THE PERCEPTION OF GRACE
“Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.” — 1 Tim. 5:24-25
Our “nugget” brings to mind another important text: “…the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart [I Sam 16:7b].”
One of the incomprehensible things about the “God of all grace,” is the fact that He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows us from the inside out. “Nothing is hid from the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.”
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: [Isa. 46:9-10].”
There is no way that our minds, which are prisoners of time and sequence, can grasp this quality of omniscience. But, it accounts for for the scope of our nugget for today. There are, our text affirms, public sins and privates ones. There are those actions that are obvious to everyone who sees us, and there are the private ones that no one knows—but ourselves and God. David identified them as “secret faults” and “presumptuous sins,” when he discerningly prayed, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression [Psalm 19:12-13].” The Lord looks on the heart.
Not only does the Lord look on the heart, but He holds us accountable for the sins that are past. This is confirmed in a striking text that affirms what we noted above regarding God’s omniscience: “That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past [Eccl. 3:15].” There is, indeed, ‘no place to hide’ from the eye of the Lord. “…ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out [Num. 32:23].” There is no ‘hidden agenda” with a righteous God.
Our text for today does not stop with the negative, however. The Spirit of God remarks through the inspired apostle that the same divine insight applies to good works as well as to evil. Men are not saved by good works, and we do not “gain merit” with God by good behavior. Nevertheless, in His magnanimity God takes good behavior into account,
and it matters not whether our “good works” are public or private, lauded or overlooked by men. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do [Heb. 4:12-13].” God has perceived all and taken all into account since before the world began.
God “will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God [Rom. 2:6-10].” How He will work all this out may be beyond our comprehension, be what is certain is this: no sin will be overlooked; and no good work (with “good” measured by God’s standard) will go unrewarded.
Should you be living under the illusion that “nobody knows” your secret conduct, think again. And thank God that there is “forgiveness of sins” available to all who will repent of their transgressions and seek God’s forgiveness. That is why the Savior came. And if perhance you have labored to do that which is right and good, but feel all has been to no avail and gone unnoticed, be assured; God knows and He will appropriately reward your deeds. Only remember that it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he [saves] us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life [Titus 3:5-7].”
The worst of men are not beyond the reach of God’s grace, and the best of men are not good enough to save themselves!
For a real change of heart,
"Pastor" Frasier
No comments:
Post a Comment