The Scriptures And LOVE # 1

 The Scriptures And LOVE # 1

In earlier chapters we have sought to point out some of the ways by which we may ascertain whether or not our reading and searching of the Scriptures are really being blessed to our souls. many are deceived on this matter, mistaking an eagerness to acquire knowledge, for a spiritual love of the Truth (2 Thess. 2:10), and assuming that addition to their store of learning is the same thing as growth in grace.

A great deal depends upon the end or aim we have before us when turning to God's Word. If it is simply to familiarize ourselves with its contents and become better versed in its details - it is likely that the garden of our souls will remain barren. But if with the prayerful desire to be rebuked and corrected by the Word, to be searched y the Spirit, to conform our hearts to its holy requirements - then we may expect a Divine blessing.

In the preceding chapters we have endeavored to single out the vital things by which we may discover what progress we are making in personal godliness. Various criteria have been given, which it becomes both writer and reader honestly to measure themselves by. We hae pressed such tests as:

Am I acquiring a greater hatred of sin, and a practical deliverance from its power and pollution?

Am I obtaining a deeper acquaintance with God and His Christ?

Is my prayer life healthier?

Are my good works more abundant?

Is my obedience fuller and gladder?

Am I more separated from the world in my affections and ways?

Am I learning to make a right and profitable use of God's promises, and so delighting myself in Him that His joy is my daily strength?

Unless I can truthfully say that these are (in some measure) my experience, then it is greatly to be feared that my study of the Scriptures is profiting me little or nothing.

It hardly seems fitting that these chapters should be concluded until one has been devoted to the consideration of Christian love. The extent to which this spiritual grace is, or is not, being cultivated and regulated affords another index to the measure in which my perusal of God's Word is helping me spiritually.

No one can read the Scriptures with any measure of attention without discovering how much they have to say about love, and therefore it behooves each one of us prayerfully and carefully to ascertain whether or not his or her love is really a spiritual one, and whether it is in a healthy state and is being exercised aright.

The subject of Christian love is far too comprehensive to consider all its varied phases within the compass of a single chapter. Properly we should begin with contemplating the exercise of our love toward God and His Christ, but as this has been at least touched upon in preceding chapters we shall now waive it. Much too, might be said about the natural love which we owe to our fellow men, who belong to the same family as we do, but there is less need to write on that theme than on what is now before our mind. Here we propose to confine our attention to spiritual love to the brethren, the brethren of Christ.

1. We profit from the Word, when we perceive the great IMPORTANCE of Christian love. Nowhere is this brought out more emphatically than in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. There the Holy Spirit tells us that though a professing Christian can speak fluently and eloquently upon Divine things - if he has not love, he is like metal, which, though it makes a noise when struck, if lifeless. That though he can prophesy, understand all mysteries and knowledge, and has faith which brings miracles to pass - yet if he is lacking in love, he is spiritually a nonentity. Yes, that though he be so benevolent as to give all his worldly possessions to feed the poor, and yield his body to a martyr's death - yet if he has not love, it profits him nothing. How high a value is here placed upon love, and how essential for me to make sure I possess it!

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)

Christ Despised # 3

 Christ Despised # 3

Why was Christ "despised and rejected by men"? Second, because He demanded repentance. "Repent - and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15) was His claimant call - that order is unchanging, for it is impossible to savingly believe the Gospel until the heart is contrite. Repentance is taking sides with God against ourselves - it is the unsparing judgment of ourselves because of our high-handed rebellion. It is a ceasing to love and tolerate sin, and excusing ourselves for the commission of it. It is a mourning before God because of our transgressions of His holy Law. And therefore did Christ teach, "Unless you repent - you shall all likewise perish!" (Luke 13:3), for He would not condone evil. He came to save His people from their sins - and not in them.

Why was Christ "despised and rejected by men"? Third, because He insisted on the denial of self, and this at two principal points, namely, the indulging and the exalting of self. All fleshly lusts  are  to be unsparingly mortified, and self-righteousness is allowed no place under the Gospel scheme. This was made unmistakably plain by our Lord's teaching, "If any man will come after Me - let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matt. 16:24). Yet nothing is more contrary to the desires of the natural man, and Christ's insistence upon these terms of discipleship causes Him to be "despised and rejected by men."

How is Christ "despised and rejected by men? In different ways and in varying degrees - professedly and practically, in words and in works. It is most important that this should be clearly recognized, for satan deceives a great many souls at this point. He deludes them into supposing that because they are not guilty of what pertains to the avowed infidel and blatant atheist, therefore they are innocent of the fearful sin of slighting and defying the Lord Jesus. Ah, my reader, the solemn fact remains, that there are millions of people in Christendom who though not atheists and infidels - yet despise and reject the Christ of Scripture! "They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good works!" (Titus 1:16). That verse clearly enunciates this principle.

Christ's authority is "despised by those who disregard His precepts and commandments. Christ's yoke is "rejected" by those who are determined to be Lord over themselves. Christ's glory is "despised" by those who bear His name yet have no concern whether their walk honors Him or no. Christ's gospel is "rejected" by those who on the one hand affirm that sinners may be saved without repenting of and turning away from their sins, and on the other hand by those who teach that Heaven may be won by our own good works.

There are some who intellectually reject Christ, by repudiating His claims, denying that He is God the Son, assumed a holy amd impeccable humanity, and died a vicarious death to save His people from their sins. There are others who virtually and practically reject Christ. Just as there are those who profess to believe in the existence of God, own His power, and talk about His wondrous handiwork - yet who have not His fear upon them and are not in subjection to Him. So there are many who claim to trust in the finished work of Christ - yet their daily walk is no differnt from that of thousands of respectable worldlings. They profess to be Christian - yet are covetous, unscrupulous, untruthful, proud, self-willed, uncharitable; in a word, utterly unChristlike!

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)

Christ Despised # 2

 Christ Despised # 2

A solemn illustration of this occurs in John 7. To the Jews He said, "Did not Moses give you the Law? Yet none of you keeps the Law! Why do you want to kill Me?" (v. 19). And what was their response? This, "The people answered and said, You have a devil!" (v. 20). Who was so unwelcome here?

Third, the One who denounced human tradition in the religious sphere. Despite the Fall, man is essentially a religious creature - the image of God in which he was originally created, has not been completely destroyed. The world over, blacks and whites, reds and yellows - pay homage to gods of their own devising and there are few things on which they are more sensitive - than their religious superstitions - he who condemns or even criticizes the devotees of any religious belief or practice, will be greatly disliked. Now Christ drew upon Himself the hatred of Israel's leaders, by His denunciation of their religious inventions. He reproached them, "you nullify the Word of God by your traditions!" (Mark 7:13). When He cleansed the temple, the chief priests and scribes, "were indignant" (Matt. 21:15). Who was so unwelcome here?

Fourth, the One who repudiated an empty profession. Nothing so infuriated the Jews, as Christ' exposure and denunciation of their vain pretensions.

Being omniscient, it was impossible to impose upon Him; being inflexibly righteous, He could not accept deceptions; being absolutely holy, He must insist upon sincerity and reality. When they declared "Abraham is our father!" He answered, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham!" When they added "we have one father, even God," He replied, "If God were your Father, you would love Me...you are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do!" This so filled them, that they exclaimed, "Aren't we right in saying that You are a Samaritan and demon-possessed!" (John 8:39-48).

On another occasion the Jews asked Him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:24). He at once exposed their hypocrisy by saying, "I did tell you but you do not believe. You do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:25-27). So angered were at this that they "took stones again to stone Him." Men will not tolerate One who pierces their religious disguise, exposes their shams, and repudiates their fair but empty profession. It is the same today. Who was so unwelcome here?

Fifth, the One who exposed and denounced sin. Ah, this explains why Christ was not wanted here. He was a constant thorn in their sides! His holiness condemned their unholiness. Men wish to go their own way, to please themselves, to gratify their lusts. They want to be comfortable in their wickedness - therefore they resent one who searches the heart, pierces the conscience, rebukes their evil. Christ was absolutely uncompromising. He would not wink at wrong-doing, but unsparingly denounced it, in whoever it was found. He boldly affirmed, "For judgment I have come into this world" (John 9:41), that is, to unveil men's secret characters, to prove they are blind in spiritual things, to demonstrate they loved darkness rather than light. His Person and preaching tried everything and everyone He came into contact with.

Why was (and is) Christ "despised and rejected by men?"

First, because He required inward purity. Herein is the great difference between all human religions and the Divine religion. All human religions concern themselves with external performances - but the Christian religion is only concerned with the source of all conduct. "Man looks on the outward appearance - but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). It was Christ's exposition and enforcement of this truth, which made Him so unpopular with the leaders. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness!" (Matthew 23:25-28).

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 3)

Christ Despised # 1

Christ Despised # 1

 "He is despised and rejected by men." (Isaiah 53:3).

Our text forms part of one of the Messianic predictions, in which God made known long beforehand the treatment which His Son would receive when He became incarnate.

The prophecy of Isaiah was in the hands of the Jews seven hundred years before the Lord Jesus was born at Bethlehem - yet so exactly did it describe what befell Him that it might well have been written by one of the Apostles. Therein is supplied one of the incontrovertible proofs of the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures, for only One who knew the end from the beginning, could have thus written history beforehand.

It might well have been supposed that the advent to earth of such a One as the Lord of Glory, would meet with a warm welcome and reverent reception, the more so in view of His appearing in human form, going about doing good. Since He came not to judge - but to save; since His mission was one of grace and mercy, since He ministered to the needy and healed the sick - will not men gladly receive Him? Many would naturally think so - but in so thinking they overlook the fact that the Lord Jesus is "the Holy One," and none but those who have the principle of holiness in their hearts, can appreciate ineffable Purity. Such an assumption as the one we have just mentioned, ignores the solemn fact of human depravity - the heart of fallen man is "desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). How can the Holy One appear attractive to those who are full of sin? Nothing so clearly evidences the condition of the human heart, and so solemnly demonstrates its corruption, as its attitude toward the precious Saviour.

There is much recorded against man in the Old Testament Scriptures, as for example in Psalm 14:1-4; yet dark as is the picture there drawn of fallen human nature, it fades into insignificance before what the New Testament sets before us. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." (Romans 8:7), and never was this so frightfully patent, as when Jesus was manifested in flesh. "If I had not come," declared Christ, "and spoken unto them, they had not had sin - but now they have no cloak for their sin." (John 15:22). The appearing of Christ has fully exposed man, bringing to light as nothing else ever has - the desperate wickedness of his heart!

Now let us ask and supply answer to three questions - Who was (and still is) "despised and rejected by men?" Why is He so grievously slighted? In what way is He scorned? Who was so unwelcome here?

We answer, first, the One who pressed upon men the absolute sovereeignty of God. Few things are so destasteful to the proud human heart, as the truth that God does as He pleases, without in any ways consulting with the creature; that He dispenses His favors entirely according to His imperial will. Fallen man has no claims upon Him, is destitute of any merit, and can do nothing whatever to win God's esteem. Fallen man is a spiritual pauper, entirely dependent upon Divine charity, and in the bestowal of His mercies God is regulated by nothing but His own "good pleasure." "Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with My own?" (Matt. 20:15) is His own unanswerable challenge - yet, as the context there shows, man wickedly murmurs against this.

Now the Lord Jesus came here to glorify His Father, and therefore we find Him maintaining His crown-rights and emphasizing His sovereignty. In His first message, in the Capernaum synagogue, He pointed out that though there were many widows in Israel during the days of Elijah, when there was a great famine throughout all the land, unto none of them was the Prophet sent, except unto one at Zarephath. And that though there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, none of them were healed - yet distinguishing mercy was shown unto Naaman the Syrian. The sequel was, "When they heard this, everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They got up, drove Him out of town, and brought Him to the edge of the hill their town was built on, intending to hurl Him over the cliff!" (Luke 4:28, 29). For pressing the truth of God's absolute sovereignty, Christ was 'despised and rejected by men." Who was so unwelcome here?

Second, the One who upheld God's Law. Therein is the Divine authority expressed, and complete subjection thereto is required from the creature; and therefore did Christ pressed the demands of God's Law upon man. Said He, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matt. 5:17; "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 7:12). But fallen men resent restraints, and want to be a law unto themselves, and their language concerning God and His Christ is "Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints." (Psalm 2:3). Because the Lord Jesus enforced the requirements of the Decalogue He was "despised and rejected by men."

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)

The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 10

 The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 10

Use 2. EXAMINATION and self-trial. "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves." (2 Cor. 13:5). Oh friends! how much does it concern you and I to examine our standing, that we may be able to stand in the day of God's wrath, which is coming so fast upon us.

Examine yourselves, and try your selves! Examine your faith, whether it is true! Examine your knowledge, whether it is sanctified! Examine your hope, whether it is purified! Examine your love, whether it is sincere! Examine your evidences, whether they are sound! Examine your hearts, whether they are gracious! Examine your desires, whether they are holy! Examine your lives, whether they are heavenly!

And all that you may be able to stand in the day of God's wrath, in the day of death, and in the day of judgment!

Use 3. EXHORTATION. I hope you will not think the time long - for this may be the last sermon that I may preach, or you may hear. Well, beloved, is it so, that the greatest part of men and women will not be able to stand in the great day of God's wrath? Let me therefore to exhort you to these three things:

First, Let me therefore to exhort who are lost sinners, to repent of your sins. "He who conceals his sins shall not prosper - but whoever confesses and renounces them shall find mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord - but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble." (Proverbs 28:13-14).

Oh, sinners! you have grievously sinned against God! You have deserved as many hells as you have committed sins! You have sinned against His mercies! You have abused His patience! You have resisted His Spirit! Oh, sinners! all this have you done - and yet the Lord has spared you. Oh, let His goodness lead you to epentance, that you do not die in your sins. Consider what I say! Why will you die - seeing God will have you live? Why will you damn yourselves? Why will you go to hell - seeing God would have you go to heaven?

Secondly, Let me exhort you to get a saving interest in the Lord Jesus, that you may be able to stand in the day of His wrath. There will be no standing before Christ without a saving interest in Christ. His Spirit is ready to assist you, and His angels are ready to attend you, and heaven itself is ready to receive you! 

Thirdly, and lastly, Let me now exhort you, who have turned from sin, are separated from the world, are espoused to Christ, are reconciled to the Father: to "walk worthy of God, who has called you to His kingdom and glory!" (1 Thess. 2:12). Oh, precious saints! let me exhort you to keep your lamps burning, your loins girded, your lives holy, your hearts upright, your judgments sound, your consciences pure, and your garments unspotted!

Therefore, O precious saints, you ought to be quiet, and to submit to the will of God, and to say as David, "I was silent; I would not open my mouth - for you are the one who has done this!" (Psalm 39:9).

Now, I beseech you, both saints and sinners, to consider of these things. May the God of heaven give you understanding in all things which concern His glory, and your eternal good.

~William Dyer~

(The End)

The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 9

 The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 9

Objection: But, beloved, it may be you will say, "If none of these are able to stand, who then will?"

Answer: All those who shall be found having on their wedding garments, and in the Spirit of the Lamb, will be able to stand in this day, and they are these: First, those who overcome, (Revelation 2:11; 3:21; 12:11; 21:7. Second, those who keep the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, (Revelation 12:17; 1:9. Third, those who stand with the Lamb, (Revelation 14:1; 17:14). Fourth, those who have their Father's name written on their foreheads, (Revelation 14:1). Fifth, those who sing a new song, (Revelation 14:3). Sixth, those who are redeemed from the earth, (Revelation 14:3). Seventh, those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes, (Revelation 14:4). Eighth, those who are not defiled with the pollutions of the whore of Babylon, and in their mouths is found no lies, (Revelation 14:5).

Now, beloved, these are those who will be able to stand in that great day of God's wrath, when others will not be able - but call "to the mountains and the rocks - fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!"

I shall now proceed, in the fourth place, to the use and PRACTICAL APPLICATION of the point.

Use 1. INFORMATION. If it is so, that the greatest part of men and women will not be able to stand in this great day of God's wrath - then this may inform us of three things:

1. As men have had their day - so God will have His day. Men have had their day of sinning - God will have His day of punishing. Men have had their day of treasuring up wrath - God will have His day of pouring out of His wrath. Men have had their day of defiling - God will have His day of refining. Men have had their day of fornication - God will have His day of indignation. "The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done - so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your on own heads!" (Obadiah 1:15).

2. Though God bears with sinners in the day of His patience - yet He will not bear with them in the day of His wrath! "Go through the city, and smite. Show no mercy; have no pity!" (Ezekiel 9:5). Oh, beloved! in the day of God's patience He bears with you, and waits to be gracious. Oh, how many hundred years has God borne with the whore of Babylon, notwithstanding of her great provocations and wickedness? But now in the day of His wrath, the Lord will not spare her, nor show pity on her - but pour out His wrath and indignation upon her to the utmost! "Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day - death and mourning and famine. She will be completely consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty!" (Revelation 18:8).

Oh, see that terrible word, "The Lord will march forth like a mighty man; He will come out like a warrior, full of fury. He will shout His battle cry and crush all His enemies! For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held Myself back. But now, I will destroy and devour at once!" (Isaiah 42:13-14).

Do you see this, sinners, how God is resolved to proceed against you in the day of His wrath, though He bears with you in the day of His patience!

3. This day of God's wrath will be a very dreadful and terrible day to the wicked, as appears by what has already been said. Oh, sinners! It will be a day of astonishment, a day of terror, a day of distress, a day of contempt, a day of destruction, a day of wrath! Oh! it will be "a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds, and thick darkness," (Joel 2:2). "The great day of the Lord is near - near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the Lord will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness!" (Zephaniah 1:14, 15). Oh, who is able to express the terror of the Almighty, in the day of His wrath! Oh, that every soul that hears me this day, would lay it to heart, and consider with themselves, that they may be able to stand in this day of of God's wrath. So much for this use of information.

~William Dyer~

(continued with # 10)

The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 8

 The Great Day Of God's Wrath # 8

Mark also what our Lord Jesus Christ says of idle shepherds, and blind guides, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to! For a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you shall receive the greater damnation!" (Matthew 23:13-14).

Thus you see, beloved, that the Scriptures with open mouth - speak forth the desolations and calamities which will befall false shepherds, and blind guides in that day. If they cannot stand when His wrath is kindled but a little, oh! what will they do when wrath shall come upon them to the utmost, even the fierceness of His wrath? Then will they not be able to stand.

Sixthly, such as are hypocrites, will not be able to stand in this day of God's wrath - but desire, if it were possible, to hid themselves, in the dens and caves of the earth! "The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the hypocrites! Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" (Isaiah 33:14).

"Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hypocrite's hope shall perish. What he trusts in is fragile; he is leaning on a spider's web - but it gives way; he clings to it, but it does not hold!" (Job 8:13-15).

Oh, you hypocrite, whoever you are, notwithstanding you have got the talking part of the religion, and make a show of godliness - yet all this while you are a hypocrite in your heart! God hates hypocrisy, and will punish them with great punishments! "He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!" (Matthew 24:51). Do you hear this, you who are hypocrites?

Seventhly, and lastly, all who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity, will not be able to stand in this day of God's wrath! Whether they are Turks or Jews, Papists or Protestants, bond or free - if they do not love the Lord Jesus Christ, they will not be able to stand! (1 Corinthians 16:22). "If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed!" Oh, beloved, all those who shall be found unbelievers, unconverted, and unregenerate in this day of God's wrath - be they kings, or great men, or rich men, or nobles, or mighty men - they shall cry to the mountains, and rocks, saying, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb - for the great day of His wrath has come!"

Thus, beloved, I have showed you briefly, in seven particulars, who they are, who will not be able to stand in the day of God's wrath.

1. The openly wicked.

2. The ignorant.

3. Those who side with antichrist against Christ.

4. The formal professor.

5. The idle shepherds and blind guides.

6. The hypocrites.

7. All who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ.

~William Dyer~

(continued with # 9)