Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The scripture is clear that all
men are alike sinners, and every man in and of himself is worthy
of destruction. For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God. As it is written, there is none
righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth.
There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable.
There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Yet the scripture
is also very clear that the Lord has put a difference between
those who are the wicked and those who are the just. The wicked
perish in their sins, but the just shine forth as the sun in
the kingdom of their father. The just are blameless and harmless,
the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom they shine as lights in the world.
The just shall prosper in the blessings of God, but the ungodly
are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth
away. The Spirit of God performs a work in the sons of men which
makes them a sweet savor unto him as well as to one another.
This is the result of that common salvation which is produced by
him who is the author and finisher of our faith. This is the sanctifying
work of Christ. One of the evidences of this
sanctification is found in the knitting together of those whom
he has pleased to make one in Christ. We know that we have
passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that
loveth not his brother abideth in death. There is a natural
love or affection which is commonly found among the creation which
God has made. It can be seen among all types
of creatures from dogs to humans. A mother loves her child unconditionally.
A dog is loyal to his master. This natural love also includes
special affection and attraction which is found between men and
women. This love forms the basis of the ongoing of the species.
This love, like all things natural, can be and is found corrupted,
as mothers abandon and even slay their children, dogs bite the
hands that feed them, and men burn in lust one to the other,
working that which is unseemly. The love of the brethren is,
on the other hand, an incorruptible love, which the world can observe,
but can neither comprehend nor enter into. It is the fruit of
the Spirit which can only grow on those trees which are the
planting of the Lord. It is no unwelcome chore for
the sons of God to love one another. Peter writes, See that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently. True brotherly love
is without pretense or reluctance. because it stems from the source
of all love. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and
knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. A man's natural love is swallowed
up by the grave, but that which is produced by the Spirit of
God is made perfect by death. This love, one for the other,
is not subject unto death, but rather is enhanced by it, as
the saints in all ages are bound together by ties which the world
knows nothing of. For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether
we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. They share this
common bond and rejoice in Paul's testimony. For me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain. As we contemplate the lives of
His people which are in our acquaintance, we are encouraged and blessed
as we remember them with fondness for the work of God's grace in
their lives. The psalmist commented on this
when he said, The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
God demonstrates His faithfulness and love for His elect people
by the work of His Spirit in them. It is this work which endears
the sons of God to one another and often infuriates the men
of this world. Time would fail us to recount
the mighty deeds which the Lord has been pleased to perform through
and in his children, leaving us a legacy and fond remembrance.
The memory of the just is blessed. As much as we may be encouraged
by the works of righteousness which the Lord is pleased to
perform in the sons of God, yet all of those works fade in comparison
with the demonstration of the righteousness which the Lord
Jesus Christ manifested when he walked among men. The most
exemplary of saints is still beset with sin, yet he is that
one who was tempted in all points and sinned not at all. Neither
was guile found in his mouth. We find our greatest blessings
and encouragement in remembering how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good.
He is the very epitome of the just, since he is the justifier
of his people. Stephen's testimony angered the
Jews as he declared that Jesus of Nazareth was that just one,
and they rose up and stoned him. Yet in those whom the Spirit
abides, he is their constant delight. Unto you, therefore,
which believe, he is precious. Is his memory precious to you? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.