Spurgeon Daily Devotional Bible: January 5

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Spurgeon Daily Devotional Bible: January 5


Today is: Thursday, December 26th, 2024 (Show Today's Devotion)

Select a Day for a Devotion in the Month of January: (Show All Months)

Morning

“
Lord, save me.”

Rom_3:9-26

Having by our last reading been taught our own connection with Adam’s fall, we will now attentively consider a passage of Scripture which shows the consequent corruption of human nature in all times and places. Let us read

In this portion Paul quotes the words of several Old Testament authors, puts them all together, and presents them to us as a terrible, but truthful, description of fallen man. Of the boastful Jews the apostle asks the question—

Rom_3:9

As an old divine puts it, “whole evil is in man, and whole man in evil.”

Rom_3:10

What the prophet said of one is here applied to the whole race, for the nature of man is in all cases the same. Note how strong are the three negatives here, how they quench all hope of finding a natural righteousness in man.

Rom_3:11-18

See how in character and nature, without and within, in every faculty, in mouth, feet, heart, and eyes, the disease of sin has affected us. We may not actually have committed all the evils here mentioned, but they are all in our nature. Circumstances and education prevent our being so bad in practice as we are in heart, but as the poison is in the viper even when it stings not, so is sin always within us.

What crimson sins are these which defile us! How divinely powerful must that medicine be which can purge us from such deadly diseases. After this indictment of human nature there follows a declaration that by the works of the law none can be saved, since all are already guilty, and the book of the law itself contains the evidence of their guilt and condemnation.

Rom_3:20

We use the law rightly when it convinces us of sin and drives us to the Saviour, but we altogether abuse and pervert it if we look to be saved by obedience to it.

Rom_3:21-22

There is no difference in the fact of guilt, in the impossibility of salvation by merit, and in the plain and open way of justification by faith.

Rom_3:23-26

What a precious gospel verse. May every member of this family understand it, and be a partaker in the substitution of the Lord Jesus. We are all fallen; may every one of us be justified freely by God’s grace through faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus. Let us earnestly pray to be cleansed by the atoning death of him who bore for his people all the curse of the law.



To the dear fountain of thy blood,

Incarnate God, I fly;

Here let me wash my spotted soul

From crimes of deepest dye.



A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,

On thy kind arms I fall;

Be thou my strength and righteousness,

My Jesus, and my all.



Evening

“
Love is of God.”

Gen_4:1-15

She probably hoped that this was the Messiah. Alas! how often are parents hopes deceived. It was not “a man—the Lord” who had come to Eves bosom, but a man of sin, a child of the wicked one.

Gen_4:2

Her second child she called “Vanity” and yet he was precious in the sight of the Lord. What mistakes we make about our children.

Gen_4:5

Cain had no faith, and he had no eye to the blood of atonement: Abel had both. These should be main points in all our religious duties. Wroth not with himself as he ought to have been, but with his brother and with God.

Gen_4:7

It is sin which blocks the way.

Gen_4:8-9

We shall either be our brother’s keeper or our brother’s murderer. If we do not labour to save others, we shall be guilty of their blood.

Gen_4:13

He makes no confession of his sin, but only murmurs at his punishment. We know many whose minds are in a similar state. They cavil at hell, but they persevere in sin.

1Jn_3:10-15

This ancient record of the first murder is used by John as a picture of the action of the unregenerate in all time. Love marks the children of God, and hate is the sure ensign of the heirs of wrath. Thus writes the beloved apostle:—

Joh_3:10-15

O for grace to purge our hearts of all anger, envy, malice, and bitterness of every kind, that like Jesus we may be full of love and gentleness.



Lord, from anger purge my heart,

Bid all enmity depart;

New-created from above,

Let my very life be love.



Quench in me each evil fire,

Envious thought or fierce desire.

Flame from heaven upon me fall!

Love of God be all in all.