Four things that magnify the grace of God

 Posted at Reformation Scotland:

If we ever catch sight of the sin that characterises us, we are right to be shocked and disgusted at ourselves. There is so little about us that is loveable or even excusable, when we see even a glimpse of ourselves from the point of view of God’s holiness. But considering that the holy God does save sinners just like us, that fact gives us an extraordinary insight into the sheer graciousness of God’s grace. Such unlovely creatures are called into union with Jesus Christ and embraced as His beloved. This was what led James Guthrie to marvel. In a sermon on the Song of Songs, Guthrie finds four things that magnify the grace of God, and goes on to name three ways we should respond.

What magnifies the grace of God

Our condition by nature is fruitless, it is vile, it is stubborn, and it is fierce. Set these things right against the things that God calls us to in the gospel, and see how it commends the grace of God manifested in the gospel! He calls us “spouse,” and calls us to make a match with Himself

We shall name a few things that commend the grace of God manifested to this undesirable party.

He stands in no need of us

“My goodness extendeth not unto thee” (Psalm 16:3). “I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds; for every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 50:9–12). “Can a man be profitable unto God? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?” (Job 22:2–3). “If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?” (Job 35:7). When men have done all these things that are commanded them (says Christ, in Luke 17:10), they are “unprofitable servants; they have done that which was their duty to do.” This one consideration in this match highly amplifies the grace of Jesus Christ the Lord.

He could have chosen someone better

Another thing that commends the grace of God is that if he wanted to choose a match for Himself, He had more honourable parties to have matched with. The angels were more honourable than those lying in the lions’ dens. But verily, “He took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16). The apostle lays much weight on it, though we lay little weight on it.

He could have chosen someone needier

Next, He did not take those who in some sense had more need than we. Some fell not only to the earth, but to hell [i.e., angels]. Is it a small matter that He passes by them, and chooses us? Surely they were better to start with than we; and if they had been chosen again, they would have been better than we.

He could have chosen someone less weak and foolish

If He wanted to make a match for Himself, why did He not choose the strong and the mighty? My brethren, see your calling: “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Corinthians 1:26). He calls the vilest, from the dens of those who are fierce and cruel and proud.

These things serve much to magnify the grace offered in the gospel.

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