Grace, loth to close its door, has lingered over this scene another year, and a new one is before us. Its lingering means toward the world of our day what it meant in another day "when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." It means that some more are to be gathered in. Shall / have a share in this-by my own labor after souls, whether in private or in public; by earnest prayer for those who do; by hearty fellowship with them; by sacrifices to spread the knowledge of Jesus to every corner of the land and to the ends of the earth ?
Toward the people of God, the lingering means a little more time given them for "to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"; for to be " fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Shall we profit by it ? Shall we enlarge our vessel's capacity for the glorious things where we are going ? or shall we set our minds on things of earth as do the men of the earth ?
May our beloved fellow-workers, whose fellowship and contributions during the past year have been so encouraging to us and confessedly helpful to many, bear these great matters in mind, and with increasing prayer and devotedness still wield their pens to further them.
"Give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pet. 1:10. the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6)
It is not that there is anything we have to do to make our acceptance with God more secure. " He hath made us accepted in the Beloved:(Eph. i:6) and nothing can be added to the value of that "beloved" One before God.
But the people of God have a busy and determined enemy-none less than that crafty "Serpent" who dared to approach even our Lord Himself. What torments may he not cause us if there be with us, through pride, though careless or loose walk, some unguarded part in our moral being. What sad falls, with consequent dishonor to Christ and sorrow to ourselves and others, may we not be found in if we fail to "add" as mentioned in the verses preceding our text.
And yet more :not only he says that by making our calling and election sure we "shall never fall," but he also adds, '' For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (5:11).
" The end of the commandment" 1 Tim. 1:5.
We are told here that'' the end of the commandment," that is, the object of the word of God, " is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned."Swerving from that ends in "vain jangling"and "shipwreck of faith."How solemnly important then that the purpose for which the word of God has been given us should be fulfilled in us.
Love is a pure thing, but the heart is the channel through which it flows. Have I a selfish end? It
nature and faith. is not then love out of a pure heart. It ends in disaster.
Conscience is God's book-keeper in the soul of man. Make a false entry, a false balance, and all grows dark. So let the child of God from pride, from love of ease, for gain, for popularity, for any cause whatsoever, refuse to balance his walk with his measure of knowledge, and, instead of growing, he moves backward and shrivels away. The lines of truth are no more plain. All grows dark.
Faith is taking God at His word, not because we are up to what He says, but because He says it. "Unfeigned" faith does this. Arguing with God is no more unfeigned faith, and its end is shipwreck.
The Lord grant His people the deepest concern over these great matters.