Spurgeon: November AM
* 11/15/AM
"The Lord's portion is His people."
--Deuteronomy 32:9
How are they His? By His own sovereign choice . He chose
them, and set His love upon them. This He did altogether apart
from any goodness in them at the time, or any goodness which He
foresaw in them. He had mercy on whom He would have mercy, and
ordained a chosen company unto eternal life; thus, therefore,
are they His by His unconstrained election.
They are not only His by choice, but by purchase . He has
bought and paid for them to the utmost farthing, hence about His
title there can be no dispute. Not with corruptible things, as
with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord's portion has been fully redeemed. There
is no mortgage on His estate; no suits can be raised by opposing
claimants, the price was paid in open court, and the Church is
the Lord's freehold for ever. See the blood-mark upon all the
chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the
Lord knoweth them that are His"; He forgetteth none of those
whom He has redeemed from among men; He counts the sheep for
whom He laid down His life, and remembers well the Church for
which He gave Himself.
They are also His by conquest . What a battle He had in us
before we would be won! How long He laid siege to our hearts!
How often He sent us terms of capitulation! but we barred our
gates, and fenced our walls against Him. Do we not remember
that glorious hour when He carried our hearts by storm? When He
placed His cross against the wall, and scaled our ramparts,
planting on our strongholds the blood-red flag of His omnipotent
mercy? Yes, we are, indeed, the conquered captives of His
omnipotent love. Thus chosen, purchased, and subdued, the rights
of our divine possessor are inalienable: we rejoice that we
never can be our own; and we desire, day by day, to do His
will, and to show forth His glory.