[BBC List] alarm - marks

[Mike Abendroth]

Alarm to the Unconverted

Joseph Alleine, 1671 

The MARKS of the Unconverted
 

While we keep aloof in general statements, there is little fruit to be
expected; it is the close hand-fight that does execution. David is not
awakened by the prophet's hovering at a distance in parabolic insinuations.
Nathan is forced to close with him, and tell him plainly, 'You are the man!'
[2 Sam 12:7] Few will, in words, deny the necessity of the new birth; but
they have a self-deluding confidence that the work is not to be done now.
And because they know themselves to be free from that gross hypocrisy which
takes up religion merely for a color to deceive others, and for covering
wicked designs, they are confident of their sincerity, and do not suspect
that more close hypocrisy, in which the greatest danger lies and by which a
man deceives his own soul. But man's deceitful heart is such a matchless
cheat-and self-delusion so reigning and so fatal a disease-that I do not
know which is the greater-the difficulty, or the necessity of the
undeceiving work that I am now upon. Alas for the unconverted, they must be
undeceived-or they will be undone! But how shall this be effected?

'Help, O all-searching Light, and let Your discerning eye disclose the
rotten foundation of the self-deceiver. Lead me, O Lord God, as You did the
prophet, into the chambers of imagery, and dig through the wall of sinners'
hearts, and reveal the hidden abominations that are lurking out of sight in
the dark. O send Your angel before me to open the sundry wards of their
hearts, as You did before Peter, and make even the iron gates fly open of
their own accord. And as Jonathan no sooner tasted the honey but his eyes
were enlightened, so grant, O Lord, that when the poor deceived souls with
whom I have to do shall cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be
illuminated, and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see
with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converted, and You may
heal them.'

This must be premised before we proceed, that it is most certain that men
may have a confident persuasion that their hearts and states are good-while
yet they are unsound. Hear the Truth Himself who shows, in Laodicea's case,
that men may be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked-and
yet not know it. Yes, they may be confident they are rich, and increased in
grace (Rev 3:17). 'There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes-and
yet are not washed from their filthiness' (Prov 30:12). Who better persuaded
of his state than Paul, while he yet remained unconverted? (Rom 7:9). So
that they are miserably deceived who take a strong confidence for a
sufficient evidence. Those who have no better proof than barely a strong
persuasion that they are converted-are certainly as yet strangers to
conversion.

But to come closer. As it was said to the adherents of Antichrist, so
here-some of the unconverted carry their marks in their forehead more
openly, and some in their hands more covertly. The apostle reckons up some
upon whom he writes the sentence of death, as in these dreadful catalogues
which I beseech you to attend to with all diligence: 'For of this you can be
sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has
any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you
with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who
are disobedient.' (Eph 5:5-6). 'But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile,
the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the
idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur. This is the second death' (Rev 21:8). 'Do you not know that the
wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the
sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor
homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers
nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God' (1 Cor 6:9-10). Woe to those
who have their name written in this catalogue. Such may know, as certainly
as if God had told them from heaven, that they are unsanctified, and under
an impossibility of being saved in this condition.

I. OPEN sinners. There are then these several classes that, past all
dispute, are unconverted; they carry their marks in their foreheads.

[1] The immoral. These are ever reckoned among the goats, and have their
names, whoever else is left out, in all the forementioned catalogues.

[2] The covetous. These are ever branded for idolaters, and the doors of the
kingdom are shut against them by name.

[3] Drunkards. Not only such as drink away their reason-but withal, yes,
above all, such as are too strong for strong drink. The Lord fills His mouth
with woes against these, and declares them to have no inheritance in the
kingdom of God! (Isa 5:11-12,22; Gal 5:21).

[4] Liars. The God who cannot lie has told them that there is no place for
them in His kingdom, no entrance into His holy hill; but their portion is
with the father of lies, whose children they are, in the lake of burnings!
(Rev 21:8,27; John 8:44; Prov 6:17).

[5] Swearers. The end of these, without deep and speedy repentance, is swift
destruction, and most certain and unavoidable condemnation (James 5:12; Zech
5:1-3).

[6] Railers and backbiters, who love to take up a reproach against their
neighbor, and fling all the dirt they can in his face, or else wound him
secretly behind his back (Psalm 15:1,3; 1 Cor 5:11).

[7] Thieves, extortioners, oppressors, who grind the poor, or defraud their
brethren when they have opportunity. These must know that God is the avenger
of all such (1 Thess 4:6). Hear O you false and purloining and wasteful
servants; hear, O you deceitful tradesmen, hear your sentence! God will
certainly shut His door against you, and turn your treasures of
unrighteousness into the treasures of wrath, and make your ill-gotten silver
and gold to torment you, like burning metal in your flesh! (James 5:2-3).

[8] All who do ordinarily live in the profane neglect of God's worship, that
do not hear His Word, who do not call on His name, who restrain prayer
before God, who do not mind their own nor their families' souls-but live
without God in the world! (John 8:47; Job 15:4; Psalm 14:4; Psalm 79:6; Eph
2:12 and Eph 4:18).

[9] Frequenters and lovers of vain company. God has declared that He will be
the destroyer of all such, and that they shall never enter into the hill of
His rest! (Prov 9:6 and Prov 13:20).

[10] Scoffers at religion, who make a scorn of holy living, and mock at the
messengers and diligent servants of the Lord, and at their holy profession,
and make themselves merry with the weakness and failings of professing
Christians. 'Hear, you despisers,' hear your dreadful doom! (Prov 19:29; 2
Chron 36:16).

Sinner, consider diligently whether you are not to be found in one of these
ranks, for if this is the case, you are in the gall of bitterness and bond
of iniquity; for all these do carry their marks in their foreheads, and are
undoubtedly the sons of death. And if so, the Lord pity our poor
congregations. O how small a number will remain when these ten sorts are
left out.

Sirs, what efforts you make to keep up your confidence of your good state
when God from heaven declares against you, and pronounces you in a state of
damnation! I would reason with you, as God with them, 'How can you say, I am
not polluted? See your way in the valley; know what you have done' (Jer
2:23). Man, is not your conscience aware of your tricks of deceit, of your
secret sins, of your way of lying? Yes, are not your friends, your family,
your neighbors, witnesses to your profane neglect of God's worship, to your
covetous practices, to your envious and malicious behavior? May they not
point at you as you go, 'There goes a gaming prodigal; there goes a drunken
Nabal, a companion of evildoers; there goes a railer, or a scoffer, or a
loose-liver!' Beloved, God has written it as with a sunbeam in the Book by
which you must be judged-that these are not the marks of His children; and
that none such, except renewed by converting grace, shall ever escape the
damnation of hell.

O that you would now be persuaded to repent and turn from all your
transgressions, or else iniquity will be your ruin (Ezek 18:30). Alas, for
poor hardened sinners. Must I leave you at last where you are? Must I leave
the drinker still at his bar? Must I leave the malicious still in his venom?
However, you must know that you have been warned, and that I am clear of
your blood; and whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, I will
leave these Scriptures with them, which will prove either as thunderbolts to
awaken them, or as searing-irons to harden them. 'Surely God will crush the
heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.'
'He who, being often reproved, hardens his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy.' 'Because I have called, and you
refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, I will laugh at
your calamity-when your destruction comes as a whirlwind' (Psalm 68:21; Prov
29:1; Prov 1:24-27).

II. SECRET sinners. And now I imagine many will begin to bless themselves,
and think all is well, because they cannot be reproached with these grosser
evils. But I must tell you that there is another sort of unsanctified
people, who carry their mark not in their foreheads-but more secretly and
covertly. These frequently deceive themselves and others, and pass for good
Christians, when they are all the while unsound at heart. Many pass
undiscovered until death and judgment bring all to light. These
self-deceivers seem to come even to heaven's gate with confidence of their
admission, and yet are turned away at last (Matt 7:22). I beseech you deeply
to lay to heart and firmly retain this awakening consideration-that
multitudes perish by the hand of some secret sin, that is not only hidden
from others-but from lack of observing their own hearts-is hidden even from
themselves. A man may be free from open pollutions, and yet die at last by
the hand of some unobserved iniquity; and there are these twelve hidden
sins, through which souls go down by numbers into the chambers of eternal
death. 

These you must search carefully for, and take them as black marks wherever
they are found, revealing a graceless and unconverted state; and as you love
your lives, read carefully with a holy jealousy of yourselves, lest you
should be the people concerned. 

[1] Gross wilful ignorance (Hos 4:6). O how many poor souls does this sin
kill in the dark, while they think truly they have good hearts, and are all
set for heaven. This is the murderer which dispatches thousands in a silent
manner, when they suspect nothing, and do not see the hand which destroys
them. You shall find, whatever excuses you make for ignorance, that it is a
soul-ruining evil (Isa 27:11; 2 Thess 1:8; 2 Cor 4:3). Ah, would it not have
grieved a man's heart to see that dreadful spectacle when the poor
Christians were shut up in a barn, and a butcher came, with his hands warmed
in human blood, and led them one by one, blindfold, to a block where he slew
them one after another, by scores, in cold blood? But how much more should
your hearts bleed to think of the hundreds that ignorance destroys in secret
and leads blindfold to the block! Beware that this is not your case. Make no
plea for ignorance; if you spare that sin, know that it will not spare you!
Would a man keep a murderer in his bosom?

[2] Secret reserves in closing with Christ. To forsake all for Christ, to
hate father and mother, yes, a man's own life for Him, 'This is a hard
saying' (Luke 14:26). Some will do much-but they will not have that religion
which will save them. They never come to be entirely devoted to Christ, nor
to be fully resigned to Him. They must have the sweet sin; they mean to do
themselves no harm; they have secret exceptions for life, liberty, or
estate. Many take Christ thus, and never consider His self-denying terms,
nor count the cost; and this error in the foundation mars all, and ruins
them forever (Luke 14:28-33).

[3] Formality in religion. Many rest in the externals of religion and in the
outward performance of holy duties. And very often this most effectually
deceives men, and more certainly undoes them than open profaneness; as it
was in the Pharisee's case. They hear, they fast, they pray, they give
alms-and therefore will not believe their case is bad. Whereas, resting in
the work done, and coming short of the heart-work and the inward power and
vitality of religion, they fall at last into the burning, from the
flattering hope and confident persuasion of their being all set on the way
to heaven. Oh dreadful case, when a man's religion shall serve only to
harden him, and effectually to delude and deceive his own soul!

[4] The prevalence of wrong motives in holy duties. This was the bane of the
Pharisees. Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this, and drops into hell
before he discerns his mistake! He performs his 'good duties' and so thinks
all is well-but does not perceive that he is actuated by carnal motives all
the while. It is too true that even with the really sanctified, many carnal
ends will often creep in; but they are the matter of their hatred and
humiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with them, and bear
the greatest sway. But when the main thing that ordinarily moves a man to
religious duties is some carnal end-as to satisfy his conscience, to get the
reputation of being religious, to be seen by men, to show off his gifts and
talents, to avoid the reproach of being a profane and irreligious person, or
the like-this reveals an unsound heart. Oh Christians, if you would avoid
self-deceit, see that you mind not only your actions but your motives.

[5] Trusting in their own righteousness. This is a soul-ruining mischief.
When men trust in their own righteousness they do indeed reject Christ's.
Beloved, you had need be watchful on every hand, for not only your sins-but
your duties may undo you. It may be you never thought of this; but so it is,
that a man may as certainly perish by his seeming righteousness and supposed
graces-as by gross sins; and that is, when a man trusts to these as his
righteousness before God, for satisfying His justice, appeasing His wrath,
procuring His favor, and obtaining His pardon. This is to put Christ out of
office, and make a Savior of our own duties and graces. Beware of this, O
professing Christians; you are much in duties-but this one fly will spoil
all the ointment. When you have done most and best, be sure to go out of
yourselves-to Christ; reckon your own righteousness as filthy rags (Phil
3:9; Isa 64:6).

[6] A secret enmity against the strictness of true religion. Many moral
people, punctilious in their formal devotions, have yet a bitter enmity
against strictness and zeal, and hate the life and power of true religion.
They do not like this forwardness, nor that men should make such a stir in
religion. They condemn the strictness of religion as singularity,
indiscretion, and intemperate zeal, and with them a zealous preacher or
fervent Christian is but a wild enthusiast. These men do not love holiness
as holiness (for then they would love the height of holiness), and therefore
are undoubtedly rotten at heart, whatever good opinion they have of
themselves.

[7] The resting in a certain degree of religion. When they have so much as
will save them, as they suppose, they look no farther, and so show
themselves short of true grace, which always sets men aspiring to perfection
(Phil 3:13; Prov 4:18).

[8] The predominant love of the world. This is the sure evidence of an
unsanctified heart. 'If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him' (1 John 2:15). But how often does this sin lurk under the fair
cover of profession. Yes, such a power of deceit is there in this sin that
many times, when everybody else can see the man's worldliness and
covetousness, he cannot see it himself-but has so many excuses and pretenses
for his eagerness after the world, that he blinds his own eyes and perishes
in his self-deceit! How many professing Christians are there, with whom the
world has more of their hearts and affections than Christ, 'who mind earthly
things', and thereby are evidently after the flesh, and likely to end in
destruction (Rom 8:5; Phil 3:19). Yet ask these men, and they will tell you
confidently they prize Christ above all; for they do not see their own
earthly-mindedness for lack of a strict observance of the workings of their
own hearts. Did they but carefully search, they would quickly see that their
greatest satisfaction is in the world, and that their greatest care and main
endeavor are to get and secure the world-which are the certain signs of an
unconverted sinner. May the professing part of the world take earnest heed
lest they perish by the hand of this sin unobserved. Men may be, and often
are, kept off from Christ as effectually by the inordinate love of lawful
comforts, as by the most wicked lives.

[9] Reigning malice and envy against those that disrespect them, and are
injurious to them. Oh how do many who seem to be religious, remember
injuries and carry grudges, rendering evil for evil, loving to take revenge,
wishing evil to those who wrong them. This is directly against the rule of
the Gospel, the pattern of Christ, and the nature of God. Doubtless, where
this evil is kept boiling in the heart, and is not hated, resisted, and
mortified-but habitually prevails, that person is in the very gall of
bitterness, and in a state of death (Matt 18:32-35; 1 John 3:14-15).

[10] Unmortified pride. When men love the praise of men more than the praise
of God, and set their hearts upon men's esteem, applause, and approbation-it
is most certain that they are yet in their sins, and strangers to true
conversion (John 12:43; Gal 1:10). When men do not see, nor complain, nor
groan under the pride of their own hearts-it is a sign they are stark dead
in sin! Oh how secretly does this pride live and reign in many hearts, and
they know it not-but are total strangers to themselves (John 9:40).

[11] The prevailing love of pleasure. This is a black mark. When men give
the flesh the liberty that it craves, and pamper and please it, and do not
deny and restrain it; when their great delight is in gratifying their
bellies and pleasing their senses; whatever appearances they may have of
religion-all is unsound. A flesh-pleasing life cannot be pleasing to God.
'Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh', and are careful to keep
it under control, as their enemy (Gal 5:24; 1 Cor 9:25-27).

[12] Carnal security, or a presumptuous confidence that their condition is
already good. Many cry, 'Peace and safety', when sudden destruction is
coming upon them. This was that which kept the foolish virgins sleeping when
they should have been working-upon their beds when they should have been at
the markets. They did not perceive their lack of oil until the bridegroom
was come; and while they went to buy, the door was shut! And oh that these
foolish virgins had no successors! Where is the place, yes, where is the
house almost, where these do not dwell? Men are willing to cherish in
themselves, upon ever so slight grounds, a hope that their condition is
good-and by these means perish in their sins. Are you at peace? Show me upon
what grounds your peace is maintained. Is it Scripture peace? Can you show
the distinguishing marks of a sound believer? Can you evidence that you have
something more than any hypocrite in the world ever had? If not, fear this
peace more than any trouble; and know that a carnal peace commonly proves
the most mortal enemy of the soul, and while it smiles and kisses and speaks
fairly-it fatally smites, as it were, under the fifth rib.

By this time I think I hear my readers crying out, with the disciples, 'Who
then shall be saved?' [Matt 19:25; Mark 10:26; Luke 18:26] Set out from our
congregations all those ten ranks of the profane on the one hand, and then
take out all these twelve classes of self-deceiving hypocrites on the other
hand-and tell me whether it is only a remnant that shall be saved. How few
will be the sheep that shall be left, when all these shall be separated and
set among the goats. For my part, of all my numerous hearers, I have no hope
to see any of them in heaven that are to be found among these twenty-two
classes that are here mentioned, except by sound conversion they are brought
into another condition.

And now, conscience, do your work! Speak out, and speak home to him who
hears or reads these lines. If you find any of these marks upon him, you
must pronounce him utterly unclean. Do not take a lie into your mouth. Do
not speak peace to him to whom God speaks no peace. Do not let self-love or
carnal prejudice bribe or blind you. I summon you from the court of heaven
to come and give evidence. As you will answer it at your peril, give a true
report of the state and case of him who reads this book. Conscience, will
you altogether be silent at such a time as this? I adjure you by the living
God that you tell the truth. Is the man converted-or is he not? Does he
allow himself in any way of wickedness-or does he not? Does he truly love,
and please, and prize, and delight in God above all things-or not? Come,
give a definite answer.

How long shall this soul live in uncertainty? O conscience, bring in your
verdict. Is this man a new man-or is he not? How do you find it? Has there
passed a thorough and mighty change upon him-or not? When was the time,
where was the place-or what were the means by which this thorough change of
the new birth was wrought in his soul? Speak, conscience; or if you cannot
tell the time and place, can you show Scripture evidence that the work is
done? Has the man ever been taken off from his false foundation, from the
false hopes and false peace in which once he trusted? Has he been deeply
convinced of sin, and of his lost and undone condition, and brought out of
himself, and off from his sins-to give himself up entirely to Jesus Christ?
Or do you not find him to this day under the power of ignorance-or in the
mire of worldliness? Have you not found upon him the gains of
unrighteousness? Do you not find him a stranger to prayer, a neglecter of
the Word, a lover of this present world? Do you not sometimes catch him in a
lie? Do you not find his heart fermented with malice-or burning with lust-or
going after his covetousness? Speak plainly to all the forementioned
particulars. Can you acquit this man, this woman, from being in any of the
twenty-two classes here described? If he is found in any of them, set him
aside; his portion is not with the saints. He must be converted and made a
new creature-or he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Beloved, do not be your own betrayers. Do not deceive your own hearts, nor
set your hands to your own ruin by a willful blinding of yourselves. Set up
a tribunal in your own breasts. Bring the Word and conscience together. 'To
the law and to the testimony.' [Isa 8:20] Hear what the Word concludes of
your state. Oh follow the search until you find how the case stands. Make a
mistake here-and you perish! And, such is the treachery of the heart, the
subtlety of the temper, and the deceitfulness of sin-all conspiring to
flatter and deceive the poor soul; and so common and easy it is to make a
mistake, that it is a thousand to one that you will be deceived, unless you
are very careful and thorough and impartial in the inquiry into your
spiritual condition. 

Oh therefore be diligent in your work; go to the bottom, search with
candles; weigh yourself in the balance, come to the standard of the
sanctuary; bring your coin to the touchstone. Satan is a master of deceit;
he can draw to the life; he is perfect in the trade; there is nothing which
he cannot imitate. You cannot wish for any grace-but he can fit you with a
counterfeit. Be jealous; trust not even your own heart. Go to God to search
you and try you, to examine you and prove your thoughts. If other helps do
not suffice to bring all to an issue-but you are still at a loss, consult
some godly and faithful minister or Christian friend. Do not rest until you
have put the business of your eternal welfare out of doubt.

'O Searcher of hearts, set this soul searching, and help him in his search.'

 

 

Thanks.

 

For the King's honor,

 

Charis,

 

Mike Abendroth

 

 <http://www.bbcchurch.org> www.bbcchurch.org

 

Ephesians 3:21 auvtw/| h` do,xa evn th/| evkklhsi,a| 

 

2 Tim 1:2b  "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord."

 

"Faith is not our physician; it only brings us to the Physician ... Faith is
not our saviour. It was not faith that was born at Bethlehem and died on
Golgotha for us. It was not faith that loved us, and gave itself for us;
that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that died and rose again for
our sins.  It is a sin-bearer that we need, and our faith cannot be a
sin-bearer. Faith can expiate no guilt; can accomplish no propitiation; can
pay no penalty; can wash away no stain; can provide no righteousness. It
brings us to the cross, . but in itself it has no merit and no virtue.
Faith is not Christ, nor the cross of Christ. Faith is not the blood, nor
the sacrifice; . Our faith does not divide the work of salvation between
itself and the cross. It is the acknowledgment that the cross alone saves,
and that it saves alone. Faith adds nothing to the cross, nor to its healing
virtue. It owns the fulness, and sufficiency, and suitableness of the work
done there, and bids the toiling spirit cease from its labours and enter
into rest. Faith does not come to Calvary to do anything. It comes to see
the glorious spectacle of all things done, and to accept this completion
without a misgiving as to its efficacy. It listens to the "It is finished!"
of the Sin-bearer, and says, "Amen."   

NOT FAITH, BUT CHRIST 

by Horatius Bonar 
(1808-1889) 

 

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