Hebrews 3:3-6 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honor than the house.… What a singular honour is this, that we should be God's house — yea, His dwelling-house. I. A nobleman hath many houses, which he dwells not in himself, but letteth them forth to other men. We are not houses to let, but God Himself dwelleth in us; we are His mansion-house. It pleaseth Him of His infinite mercy to dwell in such base houses as we are. 2. If God dwell in us, and we be His house, then bow neat and handsome should it be kept. Shall a king's house be overgrown with weeds Shall there be filthy corners in a king's palace? And shall we that profess ourselves to be God's house he full of pride, envy, and malice? The devil found his house swept and garnished to his mind, and shall not God's house be swept for the entertaining of Him? Let us garnish ourselves, which are God's house, with the sweet flowers of faith, love, hope, zeal, humility, temperance, patience, sobriety, that God may take delight to dwell in us. 3. There is no man, especially if he dwell in a house, and it be his own, but will bestow needful reparations on it; and do you think God will suffer His house to lie unrepaired? Nay, being God's house, we shall want nothing for soul or body. If we decay in faith, zeal, and other graces of His Spirit, He will in due season repair them again; He will keep His house wind-tight and water-tight; He will preserve it from wind and weather — yea, the gates of hell shall never prevail against His house. 4. A man may have a house and be defeated of it: some wrangling lawyer may wring it out of his hand, or he may be weary of his house, and make it away. None can snatch God's house out of His hand; He is no changeling; He will keep His house for ever. What? are we the house of God simply? Live as we list, and do what we will? No, verily; but if we hold fast the confidence, &c. One special quality of a good house is to be firm and stable. If it be a tottering house, ready to shake in every wind and tempest, a man will have small joy to dwell in it; even so, we that be the house of God Almighty must not be wavering and inconstant, but we must stand sure, and hold fast the graces we have received. There be two things which we must hold fast: faith and hope; the boldness that we have by faith to come into the presence of God, to whom we have access by Christ, apprehended by faith, and by virtue whereof we may boldly call God Father, and open our minds freely to Him — that is the nature of the word. (W. Jones, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. |
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