Jan 15
31
Joseph Hart
Flesh and Spirit. Rom. 7. 14-25; Gal. 5. 17-24
1 Though void of all that’s good,
And very, very poor,
Through Christ I hope to be renewed,
And live for evermore.
2 I view my own bad heart,
And see such evils there,
The sight with horror makes me start,
And tempts me to despair.
3 Then with a single eye
I look to Christ alone;
And on his righteousness rely,
Though I myself have none.
4 By virtue of his blood,
The Lord declares me clean.
Now serves my mind the law of God,
My flesh the law of sin.
Think for a moment of the glory and majesty of Almighty God. If a believer ponders in his heart the wonder of God’s grace, he soon realizes his own unworthiness and utter vileness. How could it ever be that He, before whom the moon and stars are not pure in His sight, accepts such sinners? Yet the infallible Word of God declares that He indeed has accepted some men in the Beloved.
Who are they? How are they made accepted? According to Ephesians 1:3-14, they are those who have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. They are those who have been chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world. They are those who have been predestinated to the adoption of children by Christ. They are those who have been accepted in Christ. They are those who have been redeemed by Christ, forgiven their sins by Christ, illuminated in Christ, gathered in Christ, and given an inheritance in Christ. They are those who have been given faith after they heard the Gospel. They are those who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit in Christ.
This was all done for them to the praise and the glory of God’s grace. This was accomplished for them by Him Who doeth all things after the counsel of His own will. To the hopeless, and only the hopeless, this is good news! – Tim James
| Yes indeed, most will mention just how good they are, how religious and how they have done this or that for God. What a joke. ‘There is none that doeth good no NOT one’! The Pharisee stood with himself and proclaimed in the presence of God and in the sight of men just how he was so thankful that he was not like the poor man standing afar off from him. Jehu tells one man to come with him and see how much zeal he had for God then in the same chapter we learn that he sinned is so many ways similar to Jeroboam (2 Kings 10).
Add your name and my name to those who far to often do things ‘to be seen of men’. But thanks be to God that the Lord Jesus Christ is that true and faithful witness and God has seen fit to accept His faithfulness for our unworthiness, His unchanging commitment towards all the elect for their unfaithfulness! We have no goodness to proclaim, He is the sum and substance of all Good and all Goodness! He is faithful that promised, therefore we can trust Him for everything we need both in this world and in the world to come. Let the potsherds strive with one another about who is better. Let us rather proclaim His infinite goodness and faithfulness to the likes of us who process neither, in and of ourselves. Drew Dietz. reconciling truth and experience
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O Sing unto the Lord a New Song!
by James Smith, 1860
Praise is lovely for the upright, and it befits the Lord’s people to be thankful. God loves to be praised. He loves to hear us praise him, as it indicates . . .
that we have a due sense of our obligations,
that we value our mercies, and
are happy in our souls.
We have many psalms of praise written for us, and hymns of thanksgiving should constantly ascend from us. O for a heart to praise God! O for a warm, loving, grateful heart!
And now let me see if I can awaken gratitude in my soul, and raise a song of thanksgiving to my gracious God. Let me listen to the Psalmist, and try and unite with him. “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm has gotten him the victory.” Psalm 98:1.
“He has done marvelous things,” and marvelous things for me.
He laid all my sins on his own beloved Son, and punished him — that he might never punish me. How marvelous that the Son of God should take my place; and bear, expiate, and remove from the sight of God forever, all my sins! Jesus was treated as a sinner — that I may be treated as a righteous person. And in consequence of my sins being laid on Jesus, and his righteousness being imputed to me — I am justified, and declared righteous by the God of justice and holiness.
In addition to this, he entered the lists with Satan on my behalf, and he defeated, condemned, and fastened a chain on that monster — so that he can never condemn, or do me any lasting injury.
He has also abolished death, given me everlasting life, and placed immortality in a clear light before me; so that heaven is now presented to my faith, as open to receive me whenever I fall asleep in him.
Not only so — but he is gone himself into heaven as my Advocate, to confute my accusers, carry my cause, and secure to me an honorable reception there.
“With his right hand and holy arm,” he . . .
rescued me from death, delivered me from Satan, brought me out of the world, subdued my stubborn will,
broke my hard heart, and made me a new creature!
In me, his omnipotent power and glorious majesty have been displayed. In me, Christ Jesus, as the Captain of salvation, has triumphed. In me, the Holy Spirit has displayed his sovereignty, and wrought wondrously, bringing me to know, love, and enjoy God as a covenant God in Christ. In me, the Lord has gotten himself the victory, every enemy has been subdued, and subdued by himself. Every power has been led captive, and brought into obedience unto Christ. He has gotten the victory, and it was glorious, triumphant, and complete. I shall grace his triumphs, share his honors, and eternally praise his name.
Let me therefore join with the Psalmist, and sing a new song. Sing, because he has done so much for me, and so much in me — and all by his own power, to the glory of his own grace! He did all, unsought by me, unexpected by me, of his own free mercy and love. He has recorded his doings, put the record into my hands, and made the reading of it a blessing to my soul. O for a new song for new mercies, for his mercies are new every morning! O for a daily song, for the daily discovery and enjoyment of his mercies! O for an angel’s harp, a seraph’s fire — to sing aloud and sweetly unto the Lord! Let me sing, because I see that it is the Father’s delight to bless me!
Let me sing, for the Son has displayed his love to me in every possible way! Let me sing, for the Holy Spirit takes a pleasure in making me holy and happy, and will make me most blessed for evermore.
O for grace to tune my heart, elevate my affections, and inspire my soul with gratitude and praise! Father of mercies, I will praise you, for you have done marvelous things, and marvelous things for me! Son of God, I will praise you, for you have done marvelous things, and marvelous things for me! Holy and ever blessed Spirit, I will praise you, for you have done, and are doing marvelous things, and marvelous things for me! Yes, while I live, will I praise the Lord; when I die, will I praise the Lord! On earth, in time, will I praise the Lord; and in heaven, through eternity, will I praise the Lord.