Into God's Power, Grace & Strength

"Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation." -I Peter 1:5 [KJV]

The wicked, who are totally ignorant of the doctrine of grace, assert this truth by their common saying, “They only are well kept, whom God keeps.” Many, who profess to preach the gospel, do not hold forth such sound divinity as this. Consider, these three points: Who are thus kept? How are they kept? Unto what are they kept? 

(1st.) Who are kept? St. Paul tells us, they are the elect according to the foreknowledge of God. 

(2d.) “Sanctified by the Spirit unto obedience.” They obey the Father’s voice: they hear and believe on His beloved Son. 

Hence, (3d.) Sprinkled by the blood of Christ from the guilt of sin in their consciences. 

(4th.) “Begotten to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance reserved in heaven for them.” The work of the glorious Trinity has passed upon them. 

(5th.) Christ calls them, “My sheep” (John 10:14.) This implies that we are very weak, timorous, helpless creatures. If left to our own keeping, to stand by our own power, and to persevere by our own faithfulness, alas! we should be quite out of heart; for we must perish everlastingly. 

But God does not beget children, whom Satan shall destroy. Christ doth not redeem souls, whom hell shall receive. The Spirit sanctifies none, who shall have their portion with the damned. Therefore, they are all kept. 

How? By the power of God, as an impregnable garrison. They are garrisoned in Christ, in God. The power of almighty God surrounds them. This is the God-honouring, soul triumphing language of their faith, “Jehovah is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, (my Elohim in covenant) my strength, in Whom I will trust; my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2.) 

You see they are kept through faith. That keeps them low, humble, and dependent: that leads them quite out of self and nature, into God’s power, grace, and strength. They are sensible of their own weakness to stand, inability to persevere, and proneness to fall away. Therefore, they trust most on the power of God through faith. Their faith can never fail. Christ prays for them. As He keeps their persons, so He suffers not their faith to fail: they look unto Jesus. Is this your blessed character? 

Rejoice: for, You are kept—unto what? salvation. That shall be the end of your faith? Those whom Christ has redeemed by His blood, justified by His grace, He will save unto eternal glory. These are as safe in His hands now, as though round His throne in glory. 

 

Lord, keep me safe, and keep me near 

Thy blessed self in love; 

And make me ever more to fear 

The ways of sin to prove.

 

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

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