The Resolute Consecration of True Faith

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Intreat...: or, Be not against me Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. was...: Heb. strengthened herself - Ruth 1:16-18

    "And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her."

    Be sure you understand these two things: (1.) Good works are not, in any way, a cause or condition of salvation. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9). Yet, (2.) good works are the fruit, consequence, and evidence of true, saving faith (Eph. 2:8-10). No one is born of God who does not bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). If Christ is in a person, that person’s life will bear a distinct resemblance to Christ. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creature in him (2 Cor. 5:17).

    God the Holy Spirit holds Ruth before us as an example of true faith. This woman’s decision to worship and serve the Lord God was followed and evidenced by her determination to go with Naomi to Bethlehem and identify herself with the people of God.

    If there is anything plainly taught in Holy Scripture it is this - Wherever there is true faith in God, true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a voluntary, determined consecration of heart and life to him (Read Matt. 5-7, Rom. 6, 1 Cor. 6, 2 Cor. 6, Eph. 4, Phil. 2, Col. 3, Heb. 6, James 2, 1 Pet. 2, 2 Pet. 3 and 1 John 3 and 4).

    RUTH’S CONVERSION

    Ruth was converted by the grace of God through the godly testimony and influence of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Without question, she was converted by God’s grace. All true Christians understand that “Salvation is of the Lord!” It is God’s work alone. Yet, our God condescends to use human instruments to accomplish his work. And the instrument God used to save Ruth was Naomi’s testimony and faithful witness.

    Every child of God ought to long for the privilege of being an instrument in his hands for the saving of his elect. We ought, as instruments in God’s hands, to zealously seek the salvation of chosen, redeemed sinners. It is written in the Scriptures, “He that winneth souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). Like those four men in Luke’s gospel (Luke 5:17-20), let us bring needy souls to the Savior. We must never use the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace as an excuse for indifference to the souls of men or the neglect of our own duties and responsibilities.

    Ruth’s conversion gave Naomi a reason to rejoice and give thanks to God. Naomi was so melancholy, so dejected that she hardly seems to take notice of what the Lord did for Ruth. But she should have rejoiced. True, her afflictions were sharp. She had suffered great loses. Her husband, her sons, her home, her wealth, all were gone. She thought the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. Naomi failed, as we often do, to realize that the Lord always deals graciously with his own, especially when he appears to deal bitterly with them (Rom. 8:28).

    Consider what she had gained. True, she had lost everything earthly and material; but she had gained the soul of her daughter-in-law. She should have been rejoicing (Lk. 15:10). We are all too much like Naomi! We are often so concerned about ourselves and about the cares of this world that we fail to care for and minister to the souls of men, and fail to observe the works and blessings of God’s grace.

    It appears to have been Naomi’s decision to return to Bethlehem which influenced Ruth to trust her God. What a lesson there is here for every believer. One great reason why many have so little influence upon their children, their relatives, and their friends is the fact that they do not live consistently with their profession.

    G. G. Letters, a preacher who lived a long time ago, said that he was converted at a prayer meeting one Sunday evening. That same night, as his mother sat with her children by the fire, she told them how delighted and thankful she would be if they, as one family, were traveling together on the King’s highway. When she said that, young George stood to his feet and said, with a calm, resolute voice, “I, for one, have decided for Christ.”

    Thank God, he does use the influences of the godly to save his people. But it takes more than godly influences to save a sinner. Those godly influences must be accompanied by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (John 6:63). Not even the preaching of the gospel can bring forth the fruit of faith in the hearts of men without the quickening power and grace of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5).

    Let every mother and father learn from Elimelech and Naomi the importance of obedience and consecration to Christ. Elimelech led his sons away from God to Moab, and they died there. Naomi taught Ruth about God and led her to the Lord God by her renewed devotion. Let us learn from Ruth the necessity of consecration to Christ. Let us, like Ruth, renounce all for God, “count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord.”

    RUTH’S CONFLICT

    Ruth’s consecration to the Lord was tested, and ours will be as well. Like Ruth, all who trust Christ, consecrating themselves to the Lord God, will have their faith tested. Their resolution will be tempted. Their consecration will be tried.

    One great trial of faith, particularly the faith of young believers, is observing the sorrows and trials of other believers. Naomi worshipped God. She was a true believer. Yet, she was a poor, penniless, homeless widow. She had lost everything dear to her in this world. It was not an easy trial she had to bear. As we have seen, the Lord took her husband, her sons, her home, and all earthly comforts, that he might have her heart. He would not leave her; and he would not let her leave him (Jer. 32:38-40). But her trial was a great trial for Ruth’s faith to endure.

    Ruth’s faith was tested in that she was required to stop and count the cost of following her Lord (vv. 11-13). If she would walk with God, she had to leave Moab; so will we. If she would live by faith, she had to forsake family and friend; so must we. If she would be numbered among God’s elect, she had to share the lot of God’s despised and afflicted people; so must we (Heb. 11:24-26). Like Samuel Rutherford, all who count the cost and follow Christ acknowledge that “his sackcloth and ashes are better than the fool’s laughter!”

    Ruth’s faith was also tested by Orpah’s apostasy. Orpah followed Naomi for a while. She made a good start for Bethlehem. However, when she realized what it would cost to be numbered among the people of God, she kissed Naomi and went back to Moab. Like the rich young ruler, she decided against God. Like him, she departed reluctantly; but she departed forever (Matt. 19:20-22). The Pliables of this world are a grief and disappointment to Christians. Yet, as Bunyan taught us, believers must not be influenced by the falls of those Pliables.

    Ruth’s faith was certainly tried by the humiliation she had to endure (2:2). She had to glean in the fields of Boaz as a pauper, as a stranger, depending entirely on his charity. Even so, you and I must humble ourselves as empty-handed beggars before the throne of Christ.

    Her faith was greatly tried, I am sure, by Naomi’s apparent coldness. “Ruth clave unto Naomi;” but Naomi was a wise woman. She did not want Ruth to come with her because of pity, but because of conviction. To Ruth, it must have appeared that Naomi did not care for her; but Naomi was more interested in her soul than in her approval. Ruth was not a mere statistic to Naomi, but an immortal, eternity bound soul.

    Ruth’s faith must have been greatly tried by Naomi’s sorrow and bitterness, too (vv. 20-21). If only Naomi had been able to look into the future, she would have seen that she had greater reason to rejoice now than ever. She was about to be brought into the family from whom the Lord Jesus Christ would be descended! Let us learn to trust God’s providence (Rom. 8:28). When our hearts are overcome with sorrow, for the sake of others we might influence, we ought to take care that we speak no disheartening word (Psa. 73:15). In spite of all these trials, Ruth “was steadfastly minded,” and ….

    RUTH’S CONSECRATION

    She devoted herself to the Lord God of Israel. When she said, “Thy God shall be my God,” Ruth declared her allegiance to God. When she said, “Entreat me not to leave thee,” she was declaring her thoughtful, resolution and determination in this matter. Like Jephthah, she had lifted her hand to the Lord and could not go back (Judg. 11:35.

    The essence of all true faith is a confident consecration of heart and life to the one true and living God, the God revealed in Holy Scripture, the God revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ruth said to Naomi, “Thy God,” not another god, not Chemosh or Moloch, but Jehovah - “Thy God shall be my God!” Most people religious people today have no idea who God is. The imaginary god of their devisings is no God at all. They shudder at the mention of the God of the Bible, whose justice is such that he once destroyed the world in his wrath, burned Sodom and Gomorrah in his fury, drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, swallowed up Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their followers into hell, and saves sinners only by the blood of his own dear Son!

    This God, the one true and living God, the God of mercy and truth, grace and justice, fury and goodness, severity and love, the Lord God of heaven and earth, is the peculiar, distinguishing possession of every believer. “Thy God shall be my God.”

    This is every believer’s great article of faith - “I believe in God!” We believe his Word, trust his Son, and bow to his rule. God himself is our Ruler and Lawgiver (Psa. 119:35-38). The Lord God is our Instructor (Psa. 27:11; 86:11). He is our Trust (Ruth 2:12). Our faith is in God, that God who is revealed and known in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We trust him alone for grace, salvation and eternal life. “This God is our God, forever and ever, he will be our Guide even unto death” (Psa. 48:14).

    RUTH’S COMPANIONS

    Being consecrated to God, Ruth was consecrated to his people. She said to Naomi, “Thy people shall be my people.” The fact is, those who love Christ love his people (1 John 3:14). It is impossible to be devoted to Christ without being devoted to his people. When Ruth said, “Thy people shall be my people,” she knew that they were a despised people, but that they were God’s people. She knew they were a people with many faults, but that they were his people. She knew they were a people from whom she was not likely to gain much, but she knew they were God’s people. Therefore she chose to be identified with them, and counted it her honor to be numbered among them.

    Being a Moabitess, Ruth might well have expected ill-treatment from the Jews. But, because Jehovah was their God, Ruth made Naomi’s people her people. The only hope of redemption was in Bethlehem. There was no kinsman redeemer for her anywhere else. Boaz was in Bethlehem. The hope of redemption more than made up for any deficiencies she may have seen in her kinsman redeemer’s people. So it is with the church of God today. Christ’s presence with his people more than makes up for their deficiencies.