Jonah by Dr. R.T. Kendall June 23/2023

This can happen to the maturest Christian, especially when he discovers certain theological truths.  I think that the worst thing that can happen to a person sometimes, for example, is to discover the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.  Now, it is a great thing to learn this; but it is often a disastrous thing.  I love to see people discover the glorious doctrine of justification by faith but I tremble sometimes when I see them discover the doctrine of Christian liberty.  And many, when  they see justification by faith, they take lightly God's command to live holily in the world.  And I suspect that Jonah had a bit of this in him.  He wasn't very afraid.  He knew the truth, he ( didn't know the verse but no doubt knew that all things work together for good to them that love God (Rom. 8:28).  And I have known Christians like that.  They say:  'Well , I might as well do this because I know Romans 8:28 is true'.  It is.  But you may wait twenty years before you have the joy of it.  And so it was that Jonah knew some of the deep things of God and he suspected, having seen God use him before, that he would get by with disobedience.

Jesus said that we must be like children (Matt. 18:3).  Children take things at face value, and we as mature Christians must accept the simple promises of God's Word: such things as 'Preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) and 'holiness without which no man shall see the Lord' (Heb.  12:14).  It doesn't surprise me.  God honours those who believe in the simplicity of His word.  Perhaps the reason God is withholding some of the deep things of His word from the church is because of what it has done to some.  So, I suggest to you, Jonah was a victim of the folly of over-familiarity with holy things.





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