Our fellowship with God He is the resurrection not only of peace, but of fellowship and communion between God and man. When man sinned, you know he was banished by God. He was turned out of paradise, and the cherubims were set to guard the way to “the tree of life.” There was no access for man to God, and God would have no correspondence with him—what correspondence can there be between heaven and hell, guiltiness and righteousness? Well, Christ recovers this, for He Himself is the way to it: for He tells us: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me” (Joh 14:6). And, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (Joh 10:9); that is to say, they shall have free access to God, and his soul shall be filled with the fatness of God’s house of mercy. Reader, there are a good many of you designing for a communion-table; see that you go in by the right door. It is easy to get man’s door, to get a token from men; but, depend upon it, you will infallibly eat and drink damnation to your own souls if you do not enter by the door of Christ Jesus. It is impossible that we can take up the human nature, as the medium of communication to the divine nature, unless we see light in the Lord’s light (Psa 36:9). However, it is in this way that we come to have communion and fellowship with God. He is the resurrection of our fellowship and communion with God: “Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1Pe 3:18). Christ is God’s way to us and our way to God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PSALM 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:

for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Happy and gracious conclusion of every truly regenerate soul, convinced of an interest in CHRIST, and a personal union with him. The beloved of the LORD shall dwell safely. Isaiah 32:18. REFLECTIONS READER! let you and I never lose sight of the LORD JESUS while reading this Psalm. He is the LORD our righteousness. And, therefore, in all our approaches to the mercy-seat, let us go there in a language corresponding to this, which calls JESUS the GOD of our righteousness. And while men of the world from the world are seeking their chief good, let us desire his favor which infinitely transcends corn and wine, and all the good things which perish in using. Yes! LORD, thy favor is better than life itself. Thou causest them that love thee to inherit substance, and fittest all their treasure, yea thou thyself art their treasure. And oh! thou gracious GOD and FATHER, hast thou in such a wonderful manner set apart one in our nature for thyself? ...
Read more

Hosea 4:6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge

In a short time there will (we have reason to fear) remain but two kinds of persons among us, either those who think not at all, or those whose imaginations are active indeed, but continually evil. Of these latter it may be said, "Their foolish heart was darkened." Of the principles, I do not say of the detail, of political science, a sound theology is the only sure and steady basis. Now we trace the operations by which a destruction so extended in its consequences has been effected. The master-spring of every principle which can permanently secure the stability of a people is the fear and knowledge of Almighty God. The first operation of a principle of atheism, and perhaps one of the most formidable in its consequences, is that which leads political men to conceive of Christianity as a mere auxiliary to the State. Religion was not instituted (in the Divine council I mean) for the purpose of society and government, but society and government for the purposes of religion. As a...
Read more

Psalm 30.5.Weeping and Joy

The uninvited stranger and the welcome guest The picture is a very striking one. In the evening Weeping, like a darkly veiled stranger, enters our dwelling, making all sorrowful by his unwelcome presence, but he comes only to sojourn for a night. In the morning another guest appears--Joy--like a rescuing angel, before whom Weeping disappears. I. Is the case of the godly, the tearful night of affliction will be followed by the joyful morning of deliverance and God’s returning favour. We have here a figurative allusion to the way in which God had dealt with the psalmist and often deals with His people. His favour had been withdrawn, His displeasure manifested, but it was only for a moment, which moment is contrasted with the whole life gladdened with His smile. How often in the history of the Church have we seen the dark night of affliction succeeded by the bright morning of a glorious and triumphant deliverance! The darkest hour immediately preceding the dawn! For a while God seems to f...
Read more