Post by Char on Oct 24, 2008 17:22:49 GMT -6
THE SINFULNESS OF DOUBLE-MINDEDNESS
JAMES 1:8
I." IT IS CONTRARY TO THAT LOVE OF GOD WHICH THE GOSPEL EXPRESSLY REQUIRES."
MATT. 22:35-37..".THEN ONE OF THEM, WHICH WAS A LAWYER, ASKED HIM A QUESTION, TEMPTING HIM, AND SAYING MASTER, WHICH IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW? JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND."
Now, if the steadiness of our obedience depends upon the sincerity of our love of God. If nothing can seduce them from their duty, whose hearts are truly possessed with an ardent love of God. Then will it follow, on the other side, that those whose obedience is partial and interrupted, who advance some steps in the paths of virtue, and after that depart back into sinful courses, are destitute of that superlative love of God which is the very basis of all religion, and the first and chief condition of our eternal salvation.
II. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT PERFECTION WHICH IS ANOTHER CONDITION OF THE GOSPEL COVENANT.
. Absolute perfection is not to be attained, and therefore repentance comes in to supply the want of it.
But sincere endeavor after perfection is possible; and he who sins with a resolution to repent is not sure that God will give him grace to repent in time of need.
Now, if an endeavor after perfection, if doing the utmost we can do in "ALL THINGS TO KEEP A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE," if confessed on all hands to be the least that can be meant by that perfection which is the condition of our salvation.
Then must double-minded persons be in a very dangerous state who cannot pretend that they perform this condition..
For can that person be said to use his utmost endeavor to be perfect who, though he resists some temptations, yet not only yields to but even invites others.
Do he do all he can do to approve himself to God who does as many actions, which he knows to be displeasing to God, as he does actions acceptable?
Can he be thought in earnest to press forwards towards the mark whose retreats are equal to his advances.?
Who is always in motion, but rids no ground; and who after some years spent in a course of religion, it got no farther than when he at first set out?
As well may be thought a perfect scholar who, in that part of learning he professes, is ignorance of as many things as he knows; or that he deemed a perfect animal which, of those limbs it should have, wants as many as it has, or which is destitute of as many organs of sense as it enjoys.
III. IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THAT SINCERE FAITH UPON THE OBSERVANCE OF WHICH ON OUR PART WE EXPECT SALVATION.
If we examine the faith of a double-minded person, if we try it by its works, we shall not find it thus general and impartial.
He finds gracious promises in the gospel annexed to the performance of some duties, and these he pretends to discharge on purposes that he may inherit those precious promises.
But he finds also severe threats denounced against some sins, and, not withstanding those threats, he goes on in a constant habitual commission of them.
Now, how is his performance of these duties a better proof that he heartily believes those promises than his voluntary transgressions are, that in his heat he disbelieves those threats.
IV. INSTABILITY OF HE DOUBLE MINDED SOUL.
A double minded man is unsettled; unstable in all ways.
His opinions are fluctuation; an so are his sentiments.
Sometimes he is repenting of his sins, and sometimes he is repenting of his repentance.
Sometimes the importance of the future overwhelms him, and sometimes he feels that nothing is worth thinking of but the present. Such instability of sentiment must unsettle the believer.
The man is sometimes as serene as a may morning, and sometimes as sweeping as a cyclone.
You can never know how he will receive you, or how he will behave under certain circumstances.
His instability imports its changefulness it his countenance; while he is looking one way, his soul has gone another.
His speech is ambiguous, his tone of voice wavering, his utterance now very rapid and now very slow.
Sometimes he answers off hand and without reflection, and then he requires so much time to consider that the opportunity for speech has passed.
He is untrustworthy in every department of life; and cannot receive anything from God. He cannot hold his hand long enough to have anything placed in it.
JAMES 1:8
I." IT IS CONTRARY TO THAT LOVE OF GOD WHICH THE GOSPEL EXPRESSLY REQUIRES."
MATT. 22:35-37..".THEN ONE OF THEM, WHICH WAS A LAWYER, ASKED HIM A QUESTION, TEMPTING HIM, AND SAYING MASTER, WHICH IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW? JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND."
Now, if the steadiness of our obedience depends upon the sincerity of our love of God. If nothing can seduce them from their duty, whose hearts are truly possessed with an ardent love of God. Then will it follow, on the other side, that those whose obedience is partial and interrupted, who advance some steps in the paths of virtue, and after that depart back into sinful courses, are destitute of that superlative love of God which is the very basis of all religion, and the first and chief condition of our eternal salvation.
II. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT PERFECTION WHICH IS ANOTHER CONDITION OF THE GOSPEL COVENANT.
. Absolute perfection is not to be attained, and therefore repentance comes in to supply the want of it.
But sincere endeavor after perfection is possible; and he who sins with a resolution to repent is not sure that God will give him grace to repent in time of need.
Now, if an endeavor after perfection, if doing the utmost we can do in "ALL THINGS TO KEEP A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE," if confessed on all hands to be the least that can be meant by that perfection which is the condition of our salvation.
Then must double-minded persons be in a very dangerous state who cannot pretend that they perform this condition..
For can that person be said to use his utmost endeavor to be perfect who, though he resists some temptations, yet not only yields to but even invites others.
Do he do all he can do to approve himself to God who does as many actions, which he knows to be displeasing to God, as he does actions acceptable?
Can he be thought in earnest to press forwards towards the mark whose retreats are equal to his advances.?
Who is always in motion, but rids no ground; and who after some years spent in a course of religion, it got no farther than when he at first set out?
As well may be thought a perfect scholar who, in that part of learning he professes, is ignorance of as many things as he knows; or that he deemed a perfect animal which, of those limbs it should have, wants as many as it has, or which is destitute of as many organs of sense as it enjoys.
III. IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THAT SINCERE FAITH UPON THE OBSERVANCE OF WHICH ON OUR PART WE EXPECT SALVATION.
If we examine the faith of a double-minded person, if we try it by its works, we shall not find it thus general and impartial.
He finds gracious promises in the gospel annexed to the performance of some duties, and these he pretends to discharge on purposes that he may inherit those precious promises.
But he finds also severe threats denounced against some sins, and, not withstanding those threats, he goes on in a constant habitual commission of them.
Now, how is his performance of these duties a better proof that he heartily believes those promises than his voluntary transgressions are, that in his heat he disbelieves those threats.
IV. INSTABILITY OF HE DOUBLE MINDED SOUL.
A double minded man is unsettled; unstable in all ways.
His opinions are fluctuation; an so are his sentiments.
Sometimes he is repenting of his sins, and sometimes he is repenting of his repentance.
Sometimes the importance of the future overwhelms him, and sometimes he feels that nothing is worth thinking of but the present. Such instability of sentiment must unsettle the believer.
The man is sometimes as serene as a may morning, and sometimes as sweeping as a cyclone.
You can never know how he will receive you, or how he will behave under certain circumstances.
His instability imports its changefulness it his countenance; while he is looking one way, his soul has gone another.
His speech is ambiguous, his tone of voice wavering, his utterance now very rapid and now very slow.
Sometimes he answers off hand and without reflection, and then he requires so much time to consider that the opportunity for speech has passed.
He is untrustworthy in every department of life; and cannot receive anything from God. He cannot hold his hand long enough to have anything placed in it.
