God's healing Love

God's refining Love

Pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)

“See what love the Father has given us!” 1 John 3:1-2

Consider who we were and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is at work within us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called God’s children!

What a high relationship is that... and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father and what love the father feels toward the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ. As for the temporary drawback of suffering with [Jesus], this we accept as an honor:

“The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”

We are content to be unknown with Him in His humiliation, for we are to be exalted with Him. “Beloved, we are God’s children now.”...

How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled underfoot? Does your faith almost fail you?

Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith in Christ. With all these things against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, “Beloved, we are God’s children now.”

“Ah, but,” you say “look at my condition! My... righteousness does not shine with apparent glory.”

But read the next: “What we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him.” The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, and then we shall see Him as He is!

“There is therefore now no condemnation!" — Romans 8:1

Come, my soul, think about this. Believing in Jesus, you are actually and effectually cleared from guilt; you are led out of prison. You are no longer in chains as a slave; you are delivered now from the bondage of the law; you are freed from sin and can walk around as free man—the Savior’s blood has procured your full acquittal.

You now have the right to approach your Father’s throne. No flames of vengeance are there to scare you now—no fiery sword; justice cannot strike the innocent. Your disabilities are removed. Once you were unable to see your Father’s face; now you can. You could not speak with Him; but now you can approach Him with boldness.

Once there was a fear of hell upon you; but now you have no fear of it, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless? He who believes is not condemned and cannot be punished. And more than all, the privileges you might have enjoyed, if you had never sinned, are yours now that you are justified.

All the blessings that you would have had if you had kept the law are yours, because Christ has kept it for you. All the love and acceptance that perfect obedience could have obtained belong to you, because Christ was perfectly obedient on your behalf and has imputed all His met its to your account, that you might be exceedingly rich through Him who for your sake became exceedingly poor. How great the debt of love and gratitude you owe to your Savior!

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation,
Jesus provides a perfect salvation.
“Come unto Me,” O hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.

Chorus - Very happy melody!

Once for all, O sinner, receive it,
Once for all, O brother, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

“Children of God,” O glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call;
Blessed salvation once for all.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, February 13