DISCOURSE: 2341
GOD TO BE SERVED WITH REVERENTIAL FEAR
Hebrews 12:28-29. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.
THE Christian world are little aware how much we are indebted to the holy Apostles, or rather to God, by whose inspiration they wrote, for the light which they have thrown upon the prophecies of the Old Testament. To this hour should we have been almost as much in the dark respecting the import of them as the Ethiopian Eunuch was, if God had not sent us persons authorized and empowered to unfold their true meaning. The passage which that Gentile proselyte was reading when Philip joined himself to his chariot, was as clear as any part of Isaiah’s prophecies: yet, when asked by Philip, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” he replied, “How can I, except some man should guide me [Note: Acts 8:28-31.]?” So we should have still been at a loss to know of whom the prophets spake in numberless passages [Note: Acts 8:34.], if God had not raised up holy men to give us the desired information. Let us take for instance, the prophecy which is cited by the Apostle in the verses before our text. It is taken from the Prophet Haggai, and is adduced by St. Paul in order to confirm his preceding declarations respecting the superiority of the Christian dispensation above that of the Jews. And we may well suppose that an uninspired Jew, if conversant with the Scriptures, would have understood the passage as referring to the Messiah [Note: Haggai 2:6-7.]. The construction which he would have put upon it would probably have been to this effect: ‘God shook the earth when he established the Mosaic dispensation: but, when he shall introduce the Messiah himself, he will do it with far greater convulsions of universal nature.’ But let us see the explanation of it which the Apostle has given us: He first somewhat alters the words, in order to make them express more fully the mind of God in them; and then he gives us this interpretation of them: “This word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Thus he shews us that not any convulsion of nature was intended, like that which took place at Mount Sinai: but the total removal of the whole civil and ecclesiastical polity of the Jews was predicted, in order to make way for the immoveable and everlasting kingdom of the Messiah. Then, on the passage thus explained, he founds this exhortation: “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.”
The points to be especially noticed in this passage are,
I. The privilege which all true Christians have received—
“They have received a kingdom which cannot be moved:” they have received it,
1. As that to which they are to submit—
[The Lord Jesus Christ is he of whom Jehovah has said, “Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion [Note: Psalms 2:6.].” And “his kingdom admits of no change.” The dispensation which had been introduced by Moses, “waxed old, and vanished away;” but that which Christ has established is ever “new [Note: Hebrews 8:13.].” “His dominion,” says the prophet, “is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed [Note: Daniel 7:14.].” Men and devils will no doubt combine for its destruction: but “the gates of hell shall never prevail against it [Note: Matthew 16:18.].” — — —
To this kingdom all true believers belong. They once were vassals of the god of this world: but they have been “translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.” Their language now is, “Other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name [Note: Isaiah 26:13.].” Into the name of Christ they have been baptized; and to his service have they willingly devoted themselves; engaging to fulfil his will, and even to lay down their lives, if need be, for his sake.]
2. As that which they are to inherit—
[All the blessings of it are theirs: and it is administered altogether for their good. The King himself has their interest in view, as much as if he had not another subject in his realm to occupy his attention. Their enemies are all restrained, and shall all, not excepting Satan himself, ere long be bruised under their feet. All the protection which they can need, and all the provision which their souls can desire, are secured to them: “they dwell on high; their place of defence is the munition of rocks: their bread is daily given them, and their water is sure [Note: Isaiah 33:16.].” Nor can these be moved, any more than the kingdom itself can. Neither time nor chance can impair the blessings themselves, or rob them of the enjoyment of them. The pardon, the peace, the holiness, the glory, are theirs, not for time only, but for eternity — — — And this is the portion, not of some few favoured individuals only, as Prophets and Apostles, but of every believer, however poor, however unworthy. To the whole body of believers, without exception, it is said, “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom [Note: Luke 12:32.].” Hear this, ye who are poor in this world; and survey the riches to which God has chosen you [Note: James 2:5.]: in respect of your earthly state, ye may be said to be “upon a dunghill: but God has taken you thence, to set you among the princes [Note: 1 Samuel 2:8.].” “Ye have received a kingdom:” “Christ has appointed to you a kingdom, even as his Father has appointed unto him a kingdom [Note: Luke 22:29.];” and has ordained that “you shall sit with him upon his throne, as he sitteth on his Father’s throne [Note: Revelation 3:21.]:” ye may be “beggars,” as it respects temporal possessions; but ye are “kings [Note: Revelation 1:6.]:” and respecting all of you, Jehovah himself says, “I know your poverty; but ye are rich [Note: Revelation 2:9.].”]
Let not any, however, be so elated with their privilege as to overlook,
II.
Their duty as connected with it—
“We must serve God with reverence and godly fear”—
[Privilege and duty are so connected, that they can never under any circumstances be separated from each other; and any attempt to separate them will infallibly issue in our ruin. A kingdom has been given us, it is true: and “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” But ye must “serve God,” and serve him too “with reverence and godly fear.” We must not presume upon his mercy, or take occasion from it to indulge in carelessness and supineness. We must never forget with what a God we have to do. “He is a great God, and greatly to be feared.” Though his dispensations are altered, he himself is not altered: “He is a consuming fire” now, as much as he was in the day that he proclaimed his law from Mount Sinai: and he must still “be had in reverence of all them that are round about him [Note: Psalms 89:7.].” True, indeed, we are not now to “fear and quake before him,” as the Israelites, and Moses himself, then did: for “he has not given us the spirit of bondage again to fear, but a Spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father [Note: Romans 8:15.]:” but still we must “stand in awe of him [Note: Psalms 2:11; Psalms 4:4.],” and fear to offend him, knowing that “he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity without the utmost abhorrence of it [Note: Habakkuk 1:13.].” In whomsoever wilful sin is found, he will visit it with fiery indignation; and most of all in those who profess themselves his servants [Note: Amos 3:2.]. “If we regard iniquity in our hearts, he will not hear us,” or acknowledge us. We must seek to “be holy, as he is holy;” and “perfect, as he is perfect:” and the circumstance of our having been “sealed by him unto the day of redemption,” is a reason why we should be more than ever careful, not either by word or deed, and, if possible, not even by a thought, to “grieve his holy Spirit [Note: Ephesians 4:30.].” Our labour should be to have “our every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 10:5.].” It is in this way alone that we can serve God “acceptably:” and in this way alone that we can prove our title to the kingdom which we profess to have received.]
For strength to do this, we must seek his grace from day to day—
[We have no strength in ourselves even for a good thought [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:5.]: “Without Christ we can do nothing [Note: John 14:5.].” But there is a fulness of grace treasured up in him; and out of his fulness must we continually receive those supplies of grace which we stand in need of [Note: Colossians 1:19. with John 1:16.]. We must not be satisfied with such a measure of grace as may suffice to bring us to God: but must labour for such a measure as may enable us to serve him, and to “serve him acceptably” to the latest hour of our lives. Especially must we seek a meekness of spirit, an humility of mind, a tenderness of conscience, a purity of heart, an hatred of sin, an abhorrence of ourselves on account of sin, a holy desire to please God, a love to his will, a delight in his service, and an utter contempt even of life itself in comparison of his honour and glory. But these are attainments which he alone can give: therefore we must cry day and night unto him for more and more grace, and must labour for them only in a dependence on his good Spirit.
To this state of mind we must be brought by the consideration of the unbounded mercies bestowed upon us: “Having received a kingdom,” we must thus seek his grace, and thus labour joyfully to fulfil his will: for so the Apostle elsewhere teaches us: “I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, as your reasonable service [Note: Romans 12:1.].”]
The concluding declaration in our text deserving more especial notice, I will draw your attention to it,
1.
To augment your thankfulness for the Gospel of Christ—
[We see how terrible the presence of God was when he appeared as a consuming fire upon Mount Sinai. But, how much more terrible is it in that world where he is inflicting vengeance both on men and devils as the monuments of his wrath! Yet that is the view of him which we should have had to all eternity, if the Lord Jesus Christ had not interposed to effect our reconciliation with him, and to restore us to his favour — — — Can we reflect on this, and not adore that blessed Saviour, who “bore our sins in his own body on the tree,” and “died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God?” Think for a moment of that place which he has “ordained of old, the pile whereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it [Note: Isaiah 30:33.].” Think of the state of the souls which are confined there, all of them drinking “of the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and tormented with fire and brimstone, having no rest, and the smoke of their torment ascending up for ever and ever [Note: Revelation 14:10-11.]:” and then let us ask ourselves, “Who amongst us can dwell with the devouring fire? Who amongst us can dwell with everlasting burnings [Note: Isaiah 33:14.]?” Verily, if we would more habituate ourselves to consider the justice, and holiness, and majesty of our God, we should know no bounds to our gratitude for the work of redemption: our every thought would be thankfulness; and our every word be praise — — —]
2. To preserve upon your minds a holy dread of sin—
[Still must it be said, as in the days of old, “The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God [Note: Deuteronomy 4:24.]:” and we should never for a moment lose sight of him under that character. It is fit that he should be jealous, and suffer no rival in our hearts. In harbouring any unhallowed lust, we are as great enemies to our own happiness as we are to his glory: and he would have loved us less, if he had given us any reason to hope for impunity in the ways of sin. Be ye then jealous over yourselves with a godly jealousy, lest there be found in you any thing which is displeasing in his sight. Let your conscience be tender even as the apple of your eye: and if but a mote come upon it, let it not abide there for a moment; but weep it away with tears of penitential sorrow, and wash it away with the blood of Christ, which alone can cleanse you even from the smallest sin. Bear in mind, that what ye are in respect of holiness, that ye are in the sight of God: and recollecting, that “his eyes are as a flame of fire,” and that “he weighs, not your actions” only, but “even your spirits” also, “be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless [Note: 2 Peter 3:14.].”]