MERCY IN ABUNDANCE

Recently God has caused me to go through a “growth spurt” where I have begun to realize that we as His people are so much more blessed & the riches that have been given to us are so much greater than we realize. It reminds me of the story of a slave during the Civil War era that had a master that loved him like a son; of which the master had none.  When it came time for the master to die he left all his earthly riches to his slave.  In one day the slave went from being a pauper to a very wealthy man.  In one day, the slave went from being penniless to a net worth of over $50,000 (which was a lot in those days).  While the slave was very rich he could not fathom the extent of his newly acquired wealth.  This was demonstrated one day when he went into the bank and asked the teller if he had enough in his account so that he could withdraw a nickel to purchase a bag of flour.

We as Christians often live like this slave.  John Owen, in his book entitled Communion with God points out that…

Christ shows and proves His love to His saints in richly providing for all their needs (John 1:16).  All that Christ does for us He does abundantly.  There is no niggardliness (stinginess) on Christ’s part to His saints (Rom. 5:20).  Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.  If grace abounds more than sin, it is abundant grace indeed.  He answers our prayers ‘exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think’ (Eph. 3:20).  He abundantly pardons (Isa. 55:7).  He sheds the Spirit on us abundantly (Titus 3:6).  We receive ‘abundant grace’ (Rom. 5:17).  He ‘abounds to us in all wisdom and prudence’ (Eph 1:8) (p. 116).

We have riches beyond our comprehension poured upon us through Jesus Christ, yet we often live; hoping that we have a nickels worth of God’s blessings so that we might meet some earthly need.  Owens puts it this way,

The great sin of believers is that they do not make as much use of Christ’s bounty as they might.  Every day we ought to take from Him mercy in abundance.  Supplies from Christ do not fail.  But our faith fails in receiving them.

In view then, of all Christ’s goodness to us, what is our duty to Him?

Our first duty to Christ is to practice holiness in the power of the Spirit.  The most holy person is the one most obedient to Christ.

Believers obey Christ as the author of their faith and obedience (Heb. 12:1, 2; Phil. 1:29).  Christ by His Spirit works obedience in them.

Believers obey Christ as the One by whom our obedience is accepted by God.  Believers know all their duties are weak, imperfect and unable to abide in God’s presence.  Therefore they look to Christ as the One who bears the iniquity of their holy things, who adds incense to their prayers, gathers out all the weeds from their duties and makes them acceptable to God.

Believers obey Christ as the One who has renewed the commands of God to them, placing them under a mighty obligation to obedience (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).

Believers obey Christ as the One who is God, equal with the Father, to whom all honor and obedience are due (Rev. 5:13).

In all their obedience, saints have a special regard to their dear Lord Jesus.  He is continually in their thoughts.  His love to them, His life for them, His death for them, all His mercy and all His kindness constrains them to live for Him. 

Our second duty to Christ is to abound in fruits of holiness.  As He abounds richly towards us, so He requires us to abound richly to Him in all grateful obedience (1 Cor. 15:58).

This is but a little glimpse of that communion which we enjoy with Christ (p. 117).

Brothers and sisters, let us seek daily to be much in God’s Word; praying that our spiritual eyes might be opened to see who we truly are in Christ.  Let us pray that our faith might be strengthened so that it does not fail in receiving the abundant blessings given to us in Christ!!!

HOW BELIEVERS LIVE IN COMMUNION WITH CHRIST

Having walked with the Lord for 40+ years, I have used many different methods of study for my personal time of worship each day; everything from reading through particular books of the Bible to devotional books (i.e. Tabletalk) to reading through the Bible in a year. However, this year I decided to do something different and use the writings of the Puritans as a guide for my devotional reading. I am currently reading through John Owen’s book Communion with God. One of the things I appreciate about the Puritans is they are steeped in Scripture. So by the time I read a short section of Communion with God and look up the Scriptures I have had a fairly hearty spiritual meal. Another benefit of the Puritans is that as they speak of the doctrines of Scripture, they do not merely state the doctrines (i.e. “God loves you”), but they unpack these wonderful doctrines; examining the nuances of that particular doctrine; painting word pictures that fix these truths vividly in the mind of the reader. A steady diet of the Puritans can be helpful in seeing familiar doctrines with new eyes. Let me give you an example from Owen’s book on the doctrine of our communion with Christ.

Scripture shows us that we hold communion with the Lord Jesus in grace by a marriage relationship. Christ is married to us and we to Him. This spiritual relation is accompanied with mutual love, and so in this fellowship with Christ we experience and enjoy all the excellent things which are in Him (p. 54).
But how do we as believers live in communion with Christ? What does this communion look like? Let me share just one aspect of this union in the words of Owen.

There is a mutual committing of each to the other in this marriage union. This is the first act of communion arising from the personal union with the grace of Christ. Christ commits Himself to the soul, to love, care for and show kindness to it as a husband does to his wife. The soul, in response, gives itself up wholly to the Lord Christ to be to Him a loving, tender, obedient wife. The prophet Hosea describes this in the relationship between himself and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you." (Hos 3:3).

This relationship begins with Christ giving Himself to the soul to be its Saviour, head and husband to dwell with that soul forever. Christ looks with joy upon the souls of His saints. Christ loves their souls, see them as fair and beautiful, because He has made them so (Song of Solomon 1:5; Ezek. 16:14). Therefore He desires to enjoy fellowship with His spouse. "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your form, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your form is lovely." (Song of Solomon 2:14). As if to say, “Do not hide yourself as one that flees to the clefts of the rocks. Do not be timid and fearful like one that hides in the secret places and is afraid to come out. Do not be cast down at the weakness of your prayers. Let Me hear you sighing and groaning for Me. They are sweet and delightful to My ears. Let Me see your spiritual face seeking for and desiring heavenly things. A look from you brings great joy and delight to Me.

Nor does He leave her only with these words, but urges her to a closer union with Himself. "Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, May you come with me from Lebanon. Journey down from the summit of Amana, From the summit of Senir and Hermon, From the dens of lions, From the mountains of leopards. (Song of Solomon 4:8). As if to say, “You are in a wandering condition, like the Israelites of old, among sins and troubles which are lions and leopards to you. Come to Me and I will give you peace and comfort” (Matt. 11:28). So the spouse boldly concludes that the desire of Christ is for her fellowship, that He does indeed love her and is determined to have her for Himself (Song 7:10). So in carrying on this union, Christ freely gives Himself to the soul. Precious and excellent as Christ is, He becomes ours. He makes Himself available to us with all His graces. So the spouse says, “My beloved is mine. In all that He is, Christ is mine. Because He is righteousness, He is the Lord my righteousness. Because He is the wisdom and power of God, He is made to me wisdom” (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30). So the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. (Isa 4:2). This is the first act of fellowship on Christ’s part in this spiritual union between Him and the believer. Christ gives Himself freely to us to be our Christ, our beloved, to fulfill all the purposes of His love, mercy, grace and glory. Christ was set up to be the Mediator between God and His elect, and to enter into a marriage covenant with His people, a covenant that will never be broken.

The Lord Jesus Christ, then, was set up and prepared to be a husband to His saints, His church. He undertook the work of Mediator for which He was especially filled with the Spirit. As Mediator He purchased for His people grace and glory. Now He offers Himself to them in the promises of the gospel, making Himself desirable to them. He convinces them of His good will, and that He is sufficient for all their needs. And when they agree to receive Him, which is all He requires or expects from them, He enters into a marriage contract to be theirs for ever.

On the saints’ part, all that is required is their free, willing agreement to receive, embrace and submit to the Lord Jesus as Husband, Lord and Saviour, to abide with Him, subject their souls to Him to be ruled by Him for ever.

This is the first act of union the soul makes with Christ (pp. 57-59). 

Owens words are more than simply a flowery way of expressing that God loves you! Owens describes a relationship that is so intimate between Christ and His church that it may even sound inappropriate to our religious ears. But it is such intimacy that the soul of believers has with Christ.

Christian, as one who has been made part of Christ’s church, do you realize how deeply you are loved? Not because you are worthy, but simply because your husband has so intently fixed His love upon you! Do you rest in the security and comfort of His love? Is service & obedience to Him the delight of your soul in response to His glorious love?

Christian, please stop struggling. Stop seeking to be self-reliant. Instead, rest in the warmth of His embrace. Know that you are loved beyond your comprehension!