Sunday 27 November 2011

Nothing but Christ!

Isn't it simply wonderful being a Christian?  A Christian is someone who believes in Christ alone for his salvation, without any dependence on works for his justification (though a professed faith without corroborating works is dead, says James).  We sing hymns that elevate our saviour, and with great cause. we sing that "None but Christ can satisfy," and we mean it.

BUT!  If Christ were to take us at our word, and strip off us everything else we cherish, would we still sing this hymn?  I now of a man who had his regular ministry taken from him, his salary stopped, never invited to preach in his old denomination, had his home taken from him, lost virtually all his pension entitlements. His health suffered a serious breakdown, leaving him a mental wreck.  His reputation was severely tarnished.  And on top of all that, this was done to him by Christians and by church people.

Can he still sing that hymn?  Yes he can, and with even greater gusto.  God has taken all these things from him, and he is now living on a very meagre income, but he is still rejoicing in his Saviour, why?  Because he now knows from experience that "None but Christ can satisfy, no other Name for me."  They can take it all, but they cannot take me from Christ nor Christ from me.  Indeed, there's not much you can do to, or about, a man who thinks like that! 

When the reality of the full satisfaction of Christ to the believer hit him, he sang in a very new way, "Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise; Thou my inheritance now and always."

I know a man like that, and How I wish I was more like that!  He knows contentment, deep, heart, real contentment.  The devil has attacked him very severely on many occasions, but by God's sovereign grace, has come through it triumphantly.

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