Feb 12
8
No man can learn and know the spiritual meaning of the Bible to the saving of his
soul, except he be taught of God.
This “offensive” truth Christ told the Jews; but
whenever He said anything which He knew would hurt the pride of their hearts, He
used to say: “It is written in the law, or in the prophets;- then they were not able to
answer Him a word, for they professed to believe them; as He said in this instance:
“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man
therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me” (John
6: 45). We ministers adopt the same most excellent plan, for when we advance
truths which excite the enmity of carnal minds, we appeal to the Bible for the truth of what we say; and as you profess to believe it, you must justify us…
All by nature are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2: 1; 1 Tim. 5. 6; 1 John 5. 12;
Rom. 8 6), with hearts at enmity against God, “deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked” (Jer. 17: 9); and not one in this state will ever seek God; for,
“The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were
any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether
become filthv: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psa. 14: 2, 3). And Christ
saith to His disciples: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:
16); and He told them: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent
me draw him” (John 6 44). He also saith: “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men unto me” (John 12: 32). Therefore, none can go to Christ but those
who are chosen in Him, and are drawn. There is nothing that man can do that will
recommend him to God; for all that man does till he has faith is nothing but sin.
Paul, who was one of the strictest Pharisees before his conversion, saith: “We
ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after
that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus
3: 3-5). Paul told the saints at Ephesus that God had “predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his
will” (Eph. 1: 5); and Timothy, “not according to our works, but according to his
own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1: 9).
If you believe the Scriptures, you must believe that you can do nothing to
recommend yourself to God’s favour; for if you have not faith, which is the gift of
God, you cannot please Him; for “they that are in the flesh cannot please God”
(Rom. 8: 8), and “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7: 18). “Who can
bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one” (Job 14: 4). Those that are “dead in
trespasses and sins” must be first quickened by the Spirit before the Lord will
receive anything from them. “You hath he quickened,” saith Paul, “who were dead
in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2: 1).
Faith is a precious gift; but what way has the Lord appointed to
confer it upon His chosen people? By the preaching of the Gospel; for “faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom.10: 17). Go ye and “preach the
Gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16: 15, 16). The plan which the Lord
hath appointed to gather His people is by sending ministers to preach His Gospel;
and some of His chosen people may be persecutors of the true Church, as Paul was;
or hardened sinners, like the thief, who even reviled Christ, whilst himself in agony…
The true ministers of the Gospel humble the pride of man, and make him as
nothing; they show him the wickedness and deceitfulness of his own heart, and
bring his life and conduct to a comparison with the pure and holy law of God. They
inquire deeply into his hope of salvation, and see what foundation he is building
upon. “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be
bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isa. 2: 11). When
men who are endeavouring to obtain salvation by their works, who are very
charitable to the poor, very regular in attending church and sacrament, and seem
very rich in what they think good works, and whose religion is such as the world
highly approves and commends, hear the Gospel preached, they find that Christ is
not the rock upon which they are building; and all their good works and all their
pride are levelled to the ground at one stroke. “Though I bestow all my goods to
feed the poor; and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it
profiteth me nothing” (I Cor. 13: 3). Now charity is love, which is the gift of God. William Tiptaft ( Extract He shall save His people.)
—