'SALVATION IS Of GOD' -- Commentary by C.H. Spurgeon

"SALVATION IS the Work of GOD. It is HE alone Who QUICKENS (makes spiritually ALIVE) the Soul 'DEAD in Trespasses and SINs' (Ephesians 2:1), and it is HE also Who maintains the Soul in its SPIRITual LIFE. HE IS both 'ALPHA and OMEGA' (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13).

"'SALVATION IS Of The LORD' (Jonah 2:9). IF i am prayerful, GOD makes me prayerful; IF i have GRACEs, they are GOD's Gifts to me; IF i hold on in a consistent Life, it is because HE upholds me with HIS Hand. i do NOthing whatever towards my own preservation, EXCEPT what GOD Himself first does IN me. 

"WHATever i have, ALL my goodness IS Of The LORD alone. Wherein i SIN, that is my OWN -- BUT wherein i act rightly, that IS Of GOD, wholly and completely. IF i have repulsed a spiritual enemy, The LORD's Strength nerved my arm. Do i live before men a consecrated LIFE? It is NOT i -- BUT CHRIST Who lives IN me (see Galatians 2:20). 

"Am i SANCTIFIED? i did NOT cleanse myself: GOD's Holy SPIRIT sanctifies me. Am i weaned from the World? i am weaned by GOD's Chastisements -- SANCTIFIED to my GOOD. Do i GROW in Knowledge? The Great INSTRUCTOR teaches me. 

"i find IN GOD ALL that i want -- BUT i find IN mySELF NOthing but SIN and Misery. 'HE only is my ROCK and my SALVATION' (Psalm 62:2). Do i feed on the Word? THAT Word would be NO food for me unless The LORD made it food for my Soul, and helped me to feed upon it. Do i live on the Manna which comes down from Heaven? WHAT IS that Manna but CHRIST JESUS Himself INCARNATE, Whose BODY and Whose BLOOD i eat and drink? (see John 6:53-58)

"Am i continually receiving fresh INCREASE of Strength? WHERE do i gather my MIGHT? My HELP comes from HEAVEN's Hills (see Psalm 121:1-2): without JESUS -- i can do NOthing. AS a branch cannot bring forth Fruit except it abide in The VINE, no more can i -- EXCEPT i abide IN Him (see John 15:5)." 

(The above commentary is from C.H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" -- 2/26/a.m.)

WHAT Jonah learned in the Great Deep, LET me learn also and NEVER forget: ALL of SALVATION IS OF The LORD -- The ONE TRUE Living TRIune Sovereign Creator-GOD. By the GRACE of GOD alone, through FAITH alone, IN JESUS CHRIST alone -- i have been quickened-ALIVE by The Holy SPIRIT, made an EVERlasting Citizen of GOD's Heavenly KINGDOM of GLORY, and a beloved Member of GOD's Eternal FAMILY. HalleluYAH! \o/

The SPIRITual Outlook

HOW may a person KNOW whether The Holy SPIRIT is leading the Born-Again CHRISTian? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones supplies RELEVANT Guidance on this VITAL question. He says The Holy SPIRIT Who INdwells the BLOOD-Bought Believer LEADS him or her to a total NEW Outlook on Life -- a SPIRITual Outlook. 

WHAT is this NEW SPIRITual Outlook? It is that SPIRITual people, the Twice-Born of GOD, enjoy SPIRITual things and Fellowship with other CHRISTians. These who are LED by The SPIRIT desire to live for GOD's GLORY -- for this is the CHIEF end of man.

IF you have a SPIRITual Outlook, you'll have a deepening DESIRE for greater KNOWledge of GOD and CHRIST. This is actualized by reading the HOLY Scriptures, Prayer and longing for Holiness. You'll have a deepening concern over your lack of LOVE for GOD. The Holy SPIRIT leads you to this concern. You'll have an INcreasing awareness of your SINs. The SPIRIT withIN illuminates SIN in your life. Then your REaction to SIN is one of GRIEF over offending GOD's LOVE -- not just breaking rules. You'll experience personal "godly sorrow."

Having a SPIRITual Outlook, we'll experience an INcreasing SENSITIVITY to SIN and TEMPTATION. We'll become MORE watchful. We'll desire and long for more actual RIGHTEOUSness and HOLINESS withIN. We'll hunger and thirst for them. We'll take action to MORTIFY the deeds of the body. We'll AVOID SINful influences and provision for SIN.

Dr Lloyd-Jones encourages Believers to honestly examine their FAITH: whether they are truly SPIRITually ALIVE, with the NEW Life IN CHRIST -- or whether STILL spiritually DEAD, with the OLD Life ruled by SIN, SELF, Satan and his World System. Do you, as a professing CHRISTian, desire first and foremost GOD’s GLORY? 

Do you LOVE the Redeemed of GOD? Do you HATE SIN? Do you actively mortify the deeds of your own Flesh? For the REgenerated Children of GOD -- the INdwelling Holy SPIRIT always LEADS to personal Holiness for the GLORY of The FATHER and The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

May GOD use this sermon on Romans 8:14 by Dr Lloyd-Jones, to provide you with the sweet EVERlasting JOY of ASSURANCE of your Salvation -- ETERNAL Life IS by the GRACE of GOD alone, through FAITH alone, IN CHRIST alone. May The SPIRIT withIN conform us INto more and More and MORE CHRISTlikeness as HE acts upon our Mind, Heart and Will. AMEN!

The SPIRIT and the Bride say -- MARANATHA... "COME, LORD JESUS!" (Revelation 22:17) HalleluYAH! \o/

(This blog was created from my notes from Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 8:14, description and breakdown)

To LIVE IS CHRIST!

"This Believer did NOT always LIVE to CHRIST. She began to do so when GOD The Holy SPIRIT convinced her of SIN and, when by GRACE, she was brought to SEE the dying SAVIOR making a PROPITIATION for her guilt. From the moment of the NEW and Celestial REbirth, she began to LIVE to CHRIST. 

"JESUS IS to this Believer -- THE One PEARL of Great Price, for Whom she is made SPIRITually willing to part with ALL that she has. CHRIST JESUS has SO completely won her LOVE, that it beats alone for HIM. To CHRIST's GLORY, she would LIVE -- and in defense of HIS Gospel, she would DIE. Her Beloved LORD JESUS IS The PATTERN of her NEW Life, and The MODEL after which she would sculpture her REgenerated Character by the SUPERnatural Holy SPIRIT withIN. 

"The AIM and END of this Believer's Life IS CHRIST — nay, her very Life itself IS JESUS. In the words of an ancient saint -- she eats, drinks, and sleeps GOD's Eternal, Divine LIFE. Her Beloved JESUS IS her very Breath, The SOUL of her very Soul, The HEART of her very Heart, The LIFE of her very Life. 

"CAN this Believer say, AS a professing CHRISTian, that she LIVEs up to this idea? CAN she honestly say -- 'for me to LIVE IS CHRIST'? Is she living her daily Life-101 FOR CHRIST? Is it not done for SELF-aggrandisement and for family advantage? Does she ask, "Is that a mean reason, a SELFish motive?" For this CHRISTian it is. She professes to LIVE for CHRIST -- how can she LIVE for ANOTHER Object without committing a spiritual ADULTERY?

"YET, for this 2X-Born Believer, CHRIST JESUS alone IS her TRUE LIFE. The LORDGODSPIRIT IS her LIFE-Source, her LIFE-Sustenance, her LIFE-Design, her LIFE-End, ALL gathered up in ONE altogether Lovely WORD — CHRIST JESUS! HalleluYAH!

"FatherGOD -- Thank YOU for accepting me just as i am -- Through CHRIST JESUS, The Sacrificial LAMB. Thank YOU for making me Your beloved daughter -- IN CHRIST, The LION of Judah, THE Risen LORD. Thank YOU for making me a citizen of Your heavenly Kingdom of GL0RY -- through Your SON CHRIST JESUS, The KING of GLORY. 

"LORDGODSPIRIT -- i here present myself to YOU today (1/7/25), praying that by the emPOWERing, SUPERnatural Work of The Holy SPIRIT withIN -- LIVE ONLY IN YOU and TO YOU. LET me be as YOU Will -- to WORK for Your GLORY or to be SACRIFICED for Your GLORY. LET my Life-Motto be: READY FOR EITHER."

  

(CH Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 1/7/a.m. -- personalized)

The WHY of CHRISTmas

The HOLY Day celebrated at this time of year is CHRISTmas -- the First ADVENT of GOD The SON, The CHRIST -- MESSIAH JESUS. The FIRST Coming of The LORD JESUS is HIStory -- a FACTual Event in human history. The prophet Micah prophesied The MESSIAH's Birth in Bethlehem 700 years before its fulfillment. CHRIST's actual coming to earth was the CRUCIAL event that divided world history, from B.C. (Before CHRIST) to A.D. (Anno Domini -- the year of The LORD).

GOD's Holy Scriptures details the REALity of CHRIST's Birth: 'And Mary gave birth to her Firstborn SON; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger (feed trough), because there was no place for them in the inn' (Luke 2:7).

But WHY did 'GOD send forth His SON -- born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might REDEEM those who were under the Law' (Galatians 4:4) -- in the most particular way and very deliberate manner that He orchestrated the FACTs of CHRISTmas? 

WHY was the Eternal SON of GOD SUPERnaturally born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-35) -- rather than the natural way, with an earthly father and mother? WHY was JESUS born of the ordinary maiden Mary -- rather than born of a great queen? WHY was HE born in a stable, with sheltering animals, and laid in a feed trough with straw as His crib -- rather than a palatial, magnificent mansion, like Mar-a-Lago?

WHY was The LORD of GLORY born into a "blue-collar" family -- rather than into wealth and luxury, like a Barron Trump? WHY did GOD's SON when He lived in this world, live such a HUMBLE Life -- rather than the POWERFUL life of the likes of Elon Musk? WHY did He work as a carpenter, of the working class -- rather than as a great philosopher, like the much-lauded Jordan Peterson?

WHY the familiar FACTs of CHRISTmas, as detailed in the Gospels? WHY did GOD very deliberately orchestrate CHRIST JESUS' Birth in THIS manner? In Isaiah 55:9, IT IS WRITTEN -- 'For AS the Heavens are higher than the earth, SO are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.' CHRIST's FIRST Coming "stands in direct opposition to the PRIDE, POMP, and OUTward show of FALLEN Humanity" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones).

In this thought-provoking CHRISTmas message ("As Little Children"), Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the First Coming of The SON of GOD in the manner that GOD ordained -- CONDEMNS the world. 

"JESUS' Birth CONDEMNS humanity's HOPELESS and HELPLESS state due to SIN. HIS Birth shows we NEED a SAVIOR. JESUS' HUMBLE Birth CONDEMNS our PRIDE in humanity and belief that WE can solve our own problems. JESUS' Birth CONDEMNS our belief in OUTWARD Appearances, Splendor and MATERIALISM. TRUE greatness is SPIRITual -- NOT material.

"JESUS' Birth CONDEMNS our belief in Wealth and Money AS Power. HE was born into poverty. JESUS' Birth CONDEMNS our belief in Strength, Might and Power. HE came as a HELPLESS Baby. JESUS' Birth CONDEMNS our belief in HUMAN Wisdom and Philosophy. HE was a carpenter -- NOT an academic.

"JESUS' Birth TEACHES us GOD's Ways are NOT our ways.  We must think SPIRITually -- NOT materially. JESUS' Birth TEACHES us OUTWARD appearances DON'T matter -- the heart and spirit DO. JESUS' Birth TEACHES us MATERIAL values DON'T matter -- SPIRITual values DO. JESUS' Birth TEACHES us Time DOESN'T matter -- Eternity DOES.

"JESUS' Birth TEACHES us our Weakness DOESN'T matter -- GOD's POWER DOES. SALVATION is THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST -- NOT our OWN efforts. JESUS' Birth TEACHES us our RELATIONSHIP with GOD is MOST important -- NOT our circumstances. We must seek FIRST GOD's Kingdom. To enter GOD's Kingdom, we MUST become AS children, be Born AGAIN, abandon PRIDE in SELF and TRUST IN GOD. We will then become GOD's Heirs."

(The personal notes and above material in quotes are from the SERMON BREAKDOWN of MLJ's CHRISTmas sermon -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/other-sermons/as-little-children/ at mljtrust.org)