God’s Promises Are as Great as His Commandments
As we have already observed, it is generally admitted that God’s Word demands of all men to live holy and sinless lives. But foolish men look at these high commands of God, then at their inward proneness to evil and impotency in that which is good, and also at the world of wicked forces around them. So they say, “No man can keep the commands of the Lord.” But, dear reader, this is altogether unwise. Let us now look at the strongest commands of the Bible, and then place along side of them the corresponding promises of God. And we will see that no command exceeds the proffered grace of God to fulfill it in us. Let us weigh the two in opposite ends of the scales. Read one point at a time. We will begin with
Heart Purity
Command: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.” (Isaiah 1:16)
Promise: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.” (Ezekiel 36:25)
Command: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8)
Promise: “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” (Isaiah 4:4)
Command: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Promise: “And the voice spake unto him again the second time. What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” (Acts 10:15)
A New Heart
Command: “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 18:31)
Promise: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
Be Righteous As Christ Is Righteous
Command: “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” (Isaiah 60:21)
Promise: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Command: “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7)
Promise: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12)
Be Holy
Command: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)
Promise: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” (Hebrews 10:19)
Command: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4)
Promise: “For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:16)
Command: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
Promise: “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for your profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10) .
Entire Sanctification
Command: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Promise: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:19) “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” (Hebrews 13:12)
Command: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Promise: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
Command: “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
Promise: “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:16)
Be Perfect
Command: “Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 18:13)
Promise: “It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect.” (Psalm 18:32)
Command: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Promise: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)
Walk Even As He Walked
Command: “Walk before me and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1)
Promise: “Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.” (Psalm 85:13)
Command: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)
Promise: “The law of God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.” (Psalm 37:31)
Command: “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6)
Promise: “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
(Several years ago it occurred to our mind to thus prepare and preach the Word, placing in a balance the commands and promises of God. An abridgement of the lesson we then used found its way into the Bible Readings published by Brothers Kilpatrick and Speck, not, however, to their blame. We speak of this that the reader may know we have not stolen the labors and credit of another. This is a thing we detest, likewise doth God.)
Now, beloved reader, what can you say to these scriptures? How can you justify yourself in being less than perfect in all the moral attributes of God, since you are commanded thus to be, and every requirement is backed by the promised grace of God to fulfill it in you? A mother might say, “My child, go and wash your dirty face.” If there were no water, or any other cleansing element provided, nor attainable, the little one might truthfully say, “Mother, I can’t.” But when the mother places before it a bowl of good soft water, soap, wash rag and towel, and demands of it to wash, all must admit it will be without excuse if still unclean. And just so, there is a fountain open to the house of David, for sin and for uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1). And pointing to this, God speaks to all sinners, filthy professors, and unsanctified believers, saying, “Wash you, make you clean.” (Isaiah 1:16) “Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded.” (James 4:8) And yet men are foolish enough to think they have a cloak for their sins and excuse for their filthiness. “Yea,” they say, “God commands us to be holy, perfect, and pure, but we cannot wash and remain clean in this world.” Thus they contradict the Word of God and make Him a liar, and shall utterly perish in their unbelief and uncleanness.
Reader, as God is true, salvation is perfect, and will make you perfect, and keep you blameless in God’s sight, unto the coming of the Lord. And if you neglect so GREAT SALVATION you will stand before God in your iniquity, speechless and without a cloak to cover your shame.