Living by faith in a world of new realities, views and contemplations — F.W. Krummacher

“And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” — Acts 16:23-25

“But hark! Although it is past midnight, two persons are singing in the dungeon; their voices, strong and clear, resound through the whole building; and what is it they sing? A lamentation? No; a song of praise: “Blessed be thou, O Lord!” “Hallelujah!” What! Hallelujah in such a situation? – In the probable expectation of a cruel death? – Is it possible? Yes; and it is affecting and surprising – not to be explained on natural grounds. They evidently live in a different world from other people; in a world, where the nature of things is changed, where a prison is not a prison, bonds are not bonds, death is not death: but where everything assumes a different form and aspect. And so it really is. They live in a world of new views and contemplations. All things wear to them a different appearance to what they do to others, a dungeon is to them a house of God, and the Lord is with them there. What the world calls dishonor is their crown. Of ignominy in the service of such a king, they are proud. Bonds to them a relief, not a burden – they are a consoling evidence to them, that, by the grace of God, they have an interest in Jesus, the author of life. A prison? To whom do the prisons belong? Not to men, but to Him, who numbers the hairs of the head, and opens and shuts prisons at His pleasure. In death they recognize the ferryman that conveys them to their home; but of dying, faith knows nothing.

Oh for faith, a living faith in the Word, and Christ its centre! Who can overcome those, in whom it lives and reigns? To such, all things become new; another, a superior world rises within them, and the world around them becomes brighter, richer, and more extended. You walk through woods and meadows; they through the garden of the Lord. You perceive only flowers and singing birds; they meet also with the God of nature, who clothes the one and feeds the other. You look upwards to the stars; they to the glimmering lights of their Father’s house. You live under the government of destiny; they under the guidance of a kind Providence. In history, you read only of the actions of men; in the same narrative, they read the history of God’s government of the world; they hear the sound of His footsteps and the rustling of His garments. You consider your houses only as the places in which you dwell; they account theirs as the habitation of God among men. You think yourselves alone; they never do. You consider your possessions as self-acquired; they, as the gift of God. What is the extent of your acquaintance? – man; their world is not so limited. By whom are you attended? – by your shadow; while they are accompanied by the most powerful safeguard. What is it you experience in distress? – affliction; they, chastening love. What is it you look for in prosperity and benefits? – pleasure; but they discern in them, the kindness and affection of a paternal heart. Where is it you live? – in the world; they live elsewhere, and above it. Where is your house situated? – under the free heaven; over theirs, are spread the wings of mercy. What is your life? – a dream; theirs, a journey homewards in the most agreeable company.

How delightful is a life of faith! How rich in blissful perspective and joyful hope! To all, who by the grace of God attain to it, how is the world enlarged, dignified, and enriched, and that without illusion! They are not enthusiasts and fanatics, they remain at their old occupations, they continue to live in the good old way; but to them, all things assume of themselves, another aspect, when the eyes of the new man are opened; and everywhere they behold God, Christ their king, and glimpses of that glorious world, which lies concealed behind the gross veil of visibility. And yet we are called narrow minded people, whose views are circumscribed and limited, whose life is cheerless and miserable. Oh, what an erroneous opinion! If there be a life that is cold, viewless, circumscribed, and wretched, it is the life of those, who see only with their bodily eyes. But the life of the meanest of believers is rich, I might almost say, perfectly intellectual and poetic. The light of the eternal hills shed a luster over it.”

— F.W. Krummacher, Israel and the heathen

“the LORD has called for a famine” - 2 Kings 8:1

“the LORD has called for a famine” - 2 Kings 8:1 — “This is the Scripture mode of representing those heavy calamities brought upon a land or a single habitation, and which sheds upon the sorrows and distresses of life a peculiar light, that is highly consolatory to the children of God. Viewed in this light, famine, pestilence, and war, and every other calamity, constitute an army, ever ready to come and go, to advance and retreat, at the Almighty’s command, but which, without His permission, can assail none… Sometimes they are employed to punish, and are the instruments of Divine justice; sometimes to awaken, and to restore sobriety to the intoxicated; sometimes to embitter sin, and to force sinners to a throne of grace; sometimes for the trial of the saints, and to kindle around them a refining fire; whatever may be the purpose for which they are employed, they never return, till, like the word of God, they have accomplished the thing whereunto they were sent. No one, therefore, when afflicted, has simply to do with his afflictions, but, above all, with Him who has appointed them; he is not to content himself with complaining, and thinking how they can be removed; but is to consider why they have been sent, and to decipher the obscure handwriting…”

— F.W. Krummacher, The restitution

The literary barricade and the word of God — F.W. Krummacher

“How many thousands in the present day, sit encircled by a wall of paper; by pamphlets, poems, novels, reviews, & travels; & oh! how difficult it is for serious & sacred word of truth to break through this literary barricade! What an effort does it cost, before room can be found for the word of the Lord, in place where fresh streams of human thoughts & glowing imagery are almost hourly flowing!…

Let it not be said, that it is so difficult to believe in this word of God. It carries with it so many marks of its Divinity, that, to upright inquiry, it soon discovers its eternal character. On the other hand, its Divine origin is too unsusceptible of demonstration, according to human principle, to be unhesitatingly embraces by any, except those who are impelled by a sense of need, and a hungering after salvation and grace. It is not addressed to reason, but to the necessitous heart; and requires, in the first place, humility of mind, the consciousness of sin, and an earnest longing after reconciliation. To him, who comes in this way, it proves itself to be, not merely in a general sense, the word of God; but it gently raises him on the light wings of faith, above the difficulties which, to self-satisfied reason, forever remain a stumbling-block!…

We, who are of Zion, have also words at our command that can banish night, and allay the storm. We possess the word that can remove the consciousness of guilt, and tame the passions; the word that can dispel the cares of life, and impart to the gloom of death a festal character. If there be a word that can unravel the mysteries of this world’s history, that can remove the veil from the most distant future, that can open the gates of eternity, deprive the grave of its terrors, and teach the son of earth to walk upon the raging billows, then we possess it. Trample us underfoot if you will; the glory of possessing this word you cannot deprive us of. Cover us with ignominy and contempt; yet the splendor of that crown with which this noble possession adorns us, cannot be tarnished. The world may have many things to boast of; but it can make no pretensions to such a word!”

— F.W. Krummacher, The curse of unbelief

live in the blood of Jesus by faith - Friedrich W. Krummacher

“Live in the blood of Jesus by faith, and like a miraculous dew, it will cause the virtuous germ of thy new nature to spring up and expand. It will flow like oil into the flame of thy love, and will assist humility in obtaining the victory in thee. It will render thee merciful, and forgiving, and patient. It will make the vain delights of the present world as nothing to thee, and give the courage and fortitude in the distresses of life, as well as at death. Yes, in whatever way thou regards it, it is true what the Scriptures say, that “life is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).”

- Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher, Gems of F.W. Krummacher

“The Lord shut the door upon Noah. When this was done Noah was removed from the view of those who were left behind; & thus it is with all who enter into the true ark. The world knows them no more. They travel incognito. Their life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). But what does it concern them, whether or not the world is able to comprehend & value them, it is enough for them that “the Lord knows them that are His” (2 Timothy 2:19)”

- Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher, Gems of F.W. Krummacher

“The office of the Holy Spirit – the Builder” - F.W. Krummacher

“Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” - 1 Corinthians 3:16

“The Holy Spirit builds; this is His occupation when we first learn to know Him, & certainly we often behold Him employed in it (1 Cor 3:16)…There is a city existing upon earth, which has nowhere its equal; it consists of holy sanctuaries & temples; it is invisible & yet close at hand; & the world contemns it, although it is the most glorious thing in it. The wings of Eternal Love are spread over it; heaven smiles on it benignantly; its walls & ramparts are of fire, & its foundations are firm as the eternal mountains. It is the city of the King of kings, & it is the office of the Holy Spirit to raise & extend it. He is a builder of temples; & in this point of view He stands in the same relationship to Christ that Solomon did to David. The latter by His victories & conquests first rendered the building of the temple possible; he also provided materials, & sketched the plan which Solomon put into execution.

No one is by nature a temple; on the contrary, by nature we are the dwelling places of an evil spirit, who has his work in the hearts of the unregenerated, & who blinds them so that they believe a lie. It is now the employment of the Holy Spirit to remodel this living charnel house, & for this purpose He throws down & raises up; He destroys & creates anew. His instrument is the Holy Scriptures; He makes the word penetrating & sharper than a two-edged sword; giving it power to make impression, & animating it with the breath of life. You know from experience how it acts; sometimes it strikes like a thunderbolt, & sometimes it flashes past; two houses stand together, the one is struck, while the other is untouched: Sunday after Sunday pass by, while the heavy laden cloud of our sermons thunder & lighten over the heads of the people; but what good does it do? They pass away without effect until the Spirit direct them. Then indeed there is a change; the rain falls on the heart; the fiery flames descend, & the word strikes like an invisible sword, reforming & creating anew.”

- F.W. Krummacher, The Martyr Lamb,

The office of the Holy Spirit