Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Timothy 1:11
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
11. according to the glorious gospel ] Rather with R.V. according to the gospel of the glory. How far back does St Paul look in ‘according to the gospel’? Surely through the whole passage since the last winding up at the end of 1Ti 1:3; just as the next passage winds up similarly at 1Ti 1:17. (The marking of the paragraphs in the R.V. throughout will be worth careful notice.) The charge to insist on sound teaching the end of the charge, a life of love unselfish out of faith unfeigned, instead of a laboured law of mystic perfectionism the sound teaching of those who (as he had written them word, Eph 4:11) were given them by Christ for the purpose all this was ‘according to the gospel of the glory of God’: for the chief and surpassing glory of God was seen not in the law but in the person, the life of Jesus Christ.
the blessed God ] The epithet seems added from the rush of personal feeling as the sense of the present love and mercy of Christ (never long absent) comes to him strongly in penning the words. It occurs again in 1Ti 6:15 in a similar passage.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
According to the glorious gospel – The gospel is a system of divine revelation. It makes known the will of God. It states what is duty, and accords in its great principles with the law, or is in harmony with it. The law, in principle, forbids all which the gospel forbids, and in publishing the requirements of the gospel, therefore, Paul says that the law really forbade all which was prohibited in the gospel, and was designed to restrain all who would act contrary to that gospel. There is no contradiction between the law and the gospel. They forbid the same things, and in regard to morals and true piety, the clearer revelations of the gospel are but carrying out the principles stated in the law. They who preach the gospel, then, should not be regarded as arrayed against the law, and Paul says that they who preached the gospel aright really stated the true principles of the law. This he evidently intends should bear against the false teachers who professed to explain the law of Moses. He means here that if a man wished to explain the law, the best explanation would be found in that gospel which it was his office to publish; compare Rom 3:31.
Of the blessed God – Revealed by the blessed God – the same God who was the Author of the law.
Which was committed to my trust – Not to him alone, but to him in common with others. He had received it directly from the Lord; 1Co 9:17; notes, Gal 1:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Ti 1:11
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.
The glorious gospel
The gospel is here characterized as glorious. It depends not for its glory on any incidental circumstances. In its essential elements it is the same for all lands and nations, conveying glad tidings of great joy to all people. The language of the text, with all other gloriousness, implies the glory of perpetuity. Indeed, what is here called the glorious gospel is elsewhere called the everlasting gospel (Rev 14:6). Bringing these phrases together, we have glory everlasting; changeless amid changeful seasons. But having fully stated this evangelical commonness, let us now remark that the manner in which persons are brought into connection with the gospel varies. One is persuaded by the terror of the Lord, another is drawn by His mercy and constrained by His love. And every one who has tasted of the joys of salvation will find his estimate of them affected, not only by their intrinsic excellence, but by their particular adaptation and application to his individual exigencies and personal experience. Let us, then, in these words, transplant ourselves to Pauls position. Let us contemplate what he speaks of from his own point of view.
I. The apostle may thus have spoken in relation to the messiah. As a Jew, Paul had longed for Christ. This was the grand promise made to the fathers; the seed of the woman was to bruise the serpents head; in Abraham and his seed should all families of the earth be blessed; Shiloh should come, and to him should the gathering of the people be. Other nations glory in their founders, and look back. The Jews expected a Deliverer, and looked forward. And hence Christ, when He came and was recognized, gratified a peculiar, earnest, and ever-growing anticipation. The Lord whom they looked for came to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom they delighted in. It is true that Paul, in the first instance, was disappointed in Jesus–bitterly disappointed. But that disappointment enhanced, by contrast, his delight, when he came after all to perceive that this was indeed the Hope of Israel. He had abhorred the Christians for neglecting the Aaronic ritual. And what an exposition of their conduct was now before him!–that the rites had been exchanged by them for the reality; that the sacrifices were but shadows, and found their substance in Christ; and that the Mosaic ordinances received the utmost honour in being so fulfilled–in being done away by the accomplishment and verification of all their foreshadowings. In one aspect the revelation was appalling. The stupendousness of the remedy gave Paul impressions which he had never had before of the dreadfulness of the evil, compelling him to reason that if one died for all, then were all dead. Ruined must that state have been which called for such redemption. Paul stood aghast–sank aghast–at these thoughts. He had supposed himself, as touching the righteousness which is of the law, to be blameless. But under the teaching of the Cross, sin–that is the sense of sin–revived and expanded into such gigantic dimensions, that, at the thought of it, he died: all life of self expired within him; all personal merit paled and perished in a sense of penal desert. And what was now his relief? What was now his refuge? That very Cross which had previously so shocked him. Thus the grandeur of the remedy exposed to him the evil of sin; and the evil of sin commended reactively the gloriousness of the gospel. Surely when redemption exposes the evil of rebellion–when the bitterness of the curse is evolved by contrast with curative blessing–when blackness of darkness is discerned only afar off, and as rendered visible by light streaming from heaven and guiding us to its portals, we may well hear such instruction, and hail in it the Glorious gospel of the blessed God!
II. Paul might characterize the gospel as glorious, viewing it in relation to the gift of the spirit. Palestine had had its prophets; and wondrous characters had these teachers been. These prophets might be persecuted while they lived, but monuments were soon erected to them when they died. Hence the disappearance of prophets was more deprecated than their severest reprimands, and lamentation found its climax in saying, We see not our signs, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long (Psa 74:9). The ancient seers were never numerous. Two or three distinguished a period. But now there is a whole company of apostles, and inspiration is not limited to them. God pours His spirit on all flesh, and sons and daughters prophesy in multitudes. Nor does the privilege terminate with preternatural qualifications. These accompany and promote transforming influences far more precious. According to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Now was the fulfilment of the promise: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah I will put My law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts, and will be their God and they shall be My people. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ, Jesus, Paul says, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. The apostles exemplified such renewing power. They manifested a spiritual-mindedness before which all grovelling sordidness might well be confounded, and, as ashamed, hide its head. Quit a partial and suspicious discipleship! rise to the heights of a high calling! and still multiply achievements, and still heighten attainments, tilt your religious profession bear its own proof, and all your aims, and aspirations, and efforts, beam with the glory of the gospel of the blessed God.
III. Paul may be supposed to have used the language of the text in relation to a favored people and a promised land. Paul had anenthusiastic patriotism. Even self-love seemed feeble when vying with love to his people (Rom 9:1-3). With such fervency of affection for his countrymen, Paul beheld and deplored their imperilled condition. The Roman tyranny was becoming every year more intolerable, and defeated insurrections only riveted and aggravated its domination. To what would these things grow? The question was inevitable and ominous; and, whatever desire might answer, probability, verging on certainty, pointed to the extinction of the Jewish name and nation. What was his joy, then, when an occasion of dismay became a source of solace, when spiritual illumination pointed beyond impending ruin to eventual recovery, and foretold the time when all Israel should be saved. Yet another and more cheering aspect of the case now burst upon his contemplation. The promise, that in Abraham and his seed should all families of the earth be blessed, was apprehended by him in its vastness. His survey, restricted before to the literal Israel, suddenly compassed the world, and embraced in all nations the true Israel of God. (D. King, LL. D.)
The beatific God: the gospel a transcript of the character of God
The only security at any time either for sound doctrine or earnest moral practice is the gospel. The fallacy with which the apostle contended is found operating in every time. Many would apparently make a divorce in their own minds between the moralities of every day life and the gospel–between works and faith. Because man is an intelligent being and must have a clear notion of what he is doing, if he is to act worthy of his nature, his conduct must be regulated by principle, and especially his moral conduct by a clear understanding of Gods will. What, then, is the will of God? It is the system of truth revealed in the Scriptures; in other words, it is orthodoxy. Of course there must be an orthodoxy, or system of right doctrine.
I. God is blessed in Himself, and therefore He has given a gospel to man. The epithet blessed, as applied to God, is one of singular grandeur and felicity. In the highest and richest sense of the word, God is the happy or beatific God. God is blessed in Himself, blessed in the manifestation of Himself, and blessed in the communication to others of His own blessedness.
1. God is blessed in Himself. This is a necessity of His being. To be God is to be infinitely happy; for God is just, good; and to be good is to be blessed. To say that a being is good is to say that he is happy. The purity or holiness of God is one of the fountain-heads of His blessedness. Jesus says, Blessed are the pure in heart. A pure heart is a well-spring of blessedness; it is a bower of fragrance, and an abode of spiritual beauty. It is a bright sky in which the thoughts sing to each other as birds in the sunny air; it is a home of the Holy Ghost. What, then, must be the blessedness of God! He is the holy heart of the universe; the light of light. God is happy because He is perfect. We have never known what it is to be perfect. From first to last in this life we are imperfect, and it is a painful thing to be imperfect. Not only to be so, but to know it–to have the clear consciousness that we carry imperfection within us; to feel that there is a discord at the very centre of our life–that surely is a sharp thorn in the heart. To have come to the vision of an ideal life, which we recognize to be our true and proper life, and love as such, while at the same time we are in bondage to a variety of mean restrictions; this is the cause of unhappiness and unrest. But God is the all-perfect One–harmonious, complete, self-sufficient, and therefore He is the blessed God. God is happy because He is almighty. Our weakness is to us a constant source of pain. We think we should be happy if only we had strength for every emergency, and if the arm could always fully second the will. But we live and die with the sorrowful conviction that, however splendid our projects, our performances are mean. With God, however, there is nothing of this. Above all, God is happy because He is the God of Love. The living essence of the God head has a name, and that name is Love. This is the one supreme joy of the universe; that great affinity, that beautiful spiritual attraction, which draws all souls together in peace and concord, by drawing them unto God. God is love, and therefore He is happy. This is the reason why God might not, and did not keep His blessedness to Himself. Although He was infinitely blessed in Himself in eternity, before angel, or world, or man appeared, He did not remain the sole possessor of this immense, this uncreated felicity. He decreed to unfold the hidden wealth of eternity; to manifest Himself, and to bring forth an image of Himself, in the form of an intelligent and moral being, who should be able to reflect His glory and to share His blessedness. Hence creation; hence the manifested wonders of providence in time; and hence eternal redemption. And so, having looked for a little at the self-possessed, inherent blessedness of God, let us now glance at–
2. God is blessed in the manifestation of Himself. All true work is a pleasure. It is a joy to produce anything. The exercise of power, the facility to act, the creation of a thought, the production of a work of art–each of these manifestations gives pleasure to the person who puts its forth. A child has pleasure in the gradual awakening of its nature, and the first exercise of its faculties. It delights in the discovery and manifestation of its powers, one by one. It delights to be able to walk and to speak. A school-boy, who is a true student, has pleasure first in mastering a problem, and, after that, in exhibiting his mastery over one domain of knowledge after another. A young artizan has pride in the performance of his first piece of independent work, and in earning his first wage. He feels that he is of some worth to the world. In the higher walks of human effort–in the productions of art and literature, the true artist has a pure joy. As the poem, or the picture, or the statue is slowly elaborated, the artist is bringing forth into palpability the fair image that has hitherto dwelt in the ideal world of the soul. There is a blessedness in the manifestation of ones true self. Let these faint analogies remind us of the blessedness of God in the forth putting of His power. He is the Creator, the Supreme Worker, the one Original Producer. He has brought forth the universe. The universe is Gods work. And what a work is that! So vast, so beautiful, so profound! Because God is God it must be a joy to Him to bring forth angels, and worlds, and men; and the proof that God rejoiced in His own creation is to be found in the fact that He Himself blessed it, and called it very good.
3. God is blessed in the communication to others of His own blessedness. He who works a work merely that he may delight himself therewith, even although that work is beautiful and good, has not reached the highest blessedness. This consists in making others blessed. He who lives for himself alone can never know what the highest blessedness is. To seek to shut up happiness in ones own heart is to embitter and destroy it altogether; for selfishness and blessedness can never keep company. Men are unhappy just in proportion as they are selfish; and consequently God is blessed because He is absolutely unselfish. Even in eternity God was not alone in His blessedness; for there are three persons in the adorable Godhead, and from eternity there was fellowship in God, and the high interchange of love. The Gospel was an eternal purpose of God. Yea, how marvellous it is that sin has become the very occasion in connection with which God has revealed the wonders of His grace, and given the highest manifestation of His own happiness and glory. The highest joy of God is the joy of saving souls, It is a blessed thing to communicate happiness to the unfallen, and preserve them in their felicity; but it is more blessed to give joy to the miserable, and open up a way by which the wretched and the impure may return to the very bosom of God. And since these are the tidings; since this is the message of gladness that the gospel brings to every man, how fitly may it be styled the glorious gospel of the blessed God!
II. God has given a glorious gospel to man, and therefore man should bless God. In the verse from which the text is taken the apostle speaks of the gospel as something committed to his trust. Notice here some of the particulars in respect of which the epithet glorious may be applied to the gospel. The gospel is glorious in its own character; in its authorship; in its unfoldings; and in its everlasting issues.
1. It is glorious in its own character. It is the Almighty God proclaiming an amnesty to sinful men. Surely that is a great fact in the history of this universe. What can exceed in glory such a proclamation?
2. The gospel is glorious in its authorship. Everything God has made is glorious in having Him as its author. Throughout the whole of Gods workings, everything speaks of His glory.
3. The gospel is glorious in its unfolding. All the other manifestations of God in creation and providence are but introductory and preparatory to this. Creation is but the scaffolding, and providence but the great stairway leading to the gospel.
4. The gospel is glorious in its eternal issues. It is through it alone that we come into the possession of eternal life. What, then, is our response? It is for us to reflect in some measure this glory. It is for us, in turn, to bless the blessed God. We do so, first of all, by believing the gospel–by listening to this message, and accepting it as the truth of God. Can there be anything more awful than for a human being to reject such a gospel? And yet this can be done–this is done every day. What is worthy of the entire and unreserved homage of our being, if the glorious gospel of the blessed God is not worthy of it?
In conclusion, there are four warnings that come sounding out to us from this text, to which we would do well to take heed.
1. Beware of ignoring the gospel. This is what many are doing at the present time. They quietly and complacently set it aside.
2. Beware of caricaturing the gospel. It is a caricature of the gospel to represent God as sitting merely on a throne of justice, manifesting only the sternness and severity of the law, and insisting on the law being satisfied at whatever price, and with whatever results. But the gospel has been so caricatured. Its enemies have said that it is a wrathful and vindictive system.
3. Beware of undervaluing the gospel. There are some who regard Christianity as a form of natural religion.
4. Beware of finally rejecting the gospel. (F. Ferguson.)
The glorious gospel
The gospel!–the glorious gospel! whence did it come? Its birth-place was the bosom of God. What its end and aim? To save a world of souls. Whence does it rescue? From the fellowship and destinies of hell. Whither does it lead? Back to its birth-place–to heaven–to God. The single inquiry into the reason and propriety of the epithet here bestowed upon the gospel–the glorious gospel. Let this then be our point, to prove that the gospel is a glorious scheme–a glorious gospel. The glorious gospel! What is it to be glorious? Need I define this to you?–need I tell you what it is to be physically, what it is to be morally glorious? Who can need that I define to him the term glorious, as applied to natural things, that has seen the bright orb of heaven shedding abroad his noon-day splendour? Who that has gazed upon the mighty sea, as it careered along, so bold, so free, so wild, gilded but untamed by that bright orbs beams? Or who so lost, I say, not to religion, but to all sense of moral beauty and grandeur, as to see no glory, no dignity, no greatness, in virtue? And the gospel is glorious! Why? It is glorious, I observe–
I. In its author. Think you that even the most presumptuous hope would have whispered, that perhaps the very Being whom he had offended would Himself bear the penalty, that his Judge would perhaps be his Saviour, that grace should flow to him and his race through the blood-shedding of the only begotten Son of God, the Son in the bosom of the Father–God Himself? No; the brain of man devised not the glorious gospel–the heart of man conceived it not!
II. The gospel was glorious in its mediator. Now this notion that such a free pardon, such a remission of the penalty of guilt, would have been a glorious act on Gods part, is derived from human analogy, but so far from being a glorious act, it would have sullied the brightness of Gods glory for ever, for He would have denied Himself, would have appeared before His creation as a Being uttering threatenings which He had no final and real intention of executing. Mercy might have been magnified, but to a woful disparagement of justice and holiness and truth. But Jesus is the Mediator of the new Covenant–He who is so much better than the angels–the Creator and heir of all things–the Beloved Son–the very and eternal God! How glorious a gospel flowing through such a mediation! how great the price of its salvation!
III. The gospel is glorious in its objects and results. It is the gospel of salvation, a gospel of peace, It finds God and man at variance–God offended, man lost. How glorious then the object of the gospel–to reconcile God and man–to offer salvation, not to the Jew only, but to all the world–to utter a cry free as the air we breathe: Ho, every one that thirsteth! But how glorious its results! And these, in all their eternal fulness, who shall tell? But how glorious now!–how glorious Christ Jesus in the heart, the hope of glory!–how glorious to see the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots!–to see the blasphemer, the persecutor, and injurious, preach the faith which once he destroyed!–how glorious to hear the savage gaoler cry: What must I do to be saved? But time shall one day be no longer, and shall the gospel glory be entombed in the grave of time? Bather shall its glorious results then truly begin.
IV. The gospel is glorious as contrasted with the law. See, then, the glory of the gospel as a scheme of salvation for man, when contrasted with the law. See the law demanding (and that justly) what man cannot render–hear it, as the penalty of non-fulfilment and disobedience, proceed to call for vengeance, the death of the transgressor. See the gospel not only not refusing to recognize mans need, and frailty, as a lost sinner, but taking man up at this very point, the pinching point of his need, that he is a lost sinner. The very object, then, of the gospel is to vindicate Gods law, and yet save the transgressor of that law, to exhibit a God all-just as a God all-merciful. But the gospel is more glorious yet! for as its only source was the grace of God, as God only gave His only begotten Son up to the death, because He so loved the world, so from first to last is the gospel one of grace, and grace alone. But the gospel is more glorious yet! The law, we saw, had no pardon to bestow, no righteousness to give, still less could it restore the fallen nature, renew the alienated heart, or rectify the perverted and biassed will. It could not purify the springs of action. No law does this. But the Spirit of Christ to sanctify, no less than the righteousness of Christ, and the blood-shedding of Christ to justify, is the gift of the gospel. Such is the gospel–so glorious to God, so glorious to man. (J. C. Miller, M. A.)
The glory of the gospel
I. It is the glorious gospel because it is a system of eternal truth, in which the moral perfections of the Godhead are most transcendently displayed.
1. Now, in reference to this glorious gospel, we say, that in it all the perfections of the Divine nature a strikingly displayed.
2. But in this glorious gospel there is, besides the exhibition of all the perfections of the Godhead, the most striking development of them. For though all the attributes of the Godhead are infinite, yet their manifestation may be varied in an endless diversity of degrees and forms: but in this glorious gospel there is the most striking display of the whole. Is love an attribute of the Divine nature? Is justice an attribute of Divine nature? Where do we see it displayed so effectually as in the glorious gospel of the blessed God? Is wisdom an attribute of the Divine nature? Where have we such a display of it as in the glorious gospel of the blessed God?
3. We must, however, advance a step further: here is the most harmonious exhibition of the perfections of the Godhead.
II. It is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, because it is admirably adapted to the moral and spiritual necessities of man. Those necessities are vast and varied; but there is no want that it cannot supply, no guilt that it cannot pardon, no depth of misery that it cannot explore.
1. But when we say that this gospel is adapted to man as an ignorant being, I would remind you that it is so, not merely as adapted to convey to him the truth he should understand, but, by a light directed to the understanding and to the heart, first to instruct the judgment, and then to renovate the soul. There is all the difference in the world between mere intellectual and spiritual light; between that knowledge that may he obtained by the unaided efforts of the human mind, and that which is to be acquired by the teaching of the Spirit of God. The one is as different from the other as the mere picture of a country as it is painted on a map is from the country itself, where, with its hills and dales, and rivers, it stretches itself before your view.
2. It is adapted likewise to man as a guilty being.
3. This gospel is still further adapted to man as a polluted being.
4. It is the glorious gospel because it is adapted to man, as a miserable being. Misery and guilt are linked to each other in an unbroken chain; and no man can be the voluntary slave of sin, without, in a proportionate degree, being the victim of wretchedness.
5. This gospel is adapted to man as an immortal being.
6. It is so, in the last place, because it is adapted to man as an impotent being.
III. It is the glorious gospel of the blessed God, because it is designed to achieve ultimately the most important blessings to the world at large.
IV. I must now come to the concluding part of the subject, to deduce such remarks as its nature will suggest. First, I remind you both of the privileges and the obligations with which you are invested who possess this gospel. Secondly, we infer from this subject how pitiable must be the condition of those inhabitants of the earth to whom this gospel has never been sent! (T. Adkins)
The glorious gospel
It seems, as a revelation, so to eclipse every other, that earth with all its wonders grows dim by its side, and the firmament with all its hosts is no longer effulgent with Deity. And this is, we think, what St. Paul in our text designs to assert of the gospel. He speaks as though the carrying that gospel to a land were the furnishing such a revelation of God as must necessarily, even if it did not overcome the unbelief in man, redound immeasurably to the glory of its Author. He will not allow that it could at all depend on the reception which the gospel might meet, whether or not God would be glorified by its publication. Why should it? Suppose that it were to please the Almighty to give some new and striking exhibition of His existence and His majesty to a people that had been indifferent to those previously and uniformly furnished; suppose that on a sudden the vault of heaven were to be spangled with fresh characters, the handwriting of the everliving God, and far outshining in their burning beauty the already magnificent tracery of a thousand constellations; would not God have splendidly shown forth His being and His power–would He not have given such demonstrations of His greatness as must vastly contribute to His own glory, even if the people for whose sake the overspread canopy had been thus gorgeously decked, were to close their eyes against the glittering evidence, or to hearken to infidel philosophers, who should resolve into natural causes, or explain by their boastful astronomy, the mighty phenomenon which announced the immediate agency of the Creator? God is sublimely independent of man; and if He have made a discovery of Himself–His nature–His perfections–He can contemplate that discovery with ineffable complacency, however it may be regarded by His creatures. He does not wait their admiration in order to be assured of its beauty; He does not require their approval, to be confirmed in His delight. We read, that when God rested from the work of this creation, He saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. He surveyed His own work with unspeakable pleasure; He saw and He knew it to be glorious; and if no anthem of lofty gratulation had ascended to His throne from intelligent creatures, He would have reposed, in majestic contentment, on those vast performances, and have felt Himself so praised in His deeds, that neither angels nor men could break the chorus. And why should not we hold the same in regard of the gospel? Why, if this gospel be an incomparably more brilliant and comprehensible revelation of Himself than could have been made by His coming forth from His inaccessible solitude with a fresh retinue of suns and systems–why should not God regard its publication with ineffable complacency, whether men hear, or whether they forbear? Are we to hold it to be in the power of such creatures as ourselves to prevent, by our infidelity, the accruing of any glory to God, from that into which He may be said to have gathered Himself–which is nothing less than a focus, in which all the Divine attributes meet, or from which they diverge, to irradiate the universe? Oh I we are not thus mighty in evil. We may shut our eyes to a manifestation of God, but this is the utmost that we have in our power. We cannot obscure that manifestation; we cannot despoil it of one atom of its beauty; we cannot make it a jot less worthy or expressive of Godhead. And therefore may it well be supposed, that God would regard the ambassadors of His Son–those who with the cross in their hand hastened to publish to the ignorant the tidings of redemption–as more really and more emphatically the revealers of Himself than all those worlds, gorgeously apparelled, with which His creative skill had peopled infinite space. We may well understand, that as these apostles went from shore to shore, making proclamation, wherever they stood, of the mystery of God made manifest in the flesh, they would be viewed by Him whose commission they bore as finer witnesses to the stupendous, and the awful, and the majestic, and the beautiful properties of His nature, than stars as they marched in their brightness, or angels as they moved in their purity. Who, then, can be surprised at the lofty tone which has been assumed by St. Paul, when speaking of the gospel committed to his trust? But now let us go on to speak of the two separate cases, in order to show you, with greater precision, how this character of the gospel holds good in regard equally with those who are saved and of those who are lost. Is the gospel, indeed, ever detrimental to the hearer? and if detrimental, can it still be styled glorious? Yes, the gospel may prove injurious to the hearer, but it cannot prove otherwise than glorious to its Author. You are not to think that the gospel can be a neutral thing, operating neither for good nor for evil. There is a self-propagating power in all kinds of evil; and every resistance to Gods Spirit, operating through the instrumentality of the Word, makes resistance easier, and facilitates for the future the hearing without obeying. So that preaching, where it produces no salutary effect, unavoidably hardens the hearer. But if it be admitted that in various ways men may be actually injured by the gospel, making it the occasion of their own aggravated condemnation, what have we to say to such a result being in any sense or degree glorious to God? But we are to blame in confining our thoughts to the ends in which man has an immediate concern, in place of extending them to those in which God Himself may be personally interested. We forget that God has to make provision for the thorough vindication of all His attributes, when He shall bring the human race into judgment, and allot to the several individuals a portion for eternity. We forget that in all His dealings it must be His own honour to which He has the closest respect, and that this honour may require the appointment and continuance of means of grace, even where those means, in place of effecting conversion, are sure to do nothing but increase condemnation. For the great point, so far as we can judge, which will have to be made out in respect of every man who perishes hereafter, is the inexcusableness of that man–his being nothing less than his own wilful destroyer; and the making out this, in regard of those condemned for neglecting the salvation provided by Christ, will require that it be abundantly proved that this salvation was offered, yea, pressed on their acceptance. Think ye that the minister of Christ has nothing to do but to confirm the righteous in their faith, and rouse the careless to repentance? Indeed it is at these that he is avowedly labouring, but in acting upon man he is acting for God. He may seem to you to labour in vain, just because those to whom he speaks forsake not their iniquities; but it is not in vain. He preaches for the day of judgment; he preaches as an evidence of Gods forbearance, as a witness against the impenitent–an evidence and a witness which shall be called forth and displayed when the trumpet hath sounded, and the Judge is on His throne. And St. Paul knew, and felt this. He knew, and he felt, that when He preached Christ to a people, he was making that people without excuse if they persisted in iniquity, and therefore providing that God should be glorious in dealing with them in vengeance. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
The gospel of the glory of the happy God
Two remarks of an expository character will prepare the way for our consideration of this text. The first is that the proper rendering is that which is given in the Revised Version–the gospel of the glory, not the glorious gospel. The apostle is not telling us what kind of thing the gospel is, but what it is about. He is dealing not with its quality but with its contents. It is a gospel which reveals, has to do with, is the manifestation of, the glory of God. Then the other remark is with reference to the meaning of the word blessed. There are two Greek words which are both translated blessed in the New Testament. One of them, the more common, literally means well spoken of, and points to the action of praise or benediction; describes what a man is when men speak well of him, or what God is when men praise and magnify His name. But the other word, which is used here, and is only applied to God once more in Scripture, has no reference to the human attribution of blessing and praise to Him, but describes Him altogether apart from what men say of Him, as what He is in Himself, the blessed, or, as we might almost say, the happy God.
I. The revelation of God in Jesus Christ is the glory of God. The theme, or contents, or the purpose of the whole gospel, is to set forth and make manifest to men the glory of God. Now what do we mean by the glory? I think, perhaps, that question may be most simply answered by remembering the definite meaning of the word in the Old Testament. There it designates, usually, that supernatural and lustrous light which dwelt between the cherubim, the symbol of the presence and of the self-manifestation of God. So that we may say, in brief, that the glory of God is the sum-total of the light that streams from His self-revelation, considered as being the object of adoration and praise by a world that gazes upon Him. And if this be the notion of the glory of God, is it not a startling contrast which is suggested between the apparent contents and the real substance of that gospel? Suppose a man, for instance, who had no previous knowledge of Christianity, being told that in it he would find the highest revelation of the glory of God. He comes to the Book, and finds that the very heart of it is not about God, but about man; that this revelation of the glory of God is the biography of a man: and more than that, that the larger portion of that biography is the story of the humiliations, and the sufferings, and the death of the man. Would it not strike him as a strange paradox that the history of a mans life was the shining apex of all revelations of the glory of God? And that involves two or three considerations on which I dwell briefly. One of them is this: Christ, then, is the self-revelation of God. If, when we deal with the story of His life and death, we are dealing simply with the biography of a man, however pure, lofty, inspired he may be, then I ask what sort of connection there is between that biography which the four Gospels give us, and what my text says is the substance of the gospel? Brethren! to deliver my text and a hundred other passages of Scripture from the charge of being extravagant nonsense and clear, illogical non sequiturs, you must believe that in the Man Christ Jesus we behold His glory–the glory of the only begotten of the Father. And then, still further, my text suggests that this self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ is the very climax and highest point of all Gods revelations to men. I believe that the law of humanity, for ever, in heaven as on earth, is this, the Son is the Revealer of God; and that no loftier–yea, at bottom, no other communication of the Divine nature can be made to man than is made in Jesus Christ. But be that as it may, let me urge upon you this thought, that in that wondrous story of the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ the very high-water mark of Divine self-communication has been touched and reached. All the energies of the Divine nature are embodied there. The riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God, are in the Cross and Passion of our Saviour. Or, to put it into other words, and avail oneself of an illustration, we know the old story of the queen who, for the love of an unworthy human heart, dissolved pearls in the cup and gave them to him to drink. We may say that God comes to us, and for the love of us, reprobate and unworthy, has melted all the jewels of His nature into that cup of blessing which He offers, to us, saying: Drink ye all of it. And my text implies, still further, that the true living, flashing centre of the glory of God is the love of God. Christendom is more than half heathen yet, and it betrays its heathenism not least in its vulgar conceptions of the Divine nature and its glory. The majestic attributes which separate God from man, and make Him unlike His creatures, are the ones which people toe often fancy belong to the glorious side of His character. Of power that weak Man hanging on the cross is a strange embodiment; but if we learn that there is something more godlike in God than power, then we can say, as we look upon Jesus Christ: Lo I this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us. Not in the wisdom that knows no growth, not in the knowledge which has no border-land of ignorance ringing it round about, not in the unwearied might of His arm, not in the exhaustless energy of His being, not in the unslumbering watchfulness of His all-seeing eye, not in that awful Presence wheresoever creatures are, not in any or in all of these lies the glory of God, but in His love. These are the fringes of the brightness; this is the central blaze. The gospel is the gospel of the glory of God, because it is all summed up in the one word–God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son.
II. The revelation of God in Christ is the blessedness of God. And so I would say, the philosophers God may be all-sufficient and unemotional, the Bibles God delighteth in mercy, rejoiceth in His gifts, and is glad when men accept them. But there is a great deal more than that here, if not in the word itself, at least in its connection, which connection seems to suggest that howsoever the Divine nature must be supposed to be blessed in its own absolute and boundless perfectness, an element in the blessedness of God Himself arises from His self-communication through the gospel to the world. All love delights in imparting. Why should not Gods? He created a universe because He delights in His works and in having creatures on whom He can lavish Himself. The blessed God is blessed because He is God. But He is blessed too because He is the loving and therefore the giving God.
III. The revelation of God in Christ is good news for us all. It means this: here are we like men shut up in a beleaguered city, hopeless, helpless, with no power to break out or to raise the siege; provisions failing, death certain. Some of you older men and women remember how that was the case in that awful siege of Paris, in the Franco-German War, and what expedients were adopted in order to get some communication from without. And here to us, prisoned, comes, as it did to them, a despatch borne under a Doves wing, and the message is this: God is love; and that you may know that He is, He has sent you His Son who died on the cross, the sacrifice for a worlds sin. Believe it and trust it, and all your transgressions will pass away. Is not that good news? Is it not the good news that you need–the news of a Father, of pardon, of hope, of love, of strength, of heaven? (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The gospel, glad tidings
Show what the gospel of Christ is, by illustrating the description given of it in our text.
1. The gospel of Christ is tidings. This is the most simple and proper conception we can form of it. It is not an abstract truth, it is not a merely speculative proposition, it is not an abstruse system of philosophy or ethics, which reason might have discovered or formed; but it is simply tidings, a message, a report, as the prophet styles it, announcing to us important intelligence, intelligence of a connected succession of facts; of facts which reason could never have discovered; intelligence of what was devised in the counsels of eternity for the redemption of our ruined race, of what has since been done in time to effect it, and of what will be done hereafter for its full completion when time shall be no more. It is true, that, in addition to these tidings, the gospel of Christ contains a system of doctrines, of precepts and of motives; but it is no less true, that all these doctrines, precepts and motives are founded upon the facts, communicated by those tidings in which the gospel essentially consists; and that to their connection with these facts, they owe all their influence and importance. Perfectly agreeable to this representation, is the account given us of the primitive preachers, and their mode of preaching the gospel. They acted like men who felt that they were sent, not so much to dispute and argue, as to proclaim tidings, to bear testimony to facts.
2. The tidings which constitute the gospel of Christ are glad tidings; tidings which are designed and perfectly adapted to excite joy and gladness in all who receive them. That they are so, is abundantly evident from the nature of the intelligence which they communicate. They are tidings of an all-sufficient Saviour for the self-destroyed. And must I prove that these are glad tidings? Does the sun shine? are circles round? is happiness desirable? is pain disagreeable? And is it not equally evident, that the tidings we are describing are glad tidings of great joy. But it may in some cases be necessary to prove even self-evident truths. To the blind it may be necessary to prove that the sun shines. And in a spiritual sense we are blind. We need arguments to convince us, that the Sun of righteousness is a bright and glorious luminary; that the tidings of His rising upon a dark world are joyful tidings. Such arguments it is easy to adduce, arguments sufficient to produce conviction even in the blind. If you wish for such arguments, go and seek them among the heathen, who never heard of the gospel of Christ. See those dark places of the earth, filled not only with the habitations, but with the temples of lust and cruelty. Enter into conversation with the inhabitants of these gloomy regions. Ask them who made the world; they cannot tell. Who created themselves? they know not. Ask them where happiness is to be found, they scarcely know its name. Ask for what purpose they were created, they are at a loss for a reply. They know neither whence they came, nor whither they are to go. View them in the night of affliction. No star of Bethlehem, with mild lustre, cheers or softens its gloom. If this be not sufficient, if you still doubt, go and contemplate the effect which these tidings have produced wherever they have been believed. We judge of the nature of a cause by the effects which it produces, and, therefore, if the reception of the gospel has always occasioned joy and gladness, we may justly infer that it is glad tidings. And has it not done this? What supported our trembling first parents, when sinking under the weight of their makers curse, and contemplating with shuddering horrors the bottomless abyss into which they had plunged themselves and their wretched offspring? What enabled Enoch to walk with God? Here the well-spring of salvation was first opened to the view of mortals; here the waters of life, which now flow broad and deep as a river, first bubbled up in the sandy desert; and thousands now in heaven stooped and drank and live for ever, tasting the joys of heaven on earth. Then pause and say, whether the tidings which excite all this joy are not glad tidings? Have patriarchs and prophets been deceived? Were the apostles and primitive Christians mad? Are the angels of light infatuated or blind? Is the all-wise God in an error? Does He call upon all His creatures to rejoice, when no cause of joy exists? You must either assert this, or acknowledge that the gospel of Christ is glad tidings of great joy.
3. The gospel is not only glad tidings, but glorious glad tidings. That it is so, is asserted in other passages, as well as in our text. St. Paul, contrasting the gospel and the law, with a view to show the superiority of the former, observes that if the ministration of death was glorious, the ministration of the Spirit must be still more glorious; for if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. Glory is the display of excellence, or perfection. That the gospel contains a grand display of the moral excellences and perfections of Jehovah, will be denied by none but the spiritually blind, who are ignorant of its nature. If any doubt respecting the character of the gospel still exists in your minds, it must surely vanish when you recollect that it is–
4. The gospel of God, of the blessed God. What that is not glorious can proceed from the God of glory? What that is not calculated to give joy to all holy beings, can proceed from the God of happiness and peace?
II. consider its human administration. It was committed, says the apostle, to my trust. But why? I answer, the gospel was no more designed to remain locked up in the breast of its author, than the rays of light were intended to remain in the body of the sun. In condescension to our weakness, therefore, God has been pleased to commit the gospel to individuals selected from our ruined race; individuals, who, having experienced its life-giving and beatifying power, are prepared to recommend it to their perishing fellow sinners. Of these individuals, the first to whom it was committed were the apostles; it was committed to them as a proclamation is committed by earthly princes to their heralds, not to be retained, but communicated. (E. Payson.)
The glorious gospel
I. The manifestation which the gospel gives of the glory of God. There are many sources whence we may derive some faint glimpses of the Divine glory. We may see it in the world around us, wherever we cast our eyes. This, then, we take it, is the glory of God; the revelation of His mercy and grace to sinful man. And this revelation is only to be found fully developed in the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Here we see the attributes of Deity brought out with surpassing and undimmed lustre. Do we speak of Deity as the only wise God? We see this attribute also strikingly brought out in the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Wisdom consists in the employment of the best means for the best ends; and although evident traces of this attribute are scattered all around us in the fitness of things to the manifest design contemplated, it is in the gospel alone that we discover the mightiest effort of Divine wisdom.
II. The comprehensiveness of its blessings. In this point of view, also, we shall see significantly brought out the truth of the text, that it is the glorious gospel of the blessed God. The blessings of the gospel are calculated to meet all the wants and longings of man as a pilgrim destined for eternity. Here knowledge is offered, which, while it is worthy of the highest intellect to expend its gifted powers in boundless research, is also adapted to the meanest capacity; here is knowledge far superior to any that the philosophers of Greece ever taught, or the proud sons of Rome ever knew; here is knowledge which can penetrate with its illuminating influences the innermost darkness of the understanding, refine the affections, purify the heart, and regulate the life of man in his upward aspirations for heaven. Do you feel yourselves guilty before God? In the gospel you may learn the way to obtain redemption through the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins. But more than this: the gospel offers the cleansing and renewing influences of the sanctifying spirit. It belongs to the glorious gospel alone to afford substantial and enduring joy.
III. The magnitude of its triumphs. The triumphs of the gospel were soon made manifest, even in the earliest days of Christianity.
IV. The simplicity of its requirements. Now the grand scheme of the gospel presents us with many things inscrutable to our understandings, which things, like the angels, we desire to look into (1Pe 1:12); but what affects us much more than all is, the simplicity of the means by which the most mighty and blessed results are accomplished. In this simplicity of arrangement, so available by all, the glory of the gospel shines conspicuously and pre-eminently forth. Herein we discover the master-wisdom of the great Contriver, and are led to ascribe glory to God in the highest. (W. J. Brock, B. A.)
The happiness of God
I. I will consider what we are to understand by the blessedness or happiness of God, and what are the essential ingredients of it.
1. Perfect knowledge, to understand what it is that constitutes happiness, and to know when one is really possessed of it. For as he is not happy, who is so only in imagination or a dream, without any real foundation in the thing; for he may be pleased with his condition, and yet be far enough from being truly happy: so, on the other hand, he that has all other necessary ingredients of happiness, and only wants this, that he doth not think himself so, cannot be happy.
2. To perfect happiness is likewise required a full power to do whatever conduceth to happiness, and likewise to check and control whatever would be a hindrance and disturbance to it; and therefore no being is as happy as it can be, that is not all-sufficient, and hath not within its power and reach whatever is necessary to a happy condition, and necessary to secure and continue that happiness against all attempts and accidents whatsoever.
3. There is wisdom also required to direct this power, and manage it in such a manner, as it may effectually conduce to this end; and this is very different from mere power abstractedly considered; for one may have all the materials of happiness, and yet want the wisdom and skill to put them so together, as to frame a happy condition out of them; and he is not happy, who doth not thoroughly understand the proper method and means of compassing and securing his own happiness.
4. Another most considerable and essential ingredient of happiness is goodness; without which, as there can be no true majesty and greatness, so neither can there be any felicity or happiness.
5. Perfect happiness doth imply the exercise of all other virtues, which are suitable to so perfect a Being, upon all proper and fitting occasions; that is, that so perfect a Being do nothing that is contrary to or unbecoming His holiness and righteousness, His truth and faithfulness, which are essential to a perfect Being.
6. Perfect happiness implies in it the settled and secure possession of all those excellences and perfections; for if any, of these were liable to fail, or be diminished, so much would be taken off from perfect and complete happiness.
7. In the last place, infinite contentment and satisfaction, pleasure and delight, which is the very essence of happiness.
II. I propose, to show, that this attribute of perfection doth belong to God, and that the divine nature is perfectly blessed and happy; and this is so universal an acknowledgment of natural light, that it would be a very superfluous and impertinent work to trouble you with particular citations of heathen authors to this purpose; nothing being more frequent in them than to call the Deity, the most happy and most perfect Being, and therefore happy, because felicity doth naturally result from perfection. It shall suffice to take notice of these two things out of heathen writers, to my present purpose.
1. That they accounted happiness so essential to the notion of a God, that this was one of the ways which they took to find out what properties were fit to attribute to God, and what not; to consider, what things are consistent with happiness, or inconsistent with it.
2. Whatever differences there were among the philosophers concerning the perfections of the Divine nature, they all agreed in the perfect felicity of it; even Epicurus himself, who so boldly attempted to strip the Divine nature of most of its perfections, by denying that God either made or governed the world; whereby he took away at once His being the first cause and original of all things, and His goodness likewise, and wisdom, and power, and justice, or, at least, made all these useless, by taking away all occasion and opportunity for the exercise of them; yet this man does frequently own, and profess to believe, the happiness of the Divine nature. For thus Lucretius, the great disciple of Epicurus, describes his opinion of the Divine nature:–It is necessary that the Divine nature should be happy, and therefore altogether unconcerned in our affairs; free from all grief and danger, sufficient for itself, and standing in need of nobody, neither pleased with our good actions, nor provoked by our faults. This was c very false notion both of God and happiness, to imagine that the care of the world should be a pain and disturbance to infinite knowledge, and power, and goodness.
III. How far creatures are capable of happiness, and by what ways and means they may be made partakers of it. As we are creatures of a finite power, and limited understandings, and a mutable nature, we do necessarily want many of those perfections, which are the cause and ingredients of a perfect happiness. We are far from being sufficient for our own happiness; we are neither so of ourselves, nor can we make ourselves so by our own power; for neither are we wise enough for our own satisfaction. All the happiness that we are capable of is, by communication from Him, who is the original and fountain of it. So that, though our happiness depend upon another, yet if we be careful to qualify ourselves for it (and God is always ready to assist us by His grace to this purpose), it is really and in effect in our own power; and we are every whir as safe and happy in Gods care and protection of us, as if we were sufficient for ourselves. But to what purpose, may some say, is this long description and discourse of happiness? How are we the wiser and the better for it? I answer, very much, in several respects.
1. This plainly shews us that atheism is a very melancholy and mischievous thing; it would take away the fountain of happiness, and the only perfect pattern of it.
2. If the Divine nature be so infinitely and completely happy, this is a very great confirmation of our faith and hope concerning the happiness of another life, which the Scripture describes to us, by the sight and enjoyment of God. So that the goodness of God is the great foundation of all our hopes, and the firmest ground of our assurance of a blessed immortality.
3. From what hath been said concerning the happiness of the Divine nature, we may learn wherein our happiness must consist; namely, in the image and in the favour of God: in the favour of God, as the cause of our happiness; and in the image of God, as a necessary inward disposition and qualification for it. All men naturally desire happiness, and seek after it, and are, as they think, travelling towards it, but generally they mistake their way. In a word, if ever we would be happy we must be like the blessed God, we must be holy, and merciful, and good, and just, as He is, and then we are secure of His favour; the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and His countenance will behold the upright. (Archbishop Tillotson.)
The happiness of the eternal mind
The word here translated blessed is the same that occurs in the beautitudes, signifying happy, and is to be distinguished from another word, also translated blessed, but signifying to be blessed or adored. This phrase the happy God stands out in bright contrast with the dark dream of Asia, that there were two gods–one good, one evil–Ormuzd and Ahriman, against which Jewish religion had witnessed from the beginning. The Jewish faith was distinguished from all other ancient beliefs by maintaining the unity and blessedness of the King Eternal, and by asserting the recent origin, the reptile quality, and the final destiny of evil.
I. Let us, then, observe that our own souls, in their profoundest instincts, compel the belief in the happiness of the eternal mind. Our minds revolt at once at the idea of a miserable everlasting cause. We cannot steadily conceive of an everlasting and boundless power otherwise than as resting on its own ocean depths in unfathomable bliss. We cannot even imagine it as suffering eternally, whether from weakness, or weariness, or pain, disappointment, or malignity, or through sympathy with everlasting misery of created beings. The necessity of indestructible being, which supports the eternal life, necessitates its blessed life. The very heathen, as in Homer, always speak and sing of the happy gods. If we are to follow in our thoughts the instincts of our own nature (and we have no other means of thinking of the boundless life), then it is blessed for ever. For life here–its product–in all its orderly states is identical with enjoyment. It is disorder alone which produces misery. Think of the life on this planet, from its lowest to its highest ranges, from the dance of animalculae seen in the magnified drop of water up to the pleasures of the highest races that frequent the atmosphere, the land, the ocean. To breathe the pure air, to drink in the pleasant sunlight, to seek for and enjoy each its proper food, is the law of life, for if their life is short they have no sense of its shortness, and while it lasts it supplies the pleasures of motion, of rest, of vision, of action, and of love. For mankind there opens a new world of delights. Words fall us to describe the heights and depths of human enjoyment. What must that blessed existence be as a life of thought! To us thought is one of the chief and steadiest sources of enjoyment even amidst all our darkness, and deficiency of light, and baffled inquiries, and unsatisfied longings for intelligence. But what must be the delights of that infinite intellect, the energy, the reach, and the force of that Spirit, whence have sprung all the worlds, all the sciences, and all the minds in the universe. What must be that life of inexhaustible power in design, radiant within all the archetypes of beauty in form and colour, the mind in which have dwelt for eternity the patterns of all loveliness in earth and heaven; in which have bloomed the floral splendours of all the worlds; all the lovelinesses of figure, and form, and face, and scenery in earth, and sky, and air, and in the heaven of heavens? What, again, must be that life of creative energy from whose eternal love of life-giving have sprung all the delights of parental and life-giving love through the creation? What ideas can man form of the intrinsic and eternal blessedness of God before and apart from the creation? In that past creationless eternity, the Son, we are told, was in the bosom of the Father; He had a glory with the Father or ever the world was. And in Him were gathered up all the thoughts and purposes of God as to creation, moral government, and redemption (Joh 17:5-24). This gives a ledge of solid ground for one further step upward in our thought. In the past eternity the self-existing wisdom and power revolved the whole infinite future of His manifestation to an everlasting universe, including the redemption of man, the incarnation of the Word; and this eternal counsel of love was the outcome of the holy and loving blessedness of the Sun of spirits. For God is love. He was never alone in eternity.
II. Let this same temper appear in our worship. Let us sing unto the Lord. (E. White.)
The glorious gospel
I. The import of the gospel as here conveyed. You are all doubtless aware that the true meaning of the word gospel is glad tidings, or good news. The gospel tells us of the grace and love of the Father, of the condescension and sacrifice of the Son, and of the mission and influence of the Holy Ghost. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, etc. This is good news for all men, and this is the gospel. We all like to hear glad tidings. The intelligence of the relief of Lucknow and the salvation of our countrywomen and children sent a thrill of joy and gratitude throughout the country–it was good news. But no tidings ever proclaimed to men can equal in sublimity, and joyousness, and importance, the good news of the gospel.
1. The gospel is good tidings to man as a rational and intelligent being. The possession of a thinking soul is the distinction and glory of man, and knowledge is necessary for the welfare of his soul. The desire for knowledge under various modifications is one of the natural desires of the human heart. Nowhere is there such a treasury of the highest knowledge for man as in the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the loftiest and most important themes it yields the surest information–the only information which can fill and satisfy the human soul; throwing the purest light on the pilgrimage of man; unfolding his dignity, his duty, and his danger; dispelling doubts, dissipating darkness, and offering certainty on questions about which men have perplexed themselves in vain.
2. Further, the gospel is good news to man as a moral and sinful being. Man is a moral being, and everywhere gives evidence of the possession of a moral nature. In all countries, amongst all peoples there are moral judgments, distinctions between right and wrong, or between what it believed to be right and wrong. The presence of conscience is universal. It is a sad and solemn truth that man is a sinner, and that he is guilty. But the gospel brings good news to him. It tells him of a Divine provision by which he may be pardoned and saved. It tells him of a sacrifice which has been offered for sin–a sacrifice of boundless value, which has met all the requirements of righteousness, and laid the foundation for mercy. How glorious the news for a guilty soul! And this is not all. Man, as a sinner, is not only guilty, but polluted, more or less, under the power of sin. How shall he be purified from this pollution, rescued from this dominion? The same gospel that tells him of pardon, tells him also of purity. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. And further–
3. It is good news to man as a social and a suffering being. Mans life here is, more or less, in company with others, a pilgrimage of sorrow. He is born to trouble. And perhaps sometimes you are perplexed, and strange thoughts come into your mind, so that you call the proud happy, and the wealthy blessed, and wonder what kind of a Being it is that governs the world with such apparent inequality. Is this world left to chance, or left to the sport of fiends? The gospel comes to our relief, and tells us that an Almighty Father governs all; that He numbers the very hairs of our heads, and that not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without His permission. It tell us that now we are in a state of probation and discipline, and provides the richest consolation, with the assurance that God is too wise to err, and too good to be unkind.
4. The gospel is glad tidings to man as a dying and immortal being–dying, and yet immortal. Yes, both. It is the gospel only,–not philosophy, not reason, not infidelity, not atheism,–but the gospel of Christ alone that can teach us to say and sing, O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?
II. The character of the Gospel as here given. It is glorious–the glorious gospel. Few descriptive terms are more commonly used, and yet, perhaps, none more difficult of exact definition than glorious. There are many kinds of glory recognized and spoken of in the world, and many things called glorious. There is regal glory, military glory, political glory, intellectual glory. We speak of a glorious day, a glorious scene, a glorious achievement, a glorious victory. It is expressive of lustre, excellence, and beauty. Glory belongs to God; and that which belongs to Him or comes from Him is alone truly glorious. Nowhere has the word so fitting and true an application as in reference to the gospel of God. It is the expression to us of the supremacy, greatness, and moral excellence and perfection of the Almighty Father, and is especially glorious in two respects: as a revelation, and as a remedy.
1. The gospel is glorious as a revelation. It makes known to us, what we nowhere else can learn, the loftiest truths connected with the character of God, and with our relationship to Him. It is the highest revelation of God, and of His law, of His government, and grace. Nature speaks of Him, and providence speaks of Him, but it is the gospel only that fully unfolds His moral character–reveals His grace. There, too, we see–as nowhere else can be seen–the value of mans soul, the terrible act of sin, the majesty of moral law, and the glory that may yet be ours. By the revelation of such momentous truths, the gospel may well be designated glorious. But it is not only in the truths revealed, but in the manner and mode of the revelation that the gospel is especially glorious. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. It is not a mere proclamation from heaven, nor a Divine theory, nor a set of holy doctrines, but a revelation of facts–facts the most wonderful and glorious in the worlds history. It is this especially that constitutes the distinction and grandeur of the gospel. Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifested in the flesh. The full and final revelation is in Jesus Christ, in what He was, and what He did. To rest on His love, to trust His righteousness, to look up into His radiant countenance, is to see the glory of the gospel.
2. The gospel is glorious as a remedy. It is a remedy, perfect and sufficient for human care and crime, for sin, and wretchedness, and death. We have seen that something is wrong with humanity; for there is everywhere the consciousness of evil and guilt. The gospel of God meets that which is wrong and sets it right. It is a perfect remedy, never-failing if fairly tried. In its universality, its adaptation and its efficacy, we see its glory. That gospel is, indeed, a glorious remedy for all, good news to the thoughtless, the outcast, the prodigal, the penitent. It contains within itself the test of its truth, its adaptation, and its power. Try it.
III. The design of the Gospel is here inferred. It is the glorious gospel of the blessed God. The word that is rendered blessed, might perhaps be more familiarly rendered happy, for that is its meaning. The good news about Jesus as the Saviour, and the Friend of sinners, is from the blessed, the happy God. God is infinitely happy; nothing can disturb His serenity, or interfere with His enjoyment, or hinder His pleasure. But happiness is eminently diffusive. A cheerful, happy man will soon make his presence felt in any company; if we may so say, he cannot help it; his influence will be from the outgoing of his own nature. Thus the gospel is to us the expression of Gods blessedness, and His provision for the happiness of His sinful creatures. We learn, then, that its design in reference to men is to make them happy–truly, eternally happy. Oh! that they would believe this and turn to the gospel of God as to the fountain and means of solid, durable enjoyment. Happiness, true, abiding happiness, can only be found in the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Would you then be happy, happy in your souls, and in your homes, in your daily toil, and duty, happy even when you have to pass through scenes of sorrow, and when the shades of death fall upon you? Accept the good news of the gospel. No intelligence can affect you, except it is believed. The best earthly tidings will neither sadden nor elevate if you do not credit them. So every man must receive Gods message, and believe the gospel for himself if he would feel its preciousness, and realize its power. (J. Spence, D. D.)
The preeminent glory of the gospel
I had a great affection for Algernon Wells, and I now distinctly call to mind that blended pathos and humour which gave an exquisite charm to his unaffected manly character. He had, like Thomas Aquinas, the gift of tears, and was apt to weep on public occasions when his heart was touched, or his carefully finished plans were interrupted; but he had a fund of humour in conversation, and could pour forth sunny smiles and hearty, healthy laughs, such as I do not think often irradiated and warmed the countenance of the angelic doctor. His death was like his life, full of faith and love and joy; and when his end was drawing nearer than he apprehended, he said to Dr. Burder: My dear friend, if it please God, I hope to be able to preach as I have never yet done. Not that I reproach myself with having concealed or forgotten it. No, but more than ever I would fain speak of it as I have thought and felt here. I would make it the first thing, the pre-eminent. All gathered knowledge, all history, all poetry, all pleasant thoughts and happy things–all that I have, and am, and know, and think, shall range round and illustrate, but be subordinate to this the glorious gospel! The more I think of it in my long and quiet ponderings, the more precious and needful it becomes to me! (J. Stoughton, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 11. According to the glorious Gospel] The sound doctrine mentioned above, which is here called , the Gospel of the glory of the blessed or happy God-a dispensation which exhibits the glory of all his attributes; and, by saving man in such a way as is consistent with the glory of all the Divine perfections, while it brings peace and good will among men, brings glory to God in the highest. Sin has dishonoured God, and robbed him of his glory; the Gospel provides for the total destruction of sin, even in this world, and thus brings back to God his glory.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here the apostle specifies the sound doctrine of which he spake; that it is contained in the gospel, the perfect rule of righteousness, which he styles
the glorious gospel of the blessed God, it being a doctrine revealed from heaven, wherein the concurrence and command of the Divine attributes, wisdom, power, mercy, and justice, do most clearly shine to the glory of God, 2Co 4:6; Eph 1:6,12; and he gives the title of
blessed to God, thereby to signify his transcendent goodness, in that, being infinitely happy in the possession of his own excellencies, without any possible advantage and profit from any creature, yet he was pleased to give his Son to be our ransom, and with him grace and glory to us. The apostle adds,
which was committed to my trust, to distinguish it from the false doctrine which seducers published under the name of the gospel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. According to the gloriousgospelThe Christian’s freedom from the law as a sanctifier,as well as a justifier, implied in the previous, 1Ti 1:9;1Ti 1:10, is what this 1Ti1:11 is connected with. This exemption of the righteous from thelaw, and assignment of it to the lawless as its true object, is”according to the Gospel of the glory (so the Greek,compare Note, see on 2Co 4:4)of the blessed God.” The Gospel manifests God’s glory (Eph 1:17;Eph 3:16) in accounting”righteous” the believer, through the righteousness ofChrist, without “the law” (1Ti1:9); and in imparting that righteousness whereby he loathes allthose sins against which (1Ti 1:9;1Ti 1:10) the law is directed.The term, “blessed,” indicates at once immortalityand supreme happiness. The supremely blessed One is He fromwhom all blessedness flows. This term, as applied to GOD,occurs only here and in 1Ti 6:15:appropriate in speaking here of the Gospel blessedness, in contrastto the curse on those under the law (1Ti 1:9;Gal 3:10).
committed to mytrustTranslate as in the Greek order, which brings intoprominent emphasis Paul, “committed in trust to me”;in contrast to the kind of law-teaching which they (who had noGospel commission), the false teachers, assumed to themselves(1Ti 1:8; Tit 1:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God,…. For no doctrine is sound, but what is agreeable to that: this is a very great encomium of the Gospel. The doctrine preached by the apostles was not only Gospel, or good news, and glad tidings, but the Gospel of God; of which he is the author, and which relates to his glory, the glory of all his perfections; which reveals his purposes, shows his covenant, and exhibits the blessings and promises of it; and is the Gospel of the blessed God, who is blessed in himself, and is the fountain of blessedness to others; and particularly he blesses his chosen ones with spiritual blessings, and which are set forth and declared in the Gospel; for which reason this epithet seems to be given to God here: and it is a glorious one; it discovers the glory of God, of his wisdom, grace, and love in the salvation of men; its doctrines of peace and pardon, righteousness and salvation by Jesus Christ, are glorious ones; and so are its promises, being great and precious, all yea and amen in Christ, absolute, unconditional, unchangeable, and irreversible; its ordinances also are glorious ones, being amiable and pleasant, and not grievous and burdensome to believers; and it is glorious in its effects, being the power of God unto salvation, the means of enlightening the blind, of quickening the dead, of delivering men from bondage and servitude, of turning men from sin and Satan to God, and of refreshing and comforting distressed minds, and of reviving the spirits of drooping saints, of establishing and strengthening them, and nourishing them up to eternal life. The apostle adds,
which was committed to my trust: to distinguish this Gospel from another, from that of the false teachers, which was an inglorious one, and he had nothing to do with; and to show the excellency and worth of it; it being valuable, was deserving of care and keeping, and was a depositum the person intrusted with was faithfully and carefully to keep and preserve.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of the blessed God ( ). Applied to God only here and 6:15, but in Tit 2:13 occurs with (hope) of the “epiphany of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Which was committed to my trust ( ). “with which ( accusative retained with first aorist passive verb ) I was entrusted.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
According to. The connection is with the whole foregoing statement about the law and its application, ver. 9 ff. The writer substantiates what he has just said about the law, by a reference to the gospel. Comp. Rom 2:16.
The glorious gospel of the blessed God (to eujaggelion thv doxhv tou makariou qeou). More correctly, the gospel of the glory, etc. The phrase as a whole has no parallel in N. T. The nearest approach to it is 2Co 4:4. Gospel of God is a Pauline phrase; but makariov blessed is not used of God by Paul, is not used of God by paul, nor elsewhere outside of the pastorals, where it occurs twice, here and ch. 6 15. For blessed is not used of God by Paul, nor elsewhere outside of the Pastorals, where it occurs twice, here and ch. 6 15. For blessed see on Mt 5:3. The appearing of the glory of God in Jesus Christ is the contents of the gospel. Comp. Tit 2:13.
Which was committed to my trust [ ] . Or, with which I was intrusted. Comp Tit 1:3; Rom 3:2; 1Co 9:17; Gal 2:7; 1Th 2:4, The ejgw I emphatically asserts the authority of paul against the ” teachers of the law) (ver. 7).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith.” (Timotheo gnesio tekno en pistei) “To Timothy a true child in (the) faith.” Not only was Timothy won to the Lord by Paul’s ministry, but this term “true or begotten child in (the) faith” indicates he also served God in daily living, Act 16:1-3.
2) “Grace, mercy, and peace,” (charis, eleos, erene) “Grace, mercy, and peace” are terms of salutation which Paul used in trio form, only when addressing pastors, never individual churches, 1Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4. The term “mercy” is added in each pastoral salutation as if something special were needed for the daily frustrations of pastors.
3) “From God our Father.” (apo theou patros) “From God (the) Father.” This is at the same time a salutation and invocation prayer Paul offered to God for pastor Timothy of the Church at Ephesus, whom Paul had left to guide the church, Act 18:18-19; Act 20:1-4.
4) “And Jesus Christ our Lord.” (kai christou iesou tou kuriou hemon) “And Christ Jesus, the Lord or Master of us (all).” Of such Joh 13:13 reads, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” Mat 23:8; Mat 23:10; declares “one is your master”, Luk 6:46; Eph 6:9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1) “According to the glorious gospel” (kata to evangelion tes dokses) “According to (or based upon) the gospel of Glory.” 2Co 3:7-11; 2Co 4:3-4.
2) “Of the blessed God,” (tou makriou theo) “of the spiritually prosperous God.” The God who prospers or blesses spiritually, 1Ti 6:15; Psa 1:1-2.
3) Which was committed to my trust,” (ho episteuthen ego) (With) which (gospel) I was entrusted.” Unsound teaching, even the keeping of the law, had become “another gospel,” unsound doctrine with which the Asian brethren had been repeatedly confronted. Gal 1:6-9; Gal 1:11-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
11 According to the gospel of glory By calling it “the gospel of glory,” that is, “the glorious gospel,” he sharply rebukes those who labored to degrade the gospel, in which God displays his glory. He expressly says that it hath been intrusted to him, that all may know that there is no other gospel of God than that which he preaches; and consequently, that all the fables which he formerly rebuked are at variance both with the law and with the gospel of God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) According to the glorious gospel.All that St. Paul had been saying concerning the Lawits true work and its only workwas no mere arbitrary conception of his own; it was simply a repetition of the teaching of the gospel which his Master had intrusted to him, the gospel which taught so clearly that the Law was for the condemnation of sinnersthat it was for those alone who do not accept the easy yoke and the light burden of the Lord Jesus.
Of the blessed God.The whole sentence is more accurately translated, according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. (Comp. 2Co. 4:4.) The glory of the blessed God, whether as shown in the sufferings of Christ or in the riches of His great mercy, is that which is contained in and revealed by the gospel; in other words, the contents of the gospel is the glory and majesty of God. God is called here blessed, not only on account of His eternal and changeless perfection, but also on account of His blessed gift of forgiveness, offered to all sinners who accept His gospel of love.
Which was committed to my trust.This precious deposit, this trust, the gospel of the glory of God, was perhaps, in St. Pauls eyes, his truest title to honour. When we inquire more closely what was exactly meant by the gospel committed to his trust, something more definite seems to be required than the general answer that he was a minister of the Church, intrusted with the proclamation of his Masters blessed message. If this were all, St. Pauls loved title to honour would have been by no means peculiar to him, but would have been shared by many another in that great company of prophets, teachers, and evangelists of the Church of the first days. St. Paul rather seems to have gloried in some peculiar and most precious trust. Was it not possibly in that Gospel of Luke, which some of the most venerated of the fathers tell us St. Paul was accustomed to mention as the Gospel written by him? (Irenus, Origen, Jerome.) It was, perhaps, this blessed privilege of having been judged worthy to compile, under the direction of the Holy Ghostor, at all events, largely to furnish materials forone of the precious records of his adorable Masters earthly lite and work and suffering which St. Paul loved to tell of as his proudest title to honour.
To his own disciplesas well as to those who disputed his apostolic authorityhe would now and again refer to this, the highest of all honours bestowed on him by his Master; but there the boasting of the holy and humble man of God ended. Though the blessed evangelist St. Paul knew his work was for all the ages, the true humility of the noble servant of Jesus appears in the substitution of Luke for St. Paulthe scribes name in place of that of the real author.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. This entire charge against the errorists is according to the gospel. The issue is between the vain jangling and that sound doctrine which is committed to my trust.
Glorious gospel Literally, gospel of the glory of the blessed God; that is, the blessed announcement of that glory as a heavenly attainment.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ti 1:11 . . . .] may be joined with , so far as the grammar goes; but the thought is against this, since the . . is simply the doctrine of the gospel, and the whole of the added clause would be very slipshod. There is as little ground for joining it with , as was done by Theophylact ( . ., .), and approved by many later expositors. The only right construction is to refer this addition to the whole of the preceding thought (Wiesinger, Plitt, van Oosterzee, Hofmann), so as to bring the thought to a concluding point. Similarly in Rom 2:16 , . is joined with what precedes. The apostle asserts thereby that his doctrine regarding the law is not founded on his own private opinion, but on the gospel entrusted to him . In order to make its authority plainer as a rule of life, he describes it as (de “Wette, Matthies).
The genitive is not to be interpreted by the adjective , and then joined with . (= . ; Luther: “according to the glorious gospel”), or even with (Heinrichs: = ); the genitive should rather be allowed to retain its special meaning. may be the glory of the Christians , which is given them by God (comp. Rom 5:2 . Wegscheider: “according to the gladdening doctrine of the salvation which the blessed God imparts to us;” Theodoret: . , , and Theophylact). It is more natural, however, to understand the expression here, as in 2Co 4:4 ; 2Co 4:6 , Rom 9:23 , etc., of the glory dwelling in God, peculiar to Him, “revealed to the world in Jesus Christ” (Wiesinger). The relation of the genitive to is not to be taken to mean that the was declared to be the ground of the gospel (the gospel proceeding from the glory of God); the is rather contained in the gospel (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt), so that it is thereby revealed and communicated to men.
God’s nature is here described more precisely by the adjective , by which still greater emphasis is laid on God’s , manifesting itself in the gospel in its peculiar power. Though the word is not foreign to the N. T., it is used only here and in 1Ti 6:15 as an attribute of God. It is not improbable that the apostle uses it with some reference to the heretics. If, in 1Ti 1:4 , we are to understand by the genealogies, series of aeons emanating from God, he might readily use of God in order to mark the divine unity, for holiness excludes all division of nature. Theodore of Mopsuestia thinks that God is here called , not only because He has in His nature , but also because out of His grace He imparts it to us. [59] The words that follow declare that the gospel was entrusted to the apostle: (Tit 1:3 ). Regarding the construction of these words, cf. Buttmann, Gr. Gram. 121. 7; Winer, p. 244 [E. T. p. 287]. The same construction is found in Rom 3:2 ; Gal 2:7 ; 1Th 2:4 ; 1Co 9:17 . It is to be observed that this construction of the verb , apart from the Pastoral Epistles, occurs only in the epistles of Paul, and only where he speaks of the gospel, or the office given him to hold. [60]
[59] Otto takes the reference otherwise. He refers the word to the heretics, inasmuch as they taught the eternal continuance of the law: “The eternal continuance of the law presupposes a godlessness that cannot be amended. And these teach a blessed God? God is not blessed if He is for ever afflicted with those opposed to Himself, with the . . . I teach that God got rid of this opposition by reconciling the world to Himself, and that we have indeed a blessed God.” Hofmann refers to this, that the heretics “make the law the subject of their instruction in the place where there should only be preached the things by which God has glorified His blessedness.” In any case, Paul chose the attribute, because the heresy stood in contradiction to God’s blessedness.
[60] We need not be surprised that here, and somewhat frequently in the Pastoral Epistles, Paul directs attention to himself and his office, if only we reflect that the apostle was fully conscious of his position towards the development of God’s kingdom, and that he was bound, therefore, to vindicate fully the principle of the Christian life which he had enounced.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 2222
NATURE AND OFFICE OF THE GOSPEL [Note: The reader is recommended to read the Sermons on Gal 3:19. in connexion with, and immediately before, these. The two together contain one continuous exhibition of the Law and Gospel.]
1Ti 1:11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.
THE words which I have just read, being only an incomplete member of a sentence, without any definite sense, must be considered only as a motto to what I shall have occasion to advance, and not as a foundation whereon any statement is to be established. The Apostle is exhorting Timothy to check those false teachers, who, under a professed zeal for the Law, in reality undermined the Gospel: some, by insisting only on frivolous questions respecting the law; and others, by making it the ground of a sinners hope before God. All of these desired to be teachers of the law, whilst they understood not what they said, nor whereof they affirmed. The law, properly explained, was good, even as the Gospel itself: they were in perfect harmony with each other: for the Gospel condemned sin as much as the law itself could do, and inculcated holiness as strongly; and, in this view, it deserved that honourable appellation here given it, The glorious Gospel of the blessed God. In fact, the Law and the Gospel were one great whole; and, when viewed aright, contributed equally, though in different ways, to advance the honour of God and the welfare of mankind.
The law, with its proper and legitimate uses, I have, on a former occasion, considered. The Gospel is that to which I would wish to draw your attention throughout the present course: and, for the purpose of introducing it to your view, I have selected the very striking expression by which it is here characterized.
The Gospel is called, by the Apostle, the Gospel of the grace of God [Note: Act 20:24.]; because it reveals Gods purposes of love and mercy towards sinful man. He calls it also the Gospel of salvation [Note: Eph 1:13.]; because, whilst it reveals a salvation from God, it imparts that blessing to all who truly receive it. But the designation given to it in the passage before us is preeminently grand and beautiful; and will properly lead me to take a view of the Gospel in all its boundless extent, and to mark in succession, its nature and officeits riches and fulnessits suitableness and sufficiencyits excellency and glory.
And may God of his infinite mercy so reveal it to our minds, and bring it home with efficacy to our hearts, that it may prove the power of God to the salvation of all who hear it!
To investigate the nature and office of the Gospel, will be sufficient to occupy us at this time.
To understand the Gospel aright, we must contemplate,
I.
The state in which it finds us;
II.
The provision which it makes for our deliverance from that state; and,
III.
The means which it prescribes for our participation of its blessings.
I.
The state in which it finds us
Man is not in the state in which he was first created. He was formed at first, in the very image of his God; pure as God himself is pure; and perfect, according to his capacity, as God himself is perfect. But Adam fell; and his children, descending from him in his fallen state, could not but partake of his corruption: for the Scripture saith, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean [Note: Job 14:4.]? Now, to mark clearly and distinctly the condition of fallen man, is of the utmost importance; because the knowledge of that lies at the root of all true religion. The Scriptures declare it with the utmost simplicity: and, if we receive with humility the declarations of God respecting it, we shall gain an insight into the whole Gospel, which is, in fact, a provision of God for the necessities of man.
Now, there are two things which characterize the condition of fallen man; namely, guilt, and weakness: as the Apostle has said, While we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly [Note: Rom 5:6.].
Let us then contemplate these two points, the sin-fulness of fallen man, and his weakness.
Exceeding great is the depravity of our fallen nature. In every faculty of our mind we are corrupt; nor less so in every member of our body. Our understanding is dark; our will perverse; our affections sensual; our conscience partial; our very memory indisposed for the retaining of heavenly truths. And our bodies, being altogether under the influence of a depraved mind, are corrupt in all their parts; every member, instead of ministering unto holiness, being a willing servant of sin, and an instrument of unrighteousness unto iniquity. St. Paul not only states this, but accumulates a great number of passages of Holy Writ to illustrate and confirm his statement: and, with a most remarkable particularity, specifies our members, as it were from head to foot, as involved in the general calamity, and as contributing, according to their respective powers, to bring into effect every evil disposition of the mind: We have proved, says he, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: 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: their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. And this description he gives in order to shew that every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God [Note: Rom 3:9-19.].
With equal force the Scriptures mark the incapacity of man to restore himself either to the favour or the image of God. So far is man from being able to recommend himself to God, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is evil, only evil continually [Note: Gen 6:5.]. Nor can he of himself return to God; since it is God alone who can give him either to will, or to do, any thing that is good [Note: Php 2:13.].
I forbear to expatiate upon this; because, as I am anxious not to overstate the necessities of man, so I am desirous that all which I do state should be as far as possible in the words of God himself.
Yet I would observe, that this statement, brief as it is, ought to be well understood, and well considered: for, unless we clearly discern the necessities of man, we can never duly appreciate the provision which God has made for the relief of them. In truth, we cannot better understand the necessities of man, than by comparing his condition with that of the fallen angels. They, when they had contracted guilt, were unable to remove it; and, when they had lost the divine image in which they were created, were unable to restore it: and, having no provision made for them by God himself, they are left to endure the penalty of their transgression, in endless, irremediable misery. And I am not aware of even a shadow of difference between them and us in this respect, except so far as the sovereign grace of God, in which they found no interest, has interposed for us. I think this is the very truth before God; nor can I conceive that any one of a candid mind can entertain a doubt respecting it. But, if this were really felt, our work in establishing the truth of the Gospel would have no difficulties to encounter. It is the pride of the human heart which interposes the great obstacle to mens reception of the Gospel. They are averse to see the extent of their necessities: they will contend for some remnant of goodness or power in themselves, that shall lessen their obligations to the grace of God. But let a man acknowledge himself as wholly and for ever lost, and then he will be prepared to hear of a Saviour, and to embrace the salvation that is provided for him in the Gospel.
II.
What provision God has made for our recovery comes now, in the second place, to be considered.
Are we in a state of guilt? God has provided a Substitute and a Surety for us, in the person of his dear Son. Are we in a state of weakness? God has provided all needful strength for us, in the operations of his Holy Spirit. I might here enter at large into all the offices of Christ, as the Prophet, Priest, and King of his Church; and unfold all the offices of the Holy Spirit, who has undertaken to work in us the whole work of God, and, by his all-powerful influence, to perfect in our souls all that concerns us. But it is my wish to simplify everything; and to exclude from my discussion every thing which, however instructive, may have the effect of diverting the mind from the main objectthe beauty and simplicity of the Gospel. Let us, then, limit our views of the Saviour and of the Holy Spirit to the two points which we have mentioned; and mark distinctly the way in which the one removes our guilt, and the other our weakness.
When no possible way remained for man to make compensation to the Deity for the guilt he had contracted, God was pleased to give his only dear Son, to stand in our place, and, by his own vicarious sufferings, to expiate our guilt. For this end, God prepared for him a body in the womb of a pure virgin: that so, whilst he should partake of our nature, he should neither be involved in the guilt of our progenitor, nor inherit his corruption. So far as our sinless infirmities were concerned, God made him like unto us: but so far as any thing of corruption was concerned, he made him perfectly without sin: for, if he had had any sin of his own, he could not have been a fit person to take away sin from us: if he must be a victim for the sins of others, he must himself be without spot or blemish. Thus, in the person of the Lord Jesus, were united both God and man. In his own nature he was God equal with the Father, even God over all, blessed for ever [Note: Rom 9:5.]. By assuming our nature into union with his own, he became capable of suffering in our place and stead. And he did suffer in our place; for we are expressly told, that God laid on him the iniquities of us all [Note: Isa 53:6.]. Nor did he only suffer the penalties of the broken law, which, without his merciful intervention, we must have endured for ever; but he fulfilled, in its utmost possible extent, all its holy precepts, and thereby wrought out a righteousness for us, a righteousness which might be imputed to all, and put upon all, those who should believe in him [Note: Rom 3:22.]. As for considering how all this could be; how God could become a man: how he could stand in our place and stead: how he could, by his vicarious sufferings, atone for sin; how such a plan could avail for affecting a reconciliation between God and man; and how God can accept man through a righteousness not his own, but wrought out for him by another, and imputed to him; and how Gods perfections can be reconciled and glorified in such a way of saving man; these are questions which God alone can resolve: it is sufficient for us to know, that God has provided such a way for the removal of our guilt; and that of those who come to him in his Sons name, not one shall ever be cast out [Note: Joh 6:37.]. We sum up, therefore, this part of our subject in the inspired declaration, which we are commissioned to proclaim to the whole world, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them [Note: 2Co 5:18-19.].
But, to remedy our weakness, a commission also was given to the Third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, to reveal the Saviour to us, and to fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his goodness for our full and final salvation. Our incapacity to save ourselves was, in fact, like that of a body actually dead. So far as relates to spiritual feeling or power, we are altogether destitute either of the one or the other. Of natural feelings or powers, I forbear to speak: they may be carried to any extent; and it will make no difference in my positions. I would not degrade man below what he really is: I am willing to allow him all that any man can reasonably wish. It is of spiritual powers alone that I speak; and in relation to them I say, that man is altogether dead in trespasses and sins [Note: Eph 2:1.]. But the Spirit of God undertakes to quicken us by his Almighty power: and it is by his power alone, even by the working of that mighty power which raised Christ himself from the dead, that any soul of man attains the least disposition to serve and honour God. Having quickened our souls, the Holy Spirit proceeds to discover to us the extent of our necessities, and to humble us under a sense of them. Then he stirs us up to cry unto our God: then he reveals the Saviour to us (for it is his office to glorify Christ; and to take of the things that are Christs, and to shew them unto us [Note: Joh 16:14.]). He then enables us to exercise faith in Christ, and to receive him for all the ends and purposes for which he has been sent. He then fills us with a principle of love to Christ, and constrains us to live unto him. He enables us progressively to mortify all our sinful propensities, and to honour God by a holy conversation. In this way he transforms us gradually into the Divine image, and makes us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
For the same reason that I forbore to enter more fully into the offices of Christ, I forbear to expatiate upon the different offices of the Holy Spirit. This is a subject which would occupy an entire course of sermons by itself; and, if I should ever live to address another course to this assembly, would complete my series [Note: This is done in a Course of Sermons on Rom 8:9. which the reader should peruse after these.]. But, be that as it may, my object on the present occasion is to simplify every thing, that my subject, from beginning to end, may be clearly seen, and fully comprehended.
As to any nice speculations relative to the mode of the Spirits agency, they would be altogether beside my purpose. It is sufficient to say, that no man, who believes the Holy Scriptures, can doubt of the Holy Spirit being sent of God to apply to the souls of men the redemption which Christ has wrought out for them; and that if ever we have access to God, it must be through Christ, and by the Spirit [Note: Eph 2:18.]. It is for this end that the Spirit is given; and this end he will accomplish in all who implore his aid.
III.
Now we are come to our third point; which is, to shew the means which the Gospel prescribes for our participation of its benefits.
The first thought which occurs to men is, that they must do something to merit and to earn salvation. But, if we consider the condition of our first parents after the fall, we shall see how vain must be such a conceit, how fallacious such a hope. What could they do to recommend themselves to their offended God? As for doing any thing to merit the gift of Gods only dear Son, and the influences of the Holy Spirit upon their souls, it is obvious that no such idea could, by any possibility, enter into their minds. What can the fallen angels, at this instant, do to merit a restoration to Gods favour? Yet they are as capable of it as we.
But it may be said, that now God, of his own mercy and grace, has given us a Saviour, we must do something to deserve an interest in him. What then, I would ask, can we do? Our blessed Lord has told us, that without him we can do nothing [Note: Joh 15:5.]; so that the communication of his grace must precede, not follow, the performance of any good act whatever: and, consequently, we must be indebted altogether to the sovereign grace of God, which first gives us to will, and then to do, of his good pleasure.
The truth is, as the first gift of a Saviour sprang altogether from the sovereign grace of God, so must salvation in all its parts; seeing that we have not of ourselves a sufficiency even to think a good thought [Note: 2Co 3:5.]. It is by faith alone that the good work of salvation must be wrought in us. We must first believe Gods record respecting his dear Son: then, in the exercise of the same faith, we must look to his Son for the communication of his purchased benefits. So, throughout our whole continuance on earth, the life which we live in the flesh, we must live by faith in the Son of God, who has loved us, and given himself for us [Note: Gal 2:20.]. Let any one reflect, for a moment, What other way is there for any soul of man to participate the benefits which God has treasured up for us in his dear Son? Is there any other way of our being united to him, as branches of the living Vine; or of our receiving out of his fulness the grace that we stand in need of? is there any other way, I say, than by faith? If we look into the Scriptures, we shall find that faith is continually represented as the means whereby alone we can either receive from God any spiritual blessing [Note: Joh 1:12.], or perform unto him any acceptable service [Note: Heb 11:6.].
I grant, that we must repent. But repentance will neither atone for past sin, nor stand in the place of future obedience: and even repentance itself must be given us by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is exalted to the right hand of God, to give repentance, no less than remission of sins [Note: Act 5:31.]. I grant, also, that when we have believed in Christ, we must walk in his ways, and yield obedience to his commandments. But this obedience cannot supersede the necessity of faith: on the contrary, it can exist only as the fruit of faith: and, instead of purchasing salvation for us, it is itself a part of that very salvation which the Lord Jesus Christ purchased for us upon the cross.
Now these truths have been greatly controverted, in every age of the Church. Persons have raised subtle questions upon every part of this subject, and made them the occasions of acrimonious dispute: whereas there is nothing under heaven more plain and simple than the way of salvation as prescribed for us in the Gospel. I think we may, by one single word, throw such light upon it, as shall supersede, I had almost said, all controversy respecting it. I do not mean to say, that persons who love controversy may not yet find, or make, abundant occasion for it: but I do say, that, by one single word, the whole of salvation may be so plainly declared, that a humble and contrite soul shall be enabled, for all practical purposes, to view it in all its length and breadth. What, then, is that word which will thus exhibit the Gospel in so bright and clear a light? It is the word, remedy. Let us come back to the state of fallen man: he is in a guilty, polluted, helpless condition. In this state God provides for him a remedy, and both inclines and enables him to apply that remedy. For his guilt he applies to himself the atoning blood of Christ: for his pollution and weakness, he looks to the Holy Spirit to begin and carry on a work of grace within him. By looking to Christ, he obtains peace with God and in his own conscience: and, by yielding himself to the influences of Gods Holy Spirit, he becomes renewed and sanctified in all his powers. His renovated health begins immediately to appear. He is enabled to mortify all his former corruptions; and to walk holily, justly, and unblameably, before God and man. Gradually, he becomes transformed into the Divine image, in righteousness and true holiness. Ask him now, To what he ascribes the change that has taken place within him? and he will tell you, it is owing to the remedy which God has prescribed, and enabled him to apply. To his latest hour he continues applying the same remedy (for, whilst here, he is only in a convalescent state, and not perfectly recovered): and when taken hence to his heavenly inheritance, he ascribes all the glory to his Almighty Physician; saying, To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and our Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen [Note: Rev 1:5-6.] Now, what is there in all this to dispute about? What is there that is not perfectly plain and simple? What is there that a humble and contrite sinner needs beyond this, for the peace of his mind, or the sanctification and salvation of his soul? Here all appears to be of grace: both the Saviour himself, and salvation through him, are the entire unmerited gift of God. The whole of the Christians life, too, is here perfectly plain and simple: he is continually availing himself of the remedy prescribed, and experiencing its beneficial effects. If any one apply to him for information and instruction in relation to the soul, he directs him with confidence to this remedy; and attests with thankfulness, from his own experience, its divine efficacy. He even appeals to its effects, as evidences of its divine origin. He not only acknowledges, but is himself forward to assert, that all pretensions to divine communications must be tried by this test. He would say, Examine the remedy by this criterion: does it operate to bring man to his primeval state in Paradise; so that, in proportion as it becomes effectual, it subdues his evil propensities, regulates his tempers and dispositions, enables him to sit loose to the things of this world, and makes him to find all his happiness in God alone? Compare him, he would say, with the Saviour in whom he professes to believe, and see whether his faith produce in him somewhat of the mind that was in Christ [Note: Php 2:5.], and constrain him to walk as Christ walked [Note: 1Jn 2:6.]. Compare him, also, with the Apostles and the primitive Christians, and see whether the remedy operate on him as it did on them. Then we may hope, indeed, that his heart is right before God; and that the remedy which he applies for the benefit of his own soul is that which will prove effectual for the whole world.
You will perceive that I have cautiously abstained from any thing which might anticipate my future statements. It is my wish to keep every part as distinct as possible, that the subject may successively grow upon us, till it appear in all its incomprehensible majesty and grandeur. I know indeed, how unequal I am to the task of bringing it properly before you: but this I do hope, in some measure, to attain; namely, to give clear views of all which I state, and to exhibit the subject in as simple a manner as a due investigation of it will admit of. Not that it will be possible for us to divest the subject of all difficulties. For instance, the remedy of which we have spoken is represented as altogether the gift of God, no less in the application of it to the soul, than in the revelation of it to the mind: and yet men are called upon to apply it to themselves, as much as if they were originally and of themselves perfectly competent to that task. It may be said, If we can attain it of ourselves, why represent it as a gift? and if we cannot attain it of ourselves, why represent that attainment as a duty? I answer, To simplify our statements so as to remove all difficulties, is impossible; because the Gospel is, a mystery, hid in God from the beginning of the world [Note: Eph 3:9.]: but, to state it in so plain and simple a way as shall approve itself to every candid mind, is an object which should be aimed at, and may certainly be attained. That which introduces such obscurity into the Gospel is, the attempt of men to reduce Christianity to a system, such as man himself would devise, or such as his unenlightened reason would approve. But Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor are his ways as our ways [Note: Isa 55:8-9.]. No; they infinitely transcend ours: and the true way to comprehend Gods system is, to consider for what ends he has revealed his Gospel. We have said, His Gospel is a remedy: and it is a remedy, suited in itself to the necessities of man; and suited, in the manner of its proposal, to the powers of man. Now man, however fallen, has faculties and powers, agreeably to which God will deal with him: for God draws us, not as beasts, or as stocks and stones, but with the cords of a man [Note: Hos 11:1.]; that is, in a way consistently with our intellectual and moral powers. Now man has within him certain principles, as hope and fear; and by these principles God will move him. But, if there were in the Scriptures nothing but promises, what scope would there be for fear? or if there were nothing but commands and threatenings, what ground would there be for hope? But the Scriptures, meeting both of these principles with appropriate declarations, call forth both of them into act and exercise; and thus, as two forces from different angles, striking simultaneously and with equal strength on a given object, will propel that object forward in a straight line, so do these different declarations operate on the mind of man, and urge him forward in the path of duty and of holiness. As for those who would wrest the Scriptures to make them all speak one language, they, whether Calvinists or Arminians, shew that they have not duly considered the true design of God in the revelation of his will. They need to be reminded of this great peculiarity in the sacred records, that they are altogether suited, no less to the powers, than to the necessities, of man; and if the different parties would agree to meet upon that ground, there would be an end of all their controversies and animosities. Only strive to simplify the Scriptures, and they will be simple: but strive to perplex and confound them, and they may soon be made a theatre for endless disputes.
To keep out of view every thing that is of a questionable nature, has been, and shall be, my earnest endeavour. It is the practical effect of the Gospel which I am alone anxious to promote: and now, therefore, in conclusion, I take the liberty to recommend two things: first, That we all seek a deep acquaintance with our state before God: and next, That we apply to ourselves the remedy which God has set before us in the Gospel.
Would we but comply with the former of these requests, what might we not hope for from the remedy which has been set before us? Had we but a due preparation of heart for the reception of the Gospel, surely it should distil as the dew upon our souls, and come as rain upon the new-mown grass. The sound of salvation purchased by our incarnate God! verily, it would transport our souls, as once the angels in heaven were transported, when they sang, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; good-will towards men [Note: Luk 2:14.]. And what ineffable joy would spring up within us, from the thought of an indwelling Deity undertaking our cause, and working effectually upon our souls! Methinks we should already seize upon heaven as our own, and, with confident exultation, defy all the powers, whether of earth or hell, to rob us of it. Especially, if we began in earnest to realize these truths, then would our peace flow down like a river, and our souls become as a well-watered garden, and as springs of water whose waters fail not. But let us remember what is indispensably necessary to our profiting by the Gospel: we must feel, and deeply mourn over, our lost estate. The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick: and the remedy can be of no use to us, if we be not sensible of our disease. I pray God that this may not be forgotten by us. A mere speculative knowledge of the Gospel, however accurate, will avail us nothing. We must all be as patients in an hospital, and receive with thankfulness the remedy prescribed. If we neglect it, or attempt to substitute any other in its stead, we shall do so to our eternal ruin. We must look to Christ for the justification, and to the Holy Spirit for the sanctification, of our souls. There is salvation for us in no other way whatever. There is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. But through Him, all that believe shall be justified from all things [Note: Act 13:39.]. Let us, then, implore of God now to give testimony to the word of his grace; and so to shine into our hearts, as to give to every one amongst us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [Note: 2Co 4:6.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 2223
RICHNESS AND FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL
1Ti 1:11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.
Eph 3:8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
OF the nature and office of the Gospel, I have spoken in my former discourse. Of its riches and fulness, I am now to treat. But who is sufficient for such an undertaking [Note: 2Co 2:16.]? The riches of Christ, as revealed in the Gospel, are declared to be unsearchable: how, then, can we hope to bring them forth in any measure suited to the occasion? Yet we must make the attempt; because, to bring them forth, and exhibit them to view, is the duty of all who would approve themselves faithful in the ministerial office. This was the work assigned to the Apostle Paul: and it is no less required of us at this day, if we have been called to minister in holy things, and to serve God in his sanctuary. Yet, methinks, instead of calling this a duty, I would rather call it a privilege; not a work imposed, but rather, as my text expresses it, a grace given: for no higher honour can be conferred on mortal man than to be sent forth by God to minister unto his fellow-sinners the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. Let it not, however, be thought that this high commission has any tendency to generate pride in the hearts of those who have received it: on the contrary, it will operate rather to humble and abase the soul under a sense of its own unworthiness and insufficiency. Thus it wrought on the Apostle Paul; who, finding no word whereby to express his unworthiness of such an honour, formed a word for the purpose, and called himself, not the least of all saints, but less than the least: Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. In like manner, I would now, under a becoming sense of my own utter insufficiency, proceed with the work assigned me; and endeavour, as God shall enable me, to set before you the riches and the fulness of the Gospel of Christ.
For this end, I would consider the Gospel in a threefold view:as an expedient devised;as an instrument employed;and as a gift bestowed. And I would, under each head, set forth the riches of it:
The riches of wisdom contained in it as an expedient;
The riches of power, as an instrument; and
The riches of grace, as a gift.
First, then, I will endeavour to set forth the riches of wisdom contained in the Gospel, as an expedient for the salvation of ruined man.
The Gospel is called the wisdom of God in a mystery [Note: 1Co 2:7.]: and, truly, the wisdom exhibited in it is deeply mysterious. Suppose, for a moment, it had been left to man to devise a way for his own restoration to the Divine favour; or that all the angels in heaven had been consulted by him for that end: I conceive that no way but that of an absolute pardon by a sovereign act of mercy could have entered into the mind of any finite intelligence. Whether such an exercise of mercy could have consisted with Gods honour, it is not for us to determine. None but God can know what is within the power of God to do. But we may safely declare, that, even supposing such an exercise of mercy, under the existing circumstances, possible, it was not the way which was most suited to the occasion, nor the way that would bring the most honour to God: and therefore it was not the way which a God of infinite wisdom thought fit to adopt. God, at all events, determined to make the fall of man an occasion of displaying his own glorious perfections: and, therefore, the question to be resolved was, How the removal of mans guilt, and the restoration of a ruined world to the favour of God. should be made to subserve that end?in a word, How God should be glorified, and the sinner saved?
The holiness of God was called, to express its abhorrence of sin. The justice of God was called, to execute vengeance on those who had committed sin. The truth of God was called, to fulfil the threatenings denounced against sin. But how shall holiness be displayed, justice be honoured, and truth be kept inviolate, if the offender receive a full, gratuitous remission of his guilt? Here are difficulties, which not all the wisdom of men or angels could surmount. No means had been devised for the restoration of the fallen angels; nor was it within the reach of any finite intelligence to declare, how any remedy could be found for fallen man. Suppose that the idea of a substitute had entered into the mind of any, how could an innocent creature be punished in the place of the guilty? How could it be conceived, that God should ever consent to accept such a vicarious offering? and how could it be imagined, that he should ever be induced to inflict, with his own hand, on one that was innocent, the wrath due to the guilty, and to punish the innocent for the guilty?
But, suppose such a thought suggested, where was there to be found one capable of representing the whole world, and of sustaining the punishment due to all the millions of mankind? Was there an angel that could take upon him this office? Were all the angels in heaven capable of rendering such a service to mankind? Could any one less than God himself undertake so great a work? And could it be conceived possible that God should exercise such love towards those who had trampled on his laws, and risen up in rebellion against him? But, supposing that God was willing to undertake the office of restoring man, how shall he do it? How shall God endure sufferings for man? How shall he put himself in the place of man? How shall any thing that he can do be made available for man, so as to be put to mans account, as if he had done it? And, supposing that God were to become a man, for the purpose of putting himself in the place of man, and doing and suffering what man was bound to do and suffer, how could it consist with the holiness and justice and truth of God, to let the innocent suffer and the guilty go free; yea, to let the innocent suffer on purpose that the guilty might go free?
The more we enter into the consideration of these things, and contemplate the difficulties which lay in the way of mans recovery to God, the more we shall see how impossible it was that any created wisdom should devise a way for effecting it, in consistency with Gods honour. But here Divine wisdom interposed; and in the councils of the Eternal Three it was determined, that Gods co-equal, co-eternal Son should undertake for us; that a body should be given him; that, in the fulness of time, he should be born into the world, and, as the Substitute and Surety of all mankind, should bear their sins in his own sacred body; and, by his own obedience unto death, should work out a righteousness or all who should believe in him, even a righteousness commensurate with the fullest demands of Gods law; that so, Divine justice being satisfied, God might be just, and yet the justifier of our sinful race [Note: Rom 3:26.].
Contemplate now this mystery. A Mediator! that Mediator, God!that God, man!that Deity incarnate, suffering!those sufferings, vicarious!his whole obedience, too, accepted as vicarious, and imputed to sinful man!man, so rescued, brought into a state of peace with God!man, so rescued, restored to the Divine image, approved of his God, justified before the whole assembled universe, and exalted to a throne of glory! and all in perfect consistency with the honour of God himself; yea, and all the Divine perfections glorified in this very way!What shall we say? We are amazed: we are confounded: we can scarcely believe our own statement: it must surely be a cunninglydevised fable. But no: it is Gods plan for the salvation of a ruined world; and, in the contemplation of it, we can do nothing but exclaim with the Apostle, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out [Note: Rom 11:33.]!
Now this Gospel is, as I am to shew in the next place, the great instrument which God is pleased to employ for the restoration of the world to him: and the riches of his power as so exerted, and as effecting the complete deliverance of man from his fallen state, is now, in the Second place, to be set before you.
It will be remembered, that whilst, in the eyes of the selfrighteous Jews, the Gospel was a stumbling-block, and amongst the conceited Greeks was accounted foolishness, the Apostle declared it to be the wisdom of God, and the power of God [Note: 1Co 1:24.]. It seemed, to those who confided in their own wisdom, inconceivable that the salvation of man should ever be effected by means which they judged so unsuited to the end. But the Apostle hesitated not to affirm, that the Gospel would surely answer all the ends for which it had been ordained; would prove alike powerful for us, through the work of Christ; and in us, through the operation of his Spirit on our souls.
Behold its power for us! Satan had ruined our first parents, and, with them, their descendants also throughout the whole world; over whom he had usurped and exercised the most despotic sway. Hence he is called the god of this world, and the prince of the power of the air; the spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience [Note: 2Co 4:4 and Eph 2:2.]. But the Lord Jesus Christ undertook to rescue us from his dominion, and to establish his own empire over every child of man. And how would he effect this? Would it be in the way of mighty conquerors, who subdue the world by force? No; but by giving himself up into the power of his enemies, and suffering them to put him to death upon the cross. Yes, strange as this way of conquering was, by death he overcame him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage [Note: Heb 2:14-15.]. When he hanged upon the cross as an expiring malefactor, and was himself to all appearance subdued, it was even then that he spoiled all the principalities and powers of hell, and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in his cross [Note: Col 2:15.]. And this one record, That he died for sinners upon the cross, is the instrument which, from that very moment, has been effectual for the demolition of Satans empire, and for the establishment of Christs kingdom throughout the world. This one record has been a weapon which neither men nor devils have been able to withstand: it has been mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds, and bringing the very thoughts of men into captivity to the obedience of Christ [Note: 2Co 10:4-5.]. See the effect of it throughout all the Roman empire: how did all the gods of the heathen fall before it; and all the prejudices and passions of mankind yield to its sway! Yes, foolish as it seemed, and weak, the foolishness of God was wiser than men, and the weakness of God was stronger than men [Note: 1Co 1:25.]: and this stone, cut out without hands, shall break in pieces all the powers of the universe that shall attempt to withstand it [Note: Dan 2:34-35.].
And as the Gospel is thus powerful for us through Christ, so shall it also be powerful in us, through the influences of the Holy Spirit. Look at every soul of man: that wicked adversary, the devil, takes us all in his snare, and leads us captive at his will [Note: 2Ti 2:26.]. And how are any delivered from his chains? Is it by human eloquence, or by the powers of moral suasion? No: in no instance have they been ever able to prevail. Nothing but the Gospel has ever truly emancipated one single soul, or brought one to the enjoyment of solid peace. But this has been quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of joints and marrow, and been a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [Note: Heb 4:12.]. See, on the day of Pentecost, what a change it wrought on thousands of the most blood-thirsty murderers! See, in instances without number, how it turned men from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God [Note: Act 26:18.]! Multitudes there are, at this day, that are living witnesses of its power; multitudes, who, by its enlightening, comforting, and sanctifying efficacy, are created altogether anew, and filled with joy and peace in believing. These effects the world beholds, and wonders at, and is unable to account for: but they are seen in every place where the Gospel is faithfully administered: yes, the simple exhibition of Christ crucified is still, as truly and as effectually as ever, a hammer to break the rock in pieces [Note: Jer 23:29.]; and a mould, to form into Christs likeness all that are delivered into it [Note: Rom 6:17. the Greek.], even all that are subjected to its divine influence. If it be asked, how all this comes to pass: I answer, that the Holy Spirit of God, the Third Person of the ever-blessed Trinity, has undertaken to glorify Christ, and to render his word effectual for all the ends and purposes for which it has been proclaimed; and the miracle wrought by Peter on the man lame from his birth is still realized, in a spiritual way, from day to day: for the name of Jesus, through faith in his name, does still make many whole; so that, whereas they were from their very birth both lame and impotent, they now walk and leap for joy in the temple, and in the service of their God. And how great the power is that thus restores them to God may be seen in the comparison by which St. Paul sets it forth, when he prays for the Ephesian Church, and that in terms which no translation can ever adequately express, that they may know what is the exceeding greatness of Gods power towards them that believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. I say, then, that we may here behold the riches of power exerted by this apparently weak instrument in converting men to the faith of Christ; and that it is at this hour, no less than in the apostolic age, the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe [Note: Rom 1:16.].
But, agreeably to the plan proposed, I must go on further, in the Third and last place, to shew the riches of grace which are displayed in the Gospel, as Gods gift to sinful man.
St. Paul, you will remember, states, that in the whole work of salvation, as revealed in the Gospel, God especially designed, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus [Note: Eph 2:7.]. We seem called upon, therefore, to enter somewhat more fully into this part of our subject; and the rather, because it falls more within the reach of our comprehension, and seems capable of more easy developement. I think, too, that the impression which this part of our subject is calculated to make will be of a deeper and more abiding character; not only because it is of a less abstract nature, but because it applies itself more to the best feelings of our hearts.
But, whilst I enter on this part of my subject, I feel that, from the mode in which I propose to illustrate it, I may, to those who are not conversant with the Scripture history, be thought to treat it with less reverence than so deep and mysterious a subject demands. But I beg leave to say, that no man under heaven would more revolt from any thing that was irreverent in the ministration of the Gospel, than he who is about to submit to you the statement which is now contemplated. It must be remembered, that the condescension of the Deity is that which is particularly to be set before you; and that, if it be brought before you in a way that is not usual, it is exhibited in the very light which the Scriptures themselves most fully authorize. I need not remind this audience of the condescension of God to Abraham, when he permitted him to intercede for Sodom; and to reiterate his requests with continually increasing enlargement, till he had reduced the number of those for whose sake he desired the devoted cities to be spared, from fifty to forty-five, from forty-five to forty, from forty to thirty, from thirty to twenty, and from twenty to ten [Note: Gen 18:23-32.]. Nor need I remind you of Gods condescension to David, in reference to the judgments to be inflicted on him for numbering the people, in that he left altogether to the decision of the offender himself the judgment with which he should be visited [Note: 2Sa 24:12.]. But there is yet another instance of condescension which comes more fully to our point, and that is, Gods own permission to Solomon to ask for himself whatsoever he chose (Ask what I shall give thee): and his high approbation of the petition offered, in that he not only granted the thing desired, but added also other valuable blessings which the petitioner had forborne to ask [Note: 1Ki 3:5; 1Ki 3:12-13.].
Now, if we take these Scripture examples, and consider Adam after the fall as summoned into the presence of his Maker, and as having the same liberty accorded to him as had been vouchsafed to these favoured servants of the Deity; if we suppose the Almighty saying to him, in like manner as to Solomon, Ask what I shall give thee, in order to the restoration of thyself and all thy descendants to my favour; and then as permitting him to offer successive requests in the form of a dialogue with the Deity, after the manner of Abraham; we shall behold the grace of God in a most astonishing point of view; and, I may add, in a point of view which will fill all our souls with gratitude and praise. But I must again entreat that my statement may not be misconstrued, as bearing the least appearance of irreverence: for I again say, that I would on no account whatever utter a single expression that should be justly open to such a reproach. But, indeed, my statement shall not be misapprehended, if only you will bear in mind what we ourselves, under the New-Testament dispensation, are authorized to do in our approaches to God, and to expect at his gracious hands. Our blessed Lord has expressly said to us, Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you [Note: Joh 15:7.]. And St. Paul, to encourage our boldness and confidence in prayer, assures us, that God is able, and doubtless willing too, to do exceeding abundantly for us, above all that we can ask or think [Note: Eph 3:20.]: so that, in fact, God says to us, Ask of me all that your necessities require; and when language fails you, stretch your imagination to the uttermost, in order to comprehend all that can, by any possibility, be desirable for you; and I will do it; I will do it all; I will do above all; I will do abundantly above all; I will do exceeding abundantly above all, even above all that you can ask or even think: open your mouth ever so wide, I will fill it [Note: Psa 81:10.].
Now with this cautious and laboured endeavour to bespeak your candid reception of my statement, I will proceed to suppose Adam, after he had fallen, standing in the presence of his Maker, and addressed by his Maker to the following effect: Thou hast fallen; and all thy descendants, whose head and representative thou hast been, are fallen in thee. But I have designs of love and mercy towards both thee and them. I have already declared to thine adversary the devil, that one shall spring from thee to bruise his head [Note: Gen 3:15.]: and now I say to thee, that I will not only send thee a Saviour, but I will give thee salvation in any way that thou thyself shalt desire, provided only it be not derogatory to my honour, or inconsistent with my perfections. Now, therefore consider thy necessities, and I will supply them all; so that nothing shall be wanting, either to thyself or thy posterity, that can conduce to their happiness in time or in eternity. I tell thee again, that I will grant thee a Saviour; and in him shall be combined every thing that thou thyself shalt desire.
To this we may suppose Adam to reply: O my God, I am filled with wonder at thy condescension and grace, to one who deserves nothing at thy hands but wrath and indignation: and I would rather refer it back again to thee, to give me such a Saviour as thou shalt see fit: for, indeed, I know neither what to ask, nor how to ask it [Note: Rom 8:26.]. I feel that I am so deeply fallen, that not the highest archangel about thy throne could save me.
True, we may suppose Jehovah to say; no creature could be sufficient for that end. But the person whom I will appoint to that office shall be my onlybegotten Son [Note: Joh 3:16.]; ray Fellow [Note: Zec 13:7.], who is altogether One with me [Note: Joh 10:30.]; in glory equal, in majesty co-eternal.
But, O my God, how shall I dare to approach him, or to spread my wants before him? I should fear, he would spurn me from his footstool, and never condescend to look on so vile and worthless a being as I am.
No; in order that he may sympathize with thee, he shall assume thy nature [Note: Heb 2:14.]; and from his own experience of temptation, be prepared and qualified to succour thee in thy temptations [Note: Heb 2:18.]. I will prepare him a body for this very end [Note: Heb 10:5.]: and, that he may not inherit any taint from thee, I will form him in the womb of a pure Virgin; so that in his human, no less than in his divine nature, he may be the Son of God [Note: Luk 1:34-35.].
But how shall I know his love towards me?
Thou shalt have evidence of it, beyond all conception. For, notwithstanding he has from all eternity been in my bosom [Note: Joh 1:18.], a partaker with me in all my glory [Note: Joh 17:5.], he shall empty himself of it all, in order that he may accomplish the work entrusted to him [Note: Php 2:6-7.]. Nor shall he only do this great thing, but he shall suffer for thee all that thou hast deserved to suffer, bearing thy sins in his own sacred body [Note: 1Pe 2:24.], and expiating thy guilt by his own obedience unto death [Note: Php 2:8.]. Yes, his visage shall be so marred more than any mans, and his form more than the sons of men [Note: Isa 52:14.], that by his chastisement thy peace may be effected, and by his stripes thou mayest be healed [Note: Isa 53:4-5.].
I marvel, O my God, at this stupendous grace. But how shall I get access to him, to spread my wants before him?
He shall be ever with thee, and with every one of thy believing posterity, even to the end of the world [Note: Mat 28:20.]; so that, wherever thou art, and under whatever circumstances, thou mayest have the most endearing fellowship with him [Note: 1Jn 1:3.], and pour thine every request into his gracious ear [Note: Php 4:6.].
But how can I hope that his merciful interposition shall so prevail, as to procure for me an everlasting acceptance with thee?
He shall make an atonement for thy sins, and work out a righteousness for thee and for all thy believing posterity [Note: Rom 3:25; Rom 5:18.]. He shall also, by the influence of my Holy Spirit, whom he will impart unto thee, restore thee to mine image, which thou hast lost [Note: Act 2:38-39.]: and he shall be ever at my right hand, to plead his own merits in thy behalf, and, by his effectual intercession, to prevent any expression of my displeasure on account of thy short-comings and defects [Note: Heb 7:25. ].
But, O my God, thou knowest what a subtle adversary I have, even that cruel enemy that has reduced me to my present calamitous condition. And, if he prevailed against me when I was yet in innocence, how shall I be able to withstand him now that I am so weak, and encompassed, as I shall be, with such incessant and powerful temptations?
This I will do for thee: I will set Him upon my throne, even upon my holy hill of Zion [Note: Psa 2:6.]: and I will especially constitute him Head over all things to the Church [Note: Eph 1:22.], and He shall reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet [Note: 1Co 15:25.]; so that, if only thou trust in Him, thou mayest be assured, that not all the powers of darkness shall ever be able to separate thee from his love [Note: Rom 8:38-39.].
May I then venture to hope, that, whilst ordering the affairs of the whole universe, he will condescend to notice such a worm as me?
Yes; he shall have such an interest in thee, as a monarch would have in his jewels [Note: Mal 3:17.] and in his crown [Note: Isa 62:3.]; of which he would never, if by any means he could prevent it, suffer himself to be despoiled.
But, O my God, what shall I do when I am called to thy bar of judgment? Oh! what hope can I entertain of acceptance with thee in that awful hour?
The fixing of thy doom shall depend on Him [Note: Joh 5:22. Rom 14:10.]. He, in whose atoning sacrifice thou hast trusted for the remission of thy sins, and by whose effectual grace thou hast been sustained even to the end; He, whose interests are bound up in thine, and who is to possess thee as the reward of all his travail; even He, I say, who witnessed all thy tears, thy struggles, thy services, thy pleas; He, who has been thy Saviour, shall then, in the capacity of a Judge, complete his work, and assign to thee the kingdom of heaven as thine inheritance: so that, instead of trembling at the prospect of the judgmentday, thou mayest have confidence before him at his coming [Note: 1Jn 2:28.].
Let there now be an end of all thy fears, and hear what I have decreed to do for thee, for the magnifying of my own grace and mercy [Note: Eph 2:7.].
Wouldst thou that I should lay help for thee on One that is mighty [Note: Psa 89:19.]? Thy Saviour shall be the Mighty God [Note: Isa 9:6.], even God over all, blessed for evermore [Note: Rom 9:5.].
Wouldst thou that, notwithstanding his greatness, thou mayest be able to approach him with humble confidence? He shall partake of thy very nature, and be a man even as thou art [Note: Rom 8:3.], bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh [Note: Eph 5:30.]; so that, whilst, by reason of his Deity, he is one with me, he shall, by reason of his humanity, be one with thee also. He shall be God manifest in human flesh [Note: 1Ti 3:16.]; and the very name whereby thou shalt be privileged to call him shall be, Emmanuel; which, being interpreted, is God with us [Note: Mat 1:23.].
Dost thou desire some assurance of his love? Thou shalt have such evidence of it as shall remove from thee even a possibility of doubt: for, for thee he shall give up all the glory and felicity of heaven [Note: Joh 6:38.]; for thee sustain, for a season, what shall be equivalent to all the horrors and miseries of hell [Note: Gal 3:13.]; and for thee work out a righteousness, wherein thou shalt stand before me without spot or blemish [Note: Php 3:9.]; and by his effectual grace he shall transform thee into mine image, in righteousness and true holiness [Note: Eph 4:23-24.].
Dost thou desire that, as thy Mediator, he may be ever present with thee, to learn thy wants; and at the same time be ever present with me, to obtain for thee a supply of them? This also shall be done. He shall ever dwell, by his Spirit, in thy very bosom [Note: Eph 3:17.]; and shall ever be at my right hand in heaven, as thine Advocate and Intercessor [Note: 1Jn 2:1-2.].
If thou hast any fears respecting his sufficiency to help thee, know this, that for thy sake I will commit the government of the whole universe into his hands [Note: 1Pe 3:22.]; so that nothing shall be done, not even an hair of thine head shall fall to the ground, without his special permission [Note: Luk 12:6-7. ].
Nay more; for thy satisfaction and security, there shall be a perfect identity of interests between him and thee; so that whoso toucheth thee, shall touch the apple of his eye [Note: Zec 2:8.]; and whoso shall give but a cup of cold water to thee, shall be considered as having given it directly and personally to him [Note: Mat 25:40.].
And, that there may not remain a wish of thine heart unaccomplished, I have ordained that this Saviour shall be thy Judge. Yes, He who has lived in thee [Note: Gal 2:20.], and been thy very life [Note: Col 3:4.], shall bear testimony to thee before the assembled universe, that thou art his redeemed child [Note: Mat 10:32.]; and shall claim thee, as his treasure [Note: Exo 19:5. ], his inheritance [Note: Deu 32:9.], his purchased possession [Note: Eph 1:14.].
Of course, this supposed conference between Jehovah and his fallen creature, Adam, wilt not be taken by you in a strict sense, but only as a mere illustration of the condescension and grace of God. And, if it. be remembered how Moses pleaded, and even expostulated, with God [Note: Exo 32:11-14.]; and how Jacob wrestled with Jehovah the whole night in prayer, saying, I will not let thee go except thou bless me, and yet, instead of being reproved as guilty of presumption, was commended for his perseverance, and was honoured with the name of Israel in remembrance of it [Note: Gen 32:24-28.]; and, above all, if it be borne in mind that not one word has been put into Jehovahs mouth which has not actually proceeded from his lips, this fictitious statement, or ideal conference, will not be thought more than what the whole Scripture justifies; and that, in fact, it places in the clearest light what I so earnestly wish to impress upon your minds; namely, the infinite extent of Gods grace, which so far transcends all that it was possible for any created intelligence to ask, or even think.
But, dismissing from our minds the illustration, what must we think of the point illustrated? What must we think of the grace of God displayed in this dispensation, when there is not any one thing which the whole universe assembled in council, could ask, provided it were really good for them, and consistent with Gods honour to bestow, which is not actually vouchsafed to them, unsolicited and unsought, in the Gospel of Christ? Even things the most remote from human apprehension, and which we should have been ready to imagine incapable of being combined in the same person, are actually made to meet in the Saviour, whom God has raised up for us. Methinks, even the slightest knowledge of this incomprehensible mystery is sufficient to fill all our souls with wonder and admiration, with gratitude and praise.
Having already trespassed upon your time too long, I must wave much which the occasion calls for; and content myself with suggesting, in conclusion, that if it be a ministers duty, as doubtless it is, to preach the riches of Christ, and to dig deeply into the mine of Scripture in order that he may be able to bring them forth; and if these riches be absolutely unsearchable; then ought we all to seek after them with our whole hearts, and to account all other acquisitions but as dung and dross, in comparison of them. This was, beyond all doubt, the judgment of the Apostle Paul, who says of all his high privileges and attainments, What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord [Note: Php 3:7-8.]. To this same judgment and experience I would invite all who hear me this day: for, what is there under heaven that can be compared with these riches? It is much to be lamented, that the great mass, even of those who read the Scriptures, content themselves with a very superficial view of all the wonders contained in them. But I would that the riches of redeeming love were sought out by every one of us with all diligence; and treasured up in our minds as of inestimable value. It is by these that the souls of men are enriched; and by these that they are adorned. It is by beholding, with an unveiled face, the glory of Christ, that we are changed into his image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2Co 3:18. ]: and it is by comprehending the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, of his unbounded love, that we are filled with all the fulness of God [Note: Eph 3:18-19.]. I do therefore again invite you to contemplate this subject, and to explore the riches of divine wisdom contained in it: I would also have you experience in your souls the riches of its power; that, being transported with a sense of Gods grace and love, you may enjoy, in all its fulness, the glorious gospel of the blessed god.
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 2224
SUITABLENESS AND SUFFICIENCY OF THE GOSPEL
1Ti 1:11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.
1Co 10:3-4. They did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.
ON entering upon my present course, I proposed to take a comprehensive view of the Gospel; and to set it before you in its nature and office, its riches and fulness, its suitableness and sufficiency, its excellency and glory.The first two parts have been submitted to your consideration: the third part, the suitableness and sufficiency of the Gospel, comes now to be considered by us; and the words which I have read will afford me a very fit occasion for bringing the subject before you. They refer to the sustenance afforded to the whole Jewish nation in the wilderness; and they distinctly mark the parallel that is to be drawn between the food given to them, and that on which our souls are to live under the Gospel dispensation. To all the people of Israel there was but one bread, and one stream of water that followed them. The oldest and the youngest were alike sustained by that food; and all found it equally sufficient for them: nor could any one have desired any other food, without sinning against God, and against his own soul. Had any one refused that food, he of necessity must perish: and so it is under the Gospel dispensation. Christ is that Bread that came down from heaven; and that Rock also from whence the living water proceeds: and, if we make light of that provision, and refuse to partake of it, we die. So our blessed Lord assures us: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you: but whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed [Note: Joh 6:53-55.]; that is, the provision made for sinners in my Gospel, whilst it is necessary for all, is also suited to all, whatever be their states; and sufficient for all, whatever be their necessities.
Let us consider, then,
I.
The suitableness of the Gospel.
There are three points of view in which it commends itself to us as suitable; namely, as offering to us freelyand communicating to us fullyand securing to us finally, all the blessings which it has provided for us.
First, it offers them to us freely. It requires nothing to be done by us, in order to merit its blessings, or to earn, if I may so speak, an interest in them. They are altogether a free gift of God to man; as much as ever the manna was which was rained about the tents of Israel, or the stream which followed them through all their wanderings in the wilderness. In this light they are represented throughout the whole inspired volume. It is remarkable, that the very first promise of a Saviour was not only given without any solicitation on the part of our first parents, but it was not, strictly speaking, given to them at all; it was included in the threatening denounced by God against the serpent who beguiled them, and was not given directly either to Adam or to Eve: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Not only was the Lord Jesus Christ himself the gift of God to man; but every blessing which he has purchased for us comes to us also under that endearing character: as it is written, The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord [Note: Rom 6:23.]. Hence all the invitations of the Gospel are sent to us unclogged with any conditions: nothing is required but a desire after them, and a willingness to receive them freely at the hands of God: Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price [Note: Isa 55:1.]. Again: The Spirit and the bride say, Come: and let him that heareth, say, Come: let him that is athirst come: and whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely [Note: Rev 22:17.]. Now this renders the Gospel suitable to us all: for if we were required to do something to deserve its blessings, what could we do? or what hope could we entertain of acquiring an interest in it? Were an offer of salvation now made to the fallen angels upon such conditions, what would it avail them? They, in their present state, are incapable of doing any thing to merit Gods favour in the slightest degree: and in that same state, that state of incapacity to help ourselves, are we also. But, through mercy, no such work is required at our hands. Both Moses in the law, and St. Paul in the Gospel, concur in this salutary counsel: Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down from above: or, Who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thine heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach [Note: Rom 10:5-8.]. Yes, we do preach, that to receive every thing by faith is the office that is assigned to every child of man: and though, after we have embraced the Gospel, there is much for us to do in order to honour and adorn it, our first reception of its blessings must be altogether free, and we must stand indebted for them solely to the sovereign grace of God.
But, in truth, I say too little, if I merely affirm that the Gospel offers every thing to us freely. The fact is, that St. Paul expresses the greatest jealousy upon this head; and declares, that if we attempt to do any thing, however good in itself, with a view, either in whole or in part, to merit salvation by it, we make void the whole Gospel; Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing [Note: Gal 5:2; Gal 5:4.]. He tells us, that salvation must be wholly of works, or wholly of grace [Note: Rom 11:6.]. He reminds us, that if salvation were of works, in ever so small a degree, there would, in that degree, be room for boasting: whereas boasting must be wholly and for ever excluded [Note: Rom 3:27.]; and salvation, from first to last, be received as a free gift of God for Christs sake [Note: Eph 2:8-9.].
This is not pleasing to the proud heart of man; because we are ever looking for something within ourselves, as a ground of self-preference or self-complacency. But, what if God had waited till Israel had done something to merit the heavenly food with which he supplied them? It was a free gift which they needed: and it is that which we also need, and which renders the Gospel altogether suitable to fallen man.
Next, the Gospel communicates its blessings to us fully. There is not a want in man which it does not supply. Are we wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked? It gives us gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich; and white raiment to cover us, that the shame of our nakedness may not appear; and it anoints our eyes with eyesalve, that we may see [Note: Rev 3:17-18.]. This is a feature of the Gospel which the Prophet Isaiah portrays in very lively colours: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified [Note: Isa 61:1-3.]. Now, this passage peculiarly illustrates the point before us; because it takes a view of mankind in a vast diversity of conditions, and represents the Gospel as adapting itself to every different state, and as supplying the precise wants of every individual. And it is the more to be noticed, because our blessed Lord, in the first public discourse that ever he delivered, turned to that very passage, and cited it, and declared it to be that very day fulfilled in their ears [Note: Luk 4:18-21.]. Now, conceive of man in every state that can be imagined; conceive of him as bowed down with a sense of guilt, or harassed with temptations of Satan, or sinking under persecutions from men, or under the hidings of Gods face, or in the prospect of immediate dissolution; the Gospel contains that very thing which he needspardon for all sin, strength against every temptation, support under every trial, comfort under every affliction, and life by the simple exercise of faith, precisely as it was given to the dying Israelites by a view of the brazen serpent [Note: Joh 3:14-15.]. Were there any one situation for which it did not yield a supply, or any one thing which it required us to provide from our own store, it would not be a suitable remedy for us. Suppose, for a moment, that the Israelites in the wilderness had been provided with bread and water; but that they had been left to their own guidance, or that no miracle had been wrought to preserve their clothes, or to keep their feet from the common effect of long and wearisome toil; the want of any one thing would have rendered all their other blessings vain and nugatory. And so it would be with us. Say, for instance, to a dying man, You must render such and such services to the Lord, before you can be accepted by him; what hope would such painful tidings inspire? But tell him that Christ died for the very chief of sinners, and that those who come unto him he will in no wise cast out [Note: Joh 6:37.], and you will comfort his soul: and though such death-bed experiences are by no means to be trusted in, yet he may peradventure be made such another monument of grace as was the dying thief, and may be a jewel in the Redeemers crown for ever and ever.
But, thanks be to God! there is nothing which the Gospel does not impart to us in the hour of need: pardon, peace, holiness, glory, all are vouchsafed to us for Christs sake; who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption [Note: 1Co 1:30.].
But that which renders the Gospel preeminently suitable to us, is, that it finally secures to us the full possession of its blessings. It represents salvation, with all its attendant benefits, as contained in an everlasting covenant, and made over to all who truly believe in Christ [Note: Heb 8:8-10.]. It represents that covenant, also, as confirmed by God himself with an oath, in order that, by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us [Note: Heb 6:17-18.]. It further represents Christ as the Mediator of that covenant [Note: Heb 9:15.], and all its blessings as treasured up in him for our use [Note: Col 1:19.]: and therefore treasured up in him, because, if they had been committed to us, they would have been insecure, or, rather, would infallibly be lost. The statements of Scripture upon this head are as strong and express as can well be conceived. The Lord Jesus Christ himself is said to live in the believer: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I; but Christ liveth in me [Note: Gal 2:20.]. But stronger still is the Apostles language in another place: Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory [Note: Col 3:3-4.]. Here, not only is Christ called our life; but our life is said to be hid with Christ in God: and from that very circumstance we are justified in hoping, that, when he shall appear, we also shall appear with him in glory. But I apprehend that the real force of these words is not generally seen. I conceive the true import of them to be to the following effect. When God first made man, he committed the life of the whole universe to Adam, as their head and representative, that they might stand in him, or fall in him. But, notwithstanding Adam was perfect, and had but one single restraint imposed upon him as a test of his fidelity, he fell; and, by his fall, brought death and destruction upon all his posterity. Now, in restoring men to his favour, God says, I will not commit your eternal interests into your own hands: for if I do, weak as ye are, and surrounded with temptations, and having your own interests alone confided to you, what can I hope, but that you will cast them all away, and perish? I will therefore give you another Covenant Head and Representative, even my only dear Son, and commit all your interests to him: he shall be your hope: he shall be your very life; yea, your life shall be hid with Christ in God: then I shall be sure that no enemy shall prevail against you: for none can pluck you out of his hands; much less shall any pluck you out of my hands [Note: Joh 10:28-29.].
In what I have said on this sublime portion of Holy Writ, I would be understood to speak with diffidence. But I believe that the interpretation which I have put upon it is the true sense, and that no one can enter into its full meaning who does not view it in this light. But the point I am insisting on depends not on one or two particular passages: it is the statement of the whole Scriptures. Every soul is given into the hands of Christ, that he may keep it by his own power, through faith unto salvation [Note: Joh 17:2, 1Pe 1:5.]. Hence it is that he could appeal to his Father in his last intercessory prayer, that of those who had been committed to him he had lost none [Note: Joh 17:12.]. And hence it is that St. Paul was so confident, that, wherever the good work was begun in a soul, it should be carried on and perfected unto the end [Note: Php 1:6.]. He knew that Christ was the Author of true faith, wherever it existed; and that he, who was the Author, would also be the Finisher, of it [Note: Heb 12:2.]: and hence he assured both himself and every believing soul, that, inasmuch as Christ has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee [Note: Heb 13:5-6.], we may dismiss all fear, and rest in perfect confidence, that what he has promised, he is able also to perform [Note: Rom 4:21.].
Now, then, see how suitable to us the Gospel is, in this point of view. It shews us where our hope is; and that, as Christ is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy [Note: Jude. ver. 24.], we have nothing to do, but to commit ourselves into his hands, and to live the life which we now live in the flesh, simply by faith in the Son of God, who has loved us, and given himself for us [Note: Gal 2:20.]. And, if we only know and remember in whom we have believed, we may be assured, that he will keep that which we have committed to him [Note: 2Ti 1:12.], and preserve us blameless unto his heavenly kingdom [Note: 2Ti 4:18.].
If any suppose that such a confidence in Christ would supersede the necessity of holy fear and watchfulness, I beg leave, once for all, to say, that, notwithstanding all that God has treasured up for us in Christ, we are still weak in ourselves, and to our latest hour must we work out our salvation with fear and trembling [Note: Php 2:12.]. We are saved by faith, as far as it respects God; but we are saved by fear, as far as it respects ourselves: and to every soul under heaven are those words addressed; Thou standest by faith: be not highminded, but fear [Note: Rom 11:20.].
II.
The sufficiency of the Gospel comes now, in the second place, to be considered.
Truly, it is sufficient for every soul of man, even as the manna and the water were for the whole nation of Israel. For our comfort, for our sanctification, and for our complete salvation, it is perfectly sufficient. It is sufficient for our comfort. Suppose a man to be brought, by a view of his own sinfulness, to the very borders of despair; what can he need more, than to hear that God himself has undertaken his cause, and assumed his nature, and expiated his guilt, by his own sufferings unto death? What would he wish to add to this? What can, by any possibility, be added to it? If this be not sufficient, what can be? His sins, even though they were as numerous and heinous as those of Manasseh himself, are but finite: whereas the atonement offered for him is of value infinite; yes, and the righteousness wrought out for him is also of value infinite. We are told expressly that the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse from all sin [Note: 1Jn 1:7.]; and that all who believe in him shall be justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses [Note: Act 13:39.]. Let a mans sins be of ever so deep a dye, even though they were red as scarlet or as crimson, they shall be made white as snow [Note: Isa 1:18.]. We can scarcely conceive of greater guilt than that of David, after all the mercies that had been vouchsafed to him, and all the profession of piety which he had made; and yet he prays, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow [Note: Psa 51:7.]: and then he acknowledges the efficacy of this remedy, saying, Thou hast made the bones which thou hast broken to rejoice [Note: Psa 51:8.]. The instances in the New Testament of the efficacy of the Gospel to comfort a believing soul, are numberless. Behold the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, whose hands were yet reeking with the Saviours blood: scarcely had they believed in Christ one hour, before they all ate their bread with gladness and singleness of heart, blessing and praising God [Note: Act 2:46-47.]. Wherever Christ was preached, great joy sprang up in the hearts of those who heard the word [Note: Act 8:5; Act 8:8.]. And is it not so at this day? What though we do not see Christ, yet we love him; and, believing in him, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and glorified [Note: 1Pe 1:7-8.]. This is declared to be the invariable effect of the Gospel throughout the whole world: Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel [Note: Isa 44:23.]. Only let the Gospel descend as dew upon any place, and the wilderness will be glad, and the desert will rejoice, and blossom as the rose [Note: Isa 35:1.]: for the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord: joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody [Note: Isa 51:3.].
I forbear to speak of other sorrows, and of the consolation which the Gospel will administer under them; because there is no sorrow whatever, which, in weight or poignancy, can be compared with that which a sense of guilt creates in the soul: and, if the supports of the Gospel are so effectual under that, we may well suppose that all minor sorrows shall flee before it, even as the mists before the noonday sun.
I would observe therefore next, that the Gospel is sufficient for our sanctification. Never was any thing found to change the heart of man but the Gospel. Let any one call to mind the labours of the ancient philosophers, and inquire whether any one ever prevailed so far as to sanctify the hearts, of many, shall 1 say? nay, of one single individual? No; never, from the foundation of the world, did philosophy effect this, in one single instance. But, when the Gospel was preached, what effects were produced in every place! The passions of men were subdued; their lusts were mortified; their habits were changed; their dispositions were made altogether new; and those who had borne in every feature a semblance of their father, the devil, were transformed into the image of their God, in righteousness and true holiness. This was nothing but what the voice of prophecy had long before announced: As the rain cometh down, and the snow, from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off [Note: Isa 55:10-11; Isa 55:13.].
If it be asked, How the Gospel effects this change? I answer, It reveals a Saviour to us in all the wonders of his love; and thus generates in the soul a desire to serve and honour him. No sooner do we see that we have been bought with a price, than we desire to glorify God with our bodies and our spirits, which are his [Note: 1Co 6:20.]. In aid of these new desires, it brings down the Holy Spirit into the soul. That Divine Agent is promised to all who believe in Christ: and Christ does send him down into the hearts of his people, to strengthen them with might in their inward man [Note: Eph 3:16.], and to work all their works in them [Note: Isa 26:12.]. Thus they become sanctified in body, soul, and spirit [Note: 1Th 5:23.], and are rendered meet for the inheritance of the saints in light [Note: Col 1:12.]. Thus does the Gospel sanctify men; filling them with new principles, to which they were utter strangers before; and imparting to them new powers, which none but a believing soul can ever exercise.
I add once more, the Gospel is sufficient for our complete salvation. In no situation whatever can we be placed, wherein it does not afford us strength equal to our day [Note: Deu 33:25.]. It not only makes us conquerors, but more than conquerors; rendering our very troubles a source of joy [Note: Rom 5:3.], and our conflicts an occasion of more exalted triumphs. Behold the Apostle Paul under a trial of no ordinary kind; a trial so grievous that it seemed almost entirely to overwhelm him: yet, when the Lord Jesus had given an answer of peace to his soul, he was not only reconciled to his trials, but actually took pleasure in them, I take pleasure, says he, in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christs sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong [Note: 2Co 12:10.]. Nay, when in expectation of martyrdom itself, he not only felt no apprehensions, but regarded his sufferings rather as an occasion of joy; and not only congratulated himself upon his prospects, but desired his Christian friends to congratulate him also [Note: Php 2:17-18.]. But, to enter properly into this part of our subject, we should see what an inconceivable superiority to all the powers, whether of earth or hell, the Gospel imparted to that highly-favoured servant of Christ. Hear his own words, even whilst he was yet contending with all his enemies: If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather, that is risen again; who is oven at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Note: Rom 8:31-39.]. Now here I wish it to be particularly noticed, that not one word of all this is spoken by him as an attainment peculiar to himself as an Apostle: the whole is spoken upon principles common to the whole Christian world: Is God for us? did Christ die for us? and is he risen and making intercession for us? then is the whole of this experience proper for us also, as well as for him: and in it we see, that the Gospel is sufficient to perfect every thing that concerns us; and so to carry us through things temporal, that we may finally attain the things eternal.
Such, then, is the spiritual food which God commends to you this day. And now let me invite you all to partake of it. In rich abundance is your heavenly Father causing the manna to fall around your tents; and at this moment are the streams gushing out like a river, for the satisfying of your thirsty souls. O that we all felt our need of the bread and water of life, as the Israelites did of the food that perisheth! Paint to yourselves the sense of obligation which they felt at having all their wants supplied; and the avidity with which they seized the provisions which were thus afforded them. Would to God that we had some resemblance to them, and could feel an intensity of interest suited to the occasion, now that Christ is freely offered to us for the support of our souls! Remember, I pray you, that not one amongst them was benefited by merely hearing or seeing what God had done for them: no, it was by applying to themselves the heavenly gift, for their own personal comfort and support. In like manner must we also apply to ourselves all the rich provisions of the Gospel: we must eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, if we would have our souls nourished unto eternal life. Earnestly would I wish that this distinction should be made, and carefully remembered. We are ready to think that we have done enough when we have heard the Gospel, and approved of the truths contained in it. But we must receive them into our hearts by faith; yea, they must enter into our very souls; and we must live upon them from day to day. Never are we to be weary of feeding upon Christ: we must see and feel that his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed: and, feeding daily upon him, we must hunger for nothing else, and thirst for nothing else [Note: Joh 6:35.]. At the same time, we must take care to shew that we are really invigorated by this heavenly food, and fitted to prosecute our journey through this dreary wilderness. In a word, whilst we take it to ourselves as suitable, we must shew to others its sufficiency for all that our necessities can require. Let none despise this food. Whether we be old or young, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, Christ is alike needful for us, and will be alike sufficient for us. There is one peculiarity, however, in which the parallel fails, and must be turned into a contrast. Those who ate of that spiritual food died. But shall any one perish who feeds on Christ? No, truly: whoever he may be, he shall become a monument of saving grace, and his soul shall live for ever.
And now, need I add any thing more to shew the importance of receiving Christ, and feeding upon him? Alas! alas! the Israelites in the wilderness needed none to urge them to use the food provided for them, notwithstanding all the benefit to be derived from it was the prolongation of their bodily life, which must at all events terminate in a few years. But what exhortations and entreaties are necessary to induce us to feed on Christ, for the life of our souls! Some fee! no need of Christ, others pour contempt upon him, as unsuitable: others, again, think they must add to him, as insufficient: and few, very few, will live upon him, as all their salvation, and all their desire. To those, however, who do sec the suitableness and sufficiency of Christ, I would say, Gather up your portion of the manna daily, before the risen sun has had time to melt it; and refresh yourselves with the living waters with exquisite delight: and, in the strength of this your food, go on your way rejoicing [Note: 1Ki 19:8.]. Yes, as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving [Note: Col 2:6-7.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
DISCOURSE: 2225
THE EXCELLENCY AND GLORY OF THE GOSPEL
1Ti 1:11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.
Eph 3:18-19. Be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
FROM no part of Holy Writ do we obtain a deeper insight into the great mysteries of the Gospel, than from the prayers of the Apostle Paul. He there embodied, as it were, all his views of divine truth, and poured forth his soul to God in terms altogether out of the reach of an uninspired mind; in terms so vast, so grand, so comprehensive, that, with the utmost stretch of our imagination, we find it exceeding difficult to grasp the thoughts contained in them.
I will not detain you with any comment on this prayer, because the subject which I have to bring before you is of itself sufficient to occupy all the time that can reasonably be devoted to one discourse. I have omitted the former part of this prayer, because it is the latter part alone that is applicable to the subject before us, or proper to be brought forward as introductory to this discourse. But to that part I would wish to draw your more particular attention; because, in praying for the Ephesians, that they might be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and by comprehending it be filled with all the fulness of God, he not only adverts to the subject which I am about to bring before you, but declares that all saints in the universe ought in some good measure to comprehend it. It is obvious, on the most superficial view of these words, that the Apostle saw a glory and excellency in the Gospel, beyond what it was in the power of language to express, or of any finite imagination fully to comprehend; and that he regarded a discovery of that excellency as the appointed means of accomplishing in men the whole work of divine grace, and of ultimately filling them with all the fulness of God. Hence it will be seen how appropriate these words are to our present subject; wherein I am to set before you, as God shall enable me, the Gospel of Christ, in all its excellency and in all its glory.
In prosecution of this great object, I will endeavour to exhibit the Gospel, as honouring Gods law; as glorifying his perfections: and as laying a foundation for greater happiness, both to men and angels, than either of them could ever have enjoyed, if man had never fallen.
First, I am to set it forth as honouring Gods law.
This is a point of view in which it deserves the most attentive consideration. For, if we proclaim a free and full salvation, and that simply by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we immediately appear to men to set aside the law. And more particularly, when we state, that the law cannot justify any manthat it is not to be observed with any view to obtain justification by itthat we must not so much as lean to it in the slightest degreeand that the placing of the smallest dependence upon it will invalidate the whole Gospelwe are supposed to be downright Antinomians in principle, whatever we may be in practice; and our doctrines are represented as quite dangerous to the community. Now, it must be remembered, that St. Pauls own statements were, in the judgment of many, obnoxious to this very reproach; and that he was, therefore, constrained to vindicate them from this charge: Do we, then, make void the law through faith? God forbid, says he: yea, we establish the law [Note: Rom 3:31.].
The law, you will remember, requires perfect obedience to all its commandments, and denounces a curse against every one who shall violate even the least of them in the smallest possible degree. Now, it is manifest that we have broken them in ten thousand instances, and are consequently obnoxious to its heaviest judgments: and yet we say to those who believe in Christ, that they have nothing to fear; for that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Here, then, we seem to set aside the law altogether, both in its commanding and condemning power. But the truth is, that we establish the law in both respects: for the Gospel declares, that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth, was made of a woman, made under the law, on purpose that, in his own person, he might fulfil the law which we had broken, and endure the penalties which we had incurred; that so not a jot or tittle should pass from the law, till the whole of it, in every possible view, should be fulfilled. This work he both undertook and executed. He obeyed the law, in its utmost possible extent; and he endured the wrath due to the sins of the whole world. Now, consider how greatly the law was honoured by this. It would have been honoured, if all mankind had obeyed it: and it would also have been honoured, if they had all been consigned over to the punishment they had merited by their disobedience. In either case, its authority would have been displayed and vindicated. But when the Lawgiver himself, the Mighty God, becomes a man, and puts himself under its authority, and obeys all its precepts, and suffers all its penalties, and does this on purpose that the law may be honoured, and that the salvation of man may be rendered compatible with its demands, this puts an honour upon the law which it would never have obtained by any other means, and must for ever render it glorious in the eyes of the whole intelligent creation.
But it is not in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, as our Head and Representative, that the law is honoured: the Gospel engages that every sinner who is interested in its provisions shall himself also honour the law in his own person. For every one, at the time that he comes to Christ for mercy, must acknowledge, that he is justly condemned by the law; and that, if, for his transgressions of the law, he be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, it will be no more than his just desert. And this must he acknowledge, not in mere words only, that carry not the heart along with them: no; he must feel that he is actually in danger of this very punishment; and that nothing but a most wonderful act of mercy can ever deliver him from it. He must go to God, as one that sees this very punishment awaiting him; and must, from his inmost soul, cry out with Peter, when sinking in the waves, Save, Lord, or I perish! Moreover, in his supplications for mercy, he must plead the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ in his behalf. He must not even desire that the authority of the law should be made void; no, not even for the salvation of his soul: he must found all his hopes on the honour done to the law by the sufferings of Christ; and must desire, that those sufferings may be put to his account, as if he himself had endured them: nor is his own mind to be satisfied with any thing which does not satisfy the law, and put honour upon the law. Nor is this all: for he must acknowledge, that without a righteousness commensurate with the utmost demands of the law, he never can be, nor ever ought to be, accepted of his God. He must deeply lament his utter inability to keep the law in this manner; and must renounce all hope in himself; assured, that nothing but perfect obedience can ever be received by God, or be acknowledged by him as honouring his law. A man rightly instructed would deem it an insult to the law to desire that his partial and worthless performances should be regarded as answering its demands: and, in this view, renouncing all hope in himself and his own works, he will plead the obedience which his incarnate God has paid to the law, and trust in that alone for righteousness and salvation. He will not even wish for acceptance with God on any other terms than those of having rendered, either in himself or in his divine Surety, a perfect obedience to the law: in a word, he will regard the Lord Jesus Christ as the end of the law for righteousness to the believing soul [Note: Rom 10:4.], and trust in him altogether under that character, The Lord our Righteousness [Note: Jer 23:6.]. Thus you perceive that the Gospel provides for the honour of the law, not only in shewing that it has been honoured by the obedience and sufferings of our incarnate God, but in requiring every sinner in the universe to honour it in his own person, by founding all his hopes on that very mediation by which the law has been so greatly honoured.
Nor have we yet attained a full view of this part of our subject: for the Gospel yet further requires, that all who in this way have found acceptance with God shall endeavour to honour the law by their own obedience to it in every respect. True, indeed, the believer feels that he cannot perfectly obey it: he feels too that he can never, by his best attempts to obey it, recommend himself to God, so as to obtain a justifying righteousness before him: yet he regards the law as holy, and just, and good; and endeavours to fulfil it, as much as if he were to be saved altogether by his obedience to it. The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teaches him this: it teaches him, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, he should live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world [Note: Tit 2:11-12.]. Whilst, therefore, he embraces the promises of the Gospel as the one ground of his hope, he will make use of those promises as an incentive to cleanse himself from all filthiness, both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God [Note: 2Co 7:1.].
Now, this effect of the Gospel is not produced only in a few particular instances; it is universal: nor is there so much as one sinner that ever finds acceptance through Christ, without having this experience realized in his soul. If any person under heaven profess to have obtained salvation through Christ without having this humiliation under a sense of sinthis conviction of his lost estatethis acquiescence in the justice of God as consigning him over to perditionthis consciousness of his inability to repair his breaches of the lawthis persuasion that the law ought to be honoured both in its commanding and condemning powerthis hope in Christ, as having so honoured it in both respectsthis utter renunciation of every other hopeand, in addition to it all, this desire to obey the law, and this determination to honour it in every possible wayI say, if any person without this, as the deep and abiding experience of his soul, should profess an expectation of salvation by Christ, we should not hesitate to say of him, what the Apostle said of the self-deceiving Jews, that, however he may be seeking after righteousness, he neither has attained it, nor ever will attain it, in the way in which he is proceeding [Note: Rom 9:31.]: he is yet a stranger to the law, and the glory of the Gospel is yet hid from his eyes. He has yet to learn, that, as the Gospel honours the law, so every one that is saved by the Gospel does, and must, in every possible way, and to the utmost extent of his power, contribute to this good work of magnifying and making honourable the law of God [Note: Isa 42:21.].
The next point of view in which the excellency of the Gospel is to be shewn, is, that it glorifies all the perfections of the Deity.
That there was a difficulty in making the salvation of man to consist with the honour of the Divine perfections, was mentioned in a former discourse; wherein were shewn the wisdom of God in contriving a way, the power of God in effecting it, and the grace of God in accommodating it to all the wants and necessities of fallen man. My present point will lead me to shew, not merely that this consistency is secured, but that all the perfections of God are more glorified in this way than they could have been in any other. For instance, suppose that man, with all his descendants, had been consigned to misery: the justice of God would have appeared; and his truth also would have been seen: but it would not have been known that there existed in the Deity any such attribute as mercy; or that, if it did exist in him, it could ever find a fit scope for exercise: since the exercise of it must, of necessity, involve in it some remission of the rights of justice, and some encroachment on the honour of the law. On the other hand, if free and full remission of sins had been granted unto man, it would not have been seen how such an act of grace could consist with the rights of justice and holiness and truth. But, in the method of salvation which the Gospel reveals, not only are these perfections reconciled with each other, but all of them are exceedingly enhanced and glorified.
That I may keep as clear as possible of my former subject, I will now confine myself to three of the Divine attributesjustice, mercy, and truth; and shew how a tenfold lustre is reflected upon them in the Gospel salvation, beyond what could ever have beamed forth in any other way.
Justice, as I have said, would have been seen in the condemnation of the human race. But what shall we say of it as exhibited in the Gospel? Behold, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God over all, puts himself in the place of sinful man, and undertakes to endure for man all that the sins of the whole world had merited. But what will justice say, when it finds our sins transferred to him? Will it venture to seize on him? Will it exact the debt of him? Will it draw forth the sword against him, who is Jehovahs Fellow [Note: Zec 13:7.]? Methinks the sword, stretched out, would fall from the hand of justice, and refuse to execute its appointed work. But, no: sin is found on our incarnate God. True, it is in him only by imputation: yet, being imputed to him, he must be made answerable for it [Note: Isa 53:7. Bishop Lowths Translation.], and must himself endure all that it has merited at the hands of God. Behold, then, for the honour of Gods justice, the cup is put into the hands of our blessed Lord: and the very dregs of the cup of bitterness are given him to drink: nor is he released from his sufferings, till he can say, It is finished. Contemplate, now, this mysterious fact; the God of heaven and earth becoming man, and, by his own obedience unto death, satisfying the demands of law and justice, in order that God, through his vicarious sufferings, may be just, and yet the justifier of them that believe in Christ [Note: Rom 3:20.]. But could justice be satisfied with nothing less? Would it accept of nothing less? Would it not consent to the salvation of a human being on any other terms than these? Behold, then, I say, how exalted is its character! how inalienable its rights! how inexorable its demands! Truly, in all that it inflicts, either on men or angels, it is not so glorified, as it is in this stupendous mystery.
Next, let us take a view of the same subject in reference to mercy. This Divine attribute would doubtless have been displayed, if man, by a mere sovereign act of grace, had been pardoned. But it did not seem good to the Deity that mercy should so triumph over all his other attributes. It shall indeed be brought forth to light, and have full scope for operation; but its actings shall be such only as shall consist with the honour of every other attribute. But what way shall be devised for this? Divine wisdom, as I have before shewn, contrived a way, wherein God might be at the same time a just God and a Saviour [Note: Isa 45:21.]. The plan proposed was, that Gods only dear Son should be substituted in the place of sinners. But shall mercy be exercised at such an expense as this? Better were it that all its gracious purposes should be abandoned, than that Almighty God should stoop to such a condescension as this. What! that mercy shall be shewn towards a number of rebellious wormsof creatures that can never contribute any thing to the happiness or honour of their Godof creatures, millions of whom, if necessary for Gods honour, could be created in an instant, in the room of those that should perish; that mercy, I say, might be shewn to these, shall the God of heaven divest himself of his glory? shall the Creator of the universe become a man? shall he have the sins of a rebellious world laid on him? shall he become a victim, and be offered upon the altar of divine justicethat man, worthless man, may be spared? Surely mercy can never require this: it will be content to lie hid in the bosom of the Deity to all eternity, rather than that such a sacrifice should be made for its honour. But no; mercy cannot be so restrained: it pants for an opportunity of pouring forth its benefits into the souls of men. Its bowels are so moved at the sight of a perishing world, that it will not, it cannot, rest. Every thing but Gods honour shall give way to it: and now that that can be secured, no price shall be too great for its descent from heaven to bless our ruined race. Go now to Bethlehem, and see in the manger that new-born infant, your incarnate God, God manifest in the flesh. Who sent him thither? Who brought him from his throne of glory, into this world of sin and misery? It was mercy, struggling in the bosom of Almighty God, and prevailing for its own development in this mysterious way. Go again to Gethsemane and Calvary: behold that innocent sufferer: see him prostrate on the ground, bathed in a bloody sweat! see him hanging on the cross, agonizing under a load of his creaturess guilt, crying in the depths of dereliction, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and expiring under the wrath of Almighty God, the wrath due to him as the Surety and Substitute of a guilty world! Who has brought him to this state? Twas mercy: mercy would not rest: it would break forth: rather than not exercise itself towards mankind, it would transfer to God himself the penalty due to them, and write in the blood of an incarnate God the pardon it designed for sinful man. Say, now, whether mercy be not glorified in this astonishing mystery, which the Gospel has so fully revealed?
And truth, also, has derived to itself no less a measure of glory from this stupendous mystery. God had said, In the day that thou eatest of the forbidden fruit, thou shalt surely die. When, therefore, man had eaten, what remained but that the threatened penalty should be inflicted on him? The word had gone forth: it could not be revoked: nor could its sentence he reversed, consistently with the sacred rights of truth. What then shall be done? If the sentence is executed on man, the veracity of God is displayed and honoured: but how can man be spared, and truth be kept inviolate? The suggestions of wisdom being approved, and the substitution of Gods only-begotten Son in the sinners place admitted, truth willingly accepts the proposal, gladly transfers the penalty, and joyfully inflicts on the victim the sentence due to the offender [Note: Isa 53:10.]:and thus is consummated that mystery which none but God could ever have devised, Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other [Note: Psa 85:10.]. Thus are not only the different perfections of God made to harmonize in the salvation of man; but justice is exercised in a way of mercy, and mercy is exercised in a way of justice; and both of them, in a way of holiness and truth.
But the glory and excellency of the Gospel yet further appear, in that the Gospel, as I observed in the third place, lays a foundation for greater happiness, both to men and angels, than either of them could ever have enjoyed, if man. had never fallen.
The felicity of angels doubtless is great; as would that of men also have been, if man had never fallen. But, from the Gospel, both the one and the other derive a vast accession to their happiness, beyond all that they would otherwise ever have possessed. In reference to angels, I may say, that if in no other respect they were benefited by the Gospel, they would derive an immense advantage from it, in that, from seeing how great a sacrifice was necessary to restore man to happiness, they must of necessity form a higher estimate of the happiness that has been freely conferred on them: and, in proportion to the sense which they feel of the obligations conferred upon them, must their love to God be augmented, and their felicity advanced.
But, independent of this consideration, I doubt not but they have received by the Gospel a vast accession to their bliss.
I think it will readily be acknowledged, that the happiness of the angelic hosts is derived chiefly, if not entirely, from beholding the glory of their God. From the first instant of their creation, they must therefore have been inconceivably blessed; because, without intermission, they have been basking, as it were, in the beams of divine glory. But, when some intimation was given of the Divine purpose to restore to happiness our fallen race, what astonishment must have seized the whole heavenly choir! They had seen millions of their own species consigned to misery, and hell itself created for their sad abode: and, when man had fallen, they could expect nothing, but that those who were partners in transgression should also be fellow-heirs of the doom assigned to it. But, when they saw that a purpose existed in the Divine mind to pardon man, an entire new view of the Deity must have struck their minds, and filled them with wonder and admiration. From that moment, the great mystery of redemption has been gradually unfolding to mankind: and by every discovery made to the Church, the angels themselves have gained a deeper insight into it. They were represented, under the Mosaic dispensation, by the two cherubim who covered the ark. Those were formed in a bending posture, looking down into the ark, as if desirous of discovering more fully the wonders contained in that typical emblematic ordinance [Note: Exo 25:20.]. St. Peter assures us of this; when, speaking of the prophecies relating to the sufferings and glory of our Lord, he says, Which things the angels desire to look into [Note: 1Pe 1:12.]. The very word he uses [Note: .] refers to their bending posture, which I have before mentioned. And that they are brought to more enlarged views of Gods glory in the face of Jesus Christ, by the revelation of it which is given to us, is expressly asserted by St. Paul; who says, that God would have all men see what was the fellowship of the mystery which, from the beginning of the world, had been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God [Note: Eph 3:9-10.]. Hence we find that, at the incarnation of our Lord, a new song commenced in heaven: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men [Note: Luk 2:13-14.]. From that hour have they been contemplating all the wonders of his love: and still are they beholding the radiance of his glory, and of the glory of God beaming forth from his face; and from every discovery of the divine perfections they receive a still further augmentation of their bliss. Till the foregoing method of reconciling and glorifying the divine perfections had been revealed to us, the angels could have had no more conception of it than we. They had seen in the works of creation, and had experienced in their own bosoms, a marvellous display of the wisdom and goodness and power and love of Almighty God: but they could never have conceived the least idea of them, as they are exhibited in the gift of his only begotten Son to die for man. All this they learn from the Gospel only: and, consequently, the Gospel, which has contributed so greatly to their happiness, has, on that very account, an excellency of glory deserving of the highest admiration.
And how is the happiness of man also advanced by this great salvation? Doubtless, as I have said before, he would have been happy, if he had never fallen. But what is his happiness in glory now! What views must he have of the divine perfections! What a sense must he feel of the love of Christ, the breadth and length, and depth and height, of which are utterly incomprehensible! If, as beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, man is on a par with angels, in this respect he is elevated far above them, in that he can say, in reference to the whole work of Christ, All this was done for me. When he beholds the Lord Jesus Christ in his human nature, he must say, My God assumed that nature for me. When he sees Christ upon his throne, as a Lamb that has been slain, and surveys the wounds once inflicted on his hands and side, he must say, Those wounds were endured for me. When he contemplates all the glory and felicity of heaven, he must say, This throne was bought for me; this crown for me; this inheritance for me; yes, and bought too with the blood of my incarnate God! Every smile of God the Father must be endeared to him, by the thought, that it was purchased for him by the agonies of God the Son, and secured to him by the agency of God the Spirit. Truly, this realizing sense of an interest in all the wonders of redemption must augment the felicity of the saints far beyond that of the angels themselves: and accordingly we find, that the saints are nearer to the throne of God than the angels themselves. The saints stand round about the throne; and the angels stand round about the saints [Note: Rev 7:9-11.]. We find, too, that the saints lead the chorus, with an exulting acknowledgment of their own interest in Christ; saying, Thou art worthy: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests. But all that the angels can do, is to join in the acknowledgment that Christ is worthy: not one word can they add about their own interest in his work: all that they can say is, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing: therefore, Blessing and honour and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever [Note: Rev 5:9-13.].
Say now, Whether there be not a glory and excellency in the Gospel, not only beyond any thing which is generally contemplated, but far beyond what any finite capacity can ever fully comprehend? Yet, how is it regarded amongst us? Does it in any degree corresponding with its importance, occupy our minds as Christians, and our ministrations as ambassadors of Christ? On the contrary, is it not rather viewed with suspicion, and in too many instances loaded with contempt? But would it be so treated, if it were properly understood? See what effects are ascribed to it, and what blessings a just comprehension of this mysterious subject is calculated to impart. In my text it is said, that a view of this sublime mystery will fill us with all the fulness of God. And what can be meant by this? Can it be supposed that a creature should ever resemble God in his natural perfections? No: but in his moral perfections we both may and must resemble him, if ever we would behold the face of God in peace. Nay more; we must not only partake of his moral perfections, but must have them all united and harmonizing in us, even as they unite and harmonize in God himself, and in this stupendous mystery, which has emanated from him. For instance; whilst justice, and mercy, and truth, and love, find in us, on all occasions, their appropriate operations, we must be careful that the opposite graces of faith and fear, humility and confidence, meekness and fortitude, contrition and joy, have full scope, not only for occasional, but for constant and harmonious exercise. In a word, we should resemble God, who is light itself [Note: 1Jn 1:5.]. In light, you know, there is an assemblage of widely-different rays; some of which, if taken separately, might be thought to approximate rather to darkness than to light. But if the more brilliant rays were taken alone, though they might produce a glare, they would never make light. It is the union of all, in their due proportion, and in simultaneous motion, that constitutes light: and then only, when all the different graces are in simultaneous exercise, each softening and tempering its opposite, then only, I say, do we properly resemble God.
But how shall this character be formed in us? How shall we be filled thus with all the fulness of our God? Can it be effected by philosophy, or by the operation of any natural principles? Can any thing but the Gospel of Christ effect it? No; nothing under heaven ever did, or ever can, form this character, but an overwhelming sense of the love of Christ in dying for us: and it is on this account that I have endeavoured to bring this great subject before you. And, O, that it might have a suitable operation upon your souls! Verily, it should fill the soul: it should produce in us somewhat of the effect which it is at this very moment producing in heaven. Behold both saints and angels, all of them prostrate on their face before the throne of God [Note: Rev 5:8; Rev 7:11.]. And wherefore is it that those happy spirits are in such a posture as this? they are all, without exception, overwhelmed with admiring and adoring views of God and of the Lamb. And should not such be the prostration of our souls also, under a sense of the incomprehensible love of Christ, as revealed in the Gospel? Behold the seraphim in Isaiahs vision: each of them had six wings; with two of them covering his face, as unworthy to behold the Deity, and with two his feet, as unworthy to serve him; and with the remaining two flying through the vast expanse of heaven, to fulfil their Makers will [Note: Isa 6:2.]. Now this is the use that we also should make of our powers: humiliation and contrition should be united with zeal, throughout our whole deportment: and if we so employ our powers, we may be sure that our progress in the divine life will be advanced, rather than impeded, by these holy self-abasing exercises. In truth, if with David we desire that the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us [Note: Psa 90:17.], it is by this assemblage of graces, so qualified and so tempered, that we must attain the desired blessing.
And now let me entreat, that all, who have heard the subjects which have been discussed, will bear in mind their true scope and intent. Let our aim be high: let our desires be enlarged: let none of us be satisfied with low attainments in religion: let us be content with nothing less than being filled with all the fulness of God. Let us take our incarnate God himself for our pattern: for we are expressly told, that he has set us an example, that we should follow his steps [Note: 1Pe 2:21.]. Let the same mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus [Note: Php 2:5.], that so Christ himself may be formed in us [Note: Gal 4:19.]. You have seen what self-denial he exercised for us: what then, I would ask, should we not be ready either to do or to suffer for him? Should there be any bounds to our gratitude and zeal and love? Truly, if we be not brought to a sense of his love, and a corresponding devotedness of heart to him, I shall have spoken in vain, or rather worse than in vain: for the word, which should have been a savour of life to our salvation, will only prove a savour of death, to our heavier condemnation [Note: 2Co 2:16.]. But I trust you will not suffer the subject to pass from your minds with the occasion that has brought it before you; but that you will seek to experience it, in all its sanctifying and saving efficacy. Let the love of Christ be contemplated by you, till it has constrained you to live altogether unto him: and never cease to behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, till you are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2Co 3:18.].
And now, having closed my subject, I humbly commend you all to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified [Note: Act 20:32.].
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
Ver. 11. Of the blessed God ] Blessed in himself, and to be everlastingly blessed of all creatures. Hence he is called, “The blessed,” Mar 14:61 . And frequently in the Commentaries of the Hebrew Doctors he is set forth by this title, Baruch hu, ” he that is blessed.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ti 1:11 . , . . ., refers to the whole preceding sentence and is not to be connected with . only, which would necessitate , . . . This reading is actually found in [257] ,* [258] , [259] , [260] , Vg., Arm., quae est secundum , etc. Von Soden connects with .
[257] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
[258] The Latin text of Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
[259] The Latin version of Codex Augiensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.
[260] The Latin text of Codex Boernerianus (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis ( ) of the Gospels.
Inasmuch as unsound teaching had claimed to be a (Gal 1:6 ), St. Paul finds it necessary to recharge the word with its old force by distinguishing epithets. had become impoverished by heterodox associations. The gospel with which St. Paul had been entrusted was the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. Cf . “the gospel of the glory of Christ,” 2Co 4:4 . The gospel concerning the glory , etc., which reveals the glory . And this glory, although primarily an attribute of God, is here and elsewhere treated as a blessed state to which those who obey the gospel may attain, and which it is possible to miss (Rom 3:23 ; Rom 5:2 ; Rom 15:7 . See Sanday and Headlam on Rom 3:23 ). The phrase is not, as in A.V., an expansion of “The gospel of God,” Mar 1:14 , etc., “the gospel of which God is the author,” being a genitive of quality = glorious . (Compare Rom 8:21 , 2Co 4:6 ; Eph 1:6 ; Eph 1:18 ; Col 1:11 ; Col 1:27 ; Tit 2:13 ).
: Blessed as an epithet of God is only found here and in 1Ti 6:15 , where see note. Grimm compares the of Homer and Hesiod. But the notion here is much loftier. We may call God blessed , but not happy ; since happiness is only predicated of those whom it is possible to conceive of as unhappy.
: This phrase occurs again Tit 1:3 . Cf. Rom 3:2 , 1Co 9:17 , Gal 2:7 , 1Th 2:4 . St. Paul does not here allude to his particular presentation of the gospel, as in Gal 2:7 ; nor is he thinking specially of God’s goodness to him in making him a minister, as in Rom 15:16 , Eph 3:8 , Col 1:25 ; he is merely asserting his consistency, and repudiating the charge of antinomianism which had been brought against him.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
1 Timothy
‘THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF THE HAPPY GOD’
1Ti 1:11 .
Two remarks of an expository character will prepare the way for our consideration of this text. The first is, that the proper rendering is that which is given in the Revised Version–’the gospel of the glory,’ not the ‘glorious gospel.’ The Apostle is not telling us what kind of thing the Gospel is, but what it is about. He is dealing not with its quality, but with its contents. It is a Gospel which reveals, has to do with, is the manifestation of, the glory of God.
Then the other remark is with reference to the meaning of the word ‘blessed.’ There are two Greek words which are both translated ‘blessed’ in the New Testament. One of them, the more common, literally means ‘well spoken of,’ and points to the action of praise or benediction; describes what a man is when men speak well of him, or what God is when men praise and magnify His name. But the other word, which is used here, and is only applied to God once more in Scripture, has no reference to the human attribution of blessing and praise to Him, but describes Him altogether apart from what men say of Him, as what He is in Himself, the ‘blessed,’ or, as we might almost say, the ‘happy’ God. If the word happy seems too trivial, suggesting ideas of levity, of turbulence, of possible change, then I do not know that we can find any better word than that which is already employed in my text, if only we remember that it means the solemn, calm, restful, perpetual gladness that fills the heart of God.
So much, then, being premised, there are three points that seem to me to come out of this remarkable expression of my text. First, the revelation of God in Christ, of which the Gospel is the record, is the glory of God. Second, that revelation is, in a very profound sense, an element in the blessedness of God. And, lastly, that revelation is the good news for men. Let us look at these three points, then, in succession.
I. Take, first, that striking thought that the revelation of God in Jesus Christ is the glory of God.
The theme, or contents, or purpose of the whole Gospel, is to set forth and make manifest to men the glory of God.
Now what do we mean by ‘the glory’? I think, perhaps, that question may be most simply answered by remembering the definite meaning of the word in the Old Testament. There it designates, usually, that supernatural and lustrous light which dwelt between the Cherubim, the symbol of the presence and of the self-manifestation of God. So that we may say, in brief, that the glory of God is the sum-total of the light that streams from His self-revelation, considered as being the object of adoration and praise by a world that gazes upon Him.
And if this be the notion of the glory of God, is it not a startling contrast which is suggested between the apparent contents and the real substance of that Gospel? Suppose a man, for instance, who had no previous knowledge of Christianity, being told that in it he would find the highest revelation of the glory of God. He comes to the book, and finds that the very heart of it is not about God, but about a man; that this revelation of the glory of God is the biography of a man; and more than that, that the larger portion of that biography is the story of the humiliations, and the sufferings, and the death of the man. Would it not strike him as a strange paradox that the history of a man’s life was the shining apex of all revelations of the glory of God ? And yet so it is, and the Apostle, just because to him the Gospel was the story of the Christ who lived and died, declares that in this story of a human life, patient, meek, limited, despised, rejected, and at last crucified, lies, brighter than all other flashings of the divine light, the very heart of the lustre and palpitating centre and fontal source of all the radiance with which God has flooded the world. The history of Jesus Christ is the glory of God. And that involves two or three considerations on which I dwell briefly.
One of them is this: Christ, then, is the self-revelation of God. If, when we deal with the story of His life and death, we are dealing simply with the biography of a man, however pure, lofty, inspired he may be, then I ask what sort of connection there is between that biography which the four Gospels gives us, and what my text says is the substance of the Gospel? What force of logic is there in the Apostle’s words: ‘God commendeth His love toward us in that whilst we were yet sinners Christ died for us,’ unless there is some altogether different connection between the God who commends His love and the Christ who dies to commend it, than exists between a mere man and God? Brethren! to deliver my text, and a hundred other passages of Scripture, from the charge of being extravagant nonsense, and clear, illogical non sequiturs , you must believe that in that man Christ Jesus ‘we behold His glory–the glory of the only begotten of the Father’; and that when we look–haply not without some touch of tenderness and awed admiration in our hearts–upon His gentleness, we have to say, ‘the patient God’; when we look upon His tears we have to say, ‘the pitying God’; when we look upon His Cross we have to say, ‘the redeeming God’; and gazing upon the Man, to see in Him the manifest divinity. Oh! listen to that voice, ‘He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,’ and bow before the story of the human life as being the revelation of the indwelling God.
And then, still further, my text suggests that this self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ is the very climax and highest point of all God’s revelations to men. I believe that the loftiest exhibition and conception of the divine character which is possible to us must be made to us in the form of a man. I believe that the law of humanity, for ever, in heaven as on earth, is this, that the Son is the revealer of God; and that no loftier–yea, at bottom, no other–communication of the divine nature can be made to man than is made in Jesus Christ.
But be that as it may, let me urge upon you this thought, that in that wondrous story of the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ the very high-water mark of divine self-communication has been touched and reached. All the energies of the divine nature are embodied there. The ‘riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God,’ are in the Cross and Passion of our Saviour. ‘To declare at this time His righteousness ‘ Jesus Christ came to die. The Cross is ‘the power of God unto salvation.’ Or, to put it into other words, and avail oneself of an illustration, we know the old story of the queen who, for the love of an unworthy human heart, dissolved pearls in the cup and gave them to him to drink. We may say that God comes to us, and for the love of us, reprobate and unworthy, has melted all the jewels of His nature into that cup of blessing which He offers to us, saying: ‘Drink ye all of it.’ The whole Godhead, so to speak, is smelted down to make that rushing river of molten love which flows from the Cross of Christ into the hearts of men. Here is the highest point of God’s revelation of Himself.
And my text implies, still further, that the true living, flashing centre of the glory of God is the love of God. Christendom is more than half heathen yet, and it betrays its heathenism not least in its vulgar conceptions of the divine nature and its glory. The majestic attributes which separate God from man, and make Him unlike His creatures, are the ones which people too often fancy belong to the glorious side of His character. They draw distinctions between ‘grace’ and ‘glory,’ and think that the latter applies mainly to what I might call the physical and the metaphysical, and less to the moral, attributes of the divine nature. We adore power, and when it is expanded to infinity we think that it is the glory of God. But my text delivers us from all such misconceptions. If we rightly understand it, then we learn this, that the true heart of the glory is tenderness and love. Of power that weak man hanging on the Cross is a strange embodiment; but if we learn that there is something more godlike in God than power, then we can say, as we look upon Jesus Christ: ‘Lo! this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us.’ Not in the wisdom that knows no growth, not in the knowledge which has no border-land of ignorance ringing it round about, not in the unwearied might of His arm, not in the exhaustless energy of His being, not in the unslumbering watchfulness of His all-seeing eye, not in that awful presence wheresoever creatures are; not in any or in all of these lies the glory of God, but in His love. These are the fringes of the brightness; this is the central blaze. The Gospel is the Gospel of the glory of God, because it is all summed up in the one word–’God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.’
II. Now, in the next place, the revelation of God in Christ is an element in the blessedness of God.
We are come here into places where we see but very dimly, and it becomes us to speak very cautiously. Only as we are led by the divine teaching may we affirm at all. But it cannot be unwise to accept in simple literality utterances of Scripture, however they may seem to strike us as strange. And so I would say–the philosopher’s God may be all-sufficient and unemotional, the Bible’s God ‘delighteth in mercy,’ rejoiceth in His gifts, and is glad when men accept them. It is something, surely, amid all the griefs and sorrows of this sorrow-haunted and devil-hunted world, to rise to this lofty region and to feel that there is a living personal joy at the heart of the universe. If we went no further, to me there is infinite beauty and mighty consolation and strength in that one thought–the happy God. He is not, as some ways of representing Him figure Him to be, what the older astronomers thought the sun was, a great cold orb, black and frigid at the heart, though the source and centre of light and warmth to the system. But He Himself is joy, or if we dare not venture on that word, which brings with it earthly associations, and suggests the possibility of alteration–He is the blessed God. And the Psalmist saw deeply into the divine nature, who, not contented with hymning His praise as the possessor of the fountain of life, and the light whereby we see light, exclaimed in an ecstasy of anticipation, ‘Thou makest us to drink of the rivers of Thy pleasures.’
But there is a great deal more than that here, if not in the word itself, at least in its connection, which connection seems to suggest that, howsoever the divine nature must be supposed to be blessed in its own absolute and boundless perfectness, an element in the blessedness of God Himself arises from His self-communication through the Gospel to the world. All love delights in imparting. Why should not God’s? On the lower level of human affection we know that it is so, and on the highest level we may with all reverence venture to say, The quality of that mercy . . . ‘is twice blest,’ and that divine love ‘blesseth Him that gives and them that take.’
He created a universe because He delights in His works, and in having creatures on whom He can lavish Himself. He ‘rests in His love, and rejoices over us with singing’ when we open our hearts to the reception of His light, and learn to know Him as He has declared Himself in His Christ. The blessed God is blessed because He is God. But He is blessed too because He is the loving and, therefore, the giving God.
What a rock-firmness such a thought as this gives to the mercy and the love that He pours out upon us! If they were evoked by our worthiness we might well tremble, but when we know, according to the grand words familiar to many of us, that it is His nature and property to be merciful, and that He is far gladder in giving than we can be in receiving, then we may be sure that His mercy endureth for ever, and that it is the very necessity of His being–and He cannot turn His back upon Himself–to love, to pity, to succour, and to bless.
III. And so, lastly, the revelation of God in Christ is good news for us all.
‘The Gospel of the glory of the blessed God.’ How that word ‘Gospel’ has got tarnished and enfeebled by constant use and unreflective use, so that it slips glibly off my tongue and falls without producing any effect upon your hearts! It needs to be freshened up by considering what really it means. It means this: here are we like men shut up in a beleaguered city, hopeless, helpless, with no power to break out or to raise the siege; provisions failing, death certain. Some of you older men and women remember how that was the case in that awful siege of Paris, in the Franco-German War, and what expedients were adopted in order to get some communication from without. And here to us, prisoned, comes, as it did to them, a despatch borne under a dove’s wing, and the message is this:–God is love; and that you may know that He is, He has sent you His Son who died on the Cross, the sacrifice for a world’s sin. Believe it, and trust it, and all your transgressions will pass away.
My brother, is not that good news? Is it not the good news that you need–the news of a Father, of pardon, of hope, of love, of strength, of purity, of heaven? Does it not meet our fears, our forebodings, our wants at every point? It comes to you. What do you do with it? Do you welcome it eagerly, do you clutch it to your hearts, do you say, ‘This is my Gospel’? Oh! let me beseech you, welcome the message; do not turn away from the word from heaven, which will bring life and blessedness to all your hearts! Some of you have turned away long enough, some of you, perhaps, are fighting with the temptation to do so again even now. Let me press that ancient Gospel upon your acceptance, that Christ the Son of God has died for you, and lives to bless and help you. Take it and live! So shall you find that, ‘as cold water to a thirsty soul,’ so is this best of all news from the far country.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
According to. App-104.
glorious gospel = gospel (App-140) of the glory (p. 1511). Compare 2Co 4:4.
blessed. Only in this epistle is “blessed” (or happy), Greek. makarios, applied to God, here and 1Ti 6:15.
which, &c. = with which I was entrusted. App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Ti 1:11. , according to) This is construed with sound doctrine, 1Ti 1:10. Paul hereby establishes the authority of his own commandment. Those who know the glory of God from the Gospel, vehemently detest all kinds of profligacy. The law is thus established by faith. Or else is construed with , if a man use it, 1Ti 1:8; although I know not whether it can be said, that we must use the law according to the Gospel; or with , from faith, 1Ti 1:5.- , of the glory) Glory redounds to the Gospel from the Divine blessedness, and thence there results soundness of doctrine.- , of the blessed) The same epithet is applied to God, ch. 1Ti 6:15. A peculiar phrase, indicating immortality and supreme happiness, which most powerfully move men to confess the Gospel. The highest pinnacle of praise is blessedness; comp. notes on Chrysostom de Sacerdotio, p. 371. The Blessed blesses: thence He is called the Saviour, 1Ti 1:1.- , with which I was entrusted) Tit 1:3. This sets forth the peculiar and extraordinary privilege of Paul, Rom 15:16; Eph 3:8; Col 1:25.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Ti 1:11
according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.-The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the standard by which everything is to be tested, and the law of Moses was made for those who do not obey the teachings of the gospel which was committed to Paul, which he had preached.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
According: Rom 2:16
glorious: Psa 138:2, Luk 2:10, Luk 2:11, Luk 2:14, 2Co 3:8-11, 2Co 4:4, 2Co 4:6, Eph 1:6, Eph 1:12, Eph 2:7, Eph 3:10, 1Pe 1:11, 1Pe 1:12
the blessed: 1Ti 6:15
which: 1Ti 2:7, 1Ti 6:20, 1Co 4:1, 1Co 4:2, 1Co 9:17, 2Co 5:18-20, Gal 2:7, Col 1:25, 1Th 2:4, 2Ti 1:11, 2Ti 1:14, 2Ti 2:2, Tit 1:3
Reciprocal: Psa 119:12 – Blessed Mar 14:61 – the Son Luk 12:48 – For Rom 1:1 – called Rom 1:5 – we have Rom 1:16 – the gospel Rom 1:25 – more Rom 15:15 – because Rom 15:16 – ministering 1Co 2:1 – the testimony 1Co 3:10 – to the 2Co 3:6 – hath 2Co 3:18 – the glory 2Co 4:3 – our 2Co 10:14 – the gospel 2Co 11:31 – which Gal 1:1 – but Eph 3:2 – the dispensation Phi 1:27 – the faith 1Th 2:9 – the gospel 1Ti 1:12 – putting 1Ti 1:18 – charge 2Ti 2:8 – according
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL
The glorious gospel (the gospel of the glory R.V.) of the blessed God.
1Ti 1:11
There were those in Ephesus who contended that the freedom of the gospel released them from the obligations of the moral law. St. Paul, who was called to Europe, besought Timothy to abide still in Asia Minor, and convince them that the very design of the gospel was charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned. So far from the moral law being abolished by the gospel of our salvation, every claim of holiness, on which that law insists, is, the Apostle argues, in truest harmony and accordance with the gospel of the glory of the Blessed God which, in deepest gratitude and reverence he adds, was committed to my trust.
I. The Blessed God.This remarkable name of the Triune Jehovah, Whose we are, and Whom we serve, the Blessed God, demands our thoughtful and prayerful meditation. The word blessed does not primarily signify here one who receives praise and blessing, but bears its ordinary meaning of happy, felicitous, blissful. The reception of praise and adoration must, we may humbly conceive, form part of the blessedness of God, and speaking after the manner of men may be said to increase that blessedness. But the term in itself simply signifies happy. This appears from its use elsewhere in the New Testament. It occurs fifty times; but here only, and in the fifteenth verse of the sixth chapter of this Epistle, where we read of the Blessed and only Potentate, is the word used of God. In all the other forty-eight instances it describes the blessed or happy man, as in the nine beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, or in the seven beatitudes of the Book of Revelation. This usage suffices to establish its meaning here. The Blessed God signifies God Who enjoys supreme felicity and infinite delight. We cannot, indeed, grasp or even gaze upon this full-orbed glory of the joy of God. It dazzles us. It is the light that no man can approach unto. But we may reverently ponder it fragment by fragment, we may humbly trace a broken reflection of it in ourselves; and then, for we are made in the image and after the likeness of God, we must confess it has the witness in itself, it is self evidencing; yea, it is a divine necessity.
II. The gospel of the glory of the Blessed God.The Apostle speaks not only of the gospel of the Blessed God, but of the gospel of the glory of the Blessed God. This is more, far more. Glory is the manifestation of excellence. We may take this as a safe key for interpreting the word glory in the Scriptures. The felicity of the Most High God being as we have seen so exceeding great, this excellent joy must needs overthrow. We see it in the firmament of His power; the heavens declare the glory of God. We see it in the earth below: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Nor do we marvel that when He created the heavens and the earth, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Brief, indeed, was that cloudless dawn of the history of man. Sin entered into the world, and death by sin. The land was as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness. And now a thick cloud was drawn between the creature and his grieved and offended Creator. But should darkness conquer light? Should hell baffle heaven? Should the wiles of the Devil thwart the designs of God? Nay, we quietly read over to ourselves, weighing every syllable, for the destiny of the creation is wrapped up in them, the words of the beloved disciple who had drunk the deepest into the spirit of his Master. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil. And the gospel of the glory of the Blessed God is unveiled before us in its large and luminous outlines.
(a) Once grasp the exceeding preciousness and perfectness of this salvation of God, and you will not wonder that St. Paul elsewhere writes, Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (Gal 1:8).
(b) Let us remember that the gospel of the glory of the Blessed God is too majestical a thing to be loaded with chains forged on any human anvil. It spurns the littleness of partizanship.
For the love of God is broader
Than the measures of mans mind.
Nay, this gospel has vivified and is vivifying, has fructified and is fructifying, many other churches of Christendom beyond our own. It is the gift of God to man. It is heaven-born, and free as the air we breathe. Their sin, who would narrow it, is only less than theirs who would deprave it.
Bishop E. H. Bickersteth.
Illustration
The gospel declares itself to be Gods greatest answer to mans greatest want. The gospel does not profess to be one answer among many. It claims to be the one answer which God makes to the problem of sin, and the agony of sorrow. The gospel does not speak with hesitating, diffident tone. It does not put itself in an excusatory attitude. It does not ask to be heard on sufferance, and to be judged by some modified law of criticism. It stands clear out in the daylight. It says, in personal language, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
WHY GLORIOUS?
Why was it that St. Paul, who did more than any other man that ever lived to make known this gospel in the worldwhy did he call it a glorious gospel? There were many reasons.
I. Because of its antiquity.He looked down through the long vista of the ages past, and he saw how this gospel of the Blessed God was in the mind of God from everlasting.
II. Because it was unchanging.Everything else about us changes. Feelings are transitory, even creeds are sometimes tampered with, doctrines are altered, the standard of morality shifts according to the requirements of the age, but the life of Jesus is the same, unchangeable.
III. Because of the triumphs it had already won in the world, in the Church, in the hearts of men, Jew, and Gentile, and Christian. Look at the little band of men as they go forth upon what appears a forlorn hope. Their banner is the Cross, their battle-cry is the glorious gospel. But wherever they go hard hearts are softened, and consciences are pricked, and idols totter and fall, and even imperial Rome is forced to acknowledge the power of the glorious gospel.
IV. Because he knew by his own experience that the gospel of the Blessed God tells men just what they need to know. It is in this respect that the religion of Christ stands head and shoulders above any other religion that the world has ever seen.
Bishop C. J. Ridgeway.
(THIRD OUTLINE)
GOD-LIKENESS
The glorious gospel of the blessed God, or, as the words might be more happily translated, the glorious gospel of the happy God. It is in that word happy that I find my message.
But the thought will come: It is all very well for you to talk about a happy God, it is all very well for God to be happy. God is above the water-floods, but I am down here in the waves. Ah, but is that all? God could not bear to see man unhappy down under the clouds here, and so in the Incarnation the happy God comes down and is made Man, and comes to make man happy, comes down to mend what man has marred. That is the glorious gospel of the happy God.
I will be daringly simple, and will give three short rules
I. Be happy.It is God-like to be happy. It is as much a duty (and a far more difficult one) to be happy as it is to be honest; be happy as to your past, do not let the past take the heart out of you. Then your future; open the back numbers of life and read the happy pages that are in that. Brood on the bright bits of the past. If you cannot be happy, flooded with the sunshine that comes from innocence, then be happy with the brightness that comes from the life of penitence. Be happy in the present; that is the great difference between Christianity and all other religions. It promises man a present happiness. Any religion, every religion, can promise a future happiness, but union with the happy God promises a man happiness here, now, to-day.
II. Look happy.Expressions convey impressions. Jesus called a little child unto Him. Would that little child have gone if Jesus had looked unhappy? You know nothing about children if you think that it would. Look happy. Why is the religious person caricatured as always looking unhappy? why must we go about looking as though our religion was always making us feel unwell. Look what you are, in union with the happy God.
III. Try to make others happy.Negatively, do not spoil the happiness of another persons life. A man has no right to spoil the happiness of a womans life; a woman has no right to spoil the happiness of a mans life. A big boy has no right to spoil the happiness of a little boys life. Positively, put your shoulder under anothers cross, give it a lift. Begin at home. Contribute your quota of happiness to home life, to the life of the country, to the life of the empire, and so to the life of the world.
Rev. Canon Holmes.
Illustration
A nation looks at life very much as a nation looks at God. Ask history if it is not true. Think of Germany, for instance, in the sixteenth century. Look at France in the eighteenth century. Look at England, the empire, as it is to-day. Is the Englishmans conception of God the Pauline conception? What is the Englishmans God? Is that a happy God? Is it not a God that is studiously kept outside the life that all are craving for, that all are longing forhappiness? Is the gospel of England to-day the glorious gospel of the happy God? I do not believe it is; and therefore, because mens conception of God is not God as a happy God, the Englishmans conception of the religious life in England is not a conception that makes men happy.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
1Ti 1:11. This is Paul’s explanation of the term sound doctrine in the preceding verse. To be such, it must agree with the glorious Gospel. Blessed in the original is defined also as “happy,” but when it is applied to God it means he is the source of true happiness. He is the giver of the glorious Gospel, and that is the reason He is credited with that which will make men happy. Committed to my trust denotes that Paul was entrusted with the preaching of this holy document.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Ti 1:11. According to the glorious gospel. Better, the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God. The translation of the characterizing genitive, as though it were simply equivalent to an adjective, is for the most part misleading. St. Paul had used the phrase before, 2Co 4:4; there also with the meaning that the Gospel is a Gospel because it proclaims the glory, i.e. the power, and yet more the love, of God in Christ.
The blessed God. The adjective, elsewhere in the New Testament used of men only, is here and in 1Ti 6:15 applied to God.
Which was committed to my trust. Literally, in a construction peculiarly Pauline (1Co 9:17; Gal 2:7 et al.), with which I was entrusted. The force of the I, which in the Greek is emphatic, is lost in the English Version, and with it the subtle links of thought that lead on to what follows. First contrasting the Gospel which he preached with the morbid imaginations of false teachers, his mind is led to dwell on the succession of events by which he came to have the honour of so high a trust, and in which he traced the working of that Divine mercy in which he saw, more than in all other attributes, the glory of God revealed.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Note here, 1. The title given to the gospel: it is called the glorious gospel of the blessed God: partly, because the glorious attributes and excellences of God are more resplendent in the gospel, than in the law of God; as also because the gospel brings more honour and glory to God than all the works of creation put together.
Note, 2. He styles God the giver of that gospel, the blessed God; to signify thereby unto us his transcendent mercy and excelling goodness, in that being infinitely happy in the enjoyment of himself and his divine perfections, and incapable of any profit from, or advantage by, his creatures, he was yet pleased to give us his Son, his gospel, his Holy Spirit, to qualify us for, and bring us to, the enjoyment of himself: According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God.
Note, 3. What humble and thankful returns St. Paul makes to Christ for the high honour, the rich and special favour, conferred upon him, in calling him to dispense this glorious gospel, in calling him to it, in enabling him for it, and rendering him faithful and successful in it: I thank Christ Jesus, who enabled me, and counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.
Where note, That all the fidelity, ability, zeal, and courage, which the apostle had exercised in the whole course of his ministry, is attributed and ascribed unto Christ, and not to himself; his faithfulness was not the cause or motive, but effect and fruit, of the grace of God in calling him to the ministry, 1Co 7:25, having obtained mercy to be faithful. Had our Saviour only discovered this faithfulness in him, and not conferred it upon him, there had not been such reason for this affectionate thanksgiving, which here we find from our apostle: I thank Christ who hath enabled me, counting me faithful.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 11
According to, &c.; referring to the doctrine mentioned at the close of the 1 Timothy 1:10. The meaning is, contrary to the requirements enjoined by the gospel, &c.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1Ti 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
I want to list the last part of verse ten and first of eleven in several translations.
ASV “and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; 11 according to the gospel”
KJV “and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel”
DARBY “and if any other thing is opposed to sound teaching, 11 according to the glad tiding”
NIV “and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the glorious gospel”
NKJV “any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel”
YOUNG “and if there be any other thing that to sound doctrine is adverse, 11 according to the good news”
Now, just what can we glean from that section of Scripture? Have you ever heard anyone say something along the lines that we don’t have to worry about doctrine – just concentrate on the Gospel? I have, and this verse says they are incorrect. You can’t have the gospel without doctrine!
Just for fun – what are some doctrines involved in the Gospel.
Deity or Christ
Virgin Birth
Humanity of Christ
Eternality of God
Satan
Evil
Sinfulness of man
The fall
Creation
Resurrection
Sin
Or maybe we should take the easier route and list the doctrines that don’t relate to the Gospel!
“which was committed to my trust” is literally “with which I have been entrusted.” as Darby translates it.
This entrusting is not something special that was given to Paul, but it is a general entrusting to every believer. We are all entrusted with a job.
In 2Co 5:20 it tells us we are ambassadors: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Verse 19 mentions that we are entrusted with the word of reconciliation! “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
Now the application to that truth is simply witnessing in any manner we can, as well as helping others do the same around the world. Teachers and preachers have a special work over and above this work and that is to train all believers to do this same work.
MISSIONS IN A NUTSHELL!
Not only are we commanded to witness, but we have been trusted by God to share in that ministry.
We want to be clear that these sinners are not forbidden from heaven in this text – only that they are sinners and they are examples of those that the law was given for. They will not enjoy heaven unless they see themselves in this list and accept Christ.
The obvious thrust is that we have the privilege to share our faith in Jesus Christ with these people and assist them to understand the sinfulness of their lives, and the free gift of the Lord that is offered to them.
“Many years ago in St. Louis, a lawyer visited a Christian to transact some business. Before the two parted, his client said to him, “I’ve often wanted to ask you a question, but I’ve been afraid to do so.”
“What do you want to know?” asked the lawyer.
“The man replied, “I’ve wondered why you’re not a Christian.”
“The man hung his head. “I know enough about the Bible to realize that it says no drunkard can enter the kingdom of God; and you know my weakness!”
“You’re avoiding my question,” continued the believer.
“Well, truthfully, I can’t recall anyone every explaining how to become a Christian.”
“Picking up a Bible, the client read some passages showing that all are under condemnation, but that Christ came to save the lost by dying on the cross for their sins. “By receiving Him as your substitute and redeemer,” he said, “you can be forgiven. If you’re willing to receive Jesus, let’s pray together.”
“The lawyer agreed, and where it was his turn he exclaimed, “O Jesus, I am a slave to drink. One of Your servants has shown me how to be saved. O God, forgive my sins and help me overcome the power of this terrible habit in my life.” Right there he was converted. That lawyer was C.I. Scofield, who later edited the reference Bible that bears his name.”
May we be so open to share the Word with the lost we come in contact with – it is our duty and our honor to do so.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
1:11 {9} According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, {10} which was committed to my trust.
(9) He contrasts fond and vain babbling with, not only the Law, but the Gospel also, which does not condemn, but greatly commends the wholesome doctrine contained in the commandments of God. And therefore he calls it a glorious Gospel, and the Gospel of the blessed God, the power of which these babblers did not know.
(10) A reason why neither any other Gospel is to be taught than he has taught in the Church, neither after any other way, because there is no other Gospel besides that which God committed to him.