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Minds Filled with God’s Promises, September 16
With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10
.
According to this, there is something to believe, also something to confess.
The heart must first accept the truth as it is in Jesus. This is the foundation of
true religion. Conviction of sin then begins to be felt; the sin-sick soul, feeling
his need of a physician, comes to Jesus of Nazareth for pardon. Taking up the
warfare against the enemy, he looks to Jesus for strength to resist temptation. He
watches unto prayer, and searches the Scriptures. The truths of the Bible are seen
in a new and intensely interesting light, and the Spirit of God opens to him their
solemn importance. He studies the life of Christ, and the more clearly he discerns
the spotless purity of the Saviour’s character, the less confidence he has in his own
goodness; the more steadily and closely he views Jesus, the less he discovers of
perfection in himself. His self-righteousness disappears, and he falls, all helpless
and broken, upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. He will be sorely pressed by the tempter,
and at times may have feelings of discouragement, and be tempted to think that God
will not accept him; but, taking God at His word, and pleading His sure promises,
he presses through the darkness into the clear sunlight of Christ’s love.
“And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If the heart is indeed
the treasure house of grace and the love of Christ, these will be expressed in the
words and deportment. There will be a constant attraction to Christ. All will be
tested; hence the need of divine grace, and of sound religious faith and principles.
The lips should be sanctified, that the words spoken may be few and well chosen.
Oftentimes professed Christians bring upon themselves great spiritual weakness
by dwelling upon their trials and grievances. Not only does the matter become
magnified by every repetition, but they as surely separate from Jesus as they allow
themselves to transgress in this particular. Satan seeks to draw their attention to
themselves, and to fasten upon them the idea that they are not appreciated. They
begin to pity and sympathize with themselves, and to lose faith and confidence
in Jesus; and as the result they walk apart from Him who asks them to cast their
burdens upon Him.
To such we would say, Recount what God has done for you. Tell Satan that you
do not trust in your own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. Keep the
mind filled with the precious promises found in the Bible, and when Satan comes
in like a flood to overwhelm you, meet him with the weapon which the Word of
God has provided, “It is written.” This will break his power and give you the victory
(
Historical Sketches, 129, 130
).
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