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Distinguishing Marks of Saving Faith (6)

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Distinguishing Marks of Saving Faith (6)

8 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

(This article continues the translation of Chapter 33 of The Christian’s Reasonable Service.)

To convince you even further, while simultaneously acquainting the mourners in Zion with the grace which they possess, let us now consider the causes and characteristics of sorrow which are only to be found in the children of Cod. I preface this by stating that what has been stated about sorrow in the above, can also be found in those who truly fear God, however, in addition to this they are acquainted with distinctly different matters and spiritual frames. These include the following:

1. True sorrow concerns itself with the very nature of sin, that is, the godly see beyond the deed itself. They bring themselves into the presence of God and mourn before His countenance. They perceive that they have sinned against the goodness and holiness of God, having violated the relationship which exists between the creature and the Creator. They perceive that they have acted in contradiction to the fear, love, and obedience to which they were obliged before God. Even if in their sorrow they are not able to clearly distinguish these matters, this reality is nevertheless to be found in their heart. This grieves them and makes them tenderhearted. Even if at times they cannot believe with assurance that they have been accepted as children, there is nevertheless a secret yearning for God. It burdens them to have sinned against God, thereby acquiescing in the justice of God if it would please Him to punish them, accepting the heavy, inner chastisement as their sentence. Behold, “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest” (Psalm 51:4).

2. True sorrow does not only concern itself with sinful deeds and greater sins, but also with lesser sins, neglect of duty, absence of holy motives in the exercise of duty, and with indecent, vain, and sinful thoughts which are even contrary to their will. Yes, it zeroes in on our sinful nature—its wickedness, instability, and also its impotence —to make any improvements in the future. At the occasion of sin committed, one considers himself entirely sinful within and without and, in view of this, exclaims with perplexity and sorrow, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5); “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing…O wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:18,24).

3. True sorrow is related to the absence of communion with God and a yearning for this communion. The believer’s sorrow is indeed caused by sin, but it reaches beyond this. Even if it is not conscious of a particular sin, the soul is often sorrowful. If you would ask the question, “Woman, why weep-estthou?” (John 20:15), the heart would be ready to answer: “Because the Lord is absent. It is because I am so estranged from God and because the Lord hides Himself from me. In such a condition I cannot live; it is so dark within and I am so sinful. Oh, that I were as in former days! Why does the Lord hide His countenance from me, while He perceives that it causes me to languish? Oh, that my heart would be more steadfast towards Him, that I would be more diligent and persevering in prayer, that I would fear Him more tenderly. ‘Oh when wilt Thou come unto me?’ (Psalm 101:2). ‘For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me’ (Lamentations 1:16). ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God’ (Psalm 42:2).”

4. True sorrow seeks to become more intense and spiritual in nature. The sorrow of the temporal believer will readily disappear, since it is only related to certain deeds or particular moments of anxiety. The temporal believer seeks to avoid this sorrow, either by means of diversion, by countering it with appropriate words from Scripture, or by its being worn away with time. True believers, on the contrary, complain often and mourn over the hardness and insensitivity of their heart. If only they would be truly contrite, perceive the wickedness of sin and God’s wrath towards it, and thus be truly humbled in the dust—such is their wish. If they do not perceive such motions within, they become sorrowful and complain, “O LORD, why hast Thou made us to err from Thy ways, and hardened our heart from Thy fear?” (Isaiah 63:17) However, they are not satisfied to merely have this sorrow, but they desire spiritual improvement from it, namely, that they may find themselves before the countenance of the Lord with their filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3). They desire to be filled with shame before the Lord’s countenance so that they do not dare to lift up their eyes or draw near, but standing afar off with the publican in Luke 18:13, will confess what is expressed in Ezra 9:6, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.” They wish to sink away, with the prodigal son, in their unworthiness before the countenance of the Lord (Luke 15:19). They desire evangelical sorrow, i.e., a melting away in tears of love, and a sorrow over sin which proceeds from this love. They desire to justify God, and thus to silently submit themselves to the chastising hand of the Lord, saying, “I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him” (Micah 7:9). They desire to mourn as a child rather than as a slave, trusting in His grace. They will not and cannot cease to mourn until they may perceive some hope of reconciliation with God and some peace of conscience in Christ.

5. True sorrow works repentance, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of” (2 Corinthians 7:10). This does not mean that true believers are immediately victorious over sin and will never fall into the same sin again, but by virtue of this sorrow there comes an ever-increasing hatred against sin. They make sincere resolutions against sin in the presence of God and continually renew the battle against it. They receive a holy disposition of soul.

If these matters are not truly found in you, be assured that your sorrow is not of the right kind. The birth pangs of regeneration have never been experienced. Do not view such false sorrow as evidence of a renewed state, but be assured that you are still in the state of nature. However, if these things are truly to be found in you, be careful not to deny or minimize this grace. Even if at the present time you do not possess the afore-mentioned matters to such a degree as you may have experienced in the past, or as others possess them, or as you wished you possessed them, you may have some assurance that God has granted life to you. However, wherever this true sorrow is to be found, the two following marks of grace shall also be found.


No Answer

“But He answered him nothing.”

—Luke VJ 9b

There are many who desire to see Jesus for their own sensual gratification, like those who followed Him to see His miracles. It was always the language of the )ews: “Master, we would see a sign from Thee.” And the desire of antichrist still is that the true church prove itself by showing signs and wonders. In this way they reveal themselves, by the operation of Satan, in powers and signs and wonders of falsehood.

In like manner Herod was looking for a sign. With this expectation he begins to question Jesus. It is not necessary to inquire exactly what it was that Herod asked Jesus, for it has pleased the Holy Spirit to conceal it. No doubt they were ensnaring, inquisitive, and scoffing questions, as others had formerly so often asked. But the hope of the wicked is as a spiderweb; their hope shall perish. Herod desired a sign and an answer, but he received neither sign nor answer. “He answered him nothing.”

Jesus knew beforehand that this man was “a fox,” as He himself said in Luke 13:32. His slyness and wickedness would remain with him. Therefore Jesus did not give that which is holy unto dogs, nor did He cast His pearls before swine.


Wilhelmus a Brakel (1635-1711), a Second Reformation divine, was a leading representative of practical Reformed Orthodoxy in the Netherlands who became most renowned for his major work, Redelijke Codsdienst (The Christian’s Reasonable Service).

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van donderdag 1 maart 1990

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

Distinguishing Marks of Saving Faith (6)

Bekijk de hele uitgave van donderdag 1 maart 1990

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's