Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: April 15th

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.- Luke 24:45.

Though Jesus had captivated the hearts, and drawn the affections of his disciples to himself, before his sufferings and death, yet they had very little knowledge in the mysteries of his kingdom, and of the mystery of iniquity which worked in them: they were but weak in the understanding of the holy scriptures; hence arose their diffidence and suspicions concerning him. He left them scattered through fear and unbelief, and he finds them full of unreasonable doubts and troubles: for this he reproves them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." But amidst all their weakness and ignorance there was a sweet and secret confidence in their hearts. Jesus had apprehended them as prisoners of love, and they were kept by an invisible power, that they might apprehend that for which also they were apprehended of Christ. Though he made the hearts of two of his disciples "burn within them," yet there was more warmth than light; a transient heat of affections, but not a settled understanding and judgment in the scriptures. Thus it is with many of the lambs of the flock now. They have been taught to call "Jesus Lord by the Holy Ghost." They feel some flashes of comfort, but they are oftener exercised with doubts and fears, jealousies and surmises; but as the Saviour hath loved them, and called them to himself, he will establish their hearts in the faith. He not only warms the affections, but opens the understanding. Many mistake here: not the fire of our passions is to govern us, but our clear understanding of the scriptures. By them our faith is strengthened, our judgment established, our love increased, our hearts comforted, our holiness promoted. Thus Jesus honored the scriptures of truth: so he gave his first resurrection-blessing to his weak, but sincere disciples.

"Jesus died for our sins, and rose again according to the scriptures."- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. His whole work on earth was to fulfil the scriptures. So he honored them: and herein he has left disciples an example. Prize the word of truth, study it constantly, pray over it daily. By the word of truth the Spirit teacheth knowledge. The scriptures are the sword of the Spirit: Satan will fly before them, because they testify of Jesus. Here, O soul, is an evidence of a true disciple. Jesus hath opened his understanding to understand the scriptures. Hath the Lord thus blessed thee? Then thou seest Jesus to be the sum and substance of the scriptures, therefore thou wilt esteem them as thy companion, thy guide, and thy familiar friend. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope."- Romans 15:4.

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10.

This text has been seized by Arminian hands, dragged to their mint; the impress of man’s faithfulness struck on their minds, as his title to a crown of life; and pressed into their service, to militate against the electing love of God, and finished salvation by Christ only. O, Christian! does not your heart rise with indignation against such a self-exalting notion? It is the very dregs of unfaithfulness to Christ. Are you not ready to spurn it with a holy vehemence, saying, Get to hell, from whence you sprung? What! my faithfulness on earth the cause, the condition, the merit of my being crowned in heaven! O, my law-fulfilling, justice-satisfying, sin-atoning Jesus! can I ever think so meanly of thy agony and bloody sweat; thy cross and passion; thy precious death and burial; thy glorious resurrection and ascension; and of the coming of the Holy Ghost? as though all this obtained no more for me, than to make way for my faithfulness, to entitle me to a crown of glory! O, Christ-glorifying Spirit! never didst thou teach such a diminutive thought of Christ’s finished salvation.

Forbid that my soul should ever indulge such a self-exalted notion: enable me to attend to my Lord’s gracious words. What means he by our being faithful? to believe on him to death, to exercise our faith constantly on him as our dear Saviour, whose blood has atoned for our sins-whose righteousness justified our persons-has perfectly reconciled us to God, and who ever lives to love, pray for, and save us to the uttermost: steadily to believe his word of truth, which exalts his grace and love: sincerely to obey his precepts which adorn his gospel: to live upon him, as our only title to glory, as our head of influence, and to receive, out of his fulness, grace upon grace, to ripen us for glory. Thus, faithfully to confess him to be our all in all, and ourselves nothing at all, in the work of salvation: to be faithful to his advice, “After ye have done all these things, say, we are”-what? Perfect, sinless creatures, who have our own faithfulness to plead at death, for a crown of glory? O, no! this would be most arrogant unfaithfulness, to such a precious Saviour, even were we called to the stake for his truth. But even martyrs, in the midst of the flames, must say, “We are unprofitable servants.” (Luke 17:10.) To be faithful unto death, is to renounce the filthy rags of our own righteousness; all our own faithfulness; cleaving unto Christ, saying, ‘O that I may win Christ, and be found in him; who gave me grace to be faithful, and graciously promises a crown of life, as his free gift.’ (Romans 6:23.)

Sin shall not bow my spirit down,

Nor chase me from my Lord:

His mercy lifts my spirits up,

To hear and trust his word.