Encouragement in Christ JESUS ~ 05 October, 2024 A.D.

"Forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." -I Corinthians 15:58 [KJV]

Christian knowledge is the source of comfort, and the spring of obedience. The knowledge of God’s love to us in Christ, received into the heart by faith, animates us to be, and to do, what the Lord calls us to in our lives. St. Paul appeals to Christians, Ye know—what? that you are called, not to loiter, but to labour: not to stand idle, but to work: not merely to talk of the truths of Christianity, but to walk in the ways of the Lord. But what constitutes it the sweetest of all labouring, working, and walking, it is the labour of love, the work of faith, and the walk of hope. And we have Christ’s presence and power in all. 

We know, we are fully persuaded, we are divinely assured, our labour is not in vain: for it is in the Lord. It is begun by His grace, tarried on by His power, IN sweet fellowship with Him, IN love to Him, IN dependence on Him, IN assurance that we are accepted in Him; and therefore, IN an humble hope and loving desire to glorify Him. Such a soul labours lawfully. His labour is accepted: his work shall be crowned: he is blessed now by his Lord: he shall be blessed eternally with the Lord. The humble soul draws back. The self-abased heart, jealous of his dear Lord’s honour, cries, “Forbear! I am an unprofitable servant: have no merit: I come short in all I do: my desert is hell. I claim nothing at my Lord’s hand: I am a poor sinner, who must be infinitely and eternally indebted to the riches of free grace.” 

True, O soul! thou dost not work, like free-will hirelings, for wages; yet, as a free-grace labourer, thou shalt have a free-grace reward. Not of debt, due to thy merit; but of grace, by thy Lord’s free promise. Not a crumb of comfort, not a drop of cold water, given in the name of Christ, to one of His, but thy Lord notices in love, takes kindly at thy hand, and will never, never forget. O matchless love of Christ! He gives grace to miserable sinners; His grace works to will and to do in their hearts; and He rewards hell-deserving sinners with gifts of grace in time, and with the riches of glory in eternity. 

O blessed Master! O precious labour! O joyful recompense of reward! Say now Christian, is not here all encouragement to diligence and activity? O go on labouring for thy Lord’s glory. Large wages seeking IN, not for thy works. Confidently mayest thou say, with St. Paul, “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” -II Timothy 4:8

 

I dare not work my soul to save, 

That work my Lord hath done; 

But would I work like any slave, 

From love to God’s dear Son. 

No works of faith can be in vain, 

Because they’re wrought in love; 

Since now our enmity is slain, 

We work for Christ above. 

 

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

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