Quotations from Christ for us – Sermons of Hugh Martin, which is reviewed on next page.
Transgression
IT is impossible to step from the realm of innocence into that of sin and then return at pleasure. He who crosses the straight line of perfect righteousness and enters by one hair’s breadth into the domain of iniquity forfeits his freedom thereby, and sin becomes his master.
Sin deceiving the sinner
IT were a long and laborious work to speak of the various methods by which sin deceives the sinner. But consider how plausibly it represents itself in false colours; so that the covetous man appears in his own eyes to be merely prudent and cautious, sloth puts itself forth as claiming merely what is due to reasonable relaxation, worldly-mindedness shields itself beneath the obligations of a lawful calling, uncharitable suspiciousness passes itself off as powerful penetration, and moral blindness as the charity that thinketh no evil; while reckless passion calls itself righteous indignation, and conformity to the world pretends to be merely softening down the asperities which religion should not present to others and conciliating the regards of them that are without.
True confession
TRUE confession is taking guilt to ourselves before God. It is the unreserved acknowledgement of the heinousness of sin, and our consequent, inexcusable ill-desert, our righteous liability to the wrath of God. It springs from an insight into the justice, holiness and goodness of God’s law as expressing the holiness of God’s nature, and from an acquiescence in the absolute authority of that law as asserting God’s rightful and inalienable claims.
God pitying the sinner
IT is much when [God] looks upon me in my low estate, but it is more when He looks upon me in my lost estate. It is great grace when He, “in due time”, pities me as a weak and helpless sufferer, “yet without strength” (Rom 5:6), but it is greater far when He pities me as a daring rebel, a sinner, an enemy (verses 8-10).
Being sanctified
WHAT is sanctified is what is set apart especially to God, what He now appropriates and claims as His, which it is henceforth not merely sin but the special sin of sacrilege to alienate from Him. Those that are sanctified are those that are set apart from the world and consecrated to God.
Regarding iniquity in the heart
A man under a predominant lust or heart plague is weakened in every Christian grace and declines in every Christian duty. Many a believer thus fades and withers, brings no honour on his profession, does no good service among his brethren, fades through disinclination for duty, sinks beneath trial and the cross, wearies in well-doing, becomes heartless and remiss in prayer – the great feeder of the Christian life – and all through the unnoted reign of some spiritual plague. Regarding iniquity in their hearts, their payers are not heard.
A right view of sin
FULL half the cause and reason of unwatchfulness, backwardness and backslidings among believers will be found in their ceasing to entertain solemnizing views of sin. All sin is enmity to the holy and blessed God, and what can be more alarming than to have in the heart a rooted element, a living, powerful root and principle of enmity to God?
Perfected for ever
“BY one offering” Jesus has “perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb 10:4). He has perfectly reconciled us to the Father, perfectly satisfied the law, perfectly vanquished Satan, perfectly extinguished the curse, perfectly abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light – clear from every taint of the region and shadow of death and darkness.
Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – October 1998