| Joy In Heaven |
(The following short article was written by C.H. Mackintosh in the late 1800s.)
Luke 15:7-10
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose
one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek
diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her
friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have
found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in
the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Joy in Heaven, what produces it? The repentance of ONE sinner. Marvelous
that Heaven should be so stirred by what produces so little commotion on
earth-- that there should be joy in Heaven over what produces little else but
contempt in the world.
An heir is born to some powerful sovereign, or such a one is married, or
ascends the throne, and there is great rejoicing and merry-making on earth.
Some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, there is
great rejoicing on earth; but such matters receive little notice in Heaven.
Some poor, broken-down, miserable wreck of a man or woman on a heap of
filthy rags or straw, in some tumble-down garret or hovel, turns their face
towards Heaven and says, "Father, I have sinned," or "God, be merciful to me
a sinner," and all Heaven rings again with joy. And where is the source and
spring of this joy? In the heart of the blessed (that is, happy) God. "There is
joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Who
is in their presence, and in whose presence are they? In that of God! That is
where the joy is from which all Heaven catches the tone.
And only to think, that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee that
produces this joy; it is the repentance of a sinner that does so. Of a sinner?
Yes, there is joy in Heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth. Will you, my
unconverted reader, yield Heaven joy?
~CHM
Please click here to read about the Free Gift of
Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 15:7-10
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose
one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek
diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her
friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have
found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in
the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Joy in Heaven, what produces it? The repentance of ONE sinner. Marvelous
that Heaven should be so stirred by what produces so little commotion on
earth-- that there should be joy in Heaven over what produces little else but
contempt in the world.
An heir is born to some powerful sovereign, or such a one is married, or
ascends the throne, and there is great rejoicing and merry-making on earth.
Some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, there is
great rejoicing on earth; but such matters receive little notice in Heaven.
Some poor, broken-down, miserable wreck of a man or woman on a heap of
filthy rags or straw, in some tumble-down garret or hovel, turns their face
towards Heaven and says, "Father, I have sinned," or "God, be merciful to me
a sinner," and all Heaven rings again with joy. And where is the source and
spring of this joy? In the heart of the blessed (that is, happy) God. "There is
joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Who
is in their presence, and in whose presence are they? In that of God! That is
where the joy is from which all Heaven catches the tone.
And only to think, that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee that
produces this joy; it is the repentance of a sinner that does so. Of a sinner?
Yes, there is joy in Heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth. Will you, my
unconverted reader, yield Heaven joy?
~CHM
Please click here to read about the Free Gift of
Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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