Vital Godliness

“Godliness, in the life and conversation of the children of the Kingdom, derives all its vitality from Him who is the Head of life and spirituality to His body, the church. All is dry, formal and vain in our deportment that springs not from this union to Him. He only hath immortality dwelling in the light, and therefore, from Him alone can we receive it only as we abide in Him as the fruitful branch abideth in the true vine, for the saints are members of Him, as the branches are members of the vine. And from Him the Head, all the members of the body, the church, have nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. The Apostle assures us that all are called in one hope of our calling-one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” – Beebe

“For I know that my Redeemer liveth!”

Few authors can speak from the school of divine experience better then J.C. Philpot and Silas Durand.

“For I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

Here is that faith which distinguishes the saints from the world and sustains them through every possible trial and temptation, and by which they live the life that they now live in the flesh (Galatians 2:20). Job has described his suffering condition as the most pitiable that we can imagine a poor soul to be in; not only forsaken of all earthly friends, deprived of all earthly comfort, suffering the most excruciating anguish of body and mind, and full of corruption, but with the great and holy God, whom he feared and delighted to serve, apparently turned to be his enemy, and justly bearing him down with his great anger into the awful chasm of nothingness. Yet, in the midst of all this accumulation of horrors, in the midst of this great darkness and desolation of soul, he gives utterance to these words of strong confidence, that rise from the darkness like a great gleam of unfading light–words that can spring only from “the faith of the Son of God,” of Him who went without fear into the awful darkness and great deeps of death, knowing that he should be brought up again by the glory of the Father and be raised up on high. That faith is in all the saints, but is not known by the natural mind. It looks to things far beyond the reach of mortal sight, enters into that within the veil, lays hold upon the unfading inheritance, and dwells in the glorious light that falls from the throne of God. By that faith Abel saw the glorious work of redemption all complete, saw the word of God for ever settled in heaven, and received the joys of salvation, as all this shall be presented to the faith of the last saint that shall be gathered in.

Job in this place speaks for every child of God in all ages, for it is the same faith that is in them all. He may be regarded as representing in an especial manner the Church under the legal dispensation – not the Jewish Church or nation of Israel, but the true Israelites among that people who stood by faith. This faith is the same, and grasps the same perfection in Christ, whether in those who lived before he came in the flesh or in those who are on the earth now; and so, while we regard Job as especially representing those under the legal dispensation who truly hoped in the Redeemer, and who looked forward to the time when, according to promise, he should stand in the latter day upon the earth, yet we who live in the latter day can answer to all his struggles and to the triumphs of his faith.

How well his condition represents that of those who have been thoroughly measured by the law and found wanting, which. is the case with all the people of God experimentally! No righteousness that can answer its just demands; no strength to work its holy requirements; no wisdom to direct according to its perfect rule; no offering to make as an atonement for the violence we have done its infinitely holy and just and good provisions; but feeble, helpless, foolish, vile, and full of corruption, we lie under its curse, with all earthly comfort and satisfaction taken from us, all the sweetness even of earth’s pleasures turned to bitterness in our taste–our glory gone like a dream, our hope removed like a tree. Yet from this lowest place of darkness, when all earthly confidence has failed, and when all human wisdom would fail to see any possible ground for hope in that desperate condition, faith rises in sublime confidence and strength and lifts up her glorious words on high – I know that my Redeemer liveth.

From whom was this glorious knowledge received? For it is not within the grasp of mortal powers, and therefore could not be taught by man. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). Now, as fully as before our Redeemer came in the flesh, is this heavenly knowledge hidden from the natural mind, but God hath revealed it unto us by his Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10). That faith which is the gift of God beheld the Redeemer of his people before he came in the flesh. How that redemption should be effected, and what the great joys were it should bring, were not for the saints yet to know. Should the full joys of salvation be now bestowed upon us in this mortal state, what should we have to look forward to? “What a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it (Romans 8:25).” Here is the patience of Job. “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints,” that in the midst of all their sorrows, notwithstanding all their vileness, with all appearances against them, they will still hope; they must still hope; earth and hell cannot prevent their hopefully looking up and saying by faith, even in the midst of most painful doubts and fears with which the world, the flesh and the devil harass them “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” They must mourn yet, and suffer and complain under a sense of sins and errors, and have their frequent wanderings opposed by Satan to their hope; but they shall be preserved through all, and in their patience shall possess their souls, and finally rise triumphant over all, to the shame and everlasting contempt of their enemy, and to the glory of Him “who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Trial of Job

The Work of an Evangelist

Huntington, “The perfect work of a gospel minister is doing the work of an evangelist, or the work of a minister of the Spirit; and he that doth it must be one that is born again, and interested in the love, favour, and finished salvation of Christ, and in union with him, who shines in his light, stands in his strength, burns in his love, and enjoys life, righteousness, peace, and rest, in him; and so spreads the truth of his word, the power of his hand, the favour of his name, the mysteries of his kingdom, and the benefits of his cross; and by enforcing these things influences others, by the good hand of God upon him, who promises to give testimony to the word of his grace, and to no other doctrine: this is a divine work, and therefore called a good work, because it brings souls to believe in Jesus, to love him, and to worship God in spirit and in truth, to glorify him, and to ascribe the glory of their salvation to him. But the works here complained of are of another sort; timeserving, walking in craftiness, and handling, the word of God deceitfully; which is legalizing and carnalising of them, beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh, confessing truth, and publishing it at the beginning of their profession, and then departing from it, and condemning it; swearing allegiance to the king, and then preaching against him; subscribing the Articles of the Church, and then lampooning them and all that maintain them. These are the works of the present day.

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent.” How the church received, and what she at first heard, may be seen in the above mentioned articles, predestination and election, redemption by the blood of Christ, pardon and peace by his sacrifice, and justification by faith in Christ righteousness; as may be seen in Luthers works, in Calvin’s, and in the Church Articles: these are the things which used to be heard and received, but can we say that these are held fast in our days? No; so far from it, that the generality of professors wage, war with every one that preaches them and the experience of them, and with every one that professes them and abides by them. The Lord’s exhortation to us is, to hold fast,

“And repent,” for the generality of professors are without repentance, and altogether ignorant of it, and so are the generality of preachers; they think it consists of a little natural sorrow, springing, from self-love, a sense of guilt, and fear of future punishment; but this is the repentance of Judas when the devil entered into him; whereas true repentance follows upon the devil’s departure out of the sinner. True repentance is not pressed, squeezed, nor extorted, by the workings and violent struggles of guilt and wrath, fear and torment; but it flows out under the sin-pardoning, operations of the Spirit of love, accompanied with the blood of atonement, attended with a believing view of Christ and of interest in him, and of God’s appearing reconciled and well pleased in Jesus, shining upon us in his blessed face, accepting us in the beloved, and blessing us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him: this is repentance unto life, and is the gift of God. In the next words our Lord calls for watchfulness.” Discoveries and Cautions from the Streets of Zion

Pure Prayer

Job 17.

My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

They are undoubtedly wearied with this continual complaint of corruption on the part of Job. And so some theological student who should chance to look at this book would undoubtedly find his nice taste disturbed by the frequent recurrence to this subject of depravity. Should he be one who holds the doctrine of total depravity as a part of his system, yet he would think once stating that doctrine enough for one book. But he who is not merely studying or expounding doctrine, but experiencing it, as Job was, and as all God’s people are, will not be apt to talk or write in strict accordance with the fastidious taste of the polite theologian. Merely to state once that he regards himself as a sinner, and as corrupt with all of Adam’s race, will not satisfy him. One who is hurt does not merely utter one cry and let that suffice, but will very likely repeat the cry as the pain returns again and again. So those who truly feel the burden of their corruption will speak from that feeling quite differently from those who only accept it as a theory.

My breath is corrupt.

Job has said his prayer is pure, but what would it be if the virtues of prayer consisted in the form or words? The voice, the breath, literally, has no part to do in the essential prayer, else it would be corrupt. The nearer we try to come to God the more clearly is our deep depravity felt and seen by us. Even that which we looked upon as service to God, even what we thought was prayer, we find to be based in the vanity and corruption of our nature; and we are left silent and destitute, hardly daring to raise a breath or even a thought toward God’s holy throne, so polluted do we find every motion of our minds. But there is left the pure prayer, the cry for mercy, that manifests us as finally brought to lean alone upon Christ. That prayer that truly ascends through him, the prayer for mercy, is pure. – Silas Durand

Christians understand the blues.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7

We long for holiness…”Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

And are given the promise, “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1

Until then, “Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.” 1 Chronicles 16

The best part…Christian Freedom!

Folks, this video isn’t just about pipe smoking but about Christian freedom. Please give it a listen.

From my Lord’s Day Readings

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Romans 8:22-25

“The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:25-26

 

 

Why I Hate Religion vs. Jesus = Religion

To Stagger Like a Drunken Man

“The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.” Job 12

The teachers of false doctrine rob God of his glory (in word) and his children of comfort. It would seem hard to men now to call them robbers, for they appear eminently pious; but a careful survey of their tabernacles, their doctrine and their secret works will show the name to be well applied. They appear secure in their way, and it appears, as we have shown, that God brings into their hands abundantly. Job seems, like David, to have been envious of the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. (Psalm 73:2.) But both were reproved for this envy by the Lord–David when he went into the sanctuary and saw the end of the wicked, and Job when the Lord showed him his own great wisdom in his answer out of the whirlwind.

But Job’s faith in God is not shaken. He knows God is not disappointed or deceived. Even if we appealed to the beasts, or the birds of the air, or to the earth, or the fishes of the sea, who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? And throughout the remainder of this chapter he dwells upon the evidences of God’s wisdom and strength, upon his wonderful works, expressing his assurance that nothing transpires contrary to his will, in whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind; that the deceived and the deceiver are his, and he does what he will with mighty princes as well as with all men. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. The nations are enlarged and straitened again by him. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. The words of Job are continually confirmed by other inspired Scriptures as the truth of God. (See Psalm 107:27,40.)

Though Job’s friends have appeared to exalt God so highly and with such ostentation of speech, this doctrine of God’s sovereign decree and supreme direction in all things, so plainly and decisively declared by Job, is the very doctrine they cannot abide.

Fig-Leaf Righteousness

“Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. What ye know, the same do I know also; l am not inferior to you.” Job 13.1

Silas Durand on false ideas of religion and righteousness:

All the truth that the natural man can speak, which is merely within the scope of the natural understanding, is as well understood by the people of God as by them; for all alike have the discernment and wisdom that is natural. But the saints have an understanding that God has given to them alone (John 5:20), and it is this spiritual understanding, with all the experiences of sorrow and joy that it creates, which the worldly teachers cannot minister to. It is above the reach of their wisdom, which is of the world; it finds no interest in their religion, which has only to do with their outward man. It can only be satisfied by communion with God, to whom the desires of the renewed soul rise. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. This desire his friends do not possess. They would study and philosophize about him, and endeavor to search him out with their own minds, and expect to go on studying for ever. But the desire to reason with God, to hear the word from him, is not in their heart. It is only to his people God has given this desire, by saying to them, “Come now and let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18).” They know that from him alone can they learn how their sins, “though they be as scarlet, shall be white as snow, and though they be red like crimson, shall be as wool.”

But the natural man only looks to appear good in the eyes of men and in his own esteem, which is very easy until he is quickened, requiring only some outward restrictions. And this vain show, this fig-leaf righteousness, they commend to the poor soul who has seen God and who stands naked before him; and he says to them, But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it should be your wisdom. But there is no hope that they will hold their peace until God rebukes them terribly, for they are too proud of what they have searched out and learned; and they continue to hand out their poison for medicine (for the poison of asps is under their lips, Romans 3:13), willfully blind to its aggravating effects.

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleading of my lips. Will ye speak wickedly for God? And talk deceitfully for him? Will ye accept his person? Will ye contend for God? Instead of simply speaking God’s word, which his servants do, the false teacher speaks from his own imagination about God, and makes propositions in his name which he has never authorized, and attempts to explain away his too plain declarations, handling the word of God deceitfully. They teach that God has offered himself, and it is for us to accept him and his terms; and they would contend for him, as though he needed help and his doctrine needed apology, and they were able to render the service. They are wicked and deceitful in all their speech concerning him, speaking what they do not know, and talking of what they do not understand. Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. Let but the light of truth, or of God’s face, shine down and expose all the feelings that underlie their false words, and what vanity and deceit would be seen! – The Trial of Job