Drippings from the Honeycomb
More to be desired are [the rules of the Lord] than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
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I’m a natural born planner. I love a good plan when I see one, I marvel at a great one. Plans speak to the brilliance and insight of the planner, the wisdom of the execution and the good wrought by the plan. Plans are glorious things.
When we look at the big picture of the Bible we inevitably speak of God’s plan of salvation. It sometimes is described like this: in response to the Fall God initiated a plan whereby His grace made possible a way of salvation that culminated in Christ, and awaits His second coming (Fall, Redemption and Consummation). So far as plans go, it appears glorious but upon closer inspection is quite lacking. The plan makes salvation possible but not guaranteed. In fact, our total depravity dooms such a plan to fail. It is a plan dependent upon man, not God. We need salvation of the Lord. There are true elements in this popular sketch, however, as a great and glorious God, we would expect a far grander plan, and this is precisely what we find in the pages of Scripture (Eph 1:4–6; Ro 8:30). A four-hundred-year-old document articulates God’s biblical plan of salvation thus: This elect number [i.e. those given to Christ in eternity past], though by nature neither better nor more deserving than others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by Him, and effectually to call and draw them to His communion by His Word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification; and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of His Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of His mercy and for the praise of His glorious grace. (Canons of Dort 1.7). Using modern planning language, we see every element of a great plan:
There is a big difference between falling into a puddle of sin and swimming in a pool of sewage.
This is the difference John draws as he speaks of perseverance: the possibility of believers to temporarily/occasionally fall into sin; and the persistent unrepentant sin unbelievers/false professors are pleased to remain in. Speaking of puddles John acknowledges the reality for saints, that as sinners, we may still sin. This is why he speaks not only of once for all legal forgiveness (1:9) but also ongoing relational forgiveness (2:1). Speaking of pools of sewage John says, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth” (1 Jn 1:6) and “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” (1 Jn 3:6). If you are swimming in sewage, repent! If you’ve fallen in a puddle, repent! 1 John is full of 30+ tests of assurance to see whether we are in Christ (that you may know, 1 Jn 5:13). To read more on perseverance see here. |
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