After hearing of several couples seperation, some of which were friends and family members, my wife gave me hug and said "We need to guard this." Yes indeed, we need to guard our marriages.
The more years I am married, currently in our 23 rd year, the more I am convinced that there are evil forces in this world that are working to dissolve each marriage of man and woman. Each marriage has enemies, seen and unseen, that are attempt ing to break apart what God has brought together. This covenant of marriage between one man and one woman that was established in Genesis, and continues to this day.
Why do I believe this? Because of recent events in our government and society, that have become hostile to "traditional marriage."
So much so that it is not only tolerated, but celebrated. And woe to anyone who may take a stand and stand up for the correct definition of marriage. They are labeled as old fashioned, not progressive, and not loving.
Interesting items from the Interwebs, from all over the world.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Guarding Your Marriage
Man Up
For richer or poorer
In sickness or in health
If you are married you made these vows to your spouse. If you are not married yet, you will recite these words to your spouse one day. And what exactly do they mean?
Most people would say whether we have money or not, or whether we remain healthy or get sick. All thinking long term. And it's good to think long term, but it also means in the short term, tomorrow, and next week, and next month. Also 20 or 30 years from now. We don't know what will be in the future, it is an unknown. But we trust in God who holds the future. We trust in verses like Romans 8:28 and ......
that talk about God's provision and caring for our needs.
I recently heard of a couple who was splitting up after being married for 50 years the wife is 76 years old and says she is love with a man who lives over seas. She says she hasn't been happy in a long time. She is leaving behind her confused and baffled adult children and friends. Another couple I know, right after their daughter was born, he announced he didn't want to be married any more and then married some one else.
He has since repented, but the scars remain of his decisions.
All of these families caused pain that will go out like ripples on a stream, affecting extended family and friends. Not only now, but possibly for generations to come.
These vows also
mean respect for each other. I'm sure you have noticed by now, but men and women are different. Not only in the way they look, but how they think, what they think about, and how they process those thoughts. Just being aware of that is half of it.
On taking our daughter to college
"Last week we took our daughter and a lot of her possessions to college to move her in. This will be a good thing I said to her, and it is a big step in the family. We sent the day having lunch in the dining hall, unpacking her belongings, and saying goodbye. There were some tears, of course, bittersweet moments.
She chose to go to my alma mater, and I left the decision totally up to her, I promise. Her apartment is about a half a mile away from campus and she just sent a picture to us 4 days later, and I hardly recognized her. Her face and arms had tanned, and she had grown from a little girl into a young lady in such a short time. She has called and told us of new friends and a few surprises along the way. I am happy and sad at the same time. Happy to see her come into her own and flourish, and sad to see her leave. But, having raised her to make good decisions and be responsible, I have every reason to believe that she will continue to do the same, while she is on campus.
I told her she will meet friends that she will stay in touch with 30 years later, and others she will know only while there. Everyone I knew when I was there, is gone, except for a friend that's an engineering professor. I know the names of the buildings and classes, but everything else has changed.
And that's OK, because this is HER time.
This is her time to figure out life on her own.
to make some mistakes, to learn and to grow. I don't want to stand in the way. My job as a parent is to raise responsible adults. And this is one positive step in that direction. ". - T. Meiers
When a church says "we want to stay relevant."
The telling lines are "we really wanted to stay relevant" and "biblical that meets the cultural relevancy of the people we encounter." This two statements alone tell me a lot. If by staying relevant we are watering down the Gospel message so we don't offend anyone, then this is the wrong approach. Jesus never said "meet the culture of the people." He DID say go out and make disciples. Tell the truth. Preach the Gospel. Talk about how depraved and sinful we are, and how we are in desperate need of a savior. Also he is saying if we don't do this the church "will be dead in a couple of years." That's not really what I read in the Bible when Jesus talks about the gates of hell not prevailing. God is sovereign and His church will not die, even if we don't meet the people on their own terms. And why not preach the gospel like they did in 1950? We don't need to modernize God's message. Churches need to tell the truth about the Christian life, and get out of the way, and the Holy Spirit will do the work in man's heart.
RC Sproul on the Church
"In Romans 3, Paul makes abundantly clear that unconverted people do not seek after God….so structuring worship to accommodate unbelievers is misguided because these unbelievers are not seeking after God. Seeking after God begins at conversion, and if we are to structure our worship with a view to seekers, then we must structure it for believers, since only believers are seekers.
When we look at the early church, we see that the Christians of the first century gathered on the Lord's day, devoting themselves to the study of the apostles' doctrine, to fellowship, to prayer, and to the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42). This was not an assembly of unbelievers. It was an assembling together of believers. Of course, as our Lord warned, there are always present among believers people who have made false professions of faith. There are always the tares that grow alongside of the wheat (Matt. 13:36–43). But one does not structure the church to meet the felt needs and desires of the tares. The purpose of corporate assembly, which has its roots in the Old Testament, is for the people of God to come together corporately to offer their sacrifices of praise and worship to God. So the first rule of worship is that it be designed for believers to worship God in a way that pleases God."
- R.C. Sproul
The Church
Why We Should Love the Church.
"Some people today think the church is a place for unbelievers to come. I don't believe that. There's not one word in the New Testament that says a church service is to be designed for an unbeliever, not one word. That's right. We don't design church services for unbelievers. We don't gather together for evangelism. We gather together for edification and worship, and we scatter for evangelism.
We don't collect to preach over, and over, and over, and over the simple gospel to figure out a way how to entertain unbelievers. That is not the purpose of the church gathering. The church gathers in order that it might corporately worship God and stimulate each other to love and good works. And it might be edified and accountable for the truth that it's hearing, and then it scatters to touch the world.
In 1 Corinthians there's a very interesting comment the apostle Paul says. And I think most people don't even know it's in there. You just kind of look past it. He's looking at the Corinthian church, which is just total chaos. He says, "Look – " verse 23 " – if your whole church gets together, and everybody speaks in tongues, what will happen if an unbeliever comes in?" Now isn't that an interesting statement?
He says, "Look, if you're having church, and everybody is speaking in tongues, what's going to happen if an unbeliever comes in?" You know what first hits me about that? The whole point of church isn't for unbelievers. But imagine, one of them might even come, an unbeliever might come. It's possible. I mean, it's not as if it was the plan, right? You say, "What are you going to do if an unbeliever shows up?" Like what an odd thing, but it might happen.
We don't meet for unbelievers. If the unbeliever comes in and you're all doing that, he's going to say, "These people are out of their minds, everybody speaking in tongues." "But if all are prophesying – " what does that mean? That doesn't mean some esoteric ecstatic experience, that means if you are declaring the truth of God, if they come in and someone is teaching the Word and declaring the Word, then an unbeliever is going to come in, and he's going to be convicted by the devotion of everybody to the Word of God, and he's going to be called to account by everybody. The secrets of his heart are disclosed, and he falls on his face and worships God, and says, "Wow, God is here."
You don't have to create some kind of a comfort zone for unbelievers and try to attract them to the church. But if they come, and they eavesdrop on your worship, and they eavesdrop, and they hear the Word being powerfully taught – and there's no power like the Word, sharper than any two-edged sword – and they see that you all submit to the Word, and you're all worshiping God, he's going to fall on his face and say, "God is here. This is incredible."
A few Sundays ago, some of you were there on Sunday night. I think it was before school started, a young man came into the baptistry – he was homosexual, dying of AIDS – and said, "I wandered in the back of this church all alone." And he said, "John, the first thing you did was stand up and you read the Psalm – a Psalm I never heard in my life." And then he rattled off ten verses verbatim, which he had memorized out of that Psalm.
And it was about the chains being broken, and the prisoners being set free, and those who are on the edge of death being given new life. And he said the tears began to race down my face, and I sat through that service, and I watched a people who worshiped God, and I heard that God was a delivering, healing, restoring, freeing God. And at the end of that service I gave my life to Jesus Christ. Three weeks ago.
He said, "I not only have not had a homosexual encounter," and they have sometimes as many as five a day, "but I have no desire for that, and never had since the moment I gave my life to Christ." We didn't create a service for homosexuals to make homosexuals feel loved and comfortable. A homosexual eavesdropped on the power of the Word of God, and the corporate worship of God's people, and he fell on his face to worship God."
That's why I love the church. It's a place for worship, and it's a place for edification."
- John MacArthur
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Arminianism and Calvinism
ARMINIANISM AND CALVINISM - THE RADICAL DIFFERENCE
The radical difference between Arminianism and Calvinism is that the system of the former revolves about the creature, whereas the system of the latter has the Creator for its centre of orbit. The Arminian allots to man the first place, the Calvinist gives God that position of honor.
Thus the Arminian begins his discussion of salvation with justification, for the sinner must believe before he can be forgiven; further back he will not go, for he is unwilling that man should be made nothing of.
But the instructed Calvinist begins with election, descends to regeneration, and then shows that being born again (by the sovereign act of God, in which the creature has no part) the sinner is made capable of savingly believing the Gospel.
[A.W. Pink – 'Salvation from the pleasure of sin']
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Monergism vs. Synergism
"I often hear this verse in John 1:12quoted over and over and over… But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, But fail so often to complete the firm statement with verse 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:13 As you can see you're not saved by a man-made system or personal effort or the human will of man… BUT of God. Ephesians 2:4
1. Synergism, which I completely disagree with, is the doctrine that the act of being born again is achieved through a combination of human will and divine grace. (From Greek sunergos, working together : sun-, syn- + ergon, work). Though there are godly men who believe this all to be true, there are many, many other godly men that just don't see synergism in God's word.
The Century Dictionary defines synergism as… "The doctrine that there are two efficient agents in regeneration, namely the human will and the divine Spirit, which, in the strict sense of the term, cooperate. This theory accordingly holds that the soul has not lost in the fall all inclination toward holiness, nor all power to seek for it under the influence of ordinary motives."
Why do people believe this? I can only guess it is because by nature we want to maintain an island of righteousness, a last bastion of pride in thinking that he can still contribute something, be it ever so small, to our own salvation. It would involve great humility on our part to admit this. If the Church took more efforts to search the Scriptures and reform her doctrine on this point, I am convinced that a great deal of blessing would be restored and God would remove much of the current worldliness in our midst.
2. Monergism… The word "monergism" consists of two main parts. The Greek prefix "mono" signifies "one", "single", or "alone" while the suffix "ergon" means "to work". Taken together it means "the work of one". All of God as scripture so clearly point out.
The Century Dictionary's definition of monergism: In theology, [monergism is] "the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only efficient agent in regeneration [the new birth] – that the human will possesses no inclination to holiness until regenerated [born again], and therefore cannot cooperate in regeneration."
Very simply, then, monergism is the doctrine that our new birth (or "quickening") is the work of God, the Holy Spirit alone, with no contribution and without the cooperation of fallen man, since the natural man, of himself, has no desire for God and cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14, Rom 3:11,12; Rom 8:7; John 3:19, 20).
Man remains resistant to all outward callings of the gospel until the Spirit comes to disarm us, call us inwardly and implant in us new holy affections for God. Our faith comes about only as the immediate result of the Spirit working faith in us in the hearing of the proclamation of the word. But just as God does not force us to see against our will when He gives us physical eyes, so God does not force us to believe against our will when giving us spiritual eyes. God gives the gift of sight and we willingly exercise it. To conclude, "…no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord', except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3) …who is the deposit guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 5:5).
Thus it should become plain to us that not everyone receives this redemptive blessing from Christ. God bestows it mercifully on whom He will according to His sovereign good pleasure (Rom 9:15-18; Eph 1:4, 5). The rest will continue in their willful rebellion, making choices according to their natural desires and thus receive the wrath of God's justice. That is why it is called "mercy" – not getting what we deserve. If God were obligated to give it to all men then, by definition, it would not longer be mercy. This should not surprise us … what should surprise us is God's amazing love, that He would save a sinner like me at all. (Taken from Monergism vs. Synergism by John Hendryx)
Soli Deo Gloria
Friday, August 28, 2015
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Raising Children
"Frustrated, anxious, and fearful parents reproduce themselves. Bitter mothers who teach their daughters to be sweet and kind still produce bitter daughters. More is caught than taught. Critical, impatient fathers train up disrespectful bullies, unworthy of a mother's love.
The first rule of child training is to decide what you want your child to be become and then become that very person yourself. The second rule of child training is don't complain or be surprised when they turn out to be just like you."
- From No Greater Love
Monday, August 24, 2015
Raising Children
"Frustrated, anxious, and fearful parents reproduce themselves. Bitter mothers who teach their daughters to be sweet and kind still produce bitter daughters. More is caught than taught. Critical, impatient fathers train up disrespectful bullies, unworthy of a mother's love.
The first rule of child training is to decide what you want your child to be become and then become that very person yourself. The second rule of child training is don't complain or be surprised when they turn out to be just like you."
- From No Greater Love
Blessings
"The blessings that God pours out upon his people are contingent not simply upon his love, but his love in terms of his covenant faithfulness (1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Tim. 2:13; Gen. 28:15; Deut. 7:9). What makes God a loving God is his faithfulness. Similarly, if Christians have love, they must necessarily have a faithful love."
- Mark Jones from Reformation 21
Piper on false converts
"If you alter or obscure the Biblical portrait of God in order to attract converts, you don't get converts to God, you get converts to an illusion. This is not evangelism but deception." – John Piper
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Cage Stage
Cage-Stage Calvinism: What Is It and What Causes It?
FROM R.C. Sproul Jr. Aug 22, 2015
"Cage-stage" describes an all too common phenomenon wherein a believer comes to embrace the doctrines of grace, and for a time becomes an obnoxious lout in defending the doctrines to all comers, whether they are interested or not. It suggests that such a newbie should spend some time in a cage until they calm down. If you are a Calvinist, you likely have been through this stage. If you are not, you surely have encountered those who were infected.
What causes Cage-stage Calvinism is a failure to believe Calvinism. Now I don't mean to rattle any cages here, but I believe it's true. It begins with a failure to believe in total depravity. The Cage Stager is frustrated, bent out of shape, often angry at the failure of others to embrace these biblical doctrines. But this biblical doctrine acknowledges that we all have difficulty embracing biblical doctrines. The Cage Stager seems to forget the battle with sin he not only continues to have, but the battle he only recently won, by God's grace, in coming to embrace the doctrines of grace. He seems to reason, "What is wrong with those terrible, awful, good-for-nothing sinners that they refuse to see what I only recently came to see?"
Cage-stage Calvinism is likewise an implicit denial of unconditional election. That is, in our hearts we tend to see ourselves, as Calvinists, as peculiarly worthy recipients of God's grace, as if He looked down the corridor of time, saw that we would in our wisdom come to embrace Calvinism and on that basis, chose us. Calvinists are not the elite soldiers of the kingdom. We were instead dead before the battle began, just like everyone else.
Do you see what these have in common? Cage-stage Calvinism, in the end, is the fruit of pride. We think too highly of ourselves, looking down our noses at others, and pat ourselves on the back for figuring it all out. Real Calvinism acknowledges our sin, our dependence on the grace of God not only to be redeemed, but to have any understanding of how we came to be redeemed. It recognizes and honors the grace and providence of God, affirming that the same sovereign God who brought us to saving faith revealed to us His sovereignty.
Real Calvinism likewise recognizes that the sovereign God who redeemed us redeems many who understand less than we do about the sovereignty of God. We don't panic over the existence of non-Calvinists in the church, understanding that this too is part of His sovereign plan. It's a good thing to be excited about learning more about the grace of God, the work of Christ, the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. And it is in fact a good thing to seek to help others understand as well. It is a bad thing, however, to lose sight of our need for grace and for graciousness.
Awakening to the sovereignty of God, truly, is a humbling experience, that bears the fruit of deeper repentance, deeper humility, deeper compassion. It bears the fruit of beauty, not ugliness, joy not anger. It releases us from the cage of pride, and equips us to serve the brethren. Cage-stage Calvinism has been and may yet be the sovereign plan of God. His revealed will, however, is that we would become more like Christ, who sets us free.
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Repentance
Bibiano Toring III > Paul Washer
True Repentance VS False Repentance
Contrition VS Attrition
Crying doesn't necessarily mean repenting, it just means your crying.
Contrition involves a genuine and godly sorrow for having disobeyed God. It differs from the repentance of attrition, which is a false form of repentance motivated by a fear of punishment. Attrition is seen in a child who, when he sees a paddle in his mother's hand, is sorry that he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. True repentance acknowledges the reality of the guilt and does not try to justify it. Anyone who approaches God with true humility, contrition, and an earnest resolution not to commit the sin again will surely receive the forgiveness of God.
Contrition @ Psalm 51 - King David
Attrition@ Genesis 27 - Esau
http://gfmanchester.com/what-is-true-repentance-contrition-v-attrition-r-c-sproul-2-min
Photos from Bibiano Toring III's post in Paul Washer ·
Friday, August 21, 2015
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Covenant Theology
What is Covenant Theology?
Covenant Theology is a framework for understanding the overarching storyline of the Bible, which emphasizes that God's redemptive plan and his dealings with mankind are without exception worked out in accordance with the covenants that he has sovereignly established. Although the importance of the divine covenants has been realized since the time of the earliest church fathers, Covenant Theology was not articulated as a thoroughly developed system, taking into account the entire extent of biblical revelation, until the days of the sixteenth and seventeenth century reformers, such as the influential Johannes Cocceius and Herman Witsius. The Westminster Confession of Faith is a landmark seventeenth century document that displays a robust, fully-developed Covenant Theology throughout.
Basically, Covenant Theology organizes biblical revelation around three unified but distinct covenants: the Covenant of Redemption, between the persons of the Trinity in eternity past, in which the Father promises to give a people to the Son as his inheritance, and the Son undertakes to redeem them; the Covenant of Works, which God enjoined upon Adam in the Garden, solemnly promising him eternal life if he passed the probationary test in the Garden of Eden (also, many covenant theologians see the covenant given on Mount Sinai as being in some sense a republication of the Covenant of Works); and finally, the Covenant of Grace, which God first entered into with Adam immediately after the Fall, when he promised to send a Seed of the woman, who would defeat the tempting serpent (Gen. 3:15). In the Covenant of Grace, God promises a champion to fulfill the broken Covenant of Works as a federal representative of his people, and so to earn its blessings in their behalf. All the later covenants of the Bible, such as those which God confirmed to Noah, Abraham, David, and the New Covenant which promises to fulfill these prior covenants in the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, are all organically connected, essentially being different administrations of the one eternal Covenant of Grace, which build upon each other and are all brought to completion in the New Covenant which Christ inaugurated with his shed blood.
Different theologians have proposed several different definitions of a biblical covenant; but perhaps the best is O. Palmer Robertson's phrase, "A bond-in-blood sovereignly administered" (The Christ of the Covenants, P&R Publishing, p. 15). Covenants are typically characterized by a visible sign and seal, which serve to "remind" God of his promises to those whom he has entered into covenant with. Some examples of these covenant signs are the rainbow, given to Noah; circumcision, given to Abraham; and baptism and the Lord's Supper, given to believers after the coming of Christ.
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Romans - by Marshall Proctor of the Calvinist Lounge
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
This is a very interesting passage indeed, especially if we go back to the original languages. I have no problem with how the KJV translated these verses, however, looking into the Greek is an extremely helpful, and necessary tool in exegesis.
Let us begin:
Let us look at the word "foreknew." The Greek word is προγινώσκω (prog-in-oce'-ko) (Strong's Concordance #4267), and it means know beforehand, or foreknow. This is not the same as him predestining people, but there does seem to be a differentiation here. Those whom he foreknew, implies that there are those whom he has not foreknown. This foreknowledge is a special foreknowledge, because, of course, God obviously foreknows all that will be. These are individuals that he has foreknown.
So those whom God has foreknown, in this special way, "he predestined."
But what about predestined? What does that mean? In Greek word is προορίζω (pro-or-id'-zo)(Strong's Concordance, #4309), and it means to "foreordain, predetermine, mark out beforehand." So, God has predetermined, and foreordained something to happen to those whom he has foreknown. What is that something?
"To be conformed to the image of his Son."
What does that mean? Basically, it means what it sounds like it means. Those people whom God has known in eternity past in a special way, He predetermined that those people, as opposed to the people whom God has not foreknown nor predestined, become like Christ. If we are to become like Christ, we need to have a righteous standing of equal quality with Christ. We need the righteousness of Christ given to us as a gift. But it goes beyond that; it also means that these people who are special in the heart of God are predestined to live holy lives. Cross reference this to Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
"Moreover," or another suitable translation would be "and." Paul is not done explaining this concept, so he is about to explain further.
"Whom He did predestinate." Same word, same meaning, still a specific group of people, same individuals. "He called." Called, the Greek word is καλέω (kal-eh'-o)(Strong's Concordance #2564) This word means to summon or invite. This is a specific call as opposed to the general command and call to everyone everywhere to repent. How do I know? Because Paul has been speaking about this particular group of people throughout the context, there's no way that this call could mean the general call to salvation. These people, whom God knew on an intimate level, whom he foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, he has sent a personal invitation to them.
And the elect really must respond to this call, and they do, for a time, resist it like any other unbeliever. God's grace, however, eventually overcomes their resistance and they call upon the Name of the Lord, and receive the forgiveness won for them on the cross. No one should assume they are saved if they have not sought the Lord in repentance for the forgiveness of sin. Claiming to be "elect" will profit no one if they will not look to Jesus Christ.
"Those whom He has called, he also justified." Δικαιόω, (dik-ah-yo'-o)(Strong's Concordance #1344) This word means to "make righteous, defend the cause of, plead for the righteousness (innocence) of, acquit, justify; hence: I regard as righteous." This is not simply a removal of our unrighteousness that thereby makes us righteous. How do I know?
Philippians 3:9 – "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"
Notice that the righteousness is "of God." That means it comes from him, it is not found in us in any way shape or form.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Again, the righteousness we have comes from something, or rather someone, God. It is given to us.
Romans 4:3 - For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Righteousness was "counted unto him." We do damage to the text if we say that God simply removing unrighteousness makes us righteous. That is only half of what justification is, the second is that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to our accounts, it is given to us as a gift, through faith.
So those whom God has foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus, God removes their sin and imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us.
Notice, all of those whom God has foreknown, and all of those whom he has predestined receive justification. This is further evidence that this is not simply a predestining of means, or some nebulous group, but real individuals. But of course the church is predestined and of course the means of salvation are predestined, but it is illogical to think that God predestined a group of people without predestining those individuals which comprise the group.
And now, those whom God has foreknown, predestined, and justified, he also glorified. One last Greek word, δοξάζω (dox-ad'-zo)(Strong's Concordance #1392) means to "glorify, honor, bestow glory on." This means that God will impart to us glory upon our death or His imminent return. We will receive "heavenly dignity and recognition"(Thayer's Greek Lexicon) What does all this entail? I doubt that anyone can truly comprehend the full meaning and reality of our glorified state, but it is surely out of supreme grace.
So we see that there is a distinguished, set apart, group of individuals whom God has foreknown in an intimate way, and have been predestined by God the Father to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, which entails justification, sanctification, and finally glorification.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Grace
"While not surprised by the primacy of love in New Testament teaching, I was surprised by the almost forty references to humility. either in the use of the word itself or in concept, and the obvious importance both Jesus and the apostles put on that virtue. Yet how little attention do most of us give to growing in humility. The opposite trait of humility, of course, is pride, and there is no pride like that of self-righteousness, feeling good about our own religious performance and looking down on others'."
~ Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness
Monday, August 17, 2015
Outward and Inward Calls
Here is a brief summary presented by Thomas Paul Simmons in his work "A Systematic Study of Bible Doctrine"
THE OUTWARD AND INWARD CALLS OF GOD
I. THE OUTWARD CALL
The Scripture clearly speaks of two different calls. The first one in the order of occurrence is known generally as the outward or external call. The following Scriptures refer to this call: Isa. 45:22; 55:6; Matt. 9:13; 11:28; 22:14; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32; Rev. 22:17. There are other Scriptures that evidently refer to both calls. These are reserved until we take up the inward call.
The outward call is through the preaching of the gospel. It was by means of the gospel that Jesus called sinners to repentance. Today every presentation of the gospel is a call to men to forsake sin and trust Christ. The preaching of the gospel is also properly attended by a setting forth of man's need of salvation and of his duty and responsibility under God to repent and believe (Acts 17:30). There should also be the earnest entreaty to men to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20) and an invitation to all that labor (Matt. 11:28), and are athirst (Isa. 55:1; John 7:37; Rev. 22:17).
This call is therefore general. By this we mean that it is not confined to the elect (Matt. 22:14). We are commanded to preach the gospel to all. This call is intended for all men, though all do not hear it. This is true just as all men are commanded to repent (Acts 17:30), even though all men do not hear this command.
This call, of itself, is always ineffective. To Israel God said: "When I called, ye did not answer" (Isa. 65:12). The call referred to here was an outward call similar to the call now under discussion. Because of man's depravity, the preaching of the gospel alone is never sufficient to bring him to Christ. He needs more than an outward call. The gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Rom. 1:16); but "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him, and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged" (1 Cor. 2:14). Man must be enabled to turn from sin and believe on Christ. Jer. 13:23; John 12:39, 40; 6:44, 65.
Nevertheless it is the immediate duty of all to accept this call. Acts 17:30.
II. THE INWARD CALL
The following Scriptures refer to the inward call: Acts 2:39; Rom. 1:6; 8.28, 30; 9:11,24; 1 Cor. 1:1,26; 7:15; Gal. 1:15; 5:8; Eph. 4:4; Col. 3:15; 1 Thess. 5:24; 2 Thess. 2:14; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 1.15; 2:9; 3:9; 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:3,10; Jude 1. Some of these Scriptures, as has been indicated already, seem to allude to both the inward and outward call.
The inward call is a direct call through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes the preached gospel and opening the heart of the sinner (Acts 16:14), applies the word to the heart in regenerating power. It is then, and only then, that man is able to understand and receive the things of the Spirit of God. Thus the inward call is also through the gospel, but it is through the gospel as applied by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures touching on this work of the Spirit through the word will be given when we study regeneration.
This call is particular. By means of it the chosen objects of God's saving grace are singled out. The difference here between the outward and the inward calls may be imperfectly illustrated by the difference between a general invitation extended by a church to the people of a community to attend its services and the personal invitations that are extended to particular individuals by the membership of the church. Of course, as we have said, this only imperfectly illustrates the difference between God's two calls. Rom. 8:30 shows the particularity of this call.
This call is always effective. It is manifest that the Scriptures given at the beginning of the discussion of this call refer to an effective and efficient call. This call is never resisted; yet, in responding to it, man acts voluntarily and freely. See chapter on "The Free Agency of Man." The effectiveness of this call is shown by Rom. 8:28, 30; 1 Cor. 1:24.
Not mans effort
Romans 9:16 Gods mercy
Jeremiah 31:3 I have drawn you
I Thes 1:4 I have chosen you
John 6:44 unless God chose him
John 6:65 no one comes unless God chooses
1 John 4:19. He first loved us
John 3:27
He loved us when we were yet sinners
Psalm 65:4 Those He chose
Acts 13:48. As many as were chosen
Repentance
REPENTANCE-
Part I
"…repentance is a mighty work, a difficult work, a work that is above our power."
"Repentance is a flower wich does not grow in nature's garden!"
"Repentance is a gift that comes down from above. Men are not born with repentance in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouths: (Acts 5:31)."
"(2 Timothy 2:25-26) It is not in the power of any mortal to repent at pleasure. Some ignorant deluded souls vainly conceit that these five words, 'Lord! Have mercy upon me,' are efficacious to send them to heaven;"
"The Hebrew word for repentance signifies to return, implying a going back from what a man had done. It denotes a turning or converting from one thing to another, from sin to God. True repentance is a thorough change both of the mind and life. Repentance for sin is nothing worth without repentance from sin."
"The formal ACT of repentance is a changing and converting. It is a turning from darkness to light."
"The SUBJECT changed and converted is the whole man; it is both the sinner's heart and life; first his heart, then his life; first his person, then his practice and lifestyle."
"The TERMS of this change and conversion,…The heart must changed from the state and power of sin, the life from the acts of sin—but both unto God;…So the prophet Isaiah says 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord' (55:7)."
"Besides, repentance is not only a turning from all sin—but also a turning to all good; to a love of all good, to a prizing of all good, and to a following after all good (Ezek. 18:21): 'But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.'"
"Also true repentance includes a sensibleness of sin's destructiveness;…how it has made men Godless, Christless, hopeless and heavenless. Further, true repentance includes sorrow for sin, contrition of heart."
"…repentance does include, not only a loathing of sin—but also a loathing of ourselves for sin."
"True repentance is a sorrowing for sin, as it is an offence to God and against God. Repentance both comes from God, and drives a man to God, as it did the church in the Canticles, and the prodigal."
"…true repentance does not only work a man to loathe himself for his sins—but it makes him ashamed of his sin also: 'What fruit had you in those things whereof you are not ashamed?' says the apostle (Rom. 6:21)."
"'Repentance,' says he, 'strips us stark naked of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not so much as a shirt behind.'"
"…repentance is a continued act. The word repent implies the continuation of it. Anselm confesses, that all his life was either damnable for sin committed, or unprofitable for good omitted; and at last concludes, 'Oh, what then remains, but in our whole life—but to lament the sins of our whole life.' True repentance inclines a man's heart to perform God's statutes always, even unto the end."
"Repentance is a continued act of turning,…A true penitent has ever something within him to turn from; he can never get near enough to God;"
Thomas Brooks: Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
"Free Will"
"In the end, we see that the idea of a truly 'free' will is both philosophically and Biblically unsound.[2] Our desires and our nature/character determine our choices, but we are never forced to act contrary to that nature/character so in that respect, we freely express ourselves through the choices we make. But where God is concerned, our sinful desire freely rejects God until He chooses to regenerate the dead, sinful nature in us and draw us to Himself.
Once that happens, and we are set free from sin's control, we are truly free indeed!"
Conversation With Myself
Me:"You can't choose God. He chose you before the foundation of the world."
Myself:"You are causing division. Why can't we just be brothers in Christ?"
Me:"Because the Truth is important to me, and as a believer, it should be important to you also. If God is sovereign, which I believe, then He controls all things, allows some things, and is omnipotent. And how can man' s" free will "be stronger than God's power?"
Myself:"But, people walk away from God all the time and reject Him. They chose to walk away of their own free will."
Me: "They walk away because they are dead in their sins, slaves to sin, and the Holy Spirit has not softened their heart from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. Without the illumination of the Holy Spirit, no one would come to Christ at all."
Myself: "But it's still my choice. I can decide to accept or reject Him. What about the rich young ruler who came to ask Jesus how he could be saved? He walked away."
Me: "Jesus, being God, knew what was important to this man, and what his priorities were. That's why He said to sell all he owns and give it to the poor. Some do not have a genuine interest in being a Christian, and when they learn the true cost of dying to self, they are not willing. If the rich ruler really wanted to become a Christian, he would have done what Jesus asked him to. He would have said " Yes, I will do that right now." There is no indication that he ever did. The Holy Spirit did not work in his heart, otherwise he would have come to repentance and believed. Jesus said No one comes to the father unless he is drawn to Him."
Myself: "So you are saying that God has to draw me to Himself, but I am still responsible for my action? That doesn't seem fair."
Me: "Yes, you and I are still responsible regardless. We are all depraved sinners, and who's concept of fair are you considering? As John MacArthur says, " You don't want fair. Fair would be the destruction of everyone in Hell."
To be continued. . . . .
Expose Error, No Apology, No Compromise
"When Jude discusses the battle plan for exposing error, he doesn't provide an option for conscientious objectors. Those who try to argue that they're not called to contend against false teaching are essentially deserting their post in the war for the truth. All believers are enlisted in Christ's army (2 Timothy 2:3-4)."
- John MacArthur
Abiding in Christ
Excellent sermon by John MacArthur on Abiding in Christ.
When someone asks you what it means to be a true Christian, do not say, "it's a personal relationship with Christ", because:
1. It's not biblical
2. Judas And Satan had a personal relationship with Christ. In fact, everyone has a personal relationship with Christ whether they know it or not, and they will be judged on a personal basis.
Rather, tell them that a Christian abides in Christ.
- He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep
- He is our Father and and we are His child
- He is our King and we are His subjects
- He is the Head and we are the body
Most beautifully, He abides in us and we abide in Him. That is something to proclaim!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Endurance
Endurance: The Value of the Spiritual
By John MacArthur
"For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Believers are far more blessed when they concentrate on the spiritual rather than physical aspects of life.
Concerning endurance, Paul is again our role model. One reason he was able to endure pain and trials was that he knew the physical was far less important and lasting than the spiritual. He realized that our physical bodies are naturally aging and therefore not permanent. He was probably aware of this more than most people because his rigorous ministry with its travel demands hastened his own aging process. And surely he also aged more rapidly than others because of all the physical and emotional persecution he endured from his enemies.
Paul was able to accept physical suffering and aging because he knew his inner man (his spiritual self, his new creation) was being renewed daily (2 Cor. 4:16). It's not easy for us to follow Paul's example; yet he urges believers to "set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Col. 3:2). Many of the trials and sufferings the Lord brings to us compel us to obey Paul's words, look away from ourselves, and experience the spiritual growth that is so directly the result of suffering (see 1 Peter 5:10).
God's Word assures us that He will provide all the strength we need to endure. In closing, consider the prophet's words:
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.
—Isaiah 40:28-31
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What is the Reformed Faith?
What is the Reformed Faith?
WHAT DOES REFORMED MEAN?
The term Reformed is a historical term that goes back almost five centuries. It refers to a period when the church underwent a Reformation in attempting to return Christianity to the authority of Scripture. The desire of the Reformation was not to change God's word but rather to bring the church back into accord with it. Led by Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin, the Reformation churches split off from the errors of the medieval Roman church and began what we know today as Protestantism.
WHAT DID THE REFORMERS TEACH?
Martin Luther spent a great deal of time attempting to convince the church that man was saved by God's grace alone through faith alone. He believed that all teachings and doctrines should be based upon Scripture alone. Coupled with the works of Calvin, these theologians recognized the clear teaching of Scripture that God is a sovereign God.
They believed that God was not an idle viewer but was active in all of nature and the affairs of man and that "He who keeps you will not slumber." (Psalm 121:3). They taught, as did the apostle Paul, that "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). They were sure that God ruled over his creation sovereignly and that all events came to pass by God's design, for everything is "according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of his will" (Ephesians 1:11).
IS GOD A SOVEREIGN GOD?
Does the Creator of all have the right to do whatever he wants with the peoples of the earth? The Reformers believed not only that he had that right but that he exercised his will righteously and that this principle was clear in Scripture. "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?" (Daniel 4:35) His sovereignty was especially realized in the salvation of the elect. The teaching of the French reformer John Calvin emphasized the sovereignty of God and his work is often summarized in the "Five Points of Calvinism." The simple acronym "TULIP" explains these five points.
HOW ABOUT A TULIP?
Early Protestant leaders found that they had to defend the scriptural teachings of the sovereignty of God against those who denied God these rights. Many felt that salvation was at least in part by their own hands and were aggravated that anyone would bring this pride under the authority of Scripture. Church leaders valiantly proclaimed the biblical answer to this attack on God's rightful place as Lord over his creation.
Total Depravity: Man in his fallen, sinful state, "does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1Cor. 2:14). God's own assessment of the descendents of Adam's fallen race was "that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen. 6:5; 8:21). All the "good" that man thinks he does throughout his life is but "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). What was true of King David is also true of us all that we must realize that we were, "brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me." (Psalm 51:5). Natural man is not sick, not terminally ill, but DEAD. The Apostle Paul reminds those who are Christians of their past when he graphically says, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." (Ephesians 2:1-3)
Unconditional Election: God has chosen "us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). This means that those who will be saved are those who have been chosen to be saved by the sovereign Lord - "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy" (Romans 9:15). He does not base his election on any condition within man, "lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:9).
Limited Atonement: Christ's atonement is specifically for his people - "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15). He did not shed his blood for those who would not come to him. He has not paid the price for their sin - this they must do on their own. "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours." (John 17:9).
Irresistible Grace: Those whom he has chosen will surely come to him. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27). "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, . ." (John 6:37) God sends his Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of his elect; "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you" (Ezekiel 36:26). "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;" (John 6:44). "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).
Perseverance of the Saints: "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:29). "and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21). Salvation was not merited by any, nor is the election of his true sheep ever purchased by the believer, for "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phillipians 1:6).
CHALLENGERS
Much of what Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and other reformers taught has been challenged by those who believe that God can be sovereign but has chosen to give up some of his control so that man's freedom is not limited. These challenges are often based upon the beliefs of James Arminius, a Dutch seminary professor. His followers are called Arminians and deny the teaching of Reformed theology, especially as it considers man's individual worth. They do not believe that man is spiritually dead, but that he is only sick with sin.
While Calvinism holds that man is saved by unconditional grace, Arminians teach that man is saved by grace based upon a condition. The condition is that each person must develop in themselves a belief in God and reach out for God's grace. The Reformers taught that man has no power to save himself and it is solely God's Spirit that gives believers new life and faith. The challengers taught that man has at least enough worth to be able to meet the conditions of God's grace.
WHY IS THE REFORMED FAITH IMPORTANT TODAY?
The Reformers four centuries ago sought to humble man and exalt God. This objective has been carried on from the beginning of time until now by those who desire to know the Lord of hosts. Reformed churches believe that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). They want to teach and share the word of God in and out of season so that Christ's church may benefit from sound doctrine that exhorts a believer to a deeper appreciation of the God whom is to be served.
The Reformed Faith is so important today because many "Christian" churches do not teach nor believe in the Bible. It's frightening to realize that many modern churches question such basic truths as the divinity of Christ and his resurrection.
One cannot merely say, "well, it doesn't matter what you believe - it's just important to believe something." No matter what the world would have us believe, doctrine is important. What we believe is critically important. In the Book of Acts, the Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11).
It is certainly true that there are many churches which clearly teach the entire Word of God. It is not the intention here to imply that one can not be saved unless one is a member of a Reformed church. That is not true. The intention here is to point to a system of faith and theology which most closely follows the Word of God.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Endurance
Endurance: The Value of the Spiritual
By John MacArthur
"For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Believers are far more blessed when they concentrate on the spiritual rather than physical aspects of life.
Concerning endurance, Paul is again our role model. One reason he was able to endure pain and trials was that he knew the physical was far less important and lasting than the spiritual. He realized that our physical bodies are naturally aging and therefore not permanent. He was probably aware of this more than most people because his rigorous ministry with its travel demands hastened his own aging process. And surely he also aged more rapidly than others because of all the physical and emotional persecution he endured from his enemies.
Paul was able to accept physical suffering and aging because he knew his inner man (his spiritual self, his new creation) was being renewed daily (2 Cor. 4:16). It's not easy for us to follow Paul's example; yet he urges believers to "set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Col. 3:2). Many of the trials and sufferings the Lord brings to us compel us to obey Paul's words, look away from ourselves, and experience the spiritual growth that is so directly the result of suffering (see 1 Peter 5:10).
God's Word assures us that He will provide all the strength we need to endure. In closing, consider the prophet's words:
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.
—Isaiah 40:28-31
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Friday, August 14, 2015
Discernment in Music
"I'm not pushing to have your favorite songs banned from the radio. I'm grateful for Christian Radio and wholeheartedly pray that it continues, and improves. That being said, there is a lot of bad theology being pumped into the airwaves under a "Christian" banner that is dangerous to unsuspecting hearts and minds. Much like your local Christian bookstore, there is some good, some not-so-good, and some I can't believe that is even on the shelf! A Christian who is mature in the faith once-delivered to the saints, rooted and grounded in solid theology, is better equipped to "spit out the bones and swallow the meat" so to speak. My authority is limited. At best, should I deem a Christian song worthy of "Disapproval", what I'm saying to the Church is that I cannot, in good conscience, recommend or approve of listening to the song in isolation. Unless you live under my roof, are a passenger in my car, or become my student in some capacity, all I can hope for is that you will at least practice discernment for yourself or seek guidance from one of your elders or pastors. The Law defines sin, condemns it to death, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only remedy.
We Are Not Judging Your Church
In the days of Hymnity, Elders of the Church carefully examined the songs to approve of their use in corporate worship. The laity could rest assured (for the most part) that the hymns found in their Church's Hymnal were reviewed, prayed over, and approved by the elders. These days, the visible church has mostly abandoned the Hymnals, and much of what is played in Churches comes from popular bands in mega churches. It is rare to find a Worship Leader who scrutinizes the doctrine of the songs being sung, and even more rare is finding a church member who gives the theology and doctrine of the songs they sing a second thought. And this is within the visible Church. If these DiM posts motivate a Worship Pastor to exercise discernment, Praise the Lord! If a member of the church chooses to exercise discernment regarding a song that was included in a worship service, that is wonderful... if that is you, please go to your Worship Pastor and ask for an explanation of the theology of the song and its purpose in corporate worship. Your pastors / elders are responsible for your growth and will be held accountable to God."
Faithful Stewardship
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
God's Sovereignty
Michael Jeshurun
GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY AND THE HUMAN WILL
A.W. Pink
In what does the sinner's freedom consist? This question is naturally suggested by what we have just said above. The sinner is "free" in the sense of being unforced from outside. God never forces the sinner to sin. But the sinner is not "free" to do either good or evil, because an evil heart within is ever inclining him toward sin.
Let us illustrate what we have in mind. I hold in my hand a book. I release it; what happens? It falls. In which direction? Downwards; always downwards. Why? Because, answering the law of gravity, its own weight sinks it. Suppose I desire that book to occupy a position three feet higher; then what? I must lift it; a power outside of that book must raise it. Such is the relationship which fallen man sustains toward God. While divine power upholds him, he is preserved from plunging still deeper into sin; let that power be withdrawn, and he falls — his own weight (of sin) drags him down. God does not push him down, any more than I did that book.
Let all divine restraint be removed, and every man is capable of becoming, would become, a Cain, a Pharaoh, a Judas. How then is the sinner to move heavenwards? By an act of his own will? Not so.
A POWER OUTSIDE OF HIMSELF MUST GRASP HOLD OF HIM AND LIFT HIM EVERY INCH OF THE WAY!
The sinner is free, but free in ONE DIRECTION ONLY — free to fall, free to sin. As the Word expresses it: "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were FREE FROM righteousness" Rom. 6:20. The sinner is free to do as he pleases, always as he pleases (except as he is restrained by God), but his pleasure is to sin.
Does it lie within the power of the sinner's will to yield himself up to God? Let us attempt an answer by asking several others: Can water (of itself) rise above its own level? Can a clean thing come out of an unclean? Can the will reverse the whole tendency and strain of human nature? Can that which is under the dominion of sin originate that which is pure and holy? Manifestly not. If ever the will of a fallen and depraved creature is to move God-wards, a Divine power must be brought to bear upon it which will overcome the influences of sin that pull in a counter direction.
This is only another way of saying, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him" John 6:44. In other words, God's people must be made willing in the day of his power Psa. 110:3. As said Mr. Darby, "If Christ came to save that which is lost, free will has no place. Not that God prevents men from receiving Christ — far from it. But even when God uses all possible inducements, all that is capable of exerting influence in the heart of man, it only serves to show that man will have none of it, that so corrupt is his heart, and so decided his will not to submit to God (however much it may be the devil who encourages him to sin) that nothing can induce him to receive the Lord, and to give up sin.
If by the words, 'freedom of man', they mean that no one forces him to reject the Lord, this liberty fully exists. But if it is said that, on account of the dominion of sin, of which he is the slave, and that voluntarily, he cannot escape from his condition, and make choice of the good — even while acknowledging it to be good, and approving of it — then he has no liberty whatever (italics ours). He is not subject to the law, neither indeed can be; hence, they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
The will is not sovereign; it is a servant, because influenced and controlled by the other faculties of man's being. The sinner is not a free agent because he is a slave of sin — this was clearly implied in our Lord's words, "If the Son shall therefore make you free, ye shall be free indeed" John 8:36. Man is a rational being and as such responsible and accountable to God, but to affirm that he is a free moral agent is to deny that he is totally depraved — i.e., depraved in will as in everything else. Because man's will is governed by his mind and heart, and because these have been vitiated and corrupted by sin, then it follows that if ever man is to turn or move in a God-ward direction, God himself must work in him "both to will and to do of his good pleasure" Php 2:13.
Man's boasted freedom is in truth the "bondage of corruption"; he "serves divers lusts and pleasures." Said a deeply taught servant of God, "Man is impotent as to his will. He has no will favourable to God. I believe in free will; but then it is a will only free to act according to nature (italics ours). A dove has no will to eat carrion; a raven no will to eat the clean food of the dove. Put the nature of the dove into the raven and it will eat the food of the dove. Satan could have no will for holiness. We speak it with reverence, God could have no will for evil. The sinner in his sinful nature could never have a will according to God. For this he must be born again" (J. Denham Smith). THE WILL IS REGULATED BY THE NATURE.
Monday, August 10, 2015
CTT | What I decree and declare… | Faithful Stewardship
http://faithfulstewardshipblog.com/2015/08/10/ctt-what-i-decree-and-declare/
This is a really good read. I recommend subscribing to this blog. Everything I have read from here has been spot on.
- T.M.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Bad Things Good People
"Question Six: "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Answer: Bad things don't happen to good people. This is because there are no "good" people according to the Bible (see Psalm 14:1–3). God's definition of a "good" person is someone who is morally perfect — in thought, word, and in deed. Only God is good. A more relevant question would be, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" The answer is that God has lavished His kindness upon us, despite our many sins."
― Ray Comfort, The Defender's Guide for Life's Toughest Questions
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Monday, August 3, 2015
God's Gifts
"Riches are the pettiest and least worthy gifts which God can give a man. What are they to God's Word, to bodily gifts, such as beauty and health; or to the gifts of the mind, such as understanding, skill, wisdom! Yet men toil for them day and night, and take no rest. Therefore God commonly gives riches to foolish people to whom he gives nothing else."
~Martin Luther
— via Reformed Spirit
The Calvinist
"The Calvinist is the man who has seen God, and who, having seen God in His glory, is filled on the one hand, with a sense of his own unworthiness to stand in God's sight as a creature, and much more as a sinner, and on the other hand, with adoring wonder that nevertheless this God is a God who receives sinners."
BB Warfield