April 25 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Do you believe in the Son of God?" (John 9:35).

Devotional

Dear reader, please apply this question to your conscience. Do you have "like precious faith" (2 Pet. 1:1 KJV) with that which we have attempted to describe?

Alas! It may be that you are a tree which does not produce this good fruit. You may produce fruit that somewhat resembles it. But do not be deceived in a matter as important as this (Gal. 6:7–8)!

"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" (Jas. 2:19). Do you assent to the first proposition of true religion—that God exists? That is good, because you assent to what is true. And yet, in this you still fall short of the faith of demons! They believe, and yet the effect of the forced assent of their minds to the undeniable truth is unthinkable horror—they "shudder!"

Oh, examine your faith! In true faith, there must be not only an assent, but also a consent. In believing to the saving of the soul, we not only assent to the truth of God's Word, but we also consent to receive and rest on Jesus Christ alone as he is there set forth—the sinner's reconciliation with God.

A mere intellectual illumination, or a mere historical belief of the facts of the Bible, will never put the soul beyond the reach of hell. Such "faith" will never put the soul within the region of heaven. There is a "form of knowledge," as well as a "form of godliness" (2 Tim. 3:5, KJV). And both—unless there is vital religion in the soul—add up to a "worthless religion" (Jas. 1:26).

Again we press the important question upon you. Do you have the "faith of God's elect" (Tit. 1:1)? Is yours a faith that hates the glory of self-merit, and lays low the pride of intellect? Is your faith rooted in Jesus Christ? Has it transformed you—to some degree—into the opposite of what you once were? Is any of the precious "fruit of the Spirit" evident in your life (Gal. 5:22–23)? Is Jesus Christ precious to your soul? And is it the earnest desire of your heart to walk humbly with God in all circumstances?

If you have no sorrow for sin, if you have no looking outside of yourself to Jesus, if you have no fruits of holiness appearing to some degree, then yours is only a "dead faith" (Jas. 2:14)—dead, because it is part and parcel of a nature "dead in trespasses and in sins" (Eph. 2:1)—dead, because it is not the fruit of the life-giving Spirit—dead, because it is inoperative, even as a lifeless root conveys no vitality and moisture to the tree—dead, because it never can bring you to eternal life.

What good is it, then? Cut it down! If you never bring forth the good fruit of prayer, and repentance, and faith, then you are still in the old nature of sin, of rebellion, and of death. Run to God, looking to Jesus the Mediator and crying out, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13).

God, be merciful to me,
on thy grace I rest my plea;
plenteous in compassion thou,
blot out my transgressions now;
wash me, make me pure within,
cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions I confess,
grief and guilt my soul oppress;
I have sinned against thy grace
and provoked thee to thy face;
I confess thy judgment just,
speechless, I thy mercy trust.

I am evil, born in sin;
thou desirest truth within.
thou alone my Savior art,
teach thy wisdom to my heart;
make me pure, thy grace bestow,
wash me whiter than the snow.

Broken, humbled to the dust
by thy wrath and judgment just,
let my contrite heart rejoice
and in gladness hear thy voice;
from my sins O hide thy face,
blot them out in boundless grace.

Gracious God, my heart renew,
make my spirit right and true;
cast me not away from thee,
let thy Spirit dwell in me;
thy salvation's joy impart,
steadfast make my willing heart.

Sinners then shall learn from me
and return, O God, to thee;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
and my tongue shall sing thy love;
touch my silent lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall praise accord.

(from Ps. 51:1–15, The Psalter, 1912)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.