"There is a two fold union between Christ and us;- the one, by his taking upon him our nature; the other, by bestowing on us his Spirit: for as in his incarnation he took upon him our flesh and blood by the work of the Spirit, so in our regeneration he bestoweth on us his flesh and blood by the operation of the same Spirit".
John Owen, Works Vol 13 p. 22
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Speak the truth in love
a hint for members of the congregation from none other than Mr R.B
"Set yourselves in the most diligent and faithful improvement of all your parts and interests to help on the work of God on men's souls. Though you preach not, you have work enough in your own places to do, to further the preacher's work. Speak to poor people prudently, seasonably, and seriously about the state of their souls, and everlasting life."
- Richard Baxter (Book of Confirmation)
"Set yourselves in the most diligent and faithful improvement of all your parts and interests to help on the work of God on men's souls. Though you preach not, you have work enough in your own places to do, to further the preacher's work. Speak to poor people prudently, seasonably, and seriously about the state of their souls, and everlasting life."
- Richard Baxter (Book of Confirmation)
The Gospel according to the genealogy
I knew the genealogy in Matthew had to be there for some divine purpose, it just took until reading Edwards to see it:
"All the mothers are not noted, but only those which were either harlots or Gentiles, except the wife of Urias the Hittite, who was a wife of a Gentile. These are taken notice of because Christ's descending from several harlots and Gentiles intimates unto us that all that were saved by Christ were sinners, that the church of Christ is made up wholly of such as were once sinners, that is, spiritual harlots, or adulterers, and idolaters, thereby also typifying the calling of the Gentiles"
from "Notes on Scrpture" p. 51.
"All the mothers are not noted, but only those which were either harlots or Gentiles, except the wife of Urias the Hittite, who was a wife of a Gentile. These are taken notice of because Christ's descending from several harlots and Gentiles intimates unto us that all that were saved by Christ were sinners, that the church of Christ is made up wholly of such as were once sinners, that is, spiritual harlots, or adulterers, and idolaters, thereby also typifying the calling of the Gentiles"
from "Notes on Scrpture" p. 51.
The Word of God in John
It's great to go through John and note particular themes (life, belief, light, word etc.) recently I've done the latter and seen something i would love your comments on:
John presents Jesus' words as God's Words...
Throughout the gospel we hear that Scripture is being fulfilled (12:38, 13:18, 15:25, 17:12, 19:24b, 28, 36).
And then John uses the same construction for Scripture being fulfilled (especially 19:24b, 28) as he does for Jesus' words being fulfilled.
18:9 "This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one."" cf. 17:12
18:32 "This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die" cf. 12:32
Jesus' words belong in the Bible
John presents Jesus' words as God's Words...
Throughout the gospel we hear that Scripture is being fulfilled (12:38, 13:18, 15:25, 17:12, 19:24b, 28, 36).
And then John uses the same construction for Scripture being fulfilled (especially 19:24b, 28) as he does for Jesus' words being fulfilled.
18:9 "This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one."" cf. 17:12
18:32 "This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die" cf. 12:32
Jesus' words belong in the Bible
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Shine like stars...
Here is Baxter on the role of a member of a church... (in Confirmation p. 337-338
Be not men of comon spirits, or common speech, or a common conversation; but as we must make a difference between you and others in our communion and church administrations, so let the rest see that it is not without cause. For if you be but like other men, we shall seem to be partial in making a difference between you and other men. Let your light therefore shine before men to the glory of your heavenly Father. Let them see that you despise the world, and live above it, and can easily part with it; that you can forgive and bear a wrong; that your heart is in heaven heaven, and your treasure there; and that you are the heirs of another world; let all men hear and see by you, that you have a higher design in your eye than the ungodly, and that you are driving on another trade than the men that have their portion in this life. Heaven is your real glory; and to be heavenly is your true reputative glory, not only in the eyes of the wise, but of the common earthworms of the world.
Let's give it our best shot...
Be not men of comon spirits, or common speech, or a common conversation; but as we must make a difference between you and others in our communion and church administrations, so let the rest see that it is not without cause. For if you be but like other men, we shall seem to be partial in making a difference between you and other men. Let your light therefore shine before men to the glory of your heavenly Father. Let them see that you despise the world, and live above it, and can easily part with it; that you can forgive and bear a wrong; that your heart is in heaven heaven, and your treasure there; and that you are the heirs of another world; let all men hear and see by you, that you have a higher design in your eye than the ungodly, and that you are driving on another trade than the men that have their portion in this life. Heaven is your real glory; and to be heavenly is your true reputative glory, not only in the eyes of the wise, but of the common earthworms of the world.
Let's give it our best shot...
Found it!
I've been looking for some time now for work by Jonathan Edwards which really helped me know better what God has done in Christ. It is recorded by Conrad Cherry in his book "the theology of Jonathan Edwards". The work in quotes is Edwards... everything else is Cherry:
God is indebted to man and man may demand his salvation from God as a debt. It is clear that on this level, however, Edwards intends in no way to surrendour his position on the debt idea considered on the first level. In the sermon on the soverignty of God in salvation, immediately prior to his point that the believer may demand his salvation from God "as a debt," Edwards avers that "those who are in a state of salvation are to attribute it to sovereign grace alone, and to give all praise to him who maketh them to differ from others. Godliness is no cause for glorying, except it be in God." The possibilty of the believer's demanding salvation on the basis of his own godliness is precluded. But Edwards proceeds in the same sermon to suggest the manner in which salvation may be demanded as a debt by the believer:
"We learn what cause we have to admire the grace of God, that he should condescend to become bound to us by covenant; that he, who is naturally supreme in his dominion over us, who is our absolute proprietor, and may do with us as he pleases, and is under no obligation to us; that he should, as it were, relenquish his sovereign freedom, and should cease to be merely arbitrary in his dispensations towards believers, when once they have believed in Christ, and should, for their more abundant consolation, become bound. So that they can challenge salvation of this Sovereign; they can demand it through Christ, as a debt."
Man does not "tie up" God, but God ties himself to man in the covenant. This is Edwards' interpretation of the Incarnation: God binds himself in covenant with the sinner, and in so doing God freely limits his freedom for man. The sinner-believer demands salvation through Christ, on the ground of Gid's binding himself in Christ, and never through or on the basis of his own goodness or obedience. The demand is solely possible through the union a man has with Christ, who is God's covenant-event in history. The other sermon we cited which openly embraces the debt idea stresses the same fundamental points; the initiative of God in establishing the covenant; and the right of man's claim on salvation through Christ only:
"Salvation is an absolute debt to the believer from God, so that he may, in justice, demand it, on account of what his surety has done. For Christ has satisfied justice fully for his sin; so that it is but a thing that may be challenged, that God should now release the believer from punishment."
...for the elect believer God is no longer the distant, arbitrary ruler; he is the God who has "indebted" himself to man through the Christ, and man may now demand his salvation as God's part of the covenant.
We are needed in glory!
God is indebted to man and man may demand his salvation from God as a debt. It is clear that on this level, however, Edwards intends in no way to surrendour his position on the debt idea considered on the first level. In the sermon on the soverignty of God in salvation, immediately prior to his point that the believer may demand his salvation from God "as a debt," Edwards avers that "those who are in a state of salvation are to attribute it to sovereign grace alone, and to give all praise to him who maketh them to differ from others. Godliness is no cause for glorying, except it be in God." The possibilty of the believer's demanding salvation on the basis of his own godliness is precluded. But Edwards proceeds in the same sermon to suggest the manner in which salvation may be demanded as a debt by the believer:
"We learn what cause we have to admire the grace of God, that he should condescend to become bound to us by covenant; that he, who is naturally supreme in his dominion over us, who is our absolute proprietor, and may do with us as he pleases, and is under no obligation to us; that he should, as it were, relenquish his sovereign freedom, and should cease to be merely arbitrary in his dispensations towards believers, when once they have believed in Christ, and should, for their more abundant consolation, become bound. So that they can challenge salvation of this Sovereign; they can demand it through Christ, as a debt."
Man does not "tie up" God, but God ties himself to man in the covenant. This is Edwards' interpretation of the Incarnation: God binds himself in covenant with the sinner, and in so doing God freely limits his freedom for man. The sinner-believer demands salvation through Christ, on the ground of Gid's binding himself in Christ, and never through or on the basis of his own goodness or obedience. The demand is solely possible through the union a man has with Christ, who is God's covenant-event in history. The other sermon we cited which openly embraces the debt idea stresses the same fundamental points; the initiative of God in establishing the covenant; and the right of man's claim on salvation through Christ only:
"Salvation is an absolute debt to the believer from God, so that he may, in justice, demand it, on account of what his surety has done. For Christ has satisfied justice fully for his sin; so that it is but a thing that may be challenged, that God should now release the believer from punishment."
...for the elect believer God is no longer the distant, arbitrary ruler; he is the God who has "indebted" himself to man through the Christ, and man may now demand his salvation as God's part of the covenant.
We are needed in glory!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
man's side of the bargain (2)
"Also,
1. That we do take God for our absolute Lord or Owner, and do give up ourselves to him as his own.
2. That we take him for our universal, sovereign Govenor, and do give up ourselves unto him as his subjects.
3. That we do take him for our most bountiful Benefactor, and loving Father, and felicity, and do give up ourselves to him as his children, to seek him, and please him, and perfectly to love him, delight in him, and enjoy him forever in heaven as our ultimate end. And in consenting to these relations, we covenant to do the duties of them in sincerity"
Don't ever say God drives a hard bargain.
1. That we do take God for our absolute Lord or Owner, and do give up ourselves to him as his own.
2. That we take him for our universal, sovereign Govenor, and do give up ourselves unto him as his subjects.
3. That we do take him for our most bountiful Benefactor, and loving Father, and felicity, and do give up ourselves to him as his children, to seek him, and please him, and perfectly to love him, delight in him, and enjoy him forever in heaven as our ultimate end. And in consenting to these relations, we covenant to do the duties of them in sincerity"
Don't ever say God drives a hard bargain.
man's side of the bargain
Baxter writes this about "man's part of the covenant" with God:
"1. That we do take God the Father for our reconciled Father in Jesus Christ, and do give up ourselves to him as creatures to their Maker.
2. That we do take Jesus Christ for our Redeemer, Saviour, and Meditor, as our High Priest, and Prophet, and King, and do give up ourselves to him as his redeemed ones to be reconcilled to God, and saved by him.
3. That we do take the Holy Ghost for our Regeneator and Sanctifier, and do give up ourselves to be perfectly renewed and sanctified by him, and by his operations carried on to God in his holy service"
Give up ourselves to him!
"1. That we do take God the Father for our reconciled Father in Jesus Christ, and do give up ourselves to him as creatures to their Maker.
2. That we do take Jesus Christ for our Redeemer, Saviour, and Meditor, as our High Priest, and Prophet, and King, and do give up ourselves to him as his redeemed ones to be reconcilled to God, and saved by him.
3. That we do take the Holy Ghost for our Regeneator and Sanctifier, and do give up ourselves to be perfectly renewed and sanctified by him, and by his operations carried on to God in his holy service"
Give up ourselves to him!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Genesis 21:1-7 and the Word of God
In Genesis, at the occasion of the birth of Issac, we read this:
21:1a - The Lord visited Sarah as he had said
21:1b - and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised
21:2 - And Sarah conceived and bore abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him
21:7 And [Sarah] said "who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in my old age."
God's Word is working, his sayings are vindicated (v1a, v2), his promises are fulfilled (v1b), his commands are obeyed (v4), and the world would never have seen it coming (v7).
21:1a - The Lord visited Sarah as he had said
21:1b - and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised
21:2 - And Sarah conceived and bore abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him
21:7 And [Sarah] said "who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in my old age."
God's Word is working, his sayings are vindicated (v1a, v2), his promises are fulfilled (v1b), his commands are obeyed (v4), and the world would never have seen it coming (v7).
That will need another dissertation
Baxter sees the kingdom/rule of God like this:
By the law and the covenant of innocency, the Creator eminently ruled omnipotently. And the Son ruled eminently sapientially, initially under the covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his incarnation and the descent of the Holy Ghost, and more fully and perfectly afterward by the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost ever since doth rule in the Saints as the Paraclete, Advocate, or Agent of Christ, and Christ by him, eminently by holy love; which is yet but initially: but the same Holy Ghost by perfect love shall perfectly rule in glory forever; even as the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We have already the initial kingdom of love by the Spirit, and shall have the perfect kingdom in heaven; and besides the initial and the perfect there is no other. Nor is the perfect kingdom to be expected before the day of judgement, or our removal unto heaven; for our kingdom is not of this world. And they that sell all and follow Christ, do make the exchange for a reward in heaven; and they that suffer persecution for his sake, must rejoice because their reward in heaven is great: and they that relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ, and that lose anything for the sake of him, shall have indeed a hundred-fold (in value) in this life, but in the world to come eternal life. We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord: and those are the words with which we must comfort one another, and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly kingdom. And yet "we look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, according to his promise." But who shall be the inhabitants, and how that heaven and earth shall differ, and what we shall then have to do with earth, whether to be overseers of that righteous earth (and so to judge or rule the world) as the angels are now over us in the world, are things which yet I understand not"
By the law and the covenant of innocency, the Creator eminently ruled omnipotently. And the Son ruled eminently sapientially, initially under the covenant of promise or grace from Adam till his incarnation and the descent of the Holy Ghost, and more fully and perfectly afterward by the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost ever since doth rule in the Saints as the Paraclete, Advocate, or Agent of Christ, and Christ by him, eminently by holy love; which is yet but initially: but the same Holy Ghost by perfect love shall perfectly rule in glory forever; even as the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We have already the initial kingdom of love by the Spirit, and shall have the perfect kingdom in heaven; and besides the initial and the perfect there is no other. Nor is the perfect kingdom to be expected before the day of judgement, or our removal unto heaven; for our kingdom is not of this world. And they that sell all and follow Christ, do make the exchange for a reward in heaven; and they that suffer persecution for his sake, must rejoice because their reward in heaven is great: and they that relieve a prophet or righteous man for the sake of Christ, and that lose anything for the sake of him, shall have indeed a hundred-fold (in value) in this life, but in the world to come eternal life. We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord: and those are the words with which we must comfort one another, and not Jewishly with the hopes of an earthly kingdom. And yet "we look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, according to his promise." But who shall be the inhabitants, and how that heaven and earth shall differ, and what we shall then have to do with earth, whether to be overseers of that righteous earth (and so to judge or rule the world) as the angels are now over us in the world, are things which yet I understand not"
Monday, September 11, 2006
The cursed ground
In Genesis 3 God says to Adam "cursed is the ground because of you" (v17).
In Genesis 5 Noah's Father named Noah and said "out of the ground that the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief" (v29).
In Genesis 8 that hope is realised when God says to Noah "I will never again curse the ground because of man" (v21).
In this reversal of the curse we see a small picture of what Christ did for us on the cross. Christ removed the cursed ground from off of his disciples feet ("[Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet" - John 13:5). This removal of the cursed ground a picture of the removal of the curse at the cross - "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterwards you will understand". (John 13:7)
In Genesis 5 Noah's Father named Noah and said "out of the ground that the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief" (v29).
In Genesis 8 that hope is realised when God says to Noah "I will never again curse the ground because of man" (v21).
In this reversal of the curse we see a small picture of what Christ did for us on the cross. Christ removed the cursed ground from off of his disciples feet ("[Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet" - John 13:5). This removal of the cursed ground a picture of the removal of the curse at the cross - "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterwards you will understand". (John 13:7)
The method of Discipline
Here is Baxter's method of Church Discipline as recorded in Dr. William's Library, Baxter Manuscript, 2:256.
"As to my Practice: I do, if it be secret, make the fault at first no more public than the owner made it, but secretly admonish him to repent and reform. If it be public, or if he repent not, and reform not, I admonish before two or three, and then call him to our meeting (where the representative church, viz. 2 presbyters, 4 deacons and 24 delegates meet once a month for such work) and there endeavour his humiliation and reformation. If he declare not repentance there, or if he do but return again to the sin, I do in the face of the congregation mention his crime and our proceedings, and again with all seriousness and compassion there summon him to repentance: and if he refuse I desire the congregation to join in earnest prayer for him. This I do once or twice or thrice as prudence shall direct, considering the quality of the sin and sinner and the measure of the scandal. If yet he hear not the church, I do, from certain texts recited, require them to avoid him, and no more."
This sounds strikingly similar to Jesus' very own teaching in Matthew 18:15-17...
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
"As to my Practice: I do, if it be secret, make the fault at first no more public than the owner made it, but secretly admonish him to repent and reform. If it be public, or if he repent not, and reform not, I admonish before two or three, and then call him to our meeting (where the representative church, viz. 2 presbyters, 4 deacons and 24 delegates meet once a month for such work) and there endeavour his humiliation and reformation. If he declare not repentance there, or if he do but return again to the sin, I do in the face of the congregation mention his crime and our proceedings, and again with all seriousness and compassion there summon him to repentance: and if he refuse I desire the congregation to join in earnest prayer for him. This I do once or twice or thrice as prudence shall direct, considering the quality of the sin and sinner and the measure of the scandal. If yet he hear not the church, I do, from certain texts recited, require them to avoid him, and no more."
This sounds strikingly similar to Jesus' very own teaching in Matthew 18:15-17...
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
Saints Everlasting Rest
Here is Nuttall's presentation of a number of points made by Baxter in his book "Saints everlasting rest" - "a programme of what he would like to carry out if only he could". Number 10 is my favourite, what's yours?
1. Labour to be men of knowledge and sound understandings, let the Bible be much in your hands and hearts. Deut 6:6-7.
2. Do the utmost you can to get a faithful Minister, when I am taken from you; submit to his private Oversight, as well as publike Teaching. It is but the least part of a Ministers work which is done in a Pulpit.
3. Let all your knowledge turn into Affection and Practice; keep open the passage between your heads, and your hearts, that every Truth may go to the quick.
4. Be sure to make conscience of the great Duties that you are to perform in your families. If you cannot do what you should, yet do what you can.
5. Beware of extreams in the controverted points of Religion. As for separation, the mischeif lies not in the bare error of judgement, but in the un-christian and church-dissolving division and alienation which thence followeth.
6. Above all, see that you be followers of Peace and Unitie, both in the Church, and among your selves. Remember Heb.12:14. Those that say, No Truth must be concealed for Peace, have usually as little of the one, as the other. I ever loved a godly, peaceable Conformist, better that a turbulant Non-Conformist. I here charge you, That if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course (against which I daily pray) that you forsake me, and follow me not a step. If any heart-burnings arise, do not keep strange but go together, and lovingly debate it, or pray together, that God would reconcile you; O rememer that piercing example of Christ, who washed his Disciples feet, to teach us that we must stoop as low to one another.
7. Above all, be sure to get down from the pride of your hearts. Forget not all the Sermons I preached to you against this sin. No sin more natural, more common, more deadly.
8. Be sure you keep the mastery over your flesh and senses. Few ever fall from God, but flesh-pleasing is the cause.
9. Make conscience of the great duty of reproving, and exhorting those about you: Admonish them lovingly and modestly, but be sure you do it, and that seriously.
10. Lastly, Be sure to maintain a constant delight in God, and a seriousness and spirituality in all his Worship. Think it not enough to delight in Duties, if you delight not in God. You are never stable Christians till you reach this. Psalm 37:4. Fear the beginnings and apearances of sin. Beware lest Conscience once lose its tenderness.
1. Labour to be men of knowledge and sound understandings, let the Bible be much in your hands and hearts. Deut 6:6-7.
2. Do the utmost you can to get a faithful Minister, when I am taken from you; submit to his private Oversight, as well as publike Teaching. It is but the least part of a Ministers work which is done in a Pulpit.
3. Let all your knowledge turn into Affection and Practice; keep open the passage between your heads, and your hearts, that every Truth may go to the quick.
4. Be sure to make conscience of the great Duties that you are to perform in your families. If you cannot do what you should, yet do what you can.
5. Beware of extreams in the controverted points of Religion. As for separation, the mischeif lies not in the bare error of judgement, but in the un-christian and church-dissolving division and alienation which thence followeth.
6. Above all, see that you be followers of Peace and Unitie, both in the Church, and among your selves. Remember Heb.12:14. Those that say, No Truth must be concealed for Peace, have usually as little of the one, as the other. I ever loved a godly, peaceable Conformist, better that a turbulant Non-Conformist. I here charge you, That if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course (against which I daily pray) that you forsake me, and follow me not a step. If any heart-burnings arise, do not keep strange but go together, and lovingly debate it, or pray together, that God would reconcile you; O rememer that piercing example of Christ, who washed his Disciples feet, to teach us that we must stoop as low to one another.
7. Above all, be sure to get down from the pride of your hearts. Forget not all the Sermons I preached to you against this sin. No sin more natural, more common, more deadly.
8. Be sure you keep the mastery over your flesh and senses. Few ever fall from God, but flesh-pleasing is the cause.
9. Make conscience of the great duty of reproving, and exhorting those about you: Admonish them lovingly and modestly, but be sure you do it, and that seriously.
10. Lastly, Be sure to maintain a constant delight in God, and a seriousness and spirituality in all his Worship. Think it not enough to delight in Duties, if you delight not in God. You are never stable Christians till you reach this. Psalm 37:4. Fear the beginnings and apearances of sin. Beware lest Conscience once lose its tenderness.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Baxter learnt from the apostle Paul
Could we but learn two or three lines of it, what preachers should we be!
[a] Our general business – SERVING THE LORD WITH ALL HUMILITY OF MIND, AND WITH MANY TEARS.
[b] Our special work – TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, AND TO ALL THE FLOCK.
[c] Our doctrine – REPENTANCE TOWARDS GOD, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
[d] The place and manner of teaching – I HAVE TAUGHT YOU PUBLICLY, AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.
[e] His diligence, earnestness, and affection – I CEASED NOT TO WARN EVERY ONE NIGHT AND DAY WITH TEARS. This is that which must win souls, and preserve them.
[f] His faithfulness – I KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WAS UNPROFITABLE TO YOU, AND HAVE NOT SHUNNED TO DECLARE UNTO YOU ALL THE COUNCEL OF GOD.
[g] His disinterestedness and self-denial for the sake of the gospel – I HAVE COVETED NO MAN’S SILVER OR GOLD OR APPAREL: YEA, THESE HANDS HAVE MINISTERED UNTO MY NECESSITIES, AND TO THEM THAT WERE WITH ME, REMEMBERING THE WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS, HOW HE SAID, IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.
[h] His patience and perseverance - NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER COUNT I MY LIFE DEAR UNTO ME, SO THAT I MIGHT FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY, AND THE MINISTRY WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS.
[i] His prayerfulness – I COMMEND YOU TO GOD AND TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE, WHICH IS ABLE TO BUILD YOU UP, AND TO GIVE YOU AN INHERITANCE AMONG ALL THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED.
[j] His purity of conscience – WHEREFORE I TAKE YOU TO RECORD THIS DAY, THAT I AM PURE FROM THE BLOOD OF ALL MEN.
The Reformed Pastor
[a] Our general business – SERVING THE LORD WITH ALL HUMILITY OF MIND, AND WITH MANY TEARS.
[b] Our special work – TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, AND TO ALL THE FLOCK.
[c] Our doctrine – REPENTANCE TOWARDS GOD, AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
[d] The place and manner of teaching – I HAVE TAUGHT YOU PUBLICLY, AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.
[e] His diligence, earnestness, and affection – I CEASED NOT TO WARN EVERY ONE NIGHT AND DAY WITH TEARS. This is that which must win souls, and preserve them.
[f] His faithfulness – I KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WAS UNPROFITABLE TO YOU, AND HAVE NOT SHUNNED TO DECLARE UNTO YOU ALL THE COUNCEL OF GOD.
[g] His disinterestedness and self-denial for the sake of the gospel – I HAVE COVETED NO MAN’S SILVER OR GOLD OR APPAREL: YEA, THESE HANDS HAVE MINISTERED UNTO MY NECESSITIES, AND TO THEM THAT WERE WITH ME, REMEMBERING THE WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS, HOW HE SAID, IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.
[h] His patience and perseverance - NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, NEITHER COUNT I MY LIFE DEAR UNTO ME, SO THAT I MIGHT FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY, AND THE MINISTRY WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS.
[i] His prayerfulness – I COMMEND YOU TO GOD AND TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE, WHICH IS ABLE TO BUILD YOU UP, AND TO GIVE YOU AN INHERITANCE AMONG ALL THEM WHICH ARE SANCTIFIED.
[j] His purity of conscience – WHEREFORE I TAKE YOU TO RECORD THIS DAY, THAT I AM PURE FROM THE BLOOD OF ALL MEN.
The Reformed Pastor
Thursday, September 07, 2006
We can talk about church discipline till the cows come home...
Baxter was very aware that many men in ministry in his day (!) were keen to talk about discipling their congregations, less keen to do it:
The Reformed Pastor p. 164-166.
"There are, in fact, but few men who do not seem zealous in disputing for one side or other; some for Prelatical way, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the congregational. And yet when we come to the practice of it, for aught I see, we are quite agreed: most of us are for no way... Discipline is not a needless thing to the Church: if you will not make a difference between the precious and the vile, by discipline, people will do it by separation."
The last point may have been true in Baxter's day, but in the average congregation today I doubt whether a sinner still in church communion would produce separation - maybe just a good old back stabbing.
The Reformed Pastor p. 164-166.
"There are, in fact, but few men who do not seem zealous in disputing for one side or other; some for Prelatical way, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the congregational. And yet when we come to the practice of it, for aught I see, we are quite agreed: most of us are for no way... Discipline is not a needless thing to the Church: if you will not make a difference between the precious and the vile, by discipline, people will do it by separation."
The last point may have been true in Baxter's day, but in the average congregation today I doubt whether a sinner still in church communion would produce separation - maybe just a good old back stabbing.
Luke 4:14-21 (evangelistic)
here is part of a sermon I gave on Sunday the 3rd of September which was predominantly evangelistic and also on Luke 4:14-21. There is material in here from Paul Mayo for which I am very grateful.
Let's not forget the way Jesus has been received by many people throughout history... In the passage from Luke we heard this..."news about him (that is Jesus) spread through the whole countryside" (v14), and this " everyone praised him" (v15), and this "The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him" (v20).
Just as back then Jesus Christ has been listened to by many, many people. Currently 1.8 billion people in this world would profess to be followers of Jesus, that is more than the populations of
The UK, Thailand, Ethiopia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, The Philippines, Germany, PAUSE
Mexico, Nigeria, France, Japan, Bangladesh, Russia, Brazil, and the USA, all put together.
Let's not forget the way Jesus has been received by many people throughout history... In the passage from Luke we heard this..."news about him (that is Jesus) spread through the whole countryside" (v14), and this " everyone praised him" (v15), and this "The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him" (v20).
Just as back then Jesus Christ has been listened to by many, many people. Currently 1.8 billion people in this world would profess to be followers of Jesus, that is more than the populations of
The UK, Thailand, Ethiopia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, The Philippines, Germany, PAUSE
Mexico, Nigeria, France, Japan, Bangladesh, Russia, Brazil, and the USA, all put together.
Luke 4:14-21
Here is a section of a sermon i gave on Sunday the 3rd of September on Luke 4:14-21.
So let’s keep thinking, what do we need? And let’s turn back to our passage where we see it very clearly.
In verses 14-15 we read two things about what Jesus does. Firstly; “he returned In the power of the Spirit to Galilee”, and secondly “he taught in their synagogues”. So Jesus was a man anointed by the Holy Spirit and in that power he taught people – he gave his word. And we see the very same pattern in verses 18-19 where firstly he says “the Spirit of the Lord is on me” and then, anointed by the Spirit he gives his word. He says:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me, to …Preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to….Proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to…Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Jesus is a man anointed with the Holy Spirit, who in that Spirit gives us his word.
And the next thing the passage does is to show us just how powerful his words are. You see Jesus is preaching to people in the synagogue, in verse 16 we read – “And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read”. Now the Synagogue on the Sabbath day was filled with the most religious men.
But Jesus read the scripture we have heard over and over today – “the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And when Jesus finished reading and sat down, he said something which was as shocking then as it is now, he said – “today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”.
Can you imagine that!?! Jesus Christ taught all those religious looking guys that they were the poor, the imprisoned, the blind, and the oppressed. But more than that he says the only way they can have freedom from their sin which has done this to them is through his words. Notice that Jesus says the Scripture “is fulfilled in your hearing”.
If you want to read the rest just leave a comment asking for it.
So let’s keep thinking, what do we need? And let’s turn back to our passage where we see it very clearly.
In verses 14-15 we read two things about what Jesus does. Firstly; “he returned In the power of the Spirit to Galilee”, and secondly “he taught in their synagogues”. So Jesus was a man anointed by the Holy Spirit and in that power he taught people – he gave his word. And we see the very same pattern in verses 18-19 where firstly he says “the Spirit of the Lord is on me” and then, anointed by the Spirit he gives his word. He says:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me, to …Preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to….Proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to…Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Jesus is a man anointed with the Holy Spirit, who in that Spirit gives us his word.
And the next thing the passage does is to show us just how powerful his words are. You see Jesus is preaching to people in the synagogue, in verse 16 we read – “And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read”. Now the Synagogue on the Sabbath day was filled with the most religious men.
But Jesus read the scripture we have heard over and over today – “the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And when Jesus finished reading and sat down, he said something which was as shocking then as it is now, he said – “today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”.
Can you imagine that!?! Jesus Christ taught all those religious looking guys that they were the poor, the imprisoned, the blind, and the oppressed. But more than that he says the only way they can have freedom from their sin which has done this to them is through his words. Notice that Jesus says the Scripture “is fulfilled in your hearing”.
If you want to read the rest just leave a comment asking for it.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Baxter on discipline
This is where it really starts. I will begin to use this blog space as an area to gather thoughts and material on Baxter's theory and practice of church discipline (the subject of this years dissertation). Other material will continue to appear but Baxter will be my main topic of concern.
Here he is in "The Reformed Pastor" (Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh; 1656 rpr. 2001).
Prayer and discipline p. 108: "[Prayer] should be done in every case of discipline, but particularly if the offender will not be present to receive admonition, or gives no evidence of repentance, and shows no desires for the prayers of the congregation... let us be very earnest in prayer for him, that the congregation may be excited affectionately to join with us; and who knows but God may hear our prayers, and the sinner's heart may relent under them, more than under all our exhortations?... If ministers would be conscientious in performing this duty entirely and self denyingly, they might make something of it, and expect a blessing upon it".
Here he is in "The Reformed Pastor" (Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh; 1656 rpr. 2001).
Prayer and discipline p. 108: "[Prayer] should be done in every case of discipline, but particularly if the offender will not be present to receive admonition, or gives no evidence of repentance, and shows no desires for the prayers of the congregation... let us be very earnest in prayer for him, that the congregation may be excited affectionately to join with us; and who knows but God may hear our prayers, and the sinner's heart may relent under them, more than under all our exhortations?... If ministers would be conscientious in performing this duty entirely and self denyingly, they might make something of it, and expect a blessing upon it".
Thursday, August 03, 2006
The Lordship of Jesus
John Frame (in the Doctrine of the knowledge of God and Apologetics to the Glory of God, at least) talks about Lordship in the Bible containing 3 main attributes... authority, control and presence. Guess what, we find them in Christ at Matthew 28.
Authority: Matthew 28:18 "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me"
Control: Matthew 28:19-20a "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you"
Presence: Matthew 28:20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"
Conclusion: the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is Lord
Authority: Matthew 28:18 "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me"
Control: Matthew 28:19-20a "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you"
Presence: Matthew 28:20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"
Conclusion: the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is Lord
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Baxter the preacher
Richard Baxter created an art of preaching based on his theology of man: created and fallen. Because of these truths he knew what was in mens hearts when he got up to preach, consider Packer:
"They are slow to grasp divine truth, not merely through natural stupidity, but becasuse their wills are fundamentally apathetic towards it. They dislike it; they do not want to learn it; their thoughts wander during sermons, and what they hear and remember they misunderstand and misapply "I am daily forced to admire how lamentably ignorant many of our people are, that have seemed diligent hearers of me these ten or twelve years, while I spoke plainly as I was able to speak!" Baxter wrote in 1665. To combat this ingrained, wliful obtuseness, Baxter strove to be as plain and pungent as he could...
"The plainest words are the profitablest oratory in the weightest matters. Fineness is for ornament, and delicacy for delight, but they answer not necessity...It is hard...to hear or read a neat, concise, sententious (ed - ?) discourse, and not to be hurt by it; for it usually hindereth the due operation of the matter, and keeps it from the heart, and stops it in the fancy, and makes it seem as light as the style. We use not to stand upon compliment...when we run to quench a common fire, nor to call men out to it by an eloquent speech. If we see a man fall into fire or water, we stand not upon mannerliness in plucking him out, but lay hands on him while we can without delay" (Baxter).
"They are slow to grasp divine truth, not merely through natural stupidity, but becasuse their wills are fundamentally apathetic towards it. They dislike it; they do not want to learn it; their thoughts wander during sermons, and what they hear and remember they misunderstand and misapply "I am daily forced to admire how lamentably ignorant many of our people are, that have seemed diligent hearers of me these ten or twelve years, while I spoke plainly as I was able to speak!" Baxter wrote in 1665. To combat this ingrained, wliful obtuseness, Baxter strove to be as plain and pungent as he could...
"The plainest words are the profitablest oratory in the weightest matters. Fineness is for ornament, and delicacy for delight, but they answer not necessity...It is hard...to hear or read a neat, concise, sententious (ed - ?) discourse, and not to be hurt by it; for it usually hindereth the due operation of the matter, and keeps it from the heart, and stops it in the fancy, and makes it seem as light as the style. We use not to stand upon compliment...when we run to quench a common fire, nor to call men out to it by an eloquent speech. If we see a man fall into fire or water, we stand not upon mannerliness in plucking him out, but lay hands on him while we can without delay" (Baxter).
Monday, July 24, 2006
Baxter on heaven
Richard Baxter laid out 10 points about what he shall know better in heaven...
1. I shall know God better
2. I shall know the universe better
3. I shall know Christ better
4. I shall know the church, his body, better, with the holy angels
5. I shall better know the methods and perfection of the Scripture
6. I shall know the methods and sense of disposing providence better
7. I shall know the divine benefits, which are the fruits of love, better
8. I shall know myself better
9. I shall better know every fellow-creature
10. And I shall better know all that evil, sin, Satan and misery, from which I am delivered
let's go!
1. I shall know God better
2. I shall know the universe better
3. I shall know Christ better
4. I shall know the church, his body, better, with the holy angels
5. I shall better know the methods and perfection of the Scripture
6. I shall know the methods and sense of disposing providence better
7. I shall know the divine benefits, which are the fruits of love, better
8. I shall know myself better
9. I shall better know every fellow-creature
10. And I shall better know all that evil, sin, Satan and misery, from which I am delivered
let's go!
Monday, July 10, 2006
Japan is cloudy!!!!
Am currently in Japan, the people here are ready to receive the gospel.. and they need it! Some friends of mine are coming over as missionaries within the next three years - praise God! (pray for the Lord of the harvest). I have a missionary friend in Lithuania also and he has just had a summer camp where he saw the Word of God bear fruit for the one who gave it to us. As Adam wrote himself, the Word "will not return fruitless".
Missionary work is very important!
Missionary work is very important!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Repentance for the Gentiles
Repentance seems such a dreadful thing. Face to face with the sin we commit and lying in the dust before a holy God - the one we sinned against.
But take a look at Acts 11:18 when repentance comes to the Gentiles - "God has granted repentance that leads to life"
Firstly, "God has granted repentance". That which we find so hard and humbling and humilitating is a gift of our blessed saviour.
Secondly, "repentance that leads to life". Just as the suffering Christian in this life is certain of glory in the next, so the repentant Christian is certain of a glorious life with Christ his Lord.
Thirdly, "repentance that leads to life". Luke has not recorded this sentance with the word "repentance" as interchangeable, it is fixed and it is what leads to life. Life is only available through repentance, which "leads to" it.
We can be very thankful for repentance, knowing who graciously gave it to us, knowing where it leads, and knowing it is the only way to where it leads.
But take a look at Acts 11:18 when repentance comes to the Gentiles - "God has granted repentance that leads to life"
Firstly, "God has granted repentance". That which we find so hard and humbling and humilitating is a gift of our blessed saviour.
Secondly, "repentance that leads to life". Just as the suffering Christian in this life is certain of glory in the next, so the repentant Christian is certain of a glorious life with Christ his Lord.
Thirdly, "repentance that leads to life". Luke has not recorded this sentance with the word "repentance" as interchangeable, it is fixed and it is what leads to life. Life is only available through repentance, which "leads to" it.
We can be very thankful for repentance, knowing who graciously gave it to us, knowing where it leads, and knowing it is the only way to where it leads.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
The man and his mind
a lot of the chapter called "the man and his mind" in Packer's thesis on Baxter is about the way theologians are very good at taking their first idea on a subject as an absolute truth...
"The majority prefer to treat their first ideas as the last word and to defend them to the last ditch"
Baxter is quoted as saying that many argurements have been had in the church over "unsearchable things, which neither side understood, or about ambigious words, which one party taketh in one sense, and another in another"
I've lots to learn...
"The majority prefer to treat their first ideas as the last word and to defend them to the last ditch"
Baxter is quoted as saying that many argurements have been had in the church over "unsearchable things, which neither side understood, or about ambigious words, which one party taketh in one sense, and another in another"
I've lots to learn...
a picture of fun from Malta
Here is a photo of the trip (not all of it just a tiny part)... I promise you all I did gospel ministry too
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Malta is hot!!!!
Just so everyone knows whats going on... am in Malta at the moment working For Oak Hall Holidays. We are looking at Galatians over our time here and learning about the way God in his grace has provided for sinners to be right with him through faith in Christ Jesus. Striking when you see alters and 15 foot candles (no exaggeration) in Catholic Cathederals out here...
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Spurgeon in a house (2)
The next time Spurgeon was quoted over the weekend was another story he told... It was in defence of the fact that we should listen to God's Word above any other experience, and was given when he preached on Galatians 1:8 - "But if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed."
There once was a preacher who after giving his sermon was walking back to his seat in the congregation. As he did so an angel from heaven stood before him and in a loud voice proclaimed "I have a word for you!" The preacher said "I don't want you to tell me it". The angel replied "I have a very important word for you!" The preacher said "I suspect you are going to tell me it, but I do not want to hear it." The angel said to the preacher "your name is written in the Lambs book of life!" The preacher replied "I did not want you to tell me this word and now that you have I am very angry. For before you told me, I could trust that message from the Word of God, now I have you competing with my God for authority!"
...even if we or an angel from heaven...
There once was a preacher who after giving his sermon was walking back to his seat in the congregation. As he did so an angel from heaven stood before him and in a loud voice proclaimed "I have a word for you!" The preacher said "I don't want you to tell me it". The angel replied "I have a very important word for you!" The preacher said "I suspect you are going to tell me it, but I do not want to hear it." The angel said to the preacher "your name is written in the Lambs book of life!" The preacher replied "I did not want you to tell me this word and now that you have I am very angry. For before you told me, I could trust that message from the Word of God, now I have you competing with my God for authority!"
...even if we or an angel from heaven...
Spurgeon in a house
I've been away with church this weekend, and here is a parable by Charles Spurgeon which was quoted/ paraphrased:
There was a man who lived in a kingdom. He was a vegetable grower and was growing a prize carrot. It turned out that this carrot was an amazing carrot, huge and worthy of first place in any horticultural show. The man uprooted his carrot and because of his love and respect for his king, took it to him and laid it at his feet. He gave his prize carrot completely over to his king. The king in return said 'thank you for this gift which you have given me out of the abundance of your heart, here I will give you a field in return'.
Now a noble man standing in the kings court overheard these things and said to himself 'I will get the king my prize horse, that is sure to get me a gift from the king'. So he went, found the best horse he had and laid it at the kings feet. He gave his prize horse completely over to the king. But the king took the horse and walked away. The noble man was furious with the king but the king turned around and said 'I gave the gardenener a field because he gave me a gift for the simple reason that he wanted to bless his king, whereas you gave me a gift for the simple reason that you wanted a field - you are a foolish man, but I will keep your horse'.
If we give to God so that we might inherit something (heaven etc.) we are doing it for our own sake, we are not doing it to bless the king...
There was a man who lived in a kingdom. He was a vegetable grower and was growing a prize carrot. It turned out that this carrot was an amazing carrot, huge and worthy of first place in any horticultural show. The man uprooted his carrot and because of his love and respect for his king, took it to him and laid it at his feet. He gave his prize carrot completely over to his king. The king in return said 'thank you for this gift which you have given me out of the abundance of your heart, here I will give you a field in return'.
Now a noble man standing in the kings court overheard these things and said to himself 'I will get the king my prize horse, that is sure to get me a gift from the king'. So he went, found the best horse he had and laid it at the kings feet. He gave his prize horse completely over to the king. But the king took the horse and walked away. The noble man was furious with the king but the king turned around and said 'I gave the gardenener a field because he gave me a gift for the simple reason that he wanted to bless his king, whereas you gave me a gift for the simple reason that you wanted a field - you are a foolish man, but I will keep your horse'.
If we give to God so that we might inherit something (heaven etc.) we are doing it for our own sake, we are not doing it to bless the king...
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Living with a giant
Over the next 8 months or so of my life on this earth I am going to be spending much time in the theory and practice of Richard Baxter in regard to church discipline. I hope to post much of my findings but here is a taste of why I am going to undertake this endeavour...
"Either we must have Churches without the Discipline of Christ," wrote Baxter, "or else we must utterly undo our people, body and Soul forever, and plunge them into a desperate state, and make all our following labours in vaine to multitudes of them." Or else," he determined, "we must take another course, than to admit all our Parishes to Adult Church-membership, as was formerly done, without preparation, and fitness for such a state"
Quoted in J. William Black, From Martin Bucer to Richard Baxter: "Discipline" and Reformation in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century England page 662.
"Either we must have Churches without the Discipline of Christ," wrote Baxter, "or else we must utterly undo our people, body and Soul forever, and plunge them into a desperate state, and make all our following labours in vaine to multitudes of them." Or else," he determined, "we must take another course, than to admit all our Parishes to Adult Church-membership, as was formerly done, without preparation, and fitness for such a state"
Quoted in J. William Black, From Martin Bucer to Richard Baxter: "Discipline" and Reformation in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century England page 662.
God rejoices over his Saints
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
- Zephaniah 3:17
as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
- Isaiah 62:5
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
- Luke 15:10
- Zephaniah 3:17
as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
- Isaiah 62:5
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
- Luke 15:10
Faith, hope and love in Paul's letters
it occurs, i think, three times
1 Corinthians 13:13 - "So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love"
Galatians 5:5-6 - "For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love"
Colossians 1:4-5a - "since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven"
are there more?
1 Corinthians 13:13 - "So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love"
Galatians 5:5-6 - "For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love"
Colossians 1:4-5a - "since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven"
are there more?
Monday, June 12, 2006
A Clam Structure!!!
See the great way Paul orders his material around the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:14-26.
v15 biting and devouring each other and becoming destroyed.
...v16 command to live by the Spirit.
......v17 desires of the sinful nature and Spirit (opposed).
.........v18 led by the Spirit then you are not under law.
............v19-21 ACTS OF THE SINFUL NATURE.
............v 22-23a FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
.........v23b led by the Spirit then you are not under law.
......v24 desires of the sinful nature and Christ (opposed).
...v25 command to keep in step with the Spirit we live by.
v26 provoking and envying each other and becoming conceited.
Notice that the acts of the sinful nature are plural and the fruit of the Spirit is singular
Both of these things must mean something awesome...
v15 biting and devouring each other and becoming destroyed.
...v16 command to live by the Spirit.
......v17 desires of the sinful nature and Spirit (opposed).
.........v18 led by the Spirit then you are not under law.
............v19-21 ACTS OF THE SINFUL NATURE.
............v 22-23a FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
.........v23b led by the Spirit then you are not under law.
......v24 desires of the sinful nature and Christ (opposed).
...v25 command to keep in step with the Spirit we live by.
v26 provoking and envying each other and becoming conceited.
Notice that the acts of the sinful nature are plural and the fruit of the Spirit is singular
Both of these things must mean something awesome...
Edwardation, edwardation, edwardation
here he goes again...
"Roses grow upon briers, which is to signify that all temporal sweets are mixed with bitter. But what seems more especially to be meant by it, is that true happiness, the crown of glory, is to be come at in no other way than by bearing Christ's cross by a life of mortification, self-denial and labour, and bearing all things for Christ"
From Jonathan Edwards, Shadows of Divine Things
"Roses grow upon briers, which is to signify that all temporal sweets are mixed with bitter. But what seems more especially to be meant by it, is that true happiness, the crown of glory, is to be come at in no other way than by bearing Christ's cross by a life of mortification, self-denial and labour, and bearing all things for Christ"
From Jonathan Edwards, Shadows of Divine Things
Friday, June 09, 2006
What mercy, what can we do but the same...
In Matthew 18:21-35 the question that comes to Jesus and of which Jesus' teaching is responding to, is this:
"Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him?" v21.
Jesus' story is about "a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants". Note this is not saying the king wanted to forgive all his servants but that if their is any imbalance in the accounts he has with his servants, the king wants them sorted. God is a God of justice, he will by no means clear the guilty.
In the story the servant who is brought to the king owes him "ten thousand talents" (v24). The ESV helps us by pointing out in the footnote that a talent was "worth about twenty years wages for a labourer". So this man owed the king ten thousand x twenty years wages which equals... 200,000 years wages!
This is contrasted with the mercy of the king:
1. he had pity (v27a)
2. he released the servant (v27b)
3. he forgave the servant (v27c)
Later in the story, after the servant has been accused (rightly) of not forgiving a FELLOW SERVANT (for the reapeated use of this name in the story see vs. 28, 31, 33), the moral of the stroy shines through...
v33 - "should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?"
The punishment seems worse now than it would've been before he was forgiven...
before - sold with family until payment had been made (v25)
after - the master is acting "in anger" (v34a) and the servant was delivered to the 'torturers' (v34b - see ESV footnote).
Jesus is of course teaching on the Father's response to covenant members who do not forgive their brothers from their hearts (v35), it seems it would've been better for them not to be forgiven if they were going to be such wicked (v32) servants.
Let us not be wicked, strangling our brothers and demanding recompense (v28) by not forgiving our brothers from our hearts. Let us be like the Father in heaven who has had mercy on us, let us forgive our brothers seventy times seven times (v22).
"Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him?" v21.
Jesus' story is about "a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants". Note this is not saying the king wanted to forgive all his servants but that if their is any imbalance in the accounts he has with his servants, the king wants them sorted. God is a God of justice, he will by no means clear the guilty.
In the story the servant who is brought to the king owes him "ten thousand talents" (v24). The ESV helps us by pointing out in the footnote that a talent was "worth about twenty years wages for a labourer". So this man owed the king ten thousand x twenty years wages which equals... 200,000 years wages!
This is contrasted with the mercy of the king:
1. he had pity (v27a)
2. he released the servant (v27b)
3. he forgave the servant (v27c)
Later in the story, after the servant has been accused (rightly) of not forgiving a FELLOW SERVANT (for the reapeated use of this name in the story see vs. 28, 31, 33), the moral of the stroy shines through...
v33 - "should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?"
The punishment seems worse now than it would've been before he was forgiven...
before - sold with family until payment had been made (v25)
after - the master is acting "in anger" (v34a) and the servant was delivered to the 'torturers' (v34b - see ESV footnote).
Jesus is of course teaching on the Father's response to covenant members who do not forgive their brothers from their hearts (v35), it seems it would've been better for them not to be forgiven if they were going to be such wicked (v32) servants.
Let us not be wicked, strangling our brothers and demanding recompense (v28) by not forgiving our brothers from our hearts. Let us be like the Father in heaven who has had mercy on us, let us forgive our brothers seventy times seven times (v22).
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Edwards' three stage awakenings
Marsden notes the three stages in an awakening as noted by the Edwards family:
1. A 'sense of a persons sad estate with reference to eternity'.
2. Humiliation: A backsliding into sin that would lead them to realize the terribleness of their sins and that God would be entirely just in condemning them to hell.
3. If God graciously granted it - God's regenerating 'light', or a 'new spirit created in them,' so that they truely repented and sin would no longer reign in them, but rather they would be guided by the Holy Spirit 'dwelling in them' and they would receive the gift of faith in Christ alone as their hope of salvation and would experience a 'glorious change' to a life dedicated to serving God.
1. A 'sense of a persons sad estate with reference to eternity'.
2. Humiliation: A backsliding into sin that would lead them to realize the terribleness of their sins and that God would be entirely just in condemning them to hell.
3. If God graciously granted it - God's regenerating 'light', or a 'new spirit created in them,' so that they truely repented and sin would no longer reign in them, but rather they would be guided by the Holy Spirit 'dwelling in them' and they would receive the gift of faith in Christ alone as their hope of salvation and would experience a 'glorious change' to a life dedicated to serving God.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Jesus, in his glory
When studying the transfiguration today, another moment of Jesus in glory came to mind...
Transfiguration: Matt 17:6 - Peter, James and John fell on their faces and were terrified
Revelation 1:17a "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead"
Transfiguration: Matt 17:7a - Jesus touched them
Revelation 1:17b "But he laid his right hand on me"
Transfiguration: Matt 17:7b - Jesus told them to have no fear
Revelation 1:17c "saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last'"
Jesus, standing in his glory, loves to bless and to tell his followers not to fear.
Transfiguration: Matt 17:6 - Peter, James and John fell on their faces and were terrified
Revelation 1:17a "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead"
Transfiguration: Matt 17:7a - Jesus touched them
Revelation 1:17b "But he laid his right hand on me"
Transfiguration: Matt 17:7b - Jesus told them to have no fear
Revelation 1:17c "saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last'"
Jesus, standing in his glory, loves to bless and to tell his followers not to fear.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Jesus is God in Luke
Luke's use of the name Lord For Jesus Christ on earth and God in heaven provokes our faith to see that Jesus Christ is God....
2:9 - "an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them"................2:11 "unto you is born this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord"...........................................2:15b "let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us".
5:12 - "when he saw Jesus he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean"......5:17 - "and the power of the Lord was with him (Jesus) to heal".
cool. :)
2:9 - "an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them"................2:11 "unto you is born this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord"...........................................2:15b "let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us".
5:12 - "when he saw Jesus he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean"......5:17 - "and the power of the Lord was with him (Jesus) to heal".
cool. :)
Monday, May 29, 2006
faith of a Canaanite woman.....(Matthew 15:21-28
Well first of all she is from Tyre and Sidon (v22 - "from that region") so just read Ezekiel 26-28:24 to see her chances of being in God's good books. Then see the attitude of the disciples to her (v23b - "his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us"). See Jesus' attitude to her (consistent with Ezekiel might I add - v23a "But he did not answer her a word" v24 "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" v26 "It is not right to take the childrens bread and throw it to the dogs")
But look at her faith....
Jesus is her Lord v22, 25, 27
she kneels before him v25
she cries out to him v22, v23b
Jesus is the Son of David v22
He can have mercy on her v22
He can free her daughter from demons v22
He can help her v25
Jesus has a right to call her a dog v26-27a
Jesus is master v27b
Jesus is such a great master that she would even eat the crumbs from the table v27
So Jesus says "O woman, great is your faith!"
But look at her faith....
Jesus is her Lord v22, 25, 27
she kneels before him v25
she cries out to him v22, v23b
Jesus is the Son of David v22
He can have mercy on her v22
He can free her daughter from demons v22
He can help her v25
Jesus has a right to call her a dog v26-27a
Jesus is master v27b
Jesus is such a great master that she would even eat the crumbs from the table v27
So Jesus says "O woman, great is your faith!"
fear of..... (Matthew 14:26-33)
When the disciples were in the boat, Jesus walked on the water... they were scared of different things at different points during this episode... with different results
fear of the spiritual world (v26)......result.....cried out in fear (26b)
fear of the Lord (v28).......result..........walking on water (v29)
fear of the natural world (v30a)......result.......sinking (v30b)
I don't need to tell you which we should do, the results do that themselves
N.B there may be two others going on in this passage... (v24, v32-33) but have not worked that out yet..............
fear of the spiritual world (v26)......result.....cried out in fear (26b)
fear of the Lord (v28).......result..........walking on water (v29)
fear of the natural world (v30a)......result.......sinking (v30b)
I don't need to tell you which we should do, the results do that themselves
N.B there may be two others going on in this passage... (v24, v32-33) but have not worked that out yet..............
Monday, May 22, 2006
Jeremiah 18:18
"Then they said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor councel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words"
Here we see a people proclaim that words will not perish from the prophet... little do they realise Jeremiah is the true prophet... so set out themselves to do what they want not to be done - "let us strike [Jeremiah] with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to his words"
Here we see a people proclaim that words will not perish from the prophet... little do they realise Jeremiah is the true prophet... so set out themselves to do what they want not to be done - "let us strike [Jeremiah] with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to his words"
W. Churchill
Sail on a ship of state,
Sail on O union strong and great,
humanity with all its fears,
with all the hopes of future years,
is hanging breathless on thy fate.
Sail on O union strong and great,
humanity with all its fears,
with all the hopes of future years,
is hanging breathless on thy fate.
What of my Affections for Christ?
Have been reading through the Religious Affections by one Jonathan Edwards...
"The world was ready to wonder what strange principle it was that influenced them to expose themselves to so great sufferings, to forsake the things that were seen, and renounce all that was dear and pleasant which was the object of sense. They seemed to the men of the world about them as though they were beside themselves, and to act as though they hated themselves; there was nothing in their view that could induce them thus to suffer, and support them under, and carry them through such trials. But although there was nothing that was seen, nothing that the world saw, or that the Christians themselves ever saw with their bodily eyes, that thus influenced and supported them, yet they had a supernatural principle of love to something unseen; they loved Jesus Christ, for they saw him spiritually whom the world saw not, and whom they themselves had never seen with bodily eyes"
He was working from 1 Peter 1:8
"The world was ready to wonder what strange principle it was that influenced them to expose themselves to so great sufferings, to forsake the things that were seen, and renounce all that was dear and pleasant which was the object of sense. They seemed to the men of the world about them as though they were beside themselves, and to act as though they hated themselves; there was nothing in their view that could induce them thus to suffer, and support them under, and carry them through such trials. But although there was nothing that was seen, nothing that the world saw, or that the Christians themselves ever saw with their bodily eyes, that thus influenced and supported them, yet they had a supernatural principle of love to something unseen; they loved Jesus Christ, for they saw him spiritually whom the world saw not, and whom they themselves had never seen with bodily eyes"
He was working from 1 Peter 1:8
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Piper's majestic blurb
Read the back cover of "Don't waste your life" by John Piper:
"I want to tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider this story from the February 1998 Reader's Digest: A couple 'took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play soft ball and collect shells....' Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgement: 'Look, Lord. See my shells.' That is a tragedy.... "
He is right isn't he?
"I want to tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider this story from the February 1998 Reader's Digest: A couple 'took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play soft ball and collect shells....' Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgement: 'Look, Lord. See my shells.' That is a tragedy.... "
He is right isn't he?
Zechariah's King Priest
Zechariah 6:9-13 .....
And the word of the LORD came to me: "Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And say to him, 'thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honour, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'
And the word of the LORD came to me: "Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And say to him, 'thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honour, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
At his birth...
When Jesus Christ was born he was given a few names to help us understand who he was and that he might get the glory due him. Matthew records his names alongside the names of others in chapter 2:1-2... are we meant to compare them?
Jesus is: humans are:
king of the Jews (v2) - Herod the king (v1)
Shepherd of Israel (v6) - Cheif priests/scribes of the people (v4)
Ruler (v6) - Herod (v7)
a worshipped child (v11) - a mother (v11)
Let us respond like the WISE men : "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him" v10-11a
Jesus is: humans are:
king of the Jews (v2) - Herod the king (v1)
Shepherd of Israel (v6) - Cheif priests/scribes of the people (v4)
Ruler (v6) - Herod (v7)
a worshipped child (v11) - a mother (v11)
Let us respond like the WISE men : "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him" v10-11a
Yes but how does that change our lives Jean?
John Calvin did some wonderful work for the Lord. His doctrine helped us realise who we are in Christ: a living child. But did he do any work on how the Christian must live daily?... yes, and how:
"The Sum of the Christian Life: The denial of ourselves
We are not our own: let not our reason or our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds. We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours.
Conversely, we are God’s: let us therefore live for him and die for him. We are God’s let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions. We are God’s: Let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal [“If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” – Rom . 14:8 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” – 1 Cor. 6:19]. O, how much has that man profited who, having been taught that he is not his own, has taken away dominion and rule from his own reason that he may yield it to God!"
May we yield to God
"The Sum of the Christian Life: The denial of ourselves
We are not our own: let not our reason or our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds. We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours.
Conversely, we are God’s: let us therefore live for him and die for him. We are God’s let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions. We are God’s: Let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal [“If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” – Rom . 14:8 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” – 1 Cor. 6:19]. O, how much has that man profited who, having been taught that he is not his own, has taken away dominion and rule from his own reason that he may yield it to God!"
May we yield to God
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Shepherding anyone's heart
this is a list of questions to consider as you raise a child, it is written by Tedd Trip, but will be great to ask of any Christian you know, especially ourselves...
Relationship to God:
Does he ever talk about God? How does he talk about God? How does he think about God? Is his God small or grand? Does he think of God as a friend, a judge, a helper, a taskmaster? Is he living out of the fullness of seeing himself in Christ or is he trying to worship and serve himself?
Relationship to himself:
What attitiudes towards himself does he evidence? Is he shy or confident? Is he arrogant or diffident? Is he chained by fears? Is he able to extend himself to others? Does he have a false dependance on others? Does he feel better then others or does he feel inadequate around others?
Relationship to others:
What are your childs relationships? How does he interact with others? What sort of relationships does he have? What does he bring out in others? Are his relationships even or is he always in control or being controlloed? Does he fawn for the attention of others? Is he pleasant with other[s] ... his age? How does he deal with disappointment in people? How does he responed to being sinned against? What are areas of relational strength? What are the weaknesses?
Good questions!
Relationship to God:
Does he ever talk about God? How does he talk about God? How does he think about God? Is his God small or grand? Does he think of God as a friend, a judge, a helper, a taskmaster? Is he living out of the fullness of seeing himself in Christ or is he trying to worship and serve himself?
Relationship to himself:
What attitiudes towards himself does he evidence? Is he shy or confident? Is he arrogant or diffident? Is he chained by fears? Is he able to extend himself to others? Does he have a false dependance on others? Does he feel better then others or does he feel inadequate around others?
Relationship to others:
What are your childs relationships? How does he interact with others? What sort of relationships does he have? What does he bring out in others? Are his relationships even or is he always in control or being controlloed? Does he fawn for the attention of others? Is he pleasant with other[s] ... his age? How does he deal with disappointment in people? How does he responed to being sinned against? What are areas of relational strength? What are the weaknesses?
Good questions!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
A Great Catechism
1. Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?
A. That I, with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful saviour Jesus Christ
A. That I, with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful saviour Jesus Christ
a foolish cross?
I was e-mailed this quote yesterday:
"[o]f all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to?"
then remembered what God said:
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing" 1 Corinthians 1v18.
We see that opponants of the cross are fulfilling the Bible
"Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
1 Corinthians 1v20
"[o]f all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to?"
then remembered what God said:
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing" 1 Corinthians 1v18.
We see that opponants of the cross are fulfilling the Bible
"Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
1 Corinthians 1v20
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Samuel is a type of Christ
1 Samuel 2v26 - "Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and also with man"
Luke 2v40 - "And the child (Jesus) grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him"
Luke 2v52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man"
Now we just need to work out who Samuel was/ what he did
Luke 2v40 - "And the child (Jesus) grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him"
Luke 2v52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man"
Now we just need to work out who Samuel was/ what he did
Eternal life in John 3
Was looking at Jesus today in John chapter 3.
3v3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"
3v4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
3v5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God"
3v6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
3v7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'"
3v8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you here its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"
3v14-15 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life"
3v16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"
3v36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him".
So after the name of the mission I am about to go on. CHOOSE LIFE!
3v3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God"
3v4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
3v5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God"
3v6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"
3v7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'"
3v8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you here its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"
3v14-15 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life"
3v16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"
3v36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him".
So after the name of the mission I am about to go on. CHOOSE LIFE!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Games with David P. Field
When listening to a reporter on the T.V or elsewhere make a habit of disagreeing with what they say, for example:
Reporter - "Jack straw will be visiting Iraq today"
Reponse - "No he won't"
Reporter - "There has been a train crash in Reading"
Response - "No there hasn't"
Reporter - "We hope that never happens again"
Response - "No we don't"
Let us learn slowley but surely that just becuase someone says something - doesn't make it true.
Reporter - "Jack straw will be visiting Iraq today"
Reponse - "No he won't"
Reporter - "There has been a train crash in Reading"
Response - "No there hasn't"
Reporter - "We hope that never happens again"
Response - "No we don't"
Let us learn slowley but surely that just becuase someone says something - doesn't make it true.
Luther on Galatians 2v16
Gal 2v16 "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified"
So great is his work on this verse that some of his comments needed posting:
"For the sake of argument let us suppose that you could fulfill the Law in the spirit of the first commandment of God: “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart.” It would do you no good. A person simply is not justified by the works of the Law."
"With Paul we absolutely deny the possibility of self-merit. God never yet gave to any person grace and everlasting life as a reward for merit"
"God sent His only-begotten Son into the world that we may live through His merit. He was crucified and killed for us. By sacrificing His Son for us God revealed Himself to us as a merciful Father who donates remission of sins, righteousness, and life everlasting for Christ’s sake"
Let us agree.
So great is his work on this verse that some of his comments needed posting:
"For the sake of argument let us suppose that you could fulfill the Law in the spirit of the first commandment of God: “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart.” It would do you no good. A person simply is not justified by the works of the Law."
"With Paul we absolutely deny the possibility of self-merit. God never yet gave to any person grace and everlasting life as a reward for merit"
"God sent His only-begotten Son into the world that we may live through His merit. He was crucified and killed for us. By sacrificing His Son for us God revealed Himself to us as a merciful Father who donates remission of sins, righteousness, and life everlasting for Christ’s sake"
Let us agree.
How does the cross work? (Matt 22v13)
Matt22v13 "Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there wil be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
in a recent talk I noted three points to the sinner's punishment:
1. utter powerlessness: “Bind him hand and foot”
2. utter loneliness: “cast him into outer darkness”
3. aching painfulness: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
We then saw how the cross works as Jesus dies in the place of sinners:
The man Jesus was made powerless: “bind his hands and feet”. ("Put you finger here, and see my hands" - John 20v27)
The man Jesus suffered loneliness – the “outer darkness”: ("And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani?" which means, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" - Mark 15v34).
The man Jesus suffered physical pain – the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” ("In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence").
This is how the cross works, Jesus takes our place.
in a recent talk I noted three points to the sinner's punishment:
1. utter powerlessness: “Bind him hand and foot”
2. utter loneliness: “cast him into outer darkness”
3. aching painfulness: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
We then saw how the cross works as Jesus dies in the place of sinners:
The man Jesus was made powerless: “bind his hands and feet”. ("Put you finger here, and see my hands" - John 20v27)
The man Jesus suffered loneliness – the “outer darkness”: ("And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani?" which means, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" - Mark 15v34).
The man Jesus suffered physical pain – the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” ("In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence").
This is how the cross works, Jesus takes our place.
Enemies in Psalm 22v8
1a “He trusts in the LORD
2a let him deliver him;
2b let him rescue him,
1b for he delights in him!"
Notice that David’s enemies know the covenant name of God, and they know, although presumably do not believe, that Yahweh’s nature is to deliver those who trust him. Strikingly then we are told that David's enemies are members of Israel, but from what we have seen of Israel in v3:
"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel"
they are not true Israel.
2a let him deliver him;
2b let him rescue him,
1b for he delights in him!"
Notice that David’s enemies know the covenant name of God, and they know, although presumably do not believe, that Yahweh’s nature is to deliver those who trust him. Strikingly then we are told that David's enemies are members of Israel, but from what we have seen of Israel in v3:
"Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel"
they are not true Israel.
Christians encounter with a man in a cage
During this life I’ve seen a man,
Who slumped, eyes rolled, and with folded hand,
And he sighed as if his heart would brake-
“What means this?” said I, as his body did shake,
“What means this?” said I, as his body did shake.
Said the man – “I am what I was not once”,
To which my pitying reply – “what were you once?”,
“A fair and flourishing professor of Christ was I”,
Saying; “CELESTIAL CITY WILL BE MY HOME WHEN I DIE!”,
Saying; “CELESTIAL CITY WILL BE MY HOME WHEN I DIE!”
“But what are thou now? (for you are not so fair)”,
A groan from his cage “I am a man of despair”,
“How came you to be so bent?” said I,
“I have hardened my heart that I cannot repent”,
“I have hardened my heart that I cannot repent”.
“Why is there no hope for a man of such dress?”
“I have crucified my Lord to myself afresh,
I have counted his blood as an unholy thing,
And never more for his promise shall sing,
And never more for his promise shall sing”.
“For what did you set yourself into this strife?”
“For the Lusts, Pleasures and Profits of this life,
Desire for them led my body to squirm,
Now even those gnaw me like a worm,
Now even those gnaw me like a worm”.
“God hath denied me to repent,
His Word gives me no encouragement
Eternity, eternity I despise my eternity
Once Jesus my surety, I must now burn for he,
Once Jesus my surety, I must now burn for he.”
“Let this mans misery be remembered to thee,
In order that thou from sin would flee”,
“God help me from my lusts to fly,
Celestial city will be my home when I die!
Celestial city will be my home when I die!”
Based on John Bunyan’s “A Pilgrims Progress”
Who slumped, eyes rolled, and with folded hand,
And he sighed as if his heart would brake-
“What means this?” said I, as his body did shake,
“What means this?” said I, as his body did shake.
Said the man – “I am what I was not once”,
To which my pitying reply – “what were you once?”,
“A fair and flourishing professor of Christ was I”,
Saying; “CELESTIAL CITY WILL BE MY HOME WHEN I DIE!”,
Saying; “CELESTIAL CITY WILL BE MY HOME WHEN I DIE!”
“But what are thou now? (for you are not so fair)”,
A groan from his cage “I am a man of despair”,
“How came you to be so bent?” said I,
“I have hardened my heart that I cannot repent”,
“I have hardened my heart that I cannot repent”.
“Why is there no hope for a man of such dress?”
“I have crucified my Lord to myself afresh,
I have counted his blood as an unholy thing,
And never more for his promise shall sing,
And never more for his promise shall sing”.
“For what did you set yourself into this strife?”
“For the Lusts, Pleasures and Profits of this life,
Desire for them led my body to squirm,
Now even those gnaw me like a worm,
Now even those gnaw me like a worm”.
“God hath denied me to repent,
His Word gives me no encouragement
Eternity, eternity I despise my eternity
Once Jesus my surety, I must now burn for he,
Once Jesus my surety, I must now burn for he.”
“Let this mans misery be remembered to thee,
In order that thou from sin would flee”,
“God help me from my lusts to fly,
Celestial city will be my home when I die!
Celestial city will be my home when I die!”
Based on John Bunyan’s “A Pilgrims Progress”
Bunyon's righteousness is in heaven
One day as I was passing into the field . . . this sentence fell upon my soul. Thy righteousness is in heaven. And me thought, withal, I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, he wants [lacks] my righteousness, for that was just before [in front of] him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, "The same yesterday, today and, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God.
John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God.
John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)