God Is With Us
DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 17, 1864, BY THE REV. C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.
THE Truth of God here asserted is indisputable. Even heathens have
taken this for their motto and emblazoned it upon their standards of
war. "God is for us!" has been the war cry of many a warrior as he has
dashed to the fight, however out of place it was in such association
its force was clearly perceived. Our text, however, protects itself
from ill usage, for you observe that the text is guarded with the
little word, "If," as a sentinel. No man, therefore, has any right to
the treasures of this text unless he can give the password and answer
the question!
It is not every man who can say that God is on his side. On the
contrary, the most of men are fighting against the Lord. By nature we
are the friends of sin and then God is against us–with all the powers
of Justice He is against us for our destruction unless we turn and
repent. Is God for us? Remember He is so if we have been reconciled to
Him by the death of His Son. But an absolute God must be in arms
against us, for even our God is a consuming fire. It is only when we
behold the Lord Jehovah in the Person of Jesus Christ that our hope and
joy can begin! When we see Deity Incarnate, when we see God
surrendering the glories of His Throne to become Man and then stooping
to the shameful death of the Cross–it is then that we perceive
Emmanuel, "God with us," and perceiving Him, we feel that He is on our
side.
Question yourself then, Soul, whether you are in Christ. He who is not
with Christ is not with God. If you are without Christ, you are without
God and a stranger from the commonwealth of Israel. But if through the
sprinkled blood you can say that you are reconciled unto God, then take
the full meaning of this text and feast upon it and be blessed, for "If
God is for us, who can be against us?" We shall handle the text thus
and may the Holy Spirit make it profitable–how is God for us?
Secondly, who are against us? And thirdly, who are not against us?
I. First, HOW IS GOD FOR US? Augustine, in his notes upon the verses
preceding our text has very beautifully said that God is for us
according to the preceding words of the chapter in four senses. Look
back a verse or two and you will find it. He is for us, for He has
predestinated us. He is for us for He has called us. He is for us for
He has justified us. He is for us because He has virtually glorified us
and will actually do so. To the people of God here are four very
prolific subjects of thought.
1. God is for us, because, according to the words of the Apostle He has
predestinated His people to be conformed to the image of His own dear
Son. Now, if God has predestinated us to eternal life, who can be
against us? Must not the predestinating decree of God take effect? If
God has determined it, who shall disannul it? If God has said it shall
be, who is he that shall stay His hand, or resist the Omnipotent fiat
of the Most High? He said, "Let there be light: and there was light."
He bade the world spring out of nothing and forth it came. All things
obey Him. Heaven adores Him. Hell trembles at Him. No creature can
resist Him.
As the potter molds the clay according to his own will while it
revolves upon the wheel, even so the Infinite, the Omnipotent Jehovah
does according to His good pleasure in the armies of Heaven and among
the inhabitants of this lower world. "It is He that sits upon the
circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers."
He takes up the isles as a very little thing. Who then, out of these
little things, can stand against or resist Him?
See, my Brethren, the force of God's decree of old in the case of
Israel. The Lord had promised to Abraham that his seed should inherit
the whole land of Canaan, from the river of Egypt unto the great river,
the river Euphrates. See, amid the smoke of the brick kilns Israel
toils in Egypt. How was God's decree to be fulfilled? When God makes
bare His arm, you shall see and wonder! Pharaoh and all his hosts
cannot hold those captives whom God determines to set free!
There they go, led forth like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron.
They cross the desert until they come to the sea, even to the Red Sea.
See, the mighty stream rolls before them and their ferocious enemies
are behind but the Lord has determined that they shall inherit the land
and therefore neither can the sea refuse to divide, nor can Pharaoh
save himself when he goes down into the depths thereof. They are in the
wilderness–famine shall destroy them! No, the heavens drop with manna!
Thirst shall scorch them! No, the Rock follows them with its living
stream! The serpents shall surely bite them! Yes, but the brazen
serpent is lifted up and whoever looks shall be healed! The Amalekites
attack them, but while Moses holds up his hands Joshua puts the foe to
the route.
They come to the banks of the Jordan–what ailed you, O Jordan, that
you were driven back? The priests go through dry-shod and all the
people of God march after them. Then the Canaanites, with their
chariots of iron, came against them in battle. The kings of mighty
cities anointed the shield and laid hold on sword and buckler. But
which of them prevailed? Did not Jehovah destroy them all? As He had
given them Og, king of Bashan, "because His mercy endured forever," and
Sihon, king of the Amorites, "because His mercy endured forever," so
not a man could stand against them until they possessed the land!
The right hand of the Lord fulfilled His own decree. His own right hand
and His holy arm have gotten Him the victory. As with a rod of iron He
dashes His enemies in pieces like a potter's vessel. None could
withstand the hosts of Israel! The walled cities were cast down and the
people of God dwelt in the fat of the land. See, Beloved, the result of
God's decree! The sons of Jacob were feeble and weak but the Lord made
them strong enough to drive out the Anakim who were men of gigantic
stature–for His purpose shall stand–He will do all His pleasure. Let
us beware of fighting against one who has God in league with him! It is
in vain to fight against God!
It was a good remark of the soothsayers to Haman of old. They said, "If
Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom you have begun to
fall, you shall not prevail against him but shall surely fall before
him." And so if any man is of the company of the elect–if he is one of
those whose names are written in the Book of Life–his enemies may
contend but they shall never prevail against him! He must stand whom
the Lord ordains to hold. And if God determines his salvation, neither
mortal nor infernal power shall prevail to destroy him.
On this account we may boldly say with the Apostle, "If God is for us,
who can be against us?" You cannot believe in a disappointed God–you
cannot imagine the imperial decree from the Throne of Heaven treated as
waste paper. It would be far from us so to blaspheme God as to think
that any power, known or unknown, can ever overcome Him! "Has He said
and shall He not do it? Has He commanded and shall it not come to
pass?" If your soul is written upon the palms of Jesus' hands and
engraved on His heart, no weapon which is formed against you shall
prosper and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall
condemn!
2. But in looking back you observe the second thing–God is on our side
for He has called us. In the Word of God much stress is laid upon
calling. When Abraham left the land of his forefathers and went forth,
not knowing where he went, he was quite safe, though in the midst of
implacable enemies, because God had called him. "Who raised up the
righteous man from the east, called him to his feet, gave the nations
before him and made him rule over kings?" Who but the God that called
him?
On that memorable occasion, when Abraham returned from the slaughter of
the kings, you remember Melchizedek met him. At that time Abraham was
in great peril for there was every probability that the defeated kings
would gather their troops, would form alliances with other kings and
would certainly come up to cut down so insignificant a person as that
wandering shepherd, Abraham. But what does God say to him–"Fear not,
Abraham, I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward." This
became his comfort–God had called him. He was a called man and where
God calls, He will not desert His chosen.
"The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." He does not
reverse the call which He has given, but having once called His
children He remains faithful to the call He has given. To use the
illustration we have used before, when God called His son out of Egypt,
when He fetched Israel from the furnace who could stand against the
called Israelites? Plague after plague ravaged the land. The cattle
died. The crops were blasted. Frogs came up into the king's chamber!
Lice covered all their borders–at last the first-born of Egypt died
and they besought Israel to go forth–for when God called them out, who
could hold them in? When He said to His prisoners, "Go forth," what
bolts of iron, or what gates of brass could keep them captives? Let the
Lord call by the effectual voice–who is he that shall stand against
Him?
Many of us, I trust, have heard the sacred call–we have made our
calling and election sure. You know how you were called from darkness
to light–from sin to holiness–from self-righteousness to spiritual
faith in Jesus. Now, He who has called you is faithful and He will not
forsake the work of His own hands. He has not called you in order to
put you to shame! He has not quickened you and preserved you and
brought you thus far to deliver you over to the hands of your enemies!
"Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart." Wait upon the
Lord for His call will give you comfort. "If God is for us, who can be
against us?"
3. But again–God proves that He is for us by having justified us. All
the people of God are wrapped about with the righteousness of Christ.
And wearing that glorious robe, the eyes of God see no fault in
them–Jehovah sees no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel. Christ
is seen and not the sinner! Christ being therefore perfection's own
self, the Believer is seen as perfect in Him. God regards His people
with the same affection as that wherewith He loves His only-begotten
Son!
He has pronounced them clean and clean they are. He has proclaimed them
just, covered with the righteousness of Christ and just they are. Come
on you accusing devil–come on you who lay a thousand things to our
charge–if our Jesus pronounces our acquittal, who is he that condemns?
If He mounts the chariot of salvation, who is he that can be against
us? Is it not a mysteriously blessed thing to wear upon one's soul the
mark of complete justification? The heathen have a custom of marking
themselves upon the forehead with the seal of their God. But, oh, what
a seal is this to wear– what a mark of the Lord Jesus–to go about
this world a perfectly justified man!
God looks upon common men with anger–they are not reconciled unto Him.
But towards His people He looks always with eyes of love–no anger is
in His heart to them–not a jot of wrath. All this has been put away
through the great Sacrifice. Towards them His whole heart goes
out–"The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open
to their cry." Being justified, they have peace with God through Jesus
Christ their Lord. O dear Friends, if God is at peace with you, it
matters not who is at war with you!
If your Master acquits, it little matters who condemns. If Jehovah
absolves, it mattes not if your name is cast out as evil! It matters
not if you are ranked among the vilest of the vile–if your name is a
byword and a proverb only fit to be worked up into the drunkard's
song–for who is he that can be against you? What are all these things
if put into the balance but lighter than vanity, if Jehovah Himself has
justified you?
4. And yet again, another sweet reflection comes here–He has also
glorified us! Remember the four golden links of the chain–"Whom He did
predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also
justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified." Now, in one
sense God's people are glorified even now for He "has raised us up
together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
Mark, it does not say, "He has promised that we shall sit there," but
He "has" made us sit there! We do sit there at this hour for Christ is
the Representative of every soul for whom He shed His blood! And when
Christ took His seat in Heaven every elect soul took his seat in Heaven
representatively. Remember, Beloved, that the glorification of God's
people is a certain fact. It is not a thing which may be, but it is a
thing which must be. What does Jesus Christ say to His people when He
gathers them at His right hand? "Come, you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Observe that. Do you think God has prepared a kingdom and that He will
not bring His people there? Moreover it is said, "Prepared for
you"–for you–the chosen people of God. And do you imagine that the
Covenant wisdom of God would prepare a kingdom for men who would not
ultimately get there? Would He plan and arrange how to make them
eternally blessed and yet allow them to perish by the way? "Prepared
for you," remember, "from the foundation of the world."
There is a crown in Heaven which no head can fit but mine. There is a
harp there which no fingers must ever touch but mine! Child of God
there is a mansion in Heaven which will never be rightly tenanted if
you do not get there! And there is a place at God's right hand which
must be empty–it will be said, "David's seat was empty," unless you
shall arrive there! Will it be so? Will there be empty mansions in
Heaven? Will there be crowns without heads to wear them? Will there be
harps without hands to strike them?
No! The muster roll of the redeemed shall be read and not one shall be
found absent! As many as were written upon the breastplate of the great
High Priest shall be securely found there–
"Not death nor Hell shall ever divide His chosen from His breast.
In the dear bosom of His lo ve They must forever rest." This gives a
fourth reason why God is for us.
But, O my Brethren, though this brings in the context, I cannot–it is
impossible for any human speech to bring out the depth of the meaning
of how God is for us! He was for us before the worlds were made–He was
for us, or else He never would have given His Son. He was for us even
when He struck the Only-Begotten and laid the whole weight of His wrath
upon Him! He was for us though He was against Him! He was for us when
we were ruined in the Fall–He loved us notwithstanding all. He was for
us when we were against Him and with a high hand were bidding Him
defiance! He was for us, or else He never would have brought us humbly
to seek His face.
He has been for us in many struggles. We have had to fight through
multitudes of difficulties. We have had temptations from without and
within–how could we have held on until now if He had not been with us?
He is for us, let me say, with all the Infinity of His heart, with all
the Omnipotence of His love! He is for us with all His boundless
wisdom. Arrayed in all the attributes which make Him God He is for
us–eternally and immutably for us! He is for us when yon blue skies
shall be rolled up like a worn out vesture–for us throughout eternity!
Here, Child of God, is matter enough for thought even though you had
ages to meditate upon it–God is for you! And if God is for you, who
can be against you?
II. In the second place, WHO ARE AGAINST US? The Apostle never meant to
say that Christians have no enemies for he knew better than that! An
old Latin writer observes upon this text that the succeeding context
will show us the enemies we have who are against us. Very briefly let
us notice that there are four main enemies who conspire against the
life of the children of God–these are man, the world, the flesh and
the devil. These always will be against us but who are they?
1. First, there is man. How man has struggled against man! Man is the
wolf of mankind. Not the elements in all their fury nor the wild beasts
of prey in all their cruelty have ever been such terrible enemies to
man as man has been to his own fellow! When you read the story of the
Marian persecution in England, you are astounded that ever creatures
wearing a human form could be so bloodthirsty. Call these Catholics who
thus persecuted the Protestants? Call them Catholics? Much better call
them cannibals for they behaved more like savages than Christians in
their bloody martyrdoms and murders of the saints of God!
We do not in this age feel the cruelty of man to that extent but this
is only because the custom of the land will not allow it. There are
many who dare not strike with the hand who are very busy in laying on
their tongue–and this not by exposing our errors which they have a
perfect right to do–but in many cases the children of God are
misrepresented, slandered, abused, persecuted, ridiculed for Truth's
sake. We know many instances where other means are resorted to–
anything to drive the servants of God away from their integrity and
from their simple following of their Master.
Well did the Lord Jesus say, "Beware of men." "Behold I send you forth
as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be you wise as serpents and harmless
as doves." Do not expect men to be the friends of your piety, or if
they are, suspect the reality of that piety of which ungodly man is a
friend. You must expect to be sometimes bullied and sometimes
coerced–to be sometimes flattered and threatened.
You must expect at one time to meet with the oily tongue which has
under it the drawn sword and at another time with the drawn sword
itself. Look out and expect that men will be against you. But what are
they all? Suppose every living man in the world were against you and
that you had to stand in solitude like Athanasius? You might say, as
Athana-sius did, "I, Athanasius, against the whole world! I know I have
Truth on my side and therefore against the world I stand."
Of what use was the malice of men against Martin Luther? They thought
to burn him, but he died in his bed despite them all. They thought to
put an end to him, but his little tracts went everywhere and the words
of Luther seemed to be carried on the wings of angels until in the most
distant places the Pope found an enemy suddenly springing up where he
thought the good seed had all been destroyed. I do not know that it is
of any great service to have numbers with you. I question whether Truth
has not generally to be with the minority and whether it is not quite
as honorable to serve God with two or three as it would be with two or
three millions.
If numbers could make a thing right, idolatry ought to be the right
religion and if in countries across the sea numbers made the thing
right, why, those who fear the Lord would be few, indeed, and idolatry
and Romanism would be the right thing! Never judge according to
numbers–say they are nothing but men after all. If they are good men
fight on their side. But if they and the Truth of God fall out, fall
out with Truth! Be a friend to the Truth–make your appeal to the Law
and to the Testimony–and if they speak not according to this Word it
is because there is no light in them. And if there is no light in them
do not trust your soul with them–for if the blind leads the blind,
they shall both fall into the ditch.
Who then, what then, are men? Only puppets moved by God's hand. He has
the string to pull them all which way He wills and if they will not
serve Him He can soon put them quietly into the grave. Therefore be not
afraid of the son of man who is but a worm, a little heap of dust! Be
not dismayed by him. And if he puts on a black and terrific face, look
him in the face with your own truthfulness and put him to the blush.
That was grand of Latimer when he preached before Henry VIII. He had
greatly displeased His Majesty by his boldness in a sermon preached
before the king and was ordered to preach again on the following Sunday
and to make an apology for the offense he had given.
After reading his text, the bishop thus began his sermon–"Hugh
Latimer, do you know before whom you are this day to speak? To the high
and mighty monarch, the king's most excellent majesty, who can take
away your life if you offend. Therefore, take heed that you speak not a
word that may displease. But then consider well, Hugh, do you not know
from where you I? Upon whose message you are sent? Even by the great
and mighty God who is All-Present, and who beholds all your ways and
who is able to cast your soul into Hell! Therefore, take care that you
deliver your message faithfully."
He then proceeded with the same sermon he had preached the preceding
Sunday, but with considerably more energy! Such courage should all
God's children show when they have to do with man. You are yourself
nothing but a worm! But if God puts His Truth into you, do not play the
coward or stammer out His message, but stand up manfully for God and
for His Truth!
Some people are forever crying up what they call a becoming modesty.
Modesty is very becoming but an ambassador of God must recollect there
are other virtues besides modesty. If Her Majesty sent an ambassador to
a country with whom we were at war and the little man should step into
the conference and say, "I humbly hope you will excuse my being here. I
wish to be in all things complacent to your honors and lordships the
ambassadors. I feel I am a young man and you are much older than I am
and therefore I cheerfully submit my judgment to your superior wisdom
and experience," and so on. Why I am sure Her Majesty would command him
back again and then command him into a long retirement!
What business has he to humble himself when he is an ambassador for the
Queen! He must remember he is clothed with the dignity of the power
which sent him. And even so is God's minister and he counts it foul
shame to stoop to any man! He takes for his motto, Cedo nulli, "I yield
to none," and preaching God's Truth in love and honesty, he hopes to be
able to render a fair account to his Master at last–for only unto his
Master does he stand or fall!
2. The second adversary is the world. This world is like a great field
covered with brambles and thorns and thistles and as the Christian goes
through it he is continually in danger of tearing his garments or
cutting his feet. Yet–
"The dear path to our abode, Lies through this barren land."
Every citizen of Heaven must be taught with thorns and briars, as were
the men of Succoth. Every child of God must march through the enemies'
land, for Christ says, "I pray not that You should take them out of the
world, but that You should keep them from the Evil One."
When is a Christian out of danger? Never. If he is prosperous, then he
is apt to grow purse-proud or carnally secure. If adversities press
upon him, then he is apt to murmur and to grow unbelieving. There are
temptations in the high places of the earth and the valleys are not
without them. When the Christian is in honor he is in great peril. Ah,
how many have found the high places to be slippery ones? When the
Believer is in shame and disrepute, he is in danger, too, for many
professors have found this cross too heavy for their shoulders. A
Believer ought to walk through this world expecting to meet with an
enemy behind every hedge, reckoning it a wonder if he shall escape for
a single day without a bullet from the foe!
You are in an enemy's country and this enemy is on the alert
continually. You may sleep, but the world never sleeps! Its customs are
always seeking to bind you with their chains. Its spirit is creeping
over you while you are in the Exchange, or in the market, or even in
the family! You will find the very atmosphere of this world tends to
make you sleep as do others. You will have much ado while you are in
this state of temptation to stand your ground and unless you watch and
pray the world will be too much for you.
O Brethren, I would that we knew the world to be more our enemy than we
do, for many walk as if they were friends with this world! But such is
not the Christian's position–he can say, "The world is crucified unto
me and I unto the world." Luther used to say there was no love lost
between him and the world, for the world hated him and he hated it no
less. There is a memorable story told of a good old minister when some
young minister went weeping to him because he had been slandered. "Ah,"
said he, "that is a trouble I shall never have again, for I lost my
character the first year of my ministry and Slander herself can say no
more than she has said."
God's servants must expect to lose their characters, to have every
virtue denied them and every vice imputed to them. But under all this
they can face the world and say to it, "You think badly of me, do you?
Not so badly as I think of you! You throw this and that in my teeth–I
throw worse things in yours. And whereas you say I am a noisy busybody
and a meddler, I will tell you I purpose to be wilder still and to be
noisier still against you and to meddle yet more with your vanities
which ruin the souls of men."
The world is a terrible assailant if we are left alone in the conflict,
but what is the world, after all, if God is for us? As for this present
age, where will it be in forty years? I see a long line of turf mounds
and many a, "Here he lies"! And this generation is all gone, it passes
away in the fashion thereof. It is like a candle-snuff and he that
cares for it is like a man worshipping a dying taper. Care little for
this world, but think much of the world to come! This poor
quicksand–get off of it lest it swallow you up! But yonder Rock of
Ages–build on it and you shall never suffer loss!
3. I think we said there is a third enemy and that is the flesh. It is
the worst of the three. We should never need to fear man nor the world
if we had not this wicked flesh to carry about with us. Inbred
corruption is the worst corruption. "Lord," said Augustine, "deliver me
from my worst enemy, that wicked man myself." If a Christian could lay
himself down and run away from himself and never see himself again he
would be delighted beyond measure, for, "truly in me, that is in my
flesh, dwells no good thing," is the experience not of the Apostle
only, but of every child of God!
When you would do good, evil is present with you. You want to flee, but
like the hawk which has a chain to her leg you can but stretch your
wings and flutter–you cannot mount aloft. You long to feel your heart
as hot as an oven, but there is a mountain of ice within you which
chills your flaming desires. To will is present with you–oh, if you
could be what you would be! But how to perform that which is good you
find not by reason of the infirmity and weakness of your nature and the
depravity you have inherited from your parents.
Some of you have an irritable temper. It will be your plague until you
die. Others find that though you desire to be liberal to the cause of
God, yet a covetous disposition has to be struggled with. Some have to
fight against levity, others against pride. And, on the other hand
there are some of us whose daily burden is to fight against despondency
and low-ness of spirits–so that we have all some besetting sin. But if
God is for us, what matters the flesh? Ah, poor Flesh! You may kick and
struggle as you will, but when God holds His silver scepter over you,
you shall surely yield! When Jehovah decrees that a man shall be
sanctified, that man's flesh may cry and groan but the furnace shall
refine him. The Holy Spirit shall purify him and experience shall teach
him and the blood of Christ shall perfect him. Despite that wicked
heart of ours, we shall on eagles' wings ascend and be found without
fault before the Throne of God!
4. The last enemy is the devil. I do not know whether he is worse than
the flesh or not, but I think I may put him down as being about on a
par with it. For when the devil meets our flesh, the two shake hands
and say, "How do you do, Brother?" Truly the two are brothers–for our
flesh was originally in the family of wrath.
Ah, that arch-traitor Satan! Little do we know what temptations he is
plotting and planning for us even now. He is so crafty that he
understands human nature better than human nature understands itself.
He has been playing the trade of a tempter for six thousand years! He
ought to be a thorough master of the business. And certainly he is. He
who made us knows more of us than Satan does–but, next to God–Satan
is the best student of humanity.
He knows our weak points, too. He understands where to touch us so as
to touch our bone and our flesh. He knows how to cover up the hook with
the bait–for every soul he has his lure and for every sinner he has
his trap. He knows how to take one this way and the other the
opposite–some by straining after pretended spirituality and others by
descending into the grossest sensuality. Depend on it, my Brothers and
Sisters, you may think yourself to be safe against Satan but there is a
joint in your harness and he will find it. And remember, as one leak
may sink a ship, so one weak point may be and would be your ruin if God
did not prevent it! But what matters the devil when we have this
text–"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
The devil is mighty, but God is Almighty! Satan is strong, but all
strength belongs to God! What is Satan, after all, but an enemy who has
had his head broken? He is a broken-headed dragon. The Lord has a hook
in his nose and a bridle in his jaws and He knows how to pull him back.
Sometimes I wish He would take him up a link or two, that he might not
be so busy among some of our Churches. But he is a chained enemy–the
Lord lets him go just so far–but never any further. Oh, if the Fiend
could get just a little further, what havoc he would work!
You know how it was with Job–Satan dared not touch his flesh at
first–he could only touch his children and cattle. He had to get
permission to touch his flesh and even then he dared not touch his
life. He went as far as his tether and vexed poor Job with sore
troubles–but he could not go any further–for God restrained him.
Rejoice, Christian, whether it is man, or the world, or your flesh, or
Satan–if God has predestinated you, called you, justified you and in
the Person of Jesus Christ glorified you–you may put the whole
together and then say, "Who can be against us?" As chaff is driven
away, so, O Lord, have You driven them away."
III. We shall close our meditation this morning–God make it profitable
to His own people–by observing WHO ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT AGAINST US.
There are some who cannot be our enemies. Here is a very pleasing part
of the subject. God the Father cannot be against us. He is our Father!
He cannot be against His own children! He has chosen us–He will not
cast us away–He has adopted us into His family, He will never discard
us. He has been pleased to ordain us unto eternal life, He will never
reverse the decree.
He was for us in the Covenant of Grace when He planned the way to save
rebellious man. He has been for us in the great ordering of
Providence–all things have worked together for good for us until now.
We wonder how we have arrived where we now are–but surely Providence,
under God, has worked wondrously on our behalf! He is for us in all the
decrees which are yet to be fulfilled. There is not a single line in
the great Book which is against the Christian. You may rest assured
that whether the earth shall rock and reel, or the moon is black as a
sackcloth of hair, or the earth is licked up with tongues of fire,
still Jehovah has not a single thought, nor wish, nor word, nor look
against any one of the blood-bought ones. They are all safe in Him! God
the Father cannot be against us.
Then God the Son is not against us. O Beloved, how sweetly He has been
for us! I think I see Him now, lifting up that face all covered with
bloody sweat and saying to every Believer, "I am for you. These gouts
of gore fall to the dust for you. I sweat great drops of blood that I
might redeem you." He stands before Pilate. And when He is brought
forth with the "Ecce homo," I think I hear Him say, "Poor Sinner, I am
for you." I see Him carrying the Cross upon His bleeding shoulders and
every step He takes is to this tune, "I am for you."
I behold Him bleeding upon the Cross with outstretched hands and all
His wounds and all the drops of blood which flow from His side, all
say, "Christ is for you." Today, as He pleads before the Eternal
Throne, this is the tenor of His plea, "I am for you." When He shall
come a second time without a sin offering, unto salvation, the sound of
the mighty trumpet which shall herald His advent will ring out, "Christ
is for you, O you blood-bought saints." When He shall sit upon the
Throne of His Father and His kingdom shall come–of which there shall
be no end–this shall be the tenor of that kingdom, "I am for My
people. I will rule My people righteously and bless the nations upon
earth."
Christ cannot be against you. You cannot look into that dear face of
His and think that He will ever leave you. Your Husband is married to
you and He has proved His love by such indisputable tokens that you
must not, oh, you cannot doubt it! Child of God, I almost defy you to
doubt the love of your Lord Jesus Christ. How can He put you away?
Could He have bought you at such a price–could He have suffered so
much for you and yet leave you–throw you away upon the dunghill?
Impossible! Impossible! Those wounds forever seal your everlasting
security!
Then the Holy Spirit cannot be against us. He must always, as the
Comforter, comfort His own people. As the Illuminator He must lead us
into the Truth of God. As the great Giver of Life He must always
quicken us from our death of sin. Whatever power the Holy Spirit has it
is all engaged for us! "I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world." Then the holy angels–these cannot be against us. Before Elisha
opened his servant's eyes, the servant had cried, "Alas,
Master, what shall we do?" when he saw the Syrians and their chariots.
But now he sees horses of fire and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
It is so with you! The angels are ministering spirits who minister unto
the heirs of salvation. They bear you up in their hands lest you dash
your foot against a stone.
Millions of spiritual creatures walk this earth both when we wake and
when we sleep–and when the black angels come to attack us, the good
angels contend against them and many a heavenly duel is fought where
none but spirit eyes can see! Many a sacred fight goes on for the
defense of the saints, even as Michael fought with the dragon for the
body of Moses. The good angels are all for us and here we may rejoice.
Then we know the Law of God cannot be against us. It was our enemy once
through our sins, but it is now satisfied. Christ has made it
honorable. It has not a word to say against any soul that is justified
in Christ.
The Justice of God has not a word to say against the Christian! On the
contrary, Justice is well content to confirm the saving decree, "For,"
says Justice, "that sinner owes me nothing–Christ has discharged his
debts. I will not put that sinner in prison–I have no right to do so,
for Christ was imprisoned instead of him. I will not lay my whip upon
his shoulders for Christ suffered with His much-plowed shoulders in the
place of that poor believing soul." So, Christian, whoever may be
against you, here is a comfort–God the Father, God the Son and God the
Holy Spirit never can be against you! Nor the angels of Heaven, the Law
and Justice of God–they must always be for you. And if it is so, who
can be against you?
Two remarks and then I have done. One is there is an opposite to all
this, and it belongs to some who are present here this morning. If God
is AGAINST you, who can be for you? If you are an enemy to God this
morning, your very blessings are curses to you! Your pleasures are only
the prelude to your pains. Remember, Sinner, that whether you have
adversity or prosperity, so long as God is against you, you can never
truly prosper. If you spread yourself like a green bay tree it is only
that you may be ready for the axe! You may be fattened with wealth but
you are only prepared as the bullock for the slaughter. Take these
words home, I pray you, and let them ring in your ears–"If God is
against me"–just that supposition! A supposition which is fact because
you have not believed in Christ–you have not given your heart to God.
"If God is against me!"
Will you just think this over on your road home? Take half-an-hour this
afternoon to think it over. "If God is against me, what then? What will
become of me in time and eternity? If God is against me, how shall I
die–how shall I rise again? How shall I face Him in the Day of
Judgment if God is against me?" It is not an impossible "if," but an
"if which amounts to a certainty, I fear, in the case of many who are
sitting in this house today.
Then, Christian, here is another thought and I have done. If God is for
you, do you not see how you ought to be for God? If God has espoused
your cause, ought you not to espouse His? I pleaded with you last
Sunday since Christ has pleaded the causes of your soul to plead the
cause of Christ. There is a great battle which has only just began! The
trumpet which musters the warriors sounds loud and long and the fight
will be stern and desperate between Christ's pure Truth and the
ceremonials of the world's Church.
You must take your post, every one of you, on one side or the other.
"If the Lord is God, follow Him–but if Baal, then follow him." One
side or the other you must be on and I beg you, if God has been for you
and defended you, stand up for Him! Never deny a jot of Christ's Truth.
Not a hair of the head of Christ's Truth must ever be suffered to be
touched with the smell of the fire of compromise. Be not as the harlots
were who stood before Solomon. You remember one was quite content to
have half the living child. But be your motto, "All or none–I will
never take a particle of error. Death to it all!" No amalgamation, no
compromise, no peace with error!
The men of this generation cry to me and say, "Is there peace?" and my
answer is, "What peace can there be so long as the sins of Jezebel are
so many?" Then they revile me and say, "Are you he that troubles
Israel?" I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house,
in that you have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord and you have
followed Baal."
Stand up and bear witness against regeneration by Baptism and against
those who use Popish words and would have us believe that it is right
to attach another sense to them! Take your part with Christ and His
despised people and when the day comes when He shall distribute His
rewards, happy shall that man be who never flinched. And blessed shall
he be and shall she be who stood fast in the evil day and stood still
in the integrity of the Lord and in the firmness of His Truth, firm
even to the end! The Lord bless you in this thing for Christ's sake.
Amen.