Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 9:4
Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
4. Speak in thine heart ] See on Deu 8:17.
thrust them out ] See on Deu 6:19.
For my righteousness ] Here ethical: contr. Deu 6:25.
whereas for the wickedness from before thee ] The whole clause is wanting in LXX B and seems a gloss or expansion anticipating the next v. and weakening the connection (Valeton, Dillm., Driver, Steuern., Berth.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Deu 9:4-5
Not for thy righteousness.
That outward success, prosperity, and greatness in the world is no true evidence of grace
I. Men are very prone to make the outward prosperity and increase which God giveth them an argument of their righteousness, and so of Gods love to them, to save them. They think it impossible that, seeing God hath so blessed them here, He should damn them hereafter. For the discovery of the weakness of this prop take notice first of these particulars.
1. Prosperity, wealth, and success are in themselves blessings, mercies, and so good things to be desired. Hence we read of the people of God praying for these earthly mercies, and we have a direction for it in the Lords Prayer, when we pray for daily bread. It is true, indeed, the very petition doth much limit our desires, for it is after the great things that belong to Gods glory; and it is but one petition, whereas there are divers for spiritual things, so that our Saviour would have us to be above these earthly things, as those fowls of the heaven are which on a sudden fall on the ground for their food, but presently fly up to heaven again; and then it is daily food, or as the most learned expound it, food convenient, and decent for our place and calling, not superfluity.
2. Although these are blessings and mercies, and so good things, yet they are not sanctifying of those that have them. Dives said he had good things laid up in store, but how were they good which made him bad? How were they good which could not keep him out of hell? Riches, therefore, are neither good nor bad, but indifferent in their nature. Those are good things which make us good.
3. As outward wealth and increase are blessings, so they do belong by promise unto godliness (1Ti 4:8). I do not say with some divines that wicked men have no right to their goods, that they are usurpers, and shall answer for every bit of bread they eat, as robbers and thieves. No, it is a dangerous position to hold civil dominion and right to be placed upon godliness. The earth hath He given to the children of men, saith the Psalmist, to all men as well as to the godly; but as there is a lawful, civil right, so there is a sanctified use, and this only the godly have.
4. Although we cannot conclude grace by outward mercies, yet thus far we must by Scripture say, that God out of a general love in a providential way doth give many a man outward prosperity and wealth for his diligence, industry, upright and honest dealing in the world. Thus Solomon saith, The hand of the diligent maketh rich, and truth and justice in our day is blessed by God to increase.
5. Some go into another extremity, and conclude of their good estate and holy condition because they are in a poor, needy, and miserable estate, and destitute of all earthly comforts. But every poor man is not a Lazarus, nay, there are many times none more wicked, cursed, profane, and enemies to all goodness, than those that are in a low and miserable condition. A woeful thing it is, indeed, to have nothing but misery here, and nothing but torments hereafter.
II. Why outward prosperity and blessings do not argue a mans good estate.
1. It may be demonstrated from the original, or fountain, whence they flow. It is not only from Gods love, but His anger also. Sometimes God giveth men the outward comforts of this life in His hot displeasure.
2. Therefore may not outward plenty and mercies be made a sign of our good estate, because they have always in corrupt hearts corrupt and sinful operations. As–
(1) Outward comforts in the plenty of them are apt to beget pride and loftiness of heart, so as to despise and contemn those that are under them.
(2) If these outward mercies deaden thy heart to the things of God, or the exercise of those means of grace God hath appointed, oh, thou hast cause then to tremble in the increase of them.
(3) Then can outward abundance be no comfortable sign, when the means to get it and the way to preserve it are unlawful, and such as the Scripture condemneth.
3. Therefore may we not trust in outward prosperity, because God many times giveth a man all the good things he shall have in this life only, and afterwards there is nothing but everlasting woe and misery.
4. Therefore may we not trust in these, because we many times abuse them to a contrary end for which God gave them; He gave them to be instruments of much glory to God and good to others. Rich men are the greatest men in debt of all others; they owe much to God, much to the public, much to others necessities; now what comfort canst thou take if God bless thee with these things if thou dost not also find Him making thee thereby instrumental to His glory? If thou keepest all the good mercies God vouchsafeth to thee, as the ants and pismires do their grain and corn, which they hide in their little hills, and, as they say, bite it that it may not grow.
5. They are not to be relied on, because though all power to get wealth and prosper in the world argue God is with thee, yet He may be only with thee providentially and powerfully, not graciously; as when Nebuchadnezzar conquered and prevailed, when Alexander became great, Augustus happy. God was with these in a mighty, providential way, but not graciously.
Use–1. Of reproof to those who desire these outward good things more than inward and spiritual.
Use–2. Of instruction to those who meet with much prosperity and outward encouragements in this world. Take heed of thinking that God doth this to thee for thy righteousness, for thy piety.
Use–3. Of consolation to the godly, who, it may be, want many of those outward mercies the wicked have. Let them know they are no arguments of true godliness, or of Gods dear love in Christ. (Anthony Burgess.)
The warnings of Moses
I. Principles of Gods government.
1. Mark the assertion that God governs mankind.
2. That God governs by law in the moral as in the material world.
II. They point out a national danger–self-righteousness.
1. A subtlety in self-righteousness. It is so multiform.
(1) There may be the form of godliness, etc.
(2) A power to criticise.
(3) Freedom from observable faults.
(4) Possession of some great virtues.
2. And its danger is–
(1) To mistake the outward for the inward.
(2) To lose sight of personal sin through the glorification of some real or imaginary virtue.
(3) To rest on privileges.
(4) To simulate virtues.
(5) To blind the soul as to its real state and need.
Application–
1. Self-righteousness the great hindrance to the reception of the Gospel now (Luk 18:10; Rom 10:3; Rev 3:17).
2. Use Davids prayer (Psa 139:23).
3. Work of the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:8). (H. W. Dearden, M. A.)
The address of Moses
I. The address of Moses is very different from the addresses of most captains of armies under similar circumstances.
1. He makes no attempt to underrate the power of the enemies with whom the Israelites had to contend. He begins his address by telling the people that they are that day to pass over Jordan, to go in and possess nations greater and mightier than themselves. The reason for his giving such information was that the design of God was not merely to conquer the Canaanites, but to educate Israel, to teach them that by Gods power weakness may be made strength and the mighty vanquished by the feeble.
2. Moses assures the people in plain language that no righteousness of theirs had gained them the land. They might be ready enough to admit that it was not their own courage or their own bodily strength, but they might still be disposed to think that they had deserved Gods favour, that if they had not been deserving of the victory, God would not have given it to them. Self-flattery is easy, and therefore Moses very wisely and decidedly protested once for all against such a view of Gods doings.
II. The principle of spiritual life with ourselves is precisely that which Moses laid down as the principle of national life for the Israelites. God gives us the land of promise for no righteousness of our own. Everything depends on Gods mercy, Gods will, Gods purpose; the certainty of victory depends, not upon any feelings or experiences or conflicts of ours, but upon the ever-present help of the Almighty God. (Bp. Harvey Goodwin.)
Heaven and glory not the reward of our own righteousness
One would think this too obvious to be disputed in the mind of an Israelite. Then I ask if any man or woman, taking a calm retrospect of his or her life, has not to say the same?
I. Let us inquire to what subjects this principle may be applied.
1. To our lot in life, and to our temporal affairs. The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof. He may do what He will with His own. In the independence and infinite sovereignty of His government He sends small means and penury, or He dispenses riches and honours, according to His own good pleasure, and to accomplish the inscrutable purposes of His heavenly providence.
2. To our religious condition and privileges.
3. To success in the ministry.
4. To the rest and glory of the heavenly world. Eternal life is the gift of God.
II. What are the reasons for which we shall possess the land?
1. The choice and will, the purpose and pleasure of the Almighty.
2. Gods justice on the one hand, and His goodness on the other.
3. The faithfulness of God to His promises.
III. What is the use of this doctrine?
1. It is taught us that we may understand it. Acknowledge your own poverty and Gods riches. Submit to His method and plan of justification and acceptance by Christ. Do not go about to establish your own righteousness.
2. I cannot conclude without one caution. A farthing is a farthing, and a sixpence is a sixpence; so of an ingot of gold or a banknote. And a farthing will only purchase what it is worth. A sixpence will not buy what is worth a hundred pounds. But let it buy what it will. If you want an estate you must give the ingots and the banknotes. So let the work of Christ alone, the costly and prodigious sum, secure for you the glory and the heritage of heaven. But let your own righteousness and your small virtues do what they will. You cannot purchase glory with them, but they will do much for the welfare of men and the honour of God, and they will show forth your gratitude and love. (James Stratten.)
Mercy, not merit
Mercy, not merit, is the cause of all the blessings of our being.
I. This is true of our secular possessions. If we say that our comfortable homes, our freedom from temporal anxiety, and our possession of a competency, have come to us as the result of industrious efforts and economical habits, that they are our reward for honest labour: the reply is–
1. That to such a reward we have no right. We are sinners, and justly deserve not only destitution but destruction.
2. That both the materials of labour, and the power to labour, which have brought us these comforts, are to be ascribed to Gods mercy.
II. This is true of our religious advantages. Bibles, sanctuaries, religious literature. The tender mercies of our God have visited us.
III. This is true of our Christian experience.
IV. This is true of our spiritual usefulness. Not by might, nor by power, etc.
V. This is true of our heavenly inheritance. (Homilist.)
The favoured peoples of the earth
There are favoured peoples in all communities–persons specially favoured by their healthful constitutions, vigorous intellect, lofty genius, high culture, worldly wealth.
I. Whatever favours distinguish one class of men from another in society, they are the gifts of God. This should teach us–
1. Not to be proud for our superiorities.
2. To thank God for our superiorities.
3. To bless men by our superiorities.
II. These distinguished gifts are bestowed, not on the ground or any special moral excellence.
III. The fact that they are not bestowed on the ground of moral superiority should be well understood by men.
1. Understand it, that you may not deceive yourself. Let no man conclude because he is prosperous that he is the favoured of heaven.
2. Understand it, that you may realise your responsibility. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
4-6. Speak not thou in thine heart,. . . saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in topossess this landMoses takes special care to guard hiscountrymen against the vanity of supposing that their own merits hadprocured them the distinguished privilege. The Canaanites were ahopelessly corrupt race, and deserved extermination; but historyrelates many remarkable instances in which God punished corrupt andguilty nations by the instrumentality of other people as bad asthemselves. It was not for the sake of the Israelites, but for Hisown sake, for the promise made to their pious ancestors, and infurtherance of high and comprehensive purposes of good to the world,that God was about to give them a grant of Canaan.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Speak not thou in thine heart,…. Never once think within thyself, or give way to such a vain imagination, and please thyself with it:
after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee; to make way for the Israelites, and put them into the possession of their land; which is to be ascribed not to them, but to the Lord:
saying, for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land; such a thought as this was not to be secretly cherished in their hearts, and much less expressed with their lips; nothing being more foreign from truth than this, and yet a notion they were prone to entertain. They were always a people, more or less, from first to last, tainted with a conceit of their own righteousness, and goodness, which they laboured to establish, and were ready to attribute all the good things to it they enjoyed, and nothing is more natural to men, than to fancy they shall be brought to the heavenly Canaan by and for their own righteousness; which is contrary to the perfections of God, his purity, holiness, and justice, which can never admit of an imperfect righteousness in the room of a perfect one; to justify anyone thereby, is contrary to the Gospel scheme of salvation; which is not by works of righteousness men have done, but by the grace and mercy of God through Christ; it would make useless, null, and void, the righteousness of Christ, which only can justify men in the sight of God, give a title to heaven and happiness, and an abundant entrance into it; and would occasion boasting, not only in the present state, but even in heaven itself; whereas the scheme of salvation is so framed and fixed, that there may be no room for boasting, here or hereafter, see Ro 3:27,
but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee; namely, their idolatry, incest, and other notorious crimes; see Le 18:3, which sufficiently justifies God in all his dealings with these nations.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. Speak not thou in thine heart. He now more plainly warns the people not to exalt themselves in proud and foolish boasting. If they had not been naturally so depraved and malignant, it would have been sufficient to point out God’s grace in a single word; but he could not induce them to gratitude except by correcting and destroying their pride. He therefore takes away this stumblingblock, in order that God’s generosity might be conspicuous among them. “To speak in the heart” is equivalent to reflecting or conceiving an opinion. Wherefore Moses not only reproves the boasting of the lips, but that hidden arrogance, wherewith men are puffed up, when they take to themselves the praise which is due to God. Moreover, he not only prohibits them from ascribing it to their own valor, that they had routed their enemies, and gained possession of the land, but also from imagining that this was the just recompense of their merits. For God is not less defrauded of His glory when men oppose their righteousness to His liberality, than when they boast that whatever blessings they have are obtained by their own industry. To make this more ‘clear, I will repeat it. Moses does not forbid the people from thinking that they had themselves acquired the land without God’s aid; nay, he takes it for granted that they themselves will acknowledge that it was by God’s help that they were victorious; but he is not contented with this limited gratitude unless they at the same time acknowledge that they had deserved nothing of the kind, and therefore that it was a mere and gratuitous act of His bounty. The reason given in the second clause does not appear sufficiently (248) conclusive, viz., that the nations were driven out on account of their own wickedness; for it might have been that what God took away from these wicked reprobates He transferred to those who were more worthy; but. it appears to be an indirect admonition, that the Israelites should compare themselves with these nations; because it was evidently to be gathered by them from thence, (249) that they had not acquired this foreign land, from which the former inhabitants had been ejected, by their own righteousness. And this is still more clearly expressed in the two next verses.
(248) De prime face. — Fr.
(249) “Pour ce que, se cognoissans povres et miserables, ils devoyent aisement conclurre,” etc.; because, knowing themselves to be poor and miserable, they might easily conclude, etc. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) But for the wickedness.Say not in thine heart, in my righteousness, when it is in consequence of their wickedness that Jehovah is dispossessing them from before thee.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4, 5. Speak not, For my righteousness Moses sees as one of the perils to which the people will be exposed the disposition to ascribe their success to themselves, or as bestowed upon them on account of their own righteousness; so he repeats, to make it more impressive, Not for thy righteousness, but for the wickedness of these nations.
In Deu 9:7-24 Moses reminds the people of the long record of their rebellious acts against Jehovah. From Egypt to the borders of the land promised to them for an inheritance they have murmured and rebelled.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
DISCOURSE: 198
AGAINST SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SELF-CONCEIT
Deu 9:4-6. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people.
MAN is a dependent creature: he has nothing of his own: he can do nothing: he can control no event whatever; he is altogether in the hands of God, who supports him in life, and accomplishes both in him and by him his own sovereign will and pleasure. Yet he affects wisdom, though he is born like a wild asss colt; and strength, though he is crushed before the moth: nay, so extraordinary is his blindness, that he arrogates righteousness to himself, though he is so corrupt, that he has not so much as one imagination of the thoughts of his heart which is not evil continually. If there ever were a people that might be expected to be free from self-complacent thoughts, it must be the Israelites who were brought out of Egypt; for no people ever had such opportunities of discovering the evil of their hearts as they had. No persons ever received such signal mercies, as they; nor ever betrayed such perverseness of mind, as they. Yet did Moses judge it necessary to caution even them, not to ascribe to any merits of their own the interpositions of God in their behalf, but to trace them to their proper sourcethe determination of God to display in and by them his own glorious perfections.
The words which I have read to you, will furnish me with a fit occasion to shew,
I.
How prone we are to self-complacent thoughts
There are many things which men would not utter with their lips, which yet they will speak in their hearts. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. But no rational man would be such a fool as to say it with his lips. So, one can scarcely conceive any man absurd enough to impute in express terms to himself, his successes, either in temporal or spiritual matters: yet, in the spirit of our minds, we are prone to do it in reference to both.
1.
In reference to temporal matters
[In the event of our succeeding in trade, in husbandry, in war, how apt are we to ascribe to ourselves what really has proceeded from God alone. We may have shewn wisdom in our use of means: but who has rendered those means effectual? Can the merchant command the seas, or the husbandman the clouds, or the warrior the events of war? Yet we take the glory to ourselves, as if we had reaped nothing but the fruits, the necessary fruits, of our own superior skill. Now what should we have thought of the disciples, if, when they had toiled all the night in fishing, and had taken nothing, and afterwards, in obedience to their Lords directions, had launched out into the deep again, and taken at one draught so many fishes that both their ships began to sinkwhat, I say, should we hare thought of them, if they had ascribed this success to their own wisdom and skill [Note: Luk 5:4-7 and again Joh 21:3-6.]? Yet this is the very thing which we do, in reference to our successes in any matter; we sacrifice to our own net, and burn incense unto our own drag [Note: Hab 1:16.].]
2.
In reference to spiritual matters
[In relation to things of a spiritual nature, we should suppose that no man would think of indulging this propensity; because in the natural man there is not so much as one good desire. But, strange as it may seem, we are more tenacious of our supposed self-sufficiency in reference to these things than to any others. There is not any one who does not hope to conciliate the divine favour by something that he shall do; and that does not imagine himself capable of doing it by his own inherent strength, whensoever he shall be pleased to undertake the work. To self-righteousness, in particular, men cleave with an obstinacy that nothing but Omnipotence can overcome. This was the real cause of the rejection of the Jews, that they would persist in labouring to establish a righteousness of their own by the works of the Law, when they should have embraced the righteousness which is of God by faith [Note: Rom 9:31-32.]. And this is the principle which we have to combat in all our ministrations, and which is the very last that yields to the Gospel of Christ. Men think to get to heaven by their own righteousness; and hope, like the Israelites in Canaan, to make the very mercy of God himself a pedestal for their own fame. Stiff-necked as Israel were, they would arrogate to themselves this glory: and vile as we are, we fondly cherish this vain conceit. To renounce wholly our own righteousness, and to submit cordially to the righteousness of Christ, is the last sacrifice we can be brought to make, and the crown and glory of converting grace.]
That I may, as God shall enable me, beat down all self-complacent conceits, I will proceed to shew,
II.
How erroneous they are
To the self-righteous Israelites, Moses said, Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now here Moses has informed us what it is that God consults in all his dispensations, even the glory of his own perfections:
1.
Of his justice and holiness
[God determined to shew his indignation against sin: and therefore, when the iniquity of the Canaanites was full, and they were ripe for vengeance, he drove them forth from their land, and utterly destroyed them. The Israelites he used merely as his instruments, whom he had raised up to fulfil his will: and in them he made known his power to execute what his justice had decreed.
Look now at the redemption which he has vouchsafed to us, and you shall find it altogether ordained to display the very same perfections of the Deity. Look at the atonement made for sin: go to Calvary, and behold the Lamb of God expiating, by his own blood, the guilt of a ruined world! There read the holiness of God, in his hatred of sin, and his justice in punishing it. Or go to the Gospel, which proclaims this deliverance; and declares, that none shall ever be saved who do not plead this atonement as their only hope; and none shall ever perish who truly and unfeignedly rely upon it. Go, follow the self-complacent Pharisee to the regions of misery, or the believing penitent to the realms of bliss, and you shall see in both an equal display of these very perfections: in the one, the punishment of sin in his own person; in the other, the reward of righteousness, wrought out for him by our Lord Jesus Christ.]
2.
Of his faithfulness and truth
[To Abraham, God had promised the possession of the land of Canaan; yet not to Abraham personally, but in his descendants. The fulfilment of this promise was delayed four hundred and thirty years: but it was not forgotten. When the time for its accomplishment was fully come, it was fulfilled; and in fulfilling it, God shewed himself faithful to his promises. And if any one of us should ever arrive at the heavenly Canaan, it will be in consequence of the covenant made with Christ; wherein the Father stipulated, that if his Son would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see a seed who should prolong their days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands [Note: Isa 53:10.]. Whence is it that any one of us is led to Christ? Whence is it that we are carried in safety through this dreary wilderness, and brought at last to the possession of the heavenly land? Was it for our righteousness that we were chosen? No: God loved us simply because he would love us [Note: Deu 7:7-8.]. Was it for our righteousness that we were preserved? No: we were a stiff-necked people from first to last. Was it for our righteousness that we were crowned with ultimate success? No: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he will have saved us [Note: Tit 3:4.], according to the good pleasure of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his own grace [Note: Eph 1:4-6.].
It is worthy of observation, that no less than three times in the short space of our text does God declare that his people were not thus favoured on account of their own righteousness: and amongst all the hosts of heaven there will not be found so much as one, who does not ascribe his salvation altogether to God and to the Lamb; that is, to the electing love of the Father, and to the redeeming love of Christ.]
In order still more forcibly to counteract self-righteous thoughts, I proceed yet further to shew,
III.
The importance of utterly discarding them from our own minds
Observe the energy with which this hateful propensity is assailed: Understand, therefore, says Moses, that the Lord giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people. How much more, then, may I say this to you, in reference to the heavenly land! Understand it, then, and consider it well: for to dream of any righteousness of your own, is to be guilty,
1.
Of the grossest injustice
[Did the self-applauding Israelites rob God of his glory? How much more do ye! What becomes of all his stupendous love, in giving his only Son to die for you? What becomes of his sovereign grace, in choosing you at first, and in giving you to his Son? What becomes of all his mercy in pardoning, his power in sanctifying, his faithfulness in keeping you to the end? By this one act of self-righteousness you rob God of it all; and take the crown from the Saviours head, to put it on your own. What construction would you put on similar conduct shewn towards yourselves? If you had taken the most helpless and worthless of the human race from a dunghill, and had with vast cost and trouble educated him for your heir, and had actually made over to him all that you possess; would you think he offered you no indignity, if he denied his obligations to your unmerited love, and ascribed all the glory of his exaltation to his own superior merit, which left you no option, but claimed it all at your hands? How base, then, must ye be, if ye so requite the love of Almighty God! Know, that His is the kingdom, to which you have been called: and His is the power, by which you have been kept: and His must be the glory for ever and ever.]
2.
Of the extremest folly
[What can provoke God, if this does not? Or, what can ye expect, but that, as the recompence of your conceit and arrogance, he should say to you, Go on without my help. You have done thus much for yourselves: carry on now the good work within you. You have overcome Satan: overcome him still. You have merited my favour: continue still to merit it. You have paid a price for heaven: complete your purchase. Bring with you your works to my judgment-seat; and I will deal with you according to them. Ah, Beloved! what would become of us, if God were thus to give us up to our proud delusions, and our vain conceits? It would soon appear what we are, and what measure of sufficiency we possess for any thing that is good. If, then, you would not provoke God to give you up altogether to yourselves, discard from your minds these lofty imaginations, and let every thought of your hearts be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.]
Having thus directed my attention, throughout the whole subject, to the self-sufficient, I will conclude with an address to,
1.
The desponding sinner
[You are ready to say, God will not have mercy upon me, because I have no righteousness whereby to recommend myself to him. But you need none for this end. It was not the righteous, but sinners, whom he came to save. You are to go to Christ guilty, that you may be forgiven; vile, that you may be made holy; and weak, that his strength may be perfected in your weakness. Understand this; and your conscious unworthiness, so far from appearing any longer a bar to your acceptance with him, will be a motive for coming to him, and an encouragement to trust in him: for where sin has abounded, there, you have reason to hope, shall his grace much more abound.]
2.
The joyful saint
[Let not the freedom of Gods grace ever prove a snare to you. Though God will never save you for your righteousness, he will never save you in an unrighteous state. Though he requires no righteousness of yours as the ground of your acceptance with him, he requires the utmost attainments in righteousness as your meetness for heaven; yes, and as the means whereby he may be glorified. Take heed, therefore, that you understand this: for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. At the same time, you must cultivate a spirit directly opposite to that of the self-applauding Phariseea spirit of humiliation and self-abasement before God. This was the state of mind which he required of those whom he conducted into Canaan; and this is the spirit which he expects to find in us. Hear his own words to them, and to us in them: Ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own eight for all the evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my names sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt dealings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God [Note: Eze 20:42-44; Eze 36:22; Eze 36:32.]. Here, I say, you see the spirit that becomes you. To your latest hour, and in your highest attainments, be ye abased, and let God be glorified as all in all!]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
It is a precious consideration, in the view of distinguishing grace, that it originates in covenant mercy in JESUS. No one cause but the real cause, the sovereign will and pleasure of GOD, can be assigned. JESUS sweetly expresses the whole of it when he saith, Even so, FATHER, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Mat 11:26 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
Ver. 4. For my righteousness. ] We are all apt to weave a web of righteousness of our own, to spin a thread of our own to climb up to heaven by, to set a price upon ourselves above the market, to think great thoughts of ourselves, and to seek great things for ourselves. Caelum gratis non accipiam, saith one merit monger, I will not have heaven for nothing; and, Redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes, saith another; Give me heaven, for thou owest it me. How blasphemous is that direction of the Papists to dying men, Coniunge, Domine, obsequium meum cum omnibus quae Christus passus est prome: Join, Lord, my righteousness with Christ’s righteousness! How much better was it with those ancient Papists here in England, to whom, upon their deathbeds, the ordinary instruction appointed to be given was, that they should look to come to glory, not by their own merits, but alone by the virtue and merit of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ; that they should place their whole confidence in his death only, and in no other thing! a &c. Those justiciaries, that seek to be saved by their works, Luther fitly calls the devil’s martyrs; they suffer much, and take much pains to go to hell, and by their much boasting, Haec ego feci, haec ego feci, they become no better than Faeces, saith he wittily. It is a good observation of a reverend divine, b that the Church in the Canticles is nowhere described by the beauty of her hands or fingers. Christ concealeth the mention of her hands – that is, of her works – (1.) Because he had rather his Church should abound in good works in silence, than boast of them, especially when they are wanting, as Rome doth; (2.) Because it is he alone that “worketh all our works for us.” Isa 26:12 Hos 14:8
a Dr Ussher, Ser. on Eph 4:13 .
b Mr Cotton, on Cantic., p. 217.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wickedness. Hebrew. rash’a. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Speak not: Deu 9:5, Deu 7:7, Deu 7:8, Deu 8:17, Eze 36:22, Eze 36:32, Rom 11:6, Rom 11:20, 1Co 4:4, 1Co 4:7, Eph 2:4, Eph 2:5, 2Ti 1:9, Tit 3:3-5
for the wickedness: Deu 12:31, Deu 18:12, Gen 15:16, Lev 18:24, Lev 18:25
Reciprocal: Exo 34:11 – I drive Deu 7:1 – the Lord Deu 9:6 – Understand Jdg 11:24 – whomsoever Eze 16:6 – Live Mat 24:48 – say
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my {d} righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
(d) Man by himself deserves nothing but God’s anger, and if God spares anyone it comes from his great mercy.