Seite 90 - Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing (1896)

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Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, comes to us, not as a reward for
our works, it is not bestowed because of the merit of sinful men, but
[116]
it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its
foundation for bestowal.
We should not try to lessen our guilt by excusing sin. We must
accept God’s estimate of sin, and that is heavy indeed. Calvary alone
can reveal the terrible enormity of sin. If we had to bear our own guilt,
it would crush us. But the sinless One has taken our place; though
undeserving, He has borne our iniquity. “If we confess our sins,” God
“is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9
. Glorious truth!—just to His own law,
and yet the Justifier of all that believe in Jesus. “Who is a God like
unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever,
because He delighteth in mercy.”
Micah 7:18
.
“Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil
one.”—Matthew 6:13, R. V.
Temptation is enticement to sin, and this does not proceed from
God, but from Satan and from the evil of our own hearts. “God cannot
be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempteth no man.”
James 1:13
,
R.V.
Satan seeks to bring us into temptation, that the evil of our charac-
ters may be revealed before men and angels, that he may claim us as
his own. In the symbolic prophecy of Zechariah, Satan is seen standing
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at the right hand of the Angel of the Lord, accusing Joshua, the high
priest, who is clothed in filthy garments, and resisting the work that
the Angel desires to do for him. This represents the attitude of Satan
toward every soul whom Christ is seeking to draw unto Himself. The
enemy leads us into sin, and then he accuses us before the heavenly
universe as unworthy of the love of God. But “the Lord said unto
Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen
Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”
And unto Joshua He said, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass
from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”
Zechariah
3:1-4
.