Sovereign Grace is a reason for our praise to God, both from the teaching of Scripture, and from our own Christian experience. Let us remember that staying a Christian, and staying in order as a Christian is a work of our Heavenly Father's Sovereign grace (just as our initial salvation is His work also). He works in us through many things, and whenever we need it, He disciplines us so that we will not be lost.
This Grace Gem reminded me of that today:
God's sin-purging medicine
(Arthur Pink, "A Fourfold Salvation" 1938)
"God chastens us for our good--that we may
share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10
Chastening is God's sin-purging medicine, sent . . .
to wither our fleshly aspirations,
to detach our hearts from carnal objects,
to deliver us from our idols, and
to wean us more thoroughly from the world.
God has bidden us, "put to death whatever in you
is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil
desire, and greed." (Col. 3:5) If we refuse to comply
with this unpleasant task, then we may expect God
Himself to use the pruning knife upon us!
"My son, do not take the Lord's chastening lightly,
or faint when you are reproved by Him." (Heb. 12:5)
This is a beneficial warning. So far from despising the
Lord's chastening, we should be grateful for it--that
God cares so much and takes such trouble with us,
and that His bitter medicine produces such healthful
effects. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been
trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11)
~ ~ ~ ~
We have published Arthur Pink's outstanding article,
"A Fourfold Salvation"
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