1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us… I. THE PEOPLE OF GOD WILL BE SAVED WITH DIFFICULTY. 1. Owing to their strong remaining corruptions. 2. To their long and inveterate habits of sin. 3. To the strong and numerous foes that oppose his march. 4. A great amount of labour will be requisite to push him forward in his heavenly pilgrimage. 5. There will await him many other dangers, of which he can have yet no conception. II. BUT "WHERE SHALL THE UNGODLY AND SINNER APPEAR?" All the difficulties, and more yet, that obstruct the way of the Christian heavenward, are surely before the man who has not commenced his route thither. 1. The man who is not a Christian has yet to enter upon the way. 2. He may have yet more corruptions. He may have taken a more wayward course. 3. But his iniquities must all be uprooted. 4. He has more foes, in addition to those planted in the way of the Christian. 5. He must do more labour than if he had set out earlier. 6. The same, and more yet dangers await him than await the Christian.Remarks: 1. Would I have the sinner despair, lie down and die? Will not heaven be worth all the efforts he has yet to make? 2. Oh, then, how anxious should sinners be to commence the great work of their salvation! 3. How anxious, too, should the Church be that sinners might live! (D. A. Clark.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? |
    |