LIVING WITHIN DECAYING PIETY

Psalm 112:6 KJV

Surely, he shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 

PRE-AMBLE by Robert

Let us see here what it is that makes the times bad, and when they may be said to be so. Ask the children of this world what it is in their account that makes the times bad, and they will tell you, the Scarcity of money, the decay of trade, and the desolations of war, make the times bad. 

But the scripture lays the badness of the times upon causes of another nature 2 Timothy 3:1, Perilous times shall come, for iniquity shall abound and that is the thing David here complains of.

When the godly man ceases and the faithful fail. Observe how these two characters are here put together, the godly and the faithful. As there is no true policy, so there is no true piety, without honesty. Godly men are faithful men, fast men, so they have sometimes been called their word is as confirming as their oath, as binding as their bond they make conscience of being true both to God and man. 

They are here said to cease and fail, either by death or by desertion, or by both. Those that were godly and faithful were taken away, and those that were left had sadly degenerated and were not what they had been so that there were few or no good people that were Israelites indeed to be met with. 

Perhaps he meant that there were no godly faithful men among Saul’s courtiers if he meant there were few or none in Israel, we hope he was under the same mistake that Elijah was, who thought he only was left alone, when God had 7000 who kept their integrity (Romans 11:3) or he meant that there were few in comparison there was a general decay of religion and virtue (and the times are bad, very bad when it is so), not a man to be found that executes judgment, Jeremiah 5:1.

OPENING STATEMENT by Robert

The Holy Scripture is of much greater benefit to us than day or night than the air we breathe or the light of the sun. To recover man out of his fallen state, there is a need for the word of God. 

The word translated “law,” maybe rendered doctrine, and be understood as meaning all that teaches us true religion. The whole is perfect; its tendency is to convert or turn the soul from sin and the world, to God and holiness.

 It shows our sinfulness and misery in departing from God and the necessity of our return to him. This testimony is sure, to be fully depended on the ignorant and unlearned believing what God saith, become wise unto salvation.

It is a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure fountain of living comforts and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. The statues of the Lord are right, just as they should be and, because they are right, they rejoice the heart. 

The commandments of the Lord are pure, holy, just, and good. By them, we discover our need for a Saviour, and then learn how to adorn his gospel. They are the means which the Holy Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; they bring us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery and direct us in the way of duty.

The fear of the Lord, that is, true religion and godliness, is clean, it will cleanse our way; and it endures forever. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the law concerning the fear of God is ever the same. 

The judgments of the Lord, his precepts, are true; they are righteous, and they are so altogether; there is no unrighteousness in any of them. Gold is only for the body, and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul and the concerns of eternity. 

The word of God, received by faith, is more precious than gold; it is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey. The pleasure of sense soon surfeits, yet never satisfy, but those of religion are substantial and satisfying; there is no danger of excess.

God’s favour and good-will to his people speak abundant comfort to all believers. The new creature, wherever it is, is of God’s forming. All who are redeemed with the blood of his Son, he has set apart for himself.

Those that have God for them need not fear who or what can be against them. True believers are precious in God’s sight, his delight is in them, above any people. Though they went as through fire and water, yet, while they had God with them, they need fear no evil; they should be born up and brought out.

The faithful are encouraged. They were to be assembled from every quarter. And with this pleasing object in view, the prophet again dissuades from anxious fears. 

To obey is better than sacrifice, and to love God and our neighbour better than all burnt offerings. We are here warned not to rest in these performances. And let us beware of resting in any form. 

God demands the heart, and how can human inventions please him, when repentance, faith, and holiness are neglected? In the day of distress, we must apply to the Lord by fervent prayer. 

Our troubles, though we see them coming from God’s hand, must drive us to him, not drive us from him. We must acknowledge him in all our ways, depend upon his wisdom, power, and goodness, and refer ourselves wholly to him, and so give him glory. 

Thus, must we keep up communion with God, meeting him with prayers under trials, and with praises in deliverances. A believing supplicant shall not only be graciously answered as to his petition, and so have cause for praising God, but shall also have the grace to praise him.

Let Nebuchadnezzar heat his furnace as hot as he can, a few minutes will finish the torment of those cast into it, but hell-fire tortures, and yet does not kill. 

Those who worshipped the beast and his image, have no rest, no pause, no moment free from pain, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 14:11. Now was fulfilled in the letter that great promise, Isaiah 43:2, When thou walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. 

Leaving it to that God who preserved them in the fire, to bring them out, they walked up and down in the midst, supported and encouraged by the presence of the Son of God. 

Those who suffer for Christ, have his presence in their sufferings, even in the fiery furnace, and in the valley of the shadow of death. Nebuchadnezzar owns them for servants of the highest God; a God able to deliver them out of his hand. 

CLOSING STATEMENT by Robert

Our God only is the consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29. Could we but see into the eternal world, we should behold the persecuted believer safe from the malice of his foes, while they are exposed to the wrath of God, and tormented in unquenchable fires. 

Hypocrisy is wickedness, which God will judge. And it is too common, for those who declare the Lord’s statutes to others, to live in disobedience to them themselves. 

This delusion arises from the abuse of God’s long-suffering, and a wilful mistake of his character and the intention of his gospel. The sins of sinners will be fully proved on them in the judgment of the great day. 

The day is coming when God will set their sins in order, sins of childhood and youth, of riper age and old age, to their everlasting shame and terror. Let those hitherto forgetful of God, given up to wickedness, or in any way negligent of salvation, consider their urgent danger.

 The patience of the Lord is very great. It is the more wonderful because sinners make such ill use of it; but if they turn not, they shall be made to see their error when it is too late. 

Those that forget God, forget themselves; and it will never be right with them till they consider. Man’s chief end is to glorify God: whoso offers praise, glorifies him, and his spiritual sacrifices shall be accepted. We must praise God, sacrifice praise, put it into the hands of the Priest, our Lord Jesus, who is also the altar: we must be fervent in spirit, praising the Lord. Let us thankfully accept God’s mercy, and endeavour to glorify him in word and deed.

Blessings brothers and sisters may you all walk in the light which has been shared with you, comforts you, and lights the narrow path so hard to find and maintain. 

Again please remember this is just a humble servant doing the bidding of the LORD I pray for a safe journey forward. A walk-in God’s love and peace, and may the “SHARING OF YOUR LIGHT” be fruitful, remember He is always with you if you hold His love in your heart forever.  

Robert