Saturday, June 16, 2018

My Victorian Year #24

This week I'll be sharing quotes from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening and J.C. Ryle's Old Paths.

From Morning and Evening:
Beloved, no sin of a believer can now be an arrow mortally to wound him, no condemnation can now be a sword to kill him, for the punishment of our sin was borne by Christ, a full atonement was made for all our iniquities, by our blessed Substitute and Surety. Who now accuses? Who now condemns? Christ has died, yes rather, has risen again. Jesus has emptied the quivers of hell, has quenched every fiery dart, and broken off the head of every arrow of wrath! 
Salvation is not a blessing to be enjoyed upon the dying bed, and to be sung of in a future state above—but a matter to be obtained, received, promised, and enjoyed now.
The Christian is perfectly saved in God’s purpose; God has ordained him unto salvation, and that purpose is complete. He is saved also as to the price which has been paid for him, “It is finished” was the cry of the Savior before He died.
This complete salvation is accompanied by a holy calling. Those whom the Savior saved upon the cross—are in due time effectually called by the power of God the Holy Spirit unto holiness. God neither chose them nor called them because they were holy—but He called them that they would be holy; and holiness is the beauty produced by His workmanship in them.
 The happiest state of a Christian is the holiest state. As there is the most heat nearest to the sun—so there is the most happiness nearest to Christ. No Christian enjoys comfort when his eyes are fixed on vanity—he finds no satisfaction unless his soul is quickened in the ways of God.
Admire the grace which saves you—the mercy which spares you—the love which pardons you!
Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise, and before every believing soul He sets an open door, which no man or devil shall be able to close against it. What joy it will be to find that faith in Him is the golden key to the everlasting doors.
After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light—He is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us.
Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light—but that He is light; nor that He gives salvation—but that He is salvation. He, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God, has all covenant blessings in his possession.

From Old Paths, chapter 15, Faith

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”--John 3:16
Questions about things necessary to salvation, questions which probe the conscience, and bring men face to face with God, such questions often bring life and health to souls. I know few questions more important than the one which arises out of this text:-DO WE BELIEVE?
There are four things which I wish to consider, and to impress upon the minds of all who read this volume.
These four things are as follows:-- 1. God’s mind towards the world:--He “loved” it. 2. God’s gift to the world.--“He gave His only begotten Son.” 3. The only way to obtain the benefit of God’s gift:--“Whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish.” 4. The marks by which true belief may be known.
Let us consider, in the first place, God’s mind towards the world:--He “loved” it. But what kind of love is this with which the Father regards all mankind? It cannot be a love of complacency, or else He would cease to be a perfect God. 
The world-wide love of which Jesus speaks, is a love of kindness, pity, and compassion. Fallen as man is, and provoking as man’s ways are, the heart of God is full of kindness towards him.
While as a righteous Judge He hates sin, He is yet able in a certain sense to love sinners! The length and breadth of His compassion are not to be measured by our feeble measures. Righteous, and holy, and pure as God is, it is yet possible for God to love all mankind.
There lives not the man or woman on earth whom God regards with absolute hatred or complete indifference. His mercy is like all His other attributes. It passes knowledge. God loves the world.
Beware of the common idea that God the Father is an angry Being, whom sinful man can only regard with fear, and from whom he must flee to Christ for safety. Contend earnestly for all the attributes of God,--for His holiness and His justice, as well as for His love. But never allow for one moment that there is any want of love towards sinners in any Person in the Blessed Trinity. 
The Father loves, and the Son loves, and the Holy Ghost loves. When Christ came on earth, the kindness and love of God toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4.).
The cross is the effect of the Father’s love, and not the cause.
Let us resist to the death the unscriptural doctrine of universal salvation. It is not true that all mankind will be finally saved. But let us not fly into the extreme of denying God’s universal compassion.
The next thing I want to consider is God’s gift to the world. “He gave His only begotten Son.” 
The love of God towards the world is not a vague, abstract idea of mercy, which we are obliged to take on trust, without any proof that it is true. It is a love which has been manifested by a mighty gift.

His love is not displayed at the expense of His holiness and justice. It flows down from heaven to earth through one particular channel. It is set before men in one special way.
It is only through Christ, by Christ, on account of Christ, and in inseparable connection with the work of Christ. Let us glory in God’s love by all means.
Let us proclaim to all the world that God is love. But let us carefully remember that we know little or nothing of God’s love which can give us comfort, excepting in Jesus Christ.
It is not written that God so loved the world that He will take all the world to heaven, but that He so loved it, that He has given His only begotten Son.
He that ventures on God’s love without reference to Christ, is building on a foundation of sand.
He that thinks lightly of man’s need and man’s sin, would do well to consider man’s Saviour. Sin must indeed be exceeding sinful, when the Father must needs give His only Son to be the sinner’s Friend! 
The way to heaven is narrow enough already, by reason of man’s pride, hardness, sloth, listlessness, and unbelief. But take heed that you do not make that way more narrow than it really is.
The third thing I propose to consider, is the way in which man obtains the benefit of God’s love and Christ’s salvation. It is written that “whosoever believeth shall not perish.”
Without believing there is no salvation. It is vain to suppose that any will be saved, merely because Christ was incarnate, not because Christ is in heaven, or because they belong to Christ’s Church, or because they are baptized, or because they have received the Lord’s supper. All this is entirely useless to any man except he believes.
We must have personal faith in Christ, personal dealings with Christ, personal transactions with Christ, or we are lost for evermore.
He dwells only in those hearts which have faith; and all, unhappily, have not faith. He that believeth not in the Son of God is yet in his sins, “the wrath of God abideth on him.” “He that believeth not,” says our Lord Jesus Christ in words of fearful distinctness,--“he that believeth not shall be damned.”
True belief in Christ is the unreserved trust of a heart convinced of sin, in Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour. It is the combined act of the whole man’s head, conscience, heart, and will. It is often so weak and feeble at first, that he who has it cannot be persuaded that he has. 
(1) Believing is the soul’s coming to Christ. (2) Believing is the soul’s receiving Christ. (3) Believing is the soul’s building on Christ. (4) Believing is the soul’s putting on Christ. (5) Believing is the soul’s laying hold on Christ. (6) Believing is the soul’s eating Christ. (7) Believing is the soul’s drinking Christ. (8) Believing is the soul’s committal of itself to Christ. (9) Last, but not least, believing is the soul’s look to Christ.
No doubt belief is not the only grace to be found in the heart of a true Christian. But only belief gives him an interest in Christ. Prize that doctrine as the peculiar treasure of Christianity. Once let it go, or add anything to it, and there is an end of inward peace.
The fourth and last thing which I propose to consider is a point of great practical importance. I wish to show you the marks by which true belief in Christ may be discerned and known. (1) He that believeth in Christ has inward peace and hope. (2) He that believes in Christ has a new heart. (3) He that believes in Christ is a holy person in heart and life. (4) He that believes on Christ works godly works. (5) He that believes on Christ overcomes the world. (6) He that believes on Christ, has an inward testimony of his belief. (7) Last, but not least, he that believes on Christ, has a special regard in all his religion, to the person of Christ Himself.
Salvation is never made to turn on the question, whether Christ died for a man or not. The turning-point which is always set before us is believing. DO YOU BELIEVE?
Life is short and uncertain. Death is sure. Judgment is inevitable. Sin is exceeding sinful. Hell is an awful reality. Christ alone can save you. There is no other name given under heaven, whereby you can be saved.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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