# “Let the holiness of God in Christ be the awe of your souls” by Stephen Charnock

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2025/08/21/let-the-holiness-of-god-in-christ-be-the-awe-of-your-souls-by-stephen-charnock/
- Published: 2025-08-21T17:31:28-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“Endeavour after suitable affections to whatsoever you know of God in Christ. Let
the holiness of God in Christ be the awe of your souls.

Let us not dandle any sin which God so hates, that He would not remit it without
the price of the blood of His Son. Tremble at that justice which drank such draughts
of precious blood in the punishment of sin, and consider every sin in its utmost
demerit.

Admire and bless that wisdom, which made itself so eminent in the untying so many
knots, passing over such mountains of difficulties that He might show himself a 
hater of sin and a lover of His creatures, that He might intwine His mercy and justice
in perpetual embraces.

Let us have as strong affections of love and joy, as the devils, by their knowledge
of God as discovered in Christ, have of horror and hatred.

We see in that, not only the manifestation, but the satisfaction of His justice;
they see the manifestation of it, and the dissatisfaction of it forever with them.
They have such a knowledge of God in Christ, as to awaken their consciences; we 
may have such a knowledge of God in Christ, as to calm our consciences.

Their terrors are as much increased by that discovery, as a believer’s comfort. 
They behold God in Christ, their implacable and inexorable judge; we may behold 
God in Christ, a tender and condescending Father.

They know a God in our nature, imparting His own nature to us; and refusing their
nature, to leave them to lie in their fallen state forever. The terrible attributes
become sweet in Christ to man, and more dreadful to them.

Let the motions of your will, and the affections of your soul, rise according to
the elevation of your knowledge of God in Christ, more or less.

To conclude; let us behold His justice, to humble ourselves under it.

Let us behold His pardoning grace, to have recourse to it under pressures of guilt.

Let us sweeten our affections by the sight of His compassions, and have confidence
to call upon Him as a Father in our necessities.

Any discovery of God in Christ is an encouragement to a forlorn creature. His perfections
smile upon man. Nothing of God looks terrible in Christ to a believer.

The sun is risen, shadows are vanished, God walks upon the battlements of love, 
justice hath left its sting in a Saviour’s side, the law is disarmed, weapons out
of His hand, His bosom open, His bowels yearn, His heart pants, sweetness and love
is in all His carriage.

And this is life eternal, to know God believingly in the glories of His mercy and
justice in Jesus Christ.”

–Stephen Charnock, “[A Discourse on the Knowledge of God in Christ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/184871100X?tag=toletaupanre-20),”
[_The Works of Stephen Charnock, Volume 4_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/184871100X?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1865/2010), 4: 163.

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