GRACE is the free favor of Jehovah, sovereignly fixed upon his people, and righteously communicating all spiritual and eternal blessings to them, for his own glorification. Every spiritual blessing flows from grace. Jehovah, the all-gracious God, is the fountain of all grace. His favor being fixed, he freely communicates to the unworthy and ill-deserving. He delights to give — as he delights to glorify himself. Grace is enthroned, and reigns “through righteousness unto eternal life — by Jesus Christ our Lord.” When coming to God for grace . . .no recommendation is necessary; every fear is groundless, and all your doubts are sinful. (James Smith, the predecessor of Charles Spurgeon at New Park Street)
This wonderful and biblical statement (in accordance with the teaching of Scripture) teaches us the nature of spiritual blessings, how spiritual blessings come, and even why they come. A spiritual blessing comes to the sinner by grace alone, though that is not the usual conception of it. We are taught that we must do things to receive a blessing or do things to receive grace. We are taught that blessings come to those who pursue and obtain holiness and so on. No, holiness comes to those who obtain grace by grace alone. Holiness is a spiritual blessing rather than something we have to work for, though indeed it is not easy.
A spiritual blessing comes to sinners by the righteous communication of them by God. Notice that spiritual blessings come to sinners by the RIGHTEOUS communication of them by God. Can God righteously give spiritual blessings to sinners based upon anything found in sinners? Ah, this is such a powerful point of why grace must be sovereignly given instead of based on merit. A righteous God can only give grace in a righteous way. A holy God can only give grace in a holy way. Once again, then, we can see the absolute need of man receiving grace in a way that is sovereign and not because of his own merits, worth, and works. Oh the delights of grace being freely given in Christ and being righteously given at that! Oh the delights of a free grace that saves sinners and bestows spiritual blessings because of the wonder and glory of God rather than the merits, worth, and works of men.
The heart that loves God with all of its beings should not even want a spiritual blessing that is not for the glory of God, though indeed we are but frail human beings and so we are far from perfect in that. But how encouraging it is for a heart that loves God to know that all that God does for that soul is for His glory. How wonderful it is to think that though I am a sinner and I don’t desire and long for His glory that God will use me to shine forth His glory in all the blessings He gives. While I don’t have the heart and ability to glorify Him, God has the ability to glorify Himself in doing good to sinners by giving them spiritual blessings. This is what helps explain how God can righteously give spiritual blessings to sinners. God gives them to the glory of His own name which is the height of holiness and righteousness. No, it is not selfish of God to give blessings to His own glory, but instead it is the height of true love toward Himself and to sinners when He does so. That is the only way He can be righteous and still give spiritual blessings to those who not only don’t deserve them, but ill-deserve them.
How many things are there here for the heart to grow in and helps to die to self. There are many things here to give the soul reasons to praise the greatness of God. These help me examine my heart in asking it whether I desire spiritual blessings regardless of whether they are righteously given or not. I must have a wicked heart if I could care less how they are given as long as I get them. The nature of all spiritual blessings is that they are spiritual and can only come by grace alone, which also instructs me to look at my heart to see if I long for spiritual blessings by grace or if I work for them. Spiritual blessings come to sinners (as to why) because they glorify God. But again, the heart should only desire these blessings if they are for His glory. This is so instructive to ask how I am growing in holiness. I am only growing in holiness if I growing in my desire for His glory in the blessings He bestows. Another key is whether I recognize these as spiritual blessings as opposed to things that make me feel good.
Oh how our hearts should sing of this great grace that is free of our worth, merit, and works and comes to sinners freely because they come by the hand of a righteous God who does all for His glory. This frees sinners to seek grace freely because it is not based on the sinner’s worth and works. This frees sinners to seek His grace because that is how they glorify Him out of true love. God commands sinners to love Him and serve Him, but those things can only be done by grace in the soul freely and sovereignly given and fixed.
God Loves... Himself 
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