Christ's Very Own - Part 4 — Ian Paisley

Ingratitude as a Monstrous Sin Against Christ

Ingratitude to Christ. The sin of ingratitude is a monstrous crime. What ingratitude we must confess as the actuary of the spirit searches and uncovers the filth of our own souls. To wander back into sin is a crime of hellish ingratitude.

Yet many professing Christians go back into sin to the pleasures that God saved them from and the sins that brought them so low on the road to hell. To wander back into sin is the crime of hellish ingratitude.

Crucifying Christ Again Through Sin

That every sin that engaged in the killing of the prince of life, are we not guilty of it again and again because of our ingratitude. If we do not guard ourselves against all sin, we will crucify to ourselves again the Lord of glory and put him to an open shame.

May we be helped of God to take vengeance on our sins because they drew down upon our blessed Savior awful vengeance. The vengeance of a righteous God which is indescribable. It is a basest and most hellish ingratitude which allows sin to grow again in our heart.

Returning to Idolatry and Leaving First Love

It is basest ingratitude that sets up the idol of Dagon again in the temple of our souls. Let us all remember we could live reveling in the love of Christ, but instead many of us revel in the abomination of unthankfulness.

Ah, what our ingratitude fills up when we go out to serve the Lord. Coldness of heart instead of heat and fire in our souls. How many times have we left our first love? How many times like Peter, we have followed Christ afar off?

Zeal, Faithfulness, and Wholehearted Service

How many of us have been loafers in God's service instead of being laborers? Every one of us must strike our breasts and confess our unloving attitude to the one who loved us to the pouring out of the last drop of his crimson blood.

Instead of working our souls to death for Jesus Christ, we are neither cold nor hot. And we sicken God Almighty who says because you're neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Tell me no more of earthly toys, of sinful mirth and carnal joys, the things I loved before.

Let me but view my Savior's face and feel his animating grace, and I desire no more. Tell me no more of praise or wealth, of careless ease and blooming health, for they have all their snares. Let me but know my sins forgiven and see my face enrolled in heaven, see my name enrolled in heaven, and I am free from care.

Give me a Bible in my hand, a heart to read and understand this sure unerring word. I urge no company to stay, but sit alone from day to day and converse with my Lord. Oh, how we need burning zeal for the Lord.

May the Lord impart that zeal in our hearts this night. May the Lord fire our souls with Calvary love. May the Lord lead us in the way of service and in the path of faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Come, secrete me now to thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine.

Communion With God Through Prayer

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost at night. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour that before thy throne I stand, and I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend.

Meeting the Savior at Calvary

Is there someone here and you have never met, my Savior? Not only so, but you have deliberately rejected him. Oh, behold tonight the wonderful man of Calvary. May he no longer be a stranger to you. May he meet up with you tonight.

Behold him now. See the drops of blood upon his tender brow. Behold the cheeks from which they tore the hairs. View his back in run rivers of blood. Peer down and look at his feet, bleeding for you as he tramples on the serpent of hell.

Consider his hands. They were kneeled. They were pierced for you. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold, he is sinless. He is in the greatest pain. He is in agony. He is paying for your sins and making atonement for your soul.

He cries, it is I myself. See my hands, my side, my feet.