us to Your dear Self! The key which fits every lock (Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan) "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth." John 16:13 What a wonderful book is God's Bible--as opened to the heart by the Spirit! Christ is the key which fits every lock, both in the book and in the heart. "When the Counselor 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." John 15:26 Blessed Jesus! You are the living key by which every secret in the Word is opened, as the blessed Spirit uses and reveals You in them.

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Grace Gems for MAY 2006

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