The True Communicant

The true communicant abhors himself, believes in Christ, and pursues after sanctification. The Lord says in His Word, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD Thy God.”

The Spirit of God convinces the elect sinner of sin, righteousness, and judgment. They are all made to sincerely sorrow after God because they have insulted and provoked Him to wrath by their sins. They have done that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord, which causes them to weep bitterly by night and day. True self-abhorrence is the fruit of the discovering light of the Holy Spirit. With God’s true people, sin begins to weigh as a burden too heavy to bear. They seek atonement for their sins in the blood of Christ. The true communicant therefore believes in Christ. Faith is a gift of God. No man can receive anything except it be given him from heaven.

Remembering the publican—how wretched this man felt! Sinful, ungodly, and self-condemned. He was oppressed and troubled on all sides. Does God permit him to perish in despair? No, there is still a way out, salvation is still possible. In what way? “God be merciful to me a sinner.” God may yet grant him grace. The devil obscures grace, but the Spirit of God glorifies Christ in the heart of a lost sinner. He also bestows grace by which the soul, totally helpless in itself, flees to that Christ.

For God’s true people, bare Scripture passages or stanzas from the psalms accompanied with emotional agitations, do not suffice—they need Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through Him alone God can be reconciled and pacified toward them. How fortunate for us when the Spirit of God constantly contends with us and turns us away from everything so that we may take refuge by faith to this precious Mediator, in whom all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. How precious and valuable are the exercises of faith.

—Rev. W.C. Lamain

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