the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God
These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.- 1 John 5:13.
Little Benjamin was as dear to his father Jacob as his elder brethren. The child Samuel was as truly a priest to the Lord as old Eli. So the feeblest lamb in the flock of Jesus, though ever so weak in faith and knowledge, yet is equally dear to the Father as the strongest believer-loved with the same everlasting love-alike interested in the salvation of Jesus- and as certainly an heir of eternal life. Many weak children are ready to own this; but they doubt in their minds, and suspect in their hearts, not happily knowing, nor being comfortably assured of their own interest in the salvation of Jesus. There were such in the apostle’s days; therefore the comforter inspires the beloved John to write to them. He condescends to their weakness of knowledge and comfort, because of the small degree of their faith; but yet he speaks with the strongest assurance and the boldest confidence of the truth of salvation by Jesus. That is most certain. Eternal life is by Jesus only; and is sure to every member of his. Do you believe on the name of the son of God, as the only Saviour of lost sinners? This truth lies at the foundation of the hope of the gospel: when this is believed in the heart, that soul has the earnest of eternal life. By continuing to believe, it gains knowledge and assurance, as the comforts of faith. When the Spirit has bestowed the precious gift of faith, it matters not, as to the safety of the soul, how weak soever it may be in the experience of comfort and joy; nor how much it may feel the workings of carnal nature, reason, and unbelief against faith.
Its sensible groanings and sorrowful complaints are evidences of the life of the soul, through the faith of Jesus. But is the poor soul always to abide in this weak, low, mourning state? No; that cannot be. Jesus will make his members comfortable, as well as safe. The Spirit who begets faith in the heart by the word, strengthens it also by the same truth. Faith comes by hearing the word, and it is also increased thereby. Therefore is Jesus and eternal life revealed. The apostles wrote of this, and ministers preach of this, that weak faith may be strengthened, strong faith increased-that knowledge and assurance may be comfortably enjoyed-that believers may continue to believe, and persevere in believing on the Son of God; who is "the author and finisher of our faith."- Hebrews 12:2.
Jesus, thou author of my faith,
Thou author of eternal life,
Assure me that I do believe,
O put an end to doubtful strife.
Eternal life is sure to faith,
O may I know ’tis sure to ME,
That I may love thee more and more,
Whilst faith and hope grow strong in thee.
By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:37.
Who then can be saved? Is not this legal doctrine? Does it not contradict that fundamental doctrine of the gospel, justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ only? No: no more than St. James, in maintaining justification by works, contradicts St. Paul, who insists upon justification by faith. They are easy to be reconciled: so are these words to justification by grace. Surely our Lord never meant to contradict his own words: “He who believeth hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life.” (John 5:24.) He cannot mean to overthrow our faith, distress our souls, and cause us to rest our final justification, at the last day, upon either our words or our works. If so, woe unto the most perfect! It had been better for that man, he had never been born: for eternal condemnation must be his doom. But justification by faith in Christ, is ever to be held fast in the conscience, as the everlasting truth of an unchangeable God; the foundation of hope; the source of peace; an unexhaustible fountain of joy, and the spring of holiness. But what means our Lord? O! may he give us to understand. In the preceding verse, he says, “For every idle word men shall speak, they shall give account thereof.” The most learned translate it, malicious or wicked word. Now our Lord, just before, treats of “speaking a word against the Son of man.” (verse 32.) Therefore, for these malicious words, resulting from their unbelief and rejection of Christ, men shall be condemned. The words of the lips proclaim the disposition of the heart. As words condemn Christ, so, for such words, they shall be condemned by Christ. So by thy words, approving of, and confessing Christ’s blood, to be the one atonement for sin, and his obedience the one righteousness, to justify sinners, thou shalt be justified. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10.)
Thus, the fate of every soul, at the last day, will be determined by his faith in Christ, or his unbelief of him, declared by his words. They will be called in as evidence of faith, unto eternal life; or of unbelief, unto eternal death. They will justify our faith or condemn our unbelief. By our words, we understand the general tenor of our conversation. St. Paul speaks of a conversation becoming the gospel. (Philippians 1:27.) St. Peter, of a good conversation in Christ. (1 Peter 3:16.) Without this, O disciple! what evidence have you, that you have the faith of God’s elect now, or shall be finally justified at the last day? “Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
