"Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" — Psalm 31:19
The "goodness of God" is "laid up" for the believer in the treasury of heaven. Last week we suggested that this includes the assurance of resurrection from the dead, the gift of eternal life (in an ideal environment), a crown of righteousness and an unassailable inheritance as "joint heirs with Christ." Doubtless there is more, but if this were all, it would be enough!
We need further to note, however, that like any gift, though it comes to us free, it did not come cheap. The Holy Spirit through the psalmist hinted at that when He included the phrase, "which Thou hast wrought." We are saved and made the beneficiaries of this goodness of God by grace, through faith alone. We make no investment in our eternal welfare except simple trust in Christ. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus … [Eph. 2:4-10a]." The believer is His work; "wrought in God."
And behind the work He has done in us, is the work He has done for us. "For ye are bought with a price… [ I Cor. 6:20]." That price is indescribable, but is best expressed in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all [Isa 53:4-6]." And in the words of the apostle Paul, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [II Cor. 5:21]."
Meditate on it: The eternal fellowship of the triune God was interrupted ("My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me?") and the infinite love of the Father for the Son was introduced to the agony of separation and death so that you and I might live; the "spotless Lamb" of God, Who "knew no sin," and is "of purer eyes than can look upon sin," became sin for us, "enduring the cross" and all its indignities and agony heightened to the level of infinity; He who is the very essence of life tasted death for every man—not just for those who would eventually believe on His name, but "for the sins of the whole world." The mind can apprehend it, but no man can comprehend "what God hath wrought!"
It is this simple phrase that justifies the remaining emphasis in this great text. The "prize" of redemption is "for them that fear Thee," and "for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men."
Scripture declares, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding [Prov. 9:10]." And, in fact, this principle lays the foundation for the judgment of the ungodly, of whom the word declares, "there is no fear of God before their eyes [Rom. 3:18]." Without a genuine reverence for God there is little reason to believe that one is saved.
It is the divine intention to bestow this grace on "them that trust in [Him] before the sons of men." That implies a walk of faith in the public arena. Our faith and trust in God is demonstrated by our walk. By faith alone we are saved, but the faith that saves conditions behavior. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10]." The apostle James argues convincingly, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works [Jas. 2:18]." To be sure, our works do not save us, but they do certify us! In a day of "cheap grace," may the Spirit of God motivate us to glorify God for the price He paid for the incredible goodness "laid up for us," by walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, proving we value what He has wrought in our behalf.
With God's glory in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
The "goodness of God" is "laid up" for the believer in the treasury of heaven. Last week we suggested that this includes the assurance of resurrection from the dead, the gift of eternal life (in an ideal environment), a crown of righteousness and an unassailable inheritance as "joint heirs with Christ." Doubtless there is more, but if this were all, it would be enough!
We need further to note, however, that like any gift, though it comes to us free, it did not come cheap. The Holy Spirit through the psalmist hinted at that when He included the phrase, "which Thou hast wrought." We are saved and made the beneficiaries of this goodness of God by grace, through faith alone. We make no investment in our eternal welfare except simple trust in Christ. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus … [Eph. 2:4-10a]." The believer is His work; "wrought in God."
And behind the work He has done in us, is the work He has done for us. "For ye are bought with a price… [ I Cor. 6:20]." That price is indescribable, but is best expressed in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all [Isa 53:4-6]." And in the words of the apostle Paul, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [II Cor. 5:21]."
Meditate on it: The eternal fellowship of the triune God was interrupted ("My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me?") and the infinite love of the Father for the Son was introduced to the agony of separation and death so that you and I might live; the "spotless Lamb" of God, Who "knew no sin," and is "of purer eyes than can look upon sin," became sin for us, "enduring the cross" and all its indignities and agony heightened to the level of infinity; He who is the very essence of life tasted death for every man—not just for those who would eventually believe on His name, but "for the sins of the whole world." The mind can apprehend it, but no man can comprehend "what God hath wrought!"
It is this simple phrase that justifies the remaining emphasis in this great text. The "prize" of redemption is "for them that fear Thee," and "for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men."
Scripture declares, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding [Prov. 9:10]." And, in fact, this principle lays the foundation for the judgment of the ungodly, of whom the word declares, "there is no fear of God before their eyes [Rom. 3:18]." Without a genuine reverence for God there is little reason to believe that one is saved.
It is the divine intention to bestow this grace on "them that trust in [Him] before the sons of men." That implies a walk of faith in the public arena. Our faith and trust in God is demonstrated by our walk. By faith alone we are saved, but the faith that saves conditions behavior. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:10]." The apostle James argues convincingly, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works [Jas. 2:18]." To be sure, our works do not save us, but they do certify us! In a day of "cheap grace," may the Spirit of God motivate us to glorify God for the price He paid for the incredible goodness "laid up for us," by walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, proving we value what He has wrought in our behalf.
With God's glory in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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