Evening and Morning
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
February 13
Morning
"Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God."—1 John 3:1, 2.
Behold, what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us. Consider who we were, and what we feel
ourselves to be even now when corruption is powerful in us, and you will wonder
at our adoption. Yet we are called "the sons of God." What a
high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care
and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels
towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through
Christ. As for the temporary drawback of suffering with the elder brother, this
we accept as an honour: "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." We are
content to be unknown with Him in His humiliation, for we are to be exalted
with Him. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." That is easy
to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning?
Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your
spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does your faith
almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you
are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things
against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—now,
as much in the valley as on the mountain, "Beloved, now are we the
sons of God." "Ah, but," you say, "see how I am arrayed! my graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine
with apparent glory." But read the next: "It doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like
Him." The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall
refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.
Evening
"There
is therefore now no condemnation."—Romans 8:1.
Come, my soul,
think thou of this. Believing in Jesus, thou art actually and effectually
cleared from guilt; thou art led out of thy prison. Thou art no more in fetters
as a bond-slave; thou art delivered now from the bondage of the law; thou
art freed from sin, and canst walk at large as a freeman, thy Saviour's blood has procured thy full discharge. Thou hast
a right now to approach thy Father's throne. No flames of vengeance are there
to scare thee now; no fiery sword; justice cannot
smite the innocent. Thy disabilities are taken away: thou wast
once unable to see thy Father's face: thou canst see it now. Thou couldst not speak with Him: but now thou hast access with
boldness. Once there was a fear of hell upon thee; but thou hast no fear of it
now, for how can there be punishment for the guiltless? He who believeth is not
condemned, and cannot be punished. And more than all, the privileges thou mightst have enjoyed, if thou hadst
never sinned, are thine now thou art justified. All
the blessings which thou wouldst have had if thou hadst kept the law, and more, are thine,
because Christ has kept it for thee. All the love and the acceptance which
perfect obedience could have obtained of God, belong to thee, because Christ
was perfectly obedient on thy behalf, and hath imputed all His merits to thy
account, that thou mightst be exceeding rich through
Him, who for thy sake became exceeding poor. Oh! how
great the debt of love and gratitude thou owest to
thy Saviour!
"A
debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant
mercy I sing;
Nor fear with
Thy righteousness on,
My person and
offerings to bring:
The terrors
of law and of God,
With me can
have nothing to do;
My Saviour's obedience and blood
Hide all my
transgressions from view."