Chapter 13 – Enjoying God’s Best (part 3)
Enjoying God’s Best, Part 5
May, 1948
In our last article, we considered various cases, both of individuals and corporate companies, who missed God’s best, and saw how badly it fared with them. We closed by pointing out how that if we judge ourselves for our sins, we shall escape God’s chastening rod.
We now turn to the question: Is it possible for a Christian who has missed God’s best—to be recovered to full communion with Him and restored to His providential smile?
Possible—yes. Easy—no. Before we show how that possibility may be realized, let us solemnly ponder what brought that poor soul into such a sorry plight—a plight into which both writer and reader will certainly fall, unless we are ever on our prayerful guard. The grand but simple secret of a healthy and prosperous spiritual life is to continue as we began (Col 2:6): by daily trusting in the sufficiency of Christ’s blood and yielding ourselves to His lordship, seeking to please and honor Him in all things. As the believer walks with Christ in the path of obedience, following the example which He has left him, peace will possess his soul and joy will fill his heart, and the smile of God will be upon him.
But unless he, by grace, fulfills those conditions, such will not be his happy portion. IF the believer slackens in maintaining daily fellowship with Christ and drawing from His fullness, if he fails to feed regularly on the Word and becomes less frequent in his approaches to the Throne of Grace—THEN the pulse of his spiritual life will beat more feebly and irregularly. Unless he meditates often on the love of God and keeps fresh before his heart the humiliation and sufferings of Christ on his behalf, his affections will soon cool, his relish for spiritual things will wane, and obedience will neither be so easy nor so pleasant.
If such a spiritual decline be neglected or excused, it will not be long before indwelling sin gains the upper hand over his graces, and his heart will more and more glide imperceptibly into carnality and worldliness. Worldly pleasures, which previously repelled and were perceived to be vanities, will begin to attract him. Worldly pursuits, which had been only a means, will become his end—absorbing more and more of his attention and having a higher value in his eyes. Or worldly cares, which he had cast upon the Lord, will now oppress and weigh him down. And unless there is a humbling of himself before God—he will soon be found in the ways of open transgression.
Backsliding begins in the heart! The case of a backslider is much more serious than that of one who has been “overtaken in a fault” (Gal 6:1). For with him, it is not a matter of a sudden surprisal and a single stumble—but rather of a steady deterioration and definite departure from the Lord. Nor is it, in its early stages, manifested openly; and hence, his brethren may be quite unaware of it. A secret cancer of unwatchfulness and coldness has infected him: he has yielded to a spirit of laxity and self-indulgence.
When first aware of his decline, instead of being alarmed—he ignored it; instead of weeping over it before God—he went on in his carnality, until his graces became inoperative and all power to resist the devil was gone. With such, the Holy Spirit is grieved; His quickening influences are withdrawn; and His comforts are withheld.
There are indeed degrees of backsliding: with some, it is partial; with others, total; yet while one remains in that case, it is impossible for the saint to determine which. Nor is there anything in Scripture which gives a warrantable sense of security unto such a one, or which countenances any man to be easy in his sins; but very much the contrary.
Inexpressibly sad, is the case of one who continues for a season in a backslidden state. He has displeased God and dishonored Christ; and in many instances, he has become a stumbling-block to fellow Christians, especially to younger ones. He has made himself miserable. He has sinned—and repented not; departed from God—and not confessed it. Formerly, he walked in happy fellowship with God, the light of His countenance shone upon him, and that peace which passes all understanding possessed his soul. But now the joy of salvation is no longer his portion. He has lost his relish for the Word, and prayer has become a burden. He is out of touch with God, for his iniquities have separated him from Him (Isaiah 59:2), and he can find no rest unto his soul. He has been spoilt for the world—and cannot now find even that measure of satisfaction in carnal things which the ungodly do!
Wretched indeed is his plight. “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways” (Proverbs 14:14): it cannot be otherwise, for he no longer has any delight in the ways of God. His own backslidings reprove him, so that he is made to know and see what “an evil thing and bitter thing it is,” that he has “forsaken the LORD” (Jeremiah 2:19), and thereby miss His best.
Yet, pitiful though his case be, it is not hopeless, for the call goes forth, “Turn, O backsliding children, says the LORD” (Jeremiah 3:14). Nevertheless, response thereto is not the simple matter that onlookers might suppose. It is very much easier to depart from God—than to return unto Him! Not that His terms of recovery are rigorous—but because the soul is straitened. It is difficult for the backslider to perceive the nature and seriousness of his condition, for sin has a blinding and hardening effect, and the more he falls under the power of it—the less does he discern the state he is in. Even when his eyes begin to be opened again, there is an absence of real desire for recovery, for sin has a paralyzing influence, so that its victims are “at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1).
Even David was insensible of his awful plight when Nathan first approached him; and it was not until the prophet pointedly declared, “YOU are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7), that Satan’s spell over him was broken. It is therefore much to be thankful for, when such are awakened from their slumber and made to hear that word. “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:22).
But even then, the soul is reluctant to meet God’s terms. If nothing more were required than a lip acknowledgment of his offences and a return to outward duties, no great difficulty would be experienced; but to really fulfill the divine conditions for restoration is a very different matter.
As John Owen (1616-1683) affirmed, “Recovery from backsliding is the hardest task in the Christian religion; one which few make either comfortable or honorable work of.” There has to be an asking, a seeking, a knocking, if the door of deliverance is to be opened to him.
As John Brine (1703-1765), whose works were favorably reviewed in the Gospel Standard, wrote to God’s people two hundred years ago: “Much labor and diligence are required unto this. It is not complaining of the sickly condition of our souls—which will effect this cure: mere confession of our follies that have brought diseases upon us, though repeated ever so often—will avail nothing toward the removal of them. If we intend the recovery of our former health and vigor, we must act—as well as complain and groan.”
Let us now endeavor to point out how God requires such a one to “act.” “He who covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13) epitomizes both sides of the case. Sin is a disease of the soul, and by concealing it, we make it increase and become desperate.
As the Puritan, Joseph Caryl (1602-1673), pointed out:
“Sin increases two ways in the concealment of it.
First, in its guilt. The obligation to punishment takes stronger hold upon the soul, and every man is bound the faster with the chains of darkness—by how much more he labors to keep his sins in the dark. The longer a sin remains on the conscience unpardoned, the more does the guilt of it increase.
Second, in the filth and contagion of it. It grows more master, and masterly, and at last raves and rages, commands and carries all before it.”
To “cover” our sins is a refusal to bring them out into the light by an honest confession of the same unto God; in the case of our fellows, refusing to acknowledge our offences unto those we have wronged. This is reprehensible hiding of sin—is an adding of sin unto sin, and is a certain preventative of prosperity; and if persisted in, it will cover the perpetrator with shame and confusion forever. To “cover” sin is to hide it within our own bosoms, instead of openly acknowledging it. Thus it was with Achan even when the tribes were solemnly arraigned before Joshua and Eleazar, the high priest: he solemnly maintained silence until his crime was publicly exposed.
Some seek to conceal their sins by framing excuses and attempting a self-extenuation. They may seek to throw the blame upon their circumstances, their fellows, or Satan—upon anything or anyone except themselves! Others proceed to a still worse device, and seek to cloak their sin by a lie, denying their guilt. As did Cain, for when God made inquisition for blood and inquired of him, “Where is Abel your brother?” he answered, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9). So, too, Gehazi blankly denied his wrong when charged by Elisha (2Ki 5:25). In like manner acted Ananias and Sapphira (Act 5:1-11).
Three things induce men to make coverings for their sins:
First, PRIDE. Man has such high thoughts of himself that when guilty of the basest things—that he is too proud to own them.
Second, UNBELIEF. Those who have not faith to believe that God can and will cover confessed sins, vainly attempt to do so themselves.
Third, SHAME and FEAR cause many to hide their sins. Sin is such a hideous monster—that they will not own as theirs!
“But whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.” Confession of sin is an indispensable part of repentance; and without repentance, there can be no remission of sin (Act 3:19). “I acknowledged my sin unto you, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and you forgave the iniquity of my sin!” (Psalm 32:5) The pardon was upon his confession.
Those who are so convicted of their sins as to be humbled and sorrowed by a sight and sense of the same will not hide them out of sight. Nor will their confession be merely a formal one of the lips—but rather the sobbings of a contrite heart. And instead of generalizing, there will be a particularizing; instead of seeking to excuse or gloss over the offence—it will be painted in its true colors and its aggravations frankly owned! There will be an acknowledgment of the fact and of the fault—an unsparing self-condemnation.
The language of David in the opening verses of Psalm 51 will be found most suited to his case. The sin or sins will be confessed sincerely, contritely, fully, with a self-abasement and self-loathing. The cry will be made, “O LORD, pardon my iniquity—for it is great!” (Psalm 25:11).
“And forsakes them.” To “forsake” our sins is a voluntary and deliberate act. It signifies to hate and abandon them in our affections; to repudiate them by our wills; to refuse to dwell upon them in our minds and imaginations with any pleasure or satisfaction. It necessarily implies that we renounce them, and are resolved by God’s grace to make the utmost endeavor to avoid any repetition of the same.
“We must keep at a distance from those people and snares which have drawn us into instances of folly, which have occasioned that sin which is the matter of our complaint. Without this, we may multiply acknowledgments and expressions of concern for our past sins—to no purpose at all. It is very great folly to think of regaining our former spiritual strength—so long as we embrace and dally with those objects through whose evil influence, we have fallen into a spiritual decline. It is not our bewailing the pernicious effects of sin which will prevent its baleful influence upon us for time to come, except we are determined to forsake that to which is owing our melancholy disease”—J. Brine.
But suppose the saint does not promptly thus confess and forsake his sins—then what? Why, in such a case, he “will not prosper!” There will be no further growth in grace, nor will the providential smile of God be upon him. The Holy Spirit is grieved, and will suspend His gracious operations within his soul; and henceforth, his “way” will be made “hard” (Proverbs 13:15).
Such was the experience of David: “When I kept silence, my bones [a figure of the supports of the soul] waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me: my moisture [or vigor or freshness] is turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).
Sin is a pestilential thing which saps our spiritual vitality. Though David was silent as to confession, he was not so as to sorrow. God’s hand smote him so that he was made to groan under His chastening rod. Nor did he obtain any relief—until he humbled himself before God by confessing and forsaking his sins. Not that there is anything meritorious in such acts which entitles their performer to mercy—but that this is the holy order which God has established. He will not connive at our sins—but withholds His mercy until we take sides with Him in the hatred of them.
“IF my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). This passage shows us:
First, that God sends temporal judgments upon His people because of their sins.
Second, it makes known what they are to do when His rod is upon them.
Third, it contains a precious promise for faith to lay hold of.
Let us carefully note what was required from them:
First, “If my people…shall humble themselves,” which is similar to the “judge ourselves” in 1 Corinthians 11:31—but here, when chastisement is upon them. Leviticus 26:41 casts light upon, and illustrates it: “If…they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity,” which is the opposite of asking, what have I done to occasion this? “And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve” (Ezra 9:13).
David “humbled” himself when he owned, “I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right, and that you in faithfulness have afflicted me” (Psalm 119:75). He took sides with God against himself, and acknowledged his unrighteousness. Until the stricken one has humbled himself, it is vain to think of proceeding farther, for pride and impenitence bar any approaches unto the Holy One. But “if” we have duly “humbled” ourselves.
Second, “and pray.” Only as we take our place in the dust before Him—can we truly do so. And for what will such a one make request? Surely for a deeper sense of God’s holiness—and of his own vileness: for a broken and contrite heart.
Accompanying his “humbling”, and as an expression thereof, there will be the penitent confession; and that will be followed by a begging for faith in God’s mercy and a hope of cleansing and restoration.
Third, “and seek my face,” which goes farther than “and pray”: expressing diligence, definiteness, and fervor. The omniscient One cannot be imposed upon by mere lip-service—but requires the heart. There has to be a face-to-face meeting with the One we have displeased: He will not gloss over our sins; nor must we. Hosea 14 should be made use of, for the Lord has there made known the very words which we may appropriately use on such occasions.
“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: ‘Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.’
“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.” Hosea 14:1-4
Fourth, “and turn from their wicked ways” (which had brought judgment upon them) has the same force as “forsakes” our sins in Proverbs 28:13.
“THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Here is the gracious promise. But mark well its opening, “THEN”: only when we have fully met its conditions. We have no warrant to look for its fulfillment until its qualifying terms are observed by us.
Note, too, its blessed scope: a hearing from God is obtained, His forgiveness is assured, and His healing is available for faith to claim.
Say, “Lord I have—by Your grace, and to the best of my poor ability—humbled myself, sought Your face, and renounced my wicked ways; now do as You have said: “heal my land”—whether it be my body, my loved one, or my estate. Remove Your rod, and let Your providential smile come upon me again!”
Make a believing use of and plead before God the promises of Hosea 14:4-8! “According to your faith be it unto you” (Mat 9:29) is most pertinent at this point. God is pledged to honor faith, and never does He fail those who trust Him fully; no, not when they count upon Him to work a miracle for them, as this writer can humbly but thankfully testify.
How many Christians live below their privileges! “Jehovah-rophi” (“the LORD that heals you”: Exodus 15:26) is as truly one of the divine titles—as “Jehovah- tsidkneu” (“THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”: Jeremiah 23:6)—yet how very few of His own people count upon Him as such; but instead, act like worldlings in such a crisis and put their confidence in human physicians.
Is it possible for one who, through long-continued self-indulgence, has missed God’s best and brought down upon himself and family temporal adversity, to be fully recovered and restored to His favor? Who can doubt it in the light of this precious—but little-known, promise: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25)! Is not the One with whom we have to do “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10); then who is justified in placing any limitation thereon! Yet, let it not be overlooked that divine grace ever works “through righteousness” (Romans 5:21), and never at the expense of it, as it would if God were to make light of sin and condone our transgressions. And let it also be carefully borne in mind that the divine promises are addressed to faith; and must be personally appropriated by us in childlike confidence, if we are to enjoy the good of them. “All things are possible to him that believes” (Mar 9:23).
Let the reader turn to the prophet Joel and ponder the whole of chapter 1 and the first eleven verses of chapter 2. Israel had sinned grievously and repeatedly, and the Lord had smitten them severely. But at Joel 2:12-13, we read, “Even now, [in view of these chastisements, particularly the plague of locusts] declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
Then, because in this instance the whole nation was involved, the Lord gave orders for them to “Sanctify a fast” and to “call a solemn assembly,” bidding “ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare your people, O LORD, and give not your heritage to reproach”; assuring them, “Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people”; promising, “I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and you shall be satisfied therewith…I will remove far off from you the northern army [His scourge]…Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things” (Joel 2:15-21).
Then follow those blessed words, “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God…And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten” (Joe 2:23-25). Upon their compliance with those aforementioned requirements of God—that promise was left for faith to lay hold of and for hope to count upon.
And do you think, my reader, that that promise was placed on record only for the benefit of those who lived thousands of years ago? Surely, we have good reason to say, as the apostle did in another connection, “Now it was not written for his sake alone…But for us also” (Romans 4:23-24). Yes, nevertheless, it avails us nothing unless faith lays hold of and makes it our own. Once more we quote that declaration, “According to your faith—be it unto you” (Mat 9:29), reverently reminding the Calvinistic reader that those are not the words of Arminius (1560-1609)—but of God the Son. If ever there is one time more than another when we have need to cry, “Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5), it is when we are pleading 1 John 1:9; and more especially, when looking to God for a full restoration to His best, and counting upon His fulfilling Joel 2:25 unto us.
Enjoying God’s Best, Part 6
June, 1948
Many other passages might be quoted, both from Old and New Testaments, which illustrate the principle and fact which we have demonstrated in these articles, wherein we have shown that if we conduct ourselves contrary to the revealed will of God, we shall certainly suffer for it both in soul and in body; that if we follow a course of self-pleasing, we shall deprive ourselves of those spiritual and temporal blessings which the Word of God promises to those whose lives are ordered by its precepts. The teaching of Holy Writ is too clear to admit of any doubts—that it makes a very real and marked difference whether a Christian’s ways please or displease the righteous Ruler of this world: the difference of whether God be for him or against him—not in the absolute sense—but in His governmental and providential dealings.
Sufficient should have been adduced to convince any candid mind that God acts towards His saints today on precisely the same basis as He did with them under the old economy, that His ways with them are regulated by the same principles now—as then. This supplies a solution to many a problem and explains not a little in God’s dealings with us—as it furnishes the key to Jacob’s chequered life, and shows why the chastening rod of God fell so heavily upon David and his family.
Nevertheless, much of what has been represented in the previous articles is no doubt new and strange to many, if not to most of our readers. Alas, that it should be so, for what can be of greater practical importance than for the Christian to be instructed in how to please God and have his providential smile upon his life? What is more needed today than to warn him against the contrary, specifying what will forfeit the same; and to make known the way of recovery to one who has missed God’s best?
How very much better for preachers to devote themselves unto such subjects, rather than culling sensational items from the newspapers or the radio to “illustrate” their vain speculations upon Prophecy. So, too, how much more profitable than for them to deliver abstract disquisitions upon what are termed “the doctrines of grace,” or uttering contentious declamations against those who repudiate the same.
The practical side of the truth is sadly neglected today; and in consequence, not only are many of God’s dear children living far below their privileges—but they have never been taught what those privileges are, nor what is required in order for them to enjoy the same in this life. Since the ground we have been covering is so unfamiliar to many, we felt it would not be satisfactory for us to close where we left off in our last article: that though what we have advanced is so clearly and fully based upon and confirmed by the teaching of God’s Word, yet probably various questions have arisen in the minds of different readers to which they would welcome an answer, difficulties raised in their thoughts which they would like to have removed. It is only right that we should squarely face the principal objections which are likely to be made against what we have said.
Yet, let it be pointed out, first, that no objection brought against anything which is clearly established from the Word can possibly invalidate it, for Scripture never contradicts itself. And second, that our inability to furnish a satisfactory solution is no proof that our teaching is erroneous—a child can ask questions which no adult can answer. In all the ways and works of God there is, to us, an element of mystery: necessarily so, for the finite cannot comprehend the infinite. The wisest among God’s saints and servants now “see through a glass, darkly” and know but “in part” (1 Corinthians 13:12); and therefore, it is their wisdom to pray daily, “Teach me what I cannot see” (Job 34:32).
Yet, while acknowledging that there is an element of mystery, profound and impenetrable, that is far from saying that God has left His people in darkness; or that they have neither the capacity nor the means of knowing scarcely anything about the principles which regulate the Most High in His dealings with the children of men. If, on the one hand, it be true that His judgments “are a great deep” (Psalm 36:6), that “your way is in the sea, and your path in the great waters, and your footsteps are not known” (Psalm 77:19) to carnal reason; on the other hand, we are told, “he reveals deep things out of darkness” (Job 12:22) and “he reveals the deep and secret things” (Dan 2:22).
While it is true that God’s judgments are unsearchable and His ways “past finding out!” (Romans 11:33) by human wisdom; yet it is also true, blessedly true, that “in your light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9) that “he made known his ways unto Moses” (Psalm 103:7). In His Word, the Lord has been pleased to make known unto us not a little, and it is our privilege and duty to thankfully receive all the light which God has therein vouchsafed us; to attempt to go beyond it, to enter into speculation, is not only useless—but impious.
1. How is it possible for any person to “miss God’s best,” since He has foreordained everything that comes to pass (Romans 11:36), and therefore, has eternally appointed the precise lot and portion of each individual? That, we think, is a fair and frank way of stating the principal objection which Calvinists are likely to make. Our first reply is, Such an objection is quite beside the point, for in these articles, we are not discussing any aspect of God’s sovereignty—but rather are treating of that which concerns human responsibility. If the rejoinder be made, “but human responsibility must not be allowed to crowd out the essential and basic fact of God’s sovereignty;” we readily grant this point.
Nor, on the other hand, must our adherence to God’s sovereignty be allowed to neutralize or nullify the important truth of man’s responsibility. One part of the truth must never be used to nullify another part of it: both Romans 11:36 and Galatians 6:7 must be given their due places. When we attempt to philosophize about God’s sovereignty and human accountability, we are out of our depth. They are to be received by faith, and not reasoned about. Each of them is plainly taught and enforced in the Scriptures, and both must be held fast by us, whether or no we perceive their “consistency.” Nothing is easier than to raise difficulties and objections.
If our minds are dominated by and our outlook upon life narrowed down to a consideration of the inexorableness of the divine determinations, then a spirit of irresponsibility will necessarily ensue. It is with the revealed will of God—and not with the secret will of God we need to be concerned. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed [in His Word] belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deu 29:29). It is the divine precepts and promises which are to engage our attention. “According to your faith—be it unto you” (Mat 9:29) said Christ, not “according unto the divine decrees.”
Are we intimating that faith can set aside the divine decrees or obtain something superior to them? Certainly not! Instead, we are pointing out where the great Teacher placed His emphasis. We must not resolve all of God’s dealings with us into bare sovereignty: to do so is to lose sight of His righteousness. The unbalanced teaching of hyper-Calvinism has produced a most dangerous lethargy— unperceived by them—but apparent to “lookers on.” Those who dwell unduly upon the divine decrees are in peril of lapsing into the paralysis of fatalism.
There were times when even Mr. J. C. Philpot (1802- 1869) felt that, as the following quotations from his writings will show: “However sovereign the dispensations of God are, no one who fears His great name should so shelter himself under divine sovereignty as to remove all blame from himself. When the Lord asks, ‘Have you not procured this unto yourself?’ (Jeremiah 2:17) the soul must needs reply, Yes, Lord, I surely have! This is a narrow line—but one which everyone’s experience, where the conscience is tender, will surely ratify. Though we can do nothing to comfort our own souls, to speak peace to our own conscience, to bring the love of God into our hearts, to apply the balm of Gilead to bleeding wounds, and summon the great Physician to our bedside—we may do many things to repel this moment what we should seem to invite the next…We cannot make ourselves fruitful in every good word and work—but we may by disobedience and self-indulgence bring leanness into our souls, barrenness into our frames, deadness into our hearts, and in the end, much guilt upon our consciences” (Sermon on Jeremiah 8:22).
The same writer when exposing the error of non-chastisement said, “It nullifies the eternal distinction between good and evil, and makes it a matter of little real importance whether a believer walks in obedience or disobedience.” Then let those who have succeeded him devote more of the endeavors into pressing God’s precepts upon His people, and stressing the necessity, importance, and value of an obedient walk; and in faithfully showing the serious losses incurred by disobedience.
2. To affirm that our having God’s blessing upon us is the consequence of the Christian’s pleasing of Him, may appear unto some as derogatory unto Christ, as militating against His merits. They will ask, Does not the believer owe every blessing to the alone worthiness of his Surety? Answer: that is to confound things which differ. We must distinguish between:
God’s sovereign will as the originating cause,
the work of Christ as the meritorious cause,
the operation and application of the Spirit as the efficient cause,
and the repentance, faith, and obedience of the Christian as the instrumental cause.
Keep each of those in its order and place, and there will be no confusion. If that is too abstruse, let us put it this way. Is not Christ most glorified by them when His redeemed follow the example which He has left them and walk as He also walked (1 John 2:6)? If so, will not the governmental smile of God be upon such? Conversely, would God be honoring His beloved Son if His providences were favorable unto those who act in self-will, rather than in subjection to their Master? Further, if God’s present rewarding of our obedience impugns the merits of Christ, then equally so will the future rewarding He has promised, for neither time nor place can make any difference in the essential nature of things.
It is so easy for us to mar the fair proportions of truth and destroy its perfect symmetry. In our zeal, there is ever the tendency to take on aspect of truth and press it so far as to cancel out another. Not only so in causing God’s sovereignty to oust human responsibility—but to make the merits of Christ bar God from exercising His perfections in the present government of this world. Some have gone so far as to blankly deny that God ever uses the rod upon His children, arguing that Christ bore and took away all their sins, and therefore, God could not chasten them for their transgressions without sullying the sufficiency of His Son’s atonement, thereby repudiating Psalm 89:30-32 and Hebrews 12:5-11.
Here too we must distinguish between things that differ. It is important for us to see that while the penal and eternal consequences of the believer’s sins have been remitted by God, because atoned for by Christ, yet the disciplinary and temporal effects thereof are not cancelled—otherwise, he would never be sick or die. God never chastens His people penally or vindictively—but in love, in righteousness, in mercy, according to the principles of His government: rewarding them for their obedience, chastening for their disobedience, and thereby and therein Christ is honored and not dishonored.
3. Since all God’s actings unto His people proceed from His uncaused, amazing, and super-abounding grace, how can it be maintained that He regulates His dealings with them according to their conduct? Easily, for there is nothing incompatible between the two things: they are complementary, and not contradictory. As all the perfections of God are not to be swallowed up in His sovereignty, neither are they all to be merged into His grace. God is holy as well as benignant, and His favors are never bestowed in disregard of His purity; divine grace never sets aside the requirements of divine righteousness. When one has been truly saved by grace, he is taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; and if he fails to do so, then the rod of God falls upon him.
David was as truly saved by grace through faith, apart from any good works, as was the apostle Paul; but he was also required to be “holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15) as are the New Testament saints; and when he failed to be so, severe chastening was his portion. And it was grace, though holy and righteous grace, which dealt thus with him, that he “should not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32). The Christian needs to be viewed not only as one of God’s elect, one of His high favorites; and not only as a member of the Father’s family, and as such, amenable to His paternal discipline—but also as a human being, a moral agent, a subject of God’s government; and therefore, he is dealt with accordingly by the Ruler of this world.
As such, God has appointed an inseparable connection between conduct and the consequences it entails; and therefore, He is pleased to manifest, by His providences, His approbation or His disapprobation of our conduct. It is not that the one who walks in the paths of righteousness thereby brings God into his debt—but that He condescends to act toward us according to the principle of gracious reciprocity. No creature can possibly merit anything good at the hands of God—for if he rendered perfect and perpetual obedience, he has merely performed his duty, and God has profited—essentially considered—nothing whatever.
Moreover, the recompense itself is a free gift, an act of pure grace, for God is under no compulsion or obligation to bestow it.
4. When pointing out in connection with “he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief ” (Mat 13:58), that “Unbelief is the great obstacle to Christ’s favors”—Matthew Henry (1662-1714), and that they closed the door upon His deeds of mercy, it may be thought by some that we are approving the horrible impiety that the creature has the power to thwart the Creator. And when we emphatically deny any such idea, objectors are likely to ask—but how can you escape such a consequence? Easily: faith is God’s own prescribed ordinance, and therefore, He is in no wise checkmated when He refuses to act contrary to His own appointed way. Obviously, He is by no means obliged to set a premium on unbelief or countenance contempt of His means. Mark 6 expresses it more strongly: “He could there do no mighty work,” etc. (Mar 6:5).
When it is said God “cannot lie” (Ti 1:2) and “cannot be tempted with evil” (Jam 1:13), so far from signifying any limitation of His power, the perfection of His holiness is intimated. So with Christ. Among a people who were “offended in him” because they regarded Him as “the carpenter” (Mat 13:55, 57), no moral end had been furthered by His dazzling their eyes with prodigies of His might, and therefore, He cast not His pearls before swine.
5. Another class of readers, namely, those who have imbibed the poison of “Dispensationalism,” will complain that our teaching in these articles is legalistic, confounding the old and new covenants, that God’s dealings with Jacob, David, and the nation of Israel furnish no parallel with His conduct toward us in this era. But that is a serious mistake. There is far more of essential oneness between the administration of those two economies than there was incidental divergencies, as John Calvin (1509-1564) long ago demonstrated in his Institutes of the Christian Religion—see his chapters upon “The Similarity of the Old and New Testaments” and “The Difference of the Two Testaments.”
The principal difference between the Mosaic and Christian dispensations was neither in “the way of salvation” (Act 16:17), the spiritual portion of God’s children, nor the principles of His government; but rather that spiritual things were presented to their view largely under types and shadows, whereas we have the substance itself openly set before us. Beneath all the trivial contrasts, there is a fundamental unity between them, and it betrays a very superficial mind which delights in magnifying those contrasts, while ignoring or denying their basic oneness. But, as we have shown, the New Testament teaching on our present subject is identical with that of the Old, “knowing that whatever good thing any man does, the same shall he receive of the Lord” (Eph 6:8) is both an echo and summary of the Law and the Prophets. The underlying unity of the two Testaments is plainly intimated in that divine declaration, “Whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4). But what could we “learn” from God’s dealings with His people of old if He is now acting according to radically different principles? Nothing at all. Nay, in such a case, it would follow that the less we read the Old Testament, the better for us, for we should only be confused.
The fact is that the principles of God’s government are like Himself— immutable, the same in every age. “Righteousness and judgment” (Psalm 97:2) are just as truly the “habitation of his throne” today as when He cast out of heaven the apostate angels, and as when He destroyed the antediluvians—which was long before Moses! That God now deals with Christians on precisely the same basis as He did with the children of Israel, is unequivocally established by 1 Corinthians 10:6, where, after describing the privileges they had enjoyed and God’s overthrowing them in the wilderness because of their unbelief, we are told, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted”: that is, they are real and solemn warnings for us to take to heart, specimens of those judgments which will befall us if we emulate their sinful conduct.
Nay, Scripture requires us to go yet farther. So far from the higher blessings of this Christian era lessening our responsibility, they much increase the same. The greater our privileges, the greater our obligations. “For unto whoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48), as the one who received five talents was required to yield more than those who received but one or two. “He who despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God”! (Hebrews 10:28-29). The principle of that verse clearly signifies that the more light we have been favored with, the deeper are our obligations, and the greater the guilt incurred when those obligations are not met.
“But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared” (Psalm 130:4). Yes, “feared” and not trifled with, by giving free rein to our lusts. A true apprehension of divine mercy will not embolden unto sin—but will deepen our hatred of it, and make us more diligent in striving against it. Those who “[know] the grace of God in truth” (Col 1:6)—in contrast with the ones who have merely a theoretical knowledge of it—so far from being careless of their ways and indifferent to the consequences, will be most diligent in endeavoring to please and glorify Him who has been so good to them.
