In a recent message that I heard brother David Eddmenson preach he made the statement: “It is one thing to believe in irresistible grace; it is another thing altogether to find grace irresistible!” As soon as he said that I thought: How true that is! That is the difference in DOCTRINE and CHRIST! That is the difference in believing some things about Him and BELIEVING HIM! It is the difference in believing in Him and believing ON HIM! It is the difference in loving some truths concerning Him, and LOVING HIM!
As I thought about the very true statement that our brother made, these other four statements came to my mind:
“It is one thing to believe that Christ came into this world to save sinners; it is another thing altogether to believe that YOU are the sinner who desperately needs to be saved!”
“It is one thing to believe that God the Father chose a particular people to save; it is another thing altogether to LOVE the fact that He chose a people, knowing that had He not chosen us there would be no salvation, because none of us would have chosen Him!”
“It is one thing to believe that Christ died on the cross because of sin; it is another thing altogether to believe that Christ died on the cross because of MY sin! I hung Him there! He hung there AS ME! God punished me in Him! And in His death, my punishment is over; the judgement is finished; my sin is gone!”
“It is one thing to believe that Christ is coming back for His people; it is another thing altogether to live out the rest of our days looking for and longing for His return, gathering with His saints, feeding on the promises of His word, truly crying in the heart: ‘Come quickly, Lord!’”
While I am thankful for true doctrine, and thankful for the faith that God has given me to believe His true doctrine, my heart’s desire is that the Lord God might cause me to fall in love with Christ, know that I’m His sinner, love His election, hope in His cross, find His grace irresistible, and long for His return.