To Believe
To truly believe in God's love, we must learn to trust Him in all circumstances, even when He seems terrible to us.
John Bunyan emphasizes the importance of believing in God's love even during times of hardship and discipline, as expressed in Hebrews 12:6. He encourages believers to trust in God's providence and to remain steadfast in their faith, even when circumstances seem overwhelming. Bunyan illustrates that God's chastening is a sign of His love and that we should respond with reverence and commitment to Him. He calls for a posture of waiting upon God and being content with His will, likening our relationship with God to that of a loyal dog at its master's feet. Ultimately, Bunyan reassures that true faith involves loving and trusting God in all His appearances, regardless of our trials.
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"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth...." (Heb. 12:6).
To believe he loves us when he shows himself terrible to us, is also very much becoming of us. Wherefore has he given us grace? Is it that we should five by sense? Wherefore has he sometimes visited us? Is it that our hearts might be estranged from him, and that we still should love the world? And I say again, wherefore has he so plainly told us of his greatness, and of what he can do? Is it not that we might be still when the world is disturbed; and that we might hope for good things to come out of such providences that, to sense, look as if themselves would eat up and devour all?
Let us wait upon God, walk with God, believe in God, and commit ourselves, our soul, our body, to God, to be kept. Yea, let us be content to be at the disposal of God, and rejoice to see him act according to all his wondrous works. For this is a posture highly becoming them that say of God he is their Father, and that have committed the keeping of their souls to him as unto a Creator. A comely thing it is for the soul that feareth God, to love and reverence him in all his appearances. We should be like the spaniel dog, even lie at the foot of our God, as he at the foot of his master; yea, and should be glad, could we but see his face, though he treads us down with his feet.
Sermon Outline
- To Believe in God's Love
- Waiting Upon God
- A Posture of Faith
- Loving and Reverencing God
- Being Content in God's Disposition
- Walking with God in Difficult Times
Key Quotes
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth....” — John Bunyan
“Let us wait upon God, walk with God, believe in God, and commit ourselves, our soul, our body, to God, to be kept.” — John Bunyan
“A comely thing it is for the soul that feareth God, to love and reverence him in all his appearances.” — John Bunyan
Application Points
- We should be content to be at God's disposal, and rejoice in His ability to work all things out for our good.
- We should commit ourselves to God, trusting Him with our souls and bodies, and being willing to be kept by Him in all circumstances.
- We should love and reverence God in all His appearances, even when He seems terrible to us.