A Sermon For Erring Christians # 1

A Sermon For Erring Christians # 1

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Theme: Plain directions to Christians who are out of the King's highway, telling them how to get back into the way.

This text is God's answer to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple. That prayer is remarkable for these three things:

1. A distinct recognition of the fact that all of God's people will and do sin.

2. That divine chastisement for purposes of correction will certainly follow every such sin.

3. A petition that God would accept and honor as adequate provision for the forgiveness of such sin.

These three notable characteristics of this famous prayer are very carefully stated because they embody a great deal of doctrine. And doctrinal statements ought never to be loosely and incautiously worded. Let us elaborate somewhat on each characteristic of this prayer.

Observe carefully that the first notable characteristic is not a recognition of the fact that some of God's people will sin nor the mere possibility that all of them may sin, but that all of them will and do sin - all of them, without one exception.  If this statement be correct, it forever settles some things. It forever negatives as unscriptural certain modern doctrines touching sanctification. If it be urged as an objection that Solomon in his prayer continually said, "If Thy people sin," the "if" implying contingency only, or mere liability, the answer to such objection is obvious, conclusive, and crushing that he himself carefully guarded against such construction of his language. The possibility expressed by the "if" relates only to the particular form of the sin and never to the fact that sin would come in some form. The "if" was designed to cover any or all forms. It is as if he had said, "If it take this form or that?, whatever form it may take and some form it will take - then hear thou in heaven and forgive."

Would you hear and consider some of this proof? We have two inspired records of this prayer. In both, the "if" is not designed by him to convey the idea of doubt or uncertainty as to the fact of sin.

"If they sin against Thee (for there is no man that sinneth not" (1 Kings 8:46 and 2 Chronicles 6:36).

The full import of this broad negative as to the existence of sinless men is emphasized by its enlarged restatement by Solomon in another and much later connection: "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecclesiastics 7:20). This, for the present, at least, is sufficient proof of the correctness of the first statement, that Solomon's prayer distinctly recognizes the fact, not that some of God's people will sin, nor that all of them may sin, but that all of them will and do sin. 

The second characteristic of the prayer is that divine chastisement, for purposes of correction, inevitably follows such sin. There is no doubt here, no ambiguity. Every element of uncertainty is excluded. You, O Christian is not the only inalienable and precious heritage of every child of God, but it is also a distinguishing mark to evidence the fact that he is a child of God. No chastisement, no child. What saith the scripture?

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him; For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. And scourgeth every son whom He recevieth. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not. But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore we have had the fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure. But He for our profit that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet; let that which is lame be not turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." Now, do observe how this Scripture corroborates the first proposition that all God's people sin. All His people are partakers of chastisement. Any self-styled child of God who is without chastisement is a bastard and not a son. He chastises to correct come wrong, to heal some lameness. He chastises not willingly, but for love and for profit.  Mark this, that the object of chastisement is that "Ye might be partakers of His holiness."

To claim to be holy as God is holy is to claim that you have passed out of the realm of chastisement. The school of discipline for the spirit ends only with death of the body or its glorification without death. Death is the last stroke of discipline. With death all chastening of the spirit ceases. Seen after death they are at last "the spirits of just men made perfect." (Hebrews 12:23).

~B. H. Carroll~

(continued with # 2)