Previous posts on Psalm 40 can be found here.
Psalm 40 can be read here, I'd again suggest reading the first 8 verses at least.
The witness
“many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”
When we are saved, when we have truly repented of our sins and turned our lives to the cross then things change. This cannot be denied. We’ve seen already what Paul said to the Galatians. If you hear anyone’s testimony one thing is certain. There has been a change.
The change of regeneration. We are reborn. We die to the world and live in Christ. Sometimes, as we have seen in verse 2, we can err. We can turn briefly back to Egypt and our sins. But the change is eternal and irreversible.
Many see this change. Those who knew us in our unsaved condition see us in our new light. They detect the change of heart, the change of manner and attitude. We talk differently, we behave differently.
Some don’t like it, some do. But the change is stark and clear. My own testimony is just that. Shortly after conversion I stuck 1 Timothy 1: 13 “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
I knew and recognised a change in myself. Consequently things looked different. I had different motivations, some temptations and distractions remained awaiting mortification, but they didn’t hold the thrall they did before. And you too I am sure can see this in your own life. We have a duty do we not to strive to strain the black soot of sin out of our lives, to kill, to mortify those sins of the flesh.
Romans 8: 13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
Colossians 3: 5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
The Lord also directs us in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. – 1 Corinthians 9 : 25 – 27 “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
This ‘striving for mastery’ in temperance, this ongoing mortification of sins and separation from ungodly things is what people will see, what they will recognise. It is not only instruction for us in our sanctification. It is a witness, a testimony to the Lord in our lives. So we should be conscious of our tongues, our conversation, our manner, our jokes, our habits. They reflect our love of, or even ignorance of the Christ like values we should seek to project.
There is a peace which others should see, love or loathe it. Whether they detest you for it or are drawn to it. The work of Christ Jesus’ saving grace in our lives is visible.
When I was still training in martial arts the gym owner and I had a conversation during which he asked about my beliefs. In reply to my basic testimony he said "you're a born again Christian?" my reply was obviously 'yes', he then commented "That makes sense now...". 'Why?' I asked. "Because you seem so at peace."
This was a great encouragement to me as clearly my manner, my speech, or something else had testified to my God given sense of peace and assurance. It was I might add not always a conscious witness on my part, the wonder working power of Jesus Christ takes all the glory here!
Errors we make are errors we correct – we aren’t sin free. So we should be conscious to correct ourselves publically. This requires great humility.
As an example of this I'll refer again to my own life - I often in work find myself talking to two of the guys I manage quite openly and can be over crticial of work colleagues and irritable and most un-Christian in my speech and manner. Often I will return to their room later that same day, or the next morning convicted that I have said things I really shouldn't have - I then apologise for what I'd said "I shouldn't have said X, Y and Z, so sorry, it was wrong of me." Suffice to say they really don't get my motivations and give me the strangest of looks waving me away and suggesting I'm being over critical. But it is important to sustain an objective eye on not just the content of what comes out of your mouth but the tone and motivation for saying it. It reflects what is in your heart after all!
Such things increase humility, which is no bad thing. Christ Jesus calling us to be ‘last’ and to serve with humility. “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Matthew 20: 16
We should not be naive as to how much this calling to be an example is important. It can be the thing that turns people away from the doors of a church, just as a self righteousness or religious piety in ourselves. Humility and grace are qualities which even if they irritate the unbeliever cannot be denied as being positive traits.
All these things testify – the Holy Spirit can use such things to prick hearts. To draw people. We are called to spread the gospel, to testify to the Lord Jesus Christ. This needn’t be from a pulpit or a soap box. All the things listed thus far are as important, if not more so than a bible punching sermon.
The heart must be right or the words and actions are empty. If we are truly doing as we are instructed with love being our primary motivation, then that is what reaches a man. If we give the Lord pre-eminence in our lives and do these things then ‘many will see it and fear and trust in the Lord.’
Next post: 'The Trust'
Psalm 40 can be read here, I'd again suggest reading the first 8 verses at least.
The witness
“many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”
When we are saved, when we have truly repented of our sins and turned our lives to the cross then things change. This cannot be denied. We’ve seen already what Paul said to the Galatians. If you hear anyone’s testimony one thing is certain. There has been a change.
The change of regeneration. We are reborn. We die to the world and live in Christ. Sometimes, as we have seen in verse 2, we can err. We can turn briefly back to Egypt and our sins. But the change is eternal and irreversible.
Many see this change. Those who knew us in our unsaved condition see us in our new light. They detect the change of heart, the change of manner and attitude. We talk differently, we behave differently.
Some don’t like it, some do. But the change is stark and clear. My own testimony is just that. Shortly after conversion I stuck 1 Timothy 1: 13 “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
I knew and recognised a change in myself. Consequently things looked different. I had different motivations, some temptations and distractions remained awaiting mortification, but they didn’t hold the thrall they did before. And you too I am sure can see this in your own life. We have a duty do we not to strive to strain the black soot of sin out of our lives, to kill, to mortify those sins of the flesh.
Romans 8: 13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
Colossians 3: 5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
The Lord also directs us in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. – 1 Corinthians 9 : 25 – 27 “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
This ‘striving for mastery’ in temperance, this ongoing mortification of sins and separation from ungodly things is what people will see, what they will recognise. It is not only instruction for us in our sanctification. It is a witness, a testimony to the Lord in our lives. So we should be conscious of our tongues, our conversation, our manner, our jokes, our habits. They reflect our love of, or even ignorance of the Christ like values we should seek to project.
There is a peace which others should see, love or loathe it. Whether they detest you for it or are drawn to it. The work of Christ Jesus’ saving grace in our lives is visible.
When I was still training in martial arts the gym owner and I had a conversation during which he asked about my beliefs. In reply to my basic testimony he said "you're a born again Christian?" my reply was obviously 'yes', he then commented "That makes sense now...". 'Why?' I asked. "Because you seem so at peace."
This was a great encouragement to me as clearly my manner, my speech, or something else had testified to my God given sense of peace and assurance. It was I might add not always a conscious witness on my part, the wonder working power of Jesus Christ takes all the glory here!
Errors we make are errors we correct – we aren’t sin free. So we should be conscious to correct ourselves publically. This requires great humility.
As an example of this I'll refer again to my own life - I often in work find myself talking to two of the guys I manage quite openly and can be over crticial of work colleagues and irritable and most un-Christian in my speech and manner. Often I will return to their room later that same day, or the next morning convicted that I have said things I really shouldn't have - I then apologise for what I'd said "I shouldn't have said X, Y and Z, so sorry, it was wrong of me." Suffice to say they really don't get my motivations and give me the strangest of looks waving me away and suggesting I'm being over critical. But it is important to sustain an objective eye on not just the content of what comes out of your mouth but the tone and motivation for saying it. It reflects what is in your heart after all!
Such things increase humility, which is no bad thing. Christ Jesus calling us to be ‘last’ and to serve with humility. “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Matthew 20: 16
We should not be naive as to how much this calling to be an example is important. It can be the thing that turns people away from the doors of a church, just as a self righteousness or religious piety in ourselves. Humility and grace are qualities which even if they irritate the unbeliever cannot be denied as being positive traits.
All these things testify – the Holy Spirit can use such things to prick hearts. To draw people. We are called to spread the gospel, to testify to the Lord Jesus Christ. This needn’t be from a pulpit or a soap box. All the things listed thus far are as important, if not more so than a bible punching sermon.
The heart must be right or the words and actions are empty. If we are truly doing as we are instructed with love being our primary motivation, then that is what reaches a man. If we give the Lord pre-eminence in our lives and do these things then ‘many will see it and fear and trust in the Lord.’
Next post: 'The Trust'
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