Grafton Free Presbyterian Church

---

Visitors Very Welcome

The Grafton Free Presbyterian Church is a congregation within the bounds of the Asia Pacific Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. We are evangelical and reformed according to Scripture in doctrine, worship and practice.

• We believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible and inerrant Word of God;
• We believe in presbyterian church government; and
• We believe that the Westminster Confession of Faith accurately summarises the principal doctrines of God's Word.

A Brief Meditation for the Month

December 2024

C. H. Spurgeon, in his inimitable way, advised those who claim to be Christians to “Be dogmatically true, obstinately holy, immovably honest, desperately kind, fixedly upright.” Every believer ought to seek grace and strive by that grace to exhibit these characteristics. Regrettably, in our generation, it does not seem to matter to many what way one who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ behaves, just so long as they talk religious talk or recite pious patter. It is possible to teach a parrot to say it is a Christian, but we know very well that, whatever it says, it remains a parrot, unchanged in nature. Similarly, one can claim to be a Christian, but is he such in the biblical sense? The Lord Jesus emphasized the difference between those who are disciples in name and those who are “disciples indeed” John 8:31. Those who are the faithful followers of Christ continue conforming to his teaching contained in the scriptures. They feed spiritually upon the word of God and thus continue to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 3:18. While there are degrees of growth among believers, nevertheless, all who have Christ dwelling in them by faith, may be expected to exhibit genuine spiritual growth. God, the creator of every man, knows his people and their needs; and if they are to grow spiritually and be strong, they need nourishment. So the Saviour, quoting from the Old Testament, told the devil and ourselves as well, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3. It is therefore as we listen to the voice of God speaking to us in the scriptures, and as we feed upon his word that our souls are nourished. As God’s word nourishes us, so we grow spiritually, and there is no substitute for such a rich source of nourishment. We may be tempted to imagine we can grow spiritually while occupying our minds with words about the word rather than the word itself. However, God’s word is the living word, and it is unique in this sense. The Psalmist speaks repeatedly of how God’s word quickened him, Psalm 119:50; 93. When the Saviour asked the disciples if they intended to follow the crowd who “walked no more with him”, Peter answered: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life,” John 6:68. Sincere Christians cannot depart from Christ because their spiritual life and growth depend upon consistent communion with their Saviour. It is not sufficient to know about the Saviour; it is something entirely different to know him through intimate personal communion. As Jesus addressed his Father in his high priestly prayer, recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John’s gospel, he said: “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Spiritual life is not the result of knowing about God or Jesus Christ, but really knowing them through a close, living, personal relationship. The prophet Amos poses the Question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. No one professing to be a Christian can know the Saviour or walk with God unless they are reconciled to the divine will as they meet and walk together in harmony and communion. The Song of Solomon beautifully depicts this relationship between God and his people and Christ and the individual believer. The scene is described of one coming “up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved.” Song of Solomon 8:5. It so aptly depicts the Christian’s journey through this worldly wilderness to their heavenly home, trusting the leading of their gracious Saviour as they walk by faith, united in heart with him and leaning upon the strong arm of the one who loves them and whom they love. What a blessed experience!

G. G. Hutton.

[See articles from previous months.]

---