Chapter. 21. Let none think God an hard Master, when he puts them upon service, because he affords t
Eleventhly, faith also assures us of the reward. As stated in 2 Chronicles 15:7, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." Faith, with the assurance of this reward, strengthens an individual, even when God calls them to undertake difficult tasks. Just as mariners, in anticipation of a good reward, are willing to venture into storms, tempests, and perils at sea, and as a soldier, if offered an additional month or two of pay, will risk their life.
Twelfthly, faith quickens and stirs up all graces, calling upon the assistance of every grace. Many hands can accomplish great works, and when all graces work together, much can be achieved. This concludes the explanation of the work of faith in carrying out services that entail great difficulty. As for its practical application,
Chapter 21 Uses of the Doctrine USE 1: Firstly, let no one think that God is a harsh Master when He assigns them difficult tasks, because He provides them with a principle to carry them through. Secondly, to believers, they should anticipate being faced with challenging tasks. Four considerations are presented to counter discouragement. Difficulties should not be regarded as afflictions for four reasons.
USE 2: Thirdly, it is demonstrated that hindrances should not be a conclusive argument against undertaking a work. Fourthly, when
believers have been able to accomplish difficult tasks, they should reflect on what supported them.
USE 1: Now, no one should perceive God as a harsh Master for assigning His servants difficult tasks. Although He does present them with challenges, He equips them with a principle to accomplish those tasks. Thus, it becomes as if the tasks were easier. Carnal hearts are prone to complain about the arduousness and difficulty of God's ways, and they may view God as a harsh Master. But why are these ways considered hard and tedious? They are hard and tedious for those lacking the necessary principle to carry them out. However, for a Christian, they are not hard. It was indeed cruel and harsh for Pharaoh to force the Israelites into hard labor and take away their straw. But when God assigns His servants difficult tasks, He grants them the means to accomplish them. As stated in Daniel 10:19, "O
Lord, you have strengthened me." A godly person can also say, "Truly, Lord, I have no strength in myself to undertake this difficult task, but since you have strengthened me, providing me with this strong principle to some extent, now Lord, speak! Command as you will."
USE 2: A second use is as follows: Therefore, all believers who have evidence within themselves that they are indeed believers or have any hope that God has worked faith in them, should expect to be entrusted with difficult tasks. This is because God has instilled in them a principle that enables them to overcome challenges. God delights in developing the capacities of His creatures according to the powers they possess. He will bring forth and enhance every natural ability at some point. If God delights in developing natural abilities, how much more so the power of grace, which is the special and chosen power that He imparts to any creature in the world. In fact, it
is the most precious gift He will ever bestow upon any creature throughout eternity. Therefore, if you have not yet encountered difficult tasks, expect them and consider that your faith should be activated. Faith is the most glorious grace, capable of achieving the most extraordinary things that any creature can accomplish. And do you possess it for nothing? Is faith only meant to keep you in the ordinary way that the principles of nature can sustain? If God has given you faith, He has given it to you to accomplish great things.
Therefore, expect difficult tasks.
And yet, expect difficult tasks, but First, do not be discouraged.
Secondly, do not consider it an affliction.
First, do not be discouraged. Some may think, "I can hardly accomplish ordinary tasks, so how will I be able to do such hard things?"
1. If you have faith, even if you are called to difficult tasks, you cannot be called to a more difficult work than what you have already done. This is a great encouragement for faith. The weakest believer in the world has already done a work as difficult as any they will ever be called to. That work is the work of believing at the beginning when we regarded ourselves as enemies of God. For God to justify the ungodly is a more difficult task than anything He will call you to. Therefore, if God has brought you through the difficulties in the matter of justification, do not fear any difficulties that may come later. If you are called to a hard task, console yourself with the thought that it is not harder than what you have already done, namely
the work of faith in embracing Christ in the matter of justification.
2. Even though you know God will call you to difficult tasks, He has promised that whenever a temptation befalls you, you will be given corresponding strength.
3. When you are called to something, God does not expect you to accomplish it in your own strength. He calls you to do it in the strength He will provide. Yet, He rewards it as if you have done it in your own strength. Indeed, when we consider how little strength we possess, we may be discouraged. However, when
God calls us to a task, He does not expect us to rely on our own strength. Yet, He rewards it as if it were our own, as stated in Psalm 60:12, "Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our enemies." It is God who defeats our enemies; how do we do valiantly? It is God who acts valiantly; we do nothing. Yet, the text declares, "Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our enemies." So, although the strength by which God expects us to accomplish any task is not our own, God considers it as our own, and Christians can attribute it as their own while giving God the glory for it.
4. Furthermore, do not be discouraged or afraid of any difficult task you may be called to, because every work of a Christian, as it expends strength, also gives strength. It gives more than it consumes; in the process of spending, it replenishes. A person will not fear the cold when engaged in work that generates more heat than cold. The sluggard refused to plow because it was cold, as mentioned in Proverbs 20:4. But if he had plowed, his labour
would have generated warmth. Therefore, it is lazy reasoning to think, "Should I do such a difficult task when I have so little strength?" The work itself will yield strength. It's akin to saying,
"I feel cold inside the house, so how much colder will I be in the field? How much colder when I grasp the cold plow and touch the cold earth?" Indeed, if the work did not produce any warmth, we might have reason to say so. However, the work generates more heat than there is coldness in the air. So, people may believe that they have insufficient strength for their current work, but if a more difficult task awaits, what then? If it is more challenging and yet brings in more strength, it would be even better than it is now.
Secondly, do not consider it an affliction. Do not complain as if your situation is worse than that of others because God has entrusted you with difficult tasks and works that He has not given to others. You do not know what you are doing when you complain about the difficulty of your work.
1. Understand that a difficult task is a great honour. Just as a captain would not summon every base individual but only his best soldiers for a great and important task, and they would consider it an honour to be called upon, so it is with you.
Likewise, if a master of defence has a difficult task to be accomplished, he would not select the least skilled student but rather the most skilled, and it would be an honour for that student. If you were called upon to do only ordinary things while others were entrusted with great tasks, it would be a dishonour to you. In fact, it could be considered an affliction for God to assign you only ordinary tasks.
2. It is a tremendous opportunity for the exercise of grace. As the Scripture says in 1 Peter 1:7, "The trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold." Grace is meant to be exercised and tested, and the exercise itself is more valuable than the grace itself. If grace is precious in its state of being, it is even more precious in its exercise. You should regard each exercise of grace as more excellent than the entire world. People value grace in its state of being, desiring God to bestow grace upon them. But they do not place a high value on each act of grace. However, come to this understanding: place a high value on every act of grace, just as you do on grace itself in its state of being. Then, you will not complain about difficult tasks.
3. The more challenging tasks you are called to, the greater opportunity you have to honour God. Thus far, you have accomplished very little, and most of your time has been spent in vain. If God grants you the chance to achieve a great deal in a short period, will you complain and consider it an affliction?
4. Difficult works are meant to enhance your graces. Consider this analogy: If a person possesses a sum of money, and though it has seen some growth, it has not been fully utilised or taken advantage of. Now, if that person discovers a way to maximise every penny of their wealth and obtain the utmost benefit from it, would they perceive it as an affliction? No, they would view it as an advantage. Who becomes wealthy? It is those who fully capitalise on their resources. People regard it as a misfortune to have money lying idle, not generating profit. So why would you not consider it a misfortune to possess grace without exercising it? Would you not consider it a blessing if God were to show you a way to fully develop and utilise your inner grace?
USE, 3.
The third use is as follows: If faith enables us to carry out difficult tasks, then the occurrence of hindrances in the work cannot be a conclusive argument against it being the work of God. Faith only carries us through that which is the work of God, and if it can overcome hindrances and obstacles, then such obstacles in the way cannot be a conclusive argument against it being God's work. Our weakness lies in the fact that we often question whether a work is
God's before we even begin. We consult with God and His people, and once we determine it to be God's work, we commence with it.
However, as soon as we encounter any hindrance that slows us down, we start to doubt whether it was truly God's work or not.
Indeed, when we encounter hindrances in our work, it is appropriate to reflect upon our calling and ensure its correctness. Furthermore, it should lead us to humble ourselves before God, removing any hindrances He may have placed as a result of His displeasure. While
God may at times introduce hindrances to enhance our graces, sometimes hindrances may serve as a form of chastisement.
Therefore, it is beneficial to humble ourselves before God, seeking assurance that nothing stands between Him and us, and that our hindrances do not stem from His displeasure. The hindrances we encounter should also prompt us to adhere more closely to the rule, for faith only supports us to the extent that we align with the rule.
Thus, we should utilise hindrances to stir up our faith. However, considering hindrances and difficult circumstances as evidence that a work is not from God is a grave error.
To illustrate this point, let us consider God's dealings with Jacob in the work when He called him to leave Laban and return to his own country. You may read the full story at your leisure. God called Jacob
from Heaven to embark on that journey, and it was indeed the work of God. Jacob may have thought that since it was God's work, he would face no hardships. However, if you read the story, you will discover that it was one of the most arduous journeys he ever undertook in his life, as evidenced by the following six aspects.
Firstly, Laban followed Jacob after he left, intending to harm him, but God intervened and prevented him. Jacob faced some danger, but God delivered him from it.
Secondly, Jacob's wife's nurse, who provided great support to his wife, passed away. God took away even this valuable help from his wife.
Thirdly, Jacob's wife herself died during the journey. This was a significant tragedy, and Jacob might have thought that God was intentionally opposing him.
Fourthly, Jacob's daughter Dinah was violated.
Fifthly, Jacob's two sons, Simeon and Levi, committed a terrible act of violence, murdering innocent people.
Sixthly, Jacob's brother Esau approached him with rage and fury, intending to destroy him. Jacob was filled with great fear of Esau.
These events may provide reassurance to those embarking on a journey. First, they should ensure they have received a clear call from God, and then they should proceed regardless of what may occur.
Rather than seeing obstacles as signs that God is blocking their path, they should view them as tests of their faith. Furthermore, those who are weak and have friends undertaking difficult tasks or journeys may think that their friends can proceed before danger arises.
However, if danger does arise, they may question whether it is the right path. If this is their only argument, they must understand that it stems from weakness. They should abandon this weakness and refrain from disturbing themselves and their friends by doubting whether it is God's way due to such hindrances. This concludes the third use.
USE, 4. Fourthly, if faith is the principle that enables us to carry out such difficult tasks, then those who have been carried through such works should reflect upon what God has brought them through.
Consider the works to which God called you, perhaps like Moses, to leave your own country. You did so, not out of external necessity, but out of pure obedience to God. You may have encountered numerous hindrances and inconveniences. You could have remained and lived comfortably with abundant resources if you were willing to compromise like others. Leaving behind those things posed certain hardships, and the example of others made the work difficult.
However, through God's mercy, you undertook and completed the work. Now, upon reflection, what is it that carried you through? Was it your own natural resolutions or the strength of your own determination? Did you receive assistance from friends or any help from any creature that we can imagine? Upon reviewing it, can't you, in the presence of God, say that you do not know what in the world carried you through except for God giving you a heart to rely on Him throughout the journey?
In what way did God work on your heart? Did He first prepare your heart through a work of humility, leading you to seek Him and make peace with Him? Once that was done, did God then detach your heart from all reliance on creatures, creature confidences, and dependencies? After that, did God implant His word and promise in
you, and by His Spirit powerfully draw your heart to embrace and hold fast to it? Did God enable you to exercise faith in His wisdom, faithfulness, and power to carry you through, even when you saw no strength in yourself and did not know what would become of you?
Were you willing to fully entrust yourself to God and submit to His disposal? Were your motives pure and right in this work? Did you discover that there was a principle within you driving you beyond your own thoughts and beyond any strength you could possibly conceive of, bringing the work to a conclusion beyond your expectations? Surely, there was faith in this, and if there was faith in this, consider what I have to say to you.
Firstly, know that this work is wonderfully pleasing to God. God views such works of faith as beautiful, just as Jesus loved the young man who came to Him, as mentioned in Mark 10:21. But if it is a work of faith, God not only regards it but also accepts it. As the scripture says, "These all obtained a good report through faith"
(Hebrews 11:39). They truly received a commendation, not just from people but from God Himself.
Secondly, since it is a work of faith, you can experience abundant peace and joy in it. We never go through difficulties without finding pleasure in them. If we embark on a voyage and overcome challenges, weathering storms and tempests, we value it. Like the water that David longed for and obtained with great difficulty, he considered it too precious to drink and poured it out before the Lord
(2 Samuel 23:16-17). Just as Jacob speaks of the portion he acquired from the Amorite through his sword and bow (Genesis 48:22), anything we obtain through hardship is all the more cherished.
Therefore, when we navigate difficulties by our faith, we should highly value and rejoice in them.
Thirdly, if your faith has carried you through difficulty, let this encourage you for all time to come. Surely, no difficulty will be able to withstand you. If difficulties have already begun to crumble, they will continue to fall and will be unable to stand before you. You can reason as Haman's friends did, "If you begin to fall before Mordecai, you will surely fall" (Esther 6:13). Therefore, you can label this work by the same name David gave to the place where his enemies began to fall before him—Baal-perazim—because God had made a breach upon his enemies (2 Samuel 5:20). Consider it as a pledge from God that He will cause all your enemies to fall before you. So, if God has caused some difficulties to fall before you, then all difficulties will fall.
Fourthly, Give all the glory to God, neither to yourself nor to the means. When we act by faith, God is the one at work, not ourselves or anything else. Boasting is excluded, as the Apostle says in Romans
3:27. Is it by the law of faith or by the law of works? It is by the law of faith, and therefore anything done by faith excludes all boasting from ourselves and gives glory to God.
1. Faith, of all the graces, has the least reliance on ourselves.
Justice, temperance, patience, and love receive some assistance from our nature, but faith receives nothing at all. Thus, God deserves the greatest glory for it.
2. Among all the graces, faith has the least influence on what it accomplishes, even though it falls under the category of efficient causes. It is merely an instrumental cause, and while an instrument can be efficient, it is the least efficient of all.
Therefore, the glory belongs to God.
3. Faith is the most humbling grace of all. It leads a creature out of itself towards another. Therefore, whatever we do by faith, we must give glory to God.
4. Attribute nothing to the means. Though you may use means, whatever was done by faith was done above and beyond the means. It could have been done without them.
5. Has God carried you through any difficult work? If so, consider this: Labour to value the word of God upon which your faith was built, and nurture and increase this joy.
6. If you have experienced that your faith has carried you through great challenges, be careful that your faith does not fail you in smaller matters; that would be a shame. It's like a mariner who has faced severe storms and tempests and has overcome them, but then perishes in the calm waters or in an ordinary tempest due to a lack of skill. That would grieve them even more.
Similarly, a soldier who has fought in desperate battles and then gets defeated by a weaker opponent loses their honour. It is possible for a Christian to be carried through incredibly difficult situations by their faith and yet later fail in smaller things. Just as someone may escape great dangers and achieve great success, only to succumb to a common illness. Those whom God has carried through great things may fail in smaller ones, but it is a tremendous shame. Pay attention to yourselves in this regard.
As David speaks concerning Saul in 2 Samuel 1:21, "The shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with oil." God has given you faith as a shield, and it was the shield of the mighty. But now it is cast away as if it were of little value. When an ordinary temptation arises, you falter as if you had not been anointed