Honoring Christ

"He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him" (John 5:23).

Faith in Christ honors God. Those who truly believe on the Person and work of Christ honor God in His character, His attributes, His Purpose, His Holiness, His Justice and His Faithfulness. That which does not honor God will not save. All men are commanded to honor God by believing on His Son. True faith follows Christ and serves Him, and all who believe be honored of God. "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: If any man serve me, him will my Father honor" (John 12:26). But Christ said, "How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" (John 5:44) ) Men by nature seek the approval and honor of men more than of God. Therefore, they can be satisfied with any gospel that is generally accepted rather than the Gospel of God's grace in Christ that enables God to be both just and the Justifier, thus honoring Him. Salvation by the imputed righteousness of Christ honors God because it is God that gives it, approves it, and accepts it. Salvation by the blood of Christ honors God because it pleased God to shed it, to honor His law by it and to pay the sin debt of His elect totally by it. Salvation by the Spirit of Christ honors God because He effectually calls His people and successfully produces it in them. Salvation by the risen Christ honors God because He lives and makes intercession for the redeemed at the right hand of God, eternally securing this salvation on behalf of every believer. God has placed His honor in the mediatorial work of the Lord Jesus and in His accomplished work God is honored. A person who does not know how Christ honored God in His life under God's law and His death on the cross under God's justice cannot believe on Christ. Believing not, he honors not the Son. Honoring not the Son, he honors not the Father.

Universal redemption, freewill, conditional election, works salvation and all beliefs that render Christ's work to be less than a success, or partially dependent on man are not honoring to the Son but dishonoring. Saving faith is in Christ who "obtained eternal redemption." That is His honor and glory!

Gary Shepard

IN CHRIST HIMSELF

THE HOLY SPIRIT does not reach after something novel, new, nor spectacular in order to glorify Christ or to preach Christ to men. He does not need tongues, fleshly emotion, bodily healings, and creature fame and importance in order to bring glory to Christ and call out His sheep. He finds Christ's glory IN CHRIST HIMSELF! If we want to honor Christ, glorify Christ, and preach Christ, we must not look for something outside of Christ; but we must honor Him by preaching that which is His already-His deity, His person, His man-hood, His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His intercession, His return!

Henry Mahan

THE GLORY OF CHRIST, THE GOD-MAN

"But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12).

By this you are to understand the complex person of Jesus Christ; for Christ as God ALWAYS was on His Father's throne. He always was God! And even when He was on earth, He was still in heaven. The Son of God did not cease to be omnipotent and omnipresent when He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. As He said (John 3:13), "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." But the Lord Jesus Christ, AS THE MAN-GOD, has assumed glories and honors which once He had not; for AS MAN He did not at one time sit on His Father's throne. He became a man, a suffering man, a man full of pains and sorrows, more than mortals have ever known; but now as God-man He has assumed a dignity next to God. He sits at the right hand of God. The man, Christ Jesus, is exalted at the right hand of the majesty on high; and we, His elect, are in Him, crucified with Him, risen with Him; for "God hath raised us up together and made us SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS" (Eph. 2:6). There is no honor, there is no dignity, there is no glory to be compared to that of Christ and His church. "The glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them" (John 17:22). No dignity nor honor can shine like His. There is none to be found in heaven who can be called superior to THE MAN, CHRIST JESUS. He and His children (accepted in Him) sit on the right hand of God "far above all angels, and principalities, and powers, and every name that is named." His Father "hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name," and we are joint-heirs with Him. You all know that we were:

One, when He died; one, when He rose;
One, when He triumphed over His foes;
One, when in heaven He took His seat
And angels sang of hell's defeat.

Charles Spurgeon, 1856

To believe God is no small thing! It is the evidence of a heart reconciled unto God; it is the proof of our being weaned from our own works and deeds; it is a clear sign of the true conviction of sin, it is honoring to Christ, our only Redeemer; it is the essence of true worship, and it is the root of sincere obedience!

The person who believes God in spite of his sin and infirmities, in spite of fleshly wisdom and opposition, gives the Lord God more honor and glory than the cherubim and seraphim in their continual adoration.

H. Mahan

Spiritual Sacrifices

1 Peter 2:5-9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Hebrews 13: 15-16 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Here we have two great branches of spiritual sacrifices which, as priests, we are privileged to offer. Namely, praise to God and doing good to men. The very youngest, the most inexperienced, the most unlettered believer is capable of understanding these things. Who is there in all the family of God, in all the priestly household of our Divine High Priest, who cannot with his heart say, "The Lord be praised;" and who cannot with his hand do good to his fellow man? This is priestly worship and priestly service of all true Christians. All the children of God are constituted priests, one as much as the other.

Pastor Scott Richardson