CHRIST stands ready as a fire-escape!
(Arthur Pink)
O how very few ever are savingly
convicted of sin by the SPIRIT!
As the SPIRIT continues HIS work
in the soul, plowing still deeper,
revealing the hideousness and
heinousness of sin, producing
a horror of and hatred for it--
HE next presses upon that awakened
soul, the claims of CHRIST'S Lordship--
set forth in such passages as Luke 14:26-33--
and enlightens us to realize that CHRIST
demands our hearts, lives, and all.
Then it is that HE grants grace unto
the quickened soul to renounce all other
"lords," to turn away from all "idols",
and to receive CHRIST as Prophet,
Priest and King. And nothing but
the sovereign and supernatural
work of GOD the SPIRIT can bring
this to pass. Surely this is self-evident.
A preacher may induce a man to believe
what Scripture says about his lost and
undone condition, persuade him
to "bow to" the Divine verdict, and
then "accept CHRIST as his personal SAVIOR."
No man wants to go to Hell, and
if he is assured that CHRIST stands
ready as a fire-escape, on the sole
condition that he jump into HIS arms
("rests on HIS finished work"),
thousands will do so!
But a hundred preachers are unable
to make an unregenerate person realize
the unspeakably dreadful nature of sin,
make him feel that he has been
a lifelong rebel against GOD and so
change his heart that he now hates
his sin, and longs to please GOD, and
serve CHRIST. Only GOD the SPIRIT
can bring any man to the place where
he is willing to forsake every idol,
cut off a hindering right hand, or
pluck out an offending right eye!
Ah, a miracle of grace has been wrought
when we give up ourselves to the LORD
(2 Corinthians 8:5) to be ruled by HIM.
(Arthur Pink)
O how very few ever are savingly
convicted of sin by the SPIRIT!
As the SPIRIT continues HIS work
in the soul, plowing still deeper,
revealing the hideousness and
heinousness of sin, producing
a horror of and hatred for it--
HE next presses upon that awakened
soul, the claims of CHRIST'S Lordship--
set forth in such passages as Luke 14:26-33--
and enlightens us to realize that CHRIST
demands our hearts, lives, and all.
Then it is that HE grants grace unto
the quickened soul to renounce all other
"lords," to turn away from all "idols",
and to receive CHRIST as Prophet,
Priest and King. And nothing but
the sovereign and supernatural
work of GOD the SPIRIT can bring
this to pass. Surely this is self-evident.
A preacher may induce a man to believe
what Scripture says about his lost and
undone condition, persuade him
to "bow to" the Divine verdict, and
then "accept CHRIST as his personal SAVIOR."
No man wants to go to Hell, and
if he is assured that CHRIST stands
ready as a fire-escape, on the sole
condition that he jump into HIS arms
("rests on HIS finished work"),
thousands will do so!
But a hundred preachers are unable
to make an unregenerate person realize
the unspeakably dreadful nature of sin,
make him feel that he has been
a lifelong rebel against GOD and so
change his heart that he now hates
his sin, and longs to please GOD, and
serve CHRIST. Only GOD the SPIRIT
can bring any man to the place where
he is willing to forsake every idol,
cut off a hindering right hand, or
pluck out an offending right eye!
Ah, a miracle of grace has been wrought
when we give up ourselves to the LORD
(2 Corinthians 8:5) to be ruled by HIM.
"If any man come to me, and hate not
his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
(Luke 14:26)
~ ~ ~ ~
GraceGems has published Arthur Pink's helpful one page article,
"The Problem of a Suffering Christian".
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