Jeremiah 32:14

Take these evidences,.. . and put them in an earthen vessel.

Sealed and open evidences

I am going to make a parable, not to bring out what the text teaches, but to use it parable-wise. When Jeremiah bought this piece of land, it was transferred to him by two documents. The first was a title-deed, drawn up and signed by witnesses and then sealed up, not to be opened any more unless required to settle a dispute. That was his real title-deed. Then there was a counterpart of this transfer made, and signed by witnesses. This was not rolled up, and not sealed; but left open, so that Jeremiah might refer to it, and that, when desired, the open deed might be read and examined by others. Now, with regard to our redemption, our inheritance which Christ has bought for us, at a price immense, we, too, have two sets of evidences. The one is sealed up from all eyes but our own; in part, too, I might say that it is sealed up from our own eyes. The other, the counterpart of that, equally valid, is open to ourselves and open to others.

I. The Sealed Evidences Of Our Faith, the evidences which are sealed, at least in a measure, from our fellow-men.

1. And, first, I would say, among the sealed evidences is this: the Word of the Lord has come to us with power. If anyone asked himself, “Have I a right to the covenant of grace, and to the ‘all things’ which are ours if we are in that covenant? Have I a right to the purchased possession? Have I a right to the Lord Jesus Christ, and all that comes to believers in Him?”--in part, the answer must be, “Has the Word of the Lord come to you with power, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God?” There is a mystic influence, a Divine unction, which really goes with the Word of God, in many cases, so that it enters the heart, sheds a radiance upon the understanding, pours a flood of delightful peace and joy upon the soul, and affects the whole mental and spiritual being m a way which nothing else does. You cannot explain this to others; do you know it yourself? If so, that will be to you the sealed evidence that the eternal heritage is yours. The Lord has given you the spiritual perception of these things.

2. The next one of these sealed evidences is this, if indeed this heavenly heritage is ours, we have a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

3. Another sealed evidence of our interest in Christ is that we have life in Jesus. You have risen from the lower sphere of mere soulish life into the higher condition of spiritual life, and now you consort with God, you speak with Christ, you have become familiar with heavenly things, and are raised up to sit in the heavenlies with Christ Jesus.

4. This leads me to the fourth evidence, which is that now we have communion with God in prayer. The prophet Micah said, “My God will hear me,” and if you can truly, from your soul, say the same, you have a blessed evidence that you are an heir of heaven.

5. I rank very highly among the sealed evidences of our inheritance the fact that we have the fear of God before our eyes. That holy awe of God, that consciousness of His majestic presence, that dread of doing anything contrary to His will, that tender, loving, filial fear, which love does not cast out, but rather nourishes and cherishes, he that has this holy fear is a child of God.

6. Another evidence is this: we have secret supports in the time of trouble. “Underneath are the everlasting arms”; you are sustained when enduring awful pain, comforted under deep depression of spirit, strengthened for the work for which in yourself alone you are quite unequal, borne upward with holy joy in the midst of cruel slander; surely that is enough evidence for you.

7. Another sealed evidence is the secret love which the child of God has to all others of the children of God “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. As to the love we have to Jesus, We love Him because He first loved us,” and our love to Him is one of the evidences of His love to us. We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

8. Those inward conflicts which you now have, that struggling in your soul between right and wrong, the new man seeking to get the victory over the old corrupt nature, all these are your sealed evidences. So, also, are the victories which God gives you, when He treads evil passions beneath the feet of the new-born Man-child, who is the image of Christ within you, when you conquer yourself, when you subdue anger, when you go forth to do, by the strength of God, what else your nature would shrink from; all these are blessed evidences, signed, and sealed, to be rolled up, and put away, to be seen by no eye but your own, and the eye of the Most High.

II. The open evidences of our faith.

1. The first of such evidences that we are the children of God must be the open Word of God itself. I read the Bible, and I say, “Well, if this Book be true, I am a saved man: if this is really a Divine revelation, then I am saved.” Beloved, have you that open evidence of your salvation? That is the best evidence in the whole world.

2. Next to that, the open evidence of our right to the inheritance is a thorough change of life such as other people can see. Is it so with you? Has there been a distinct crisis in your being? Have you been turned from darkness unto light? Have you been brought from the power of Satan unto God?

3. Another open evidence is separation from the world. A man who is really a child of God cannot, after his conversion, consort with his old companions.

4. The next open evidence is found in union with the people of God, making them your companions, taking a delight in them.

5. One very clear open evidence is strict honesty, uprightness, and integrity in business. Your word must be your bond, and you must sooner fail in business than do the smallest thing that would be contrary to the strictest integrity.

6. One very open evidence of a change of heart, and of our possession of the inheritance, is a readiness to forgive.

7. Another open evidence is one which we often get, and do not like, that is, the opposition of the world. Thank God, Isaac, when Ishmael mocks you; for it is a mark that you are of the true seed, and that Ishmael is not.

8. Another open evidence, and one that is very sweet, is a holy patience in time of trouble, and especially in the hour of death.

III. The uses to which we put these evidences.

1. One of them is that they often yield us comfort. It takes the sting out of every trouble when we know that the heavenly inheritance is surely ours.

2. Then again, these evidences answer the unjust charges of Satan when he comes and says, “You are not a child of God.”

3. And above all things, I think that we ought to value these evidences because they will be produced in court at the last day. That is the most solemn thing of all. “I was an hungered and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink”: and so on. He produces this evidence of a work of grace in their hearts, and says to them, “Come, ye blessed of My Father,” &c. (C. H. Spurgeon.)