BUILT UPON A ROCK

The natural man is so taken up with earthly things that his mind never considers nor contemplates what is to be his state after death and in the world to come. He shuns the very thought of eternity as he closes out from himself the Word of God and the revelation it gives of hell and heaven and the judgment of the great day. Nevertheless there are some who have been confronted with the Word of God and who give some thought to their relationship to God and to what is to happen to them after death. Such in many cases busy themselves with religious duties and reformation of their outward conduct and conclude that this is a sufficient ground upon which to expect the favour of God now and eternal life after death. The Bible, of course, warns sinners that except our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God, here or in Eternity. Others assume merely a formal profession of Christianity within the Church without the slightest regard to any moral or religious principles, that is, where this is permissible. All such are without Christ and without hope of a blessed Eternity. ‘The hope of the hypocrite shall perish.”

It is otherwise with all those who, in the mercy of God, are born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Such are not only favoured, as sinners, with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ unto salvation; but are also begotten again unto a lively hope of the glory of God or unto an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them. They have this hope or expectation in prospect of death and the eternal world. It is called in the Scripture “a good hope through grace”.

This hope is built upon, or rests upon, the Son of God, who is described as the “rock of salvation” and “the one foundation laid in Zion”. David relates that in his experience the Lord took him out of a pit and miry clay and set his feet upon a rock. This rock was indeed the Son of God.

Now the Son of God as the rock upon which the hope of believers is built, is the Son of God in His divine Person, His atoning death on the Cross at Calvary and as to His actual and glorious resurrection from the dead. “They are begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead “. His resurrection is a great earnest and confirmation of the fact that His people will rise also at the last day and enter in, as to soul and body, to be for ever with Him, their Lord and Saviour, in heaven.

Nothing can destroy the hope built on the Son of God. It is like the house built on the rock to which the Lord refers at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Afflictions, temptations, trials of all kinds and then death itself with all its power may come, yet the good hope built on the Rock Christ, will stand and will not be put to shame, Christ being the immoveable and eternal foundation of the Christian’s expectation of glory.

Of course it is true that the hope of the godly may become weak at times by reason of manifold temptations or the trial of their faith, and they may be in heaviness spiritually for a season now and again. “But none perish that Him trust”.

Those who possess this precious hope will have as an evidence of it, a constant and gracious desire to be purified, to be cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and to be enabled to perfect holiness in the fear of God. How solemn the Word is: “Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord!” The ultimate enjoyment of the hoped for inheritance, will involve holiness.

The possession of this hope built on the Rock Christ Jesus, is one of the fundamental reasons for rejoicing on the part of the Christian. This is mentioned by the Apostle Paul regarding what follows upon justification by faith. There is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, access into grace and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. We do well to note that this rejoicing is not only respecting the glory of God itself, but rejoicing in hope, in the expectation of it and having such an expectation in one’s heart.

It will be desirable for all who come under the hearing of the Word of the truth of the Gospel, to examine themselves as to whether they have this hope or not. Whosoever enters Eternity without this good hope grounded on Christ Jesus, enters the blackness of darkness for ever. The boldness, self-righteousness and false professions of men will perish in that day. But when the hope of the believer is realised, it will be when they enter into the eternal day of the everlasting Kingdom of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Free Presbyterian Magazine

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