Evening and Morning
By Charles
Haddon Spurgeon
July 4
Morning
"Sanctify them through Thy truth."—John 17:17.
Sanctification begins in
regeneration. The Spirit of God infuses into man that new living principle by
which he becomes "a new creature" in Christ Jesus. This work, which
begins in the new birth, is carried on in two ways—mortification, whereby
the lusts of the flesh are subdued and kept under; and vivification, by which
the life which God has put within us is made to be a well of water springing up
unto everlasting life. This is carried on every day in what is called
"perseverance," by which the Christian is preserved and continued in
a gracious state, and is made to abound in good works unto the praise and glory
of God; and it culminates or comes to perfection, in "glory," when
the soul, being thoroughly purged, is caught up to dwell with holy beings at
the right hand of the Majesty on high. But while the Spirit of God is thus the
author of sanctification, yet there is a visible agency employed which must not
be forgotten. "Sanctify them," said Jesus, "through thy truth:
thy word is truth." The passages of Scripture which
prove that the instrument of our sanctification is the Word of God are
very many. The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of
truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being
received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of God's good pleasure.
The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall
not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in
sound understanding. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my
path." Do not say of any error, "It is a mere matter of
opinion." No man indulges an error of judgment, without sooner or later
tolerating an error in practice. Hold fast the truth, for by so holding the
truth shall you be sanctified by the Spirit of God.
Evening
"He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn
deceitfully."—Psalm 24:4.
Outward practical holiness
is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared that many professors have
perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in such a way as to treat good
works with contempt; if so, they will receive everlasting contempt at the last
great day. If our hands are not clean, let us wash them in Jesus' precious
blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God. But "clean hands"will
not suffice, unless they are connected with "a pure heart."
True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the platter
as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy
altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves than
our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and hence
the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all
others are but blind bats.
The man who is born for
heaven "hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity." All men have
their joys, by which their souls are lifted up; the worldling
lifts up his soul in carnal delights, which are mere empty vanities; but the
saint loves more substantial things; like Jehoshaphat, he is lifted up in the
ways of the Lord. He who is content with husks, will
be reckoned with the swine. Does the world satisfy thee? Then thou hast thy
reward and portion in this life; make much of it, for thou shalt know no other
joy.
"Nor sworn
deceitfully." The saints are men of honour still. The
Christian man's word is his only oath; but that is as good as twenty oaths of
other men. False speaking will shut any man out of heaven, for a liar shall not
enter into God's house, whatever may be his professions or doings. Reader, does
the text before us condemn thee, or dost thou hope to ascend into the hill of
the Lord?