Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you… Three things contained in these words, which well suit our times. 1. A charge or accusation brought by God against His professing people. All sin is going away from God's ordinances, or a breach of His law. To omit known duties, God construes as a commission of known sins. 2. A solemn exhortation backed by an alluring motive. God promises mercy when He might execute judgment. Repentance is that which sets a creature right again, with his face towards God, so that all his desires and expectations are from Him. The motive is, God's return unto us. God is said to return when He shows His face and favour, which sin has hid. 3. The people's reply. "Wherein shall we return?" This was either in words — "We are not conscious of guilt, show us wherein we have offended." Or it is the language of their hearts and lives. I. SHOW WHERE IN WE HAVE GONE AWAY FROM GOD AS A PROFESSING PEOPLE AND LAND. 1. We have gone away from His truth. As to the generality of professors in the land, they scarce know what are the foundations of the Gospel, or what are the pillars of the reformation. 2. We are gone away from His worship. Now families professing godliness are prayerless, and there is a weariness of ordinances. 3. We are gone away from our trust and confidence in God. This is a complaint every one may bring against himself. 4. We are gone away from God in conversation. Faith is nothing without fruit, nor Gospel truth without Gospel holiness. Are thy thoughts spiritual, thy speech savoury, thy mind and disposition heavenly, and thy outward behaviour without offence? II. HOW MUST OUR RETURN TO HIM BE? 1. With deep humiliation. Sense of sin will beget sorrow and shame for it. When God touches the heart, sin will become the greatest burden we ever felt. 2. With real reformation. God's anger is increased by mock returns. It is one thing to confess sin with our mouths, and another thing to cast it out of our hearts. 3. It should be with an eye to the blood of Christ. No mercy is to be expected but through the satisfaction and intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. III. THE BLESSING WHICH IS IN GOD'S RETURN TO US. When God comes to a land or people, good comes with Him. 1. He comes with grace and pardon. 2. He comes with grace to sanctify and renew. 3. He comes with power and strength to save and deliver. 4. He comes with love to delight in them. IV. WHY WILL GOD RETURN TO US ONLY IN THE WAY OF OUR RETURN TO HIM? It does not suppose anything meritorious in the obedience of the creature; nor yet that the blessings of grace are suspended upon the condition of duty. 1. It is to justify His dispensations before men. Though duty be not the ground of our claim, it is the warrant of our expectation and our hope. 2. He will slay presumption and self-confidence in His own people. V. IN WHOM THIS VILE FRAME MENTIONED IN THE TEXT IS FOUND. This may serve by way of caution, and by way of trial. We speak as in the text when — 1. We rest in generals, in confessing sin before God. Sin is a sort of packhorse upon which every burden is laid. 2. This frame prevails where there is a transferring sin upon others. It is easy confessing other men's sins, but evangelical repentance begins at home. 3. Men speak thus when they con fess some sins, but not the sin which God aims at. We are all too partial with respect to ourselves. 4. To confess sin with a secret liking of it in the heart is a way of saying, "Wherein shall I return?" It argues little to confess sin if thou dost not part with it. Uses — (1) Are we thus gone away from God, and shall we not admire Divine patience, that we are yet spared, both our persons and our land? (2) Adore grace. (3) See what is the special duty of this day. "Return unto the Lord."(4) Beware of a double heart this day, and all your life after. Seek peace and truth, but Christ as the foundation of both. (John Hill.) Parallel Verses KJV: Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? |
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