Overwhelming Truth

The preacher asks, “Why am I here?” He then answers that the desire and purpose of God is that we should reflect the image in whom we were created, yet more than that, reflect the image of the One in whom we were re-created.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. . . . and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 2:10 & 4:24)

This morning I read again in Charnock a description of what that means. It takes my breath away and calls me to worship. His writing is restated here, with some changes since he wrote in 1853 and even though his thoughts are eternal, they need a bit of editing. Charnock says…

The effects of redemption proclaim God's great goodness. We are delivered from the corruption of our nature, the ruin of our happiness, the deformity of our sins, and the punishment of our transgressions. He frees us from the ignorance that darkened our minds and the slavery to sin that enchained us. 

When He came to make Adam after his crime, instead of pronouncing the sentence of death he merited, God utters a promise no man could have expected. God's kindness rises above His provoked justice, and while He put Adam and Eve out of paradise, He gives hope of regaining even a better eternal home. God is more ready to pour out the blessings of His goodness than charge them with the horror of their crime.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

God's goodness pardons us from more transgressions than there are moments in our lives. His goodness overlooks as many follies as there are thoughts in our hearts. He not only relieves our wants, but restores our dignity. What a great testimony of His goodness to instate sinners with the highest honors rather than merely supply our present necessity. In an admirable pity He is inclined to redeem us, and in incomparable affection He resolved to exalt us. 

What can be desired more from Him than His goodness has granted? He sought us when we were lost and ransomed us when we were captives. He pardoned us when we were condemned and raised us when we were dead. In creation He reared us from nothing yet in redemption He delivers our understanding from ignorance and vanity, our wills from impotence and obstinacy, and our whole person from a death worse than that nothing He drew us from by creation.

God's liberality in the gospel infinitely surpasses what we admire in the works of nature. His goodness in redemption is more astonishing to our belief than His goodness in creation is visible to our eye. There is more of his bounty expressed in this verse, “So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16), than there is in the whole volume of the created world! In creation, heaven spoke and the earth was formed. In redemption heaven Himself sank to earth and was clothed with dust to reduce man’s muck to its original state.

For this, God parts with his dearest treasure. His Son eclipses His choicest glory. For this, God must be made man, eternity must suffer death, the Lord of angels must weep in a cradle, and the Creator of the world must hang like a slave. He must be in a manger in Bethlehem, and die upon a cross on Calvary. Unspotted righteousness must be made sin, and unblemished blessedness be made a curse. 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14)

PRAY: What else can I say but “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” (Psalm 51:15) The reality of redemption described by this writer, Steven Charnock, has a greater impact on my heart than the magnificence of the Rockies, the color and beauty of flora and fauna, and even the wonder of babes and children and people created in Your image. May I praise You night and day, in sickness and well-being, and with all of my heart.