DILIGENCE NECESSARY - Robert Murray Mcchene
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”—1 Pet. iii, 14.
1. Tile description of believers here given: “Seeing ye look for such things.” So Paul: “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.”—2 Cor. iv., 18. The unconverted among you look at things seen. All your thoughts, talk, hopes, and fears, are taken up about the things of time and sense. But those of you who have anointed eyes, and hearts illumined by the Holy Ghost, look beyond the bounds of time. But the look here spoken of is more than mere knowledge: it is the look of desire, of earnest longing. It is called “looking and hasting unto.” It is like the look of a child for an absent parent when he looks and runs to meet him. It is like the look of a bride for the coming of the bridegroom. What are the things?
1. The second coming of the Lord. The scoffers say> “Where is the promise of his coming?”—Verse 4. “But the day of the Lord will come.”—Verse 10. “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.”—Verse 12. The great event of that day is the coming of Jesus in the clouds of heaven. The world are not looking for this, but you that are Christ’s are looking for such things. The world think Christ well away, and hope he may never come back again. They believe, in some sort, that the Son of God was once born of a woman, and lay in the manger at Bethlehem; that he walked on the hills of Galilee, and did many wonders, that he died, and went lo his Father. And they hope to see no more of him:. They think the world is we 1 quit of him. Certain I am, that if he were returning to this place, the most of the inhabitants would wail because of him.
But he will come, and like a thief in the night. He is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: “That same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”—Acts i., 11. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction.”—2 Thess. i., 7. “Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.”—Rev. i.. 7. Even so. Amen, “Ye look for such things.” If you are Christ’s at all, you are desiring that blessed hope. Many faithful and godly men believe that the day is near; and who will venture to say they may not be right? The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Does a bride long for the coming of the bridal-day? So will you that are Christ’s love his appearing.
2. The trial by fire: “The heavens shall pass away with a great noise: and the elements shall melt with fervent heat: the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up”— “All these things shall be dissolved.”
The scoffing world do not look for such things. They do not desire them, neither do they expect them. They read of them in the Bible as they would read a terrific tale, or a tragedy; they do not read of them as coming realities. Yonder blue heaven, they think, shall always span the earth with its calm cerulean arch; the elements shall continue their sportive warfare, the wind blowing east, and then west; the summer zephyr changing with the winter blast. The green earth, they think, shall still roll on with its seedtime and harvest, summer and winter. Their houses and towers, they hope, shall last for ages; they call their lands after their own names. Ah, brethren! can you say you are looking for anything else than just that to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant? But those of you that are taught of God look for such things. You expect and desire that awful day. You are ever and anon looking up to see when the heavens shall catch fire, and pass away; when the hand that stretched them out like a tent to dwell in, shall roll them up like a scroll. You are waiting for the day when the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent he.it. You look upon the earth as one does upon a crazy house, from which he is about to remove. You look on its mountains, trees, and fields, as soon to be burned up, and all its works, its houses, and palaces, and towers, as soon to be a smoking funeral pile. No wonder Jesus said: “They are not of the world.” The wonder is, brethren, that we are so much of the world.
3. The new heavens and earth: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”—Verse 13. The promise of the new heavens and earth is contained in Isa. lxv. 17; again in Isa. lxvi. 22; and again, Rev. xxi. 1: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” What that glorious world shall be I cannot tell. No thunderclouds shall ever darken the sky—no lightning flash— no blighting east wind blow—no pestilential fogs—no raging whirlwind. There shall be no more curse thorns and thistles shall nowhere be found—paradise will be restored. All this may be—I cannot tell; but one thing is certain: “Therein dwelleth righteousness.” “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” The wicked shall be plucked away. The world do not look for such things. You do not believe that you shall ever be bound up in bundles, and cast away. You do not believe that there is a world where you will be separated from your believing friends and neighbours. But we look for such things. We look for a time when you will no more scorn us, and cast out our name as evil—when you will no more hate and revile us—a world where you will never be, “wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
II. The duty here commanded: “Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace.”
The duty here commanded is diligence—diligence in so living as that, when Christ shall appear, he may find you in peace, without spot and blameless. Two things are implied in this command.
1. Be diligent to get into Christ. In order to be found in peace, without spot and blameless, a man must be found in Christ. If any man be out of Christ, he is not at peace with God, neither is he without spot and blameless. There is but one way of being unspotted and unblamable before God, and that is by being in Christ. By nature, “there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” You are all spotted by your constantly wicked heart; and your wicked life is a continual blot before God. Be diligent to be found in peace.
(1.) Seek it as the one thing needful: “One thing have I desired of the Lord.” Most in this congregation have some desire to be saved. You would like not to be cast into hell—you would like to be received into glory; but not many will be diligent, or press into the kingdom of God. Get your heart so engrossed with this, that it shall be your main concern, sleeping and waking. Ah! if you knew the worth of Christ, you would be diligent to be found of him in peace.
(2.) Leave no means untried. When a man is diligent in seeking some earthly thing, he leaves no means untried to get at his end. When a merchant is seeking goodly pearls, he goes from market to market. When a beggar is seeking his meat, he goes from door to door; a hundred refusals do not daunt him—he still knocks on at the next gate. And so, if you are really in earnest, you will leave no means untried—Bible—prayer—united prayer—faithful ministers, and godly friends.
(3.) Give up all that hinders. When a man is diligent in worldly things, he gives up all that would mar his success. If a man is thoroughly set upon going a journey, he leaves his bed early in the morning. If a man is running for his life, he soon throws away every weight. So, if you are diligent in seeking Christ. If your way of business prevents you—if it brings so much care as to hinder you, so that you see it will be your ruin, you will give it up. If any company is ruinous to you, destroys your seriousness, hinders your prayers, and wastes your precious hours, you will break it off. If any idol hinders your cleaving to Christ, cast it away. Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace. Herod would not give up his Herodias.
2. Be diligent to abide in Christ: “Beware lest ye fall from your own stedfastness.”—Verse 17. Abide in him, little children, that when he shall appear ye may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (1.) Leave no guilt upon the conscience. Guilt mars our communion with Christ—hides the reconciled face—brings clouds, hidings, frowns. Give daily diligence to come as you came at the first. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. (2.) Be diligent to grow in grace. A growing tree is a living tree. When a tree ceases to grow, it is in danger of being blown down. So with a believer. Get more knowledge—faith—love. (3.) Seek daily likeness to Jesus. We are not justified by our sanctification; and yet without sanctification we cannot have abiding peace or communion. We are justified entirely by the doing and dying of the Lord Jesus; and yet, when justified, he will change us into his image; so that the longer we are justified we should be the more sanctified. Study holiness, if you would have peace now, and be found of Christ in peace. The holiest believers are ever-more the happiest.
III. Motives to diligence.
1. The most are very careless. The most around you are living as if there were no coming Saviour—no heavens on fire—no earth to be burned up. The people of this town are like the people of Sodom—they are at ease in sin. Though they have not fulness of bread, they have abundance of idleness. The most of believers are very careless, not looking for the Bridegroom; therefore be you diligent. Let their carelessness make you the more diligent. Tremble lest you be infected with the general carelessness and slumber. It is an infectious disease.
2. There is need of all your diligence. The righteous scarcely are saved. You live in a world of enemies—your own heart—the temptations of the world—the snares of the devil. Few get to heaven without desperate falls. If you were travelling in Alpine countries, among rocks and precipices, you would see your need of diligence, lest you fall, and break your bones. Such is your journey now.
3. The time is short: “What! could ye not watch with me one hour?” If you have yet to get into Christ, the time is short. You are like a traveller who has a long journey before him, and has slept till the day is far spent. He must double his pace, and so must you. If you are in Christ, the time is but short. You are like a sentry on guard. Your hour is a short one; do not grow sleepy, but keep awake. Watch, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.
4. Your diligence will be too late, if Christ find yon Christless. When the bridegroom came, the foolish virgins went to buy; but they were too late. So many of you will begin to seek when too late. When you lift up your eyes in hell, or when Jesus comes, you will cry, “Lord, Lord;” but all diligence will be then too late. When the boat has left the shore, it is in vain for you to run. Now your diligence may be to good purpose. Yet there is room —the door is now open. “Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace.”
Dundee May 14,1842.