Daily Devotionals

Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God

Devotional: October 28th

If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.- Romans 8:17.

If a child, from a spirit of untowardness, runs into and rolls itself in the dirt, would not that parent be a monster of barbarity who, instead of cleansing it from its filth, should dash out its brains? Yet there are those who dare assert such to be the conduct of God towards his children in Christ. For they say, though a man be a child of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, yet he may so fall into sin, that God may consign him eternally to hell for it; but, like Paul, such speak "ignorantly, and in unbelief." While we wish them to be taught better; from such miserable teachers, and such false doctrine, we pray "Good Lord deliver us." What! Can any of God’s children be in such a filthy, polluted condition, that he has not wisdom enough to know them? Is there not love and power enough in his Spirit to lead them to the fountain of Christ’s blood, that they may wash and be clean? Or has not the blood of Jesus virtue enough "to cleanse them from ALL sin?" It is plain, such notions come from the father of lies; for they deny the reign of grace, and flatly contradict the glorious truth here asserted.

First, "If children," how come any sinners, who are by nature children of wrath, to be children of God? "God predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself," etc.- Ephesians 1:5. They are begotten and born into this state by the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in Jesus; they enjoy the knowledge and comfort of it. Secondly, "Then heirs" to an immortal inheritance of free gift by free grace. Thirdly, "Heirs of God." Marvellous assertion! Legality stand off! Unbelief avaunt! O, we can never reach the height, fathom the depth, measure the length, comprehend the breadth of our heirship. In one word, we are heirs to all that God is in himself; has engaged himself to do, to make us wise and happy in time and to all eternity. Is God our portion, then take thy pen, O every child of God, and thou, my soul, and write ALL THINGS ARE OURS-I cannot enlarge; enumerate them at thy pleasure, dwell on them with joy that gratitude may fill thy soul, and excite love and praise to thy God. Fourthly, "Joint heirs with Christ." O soul, if thou art one with Christ by faith, thou art one with him as co-heir to all that his Father and thy Father has to bestow; an heir of all things in God, in earth, in heaven. O believer, what blessed reasoning is here! What glorious inheritance art thou born to! Born again to possess by faith now; hereafter in full sense and fruition in heaven. As well might Satan deny the certain perseverance of the Son of God; as soon pluck one of his glorified members out of glory, as to attempt to deprive any one heir of God of the full enjoyment of his heavenly inheritance.

Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Judges 7:2.

Thus the Lord reasoned with Gideon. He knows what is in man. He sees the pride of the human heart: how prone we all are to boast in an arm of flesh. The Lord is jealous of his own glory. Gideon’s army of two and thirty thousand, is brought down to three hundred. By this handful of men, and no more, did Gideon gain the victory of the Midianites. The Lord’s wisdom in this was, “Lest Israel should vaunt themselves, and say, Mine own hand hath saved me.” But I have not transcribed the text right. There are two little words of great import, which I have omitted. Mind then, O Christian-against me. Now remember, whenever thou dost boast of thy power, thy free-will, thy human goodness, thy works, ditties, conditions, and performances in order to be saved, thou art then, as it were, two and thirty thousand strong. “Thou vauntest thyself against the Lord.” Thou art glorying in thine own arm of might and power to save thyself, in some measure or degree. Thou art trusting to thy works to save thee, in whole or in part. Be assured thy Lord will bring thee down, and weaken thy numbers, that he may have the sole glory of thy heart, for saving thee. (1st.) The Lord proclaimed, That all who were afraid should depart. Two and twenty thousand returned. So he will proclaim the terrors of his just, holy, and righteous law in thine ears, and cause thy heart to tremble. Then shalt thou get rid of much of thy self-righteous confidence. It shall depart from thee. (2d.) He brought the people down to the water, and tried them by lapping. Here also he reduced their numbers, to prevent their vaunting. So he will try thee, by lapping the waters of affliction. Here he will cut off the strength of thy vain confidence, and prevent thy vaunting thyself against him. Thus when thou findest the commandment come with power, and sin revive, then wilt thou die to self-confidence, and glory alone in the Lord. When the pruning knife of affliction has cut off the luxuriant branches of pride and vain-glory, then wilt thou say in deep humility, Wretch that I am, that I should trust in myself, and depart in heart from the Lord. I thank thee, my dear Saviour, for all the pains thou takest with my proud nature, to bring me to glory only in thee, and to say, “In God is my salvation and my glory.” Psalms 62:7.

I’ll trust my Saviour’s word alone

To justify and save;

No grace in me, nor works I’ve done,

The smallest share can have.

Tho’ poor, alas! I’m full of pride,

And prone to vaunt of pow’r:

Lord, humble, that I may confide

In thee alone each hour.