Spurgeon: July AM
* 07/23/AM
"Even thou wast as one of them."
--Obadiah 1:11
Brotherly kindness was due from Edom to Israel in the time of
need, but instead thereof, the men of Esau made common cause
with Israel's foes. Special stress in the sentence before us is
laid upon the word thou ; as when Caesar cried to Brutus, "and
thou Brutus"; a bad action may be all the worse, because of
the person who has committed it. When we sin, who are the
chosen favorites of heaven, we sin with an emphasis; ours is a
crying offence, because we are so peculiarly indulged. If an
angel should lay his hand upon us when we are doing evil, he
need not use any other rebuke than the question, "What thou ?
What dost thou here?" Much forgiven, much delivered, much
instructed, much enriched, much blessed, shall we dare to put
forth our hand unto evil? God forbid!
A few minutes of confession may be beneficial to thee, gentle
reader, this morning. Hast thou never been as the wicked? At an
evening party certain men laughed at uncleanness, and the joke
was not altogether offensive to thine ear, even thou wast as
one of them . When hard things were spoken concerning the ways
of God, thou wast bashfully silent; and so, to on-lookers, thou
wast as one of them . When worldlings were bartering in the
market, and driving hard bargains, wast thou not as one of them?
When they were pursuing vanity with a hunter's foot, wert thou
not as greedy for gain as they were? Could any difference be
discerned between thee and them? Is there any difference ? Here
we come to close quarters. Be honest with thine own soul, and
make sure that thou art a new creature in Christ Jesus; but when
this is sure, walk jealously, lest any should again be able to
say, "Even thou wast as one of them." Thou wouldst not desire to
share their eternal doom, why then be like them here? Come not
thou into their secret, lest thou come into their ruin. Side
with the afflicted people of God, and not with the world.