Are you rich toward God?

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?


And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 


But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.                                    Luke 12:16-21





I fear some of us, maybe even many of us, will pass by this passage rather quickly, thinking, it's not for me because I'm not "rich". But I would caution you; don't miss the point. I believe the Lord Jesus is making the point, that we are not to get caught up in life, in our ambitions, our desires and the things of this world and forget we are souls. We are souls and we are accountable to our Creator.


I am not ignoring the thoughts here on riches. I'm attempting to emphasize the warning that whether we are pursuing riches, bigger barns, larger homes, better jobs or whatever else our hearts desire that we are foolish to ignore God and our souls. We are foolish to go on in life as if there is no God or as if there is no judgment to come. 


May He give us ears to hear in order that we may be found with those who are "rich toward God". True riches are found only in total surrender and submission to the One that God sent into the world, his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.



For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
                                                  Mark 8:35-37

The Life of God in the Soul

The Life of God in the Soul

by James Smith, 1860

True religion is not a religious form — but a LIFE. It is the life which God imparts — the life which God communicates in regeneration, and nourishes by his word, ordinances, and communion with himself. This inward principle of life develops itself in:
a life of faith in the Son of God;
a life of love, so that we love God, and everything that is godlike;
a life of holiness, so that we obey God — and in all we do, we seek to please him.

Not only so — but it constantly aspires to God as its author and source. It makes us devout, and the life we live is a life of devotion. In all that we do — we consult the will of God, we seek grace for its performance from God, and we desire most heartily to honor God. Originating as it does in God's sovereign will, flowing as it does from God's loving heart, and ascending as it does in devout exercises to God's gracious throne — it makes us godly, or godlike! It is this one thing which distinguishes God's family from the rest of mankind, and proves their election of God.

This life of God in the soul, is SPIRITUAL, manifesting itself in spiritual desires, and spiritual exercises. It gives us a taste for spiritual things, and requires to be sustained by spiritual provision — Christ, the bread of life — and the living water which He gives. It is energetic, and therefore it urges, and impels us — to perform spiritual duties, overcome all carnal customs and habits, and to seek conformity to Christ in all things.

This life of God in the soul, is USEFUL, not only to its possessor, as qualifying him for spiritual duties and privileges, and making him fit for heaven; but it always makes those in whom it dwells — useful to others, both saints and sinners. A useless man cannot have the life of God within him, for wherever it is, it makes him feel that he must be useful, must do good to others to some extent.

This life of God in the soul, is ETERNAL, it can never die — and never be destroyed. The soul is not more immortal, than is this life which God gives. Yes, outside of God himself, we know of nothing that is more certain of endless duration, than this life of God in the soul. It is the source of all that is holy, useful, happy, and glorious. He who has this life — can never perish, nor can anyone wrest him from the Savior's omnipotent hands!

This life of God in the soul, is for GOD'S GLORY. As it originated in his sovereign good pleasure — so it is communicated and is maintained for his honor. And as it is maintained for his honor — so it is designed and intended to advance his glory.

This life of God in the soul, will ultimately be therefore a life WITH GOD. We believe that we shall live with him. It brings us into his spiritual presence now — and gives us the enjoyment of his love. And it introduces us into his glorious presence at death — and then we shall have a life of perfect enjoyment, and purest pleasure forever! We will be as holy — as God is holy; as happy — as God is happy; as immortal — as God is immortal.

O what a prospect! What glory, what grandeur, what blessedness awaits us! The life of God, which now pants within us, and has to strive and do battle with the direful corruptions of the heart — the life which generates every good desire and every holy aspiration — the life which will not let us rest in forms, or live in sin — that life will soon burst forth in power, splendor, and immortal glory — and then we shall be satisfied, for we shall awake in our Savior's likeness!

Recommended reading

I recently read the little book The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal. The author was a 17th century Presbyterian pastor in Scotland. The book is actually a letter he wrote to a friend, as I understand it he never intended it to be published and it wasn't put into print until after his death, which occurred at the age of 27.

It is a heart searching read; a read that both warms the heart and penetrates the soul. The great evangelist George Whitfield said; "I never knew what true religion was till God sent me this excellent treatise".

If I may I'll share an excerpt from the book and let you get a taste for yourself.

This section is from the beginning of the book, enjoy:

"I cannot speak of religion, but I must lament, that among so many pretenders to it, so few understand what it means: some placing it in the understanding, in orthodox notions and opinions; and all the account they can give of their religion is, that they are of this and the other persuasion, and have joined themselves to one of those many sects where into Christendom is most unhappily divided. Others place it in the outward man, in a constant course of external duties, and a model of performances. If they live peaceably with their neighbors, keep a temperate diet, observe the returns of worship, frequenting the church, or their closet, and sometimes extend their hands to the relief of the poor, they think they have sufficiently acquitted themselves. Others again put all religion in the affections, in rapturous hearts, and ecstatic devotion; and all they aim at is, to pray with passion, and think of heaven with pleasure, and to be affected with those kind and melting expressions wherewith they court their Savior, till they persuade themselves they are mightily in love with him, and from thence assume a great confidence of their salvation, which they esteem the chief of Christian graces. Thus are these things which have any resemblance of piety, and at the best are but means of obtaining it, or particular exercises of it, frequently mistaken for the whole of religion: nay, sometimes wickedness and vice pretend to that name. I speak not now of those gross impieties wherewith the Heathens were wont to worship their gods. There are but too many Christians who would consecrate their vices, and follow their corrupt affections, whose ragged humour and sullen pride must pass for Christian severity; whose fierce wrath, and bitter rage against their enemies, must be called holy zeal; whose petulancy towards their superiors, or rebellion against their governors, must have the name of Christian courage and resolution.

But certainly religion is quite another thing, and they who are acquainted with it will entertain far different thoughts, and disdain all those shadows and false imitations of it. They know by experience that true religion is a union of the soul with God, a real participation of the divine nature, the very image of God drawn upon the soul, or, in the apostle’s phrase, “It is Christ formed within us.”—Briefly, I know not how the nature of religion can be more fully expressed, than by calling it a Divine Life: and under these terms I shall discourse of it, showing first, how it is called a life; and then, how it is termed divine."

Relief

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." PSA. 57:1

It is believed that David wrote this psalm while hiding in a cave from King Saul of Israel. You, perhaps remember the story of Saul and David. For many years, Saul, for no good reason, sought to kill David. Stop and think on that for a moment, to literally live from day to day with the threat of physical death lingering over your head.

These were the "calamities" that David sought relief from. The word translated 'calamities' carries the meaning of ruin, iniquity, evil, and wickedness. For me it is hard to compare my life's troubles with David's life's calamities. Nevertheless, I am reminded by him that true refuge and therefore true relief is found only in Almighty God.

To seek refuge in something or someone else is worthless. Jonah called these false refuges "lying vanities", Jeremiah referred to them as "broken cisterns". We might, perhaps, find temporary relief in these other refuges but in the scope of eternity they will eventually give way like the house built on sand.

Believers have a different hope and a different refuge. Jesus said; "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Our refuge is Christ; He, alone, is appointed by God as the way, the truth and the life. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

May we say with the psalmist; "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

Priorities? body vs. soul

"Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:37

As the man is more noble than the house he dwells in, so is the soul more noble than the body. And yet, alas! with grief be it spoken, how common is it for men to spend all their care, all their time, all their strength, all their wit and parts for the body, and its honor and preferment, even as if the soul were some poor, pitiful, sorry, inconsiderable, and under thing, not worth the thinking of, or not worth the caring for.

excerpt from John Bunyan's book, The Greatness of the Soul

the soul of man, its worth

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:37

an excerpt from The Greatness of the Soul, written by John Bunyan (1628-1688)

..for all the world is not worth a soul, not worth a soul in the eye of God and the judgment of the law. And it is from this consideration that good Elihu cautions Job to take heed, "Because there is wrath," says he, "beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will He esteem thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength." Job 36:18-19

Riches and power, what is there more in the world? for money answers all things --that is, all but soul concerns. It can neither be a price for souls while here, nor can that, with all the forces of strength, recover one out of hell fire."

the Soul of man

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:37

What Does the Lord Understand? part 6

A continuation of excerpts from Dr. Jay Wimberly's sermon notes of a message delivered September 7, 2003 to The Main Street Baptist Church in Auburndale, FL.

The text is from Micah 4:12: But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

What does the Lord understand about soul salvation?

1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Acts 16:31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved....

Romans 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God understands that there is full salvation, the removal of all condemnation, through faith in His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.