November 17 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"...to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6 KJV).

Devotional

The holy influence which a believer is called to exert around him will be greatly enlarged, and powerfully felt, by an abiding realization of his full and entire acceptance in Christ.

The child of God is "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" in the midst of moral decay and darkness (Matt. 5:13–14). By his holy example, he is to exert a counteracting influence. He is to be purity where there is corruption. He is to be light where there is darkness.

And if his walk is consistent, if his life is holy, then his example affects—and affects powerfully—an ungodly world. Saints of God catch, as it were, the contagion of his sanctity. The worldling acknowledges the reality of the gospel he professes. And the bold skeptic falls back abashed and feels "how awful goodness is" (John Milton)!

What, then, will so elevate his own piety and increase the power of his influence as a realization of his justification by Christ?

Oh, how this commends the religion of Jesus! Imagine a Christian parent with some unconverted children. They look to him as to a living gospel. They look to him for an example of the truth he believes. They expect to see its influence upon his principles, his temper, his affections, his whole conduct. What must be their impression of the gospel, then, if they behold their parent always indulging in doubts as to his acceptance, yielding to unbelieving fears as to his calling? Instead of walking in the full assurance of faith—saying with the apostle, "I know whom I have believed" (2 Tim. 1:12) and living in the holy liberty, peace, and comfort of acceptance—there is nothing but distrust, dread, and tormenting fear. How many a child has borne this testimony, "the doubts and fears of my parent have been my great stumbling-block"? Oh, then, for the sake of those around you—for the sake of your children, your connections, your friends, your acquaintances—realize your full, free, and entire acceptance in Christ.

Is it any marvel, then, that in speaking of his beloved and justified people, the Lord employs language like this: "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you" (Song 4:7); "He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has he seen perverseness in Israel" (Num. 23:21 KJV)? Carry out this thought. Had there been no iniquity in Jacob? Had there been no perverseness in Israel? Read their histories, and what do they develop but iniquity and perverseness of the most aggravated kind? And yet, that God should say he saw no iniquity in Jacob, and no perverseness in Israel, what does it set forth but the glorious work of the adorable Immanuel—the glory, the fitness, the perfection of that righteousness in which they stand "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27)? In themselves vile and worthless, sinful and perverse, deeply conscious before God of possessing not a claim upon his regard, but worthy only of his just displeasure, yet counted righteous in the righteousness of another, fully and freely justified by Christ.

Is this doctrine startling to some? Is it considered too great a truth to be received by others? Any other gospel than this, we solemnly affirm, will never save the soul!

The obedience, sufferings, and death of the God-man, made over to the repenting, believing sinner, by an act of free and sovereign grace, is the only plank on which the soul can safely rest—let it attempt to cross the cold river of death on any other, and it is gone! On this it may boldly venture, and on this it shall be safely and triumphantly carried into the quiet and peaceful haven of future and eternal blessedness.

We acknowledge the magnitude of this doctrine. Yet it is not to be rejected because of its greatness. It may be profound, almost too deeply so for an angel's mind—the cherubim may veil their faces, overpowered by its glory, while yet eagerly longing to look into it. Still the weakest saint of God may receive it, live upon it, and walk in it. It is a deep river, through which an "elephant" might swim, and through which a "lamb" may wade.

"Jesus sinners doth receive,"
word of surest consolation;
word all sorrow to relieve,
word of pardon, peace, salvation!
Naught like this can comfort give,
"Jesus sinners doth receive."

(Erdman Neumeister, 1718; tr. cento)

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 2011.