Oct 22
30
Deadly!
Destructive! Damning!
(the following is by Spurgeon)
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with
himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. Luke 18:11-12
Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness!
Your own righteousness will destroy you
as certainly as your iniquities!
If you rest upon what you have done, however
good in your own eyes, or however praiseworthy
in the esteem of your fellow-men, you rest on
a foundation that will certainly fail you.
Christ will have you to know, however good
you are, that you must come to him just as
the vilest of the vile must come.
You must come as guilty- you cannot come as
righteous. You must come to Jesus to be washed;
you must come to him to be clothed. You think
you do not need washing; you fancy you are
clothed, and covered, and beautiful to look upon.
But oh! the garb of outward respectability,
and of outward morality, often is nothing
but a film to hide an abominable leprosy!
Your merits or your demerits are
alike unavailing for salvation!
God grant that we may no longer boast of
ourselves. Put away the Pharisee’s pride,
and never utter the Pharisee’s prayer.
It is self-righteousness which
damns the souls of thousands!
God’s arm is strong enough, God’s fire
fierce enough, to melt even the iron of
self-righteousness.
THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH
This statement is quoted four times in Scripture, and each time it gives a different nuance of the meaning. “Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright within him: but the just shall live by his faith” (Habukkuk 2:4). To be lifted up is to have a swollen, inflated view of yourself. The just living by faith is the enemy of pride. “Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). It is only by faith that the righteousness of God is received and relied on. “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). Faith is opposed to seeking justification by works or law. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). The only way to persevere is by faith, looking to Christ only. To draw back from that is to not have God’s pleasure. The just shall live by faith is opposed to human pride, the only way the righteousness of God is received, opposed to justification by law (what I do) and the only way of perseverance. How all encompassing! “The just shall live by faith.”
Todd Nibert
Do You Confess That Christ Is Lord?
We all know that none are saved except those who confess that Christ is Lord. But what does it mean to confess Christ as Lord? All religious people make such a confession with their lips; but that certainly cannot be salvation. Even Satan acknowledges the Lordship of Christ in that way. To confess that Christ is Lord is to acknowledge him as Lord by a heart surrender and commitment to him as such. True saving faith involves a submission of the heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. This submission of the heart to Christ is the ruling principle of every believer’s life. Without this willing, voluntary submission of the heart there is no salvation.
~Don Fortner (1950-2020)
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Octavius Winslow
Spiritual-mindedness is life. We fearlessly challenge every
believer- What has been the effect in your soul of a low state of grace? What
has been the effect of carnal indulgence of allowed sin- of needless communion
with the world- of conformity to its policy and its pleasures- of unruly
temper- of a volatile disposition, yes, of any species of carnality whatever:
has it not been “death”? When a process of spiritual relapse has been
allowed to proceed stealthily and unchecked- when the world, and sin, and self
have gained an ascendancy, what has been the consequence? “Death!”
The habit of prayer may not have been totally neglected, but
there has been no communion with God- and so there has been death upon prayer.
The Bible has not been entirely unread, but no light has beamed upon the sacred
page- and so there has been death upon the Bible. The means of grace have not
been utterly forsaken, but no grace has distilled from these channels- and so
there has been death upon the means of grace. Thus a spiritual deathliness has
crept over the soul, the effect and fruit of indulged and growing carnality.
But “life” is the blessed effect of heavenly-mindedness.
It is life springing from life, or rather, the inner life in its outer actings.
What spiritual mightiness, almost omnipotent, does he possess, whose mind and
heart and faculties are deeply immersed in the Spirit of Christ, closely allied
to the Divine and heavenly! As sin is weakness, so holiness is strength. As
carnality impairs, so spirituality invigorates. The one deadens, the other
vivifies. Close dealing with Essential Life increases the life of spirituality.
Much communion with Jesus draws forth “life more abundantly.”
It is impossible to live a life of faith in the Son of God,
constantly taking to His blood every sin, to His heart every care, to His
sympathy every sorrow, to His grace every corruption, to His arm every burden,
without being conscious of new life, of augmented power, of increased
heavenliness. Inquire of the man of prayer what is the effect in his soul of
close filial communion with God? Ask the reflective mind what is the effect
upon his spirit of holy meditation? Ask the conscience much beneath the cross
what is the result of the constant sprinkling of the atoning blood? And, as
with one voice, and with one utterance, each believer will answer,
“Life!” Oh, there is an energising influence in spirituality, a quickening
of the spiritual life in heavenly-mindedness, which he only can understand
whose converse is much with things heavenly, much with God.
There is life in prayer, life in the word, life in ordinances,
life in the enjoyment of vital religion, which transmits the thrill of its deep
pulsations through the whole soul. Nor life alone in these. But when the storm
of adversity blows- when sore affliction comes- when the “noise of the
water-spout” is heard, and the tossing waves and the foaming billows roll
over the soul- when the shadow of death is settling upon all creature-good;
then, even then, the spiritual mind panting after life exclaims, “Though I
walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me.” “This is my
comfort in my affliction; for Your word has quickened me.” And what is all
this but the pledge and the prelude of the glorious consummation and crown of
all- the life that is to come, even life everlasting?
Christ Our Wisdom
1 Corinthians 1:20
Christ is Wisdom. Christ is Understanding. He gives wisdom and understanding; but the Holy Ghost tells us much more than that. He tells us that the Mediator-man Christ Jesus is Wisdom and is Understanding (Proverbs 8:12-14). If Christ is Wisdom and Understanding, as he asserts, then there is no wisdom and no understanding anywhere except in him. Furthermore, if Christ is Wisdom and Understanding, then all who are in him and have him possess wisdom and understanding.
In Christ Jesus
All who are born of God are “in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are in Christ by the rich, free grace and goodness of God the Father, who put us in him in sovereign election before the world began. In him we were and are preserved and blessed from everlasting. That secret, everlasting union with Christ was made manifest in time, when God the Holy Spirit gave us life and faith in Christ, by the operation of his mighty grace; but the union is from everlasting.
God’s Work
Our being in Christ is altogether God’s work. Our conversion, our saving union with Christ is not the result of something we have done. We are not in Christ because we are wiser, or better, or have made a better choice than others. We are in Christ because God put us in Christ. — “Salvation is of the Lord!” It is the purpose of God to make this apparent, and to force all men to acknowledge it. He dispenses his grace in such a way that he makes men see with regard to others, and to acknowledge with regard to themselves, that salvation is his work alone.
Our Wisdom
Though we are foolish creatures by nature, by virtue of our union with him, Christ is made of God unto us Wisdom. He is the one who gives us wisdom and understanding in all things spiritual. He is the shining light that dispels darkness in our souls. Christ is our Wisdom objectively, too. I mean by that that our highest wisdom is knowing him. Under the personification of Wisdom, our Saviour says, “He that findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain the favour of the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).
Christ is the Head of his body the church; and as all the wisdom of the body is in its head, so all our wisdom is in him. The Lord Jesus acted for us as our Wisdom representatively, speaking for us in the everlasting covenant of grace and peace; and he is our Advocate with the Father, still pleading our cause and interceding for us in heaven.
It is by Christ Jesus that the triune God is made known and revealed to man. He is the embodiment of God, the embodiment of Wisdom, the Word, the Revealer of God. As all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him, so all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are his. By him alone, they are made known to men. — “No man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him” (Luke 10:22).
Truly Wise
And this union with Christ makes the heaven-born soul truly wise, because when Christ is formed within, we are given the mind of Christ and know all things (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). All true spiritual knowledge is derived from Christ; and it is only those who are taught of him who are made wise unto salvation. Christ is our Wisdom within to direct our paths, guide us in his way, and order our steps day by day.
Don Fortner
“We Have The Mind Of Christ”
I Corinthians 2:16
Paul tells us plainly that the natural man understands nothing of God’s word, work, or ways. He also tells us that every believer has the mind of Christ. That is to say,”The believer sees things as Christ sees them.” God’s children in this world do not see things as clearly as Christ does, but they see things in the same way, in the same perspective, with the same attitude as Christ. In Matthew 11:20-28, we see the mind of Christ displayed in three suggestive directions.
1. TOWARD THE WILFULLY IMPENITENT – “Woe unto thee” (v. 21). What privileges these people enjoyed! The Son of God himself lived among them, preached in their churches, and performed miracles in their streets! Yet, they despised his grace, rejected his gospel and would not believe him! Therefore, he said, “Woe unto thee!” And every believer’s heart is in full agreement with Christ. If you, having heard the gospel of Christ and seen his works in others, yet refuse to believe, you will be forever damned. And your damnation will be just.
2. TOWARD THE PURPOSE OF GOD – “I thank thee” (v. 25). Here our Saviour thanks God for performing his own sovereign, eternal purpose. He thanked the Father for hiding the gospel from some and for revealing it to others, according to his own will. Like Christ, every believer rejoices in God’s sovereignty. The purpose of God is often painful to our flesh and contrary to our purposes. But it is always pleasant to our hearts and agreeable to our wills. Our inmost prayer and desire before God is, “Thy will be done.”
3. TOWARD GUILTY, HEAVY-LADEN SINNERS – “Come unto me” (v. 28). Christ is the sinner’s Friend. And God’s people are too. He is compassionate toward sinners. And God’s people are too. He invites those who “labour,” trying to earn rest by their works, to come to him for rest.He invites those who are “heavy-laden,” staggering, hopelessly and helplessly, under the weight of sin, to come to him to find rest for their souls. And he promises rest to all who come to him, to all who trust him. Are you labouring for acceptance with God? Cease from your works. Come to Christ. And find rest in his finished work. Are you heavy-laden with sin, despairing of life? Come to Christ. Trust him who bore our sins in his own body on the tree. And find rest for you soul.
Don Fortner