God Loves… Himself

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Take heed of resting in a form of godliness; as if duties could confer grace. A lifeless formality is advanced to a very high esteem in the world, as a cab of dove’s dung was sold in the famine of Samaria at a very dear rate. Alas! The profession of godliness is but a sandy foundation to build the hope of an immortal soul upon for eternity. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ called him a foolish builder, “that founded his house upon the sand,” and the sad event proved him so, “for it fell, and great was the fall of it.” O therefore lay thy foundation by faith upon the rock Christ Jesus; look to Christ through all, and rest upon Christ in all. (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc.)

It is important to have a solid foundation for the soul to rest on in terms of eternity. The soul that rests upon self is a soul that has no solid foundation at all. The soul that rests upon anything but Christ and His grace alone has nothing to rest on that will last. The Scriptures above teach us quite clearly that the way of salvation is quite narrow and that while many are on the broad road, there are but comparatively few on the narrow road. While all believe that they are on the road to heaven, the majority are simply wrong. This is jolting and yet something we must not cast away, but instead take this very seriously. Those who take the salvation of their soul seriously and therefore a close examination of it, just may find out that s/he is unconverted. However, it can also be the case that those who doubt their salvation may in fact find solid ground to rest upon.

It seems as if the whole world rests in duties for their salvation. There are some who simply trust in the doing of some externals as proof that they are a Christian. Others have better theology and can repeat the right words about Christ and His Gospel, but down deep they are also trusting in self to be saved. There are still others who trust in their orthodox views to save them, though they will not voice that to themselves or others. There is nothing in the soul and nothing that the soul can do that will qualify the soul for free-grace. All the means of grace that people use do not automatically confer grace as so many seem to think, but instead grace is always sovereign and as such always in the hand of God to show as He pleases. When we read the Scriptures, pray, or take the Supper we are not putting God under obligation to give us grace, but we are simply using the things that He normally uses to give grace. Giving grace is always His option to give at His good pleasure.

The foundation of all assurance is Christ and His free-grace. We must not rest in duties or forms of anything or formality, regardless of what we call those things. The almost Christian will rest in duties and in all types of outward things. The Christian, however, does have duties and does use outward things, but s/he does not rest in them. This distinction is very hard to make and in fact only Christ Himself can teach the soul this. The soul is always looking at itself to trust self in its duties and trust self in the means of grace. What we must never forget or give up is that it is not possible to merit grace in any way. No duty and no work can possibly move God to show grace. No means of grace obligates God to show grace. We are utterly dependent upon God and we must never confuse our dependence upon Him for anything He gives us.

Yes, we are told that faith without works is dead, but we must know that unbelievers can do great works. In other words, a true faith will work but the soul must not look to the works for assurance but instead is to look only to Christ and free-grace. Christ Himself is the only One we can rest upon and the Only One who has righteousness that pleases the Father. Our works can obtain no righteousness before God and we have no need of righteousness for justification if we have Christ. Christ is our all and He gives a perfect righteousness freely by grace to all that He has. This must be held onto firmly and without giving up in the world which trusts in self and its duties. Oh how the soul must have Christ and His free-grace, yet the soul cannot work enough to obtain any part of that grace. This is entering through the narrow gate as the soul must have grace and grace alone. There is no room for anything else, but men want to carry their baggage with them as well. They are not willing to take the journey on the broad road without something of self and pride.

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

It is said of the truly righteous, that he shall “scarcely be saved;” and it is said of the seemingly righteous, he shall be almost saved; “Thou are not far from the kingdom of God.” The righteous shall be saved with a scarcely, that is, though much difficulty; he shall go to heaven through many sad fears of hell. The hypocrite shall be saved with an almost, that is, he shall go to hell through many fair hopes of heaven. There are two things which arise from hence of very serious meditation. The one is, how often a believer may miscarry, how low he may fall, and yet have true grace. The other is, how far a hypocrite may go in the way to heaven, how high, he may attain, and yet have no grace. (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc)

We need to look at the chilling reality that it may be the case that there are very few true Christians (compared to the number of those who profess it) in our nation today. It may be the case that the vast majority are deceived by various things as to whether they are Christians or not. If the Scriptures are true (and they are), then the fact that they teach that the righteous are scarcely saved should cause us to think and to think deeply and then to cry out to the Lord. It may be that “I” am the one deceived and it may be that if I died now I would lift up my eyes in hell. It appears that all think of themselves as rather special and have a hard time thinking that God will send them to hell, but understand and know that all those other people without Christ will perish and that regardless of how special the other people think that they really and truly are.

We must always stand for the glorious doctrine of God’s free-grace in saving sinners, but we must also know that there will always be an inner fight and struggle. There will be striving and afflictions, though none of those contribute to God’s motives in saving sinners and to the work of Christ. However, even when there are those who struggle and seek a little, those struggles and seeking a little can be a deceptive thing. On the one hand we must know that God saves by grace alone, yet we know that His grace shines in saving sinners and part of the narrow way is to struggle.

Those who have Christ must grow in their learning to rest in Christ and His free-grace alone despite many failures, many inward struggles, seeing their many sins, and many doubts brought to them by the fiery darts of the evil one. These things are not inconsistent with free-grace, but instead can be evidences of it. The heart of those with free-grace, though inconsistent, will long to be free of sin and the doubts. The Lord in His sovereignty brings inward and outward trials to those whom He loves and through suffering He causes them to grow. It seems as if they are holding on by the smallest of threads, and at times it may appear to them that they are not holding on, but the reality of the matter is that it is the hand of God and His free-grace holding on to them. God is stripping these people of themselves and of their hope in themselves and the strength that they have in themselves though it is hidden to them before their trial. Yes, it will seem that they are scarcely saved.

The religious person who is an unbeliever is one with a lot more confidence in his faith than the true believer. The true believer will struggle as s/he loses hope in self and looks more and more to grace, yet the religious person will continue confident in his faith because he trusts in himself to trust in Christ. This means that the unbeliever has never really lost his faith in himself and so he has unbounded confidence in his own faith in Christ, which really means that he is trusting in himself and not Christ. This person’s religious life may go quite well and this person may gain a lot of the esteem of others in how far s/he goes in the things of religion. This person does not struggle with the fiery doubts of the evil one as the evil one wants this person to be confident. This person does not struggle with the hand of God bringing hard things to strip him or her of self, and so this person goes on in the confidence that self and pride bring. This person goes far in outward religion and far in the strength of pride and self, so it will certainly appear that this person is a believer or at the very worse ever so close.

What we must see is that a person that pursues salvation in and by the strength of self and pride may appear to be so close to the kingdom (or even high up in the kingdom). It is also clear that some who doubt and cannot believe that someone with so many doubts and sins are true lovers of Christ and are held up by Christ. What is seen is temporal and what is not seen is eternal. Despite the glowing externals of many, they don’t have eternal things in them and upholding them. Despite the struggles of others regarding the externals, they do have eternal things and their inward person is growing. Beware of glowing externals in the things of religion, even when they are seen in the evangelical stars of the day.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Why should people examine their hearts? Why should they want to know how far a person may go and still not be a Christian? It is because “many will seek to enter and will not be able.” Again, notice carefully the language that Jesus uses. People should “strive” to enter through the narrow door. The word for “strive” means to agonize, struggle, and labor earnestly. Now, we must be careful to set out clearly that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is by free-grace alone. There is nothing we can do that will bring God into some form of obligation to us. However, that is not contradictory to the message of Scripture that we are to strive and seek.

Where are we to seek and strive? We are to strive and labor earnestly at the narrow door. Why are we told to strive there? It is because it is the only entrance. It appears that there are many others entering through the wide gates, but the narrow gate is where we are to put forth our labors. The reason that Jesus tells us to strive is because man will only seek to enter and will not be able. The word for “seek” in this passage (Luke 13:24) is a lot weaker than the word for “strive.” Striving includes labor and even agony, but seeking is more of an inquiry, a deliberating, though perhaps with some effort made. Again, this must not be seen as negating the glorious Gospel of free-grace, but rather it teaches us that our striving must come as a result of being under the grace of God. It also teaches us that grace will strengthen us in ways that the flesh cannot. We can only enter the gate by grace alone.

We must take notice of this Scripture and not try to water it down. The reason that we must strive is because many will just seek to enter and not be able to do so. Those who seek to enter (in contrast to strive) will not have the strength or ability to enter. It takes striving to enter. Now while this sounds like works to most people in our day, the text is not saying that our works qualify us to enter at the gate. The striving that is done is not an effort to earn something, but it is a great effort to recognize who we really are and the war that God works in us against our self and pride. It is the crucifying of self and the dying to self that is the striving and agonizing that we do.

This explains why people are almost Christians, at least to some degree. They deceive themselves into thinking that they are doing what a Christian does and so they think that they are converted. However, the outward acts that we usually attribute to Christians can be done by unbelievers as well. In another context, Jesus asked what we do more than others. Even unbelievers love those who love them, but believers are to love beyond that. In takes self-denial and at times an excruciating pain to the inner man in order to love those who hate us and abuse us. The inner man will agonize and feel inner pain as that sinful heart is in a fight to seek the Lord for grace that he may love those who are abusing him. That is striving in a way that can only be done by grace.

The almost Christian will be satisfied with a humility that is put on and perhaps may mistake a mellowing with age for true humility. The almost Christian is satisfied with outward morality rather than a broken heart that looks to grace alone for all things. The almost Christian is satisfied with looking to Christ for some things rather than all things. The almost Christian is satisfied with church attendance and outward faithfulness rather than seeking the glory of God in those things. The almost Christian is satisfied with saying prayers rather than seeking the living God in and by prayer. The almost Christian is satisfied with reading the Bible or perhaps even with serious Bible study, but the almost Christian does not pant after Christ in the reading and study of the Bible.

It is possible for the almost Christian to be thought of in church circles today as a spiritually mature person. It may be the case that there are many almost Christians (so to speak) filling the pulpits in our land and as leaders in the churches. We are so devoid of true Christianity today that almost Christianity is far ahead of the lukewarmness that passes for truth and reality in our day. It may be that a person that is going to strive to enter by true grace will have to leave the world and its pleasures. It may be that a person that is going to strive to enter by true grace will not have time for all the social things of the day and that even in the professing churches. It may be that a person that is going to strive to enter by true grace will be called many things by the accepted religious people of the day. It may be that a person that is going to strive to enter by true grace will be thought of as opposite of orthodoxy and as one who is antisocial. It may be, but perhaps it will have to be. Jesus said that striving was necessary. This means that we must strive regardless of what the easygoing folks want or say.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Anyone who even has a moderate respect for Scripture should be chilled by the words of Jesus above. While the modern day does not think deeply on things like this, since we know that if we have prayed a prayer or been born into a Christian home we are a Christian and can remain at ease in Zion. However, in the past when Christianity was taken more seriously, men spent years devoting themselves to writing books and giving sermons on the difference between false conversions and true conversions. While men and women struggle with doubt in their souls, pastors and conference speakers strive to give them assurance of salvation. It may be that in our day a greater number have arrived at the assurance of salvation before they are saved than in other time. This speaks of a terrible situation in the modern professing Church.

For some it is nothing more than a trip down the aisle, saying a prayer, or perhaps making some form of commitment. For others it is simply a matter of being moral and taking the sacraments. Still others think that as long as you believe that there is a God and you are somewhat moral God will take care of the rest. The apostle John spent a long letter in writing to people in order that they could discern whether they had eternal life or not. Jesus, who was quite aware of the false teaching in His day and in ours, said this: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14)

The power of the words of Jesus is nullified by the voices of seemingly the whole world. The various pagans (whether they claim to believe or not) tell us that God loves everybody and all will be saved. Various Arminians (whether they profess to be Arminian or Calvinistic or not) urge people to believe as if they can do so in their own power. Various ministers and theologians among the “Reformed” tell us things that are little different (if at all) than the Arminians. We must go back and back some more to find that the older Reformed writers (Presbyterian, Congregationalists, and Baptists) stressed the fact that proud sinners cannot be saved. While this is a hard way to put it, the point is that God must save sinners and when He does He humbles them from their pride and gives them a humble heart by His grace.

The question that Matthew Mead dealt with, however, is one that should grab the attention of every professing Christian. He wanted to know just how far a person could go in the things of religion and yet be unconverted. In our day they make men elders, ministers, and leaders as long as they are successful in business or have a modicum of religious interest. The ministers of our day preach (so-called) more like energetic car salesmen who are trying to talk a person into buying a car out of nothing but self-interest. In other words, Mead’s question has no place in the world of today. No one thinks you have to go very far at all. In the words of William Williams who wrote a prefatory note to the 1850 edition of this book, “In proportion as the possession of a religious hope becomes common, facile, and lucrative, in that same degree does self-delusion become more easy; and, in that same proportion, should this thorough scrutiny of our own motives and way, this sub-soil ploughing of the heart, be regarded as the more necessary.” (From a Modern Reprint, International Outreach, Inc).

With the words of Jesus, then, it would behoove men and women today to get a reprint of this book and search their own souls. There is but a narrow gate and a narrow path that leads to life, yet there is a wide gate and a broad road that leads to destruction. Not only that, there are false prophets who are everywhere preaching and teaching about how wide the gate is and how broad the road is. Let the words of Jesus (from Matthew 7) ring in our ears and move our hearts. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Note that Jesus said that many would say to Him that they prophesied in His name, cast out demons in His name, and in His name performed many miracles. They were shocked and surprised that they were not going to enter. Despite their preaching and the supernatural power that they thought they had, they were unconverted people. They thought that they were following God and serving God, but they were told to depart from Him. They were also told that they practiced lawlessness. Are we sure (as in really sure) that we are truly following God in love? Are we sure that we have eternal life and that our religious life is not based on pride and self-interest? Maybe, just maybe it might be important to cry out to the Lord to show us who we are. Perhaps we should use this book by Mead to examine our hearts to see if we are under the delusion of false religion (even if orthodox) or under Christ and free-grace.