Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayer for attention to our first reading to Peter
chapter 2 and reading for our text part of verse 20. In verse
20 we read these words through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. The whole verse reads, For if,
after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning. 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 20. Our text is a most solemn text. It speaks of those who have actually
had a knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and for
a time it has been used to escape the pollutions and corruptions
of this world. Then they have turned back to
those things and not only turned back, but they also are teaching
and strengthening others to walk in that same way. Still professing
a name of religion, still no doubt hoping that their religion
will get them to heaven, but living in this life still entangled
with the sins and evils that the Lord Jesus Christ came to
deliver us and to save us from. We need to remember that where
the Lord saves a people, he does not save them to continue in
sin that grace might abound, but saves them from their sins
here below. so that they do escape the corruption
that is in the world. And yet here we read of the solemn
case of those that are quite happy to live still entangled
with these things. The true grace makes us all to
hasten and to struggle with it and to fight daily against it. And those that are to get to
heaven, those that do get to heaven, they are known by God. They are known because it is
He that keeps them daily and hourly and to whom they cry constantly
that they might be saved from their own wicked, evil, deceitful
heart. The corruptions that they feel
are there and working there and are all around them. And the
Lord knows them because they cry unto him, and he helps them,
and he delivers them. And so when they come at last
to stand before his throne, they are a people that know the Lord,
and they know his power, and they know his help. And the Lord
also, he knows their sorrows on account of sin. But there
will be a people, and our Lord speaks of those who come before
him and say, Lord, Lord, open to us. And he says, I know you
not. And they will say, but thou hast
taught in our streets and we have been called by thy name.
And he shall say, depart from me, all ye that work iniquity,
I never knew you. And so again, our Lord is picturing
these same characters who actually believe that they will gain an
entrance to heaven who say that they have been called by the
Lord's name, who say that the Lord has even taught them and
taught in their streets. And yet our Lord says that they
had never departed from iniquity, they never departed from sin. The knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the knowledge of the way of salvation had not made
any effect on how they lived, how they thought, how they spoke,
the things that they walked in, the things that they indulged
in. And so this chapter, it speaks
of these that are false prophets, even among the people. He gives
warnings and illustrations of what had happened in the past,
in the days of Noah. and in the days of Lot in Sodom
and Gomorrah where God destroyed the old world with a flood and
he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. And yet how close
Lot was. We read that when Lot left Abraham
that he pitched his tent toward Sodom. It was a land that was
very, very fertile before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. But when we find Lot, he is now
not pitching toward, but he is in Sodom. And it's really a warning
to us how easy it is to gradually gravitate into the midst of those
that are committing open wickedness and sin. And we read that, and
bless the Lord for this, this is by grace, that Lot was vexed
with the filthy conversation of the wicked. And may we always
remember, and may that be our case as well, as we live in the
world but not of it, and must necessarily hear things and see
things. May they grieve us and that we
not be left to walk in them. But the Lord delivered Lot. Out
of that overthrow, he saved him out of it. And those things then
are set before us here as warnings. Now, I'm very well aware that
many of the Lord's dear people are very tried by such passages
as this. They are tried because they,
of all people, do know what a wicked heart they have, and they do
feel that though sins though they be kept outwardly clean,
yet the working is within, and they may fall outwardly as David
did as well, and they may walk very close to the line as what
Lot did. But this passage is setting forth
those that are so brazenly, openly walking in this way, excusing
it, teaching others, entrapping others in it, and not at all
really grieved and sorrowful over those things that they fall
into, over those things that, as the Apostle says in Romans
7, the good that I would I do not, the evil that I would not,
that I do. But his verdict of it was, O
wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of
death? And with him, there were those
things he did desire to do good, and there were those things that
he did not desire to do, the evil that he would not, and those
things that he did because of his fallen, depraved nature,
those things grieved him. He called himself a wretched
man. Nevertheless, in this portion
here, we have a situation where we are told in the words of our
text that there's that which is through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which has worked for a time.
They have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but now they've become
entangled in it, and the latter end worse than the beginning.
Our Lord taught the same. That was our Second reading,
the same teaching as what Peter is here. From the One Spirit,
the Holy Spirit is the author of the Word of God, the inspired
Word of God. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. And we have the One Message,
whether it be the words directly from our Lord's mouth, as in
Matthew, or whether it be indirectly through the inspired Peter. So
we may ask ourselves, then, what makes the difference? Is it that
the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is not enough? If it is, then what else is needed? What will make the difference
between us and these solemn characters here? It says in the next verse,
it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
and after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them. And they had received it, outwardly
they'd understood that way of the gospel, the way of righteousness,
and then turned away from it. The very fact that at first they
escaped the pollution through it, they had got the true message,
they had got the message. that the way of the Lord was
a holy way, a godly way, and yet they then had turned away
from that. Well, I want to look at this
subject in three ways. Firstly, a healthy concern, thinking
of those who may be troubled at such a passage as this, heading
a healthy concern. It is good that we be searched
and be concerned regarding our own soul. And then secondly,
the blessing of the knowledge and understanding of the Lord. And then lastly, the vital need
of the life and power of God, that it just not be a knowledge
only about the power of God. We'll want to look first at a
healthy concern. If we really understand that
we have a desperately wicked and deceitful heart, if we really
realise that, we will be rightly concerned that we be not deceived
by that heart. If we read, as we have done,
this portion and believe it to be true, which it is, all the
words of God are true, then there will be those that are the characters
described here. We read in the beginning of the
chapter, there were false prophets among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you. And if we know that, then
it is right for us to be concerned that we be not this character
that is described here. Some shall be, and some shall
be protesting their interest in the things of God when it
is too late at the Judgment Day. So it's right to be concerned.
If we really know and believe what the Scriptures set before
us of hell and eternal banishment from God, and what a solemn place
that that shall be, where the worm dieth not, where the fire
is not quenched, where it is out of darkness and yet a consuming
fire, then that should make us to be truly concerned that we
be not coming short and we end up in that bottomless pit. If we really believe what the
Scriptures set before us of heaven, how blessed it is, how wonderful
to be with the Lord forever and ever, as the Apostle Paul says,
absent from the body and present with the Lord. If we realise
the blessedness of that place where there's no more sorrow
or sighing, no more death, no more sin, no more Satan, No more
separation from God, no more need of faith. We see him as
he is. If we understand that blessed
inheritance, then we will not want to miss out on that crown,
on that blessing that is before us. If we really understand the
sufferings of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, because of sin,
our sin, that we really understand the nature of sin and what it
is and how abhorrent and evil it is to God, then that also
should make us very concerned that we are not walking in a
way that grieves the Holy Spirit and that brings down the curse
and not the blessing upon us. Jabez says, O that thou hast
blessed me indeed, that thou hast keep'd me from evil, that
it do not grieve me. And so there are reasons why
we should be concerned. But not only this, the scriptures
teach this. Now, I know we are not to nurture
unbelief where the Lord has promised to us. We are to believe those
promises. We are to trust in his work. We are not to reject his word
or his work. But we are to believe that and
embrace that. We're to believe what the Lord
has done for us. We're not to cast away our confidence,
which has great recompense of reward, where the Lord has worked
in our hearts, where the Lord has said, he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.
We're not to discredit that. The children of Israel often
walked in a way that they limited the Holy One of Israel. They
did not believe Him. They did not believe that He
was able to help them, deliver them, save them from their enemies
or provide for them. And that was sinful disobedience
and limiting and questioning of God. But what we are talking
of here is a right searching of our hearts and making sure
that the way that we are going is a right way. And in the epistle
to the Hebrews especially, we have these very searching words. We have in chapter two of Hebrews,
therefore we ought to, from verse one, therefore we ought to give
the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip For if the word spoken by
angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if
we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be
spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? And so there's a solemn warning
about neglecting that great salvation. Then in the first verse of chapter
four, after in chapter three speaking about the children of
Israel not entering into the promised land because of unbelief,
we read, let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short
of it. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. So he's
picturing a people that have received the word but it hasn't
done them good. and they were disobedient, they
still clung to their idols, really the very picture that's in the
passage where our text is. So he says, let us therefore
fear. It is a right thing to have a
fear. Then in verse 11 of the same
chapter, let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest
any man fall after the same example of unbelief. And then we have
in the 12th chapter of Hebrews and verse 15, looking diligently,
or if we read the previous verses, I think probably be more fitting
from verse 13. Make straight paths for your
feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but
let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men and
holiness. without which no man shall see
the Lord. Looking diligently, lest any
man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring
up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, lest there be any
fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of
meat sold his birthright." And so in the very things that we
mentioned in the chapter with our text, He is saying, looking
diligently, searching and trying on these very things. Then in
verse 25, see that ye refuse not him that speaketh, for if
they escape not who refuse that spake on earth, how much more
shall we not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh
from heaven? And then when we return to the
book of Proverbs, and the Proverbs, the word of God directs us again
to a path, a right path of fearing. In Proverbs 14, we have verse
16, a wise man feareth and departeth from evil, but the fool rageth
and is confident. Again, there's a teaching. It
is a right to fear and not just say, well, I'm all right. There's
no problem with me. I'm on the way to heaven. My
life is right. No, we are to rightly, if we're
a wise person, to fear and to search and to try our ways. We have in Proverbs 28 and verse
14, happy is the man that feareth all way, but he that hardeneth
his heart shall fall into mischief. And the verse prior to that,
he that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have mercy. And so the fear of the
Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom, and it is the teaching
of the Word of God that we should have a right fear in that way. Paul, when he writes to the Romans
in chapter 11, when he teaches us this in the 20th verse, those
that were broken off, the Jews, as He gives us the type of a
branch, an olive tree, and that they're broken off and the Gentiles
are grafted in. And he says, well, because of
unbelief, they were broken off. And thou standest by faith, be
not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural
branches, the Jews take heed, lest he also spare not thee. And this is the language of the
New Testament, the language of the apostle when he writes to
the Corinthians. He says to them in his first
epistle in chapter 10, and he warns them in this way, wherefore
let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. And again he's given the examples
of those that fell and were left to idolatry in the wilderness. And he says of the people of
God that have many temptations from within and without, there
hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man,
that God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that which ye are able. will with the temptation also
make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear him." So
again, it's a warning to take heed, take heed lest we fall. And we think, well, the apostle
of all people, that he would be feelingly quite secure in
his own path and own way, But he still exhorts in the way that
we might run as in a race, so run that ye might obtain. And he says then at the end,
this is the end of chapter 9 in 1 Corinthians, he says concerning
himself, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly so fight I,
not as one that beateth the air, or of none effect, but I keep
under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any
means, when I preach to others, I myself should be a castaway."
And you could say, Paul, how could you be a castaway? Don't
you remember the Damascus Road? Don't you remember what the Lord
has done? Can't you just rest in that and not be too worried
about the temptations you have and the propensities of evil? Won't it be all right? No, he
says. No. He says, I run, not uncertainty. I fight. I fight the good fight
of faith. I fight. I desire to be free
from the corruptions and from the flesh and that I be not in
subjection to my old nature. But by grace, I would be a new
creature in Christ. And so the apostle himself is
speaking of a right, a healthy, fear and searching of our ways
and not just taking it for granted, actually examining the ways. He says this when he writes to
the Corinthians again in his second epistle in chapter 13. He says, examine yourselves,
in verse 5, whether ye be in the faith. Prove yourselves,
know ye not your own selves. how that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobates. But I trust that ye shall know
that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do
no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that ye should
do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. And so he exhorts in this way,
and John as well in his epistles, he exhorts us that we should
look to ourselves, that we lose not that which has been wrought
in us. So the Word of God does not teach
us to be careless and indifferent and to walk in a way of a security
while yet being deceived by our own heart and gradually going
back into ways of sin and wickedness, backsliding, as scriptures speak,
of the reality of backsliding. So then there's a healthy concern,
a healthy searching of our ways and of fearing before God and
the aim is that we be looking at the effect of the knowledge
of the Lord on us and of our profession. Does it have an effect
to want to live holy, upright, godly lives in faith and in prayer
and seeking that we might have the Lord's help so to do? Or is it leaving us to sin that
grace might abound careless in how we live here below? I want to look then secondly
at the blessing of knowledge and understanding. Just because
we have here a case of those that had the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and it did not profit them, it
wasn't saving in the end, doesn't mean to say that the Lord does
not bless this knowledge or that it is not used in salvation. In the ministry we are to go
forth, we are to preach the gospel to every creature, we are to
bring that knowledge of salvation, to set it forth. And there are
many that will hear, that are saved. And there are those that
hear, and they are not saved. There are those that would even
embrace it, and they will try to reform their lives after a
fashion after it, and walk according to it. And those are those that
are pictured here, but they do not have the power of God with
them. But I want to look in this second
point at the blessing of knowledge and understanding. The apostle
says to his son Timothy, in the Son in the Faith, that he from
a child has known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation. And he was truly a blessed character. and the knowledge of those scriptures
had been used. And Ball testifies that through
that knowledge, one is made wise unto salvation. The Apostle Ball
himself was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and well learned
in the Hebrew scriptures and in the word of God that they
had at that time. When our Lord was on earth, he
constantly taught and instructed his disciples. All that followed him, as often
as he could, he was teaching and instructing and preaching,
imparting to them the knowledge of the ways of the Lord. A more
upright and more perfect preacher you could never get, but we read
When the Lord rose from the dead and He appeared to the disciples,
then opened He their understanding that they might understand the
scriptures. Again, a vital thing that those
scriptures be understood, not only known, but they be understood
as well. In Matthew chapter 13, we have
our Lord telling the parable of the sower. where the sow went
forth to sow, and as he sowed the seed, there were some that
fell on the wayside, and the fowls of the air, they came,
they took it away straight away. Others, they fell on stony places,
and they quickly sprang up, but because they only had light,
short earth, there wasn't much depth of earth, but because there
was not much depth of earth, Then as soon as the sun arose,
then they scorched and they withered away. And then there were those
that the seed it fell amongst thorns, and when the thorns sprung
up, they choked the seed and it was not fruitful. And then
there was the fourth that fell into good ground and brought
forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. And the Lord likened them, to
those that hear the word of God, and the first of the hearers
was the one that heard the word but did not understand it. And because they did not understand
it, then Satan came immediately and takes it out of their heart. And the second type was those
that have no root in themselves. They spring up very quickly.
They receive the Word, but they're just receiving it in their own
mind, in their own head, just as schoolboys learn their task.
And they've got no root in themselves. And when then temptation comes
or persecution because of the Word, then by and by they are
offended and they walk back and walk no more with the Lord. Then
we have the ones that were amongst the thorns. It's like those that
receive the word again, and it seems to spring up. They seem
to be a believer and follow the ways of the Lord, but they're
amongst thorns. And all of the things of this
world, all of the wickedness and the evil, it just chokes
the word that it becomes not profitable. The hearer that did
bring forth fruit was sown into good ground, ground prepared
by God, where there was the new birth, where there was the work
of God in that heart to make it receive that word and to bring
forth fruit and to be nourished. And we read of that hearer that
they understood the word. It is vital. When Philip came
to the eunuch in the chariot as he was returning from Jerusalem,
having worshipped, and he was reading in Isaiah 53. Then he said, understandest thou
what thou readest? And he said, how can I except
some man guide me? And he prayed that Philip might
come up into the chariot. And he came up into the chariot,
and he began at the same scripture and preached unto him, Jesus.
And that word was then blessed to him. And from a passage where
he couldn't see the Lord Jesus Christ, whether the prophet was
speaking of himself or another man, he had that other man, the
Lord Jesus of Nazareth, preached unto him. And his testimony was,
before he was baptised, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And so the blessing of knowledge
and understanding, in Isaiah we read of those that had no
knowledge and understanding, that they could take a tree,
they could cut it down, they could use part of it in the fire
and become warmed with it and take the other part of it and
make it into an idol and bow down to it and pray to it and
expect it to save them. And the question was, where is
the understanding of these people? How could the children of Israel,
after they had seen all the wonders that God did in Egypt, all the
wonders that bring them through the Red Sea, then when Moses
was 40 days in the mound, could then make a golden calf and say,
this is what brought us out of Egypt? How could they go back
so far from the Lord, so without understanding? the blessing of
understanding. It is so vital that we actually
have that and be given the understanding of the Lord. We read in Proverbs
chapter 2, Yea, if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up
thy voice for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver
and searchest for hers for hid riches, Then shalt thou understand
the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the
Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. May we never despise knowledge
and understanding that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. If you and I have a Bible, have
the holy word of God, May we read it, may we pray over it,
may we ask for that knowledge, ask for that understanding, even
as the eunuch did, and ask the Lord's blessing to be upon it. This is what the apostle prayed
for the Colossian church when he writes to them, he says to
them, for this cause, We also, since the day we heard it, do
not cease to pray for you." Now what is his prayer? What does
he desire for them? To desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And then he adds this, that ye
might walk worthy of the Lord and to all pleasing, being fruitful
in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. We never
despise the knowledge of God and desire that it might increase
with us. The promise that was given to
the Church of God in Jeremiah was that he should bless them
with pastors after his own heart. And what should they do? I will
give you pastors according to mine own heart, there's Jeremiah
3.15, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. May we be held and may you pray
for us that our pastors, that we do feed you with knowledge
and with understanding. So the blessing of it is that
God does use this means and this way to save his people, to bring
them to walk in upright ways and godly ways and godly lives. So why is it then that we have
those here that have turned away from that? So I want to then
notice in the third point the vital need of the life and power
of God. When the Apostle speaks of the
Word being blessed to the Thessalonians, one of the things that it came
to them in was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. There is such a thing as a natural
religion, a taking up with the things of God just as if we would
take up English, mathematics, physics, or whatever other subject
it was B, and we best be religious and just decide to join to this
church or that church or this denomination and to subscribe
to it and to just be religious. But being religious will not
save us. And we read this, the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is. what sort it is. Is it a natural work or is it
a supernatural work? We need not just the knowledge
of salvation but the faith that God gives. By grace you are saved
through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God. We need that which comes from
heaven and that maintains the work that is begun in our hearts. And God, in mercy for his dear
people, he will show them in their lives whether what he has
given them is truly from himself or not. And the way it is, is
through fiery temptations, through even the corruptions of their
own heart, through the evils that are around them and the
temptations of Satan. Those things a natural man will
not stand. We are no match for Satan. No amount of natural knowledge
will ever defeat Satan. No amount of natural knowledge
or resolutions will ever overcome our own desperately wicked heart
and deceitfulness. Satan cannot cast out Satan. Our fallen nature can't cast
out fallen nature. That house will not stand, it
will not work. And so going back to the parable
of the sower, where there is no root in themselves, then they
will wither and die. Where they are in the midst of
all of this world and have no external source from heaven to
keep their souls alive, to chasten them, correct them, uphold them
with grace, they must perish. Our Lord in Matthew chapter 25,
he speaks of five wise and five foolish virgins who were waiting
for the coming of the bridegroom. And we read that they all slumbered
and slept, and when at midnight there was a crying, the bridegroom
cometh, and they all arose, they trimmed their lamps, but the
foolish had not brought any oil in their vessels with their lamps,
and they said, their lamps are gone out, give us of your oil. But the wise said, not so, lest
we have not enough for ourselves. The oil in the vessels, an external
supply. We might have the lamp of a profession,
but do we have an external supply? Bunyan, in his Pilgrim's Progress,
he had his Christian brought into the interpreter's house.
And the interpreter showed him a fire that was in a grate on
a wall. and a person was throwing water
on that fire, but the fire did not go out. And Christian could
not work out why that fire did not go out until he was brought
to the other side of the wall and there was someone pouring
oil or a secret supply of fuel on that fire. And that's why
it didn't go out. If you and I have a natural religion
If we do not have help from heaven, if the Lord does not make intercession
for us, if we are not of those that he speaks for us in heaven's
high court for good, then our lamp will go out. We cannot keep
alive a right profession. Yes, it might be still a profession
of religion, but it won't be a holy one, a godly one. It won't
be one that lives close to the Lord. or crucifies the flesh. So it is vital that we're brought
into paths of which we are no match for Satan, and we feel
it. And we're no match for our wicked heart, we're no match
for our lusts, our corruptions, the evils of our heart, and we
feel it. but instead of those with just
a natural religion, that you would just bow and say, well,
there's nothing I can do, this is my nature, and I love sin
anyway, and I'm gonna go in it, but I still want heaven, so I
still keep my profession. And in this chapter, we're told
that there are false prophets. You'll find many preachers that
will tell you, you can go to heaven, you can live like you
like, you don't need to change your life, you don't need to
change your ways, It doesn't matter how you live, you'll still
get to heaven. And these deceivers, their word
is received by those who want to hear it because they do not
have any love to God in their hearts and no love of holiness,
no desire to really walk in the ways of the Lord. But if the
Lord has wrought that work in us, then it will work in a different
way. It will bring us to cry unto
the Lord. It will bring us to groan on
account of the sin that is within. The blessing of the Lord is to
make us aware of our deceitful heart, aware of the danger, and
to really all of those that are called by God, they are called
to daily warfare with the corruptions of their own wicked and evil
hearts. That is not, we're not put out
of the body, we're not called and blessed and then brought
straight to heaven. We have the sin all around us
and within us. And our path is constantly to
be seeking for help from the Lord, crying to the Lord for
help. There's no mark against us to
feel our own weakness. There's no mark against us to
realise we have no strength nor might nor power, and to say with
Jehoshaphat, we have no might against this great multitude,
but our eyes, for neither know we what to do, but our eyes are
upon thee, and it may be with you tonight. You're like this,
feel almost overwhelmed with things, with troubles, with sorrows,
with sins within, with temptations without, and know not what to
do. You're realising what you are by nature. You're realising,
like Jehoshaphat, you don't have any might or any power, and none
do. And it's a blessing to feel and
know that we have no strength. But then we are to cry unto the
Lord. We read in Psalm 107, how that
they came from one trial to another trial, and that when they fell
down and there's none to help, Then they cried unto the Lord
in their trouble, and the Lord saved them out of their distresses. And that is the path, that was
the turning point in every time. Their secret of getting through
life was constantly calling upon the Lord, who so is wise and
will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving
kindness of the Lord. We should remember the precious
promises of the Word of God to us, especially when we feel our
weakness and feel our need. In Psalm 37, we read this, the
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth
in his way, though he fall, yet he shall not be utterly cast
down, for the Lord upholdeth him. with his hand. It is the Lord's keeping and
the Lord's blessing that is so vital for us. Though a sinner,
in Ecclesiastes 8, though a sinner, do evil an hundred times, and
his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well
with them that fear God, which fear before him. But it shall
not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his
days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before
God. And so we have the context of
the Word before us of those that had become after they had been
delivered from sin and the corruptions and pollutions of this world,
that they are entangled therein and overcome. The promise of
the Lord is for his people that sin shall not have dominion over
you. You are not under the law, you
are under grace. And it is by grace that we are
saved. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. Dear soul, if you know the conflict
with sin, you'll know it daily and hourly. You'll feel miserable
in self as a sinner, much to confess before the Lord, much
to humble ourselves before the Lord. But our help is in his
name. We trust in his righteousness. We trust in his almighty aid
and help. and that he would deliver us
from every evil. Dear friend, never give up, never
tire of going to the Lord with all your sad confessions. The
Lord was asked by the disciples, how many times shall my brother
sin against me and turn again and repent and I forgive him?
Till seven times? And the Lord's answer was, no,
till 70 times seven. And the Lord knows how often
we fall in thought, if not deed. But may it be, as with the Apostle,
that we would do good, we would seek his way, and that we need
the Lord to keep us every hour. We need his blessing and presence
here below. We need that we know and have
that supply of help from the sanctuary, from heaven, and the
Lord will never at the last day, so he never knew us. Shall not,
says the Lord, avenge his own elect who cry unto him day and
night? Is that you, dear friend, crying
unto the Lord day and night, mourning over our sins and after
him? Well, may the passage here be,
in one sense, a warning to us, on the other way, May it be a
sweet confirmation as to where we are, that we are not walking
in that way, but that we are looking to the Lord, that we
be disentangled, that we be overcomers and not overcome, that we be
more than conquerors through him that loved us. We have a
good, gracious, merciful God, God is able to do exceeding far
above all that we can ask or think. And even if we come, like
this Syrophoenician woman, with a simple prayer, Lord, help me. Or with dear Peter, when he's
trying to walk on the water and he's sinking and he cries out
to the Lord, save me. May we have those short, yet
effect your prayers in every time of need. May the Lord bless
the Word. Amen.