Every child of God is a prodigal and a rebel by birth, by nature and by works. All, apart from restraining grace, will in their rebellion go as far as they can from the Father’s house. They will associate with and join themselves with the very children of the evil one. They will indulge every appetite of the flesh till they are left in such a state so as to be abandoned by the very ones who helped them get in that state. They will spend all, every bit of health, mind, talent, and every resource in self-gratification. They will waste all their substance on what the world calls “living.” They will wallow in the pig sties of this world (both religious and irreligious), eat its filthiest fare (believe its false gospels and swallow the doctrines of men with ease) and be found in the bondage, captivity and slavery of the devil (especially legalistic, works religion). Yet, there is one thing they will never do. They will never cease to be God’s sons. They will never fall to such a depth, rebel so much or distance themselves to a place where He does not see them, does not love them and cannot find them! They will never be so lost that He cannot save them and bring them home. What they make themselves to be does not change what He has made them in Christ. All of God’s elect, all these prodigal sons, will at some point be found as the man in Luke 15 of whom it is said, “when he came to himself.” Oh that blessed time of love and grace from God! We come to ourselves when God the Spirit brings us to see what we are and our desperate situation in ourselves and our sins. When He crosses our paths with the gospel of the crucified Christ. When He opens our eyes to see and believe His gospel that there is “bread enough and to spare” in Christ. When He brings us to repent and confess “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee.” When we confess our unworthiness to even be called His son and plead only His grace. Then we come to Him as naked sinners only to find ourselves received as sons, clothed in the “best robe,” the imputed righteousness of God in Christ. There we are, embraced by the Father, kissed with the kisses of everlasting love and made to wear the ring of sonship. Dead but alive, lost but found. Prodigals but sons! “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Gal.4:6,7)
Gary Shepard
A writer of the past century wrote the words below looking back to the century that preceded him. What must we write now in a time of even greater decline!
“A modern writer, of distinguished eminence, justly remarks, that towards the close of the last century, divines professed to make it their chief object, to inculcate the moral and practical precepts of Christianity; but without sufficiently maintaining, often even without justly laying the grand foundation of a sinner’s acceptance with God; or pointing out how the practical precepts of Christianity grow out of her peculiar doctrines, and are inseparably connected with them. By this fatal error, the very genius and essential nature of Christianity underwent a change. She no longer retained her peculiar character, or produced that appropriate frame of spirit by which her followers had been characterized.”
“The example thus set was followed during the present century, and its effect was aided by various causes. The fatal habit of considering Christian morals as distinct from Christian doctrines, has insensibly gained strength. Thus the peculiar doctrines of Christianity went more out of sight; and, as might naturally have been expected, the moral system itself also began to wither and decay, being robbed of that which should have supplied it with life and nutriment. At length, in our own days, these peculiar doctrines have almost altogether vanished from the view. Even in many sermons scarcely any traces of them are to be found.”
True Christianity is not to be found where the doctrines of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ are not clearly and continually preached! Likewise, neither is Christian conduct.
Gary Shepard
A MAN IN CHRIST
I cannot be brought lower by the accusations and charges of men than I was brought to when I died in Christ; nor can I be lifted up higher by the praises of men that I am already exalted in Christ. Nothing alters my state as a justified sinner in Jesus Christ. Having eternal life in Him, I cannot be threatened with death nor can I be enticed by promise of reward since I have Him who is all. As a man in Christ why would I want to be somewhere else? What more could you give me? God in grace put me where I am!
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