Latest Gems
October 22 - 24
"Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat." (Matthew 26:7)
If we enquire as to this woman's object as she bent her steps to Simon's house, what was it? Was it to display the exquisite perfume of her ointment, or the material and form of her alabaster box? Was it to obtain the praise of men for her act? Was it to get a name for extraordinary devotedness to Christ, in the midst of a little group of personal friends of the Saviour? No, it was none of these things. How do we know? Because, the Most High God, the Creator of all things, who knows the deepest secrets of all hearts, and the true motive spring of every action - He was there in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth - He, the God of knowledge, by whom actions are weighed, was present; and He weighed her action in the balances of the sanctuary, and affixed to it the seal of His approval.
He sent it forth as genuine coin of the realm. He would not, He could not, have done this if there had been any alloy, any admixture of base metal, any false motive, any undercurrent. His holy and all-penetrating eye went right down into the very depths of this woman's soul. He knew not only what she had done, but how and why she had done it; and He declared, "She hath wrought a good work upon Me." (Christian Truth - Vol.20 - February 1967)
N.J. Hiebert # 2773
"Whom He justified, them He also glorified." (Romans 8:30)
We may for a time lose the sweet sense of this, but we can never lose our justification. Justification and glorification are inseparably joined together by God Himself. The believer is linked and bound to eternal glory, through his connection by faith with a glorified Christ. Until the Christian has learned to distinguish between communion and justification, he cannot have settled peace.
There is no such thing as being justified today, and condemned tomorrow. But I may be in happy communion today, and practically, out of it tomorrow. There are no degrees in justification, but there are degrees in communion. If I am unwatchful, or indulging in a spirit of unbelief or worldliness, I cannot possibly be enjoying happy communion with my heavenly Father. God is light and God is holy. He cannot look upon sin. He cannot be associated with evil; He must judge it. If, therefore, I am neglecting self-judgment - neglecting to judge my heart and my ways - communion must be interrupted. But the question of justification is not in the least affected by all this. It flows from another source, even the love of God; it rests on another ground, even the work of Christ. "It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" Then follow four divine reasons for this state of justification and security.
1. "It is Christ that died."
2. "Yea rather, that is risen again."
3. "Who is even at the right hand of God."
4. "Who also maketh intercession for us."
On these four pillars the Christian's position securely rests. They are entirely of God. There is nothing of man's work here. "God . . . for us" is inscribed on each of them. They partake of the stability of Himself. He has done all; there is "no condemnation" and "no separation." (Christian Truth - Vo. 20 - December 1967)
N.J. Hiebert # 2774
"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk,
even as He walked." (1 John 2:6)
If all the scriptures which speak of the example of Christ are collected, it will be seen that they are used in a twofold way - either, as John, to point out God's standard for the believer (1 Peter 2:18-25); or to encourage us in following in His steps (Hebrews 12), where Christ is set forth as the Leader and Completer of faith; as a perfect example of dependence from beginning to end; as One who died a martyr's death (though His death was much more than this); and we are exhorted to have His walk before our souls as an encouragement to a like endurance in the path of faith. "Ye," says the Apostle, "have not yet resisted unto blood" (as He did), "striving against sin." (Edward Dennett)
N.J. Hiebert # 2775
