Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: December 6th

By the grace of God, I am what I am.- 1 Corinthians 15:10.

It would be one great means of preventing complaints and murmurings, if Christians’ hearts were more in meditation upon what they once were, still are, and what they deserve. Such was the conduct of the once Jesus-persecuting, but afterwards Jesus-exalting Paul. The same grace that reached his heart, has continued to run through the many revolving periods down to this day, and effects the same blessed work on poor sinners now. Thou therefore, O disciple of Jesus, hast the same cause as Paul had, daily to sing of rich, free, sovereign, distinguishing grace; the eternal love, free favor, and unmerited good-will of God to thy soul in Christ Jesus.

Grace shines with resplendent lustre, in the person of Jesus. Grace operates with sovereign, irresistible power, in the hearts of his members. Hence, it triumphs over all the resisting powers, rebellious motives, carnal workings, and perverse obstinacy of proud nature. Publicans and harlots are often raised and beautified by grace, while self-righteous Pharisees, are left buried in the ruins of nature. Hell-deserving soul! What hast thou to boast of? Wherein canst thou glory? Art thou converted to Jesus? Verily of this thou hast greatest cause of glory and triumph. But ever know the cause. Study daily to give all the glory where it is only due, even to the free favor of thy God. Wilt thou ever open the mouth of thy obedience, thy fulfilling terms and conditions, by which thou hast obtained the prize? Ever know Jesus hath done all this. Hence grace freely flowed to thee. In the height of thy rebellion, in the depth of thy destruction, the voice of eternal love spoke to thy soul. The power of almighty grace challenged thee, as its blood-bought purchase; seized thee as its lawful captive, and snatched thee as a brand from the fire of destruction.

O wondrous love! Should not amazement strike thy heart, and the fire of love and gratitude ever burn in thy soul? What shall we say to these things? Truly grace, that dwelt in the heart of God from eternity, has sovereignly reached thy heart in time. Therefore art thou turned to Jesus by repentance; hast remission of sins through faith in his blood. This is given, by the exalted prince of grace and peace, to thine heart. Hast thou a love to holiness, and a hatred to sin? This is contrary to nature, and is given through the grace of the Spirit. "By the grace of God I am what I am," is the confession of saints in earth. By the grace of God I am where I am, is the triumphant song of saints in heaven. For "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."- Romans 5:20.

’Tis not by works of righteousness,

Which our own hands have done;

But we are saved by sov’reign grace,

Abounding thro’ God’s Son.

’Tis from mere mercy of our God

That all our hopes begin:

’Tis by the water and the blood

Our souls are wash’d from sin.

The law worketh wrath. Romans 4:15.

Our misery, as sinners, is greatly heightened, for want of duly considering the end and design of the holy law, and of the everlasting gospel; and through our blending them together in our consciences. Consider what is meant by the word, working wrath. (1st.) “Sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4.) (2d.) “The law was added because of transgressions.” (Galatians 3:19.) (3d.) “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Therefore, (4th.) “By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in God’s sight.” (Romans 3:20.) For, (5th.) “It is a ministration of condemnation.” (2 Corinthians 3:9.) “Cursed is every one who continueth not in ALL things, which are written in the book of the law to do them,” (Galatians 3:10.) Hence is it any marvel, that we, that are transgressors of the law, and cursed by the law, if we examine ourselves by the law, and judge of ourselves according to the law, that it should work in us a sense of wrath, a sense of condemnation, and a fearful looking for of judgment, and of fiery indignation? Therefore we must see and own, that by nature we are children of wrath, even as others-deserve hell as well as others, and can do no more to save ourselves than others. Now have we thus seen ourselves under the law, and felt the law working wrath in our consciences? If so, this is the certain consequence. “Our mouth is stopped. We are become, (O awful word!) guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19.)

(2d.) How do we expect to get relief to our guilty minds, and ease from wrath in our consciences? For as the law works wrath, sin works deceitfully in our proud natures. Dear Spirit of truth, leave us not in this momentous point to seek death in the error of our ways: either to palliate our sins-to extenuate the rigour of the law-or to strive by any future obedience to the law to quell its wrath. O blessed comforter! lead us to our law fulfilling Head-shew us, that Jesus hath suffered all the penalties of the law for us-took away all its wrath and curse from us-and obtained everlasting peace with God for us. Here then it is manifest, whether we have received the spirit of truth, or are blinded by the spirit of error. If we attempt to set up any works or doings of our own, to obtain relief from the wrath of the law, sin blinds our eyes and deceives our hearts. If we flee from the wrath of the law, to the grace of Christ, we are enlightened by the Spirit of truth. “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2.)

A sinner curs’d by holy law,

I flee from wrath to come:

Lord, fill my refuge soul with joy,

While here below I roam.

Let conscience find in thee sweet peace,

From all law’s threat’ning wrath:

I’ll glory in thy righteousness.

Tho’ law works sin and death.