1 John 2:12
“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.”
Even in forgiveness, there lies opportunity to glorify God.
Archive for General
Sweetness and Light
This spiritual and divine light may be thus described: [it is] a true sense of the divine excellency of the things revealed in the Word of God, and a conviction of the truth and reality of them thence arising. A spiritual and saving conviction of the truth and reality of these things, arises from such a sight of their divine excellency and glory, so that this conviction of their truth is an effect and natural consequence of this sight of their divine glory. There is therefore in this spiritual light, a true sense of the divine and superlative excellency of the things of religion: a real sense of the excellency of God and Jesus Christ, and of the work of redemption, and the ways and works of God revealed in the gospel. There is a divine and superlative glory in these things, an excellency that is of a vastly higher kind and more sublime nature than in other things, a glory greatly distinguishing them from all that is earthly and temporal. He that is spiritually enlightened truly apprehends and sees it, or has a sense of it. He does not merely rationally believe that God is glorious, but he has a sense of the gloriousness of God in his heart. There is not only a rational belief that God is holy, and that holiness is a good thing, but there is a sense of the loveliness of God’s holiness.
Thus there is a difference between having an opinion, that God is holy and gracious, and having a sense of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. There is a difference between having a rational judgment that honey is sweet, and having a sense of its sweetness. So there is a difference between believing that a person is beautiful, and having a sense of his beauty. The former may be obtained by hearsay, but the latter only by seeing the countenance. When the heart is sensible of the beauty and amiableness of a thing, it necessarily feels pleasure in the apprehension. It is implied in a person’s being heartily sensible of the loveliness of a thing, that the idea of it is pleasant to his soul, which is a far different thing from having a rational opinion that it is excellent.
Jonathan Edwards
I have heard of the goodness of God, the intimacy of communing with Him, the joy of meditating upon His Word, and the deep, prodigal love of the Father expressed on the Cross for prodigal sons. I have read these words again and again and know its demands, its promises, its encouragements, and its warnings.
Edwards reminds me that one must taste the honey to know the sweetness therein. So often, I am included with the disciples who were so focused on their conception of the Messiah and temporal things that I am one of very little faith. I consistently and constantly forget that I am indeed a sinner saved by grace.
In the previous post, Dr. Piper rightly says that you never outgrow your need for the gospel. I hope I always glory in the Gospel and feast upon His Word.
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Psalm 34:8 - Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 23:5 - You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Thank you, Joshua Harris!
“Life is hard, move on!” Truer words have never been spoken by a 9 year old.
(Found: Joshua Harris - How to Talk to Girls: Advice from a 9-year-old)
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