A Proliferation of Christian Devotionals and Sermons

A Proliferation of Christian Devotionals and Sermons

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Identification of the Godly # 1

Identification of the Godly # 1

In a day like the present, when, because of the abounding of iniquity, the love of many has waxed cold - it might be thought that it is no easy matter to distinguish the genuine from the spurious, the living Christian from the lifeless professor. But that is a mistaken notion. The very opposite is the case, as a little reflection should intimate to those favored with spiritual understanding. It is in time of revival, when the Spirit of God is working mightily in a community, that many are temporarily awakened, convicted of their sins and have their emotions deeply stirred. Though not regenerated, impressions are made upon them, and fearing the wrath to come - they exercise a natural and temporary faith in Christ - and find peace therein.

Such are they who "receive the word with joy" (Luke 8:13) - yet have they "no root" in themselves" (Mark 4:17); Matt. 13:20). They float with the tide of revival, and are carried into companies of God's people; but as Matthew 13:21 goes on to say, they endure "for a while" only, for their goodness is  "as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away" (Hosea 6:4).

What we have pointed out above - unpalatable as it may be to those who like to think that all which glitters is real gold - as illustrated and demonstrated all through religious history. We are plainly told that the Lord "called him (Abraham) alone" (Isaiah 51:2) when He bade him leave Chaldea and go forth unto a better inheritance. Yet Genesis 11:31 tells us that Terah, his father, accompanied him "to go into the land of Canaan;" but he never arrived there, dying at Haran (verse 32) which means, "Half-way." When the Lord put forth His mighty hand and delivered the Hebrews from the house of bondage, we are told that, "a mixed multitude went up also with them" (Ex. 12:38)! That mixed multitude soon became a thorn in Israel's side, for they were the ones who "fell a lusting" for the fleshpots of Egypt and evilly influenced God's people to become dissatisfied with manna (Num. 11:4, 5). Just as surely as Israel's exodus from Egypt was a Divinely designed "mixed multitude" who joined themselves unto them foreshadowed the crowd of empty professors who have ever associated with them.

At a later date, when God wrought so wondrously through Joshua, we read of the Gibeonites who determined to throw in their lot with Israel, and so cleverly did they pose as "strangers and pilgrims" that God's servant was deceived by them. They came to him with the language of piety, saying, "Your servants have come from a very distant country, because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of Him; all that He did in Egypt," etc. (Joshua 9:9, 10), which serves to illustrate the same principle and fact.

We all know how it was with Christ during the days of His earthly ministry. Speaking as never men spoke, going about doing good, working miracles, great multitudes flocked to Him, many "believed in His name", yet with a non-saving faith (John 2:23, 24) and "walked with Him as His disciples for a season - but later deserted Him (John 6:66). While they walked with Him, do you suppose that it was easy to perceive their real character? No indeed, as our Lord's next words to the apostles indicate: "Will you also go away?" (John 6:67). It was only when the hour of testing came, that their real character was revealed.

And thus it has been all through the centuries of this Christian era. When the Holy Spirit has wrought in power, regenerating and reviving the elect, a "mixed multitude" has always joined their ranks, and while the revival continued, it was rarely possible for human judgment to distinguish the tares from the wheat.

Thus, it was in the blessed days of the Reformers and the early Puritans. Thus, it was under the preaching of George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon. But such is very far from being the case now or for many years past. Our lot is cast in a day when the Spirit is "grieved," and His power withheld, when in most places, He has been "quenched" and His presence withdrawn. Over the great majority of churches and chapels, the sentence is written, "your house is left unto you desolate!" and though the services are continued, they are lifeless and unctionless; and though new members are still added, they are but barren branches as their fruitless lives evidence; and thus, they are easily distinguished from the genuine saint, and so are very different in caliber from the professors of earlier and better times.

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)

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