(1) “That God in All Things May Be Glorified Through Jesus Christ” - Joseph Irons
1 Pet 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The first thing I shall mention, that to me appears of the highest moment, is the gathering in of God's elect; and that must be in such wise as that God shall be glorified. "But," say you, "what have we to do with that? If you were preaching a sermon to ministers only, or giving a solemn charge to one at an ordination, as Paul commanded Timothy and Titus to ordain elders in every city, this might be a suitable address." "Sent forth," I believe the Church of England folks say in their ordination service. Of course there is much in that which I cannot approve of, but this I do, "Go and gather," I think the phrase is, "Christ's sheep that are scattered abroad." Now, you know, the ministers themselves have no power to gather any one. It is true, that God puts forth His ministers prominently, and makes use of their declaration of Divine truth for that purpose; it is true the Psalmist's declaration is carried out to the very letter, and to the full extent, "Then will I teach transgressors thy way, and sinners shall be converted unto thee;" (Ps. 51:13) it is true that the apostolical and pastoral labours from that day till now have been prominently owned of God, for the conversion of sinners and the edifying of the body of Christ; but we must include all the saints in the regenerated family of God, male and female, young and old, among the gatherers; and if this be not uppermost in your souls, I tell you, beloved, you fall short in the very first instance in the glorifying of God in all things. This is the glorifying His name. Why, there is joy in heaven among the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth; and do you think that does not glorify His dear name there? If you are not gifted for the ministry, if you are not called to public labours, have you not around you carnal relatives, children, servants, acquaintances, those with whom you are accustomed to associate in wilderness cares and toils, who know not God? And do you care nothing about them? I know what the flippant, loose professor will say, "Oh! If they belong to God, He will find them out; if they belong to God, He will bring them to Himself in His own time." Well, you have no ambition to be an instrument; you have no idea of the honour of being employed for God. How many have been the instances in which a short sentence, dropped by a parent, a guardian, a friend, an intimate acquaintance, in the hearing of another, has been owned of God to the saving conversion of those in whose ears it has been dropped! This is glorifying God. I think that every believer in Jesus should come to this point: "Is there any door open? Is there any way in which I could be employed? Is there an any sick bed to visit? Are the rising generation coming under my immediate notice and care? That I seek not applause for the wonderful feats that I may have done, but that I may seek that God may be glorified in gathering here one and there one of His elect to the fold of Jesus Christ." Oh, my hearer, make this the business of life, and you will have little else to do; make this the business of life, and you will have plenty of employment. Mind you, I steer quite clear of reproach on this ground from the charge of Arminianism, because I do insist, that neither hearers, nor preachers, nor any human beings, neither priests, nor popes, nor bishops, nor cardinals, have any more power to break a sinner's heart than they have to create a world; but as God condescends to employ the weak things of the world to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence, (1 Cor. 1:28,29) you and I should be busily employed, as far as time and strength are given. You see that God is glorified in this one object.
(2) GOD’S ELECT CAN’T HELP IT - Gary Shepard
Charles Spurgeon, when writing of his own experience of salvation, tells why he first began to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, "I took Jesus as my Saviour, and I was saved; and I can tell the reason why I took Him for my Saviour. To my own humiliation, I must confess that I did it because I could not help it; I was shut up to it." Someone else described FAITH as "Forsaking All I Take Him!" When a person comes to believe on Christ they do so because they cannot help it. They fail of all resistance and desire to resist Him and they increase beyond describable measure in desire and determination to have Him. Such is the working of God's Spirit when He gives life to a dead sinner and reveals to his heart the Christ of the gospel. We are brought to see our helpless and desperate condition as sinners condemned before God's law and Christ as the only Justifier and satisfier of that law and we must have Him. We see God in His immaculate holiness being unapproachable by any one who is not perfectly righteous and we see Christ as the righteousness of God given as a gift and we must have Him. We see after many futile attempts to get to God that Christ alone is the Way to God and we must have Him. We see the folly and the falseness of religion all around us and we see that Christ is the Truth and we must have Him. We see the deadness of our soul, of this world and of all around us and we see Christ the Life and we must have Him. We see the beauty and glory of Christ and everything else pales away into utter insignificance and we must have Him. It is much like my experience of falling in love with the one who is now my wife. When I really saw her and came to know her, I had to have her for my own. I was not handsome, nor smart, nor rich. I had no claim and no right to her. I was young and immature and all human reasoning said it was impossible but I had to have her for my wife. I could not help it. So it is with all who fall in love with Christ. All of God's elect are made willing in the day of His power and by faith they see Christ and must come to Christ. The bride says "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine:" "I need Him, I love Him, I must have Him, I must go to Him, I must trust Him and Him alone. I cannot help myself but He can!"
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