08. The Promise A Free Gift

VIII. The Promise a Free Gift "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises."—2 Peter 1:4.

OBSERVE that word "given" Peter says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." We are beholden for everything to the gift of God. We live upon divine charity. All that we have we have received as a gift, and all we are to have must come in the same way. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." We are unable to earn anything, but God is able to give all things. Salvation must be all a gift, a free gift, an undeserved gift, a spontaneous gift of divine love. The promise of salvation is of the same nature. "It is more blessed to give than to receive"; and he that is most blest of all, the ever-blessed God, delights to give. It is as much his nature to give as it is the nature of the sun to shine, or of a river to flow. How blessed we are in being receivers! This is emphasized greatly, when we reflect how necessary it is that we should receive; for the things that we need are such that if we do not obtain them we are lost now, and lost for ever. We are without life, without light, without hope, and without peace, if we are without God. If God does not give to us according to the riches of his grace, we are then worse than naked, and poor, and miserable; we are utterly and altogether undone. It is not possible that we should deserve such rich gifts. Even if we could deserve anything, these must come to us without money and without price. A promise from God must be a boon of grace: we cannot claim that God should promise us his favour, and the priceless boons which are wrapped up in it. This teaches us what posture to take up. Pride ill becomes dependants. He who lives upon gifts should be humble and grateful. We are beggars at the door of mercy. At the beautiful gate of the temple we sit down every day to ask an alms, not of the worshippers, but of him whom angels worship. As often as our Lord passes by, we ask and he gives; nor are we surprised that we receive from his love; for he has promised to bestow great mercies. He taught us to say, "Give us this day our daily bread," and therefore we are neither ashamed nor afraid to ask all things from him. Ours is a life of dependence, and we delight to have it so. It is sweet to take all things from the hands of our crucified Lord. Happy is the poverty which leads us to be rich in Christ. We earn nothing, and yet receive everything, thrice blest in being hourly partakers of the gift of God. "Whereby axe given unto us exceeding great and precious promises."

Beloved, this teaching as to the promise coming of pure gift should be exceedingly encouraging to all who feel their lost estate, and own that they are spiritually bankrupt. To such it is a word of good cheer, that everything is freely given to us of God: why should he not give to them as well as to other needy ones? Those of us who rejoice in God have received all things as a free gift; why should not others receive the like? They say," There is nothing freer than a gift": why should not my reader receive as well as myself? To one who is willing to give, poverty, on the part of the receiver, is a recommendation instead of an obstacle. Come, then, you who are without merit, Christ will be your merit. Come, you that have no righteousness, he will be your righteousness. Come, you who are as full of sin as an egg is full of meat, and the pardoning Lord will put away your sin. Come, you who are utterly forlorn, and be made rich in Jesus. The trade of a mendicant will suit you, and you will prosper in it; for I see you have a cruel hunger, and an empty wallet. He that cannot dig should not be ashamed to beg. A beggar needs no stock-in-trade. "Old shoes and clouted," rags worn and foul—these form a fit livery for a beggar. Are you not dressed in this fashion spiritually? The poorer the wretch, the more welcome is he at the door of divine charity. The less you have of your own, the more welcome you are to him who giveth freely and upbraideth not.

"Come, ye needy, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify;

True belief, and true repentance, Every grace that brings us nigh,

Without money, Come to Jesus Christ and buy."

Yes, it is all a gift. This is the gospel that we are sent to preach to you—"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11). On God's part it is all giving; on our part it is all receiving. The promise is already made, and freely made: it will be fulfilled, and freely fulfilled. God does not begin with giving, and then go on to charging a price. No commission is payable upon receipt of his grace. He does not ask or receive a farthing; his love is altogether a gift. As a gift you may accept his promise: he will not degrade himself by listening to any other terms. The word given in the text is a plain invitation to the poorest of the poor. Oh that they would make bold to avail themselves of it! The great bell is ringing, ringing that all who will to come to the great table of infinite liberality may hear it and draw near. Freely, according to the riches of his grace, doth God promise salvation and eternal life to all who believe on his Son, Jesus Christ. His promise is firm and sure, why is it that men do not believe it?

Reader, what say you to the promise so freely given to all believers? Will you believe it and live thereby?