Chapter 6.
ON CONVERSION.
PAUL'S DELIGHT IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL.
THE CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE TO WHOM HE WROTE.
HIS THANKFULNESS FOR SUCCESS IN HIS MINISTRY.
We have beheld a glorious display of Almighty power in the conversion of
Saul of Tarsus, who, from a fiery bigot was made a zealous disciple of Jesus
Christ. In the great work of conversion, the Almighty acts upon us as
rational creatures. When man fell from his original state of innocence, and
lost the image of his Maker, he did not lose those powers of his soul which
distinguished him from the brute creation. Being endued with understanding,
will, affections, memory, and conscience, he still remained a free agent, a
responsible being, subject to moral obligations. But he became a sinner, and
as such, he was obnoxious to infinite justice, lay under the curse of a
broken law, and having lost both righteousness and strength, was utterly
unable to regain either holiness or happiness.
In this state of spiritual death, despair would have made Adam its wretched
victim, had not the Throne of Grace appeared, from where, in sweetest sounds
Mercy proclaimed salvation through the Virgin's Son. What wonder must have
seized the heavenly host, when love, uprising from the bosom of the Eternal
Father, in the person of the Everlasting Son, thus expressed his willingness
to save our ruined race, "Lo, I come; in the volume of the Book it is
written of me, I delight to do your will, O my God."
Jesus, the promised Savior, came into our world, and bled and died that
guilty man might, through his death, be made an heir of glory. A way of
escape is now opened for us. All, who believe in Jesus, shall be saved. All,
who are found in Him, are accepted and blessed of the Father. But as the
mercy of our God is great, so also is his justice. Out of Christ, we are
hopeless and helpless. We fell in Adam. Through his fall we lost all
spiritual strength. We cannot save ourselves. No parental discipline, no
human law, no system of education, no influence of friends, no moral
persuasion, no ministerial labor, no afflictive dispensation, nor any other
earthly thing, can, of itself, turn a soul from darkness unto light; from
the power of Satan unto God. All these may be, and often are, blessed as
means; but the Holy Spirit is the sole efficient, free, and sovereign agent
in the regeneration of the soul. God will, and must, have all the glory of
our salvation, through Jesus Christ. The proud sinner must be humbled, and
brought as a little child to the foot of the cross. Fallen man fancies
himself to be something, when he is nothing, less than nothing, and vanity.
But this is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom,
or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them
boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the
Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight
in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!"
Through the Gospel of his grace, the Almighty persuasively, yet powerfully,
addresses the understanding, the conscience, and the heart. He reveals to us
our danger as apostate rebels; our madness in preferring sin to holiness;
the road to hell, rather than the way to heaven. He unfolds to us the
redeeming love of Christ, to melt our hearts, to captivate our affections,
to move our wills to choose him as our only Savior. And when His Divine
Power thus accompanies the Word of Truth, great and glorious is the change
produced- the darkened understanding is enlightened, the crooked will
receives a new bias, the wayward affections are fixed upon Christ, and the
wretched outcast is made a child of God and an inheritor of the kingdom of
heaven.
"The human heart is naturally shut against the Truth by spiritual blindness,
and the influence of sinful affections. The unregenerate man is incapable of
perceiving its excellence, and dislikes it, because it aims at humbling his
pride, and would detach him from the unhallowed objects of his love.
External means are not sufficient to remove those obstacles to a cordial
reception of the Gospel. You may describe colors, in appropriate terms, and
with glowing eloquence, to a blind man; but no distinct idea of them will be
excited in his mind, while he is without the organ of sight, by which only
they are perceived.
"In what manner God acts upon the soul when he renews it, it is impossible
to explain. The Scriptures informs us, that, he opens our eyes, enlightens
our understandings, changes our hearts, makes us willing, and fulfils in us
all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.
With these and similar declarations we should be satisfied. In the economy
of grace and of nature, we must be content with the knowledge of facts.
There is a veil upon the mode of the Divine operations, which presumption
may attempt to remove, while humble piety will be employed in observing and
admiring the effects. Happy is he who can say with the man whom our Savior
cured, 'One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.'
"There is not a principle of our religion more clearly taught in the
Scriptures, and which should be more steadfastly maintained, than that the
conversion of a sinner is the effect of supernatural influence. It is a
principle which is in unison with all the other parts of the system, and
contributes, in concert with them, to promote its ultimate design, the glory
of Almighty and Sovereign Grace. To God is reserved the exclusive honor of
our salvation; and the proper sentiments of man are humility and gratitude.
The scriptural doctrine of grace as the efficient cause of conversion, takes
away from man every pretext for alienating himself from his Maker, who
should be the constant and supreme object of his love, and trust, and
gratitude. It annihilates his boasted dignity and excellence, and leaves
nothing to be seen and admired but the Divine goodness. This is true
religion; for, in harmony with all the works of God, it terminates in the
manifestation of his glory."
Jesus, when pouring his heavenly light into the benighted mind of Nicodemus,
made him acquainted with this all-important truth, "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, you
must be born again." John, the beloved disciple, informs us, that when Jesus
"came unto his own, his own received him not. But as many as received him,
to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe
on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God."
To the multitudes who followed him because they ate of the loaves and were
filled, Jesus said, "All who the Father gives me shall come to me; and him
that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. No man can come to me, except
the Father who has sent me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last
day. It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes
unto me." James, in perfect unison with his Divine Master, says; "Of his own
will he begat us with the word of truth.'' And so does Peter, "You were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold- but, with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot. See that
you love one another with a pure heart fervently, being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and
abides forever."
John attests the same divine truth, "whoever is born of God does not commit
sin, for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of
God." Paul, taught by the same Holy Spirit, proclaims in all his Epistles,
the doctrine of free grace, abounding to the chief of sinners through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. When speaking of himself in his
ministerial capacity, he says, "By the grace of God, I am what I am- and his
grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. According to the grace of
God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the
foundation, which is Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors for Christ, and
stewards of the mysteries of God."
With feelings of gratitude the Apostle ascribed all his ministerial
usefulness, and personal holiness, to the grace of God, and to that unction
from the Holy One, which is the pledge of future glory. It is beautiful to
see with what humility he seeks, on all occasions, to magnify the love of
God, which shone so brightly in his conversion. If we have tasted that the
Lord is gracious, our hearts, like that of Paul, will overflow with
thankfulness and praise.
With the same faithful pen, guided by the unerring Spirit of Truth, he shows
to the various churches, the source of all their blessedness; "You has he
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; having forgiven you all
trespasses. For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
You are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. You were once
darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. Know
you not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and such
were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. Your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which you have of
God; and you are not your own, for you are bought with a price; therefore,
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
O! that the pure Gospel of our salvation were sounded throughout the earth;
then would the nations rejoice and be glad; then would this waste howling
wilderness become the garden of the Lord. Blessed is that minister, who,
like the great Apostle of the Gentiles, is able to say to his flock,
"Brethren, be followers of me, and mark those who walk so, as you have us
for an example." An awful neglect, yes more, a marked dislike, is often
manifested to the doctrines of grace, under the specious but false pretense
of vindicating the interests of morality. Pride lurks at the bottom of such
opposition, or at least a dangerous obscurity veils the minds of many,
respecting the true nature of the Gospel of Christ. These opposers may be
amiable in their manners, benevolent in their dispositions, and correct in
their conduct; yet, being dark in their views respecting the Gospel way of
salvation, they consider the zealous preacher of the cross as an enemy,
rather than a friend to practical Christianity. They do not see that all
practical godliness springs from a living faith in a crucified Savior,
through whom the sinner is freely and fully justified, "without the deeds of
the law."
Were all our churches filled with such men as Paul the Apostle and servant
of Jesus Christ, our island would become a Goshen, full of the light of
Gospel Truth. A day is fast approaching, when each must give account of
himself to God. We are all stewards of the manifold gifts of grace. All have
some talents committed to their trust, and for those talents all will be
responsible unto God who gave them. When the command goes forth, "Give an
account of your stewardship," may we do it with joy, and not with grief.
Dreadful, in that day, will be the doom of slothful pastors, blind guides,
negligent hearers, and wilful abusers of Divine mercy. Has the Father so
loved us, as not to withhold from us his Son, his only Son? Has the Son so
loved us, as to purchase our souls with his own blood? Has the Eternal
Spirit so loved us as to condescend to dwell in our polluted hearts? And
shall none of these things move us?
This love of God in Christ was the delightful theme which inspired the
tongue, warmed the heart, fired the zeal, and impelled the progress of the
indefatigable Apostle into the darkest regions of the earth. He knew no
happiness separate from that of preaching Christ crucified, as the Savior of
sinners, the Justifier of the ungodly, the Purifier of the unclean. When he
saw the divine blessing accompanying his labors, in fulfillment of his
Redeemer's promise, his heart overflowed with joy. He knew whom he had
believed; he inwardly felt the consolations of the Gospel; he realized by
faith the glory to be revealed; and was desirous that all around him should
partake of the same felicity.
The Epistles which he wrote, afford abundant evidence of his unfeigned faith
in the Lord Jesus, and his fervent love to all the saints. As letters are
directed to certain individuals, so the Epistles of Paul describe the people
to whom they were addressed. The following directions are so plain, that no
one can well mistake the character of the people for whom they were
intended. "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints."
"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, and called to be saints." "To the saints which are at Ephesus,
and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." "To all the saints in Christ Jesus
which are at Philippi." "To all the saints and faithful brethren which are
at Colosse." "Unto the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the
Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ."
From these addresses, with which his several Epistles commence, it is
evident, that the Apostle did not write to a set of carnal, ungodly,
worldly, unbelieving men, who cared nothing for Christ, or for the salvation
of their souls; but, to those who had been convinced of sin, converted to
God, united by faith to Jesus Christ, in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt, and
who, by their holy lives, were so many shining lights in the midst of a dark
and polluted world.
Are these beautiful letters, which contain such consolations and directions,
addressed only "To the saints, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus?" Then
let not the carnal professor of the Gospel, whose heart is glued to the
world, for one moment think, that these glorious promises in Christ Jesus
are his, merely because he has been sprinkled with water at the baptismal
font, or because he bears a Christian name, and outwardly adheres to the
visible Church of Christ! While in a state of unregeneracy, all the
denunciations of wrath contained in these Epistles are against him; for thus
says the Apostle, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
Anathema, Maranatha." However much it may offend his pride, yet such a
nominal Christian, destitute of the Spirit of Christ, while conforming to
the ceremonials of religion, is on a level with the poor benighted heathen;
yes, in a condition far more awful.
For what says our blessed Lord himself, respecting the highly-favored Jews
of his day, whose privileges were not so great as those which we enjoy since
his glorious ascension, and the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit? "Woe unto
you, Chorazin, woe unto you, Bethsaida; for if the mighty works which were
done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long
ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you." "That servant who
knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his
master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know
and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From
everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one
who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Let each one then, with deep solicitude, ask himself this serious question-
Do I bear the character, and manifest the spirit, of those primitive
believers to whom Paul wrote with such paternal affection? To ascertain this
important point, still further inquire- Do I believe in Jesus with all my
heart? Is my love to him supreme and fervent? Am I reposing all my hopes of
glory upon his atonement, righteousness, and intercession? Do the fruits of
the Spirit appear and abound within me? Am I delivered from the pollutions
and vanities of the world? Is holiness the element in which I desire to
live? Do I crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts, and, through
the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body?
If our hearts can give the faithful affirmative; if we can truly say that we
love Jesus, and long to be forever with him; and if our daily walk bears
witness to the sincerity of this our profession- then we may read these
beautiful Epistles, as if they were addressed to ourselves, and take all the
promises of forgiveness, reconciliation, strength, and consolation, which
are contained in them, to our personal comfort; and in the fullness of
faith, and hope, and charity, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
glory.
The praising Christian is the happy Christian. God wills the happiness of
his people, and is Himself the source of their happiness. The heart of Paul
was peculiarly susceptible of grateful emotions. Divine grace shone forth
with such a loveliness in all his actions, as renders the contemplation of
his character and experience most interesting to the Christian mind. Let us
hear some of his sweet accents of praise, as expressed to the churches which
he had been instrumental in forming, in the midst of idolatrous
abominations.
To the Christians at Rome, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all,
that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." To the
Corinthians, "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God
which is given you by Jesus Christ" To the Philippians, "I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first
day until now." To the Colossians, "We give thanks to God and the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of
the love which you have to all the saints." To the Thessalonians; "We give
thanks to God always for you all, remembering without ceasing your work of
faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, in
the sight of God and our Father, knowing, brethren beloved, your election of
God. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fit,
because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of
you all toward each other abounds."
Having himself tasted the goodness of the Lord, the Apostle was delighted,
when he saw other poor sinners, led by the Spirit, to the same fountain of
grace and mercy. What a happy feeling is holy gratitude, when it expands
itself toward that Savior whose bounty is ever affording fresh occasion for
its rapturous emotion. Those cold hearted Christians lose much spiritual
enjoyment, who would exclude the exercise of the affections from their
system of religion. As some people, through the corruption of their hearts,
"turn the grace of God into lasciviousness;" and others let their passions
run mad into the wilds of enthusiasm; so many, to avoid these evils, as they
think, oppose the glorious freeness of Gospel grace, and the lively exercise
of sanctified affections. But, unless the affections of the heart be
engaged, little progress will be made in the Divine life by the mere
knowledge of the head. With the heart man believes unto righteousness;
Christ dwells in the heart by faith. True faith is not a cold assent of the
understanding; it is a divine grace wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit,
which exercises the highest powers, and the best affections of the soul. It
unites the believer to Christ, works by love, and binds all the members of
his mystical body together, by the indissoluble bond of charity.
Are we in possession of this Gospel grace? If not, are we seeking after it,
with an earnestness which will ensure the blessing? Faithful is he who has
promised, who also will do it. Jesus, who bids us ask, will never fail to
bestow the gift which his Spirit stirs us up to seek. How encouraging are
the words of David, "Lord, you have heard the desire of the poor; you
prepare their heart, and your ear hearkens thereto."