Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 13th

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.- 1 Corinthians 10:5.

It is fit that soldiers of Jesus should have the sentence of death in themselves. They are hereby taught not to trust in themselves. Though armed with the spiritual weapons of their warfare, yet they are no farther mighty and conquering but as aided by the power of God. Poor souls, by trusting to their graces instead of the God of all grace, have been foiled by the enemy, and have fallen. "I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me: but, through the Lord, will we push down our enemies."- Psalms 44:5-6. This is the language of faith, this the confidence of humble souls: after believers have escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust, and have been turned from their sinful courses to the Lord Jesus, then danger threatens from another quarter; selfrighteousness will exalt its baneful head against them. "Now I am somebody; I have received inherent grace and strength, I am justified, my sins are pardoned, and I have got a clean heart." Thus towering imaginations swell against God’s everlasting love, his election of grace, the imputed righteousness of Jesus, and final perseverance of the saints. When these evangelical truths are rejected, it argues that pride, self-sufficiency, and self-righteousness prevail. Verily, O soul, "thou trustest in thine own beauty, and playest the harlot, because of thy renown. Woe, woe, unto thee." This is a severe reproof from the mouth of the Lord- Ezekiel 16:30. St. Austin is peremptory, "that it hath been profitable to some proud spirits to fall into gross offence; for they have not lost so much by their fall as they have got by being down." It is better to be humble under sin, than to be proud of grace. God will suffer no flesh to glory in his presence; his truths tried at the bar of carnal reason will be rejected. But as free-grace truths are precious to that Spirit who indited them, so he will bring disciples to submit to them. To reject the doctrines of grace, under a specious pretence to holiness, is to blaspheme the God of wisdom. High thoughts of ourselves oppose the truths of God; vain imaginations strengthen self-confidence, which is contrary to the faith of Christ.

To see Jesus all in all, and to see ourselves nothing at all, is to see and know aright, in the light of truth, and by the views of the Spirit of truth. There is an inward obedience of the heart, a submission to the righteousness of God, as well as an outward obedient walk. There may be much of the pride and holiness of the Pharisee without, where there is none of the simple faith and love of Jesus within.

What then? Romans 6:15.

These short and frequent interrogations of Scripture are greatly to be prized. There is a vast deal contained in these questions: “What shall we say then? What then?” They are like the word Shibboleth, with which they tried the people of old; but they could not frame their mouths to pronounce it. They corrupted the word, and said, Sibboleth. So many at this day corrupt the word of the glorious doctrine of grace, by leaving out the H, holiness, which all the doctrines of the holy gospel are divinely calculated to promote. “What then?” comes most suitable after the precious doctrine of the justified saints of God, being kept by his power unto eternal salvation. “What then?” O! whenever you think of God’s everlasting love, and Christ’s finished salvation, and of glory being sure and certain to you, ask your heart, What then? Shall I continue in sin, because such unmerited love, grace, and mercy abounds to me? No. You will reject the thought with the utmost abhorrence, crying, in the fervour of faith and love, God forbid! For, (1st.) The soul will be kept alive to God. You will have sincere love to him, his truths, his promises, and his commands. You will have a filial fear of offending him, a godly jealousy for his honour and glory, and delight in his worship and service. All this naturally results from a lively faith in his Son Jesus Christ. Where this is not, all is not right within. There will be suspicions of your faith and hope. (2d.) You will be dead to sin. You cannot live and walk under the power of it. You will be groaning under it; striving against it; aspiring after victory over it; longing for perfect freedom from it; looking to Jesus, and expecting it. (3d.) You will be dead to the world. You can no longer live after its vain customs and sinful manners, pleased with its sensual pleasures and carnal delights. You will put away all such childish fears, now you are a man in Christ. (4th.) You will live in love with the people of God, and have sweet fellowship with the brethren of Christ. These you will choose and delight in, as your companions and familiar friends. You will be perfectly agreed with the men of this world. They like not your company: you will avoid theirs. For, (5th.) your grand study and chief aim is, to keep up and walk in sweet fellowship with God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, whatever tends to prevent the comfortable enjoyment of this, you will carefully avoid: what tends to promote this, you will diligently pursue.

If God doth sinners ever love,

And Christ has dy’d to save, what then?

Our hearts and hopes should be above,

And we should never sin again.

Vouchsafe to keep me daily, Lord,

In all the paths of holiness;

Conform my life unto thy Word,

That peace and joy I may possess.