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Indeed

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Indeed

6 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

“Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!” (John 1:47b).

The Lord is the Searcher of the heart and the Trier of the reins (Jeremiah 17:10). He knows all His sheep by name. He also knows the sincere desires of those who are His. He knows that His converted people, without guile, thus without wrong motives, desire to be delivered.

The testimony of Jesus concerns Nathanael. The Lord pointed to him and spoke of the life of grace in the heart of Nathanael. He was indeed an Israelite without guile. The word “indeed” then requires further consideration.

This cannot be said of man by nature. In the depth of the fall man sided with the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning and is called the father of lies (John 8:44). Thus man has chosen the side of the father of lies. Man lives in a lying world and chooses the lie above the truth. He has resorted to lying and attempts to satisfy himself with lies. This becomes reality in the heart by discovering grace, and one sees his life is filled with lies and deceit.

Nathanael’s life was a life of truth. By grace he had passed over from death to life. He had true wrestlings regarding his never-dying soul upon its way to eternity. Only by a powerful work of God can we become true before God. From dead we must be made alive. This had taken place in the soul’s experience in the life of Nathanael.

The word “indeed” directs us to various matters. It means “in truth,” thus upright and sincere. Nathanael was therefore an upright wrestler at the throne of grace. It was a fruit of the upright choice in his life, which the Lord by His Spirit had glorified in the heart of Nathanael. By grace he had been taught what sin before God is, and therefore his knowledge of sin was upright. It was no longer a temporal anxiety, which is a fruit of common conviction. Under such convictions people can also, in fear and need, cry out, “I have sinned against God.” But when the anxiety has passed, they are like the dog which turneth again to its own vomit (2 Peter 2:22).

The true knowledge of sin drives one out to the living God, and then he has an upright desire to be delivered from sin and to live according to all God’s commandments. A truly upright one may by grace have the Lord in view in his entire life. This is in distinction from a common conviction. Man in the depth of his fall has become self-centered, and he remains such his entire life. Even though he changes the course of his life, clothes himself differently, and attempts to learn the language of Canaan, in all his endeavors he remains nothing else than self-centered. He never has the Lord in view because of the Lord having him in view.

The address of Christ revealed a certain fruit of grace in the heart of Nathanael. It was that of holy amazement. Grace always works amazement in our life. If we have never been amazed in God, then we have never experienced grace. In amazement Nathanael cried out, “Whence knowest Thou me?” He had thought that no one knew of him. He had walked as a stranger over the earth, and his life was a hidden life. And now it became evident that his life was known. How was that possible? For that reason the question was asked in amazement, “Whence knowest Thou me?”


Only by a powerful work of God can we become true before God.


It is a question which seeks an answer. Well, the Lord also gave this. The Lord will explain something of His mediatorial work. He is the Mediator between God and man. He is very God and a real, righteous Man. Christ’s divine omniscience set the life of Nathanael before Him; “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

He knew him before the foundation of the world. He had determined the time of His good pleasure. He had appointed the exact time when Nathanael would be saved. All things are known by Him from eternity. The life under the fig tree was also known by the Lord. The secret places, where he cried out his need before the Lord, were overheard by Him. Now the hour had arrived in which this Nathanael, dwelling in darkness, would be led to the knowledge of Him who shall save His people from their sins.

How necessary it is to stress these matters! How many boast in the salvation by the Savior, who have never been led in the right way to Christ. Without a life under the fig tree they begin to speak about a life outside of the fig tree. They also speak about meeting with Jesus, but they know nothing about a meeting with the demanding and condemning law. They have never lain in the dust of self-condemnation before the Lord. They walk, without ever being raised up by the Lord. It is a devilish doctrine, which causes many to travel through the world without a fear.

Nathanael knew of a secret life before God. He also knew of the time in his life that the light of deliverance dawned. He was led into the wonder of salvation, which was laid firm in Christ from before the foundation of the world. In amazement he might testify of what the Lord has done. He cried out, “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel.” Through the revelation of Christ he received knowledge of Christ.

How many also desire to reverse this order! They speak of a knowledge of Christ, but nothing is heard of how He is revealed in their life. They have a knowledge which is learned, but not a revealed knowledge. Eternity will bring it to light. There, for the true Nathanaels, it will eternally exceed expectations.

Burdened ones bowed down with grief,
Are helped by His most gracious hand.


Rev. P. Blok is pastor in the congregation of Kootwijkerbroek, the Netherlands.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 februari 1998

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

Indeed

Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 februari 1998

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's