Wrong Hope for a Wrong Heaven
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.—1 John 3:3
It is impossible for a man, if he be not truly renewed, to desire heaven. He may wish for it under the notion of a kingdom, a pleasure, or the like; but as heaven containing a state of perfect holiness and freedom from sin, he cares not for it. A man that is out of relish with heavenly things, and can taste only his worldly sins, cannot relish heaven itself. His own heart tells him, I would rather have this world's pleasure and honour than to have those of heaven. Swine love mud better than a garden. They are in their element in these things. Take a swinish, worldly person, he loves to wallow in this world. Tell him of heaven, he has no desire for it.
Yet, there are none of us, but we desire, at least we pretend that we desire, heaven; but most men conceive it only as a place free from trouble and annoyance. But except you have a holy, gracious heart, and desire heaven that you may be free from sin, and have communion with Christ and his saints, to have the image of God, the divine nature perfect in you; you are a hypocrite and you carry a presumptuous conception of these things. Your hope will delude you; it is a false hope. 'Everyone that has this hope purifies himself' (1 John 3:3). Everyone, he excludes none. Do you defile yourself, and live in a sinful way, and have you this hope? You have a hope, but it is not this hope; for everyone that has this hope purifies himself. Even the greatest man living, if he be a sinful man, is frightened by death, 'the king of fears.' He thinks, 'I may have some trouble in this world, but there is worse to come'; things that he is not able to conceive of. Let us not therefore delude ourselves. There is nothing that will bring confidence but being a new creation in Christ. Then we may without presumption hope for the good things ‘that neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man' (1 Cor. 2:9).
Yet, there are none of us, but we desire, at least we pretend that we desire, heaven; but most men conceive it only as a place free from trouble and annoyance. But except you have a holy, gracious heart, and desire heaven that you may be free from sin, and have communion with Christ and his saints, to have the image of God, the divine nature perfect in you; you are a hypocrite and you carry a presumptuous conception of these things. Your hope will delude you; it is a false hope. 'Everyone that has this hope purifies himself' (1 John 3:3). Everyone, he excludes none. Do you defile yourself, and live in a sinful way, and have you this hope? You have a hope, but it is not this hope; for everyone that has this hope purifies himself. Even the greatest man living, if he be a sinful man, is frightened by death, 'the king of fears.' He thinks, 'I may have some trouble in this world, but there is worse to come'; things that he is not able to conceive of. Let us not therefore delude ourselves. There is nothing that will bring confidence but being a new creation in Christ. Then we may without presumption hope for the good things ‘that neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man' (1 Cor. 2:9).
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Glance of Heaven, Works, vol. 4, pp. 176-77
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
A Glance of Heaven, Works, vol. 4, pp. 176-77
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Categories
Recent
2025
January
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 31
February
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 28
March
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 31
April
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 10
No Comments