Gold Nugget 320 - The Difficulty Within

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      Dishonest minds are wont to plead that religious truth is recondite, self-contradictory, hard to be understood.  Its obligations too, they aver, are impracticable, beyond the power of man to fulfill.  Self indulgence and impiety have never yet failed to frame excuses for their rejection of the Divine Word.  But excuses avail them nothing.  The indolent man has for long ages past learnt to say, “There is a lion in the path.”  Honest investigation soon finds the truth of God “worthy of all acceptation.” …

      Its essential truths are within the compass of every mind.  Every man knows what it is to love; that love is due from each man to his Maker.  Every child knows what obedience means; that obedience is due to the Father of our spirits.  Truly, some facts concerning the eternal world are so profound, that, like ocean-depths, human reason cannot fathom them.  But these are not the facts which lie at the foundation of man’s safety and hope. 

      The practical duties which appertain to virtue and well-being are so plain that even a child may understand.  Whatever difficulty lies in the way of human obedience, it does not lie in the haze or uncertain meaning of the revelation.  The difficulty is within a man, not without him.  The objects of faith are clearly revealed; we want only an eye to discern them. …

      Religious truth is not revealed to gratify a prurient curiosity, not to afford matter for speculation, but solely to promote obedience.  To know God’s requirements will bring us no advantage unless we heartily and loyally do them.  Accurate and orthodox beliefs convey, in themselves, no life nor joy.  Right belief is barren and abortive until it brings forth active obedience.  We are not judged at God’s tribunal for our opinions or theories, not for our religious creeds; we are to be judged of “the deeds done in the body.”  “I was hungry, and ye gave me meat,” will be the grounds of the judicial verdict.

 

The Pulpit Commentary, Deuteronomy p. 472-473, Deuteronomy 30:11-14, (D. Davies)

 

Gold Nugget 320

The Difficulty Within

 

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