THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION
"I
will be as the dew unto Israel."
-HOSEA
14:5 [KJV]
Sometimes
the Lord, without applying His
word with any very great and distinguishing power to the heart, makes
His
truth to drop with a measure of sweetness into the soul. This is as
rain or dew, according to His
own gracious declaration, "My
doctrine shall drop as the rain; My
speech shall distil as the dew"
[DEUTERONOMY
32:2].
The dropping, then, of His
doctrine, or, as the word means, His
"teaching,"
as rain, and the distilling of His
gracious speech as dew, kindle in the soul a love of the truth, and
wherever this is felt there is salvation, for we read of those who
perish that "they
received not the love of the truth that they might be saved"
[II
THESSALONIANS
2:10].
There
is a receiving of the truth, and a receiving of the love of the
truth. These two things widely differ. To receive the truth will not
necessarily save; for many receive the truth who never receive the
love of the truth. Professors by thousands receive the truth into
their judgment, and adopt the plan of salvation as their creed; but
are neither saved nor sanctified thereby. But to receive the love of
the truth by the truth as it is in Jesus being made sweet and
precious to the soul, is to receive salvation itself. It is in this
way that the gospel is made the power of God unto salvation; and
therefore the Apostle, speaking of "the preaching of the
cross," says that "it is to them that perish
foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
Now it is impossible that this power should be felt without its
having an alluring effect upon the soul, whereby it comes out from
every evil thing and cleaves to the Lord with purpose of heart.
-Gospel
report by preacher J.C. Philpot (1802-1869 A.D.)
April
7th, EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES
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