NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 NO. 56

NOTES ON SCRIPTURE 1895 ^[p. 109] NO. 56

Job 42: 5,6; Matthew 15: 21 - 28

In every soul that turns to God there is a twofold sense awakened, which continues and is ever deepening throughout all your history here. The twofold sense is that you are evil and that God is good. They are simultaneous; you see this in the parable of the prodigal son. When he comes to himself he has the sense that he can say nothing for himself, but he has confidence in the goodness of his father; he will arise and go to him. If we look at the thief on the cross we also see this; he said to his comrade, “We indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss”. (Luke 23: 41) Then he says to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”. (Luke 23: 42) It is supremely blessed to see that when the soul is near God, when the light of God has shone into it, while on the one hand one’s own unworthiness is most patent, on the other hand the goodness of God gives confidence to the sinner in his deepest misery. Thus Jonah, though a prophet, was cast into the sea in order that he might practically learn this twofold sense; he said, “I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple”. (Jonah 2: 4) No one is absolutely for God until he has learned that God is absolutely for him, that it is all grace. This we see in the woman of Canaan. There is the pressure of Satan on the one hand, but she has confidence in the Lord, she accepts that she is entitled to nothing, and yet she can count on His grace. This confession obtains immediate relief from the Lord. “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt”. This twofold sense is expressed in Scripture by “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Acts 20: 21) Job was approved of God, but when afflicted by Satan he was disappointed that God did not appear on his behalf. Eventually ^[p. 110] he learns to abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes, and at the same time his confidence in God is in the ascendant; he prays for his friends, and the Lord turns his captivity. Many will admit that they are sinners, but they are not near enough to God to have the sense that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance. If you go on with God this twofold sense will deepen throughout your whole history here. And while the outer man perishes, the inner man is renewed day by day.