Vile! # 3 (and others)

Vile! # 3 (and others)

Ah, my stricken brother, if you are groaning over the ocean of corruption within, and feel utterly unworthy to take the sacred name of Christ upon your polluted lips, then you should be unfeignedly thankful that you belong not to that great multitude of self-complacent and self-righteous religionists of whom it is written, "They were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down" (Jere. 9:12). Much cause have you to praise the God of all grace that He anointed your sin-blinded eyes, and that now, in His sight, you are able to see a little of your hideous deformities, and cry "I am black!" (Song 1:5).

2. You have abundant cause to walk before God. Must not the realization of our vileness truly humble us before Him, make us smite upon our bosom, and cry "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" Yes, such a prayer is as suited to the maturest saint as it was when first convicted of his lost estate, for he is to continue as he began: Colossians 2:6, Revelation 2:5. But alas, how quickly does the apprehension of our vileness leave us! How frequently does pride again dominate us. For this reason we are bidden to "Look unto the rock whence you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence you are dug" (Isaiah 51:1). Beg God to daily show you your vileness that you may walk humbly before Him.

3. You have abundant cause to marvel at the surpassing love of the Triune God toward you. That the Eternal Three should have set their heart upon such a wretch is indeed the wonder of all wonders. That God the Father should foreknow and foresee every sin of which you would be guilty in thought and word and deed, and yet have loved you "with an everlasting love" must indeed fill you with astonishment. That God the Son should have laid aside the robes of His glory and be made in the likeness of sin's flesh, in order to redeem one so foul and filthy as I, was truly a love "that passes knowledge!" That God the Holy Spirit should take up His resistence and dwell in the heart of one so vile, only proves that where sin abounded grace did much more abound. "Unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen!" (Revelation 1:5, 6).

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)
_______________________

The Judgment

And is it certain that I must appear at the judgment? Yes! "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." And must I there give an account of my actions? Undoubtedly! Everyone will be judged "according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad." And will my most secret iniquities be revealed in the light of that day? They will! "For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

Must I render an account of my words as well as my actions? Assuredly! "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof, in the day of judgment." Will any account be taken of our thoughts and of the desires and imaginations of the heart, on that day. Most certainly! For the heart is the source of all wickedness, and God knows and remembers every evil thought which ever passed through the minds of men: these come under the class of "secret things;" and it is written, "God will judge the secrets of men," in that day, "by Jesus Christ." Perhaps this relates to secret actions. Not alone; for it is written, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts."

Will all sinners fare alike on that day? All impenitent sinners will be condemned to everlasting misery; but there will be a wide difference between the punishment of those who sinned in ignorance, and those who sinned in the midst of light and against light. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for Bethesda and Capernuaum. "That servant that knew his Master's will, and committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with many stripes; while he that knew not his Master's will, and committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes." Every man shall receive according to his work. "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men chose darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Is the judgment day determined? Yes. "For He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained." Is there reason to think that that day is near at hand? It is nearer now than ever before. It comes on apace; but of that day and that hour knows no man, nor the angels in heaven.

Will any man be able to stand in the judgment? None but such as are clothed in the righteousness of Christ: these shall not only be acquitted, but their imperfect works of faith and labors of love shall be richly rewarded. All others shall be condemned. No man's morality or good works can stand the scrutiny of that day. All without saving faith in Christ will be cast into outer darkness; they will hear the Judge's sentence, "Depart, accursed, into everlasting fire!"

~Archibald Alexander~

(The End)