Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: March 29th

That he might present it to himself a glorious church. - Ephesians 5:27.

SUCH is the final aim of the Saviour in giving himself a ransom for us,-an aim worthy of himself, worthy of his character, of his wisdom, and of his love. It is infinitely honourable to himself, and will draw forth the everlasting admiration and adoration of the heavenly world. And how delightful is it to his people now, while in the contemplation of the all-important scheme their minds are borne along from view to view, from wonder to wonder, from blessing to blessing, from glory to glory, till that which is perfect is come, and that which is in part is done away!

How shall we be presented? Shall we be presented with the sheep on the right hand, or with the goats on the left? What a question is here! For there will be a presentation of the wicked, as well as of the righteous. They will be presented to Satan,-the god and the prince of this world, whose subjects they are, and as his children,-for the devil was their father, and his lusts they would do; they will hear the sentence, -“Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Oh, shall we then be presented with the sheep or with the goats? How can we ascertain this? Why, thus:-Which of these do we now resemble? Which of these do we now choose? Who are now our loved companions? For at death every man will go to his own company, God sanctifies always before he glorifies: what he completes in heaven he always begins on earth. We must be “children” before we are “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” Before we possess heaven we must be “wrought,” as the apostle says, “for the selfsame thing,” and have “the earnest of the Spirit.”

The presentation of believers by the Saviour to himself should animate and comfort all his followers. Christians do not feel so much under their abasements and sufferings as they do under their remaining moral and spiritual infirmities. No; this it is which makes them groan. “When I would do good, evil is present with me,” and “oh, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The work of grace begun in them will not be left unfinished. Each believer can say, “Thou wilt perfect that which concerneth me; thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever; forsake not the work of thine own hands.”

Oh, what a blessed change is here! What a change of state! What a change of experience! To feel no more danger from spiritual enemies! to feel no more barrenness of consolation, or lightness in duty, or wandering of thought, or coldness of affection! to wake up and find no darkness of understanding, no rebellion in our wills, no earthly-mindedness in our affections; but all peace, all purity, all assurance, forever! It also should soothe us under the removal of those who sleep in Jesus. Jesus said to his disciples, who were sorrowing, “If ye loved me ye would rejoice, because I said, I go to the Father; for my Father is greater than I.” He said to the daughters of Jerusalem, “Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

So our dying connections in reality say, “Weep not for us, but for yourselves.” “You are in the conflict; our warfare is accomplished. You are out at sea amid the winds and the waves; we have entered the desired haven.” We miss them by the way; we miss their friendship, their prayers, their counsels, and their admonitions; but, since it is their gain, we will not indulge in selfish grief; and while we mourn we will not “sorrow,-sorrow as those who have no hope; we will remember that we have not long to mourn, that the separation is not perpetual, and that a time of reunion is approaching, when we shall rejoin those who are gone before us, and who are waiting to receive us into everlasting habitations.”

Lastly, How are we bound to the Saviour, who has destined such glory for us and is now preparing us for it! We, who are undeserving the least of all his mercies, yet he not only spares, but pardons and enriches us, and will glorify us forever with himself. Oh, where but in the gospel could we ever read of such gracious dealings as these? Oh, who could have procured such blessings for us but the Lord of life and glory? Who would have undertaken the work in the view of such sufferings, but one

“Whose heart is made of tenderness,

Whose bowels melt with love”?

Let us be daily giving ourselves to Him who gave himself for us, and glorify him on earth who is now advancing our glory in heaven. Let us take our station at the foot of his cross, and there thus judge:-“That if One died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again.”

Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. - Philippians 1:27.

WE may here observe three things: First, The designation of the gospel. It is the “gospel of Christ,” and is so named, not only because he is the author of it, but because he is also the subject, and, in a sense, the only subject of it, for all more or less remotely refers to him. It is elsewhere designated “the word of Christ,” “the truth as it is in Jesus.” It is full of his person, his character, his offices, his sufferings, his atonement, his righteousness, his intercession, and his glory. The Apostle made Christ everything, not only in doctrine, but even in duty, and he could not enforce conjugal tenderness without a reference to him. “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.”

Secondly, The conversation enjoined. This term commonly with us means discourse, and it is a great thing to regulate this, and for the speech to be always with grace. James, therefore, said “If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” And what our Saviour said is enough to make us shudder every day, to think that for “every idle word that men speak they shall give an account thereof ” in the day of judgment; for “by thy words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be condemned.” But it also mean’s habitual behaviour or conduct. “To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.” “Let your conversation be without covetousness.” “What manner of persons ought ye to be, in all conversation and godliness?” In all these cases conversation means a course of action.

Thirdly, The correspondence between the gospel and this conversation. “Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.” Now the becomingness of anything is always relative; what is becoming in one might not be so in another. We cannot determine how a man ought to live as to his expenditure till we know what he has to depend upon as to his income; for we are to provide things honest, not only “in the sight of the Lord,” but also “in the sight of man;” while godliness is always essentially the same in its principles and practice, yet Solomon says, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider.” Now, therefore, before we can judge what conversation becometh the gospel, we must ascertain what the gospel itself is.

The gospel has four characteristics, or may be viewed under four aspects. It is a system of knowledge, cheerfulness, sanctity, and of mercy and benevolence. Conversation, therefore, becoming the gospel of Christ must be distinguished by four attributes, that is, it must be wise, cheerful, holy, and benevolent.

“So let our lips and lives confess

The holy gospel we profess.”