Chapter 26. We May Lose the Assurance of Our Peace with God Through Our Sinful Walk.
towards our eternal good. If these two truths are accepted, one would think we could concede anything else: that God may display fatherly displeasure against us for our sins, though not as a vengeful judge; that God may exercise His wisdom in this way to manifest His holiness and to show how He dislikes sin, and so on. One would think that this could be granted, provided the first two truths are established.
Indeed, these two truths, along with the earlier point about the Law, are granted by all our orthodox divines, and they are sufficient to reassure us of the free grace of God in Christ. If believers are thoroughly rooted and grounded in this, they may maintain the assurance of their peace with God. For what shall hinder them?
Neither their sins nor God's afflictions. Neither of these should disturb a believer's peace; rather, they should be able to preserve it, looking upon God through Christ.
This concludes the matter of losing the assurance of our peace through weakness.
Chapter 26.
We May Lose the Assurance of Our Peace with God Through Our Sinful Walk.
Secondly, we may come to lose our peace—the assurance of our peace with God—through sinfulness, through our loose and carnal walking with God. By this means, we may begin to fear that such
walking cannot be consistent with the condition of a believer; and then, indeed, a believer is brought to a standstill, and it may be a long time before he can find peace again.
In cases of daily infirmity, when he strives against it, he may be easily reassured. But when his conduct becomes akin to walking after the flesh, as indeed many fall so grievously that you can scarcely distinguish between one walking after the flesh and him, it greatly obscures the light of God's favour and significantly hinders the comfort of his peace with God.
And oh, how justly may the Lord reproach you, saying, "Did I set my infinite wisdom to work to find such a way of reconciliation with you? And is it worth so little to you that you cast aside its comfort, allowing yourself liberty to indulge in looseness and negligence, to satisfy the desires of the flesh?"
Christ himself might rebuke you, saying, "What? Shall I come from the bosom of my Father, take upon me the form of a servant, and be made a curse, that I might make peace between my Father and you— and is it worth no more than this, that you would cast away the comfort of your assurance for some sinful inclination of heart, to grant yourself liberty to live after the flesh?"
Indeed, the Holy Spirit may confront you, saying, "What? Shall I come and reveal the deep counsels of God towards you, showing you what those things were that God, from all eternity, has done for you?
Shall I open the mysteries of Christ to you, draw your heart to him, and speak peace to you, and yet, after all is done, you would value this so little as to lose that which I have brought to you, just to satisfy some base desire of your heart? Would you lose the comfort of all that I have done for you?"
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may rebuke your negligence and the looseness of your heart and life. Yes, and your own conscience may accuse you, saying, "Did I not often warn you that if you allowed yourself to walk loosely, you would lose your comfort, and you would begin to see God as a terror? And will you, in these days of trouble, when men cry out in fear and danger, take such a foolish course to lose your peace with God? Is there anything in the base inclination of your heart that could compensate for this loss?"
Look upon those who walk holily and closely with God, and let their lives rebuke you. They keep their hearts pure and maintain their peace with God, and when they lie down, they lie down in peace, and when they awake, they do so with the comfortable assurance of their peace. When they hear of wars and rumours of wars, so long as they can look up to God as their reconciled Father, their hearts remain firm and stable. Though they suffer the loss of their possessions and all that is dear to them, they know that within their hearts, there is enough to provide them with comfort.
Yet you, in giving in to some base and sinful desire or lust, cannot think of God without terror; you can only see him as an enemy. Oh, unworthy soul, how should you be confounded in your own thoughts for the looseness and negligence of heart in preserving that peace which Christ has wrought between the Father and you, so strangely and wonderfully!
Let these things, my brethren, work upon your hearts, and ground everything on this: that we are reconciled to God in Christ. Our reconciliation was achieved in such a marvellous way through Christ, and it cost his blood to secure it. Therefore, if we have any hope of our peace with God, we must be diligent in preserving it.