5/5/24:
Psalm 19:7-14 Devotional,
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: so shall I be upright, and made clean from much wickedness. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Previously we looked at the beauty and symmetry of this Psalm, how the structure thereof is threefold, 1. To show us the office of the heavens,(which is) to leave men without excuse for their atheism and idolatry. 2. To show us the office of the law, which is to convert, convict, and sanctify believers through the knowledge thereof. 3. and Finally to show the effect of the law on the heart which is to change our inward man causing us to walk in conformity to God which pleases Him. As we have spent time observing the office of the heavens, and the office of the law, we will now proceed to examine more closely what it is in the law which is most effectual in conversion. For it is written, “For the word of God is living, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth through, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and the intents of the heart.” showing forth in the most conspicuous of terms that the law is powerful to work upon man’s soul by preaching, as a sword is a powerful instrument in the hands of a capable fighter. Therefore it is the duty of the preacher to study scripture, to know scripture, to meditate on scripture, and to know his own heart also, that he might be successful to drive back evil from the hearts of his hearers and point them effectually in the ways of righteousness. Now it must first be noted that although the word of God be used by the minister thereof to convert souls, yet it is the office and power of God alone that does the work, causing the word to take root and revealing to the darkened mind of man those secrets which the minister can only set forth before their eyes. Therefore the duty of ministry is upon the man, but the credit and the power belongs only to God who alone can soften man’s hard heart by the work of the Spirit. Nevertheless, a minister is obligated under the strictest of regulations to study to show himself approved, and well studied in the knowledge of God, despite his want of contribution. Yea though he labor tirelessly, read many books, and preach many sermons, yet the power is of God and He can make the best of sermons utterly ineffectual either as a present judgment upon the hearers, or to humble the preacher and make him the more reliant on the power of God for success. Nevertheless we must not conclude by this that the ministry has no or little authority from God, for the words of the preacher are spoken from His own mouth so that you might have life, and in rejecting the words of God’s ministers you reject the words of eternal life. Therefore we conclude that the preacher is a tool in the hands of God, and the word is the tool in the hands of the preacher, and is the chief and particular means which God uses to bring sinners to Himself. For the preacher is called for that purpose, either to be the minister of justification and bring sinners from enmity to conformity, or to be the minister of sanctification, and bring a soul from despair to contentment, from idleness to activity, or from affection towards the world to devotion to God, or of destruction when men do not turn from sin but continue on in idolatry to their own eternal shame. Then does the minister reconcile sinners to God when they amend their ways and pursue righteousness rather than vanity. As it is written, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” Therefore do we use many words to persuade you of the truth and power of God, so that if it turn but one away from the error of His ways, or comfort one saint under grief or despair, much harm to their soul will be prevented and it will be as the saving of their life from destruction. Therefore though many sermons full of sweat, and labor prove ineffectual, yet though one take root and convince a sinner to turn from but one evil, we count it a marvelous thing, and praise God for it, for that He hath opened the eyes of the blind and raised the dead back to life, and we continue on boldly preaching the word despite the obstacles, knowing that it is of God to quicken and for God to blind in judgment. Yet are we called to preach.

Calvin, Heb. 4:12,
For the word of God is quick, or living, etc. What he says here of the efficacy or power of the word, he says it, that they might know, that it could not be despised with impunity, as though he had said, “Whenever the Lord addresses us by his word, he deals seriously with us, in order that he may touch all our inmost thoughts and feelings; and so there is no part of our soul which ought not to be roused.”

But before we proceed further, we must inquire whether the Apostle speaks of the effect of the word generally, or refers only to the faithful.

It indeed appears evident, that the word of God is not equally efficacious in all. For in the elect it exerts its own power, when humbled by a true knowledge of themselves, they flee to the grace of Christ; and this is never the case, except when it penetrates into the innermost heart. For hypocrisy must be sifted, which has marvelous and extremely winding recesses in the hearts of men; and then we must not be slightly pricked or torn, but be thoroughly wounded, that being prostrate under a sense of eternal death, we may be taught to die to ourselves. In short, we shall never be renewed in the whole mind, which Paul requires, (Ephesians 4:23,) until our old man be slain by the edge of the spiritual sword. Hence Paul says in another place, (Philippians 2:17,) that the faithful are offered as a sacrifice to God by the Gospel; for they cannot otherwise be brought to obey God than by having, as it were, their own will slain; nor can they otherwise receive the light of God’s wisdom, than by having the wisdom of the flesh destroyed. Nothing of this kind is found in the reprobate; for they either carelessly disregard God speaking to them, and thus mock him, or clamour against his truth, and obstinately resist it. In short, as the word of God is a hammer, so they have a heart like the anvil, so that its hardness repels its strokes, however powerful they may be. The word of God, then, is far from being so efficacious towards them as to penetrate into them to the dividing of the soul and the spirit. Hence it appears, that this its character is to be confined to the faithful only, as they alone are thus searched to the quick.

The context, however, shows that there is here a general truth, and which extends also to the reprobate themselves; for though they are not softened, but set up a brazen and an iron heart against God’s word, yet they must necessarily be restrained by their own guilt. They indeed laugh, but it is a sardonic laugh; for they inwardly feel that they are, as it were, slain; they make evasions in various ways, so as not to come before God’s tribunal; but though unwilling, they are yet dragged there by this very word which they arrogantly deride; so that they may be fitly compared to furious dogs, which bite and claw the chain by which they are bound, and yet can do nothing, as they still remain fast bound.

And further, though this effect of the word may not appear immediately as it were on the first day, yet it will be found at length by the event, that it has not been preached to any one in vain. General no doubt is what Christ declares, when he says, When the Spirit shall come, he will convince the world, (John 16:8.) for the Spirit exercises this office by the preaching, of the Gospel. And lastly, though the word of God does not always exert its power on man, yet it has it in a manner included in itself. And the Apostle speaks here of its character and proper office for this end only, — that we may know that our consciences are summoned as guilty before God’s tribunal as soon as it sounds in our ears, as though he had said, “If any one thinks that the air is beaten by an empty sound when the word of God is preached, he is greatly mistaken; for it is a living thing and full of hidden power, which leaves nothing in man untouched.” The sum of the whole then is this, — that as soon as God opens his sacred mouth, all our faculties ought to be open to receive his word; for he would not have his word scattered in vain, so as to disappear or to fall neglected on the ground, but he would have it effectually to constrain the consciences of men, so as to bring them under his authority; and that he has put power in his word for this purpose, that it may scrutinize all the parts of the soul, search the thoughts, discern the affections, and in a word show itself to be the judge.

But here a new question arises, “Is this word to be understood of the Law or of the Gospel?” Those who think that the Apostle speaks of the Law bring these testimonies of Paul, — that it is the ministration of death, (2 Corinthians 3:6,) that it is the letter which killeth, that it worketh nothing but wrath, (Romans 4:15,) and similar passages. But here the Apostle points out also its different effects; for, as we have said, there is a certain vivifying killing of the soul, which is effected by the Gospel. Let us then know that the Apostle speaks generally of the truth of God, when he says, that it is living and efficacious. So Paul testifies, when he declares, that by his preaching there went forth an odor of death unto death to the unbelieving, but of life unto life to believers, (2 Corinthians 2:16,) so that God never speaks in vain; he draws some to salvation, others he drives into ruin. This is the power of binding and loosing which the Lord conferred on his Apostles. (Matthew 18:18.) And, indeed, he never promises to us salvation in Christ, without denouncing, on the other hand, vengeance on unbelievers; who by rejecting Christ bring death on themselves.

It must be further noticed, that the Apostle speaks of God’s word, which is brought to us by the ministry of men. For delirious and even dangerous are those notions, that though the internal word is efficacious, yet that which proceeds from the mouth of man is lifeless and destitute of all power. I indeed admit that the power does not proceed from the tongue of man, nor exists in mere sound, but that the whole power is to be ascribed altogether to the Holy Spirit; there is, however, nothing in this to hinder the Spirit from putting forth his power in the word preached. For God, as he speaks not by himself, but by men, dwells carefully on this point, so that his truth may not be objected to in contempt, because men are its ministers. So Paul, by saying, that the Gospel is the power of God, (Romans 1:16.) designedly adorned with this distinction his own preaching, though he saw that it was slandered by some and despised by others. And when in another place, (Romans 10:8,) he teaches us that salvation is conferred by the doctrine of faith, he expressly says that it was the doctrine which was preached. We indeed find that God ever commends the truth administered to us by men, in order to induce us to receive it with reverence.

Now, by calling the word quick or living he must be understood as referring to men; which appears still clearer by the second word, powerful, for he shows what sort of life it possesses, when he expressly says that it is efficacious; for the Apostle’s object was to teach us what the word is to us. The sword is a metaphorical word often used in Scripture; but the Apostle not content with a simple comparison, says, that God’s word is sharper than any sword, even than a sword that cuts on both sides, or two­edged; for at that time swords were in common use, which were blunt on one side, and sharp on the other. Piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, or to the dividing of the soul and spirit, etc. The word soul means often the same with spirit; but when they occur together, the first includes all the affections, and the second means what they call the intellectual faculty. So Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, uses the words, when he prays God to keep their spirit, and soul, and body blameless until the coming of Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:23,) he meant no other thing, but that they might continue pure and chaste in mind, and will, and outward actions. Also Isaiah means the same when he says,

“My soul desired thee in the night; I sought thee with my spirit.” (Isaiah 26:9.)

What he doubtless intends to show is, that he was so intent on seeking God, that he applied his whole mind and his whole heart. I know that some give a different explanation; but all the sound­minded, as I expect, will assent to this view.

Now, to come to the passage before us, it is said that God’s word pierces, or reaches to the dividing of soul and spirit, that is, it examines the whole soul of man; for it searches his thoughts and scrutinizes his will with all its desires. And then he adds the joints and marrow, intimating that there is nothing so hard or strong in man, nothing so hidden, that the powerful word cannot pervade it. Paul declares the same when he says, that prophecy avails to reprove and to judge men, so that the secrets of the heart may come, to light. (1 Corinthians 14:24.) And as it is Christ’s office to uncover and bring to light the thoughts from the recesses of the heart, this he does for the most part by the Gospel.

Hence God’s word is a discerner, (κριτικὸς, one that has power to discern,) for it brings the light of knowledge to the mind of man as it were from a labyrinth, where it was held before entangled. There is indeed no thicker darkness than that of unbelief, and hypocrisy is a horrible blindness; but God’s word scatters this darkness and chases away this hypocrisy. Hence the separating or discerning which the Apostle mentions; for the vices, hid under the false appearance of virtues, begin then to be known, the varnish being wiped away. And if the reprobate remain for a time in their hidden recesses, yet they find at length that God’s word has penetrated there also, so that they cannot escape God’s judgment. Hence their clamour and also their fury, for were they not smitten by the word, they would not thus betray their madness, but they would seek to elude the word, or by evasion to escape from its power, or to pass it by unnoticed; but these things God does not allow them to do. Whenever then they slander God’s word, or become enraged against it, they show that they feel within its power, however unwillingly and reluctantly.

Opening prayer.

Lesson 18. The Substance of the Doctrine of Christ. Part 8. Life Under the Cross.

Matthew 10:34-39
Matthew 16:24-26

X. Living under the cross.
1. Humbled by the law. (Pride and boasting removed)
2. Self denial. (Mortification, subjective)
3. Bearing afflictions with patience. (providence, objective)
4. Suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel.
(often immediate. Occasional, the gospel is the chief cause)

XI . Prayer and Thanksgiving.
1. Despite present grievances.
2. With joy and love.
3. Continuing steadfast therein.

XII. Looking forward unto life eternal.
1. Love not the world.
2. All loss and grievance will be recompensed.
3. God’s enemies shall be destroyed.
App. Therefore be reconciled to God.
4. God’s friends shall be glorified.
App. Therefore be reconciled to your neighbor.

Conclusion.

Closing prayer.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/-9TyzHoJEVU