OUR days arc privileged to witness a wonderful work of God. It is not creation, which is, indeed, a mighty witness to His power and Godhead, and one to which men should hearken, for that work has been finished long ago.
It is a work even more marvelous than creation, which is being accomplished, as to its glorious results, in our days. Look abroad and you must see, unless strangely blinded, a moving of the Spirit of God. The hearts of His people are being at this moment greatly moved by a deepening sense of the glories of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of His claims on their hearts and lives; whilst there is also a remarkable acceptance of the gospel, and vast numbers of souls are turning from sin and unbelief to the knowledge of the Saviour.
All this is true, but the work now alluded to covers the whole period of our days since the testimony of the apostles. “Behold, I work a work in your days” (Acts 13:4141Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. (Acts 13:41)). This work is attributed, in a very emphatic way, to God Himself. It is, par excellence, His work during this entire period. How infinitely important and blessed it must be!
Now, what marks this period? It had for its beginning the rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and is characterized by that awful sin today. He was taken down from the tree, but, we read, God raised Him from the dead!
God interposed just when man had headed up his guilt. A risen Christ is therefore the divine burthen and theme for this period.
This is the work of God; but, along with it, there flow most precious results for those who believe: First, forgiveness of sins; second, justification from all things; third, eternal life; fourth, joy in the Holy Ghost. But, if these are preached, how are they to be possessed? All through faith in Him! Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the connecting link. Every true believer has all of these blessings. Impossible! Incredible!
Alas, such an exclamation is the language of the human heart, for man would fain’ merit, by efforts of his own, a share in such blessing; but his efforts are all precluded by faith, which makes nothing of man and everything of God, and hence, then, follows the solemn sentence— “A work which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you.” That is, it is beyond human credibility! it is none the less true. The guilt that rejected our Lord when on earth rejects Him still. The Living Word was refused then; and the preached Word is refused today. A man may declare the message, but it is “in no wise believed.” Such is man!
What is necessary? The grace of God working in quickening power—and, thank God, that makes the message effectual. But for this work of God dead: and judgment must take their course; but grad works, — God works, today, and, spite of unbelief of every form, souls are blessed. “Behold, I work!” And thus the stream rolls on, and God is glorified.
I wonder, dear reader, whether you have ever discovered the obduracy of your own heart to be such that it is closed, naturally, to the gospel of God, that you really prefer any sound to that of the truth, and that, unless the Spirit of God should in boundless mercy deal with you—as most certainly He desires to do—you must inevitably perish! Have you? If not, do consider your state. Shall it be said of you that you “in no wise believe”? Will you seal your own doom?
Ah! thank God that it is true of Him that in our days He works! But our days quickly pass—days of grace and salvation! And what then?
J. W. S.