the Fourth Week after Easter
Click here to join the effort!
Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.- Romans 5:10.
Near twenty years ago, upon hearing a certain preacher vehemently assert, "that souls might be justified by faith in Jesus, and yet afterwards burn in hell," my soul was brought into great darkness, perplexity, and distress. Glory to my dear Lord, by this very text he again restored light, peace, and joy to my soul, and clearly taught and comfortably established me in the scriptural doctrine of the certain perseverance of all God’s saints to eternal glory. I record this to the praise of our dear Lord, and to the comfort of his people. "If when we were enemies:"-to whom? Our worst foe, Satan? No: but to our best friend, God: the God of our salvation; to Jesus our God and Saviour; to God the Spirit our sanctifier; to the gospel of his grace, and word of our salvation. O, what a precious word is this! "reconciled to God." God in Christ was reconciled to us. O, what love and grace ever dwelt in his heart to us enemies, traitors, and rebels against him! this he manifested in reconciling us to himself. How? "By the death of his Son."
O, my fellow sinners! at every step let higher wonder rise in your hearts and mine. The cross of Jesus, what hath it done FOR us! Jesus dying on the cross! O, what hath it effected IN us! Here we view, believe, and know the love God hath to us. This belief slays the enmity of our rebellious hearts; bows our stubborn wills, and attracts our alienated affections. We throw down our arms, embrace our reconciled God, desire for ever to cease all hostility against him. "Much more being reconciled" to God’s purposes, providence, and grace; his way of salvation by his Son Jesus, submitting to his righteousness for justification, to his sceptre to be governed, to his Spirit to be led, and to his gospel to be saved and ruled. What then? Being thus reconciled, may we not be cast off at last, and burn in hell for ever? Yes, if Jesus can die, perish, and be annihilated; but not otherwise. For, "how much more shall we be saved by his life!" By faith we receive the atonement of his death. This is the life of our souls. By his life of intercession for us, we are as safe and as sure of glory, as though we were already seated in the heavenly mansions: unless Christ shed his blood in vain, God reconciles us to himself in vain; our faith is vain; the work of God’s Spirit is in vain; and all the promises of God are in vain, and of no effect. But all this is utterly impossible. God’s purpose according to election shall stand, not of works, but of him who calleth.- Romans 9:11.
Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 1 John 2:20.
A Christian may falsely indulge this covetous wish, to have his head filled with the knowledge, and his heart with the love of Christ. What is knowledge without love? The very devils could say of Christ, “I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God.” They have a more distinct knowledge of Christ, believe more of him, and have just as much love to him, as Arians, Socinians, and other infidels, who deny his eternal power and godhead, and his self-existent deity. The devils declare, “what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?” Infidelity in men causes them to give our Saviour no higher name than this, and to allow him to be no more than a prophet, mighty in word and deed. But they will have nothing to do with him as the eternal Son of God, atoning sin by his precious blood, justifying sinners by his perfect righteousness, and finishing salvation for them by his life and death. This is from the teaching of the Holy Spirit, agreeable to the word of truth. All who receive the truth in love, are Christians, or anointed ones of God. (1st.) They have an unction. The Son of God was anointed, as well as chosen, in his office and work, as our Saviour, the holy child Jesus, whom God anointed. (Acts 4:27.) So all who are chosen to salvation, are also anointed of God. (2 Corinthians 1:21.) They, as members of Christ, partake in a measure of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which their Lord and Head received without measure. (John 3:34.) (2d.) This is from the Holy One. This is one of our dear Saviour’s names. He is often called by it. None but God is holy. But Christ is the Holy One, therefore he is God. Mind, soul, you are a disciple of a holy Saviour, therefore be holy in your walk. This unction is from the Holy One, received out of the fulness of Jesus. We cannot have any of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, but in, and by, and from the holy Lamb of God. The love of the Father centres in him, and flows from him to us. The graces of the Spirit are without measure all treasured up in him, and flow from him to us. We receive all grace out of the fulness of Christ. O let us keep the eye of our faith, and the hope of our souls steadily fixed upon our Holy One, Jesus. Let us glorify him, and praise the dear Spirit for this unction. This teaches us, (3d.) to know all things. O then, saith a poor soul, I have not this unction. I am weak and ignorant. I know nothing. No! Do you not know that you are a poor lost, hopeless, helpless sinner; that God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself; that Jesus has finished salvation, and that the Father is well pleased in and with him? Dost thou know and believe this in thine heart? Why,-“This is life eternal, to know the only true God and Jesus Christ.” John 17:3.
