[The believer] does not perform duty that it may go well with him here; nor does he perform duty that he may gain glory hereafter. He regards communion and nearness to God as happiness enough. His spirit does not say to him: Act thus, pray, obey, and it shall go well with thee in this world, and gain heaven for thee hereafter. No! He esteems it a piece of his heaven to have communion with God. This is "coelum extra coelum' (heaven this side of heaven). There is enough in the thing itself - communion with God - to induce him to seek it and make his soul desire it. He engages in the duty as if, in itself, it were a part of his reward, and if he can but find God in it, and have converse and communion with God in it, oh, there is heaven enough and glory enough in his soul.
The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Samuel Bolton, Banner of Truth Trust, pg 140.
Love this quote! Such wisdom in it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery good quote. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete"No! He esteems it a piece of his heaven to have communion with God. " Beautiful! Thank you for the great excerpt, Persis. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Persis! I love this.
ReplyDelete