the Third Week after Easter
Click here to join the effort!
Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.- 1 John 2:1.
In the glass of God’s holy and righteous law we see what an unholy and unrighteous thing sin is; it is hateful in the eyes of a pure God; it has separated between God and the sinner, and tends to his eternal destruction. The gospel in no wise renders sin less odious to God, less heinous in his sight; far from it. Yea, rather it paints sin in the blackest colours, and shews its deepest malignancy, by the gracious method of its atonement. View the holy Lamb suffering for sin on the cross; see the streaming blood, and hear the direful agonies of the Son of God on account of sin; and say, O believer, is sin a little matter, a trifling thing? Learn daily sin’s evil by its remedy-sin’s poison by its antidote-the hell it deserved by the person who redeems. And ever, O my soul, hold fast this as a sacred truth, though God loves thy person in Christ Jesus, yet he hates thy sins, though reconciled to thy soul through the Son of his love, yet he never can be reconciled to sin, though at peace with thee through the blood of the cross, yet ever at enmity against thy sins. Hence the beloved disciple declares, "These things write I unto you, little children, that ye sin not." Beware of sin as the worst evil; watch against sin as a deadly foe; strive against it, oppose, resist it in the power of the Spirit, as your worst enemy: as most hateful and displeasing to your best friend.
But if any man sin, (for none are perfectly free from sin in their nature, nor wholly exempt from it in their practice), what then? must he lie down and despair? No; "We have an advocate with the Father:" Jesus Christ pleads the cause of sinners, though he is not an advocate for sin; for he is THE RIGHTEOUS. Therefore he doth not deny the charge that we are sinners, guilty in ourselves; he extenuates none of our sins, but owns every accusation brought into court against us by a perfect law and strict justice; with every aggravating circumstance which can be urged. Against all that law and justice can charge upon us, he pleads his own undertaking, his work, his life and death, his blood and righteousness. His people have sinned; his blood hath atoned. They have contracted guilt; he hath suffered the punishment. They have deserved the curse of the law; he has borne it for them. They have deserved hell; he has opened the kingdom of heaven.
They are unrighteous in themselves; Jesus hath fulfilled the law for them, and clothes them with his perfect righteousness. Therefore he pleads that sin may not be imputed to them; but that pardon of sin and peace of conscience may be bestowed upon them by the word and Spirit; and that they may be sanctified in him, and glorified with him. Thus saith our dear Lord to us, "I will not leave you comfortless."- John 14:18.
He that is of God heareth God’s words. John 8:47.
“ The words from Mount Sinai gender to bondage.” (Galatians 4:24.) Some of God’s children are kept under bondage by them. They are taught to look on themselves only as servants, not sons of God, because they dare not say they know their sins are forgiven. This is a foolish, unscriptural distinction. St. Paul expressly declares, that every believer is a son of God: “Ye are ALL the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus.” (; Galatians 3:26.) Can a man be a servant of God without faith? No: “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6.) Every one who hath faith in the Son of God, is a child of God: his sins are as surely forgiven, as that Christ died for sinners: he shall never come into eternal condemnation for them, no more than if he had never committed them. “This is God’s word.” (; John 5:24.) As many as receive Christ, that is, believe on his name, have the privilege of becoming the sons of God. (John 1:12.) How came they by this faith? “By hearing the word of God.” (; Romans 10:17.) Without this, what is called faith in only fancy. The knowing our sins to be forgiven, which some make so great a stir about, if not attained through the faith of God’s word, is only a vain confident delusion: at best, with them it affords but sorry comfort; for they say, A forgiven sinner, after all, may be damned for his sins. O! most dishonorable to the precious blood which atoned for them!
Cease ye from such. Hear God’s word: that speaks God’s truth, and displays his glory; whilst it proclaims his love in the full, free, certain, and absolute salvation of sinners, by Jesus Christ. He who heareth this as God’s word, receiveth this as God’s truth, and believeth this, in his heart, is of God; born of God; born to know, love, enjoy, and rejoice in God. Here is a plain mark, to know whether you belong to God or not: try yourself by it to-night. Do you love God’s word? Is it the delight of your heart, and the glory of your soul? Do you believe its truth, and love to walk after its precepts? Then, so sure as you are a son of Adam, you are a son of God. You will assuredly enjoy the comfort of this, (1st.) By studying your Father’s will; and, (2d.) In walking in the belief of your Father’s unchangeable love; and, (3d.) In living to your Father’s glory. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves, according to your former lusts in your ignorance: but as he who hath made you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” O, Father! speak this word with power to our souls, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16.
The hearing ear, the knowing heart,
Come both from thee, O Lord!
O! keep us, that we ne’er depart
From hearing of thy word.
Yea, let us know and practice too,
Our Lord’s most holy will;
And shew our faith, by what we do,
That love reigns in us still.
