True Religion a Revelation
D. Rhys Jenkins. 1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. I. RELIGION IS THE FRUIT OF A REVELATION FROM GOD. There are those who tell us that there is no such thing as a supernatural light to guide man through the maze of his soul's life. The little sparrow has that within itself that, like a luminous flame, guides it in all that pertains to its existence. In seeking its food it is able to distinguish between that which will nourish and that which will poison; it can also choose its own home: "Yea the sparrow hath found a house and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young." The sun in the heavens guides man in all this lower life. Is it possible that he has been left without a light to illumine his mind and spirit? There was need of a revelation; for those who had seen the greatness and glory of nature had failed to see, hear, or to conceive the things God had prepared for the soul. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged." But why be content with merely carnal senses? Why not receive the light and grace of the Holy Spirit, that you may by spiritual discernment understand the things of God prepared for you? II. RELIGION IS A REVELATION TO LOVE. We must not forget in our study of these words that they speak of a revelation which has been made; it is not something we are to look forward to. "God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit." The state of mind to which God makes known the things which He has prepared is love. God is love, and love can only make itself known to love. The subject must be in sympathy with the object. The strange conduct of the Jews towards Christ can only be explained on this principle. The Saviour's life was in the truest sense really beautiful, as it is admitted by the most pronounced unbelievers in these days. And yet the people of His age esteemed Him as a "root out of a dry ground: He had no form nor comeliness"; when they saw Him, "there was no beauty that they should desire Him." God reveals His love to love. "We love Him because He first loved us." The infinite kindness of God is to be seen in the method of His dealings with the world. If His method of saving men were mainly intellectual, few comparatively would be redeemed; for the plan would ,of necessity be so cold and formal, that only the few gifted minds would be interested by it. The many can only be reached by a direct appeal to their feelings, and hence the religion of Christ addresses the minds of men through their hearts; and the apostles laid emphasis, not on the great thoughts of God, but upon His infinite love in the gift of His Son. It is clear, then, that the religion of heaven is a revelation of love to love. God cannot reveal Himself to any other temper. We have sometimes gone into gardens, and observed plants that should be in full bloom still unopened. The green bud appeared full, almost to bursting; it was least the time for it to send forth its fragrant blossom, and still it was completely inclosed in its natural shield and entirely hidden from view. The reason of the delay was the state of the air; it was cold and frosty, and they could only reveal "themselves to a bright sun and in a genial atmosphere; were they to open in the frosty air they would endanger their lives. A cold critical spirit is fatal to the revelations of love, it freezes the channels to the heart; and makes it impossible even for the love of God to find its way into it. But where a loving disposition exists, the love of God is sure to reveal itself. III. RELIGION IS THE FRUIT OF A COMPLETE REVELATION. 1. The Holy Spirit has revealed the great truth that "God is light." God is the light of the soul, it is from Him we obtain the light that enables us to solve spiritual problems. 2. Another important truth has been revealed by the Spirit, that "God is love." This is done in a most effectual manner. "Because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which was given unto us." 3. The Spirit has revealed the truth that ,God is life: "For with Thee is the fountain of life." He in the first instance breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of man. (D. Rhys Jenkins.) Parallel Verses KJV: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. WEB: But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.