Feelings or the Ark? ­– by Desmond Ford

Jun 17, 2015 6738

noahs_arkIn the 8th chapter of the book of Romans, it begins with no condemnation, and it finishes with no separation. In the verses in between it says that there is no bondage any more to sin.

The Christian may stumble, but sin’s no longer his master. The Christians’ master is Jesus Christ. Christ has given him a new Spirit who causes us to delight in the law, despite our stumblings and mistakes. There is no condemnation, no bondage, and further down the apostle Paul says no death. And he says, “No chance can overtake the Christian because all things work together for good to them that love God.” Then finally Paul says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers or things present nor things to come can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Jesus Christ is our righteousness. This is an alien righteousness. Our righteousness is in Him the moment we believe. He counts us as though we had His character. He counts us as though we had died with Him, and therefore paid the price for our sins. And that price covers all the sins to come. Will that make us careless? God forbid. Because justification and sanctification are never separate, and having forgiven us our sins, He gives us the sanctifying Spirit. That’s why He’s called the Holy Spirit).

What are you doing about it? If it’s true and it’s more true than anything you’ve ever heard, that you can be perfect in a moment before God. If that’s true, is that where you stand? And if not, why not?

There is infinite guilt in a moment of unbelief. You say, “But it’s not that I don’t believe; it’s just that I haven’t said ‘yes’.” My friends, to delay is to reject. It is to reject God’s call tonight. “My sons, my daughters, give Me your heart.” “Today is the day of salvation. Now is the appointed time, and whosoever will may come, and He that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out.”

How do I believe? Believing is receiving. Receiving is believing. “For as many as receive Him, to them gave He power to become the Sons of God, to as many as believe on His name.” To believe is to count His word true, it is to act on it as true, it is to accept it perhaps as calmly and as detached as you would write a cheque.

To believe does not involve tremendous emotional upheaval. You’re not saved by your feelings for Jesus, you’re saved by what He felt for you. The promises of God are like the laws of arithmetic. They work no matter how you feel. 2 + 2 = 4 when you are happy, and 2 + 2 = 4 when you are sad. He’s faithful and just to forgive us.

Isaac trusted to his feelings he got the wrong son, didn’t he? He felt and said, “Yes, this must be Esau,” but it wasn’t. Don’t trust in your feelings.

A woman said to Moody, “I don’t get it Mr Moody, I don’t get it – I don’t feel anything!” “Madam” said Moody, “what saved Noah, feelings or the ark?” And she entered the ark.

The Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, invites us worms of the earth to receive an infinite garment of imputed righteousness put to our account, that will take us through to eternity. He offers us heaven, He offers us His intimate friendship, He offers us forgiveness of sins, and if the Devil comes and shouts in your ear, remember that the Lord wants to give you His righteousness.

The human heart is bigger than the world. You could toss a million earths into the sun and there would be room for 300,000 more. You can toss into your heart all the degrees that the world can offer, all the wealth and all the human love, and you’ll still be like a great Arizona Desert inside, unless you have Jesus Christ.

But if you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He’ll add all the rest to it. If you make second first, you’ll lose the second and the first as well. If you make first first, He’ll give you the first and the second as well.

Des Ford. Rom 8:27–32. Adapted from “Perfect in a Moment.”

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