Jul 15
4
The Revelation of faith
| “But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit; for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (I Corinthians 2:9-10)”
By the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth the believer is given spiritual eyes. Spiritual eyes are eyes that see what others cannot and will not see. The apostle Paul describes this vision in II Corinthians 4: 18 saying —“We look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal..” The faith of God’s elect is the gift of God that enables the believer to see through the eyes of God. John said of Christ, “What he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. (John 3: 32-33)” The eyes of faith see through God’s eyes. They see God as he is, man as he is, and Christ reconciling the two. They see the eternal, immutable purpose of God in redemption, the everlasting covenant of grace and the one mediator between God and men accomplishing the will of God concerning these things. The eye of faith sees a bleeding substitute satisfying the justice of God concerning their sins and his righteous obedience as their own righteousness making them “holy, unblameable and unreproveable in his sight (Colossians 1:22).” Seeing through his eyes we see the perfection of God in all he has done and found as God did when he looked upon his work, that it is good and complete and sufficient to cease from our labors and enter into his rest. |
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These all died in Faith
| It is most certainly true, that all men shall die (Heb. 9:27). However, it is not true that all men shall die in faith, for all men have not the faith of God’s elect (Titus 1:1). Those who die in faith are those given to Christ Jesus in the eternal covenant of grace (Eph. 1:3-6). Those who die in faith are those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ lived as high priest to represent us (Heb. 2:17) and died as the atoning sacrifice to redeem and justify us (Heb. 9:12; 26). Those who die in faith are those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ as the forerunner occupies the very throne of God as Advocate and Mediator (Heb. 6:20, 7:25; 1John 2:1; 1Tim. 2:5). Those who die in faith are those who have heard the gospel of God’s sovereign grace in Christ and have been given life to believe and trust Christ alone for all their righteousness before God (2Cor. 5:17; 1John 5:1). Those who die in faith are those who live by faith (Heb. 10:38), looking to the Lord Jesus Christ to provide all things in salvation for us (Heb. 12:2; Phil. 4:19). Those who die in faith are those who are “persuaded” the gospel is true (Rom. 4:20). Believers do “embrace” and love all the promises of God in Christ (2Cor. 1:20). The redeemed will “confess” that they are looking and longing for our heavenly inheritance in Christ (Heb. 11:10). Those made new by His grace “declare plainly” that they are seekers of Christ (Heb. 11:6). God’s sheep have all things better in Christ (Heb. 11:16), a better hope, a better covenant, a perfect sacrifice, a glorious inheritance and eternal salvation (Heb. 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:12).
Oh, my friend what a privilege to be granted and given faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). No wonder Peter called it, “precious faith” (2Peter 1:2). Oh, for grace to trust Christ more and more. What a blessed privilege to live by faith and what a great privilege to die in faith. The Lord said, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them (Rev. 14:13). The Lord said, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). – |
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On true doctrine rests the worship of the true and living God. From error in doctrine springs the worship of a false God. There is a tendency among many religious people to undervalue true doctrine, to exalt morality at the expense of the character of God and the teachings of our Lord, and to deny the importance of a sound creed. I do not doubt that sound creed has often covered an unsound life. But when I hear it said, “Such and such do not believe the doctrine of sovereign grace and substitution, but they love the Lord and are saved.” I wonder and ask, “What then was the Bible written for?” Is it no infallible expression of the mind of God? Is it no standard of truth? Are we to believe what appeals to us and deny the rest? God forbid! God’s Word declares the oneness of Truth and condemns EVERY DEAPRTURE FROM THE TRUTH AS A DIRECT ATTACK ON GOD HIMSELF! Do not tell me that a man’s heart is right with God when his head contains a creed of error and denies the Person and Work of the Redeemer.
– Horatius Bonar
“And there I will meet with thee…” – Exodus 25:22
When a righteous God and a ruined sinner meet on a blood-splattered platform, all is settled once and for all, settled in such a way as to perfectly honor and glorify God and eternally save the sinner. The only proper meeting place between God and man is the point where grace and righteousness meet and perfectly harmonize. Nothing but perfect righteousness could suit God, and nothing but perfect grace could suit the sinner. But where could that take place? Only in the cross. There it is that mercy and truth are met together, and there the believing sinner finds peace for the heart and conscience. – Scott Richardson
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”—1 Tim. i, 15.
Hearken, my soul, to the proclamation from heaven! Is this the faithful saying of a faithful God? Surely, then, thou mayest well regard it, for it is for thy life. And if it be worthy of all acceptation, it must be eminently so of thine; for thou hast been a transgressor from the womb. But did Jesus indeed come to save sinners? Yes, so the proclamation runs. Sinners, enemies to God. Jesus, it is said, “received gifts for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them;” and with that tenderness which distinguished his character, he said himself, that he “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Well, then, my soul, up on this warrant of the faithful word of a faithful God, wilt thou not so fully rely as to believe unto salvation? If any inquiries arise contrary to this belief, let this be thine answer: – Christ came to save sinners; that is enough for me; for I am one. God’s salvation is said to be for enemies; that is my name by nature. Jesus received gifts for the rebellious; to this character I plead also guilty. If men or devils would endeavour to work unbelief in my heart, this is my answer: – Christ came to save sinners.” Let those that never felt sin, and consequently know not the need of a Saviour, stay and argue the point as they may; my souls eternal welfare is concerned, and I will not lose a moment to close with the heavenly proposal. Lord Jesus, thou waitest to be gracious! The faithful saying of my God I accept on my bended knees. It is indeed worthy of all acceptation, and above all, of mine. Here while upon earth will I proclaim thy praise; and in heaven, the loudest of all voices must be mine, that Christ came to save Sinners, of whom I am chief.” Robert Hawker.
Oh what an inestimable mercy it is for a man to know the truth for himself
by divine teaching and divine testimony; to have it applied to his heart by a
gracious influence and a heavenly power, so as to know for himself what
salvation is, whence it comes, and above all to enjoy a sweet persuasion that
this salvation has reached his heart! He will then know where to go in the
hour of trouble, to whom to resort when sorrow and affliction come into his
house, or illness or infirmity shake his tabernacle. He will not be a stranger
to the throne of grace, nor to the sweetness of the covenant ordered in all
things and sure. But there will be given him from above, out of the fulness of
Christ, such grace and strength as will support him in the trying hour. It is
by these gracious dealings upon his soul, that a believer becomes “stablished
in the faith.” Nay, the very storms through which he passes will only
strengthen him to take a firmer hold of Christ, and thus become more
established in the faith of him. It is in these storms that he learns more of his
own weakness and of Christ’s strength; more of his own misery and of
Christ’s mercy; more of his own sinfulness and of superabounding grace;
more of his own poverty and of Christ’s riches; more of his own desert of
hell, and more of his own title to heaven. Thus he becomes “stablished in
faith,” for the same blessed Spirit who began the work carries it on, goes on
to fill up the original outline, and to engrave the image of Christ in deeper
characters upon his heart, and to teach him more and more experimentally
the truth as it is in Jesus.
J.C. Phillpot.
At the cross God justified His people, freely by grace. His love
was set upon a people who didn’t deserve it, a rebellious people,
sold under sin, a people under the reign of sin and death. Yet at the
cross God manifested His righteousness through the faith of Jesus
Christ in order to destroy sin and its reign and deliver that people.
God showed grace to a people who sought Him not, and that grace
came at such a price – it cost the Saviour. He gave Himself for His
own (Galatians 2:20). Grace is God’s free gift to His people, but it
came at a great price to Him. It came through righteousness exacted
upon the Saviour as He stood in the place of His people, united to
them in order to bring them through judgment unto everlasting life,
carried through by His faith in the Father’s promise. At the cross
God’s mercy and truth met together. At the cross righteousness and
peace kissed each other. What a meeting place! What a transaction.
What a reconciliation between God and man was made when Christ
laid down His life that His people might live, when Christ was
made sin that His people might be made the righteousness of God
in Him, that they might have peace with Ian Potts.
DYING REST
A dear old saint who lately lay dying told her pastor that she was resting on the justice of God. The good man thought that she had chosen a strange point of the divine character to rest on, but she explained, “I rest in His justice to my great Substitute, that He would not let Him die for me in vain.”
C. H. Spurgeon