Post by Shepherd on Dec 5, 2008 10:20:36 GMT -6
CONVERSION
JAMES 5:20..HE WHICH CONVERTETH THE SINNER.
I. HERE IS A GREAT PRINCIPLE INVOLVED-- A VERY IMPORTANT ONE– THAT OF INSTRUMENTALITY.
Instrumentality is not necessary with God. God can if he pleases cast the instrument aside. The mighty maker of the world who used no angels to beat out the great mass of nature and fashion it into a round globe, He who without hammer or anvil fashioned this glorious world, can if he please speak, and it is done, command and it shall stand fast. He needs not instruments, though He uses them.
Instrumentality is very honorable to God, and not dishonorable. Suppose a workman has power and skill with his hands alone to fashion a certain article; but you put into this hands the worst of tools you can find; you know he can do it well with his hands, but these tools are so badly made that they will be the greatest impediment that you could lay in his way. Well now I say, if a man with these bad instruments, or these poor tools–things without edges– that are broken that are weak and frail is able to make some beauteous fabric, he has more credit from the use of those tools than he would have had if he had done it simply with his hands, because the tools, so far from being an advantage were a disadvantage to him; so far from being a help, are on my supposition, even a detriment to him in his work. So God uses instruments to set forth His own glory, and to exalt Himself.
Usually God does employ instruments. I have heard of some–I remember them now–who were called like Saul, at once from heaven. We can remember the history of the brother who in the darkness of the night was called to know the Saviour by what he believed to be a vision from heaven, or some effect on his imagination. On one side he saw a black tablet of his guilt, and his soul was delighted to see Christ cast a white tablet over it; and he thought he heard a voice that said, “I am he that blotted out your transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins”
There was a man converted almost without instrumentality; but you do not meet with such a case often. Most people have been convinced by the pious conversation of sisters, by a the holy example of mothers, by the minister, by the Sabbath-school, or by the reading tracts or perusing Scripture.
If God sees fit to make use of any of us for the conversation of others, we must not therefore be too sure that we are converted ourselves. It is a most solemn thought that God makes use of ungodly men as instruments for the conversion of sinners. Grace is not spoiled by the rotten wooden spouts it runs through. God did once speak by an ass to Balaam, but that did not spoil His words. So He speaks, not simply by an ass, which He often does, but by something worse than that. He can fill the mouth of ravens with food for an Elijah, and yet the raven is a raven still.
If God in His mercy does not make us useful to the conversion of sinners, we are not therefore to say we are sure we are not children of God. If I testify to them the truth of God and they reject His gospel;. If I faithfully preach His truth, and they scorn it, my ministry is not therefore void. It has not returned to God void, for even in the punishment of those rebels He will be glorified, even in their destruction He will get Himself honor, and if, He cannot get praise from their songs, He will at last get honor from their condemnation.
God, by using us as instruments, confers upon us the highest honour which men can receive.
II. THE GENERAL FACT.
The choicest happiness which mortal breast can know is the happiness of benevolence–of doing good to our fellow-creatures.
To save a body from death is that which gives us almost heaven on earth. The soul that is saved from death; it is saved everlasting. It is saved beyond the fear of destruction.
A single word spoken may be more the means of conversion than a whole sermon.
God often blesses a short, pithy expression from a friend, more than a long discourse by a minister.
You may be the means of conversion by a letter you may write. How many have been converted by the example of true Christians. And then, how many souls may be converted by what some men are privileged to write and print.
Preaching is the ordained means for the salvation of sinners, and by this ten times as many are brought to the Saviour as by any other.
III. THE APPLICATION
It is this; that he who is the means of the conversion of a sinner does, under God.
SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, AND HIDE A MULTITUDE OF SIN; but particular attention ought to be paid to backsliders; for in bringing backsliders into the church there is a much honour of God as in bringing in sinners.
BRETHREN, IF ANY ONE OF YOU DO ERR FROM THE TRUTH, AND ONE CONVERT HIM. The poor backslider, is often the most forgotten.
A member of the church has disgraced his profession; the church excommunicated him, and he was accounted A HEATHEN MAN AND A PUBLICAN.
I know of men of good standing in the gospel ministry, who ten years ago fell into sin; and that is thrown in our teeth to this very day.
Christian men ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking notice of such things so long afterwards. True, we may use more caution in our dealing; but to reproach a fallen brother for what he did so long ago is contrary to the spirit of John, who went after Peter, three days after he had denied his master with oaths and curses.
Recollect you would have been a backslider too if it were not for the grace of God. I advise you, whenever you see professors living in sin to be very shy of them; but if after a time you see any sign of repentance or if you do not, go and seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel; for that if one of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let his remember that HE WHO CONVERT THE SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY, SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, AND SHALL HIDE A MULTITUDE OF SINS.
This is the last verse in James and therefore concludes this lesson, will start on something else soon. Hope this has helped you as we went through it.Shepherd.
JAMES 5:20..HE WHICH CONVERTETH THE SINNER.
I. HERE IS A GREAT PRINCIPLE INVOLVED-- A VERY IMPORTANT ONE– THAT OF INSTRUMENTALITY.
Instrumentality is not necessary with God. God can if he pleases cast the instrument aside. The mighty maker of the world who used no angels to beat out the great mass of nature and fashion it into a round globe, He who without hammer or anvil fashioned this glorious world, can if he please speak, and it is done, command and it shall stand fast. He needs not instruments, though He uses them.
Instrumentality is very honorable to God, and not dishonorable. Suppose a workman has power and skill with his hands alone to fashion a certain article; but you put into this hands the worst of tools you can find; you know he can do it well with his hands, but these tools are so badly made that they will be the greatest impediment that you could lay in his way. Well now I say, if a man with these bad instruments, or these poor tools–things without edges– that are broken that are weak and frail is able to make some beauteous fabric, he has more credit from the use of those tools than he would have had if he had done it simply with his hands, because the tools, so far from being an advantage were a disadvantage to him; so far from being a help, are on my supposition, even a detriment to him in his work. So God uses instruments to set forth His own glory, and to exalt Himself.
Usually God does employ instruments. I have heard of some–I remember them now–who were called like Saul, at once from heaven. We can remember the history of the brother who in the darkness of the night was called to know the Saviour by what he believed to be a vision from heaven, or some effect on his imagination. On one side he saw a black tablet of his guilt, and his soul was delighted to see Christ cast a white tablet over it; and he thought he heard a voice that said, “I am he that blotted out your transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins”
There was a man converted almost without instrumentality; but you do not meet with such a case often. Most people have been convinced by the pious conversation of sisters, by a the holy example of mothers, by the minister, by the Sabbath-school, or by the reading tracts or perusing Scripture.
If God sees fit to make use of any of us for the conversation of others, we must not therefore be too sure that we are converted ourselves. It is a most solemn thought that God makes use of ungodly men as instruments for the conversion of sinners. Grace is not spoiled by the rotten wooden spouts it runs through. God did once speak by an ass to Balaam, but that did not spoil His words. So He speaks, not simply by an ass, which He often does, but by something worse than that. He can fill the mouth of ravens with food for an Elijah, and yet the raven is a raven still.
If God in His mercy does not make us useful to the conversion of sinners, we are not therefore to say we are sure we are not children of God. If I testify to them the truth of God and they reject His gospel;. If I faithfully preach His truth, and they scorn it, my ministry is not therefore void. It has not returned to God void, for even in the punishment of those rebels He will be glorified, even in their destruction He will get Himself honor, and if, He cannot get praise from their songs, He will at last get honor from their condemnation.
God, by using us as instruments, confers upon us the highest honour which men can receive.
II. THE GENERAL FACT.
The choicest happiness which mortal breast can know is the happiness of benevolence–of doing good to our fellow-creatures.
To save a body from death is that which gives us almost heaven on earth. The soul that is saved from death; it is saved everlasting. It is saved beyond the fear of destruction.
A single word spoken may be more the means of conversion than a whole sermon.
God often blesses a short, pithy expression from a friend, more than a long discourse by a minister.
You may be the means of conversion by a letter you may write. How many have been converted by the example of true Christians. And then, how many souls may be converted by what some men are privileged to write and print.
Preaching is the ordained means for the salvation of sinners, and by this ten times as many are brought to the Saviour as by any other.
III. THE APPLICATION
It is this; that he who is the means of the conversion of a sinner does, under God.
SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, AND HIDE A MULTITUDE OF SIN; but particular attention ought to be paid to backsliders; for in bringing backsliders into the church there is a much honour of God as in bringing in sinners.
BRETHREN, IF ANY ONE OF YOU DO ERR FROM THE TRUTH, AND ONE CONVERT HIM. The poor backslider, is often the most forgotten.
A member of the church has disgraced his profession; the church excommunicated him, and he was accounted A HEATHEN MAN AND A PUBLICAN.
I know of men of good standing in the gospel ministry, who ten years ago fell into sin; and that is thrown in our teeth to this very day.
Christian men ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking notice of such things so long afterwards. True, we may use more caution in our dealing; but to reproach a fallen brother for what he did so long ago is contrary to the spirit of John, who went after Peter, three days after he had denied his master with oaths and curses.
Recollect you would have been a backslider too if it were not for the grace of God. I advise you, whenever you see professors living in sin to be very shy of them; but if after a time you see any sign of repentance or if you do not, go and seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel; for that if one of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let his remember that HE WHO CONVERT THE SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY, SHALL SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH, AND SHALL HIDE A MULTITUDE OF SINS.
This is the last verse in James and therefore concludes this lesson, will start on something else soon. Hope this has helped you as we went through it.Shepherd.
