Identification of the Godly # 2 (and others)

Identification of the Godly # (2 and others)

Fifth, if you frankly ascribe to God all the good that is in you - then you have a humble heart. If you freely own that all your springs are in Him, that He has wrought all your works in you (Isaiah 26:12), if you honestly disclaim any credit to yourself for any good thing - then your pride has been slain before God - and that is what most matters! If the language of your heart really is, "by the grace of God, I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10), my "sufficiency is of God" (2 Cor. 3:5), that He has worked in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13) - then most assuredly, your pride has been subdued. In such case, you will gladly unite in declaring, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us - but unto your name give glory!" (Psalm 115:1). You will take no credit for - nor should you deny the existence of a humble heart - but will unhesitatingly give God all the honor and praise for it.

How thankful we should be that Scripture does not say, God dwells only in those who have complete victory over sin, or those who enjoy unbroken and unclouded communion with Him. Had those been the distinguishing features named - then everyone of us might well despair - most certainly, they had excluded or "cut off" this writer. But we say again, a contrite and humble spirit takes in every regenerate soul. And if you, my reader, measuring yourself by what has been pointed out, above, can discern such fruits and evidences of contrition and humility - then so far from its being presumptuous for you to look upon yourself as one saved and indwelt by God, it would be most wicked presumption for you to do otherwise.

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)
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Deceitfulness of Sin

All sin takes its origin from false views of things. Our first parents would never have sinned - had they not been deceived by the tempter. Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was beautiful, and she was persuaded also good for food, that is, pleasant to the taste and nutritious. Here was a deception. This fruit was never intended for nourishment, whatever might have been its flavor. It was intended for trial, and not for food.

By the greatest deception practiced on our first mother by the arch deceiver was, that the eating of this food would make her wise to know good and evil, even as it is known to God. The deceitful words of the tempter wrought this unfounded persuasion in her mind. The desire of knowledge is natural, a part of man's original constitution, as well as the appetite for food; but these natural propensities are not to be indulged by every means, and gratified on all occasions, but should be kept under the government of reason and conscience. The brutes were made to be governed by appetite and instinct; but man is the subject of law, and he cannot but feel the binding obligation of law. He is a moral agent, and may properly be subjected to a trial whether he will obey the law of his Creator.

How widely different does sin appear after it is committed - from what it did before. Passion or craving appetite creates a false medium by which the unwary soul is deceived, and led into transgression. After our first parents sinned, "their eyes were opened." A sense of guilt unknown before now seized them, and this was like a new vision - not of beauty, but odious deformity. Innocence was lost. Shame and confusion take the place of peace and purity. Unhappy change! The guilty pair are now sensible of their great mistake, of their guilty act, of their disgraceful condition, of their ruined state. Their whole race is ruined! What will they do when their Creator shall make His usual visit - heretofore so delightful and instructive? Hark, He comes - His voice is heard in the garden. The wretched culprits are seized with terror and consternation. Guilt causes them to flee from the presence of the best and kindest of fathers. They try to hide themselves. They run into the densest thickets of the trees of the garden. But they cannot conceal themselves from the eye of Omniscience. They cannot escape from the arm of the Almighty, much less resist His power.

Behold, the Creator not finding His creature man in his proper place, sends forth a voice, which must have been like the most terrible thunder, when the awful sound penetrated his ear, and resounded through his whole soul: "Adam, where are you?" Trembling, the guilty pair come forth to meet the frowns of a displeased and righteous Judge. We need pursue the interesting history no farther at present.

From this first transgression, by which sin entered into the world, we may form some idea of its deceitful nature. This first sin is a sort of example of all other sins. As they flow from this as streams from a fountain, they all partake of the poison of their origin. In all sin there is some bait - some apparent good - some expectation of pleasure or profit from unlawful indulgence. In all sin the mind is under a delusive influence. Right thought and motives are for the moment forgotten or overborne; the attention, like the eye of a beguiled bird, is fixed on a point from which it cannot be withdrawn. The enticement prevails, and guilt is contracted.

~Archibald Alexander~

(The End)