After Israel left Egypt, the clan of Jacob left those barbarians behind;
Judah became holy land for him,
Israel the place of holy rule.
Sea took one look and ran the other way;
River Jordan turned around and ran off.
The mountains turned playful and skipped like rams, the hills frolicked like spring lambs.
What's wrong with you, Sea, that you ran away? and you, River Jordan, that you turned and ran off?
And mountains, why did you skip like rams? and you, hills, frolic like spring lambs?
Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! in the presence of Jacob's God.
He turned the rock into a pool of cool water, turned flint into fresh spring water.
"...by these similitudes, [the Psalmist] very sharply reproves the insensibility of those persons, who do not employ the intelligence which God has given them in the contemplation of his works. The words are indeed directed to the sea, the Jordan, and the mountains, but they are more immediately addressed to us, that every one of us, on self-reflection, may carefully and attentively weight this matter."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"What Good Are Works?"
Weekend Reading
"Q. Can those who are converted to God keep these Commandments perfectly?
A. No, but even the holiest men, while in this life, have only a small beginning of such obedience, yet so that with earnest purpose they begin to live not only according to some, but according to all the Commandments of God."--Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 114
A common objection of critics of the doctrine of justification by faith alone is wondering what place works have at all, if we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone.
Understandably, the concern is that if there is too much stress placed on God's grace, that Christians will become lazy and indifferent to God's commands. "Even worse, as the critics contend, if the Protestant doctrine of justification is true and we are justified sinners even after we become Christians, then why do good works at all, since they are still tainted by our sin?"
Paul answers these objections in Romans 6. "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:2-4)
Those who are justified by faith have died to sin. They no longer desire to live under sin's dominion. "Instead of destroying the desire to do good works, the doctrine of justification by faith alone establishes the basis for good works." The justified will walk in newness of life, which is characterized by good works.
The Q&A of the Heidelberg Catechsim above addresses these issues. We are still sinners, imperfect, even the most "holy" among us. Even so, every Christian will begin to obey God's commands, no matter how hesitantly and flawed.
"Since our sanctification is every bit as much an act of God's grace as our justification, all those who have been justified by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone, will (as the Catechism says) live according to all of God's commandments. Since our obedience (like our sin) is covered by the blood and righteousness of Christ (making our imperfect works truly good), our heavenly Father delights in our feeble efforts to do good. And knowing this to be the case creates within us the desire to obey all the more."
"God's Hatred"
Psalm 11:5
Reading from the English Standard Version
The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
In order to be reconciled to God, we first must be separated or alienated from him. Our sin separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2), which caused us to be God's "enemies" (Romans 5:10). "Does God actually hate people?" According to the Psalms, yes! Psalm 5:5 says, "You hate all evildoers." When Paul said we were enemies, he was describing not only our hatred of God in our sinful state, but God's "righteous hatred of us because of our sin."
"It's difficult for us to conceive of God's holy hatred toward people. But this is simply His just and holy revulsion against sin and His holy antagonism toward those who rebel against Him."
This makes God's action of reconciling us to himself through Christ all the more amazing. Not only were we powerless to help ourselves, we didn't even want to! Romans 8:7 tells us that the sinful mind is hostile to God. "In our natural state, not one of us would want to be reconciled to God."
(In my opinion, the above fact is what makes the concept of "free will" so unbelievable. If left ourselves, our so-called "free will," we would never choose God. None of us.)
The good news of the gospel is that God took the initiative. He sent his son to die in our place, which satisfied his justice. "He didn't wait for a change of heart on our part. He made the first move. Indeed, He did more: He did all that was necessary to secure our reconciliation, including our change of heart. Though He is the One offended by our sin, He is the One who makes amdends to Himself through Christ's death."
"Amazing love, how can it be, that you my King would die for me." Thank you, Billy Foote, Jr.
Until then, Lord, let me focus on what I need to do on earth, in the way of works for you. Let these works flow out of my love for you and my love for others. Let "works" never be a basis for seeking more grace from you. I cannot do anything about that. I cannot get more grace. I cannot influence you to love me more. Heaven forbid I should try.
Thanks you, Father. Hallelujah!
Grace and peace, friends!