Ecouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 04 September, 2024 A.D.

"Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man who layeth hold on it." -Isaiah 56:2 [KJV]

Many poor blind sinners we meet with, who are saying, Do not puzzle me with your points of doctrine. This is my religion, ‘I do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.’ There is scarcely a text in the whole Bible so often quoted, and so frequently hackneyed by ignorant men, to keep up their vain hopes and self-righteous confidence, as this of Micah (6:8.) As a striking instance of their walking humbly with God, they reject the glorious gospel of His grace, set at nought the atonement and righteousness of His Son, ridicule the inspiration of His Spirit, and walk in the pride of their hearts, fulfilling the lusts of their flesh. They are cursed by the mouth of the Lord. But here is the only blessed man described by Him. 

(1st.) In his doing. What? Justice? He has a sincere regard to every thing which is moral, just, and good. Without this, know, ye professors of faith, your religion is vain. Ye are not the blessed of the Lord. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26.) 

(2d.) He keeps judgment. He retains a right judgment of himself, that he is a poor miserable sinner: of sin, that it is exceeding sinful, most hateful to a holy God, and has made him most abominable in His sight. Of the law: that by it he is cursed: and by it he can never be justified, for he can never fulfil it. Of God: that He has concluded him under sin, that He might have mercy on him, and freely justify him, through the grace of Jesus. Am I this blessed man? Pause and consider. It is necessary to our blessedness, to know our curse. The blessed Spirit convinces us of it. 

(3d.) “That we may lay hold on this.” What? “My salvation.” The salvation of God’s Son, finished for the hopeless sons of Adam. “My righteousness revealed.” Whereby God is just, and yet the justifier of every ungodly, unrighteous sinner, who, by faith, lays hold of this righteousness. All such sons of men are the blessed sons of God. O, rejoice in your blessed state! Glory in it. Give God the glory of it. 

But legal hearts and self-righteous spirits will be ever asking, What becomes of good works and a holy life? We answer, God not only justifies us by grace, but sanctifies by His Spirit. The grace of God, which brings salvation to us, teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Titus 2:12. 

 

This is the one, the only way 

For sinners to be blest; 

To flee from sin without delay, 

And refuge take in Christ. 

In Him we find a spring of hope, 

A sense of joy and peace: 

This keeps our sinking spirits up, 

Till we obtain release.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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