Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 27th

The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.- John 1:17.

It is natural to us all to say of the moral law, as the king of Israel said of that faithful prophet of the Lord, Micah, "I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."- 1 Kings 22:8. It is true, that the holy, spiritual law of God can yield no comfort, hope, or peace to any poor sinner of mankind. Yet the believer in Jesus cannot hate the moral law; it is a transcript of his Father’s mind and will; it is God’s good gift; it answers very valuable ends and purposes to the souls of his children. We know sin by the law, as we know Christ by the gospel: though the law was given by Moses, a meek prophet, yet it is full of fiery wrath, ministers’ condemnation, and denounces curses, yea eternal death and damnation to every transgressor. Yet why, O soul, shouldst thou hate the law? That is not the cause of all these evils; but thy sins, thy violations of its holy, just, and righteous precepts. Here fix thy hatred; here it is just. Believer, the law is thy friend; it shews thee thy duty; it cuts thee off from all legal hopes; it razes every false foundation, every expectation from thy own righteousness. The trumpet sounds its alarm louder and louder; the voice of words is shriller and shriller: and it will ever be terrible in its sound to thy conscience, except thou art under the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ.

Here, O behold and admire the transcendent excellence of Jesus FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. GRACE, even the free favor of God to sinners, came by Jesus Christ. TRUTH, in every accomplishment of the ceremonial, in perfect fulfilment of every righteous demand which the moral law could exact. Here is thy wisdom, to oppose the life and death of Jesus to every righteous demand, to every terrible threatening, and every dreadful curse of the law. As he is thy husband; all debts, dues, and demands he for ever satisfied. Jesus came "not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it."- Matthew 5:17. Says the immortal Hervey, "Jesus is the author of our faith, and the former of our graces. In his unpolluted life we see the path, in his meritorious death the price, and in his triumphant resurrection the proof of bliss and immortality. If we offend, and fall seven times a day, he is the Lord our peace; if we are depraved, and our best deeds unworthy, he is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. If we are brutish in heavenly knowledge, he is the Lord our wisdom, his word dispels the shades, his Spirit scatters the intellectual gloom, his eye looks our darkness into day. In short we are nothing, and Christ is ALL. Worse than defective in ourselves, we are complete IN HIM. We act by strength, and glory in a righteousness not our own."

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. Genesis 46:30.

Strange request! What, just come to the sight and embrace of thy long lost son, and yet want to leave him at the very first interview? One should have thought the language of Jacob would have been, Happy man! I not only see my beloved son, but also see him governor over all the land. Well, I hope I shall live long to enjoy his riches and grandeur. But, no. The good man had lived long enough to make an estimate of the uncertainties of life: to know the evil of days, the vicissitudes of time, and how soon the day of brilliant joy might be changed into the night of gloom and sadness. The sight of his son was the summit of his wishes: that granted, he sought no more. He wished to be at home with his Lord. Happy Christian! thus to set loose to all creature enjoyments, even when there is the highest enjoyment of them, than to have one’s mind go out in longings after the heavenly world, evidences the spirituality of the affections. Many have manfully withstood the frowns of the world: but its smiles have caressed, enchanted, and hugged them to death. To choose death, to be with Jesus, when all things around are inviting and engaging, shews that Christ has the supreme affections of our hearts. Here see the nature of Christian faith. (1st.) It confesseth that Christ is come in the flesh: that, though he is dead, yet he is alive for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and death; and that he has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Therefore, (2d.) as truly as Israel rejoiced to see his beloved son, and could depart in peace-so the believer rejoices at the sight of Christ by faith. A living Christ is the glory of a believer’s soul. He can die easy, peaceful, and comfortable, viewing the death of Christ for his sins, and the life of Christ for his justification; and the intercession of Christ, prevailing for his eternal glorification. And this faith is somewhat more than a notion in the head; for, (3d.) it brings victory into the heart. For this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he who believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5.) It is impossible to overcome the world any other way, than by seeing greater glory and happiness in the Son of God than this world can bestow. But by faith we do it. Therefore, we exchange shadows for substance; baubles for jewels. O rest not in a dead faith, which brings not the glory of Christ into the heart, and brings no glory to Christ in the life.

Lord, having seen by faith thy face,

And felt thy precious love;

I long to feel thy rich embrace,

In thy bright court above.