Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: June 22nd

Which is not another (gospel), but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.- Galatians 1:7.

Trouble us indeed! it is our wisdom to hear preaching with an attentive mind, a humble heart, and a godly jealousy over what is spoken. The sweet sound of the gospel is joy to the heart, and as marrow and fatness to the soul; for it proclaims nothing but good news or glad tidings. This is its name: its nature and properties perfectly agree therewith. Hence it is called,- Acts 20:24, The gospel of the grace of God; or good news of his free favor. And Ephesians 1:13, "The gospel of salvation; or glad tidings of salvation by Christ only." It was the wisdom of Adam to distinguish and give a proper name to every creature of God. Every Christian should imitate him in knowledge, to distinguish the law from the gospel, and to call each by its proper name. For when the law of works and gospel of grace are blended together, it puzzles the mind and disturbs the conscience. We may say of the gospel, as Tertullus said of Caesar: "By thee we enjoy great quietness."- Acts 24:2. For by it the mind and conscience of the believer is filled with peace and comfort. From hence springs his love to God, and holy conformity to his will.

But preaching terms and conditions to be performed by us, in order to entitle to gospel grace, hath a native tendency to distress the mind, weaken faith, damp love, deject hope, and of consequence make the believer less zealous of good works.

Yet, through blindness and ignorance, some call this gospel; but Paul denies it: he says, "It is not another," he won’t mention gospel. It deserves not the name; it is a mere system of man’s devising. O but if there is great talk of the interest of morality, and a specious pretence to holiness, this makes a great shew in the flesh, so as to trouble some, and deceive many. But such "pervert the gospel of Christ; the everlasting gospel." For that proclaims eternal election, everlasting love, an established covenant of grace; brings everlasting consolations to the soul, by an everlasting righteousness through faith: and sure and certain salvation to every believer. THE GOSPEL, like some stately ship, is richly laden with the most munificent blessings of the patrimony of our Father; the last will and testament of our precious Saviour, freely consigned under the testimony of the Spirit, to us poor, lost, perishing sinners. O believer! study the immense value and riches of the gospel: be on thy guard, lest any deprive thy mind of its freeness and fulness. Gospel-perverters are conscience-troublers. Listen not to their specious guiles, lest thy mind be perplexed. Glory to our God, here is our mercy; though false teachers shall arise, though they may trouble, yet "it is impossible, saith our Saviour, that they should deceive the elect of God."- Matthew 24:24.

The secret of the LORD is with them who fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. Psalms 25:14.

Who would trust the secrets of his heart with an avowed enemy? David could reveal all that was in him to Jonathan. Why? Because he was his loving, faithful friend. He could trust his very life in his hands. There was a secret between them two, which no one else was privy to. When Jonathan shot the arrows as a signal to David, even the lad that gathered them up, “Knew not any thing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.” (1 Samuel 20:39.) Some professors are like this lad. The Lord will not trust them with his secret: they would abuse it. It is common to hear such lads in religion say, Well, if I were sure that God loved me with an everlasting love, had chosen me from eternity, and would keep me by his power, through faith unto salvation, what need I care how I live? Do not such discover that they are strangers to the love and fear of the friends of God, and that as yet the Lord hath not shewed them his covenant? Out of their own mouths they judge themselves not worthy to be trusted with the Lord’s secret. But the great purpose of the Lord’s electing grace, everlasting love, and preserving power is with them who fear him. They cannot, they will not sin, because grace abounds. Fear prevents: love restrains. The Lord, who puts this covenant grace into their hearts, keeps it alive there. How? He will shew them his covenant. He will manifest more and more the glorious grace of it in Christ-how is it established upon God’s precious promises, confirmed by his solemn oath, ratified by the precious blood of Christ, and all the blessings and comforts of it, sure and certain to all the believing seed of Christ. O this keeps a holy, loving, jealous, believing fear in exercise. Do not you find it so? This is the natural effect of it. For this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Thereby he at once comforts our heart, and sanctifies us unto God. While we love him as our Father, we fear him as his children. The secret of his love makes him dear to our souls. The grace of his covenant strengthens our confidence in him-keeps up fear of sinning against him. The holy, precious nature of covenant grace, everlasting love, divine faithfulness, are all secured to the seed of Christ. Meditate upon it. Give equal glory to the Trinity for it. For thus saith Jehovah, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” (Psalms 89:30-37.)

God proves our souls by love divine,

Thro’ everlasting cov’nant grace:

And thus we know that we are thine-

We walk in fear before thy face.

But such as would thy grace abuse,

And sin, because grace does abound,

And dare affront thee to thy face,

Thy secret, Lord, have never found.