REST FOR THE WEARY

Rest in Prospect:  by James Smith, 1861

Time is thickly sown with the seeds of trouble, and the soil appears most prolific. Every day, almost, brings something new to try us, and our trials are not often single, they come in troops. When we are most prosperous — we are often nearest some great trial.

Poor Job found it so. His troubles came unexpectedly, nevertheless he received them as from God, and blessed the Lord's name. But he was flesh as well as spirit, and when in addition to poverty and reproach, he was filled with pain — his heart failed him, and he cursed his day of his birth. He gave up all hope of comfort in this life, and looked forward to the grave, not only with hope — but with a longing desire. How pathetic, how touching are his words, as he looked to the tomb, or the place of graves. "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest." Job 3:17.

The Lord's People Are Often a Weary People. They weary — for they have but little strength, either physical, mental, or spiritual — they have a rough up-hill road to travel — and they have a heavy burden to carry.

They are weary of SIN, which is a constant plague and cause of discomfort.

They are weary of SELF, from which they cannot by any means be freed in the present world.

They are weary of the WORLD, to which they are crucified.

They are weary of SATAN, who is incessantly trying to disgrace, distress, and perplex them.

They are weary of the vain PROFESSORS of religion; whose inconsistencies grieve and wound them.

They are weary of OLD MAN, the body of death, the law in the members, which they have constantly to carry about with them, and which often presses them down to the earth.

Weary! O how weary is the believer often — in body and in mind — of almost everything within, and everything without! How is he ready to wish for the wings of a dove, that he may flee away and be at rest; or for his Lord's messenger of death to come, and set him eternally free. Weary one, look up — there is a hope laid up for you in Heaven; and look forward — there is a good, a glorious time coming!

There is a place and time — when the Lord's wearied ones will be at rest. The poor body — wearied and worn out with pain and labor, will find rest in the silent tomb. The soul — wearied with conflicts and disappointments, will find rest in the presence of Christ, with the spirits of God's elect. The body and soul at the resurrection, will find rest in eternal blessedness. The whole church, comprising all God's wearied ones, will find perfect rest in ultimate glory, when the Son shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, and God shall be all in all.

Rest! Sweet word. Rest! Delightful prospect!

We shall rest from the voice of an accusing conscience, which often causes pain.

We shall rest from all our doubts and fears, which often becloud the mind.

We shall rest from all the temptations, used by Satan to lead us astray — or arising from our inbred lusts, turning us aside from the right way — or employed by the world to allure or alarm, in order to divert us from the right path.

We shall rest from persecution, arising from the malice and hatred of men.

We shall rest from all our toils and labors.

We shall rest from the evil designs of professors of religion.

We shall rest from all our pains and sufferings.

We shall rest in full and holy satisfaction, possessing all we can wish for in the presence of Jesus, the highest object of our desire.

We shall rest in the most delightful employment, for the honor and glory of God.

We shall rest in the sweetest composure of spirit, forever freed from all fear of a change.

We shall rest in the full enjoyment of perfect and perpetual fellowship with God.

We shall rest in the most complete state of perfection, to which such beings can be raised.

Reader, are you one of God's weary ones? Are you weary of earth, of yourself, and especially of sin? Are you looking forward to the rest of the grave, for the poor body; and to the rest of Heavenly paradise, for the emancipated soul? Are you in the midst of your exhausting troubles and trials, taking encouragement from the prospect of the rest that remains for the people of God? If so, cheer up, "There is rest, there is rest!" And you will soon reach it, and that rest shall be glorious.

Weary sinner, there is rest for you in Jesus — but no where else. Unless you find rest in Jesus now, you will find no rest at the end of life — but yours will be a restless spirit to all eternity. There is no peace, no rest, says my God, to the wicked!

TO KNOW CHRIST IS TO LOVE CHRIST

Can you hear Christ week after week and day after day and the life that is found in Him from God Almighty set forth, and you're still here and you're utterly unfeeling.  You say "Well...there is life."  You may be a stagnant pool, its not living water,  there's nothing that flows, and every so often from the rotting leaves at the bottom of that pool some bubble of marsh gas comes up and burps on the surface.  That's not life, if you're dead we can only plead with the Spirit of God to open your eyes to give you a desire that God would give you life.  Is there anyone here this evening who has at least begun to consider themselves to be dead, begun to reckon accurately with themselves, to go to the root of the matter and to discern....(your deadness, dullness, emptiness)--Pastor Jeremy Walker, Trinity Baptist Church, Montville, New Jeresy, January 21, 2007. "A Plea for Life.  Psalm 119:25"  at minute 41:20.

TENDATIO

Martin Luther noted 3 primary rules from Psalm 119 for knowing God and understanding his Word:


a) Oratio = prayer
b) Meditatio = meditation
c) Tendatio = trial, affliction, or temptation.

He reasoned that one of the greatest hermeneutical keys in life is pain. See Psalm 119:67 -- “Before I was afflicted, I went astray,” and again from v. 71 -- “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees.”

Luther concluded: “These afflictions teach you not only to know and understand but to experience how right and how true and how sweet and how lovely are the mighty comforting Words of God. It is wisdom supreme. As soon as God’s Word comes to be known through you, the Devil will afflict you with great affliction and make a doctor out of you! And will teach you by his temptations to seek and to love God’s Word...”

JOHN 17 BY THE SAINTS

Maybe our prayers should resemble John 17, though Jesus has been glorified on the cross, even so.

The prayer of John 17 from the perspective of the saints:
John 17:1

The Saints lift up our eyes to heaven, and pray, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that we know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] He has glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave Him to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify Him in your own presence with the glory that He had with you before the world existed."

[6] "He has manifested your name to the people whom you gave to Christ out of the world. Yours we were, and you gave us to Christ, and we have kept your word. [7] Now we know that everything that you have given Him is from You. [8] For He has given us the words that You gave Him, and we have received them and have come to know in truth that He has came from you; and we have believed that you sent Him.

[9] We are praying for the saints. We are not praying for the world but for those whom you have given Him, for we are yours. [10] All Christ's are Thine, and Thine are Christ's, and Jesus is glorified in us.

[11] And Jesus is no longer in the world, but we are in the world, and He has gone to you. Holy Father, keep us in your name, which you have given to Christ, that we may be one, even as you and the Son are one. [12] While Jesus was with us, He kept us in your name, which you have given Him. He has guarded us, and not one of us have been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

[13] But now Jesus is with you, and these things Jesus spoke in the world, that we may have His joy fulfilled in us. [14] He has given us your word, and the world has hated us because we are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world. [15] we do not ask that you take us out of the world, but that you keep us from the evil one. [16] We are not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world.

[17] Sanctify us in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent Jesus into the world, so has He sent us into the world. [19] And for our sakes He consecrated himself, that we also may be sanctified in truth.

[20] "We do not ask for the saints only, but also for those who will believe in Christ through our word, [21] that we may all be one, just as you, Father, are in Christ, and Christ in you, that we also may be in the Father and the Son, so that the world may believe that you have sent Christ. [22] The glory that you have given Christ, He has given to us, that we may be one even as You and the Son are one,

[23] Christ in us, and You in Christ, that we may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent Jesus and loved us even as you loved Jesus. [24] Father, we desire that we also, whom you have given to Christ, may be with Christ where He is, to see His glory that You have given Him because you loved Him before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, Jesus knows you, and we know that you have sent Him. [26] He has made known to us your name, and He will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved Christ may be in us, and He in us."

The Saints lift up this prayer for the glory of the Father and the Son, and for the good of His People.

ONLY COMFORT IN LIFE AND DEATH

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?


Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, (a) am not my own, (b) but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; (c) who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, (d) and delivered me from all the power of the devil; (e) and so preserves me (f) that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; (g) yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, (h) and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, (i) and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. (j)

THE TREE OF LIFE

The Cross; The Tree of Death for sin...The Tree of Life for sons.

SOBER WORDS

So forever will I tell


In three hours, Christ suffered more than any sinner ever will in hell (4x)

It’s where we see Your holiness- at the cross

We see that You’re controlling this- at the cross

We see how You feel about sin- at the cross

Your unfathomable love for men- at the cross

It’s where we see Your sovereignty- at the cross

We see our idolatry- at the cross

We know that there’s a judgment day- from the cross

May we never take our eyes away- from the cross



We’re now in the realm of the sublime and profound
With God at the helm it’s about to go down
The Father’s wrath precise will blast and slice
The priceless Master Christ as a sacrifice
Willingly, He’s under the curse
To be treated as if the Son was the worst scum of the earth
The scene is the craziest
Jesus being treated as if He is the shadiest atheist
How is it the Messiah is in the fiery pit
As if He was a wicked liar with twisted desires?
The One who’s sinless and just
Punished as if He was promiscuous and mischievous with vicious lust
The source of all godly pleasure
Tormented as if He was a foul investor or child molestor
How could He be bruised like He was a goodie two-shoes
who doesn’t think that she needs the good news?
He’s perfect in love and wisdom
But He’s suffering as if He constructed the corrupt justice system
We should mourn at the backdrop
Jesus torn like He’s on the corner with crack rock with porn on His laptop
What is this, kid? His gifts are infinite
But He’s hit with licks for religious hypocrites
He’s the Light, but being treated like
He’s the seedy type who likes to beat His wife
He’s treated like a rapist, treated like a slanderer
Treated like a racist or maybe a philanderer
Jesus being penalized like He had sin inside
Filled with inner pride while committing genocide
I could write for a billion years and still can’t name
All of the sins placed on the Lamb slain

But know this: the main thing the cross demonstrated
The glory and the holiness of God vindicated;


So forever will I tell
In three hours, Christ suffered more than any sinner ever will in hell (4x)
It’s where we see Your holiness- at the cross
We see that You’re controlling this- at the cross
We see how You feel about sin- at the cross
Your unfathomable love for men- at the cross
It’s where we see Your sovereignty- at the cross
We see our idolatry- at the cross
We know that there’s a judgment day- from the cross
May we never take our eyes away- from the cross

SECURING THE ACTUAL SALVATION

"The sin of Adam did not make the condemnation of all men merely possible; it was the ground of their actual condemnation. So the righteousness of Christ did not make the salvation of men merely possible, it secured the actual salvation of thos for whom he wrought."

Charles Hodge

THE WORD WIELDS

I will preach, speak, write, but I will force no one; for faith must be voluntary. Take me as an example. I stood up against the Pope, indulgences, and all papists, but without violence or uproar. I only urged, preached, and declared God's Word, nothing else.

And yet while I was asleep, or drinking Wittenberg beer with my Philip Melanchthon and Amsdorf, the Word inflicted greater injury on popery than prince or emperor ever did. I did nothing, the Word did every thing. Had I appealed to force, all Germany might have been deluged with blood; yea, I might have kindled a conflict at Worms, so that the Emperor would not have been safe.

But what would have been the result? Ruin and desolation of body and soul. I therefore kept quiet, and gave the Word free course through the world. Do you know what the Devil thinks when he sees men use violence to propagate the gospel? He sits with folded arms behind the fire of hell, and says with malignant looks and frightful grin: 'Ah, how wise these madmen are to play my game!

Let them go on; I shall reap the benefit. I delight in it.' But when he sees the Word running and contending alone on the battle-field, then he shudders and shakes for fear. The Word is almighty, and takes captive the hearts."

- Martin Luther

BURN OUR HOUSES

JOHN ROGERS PREACHING:

he personates God to the people, telling them, 'Well, I have trusted you so long with my Bible; you have slighted it; it lies in such and such houses all covered with dust and cobwebs. You care not to look into it. Do you use my Bible so? W...ell, you shall have my Bible no longer'.


And he takes up the Bible from his cushion, and seemed as if he were going away with it, and carrying it from them;

but immediately turns again and personates the people to God, falls down on his knees, cries and pleads most earnestly,

'Lord, whatsoever thou cost to us, take not thy Bible from us; kill our children, burn our houses, destroy our goods; only spare us thy Bible, only take not away thy Bible'.

(Context: It is plain that scenes like this were far from rare in East Anglia in the first half of the seventeenth century. Samuel Fairclough's own father, Lawrence Fairclough, had seen spiritual prosperity in his ministry at Haverhill, Suffolk, before his death in 1603. The successor to his work in Haverhill was one of the most 'awakening' of all Puritan preachers and one whose ministry was attended with a power which was still being spoken of in the mid-eighteenth century. This was John Rogers, nephew of Richard Rogers of Wethersfield, by whose financial support he studied at Emmanuel from 1588 until 1592. In 1605 he was called from Haverhill to be 'lecturer' in the beautiful vale of Dedham, later to be known throughout the world by the paintings of John Constable but famous in the seventeenth century for the great spiritual harvest which took place under Rogers' ministry. 'Let us go to Dedham to get a little fire' became a common saying among his contemporaries. One who went was Thomas Goodwin, while a student at Cambridge, and many years later when he was Dr. Goodwin and President of Magdalen College, Oxford, he reported his memory of it to John Howe. Howe recorded it as follows: 'He told me that being himself, in the time of his youth, a student at Cambridge, and having heard much of Mr. Rogers of Dedham, in Essex, purposely he took a journey from Cambridge to Dedham to hear him preach on his lecture day. And in that sermon he falls into an expostulation with the people about their neglect of the Bible [I am afraid it is more neglected in our days]; )

The Puritans and Revival Christianity by Iain Murray

REAL DAMAGE

What type of ruckus would be raised if you politely asked a local congregation to explain their stance on Conditional Election or Non-applied Atonement?  How can such serious topics be brushed aside as harmful discussions, when in fact their use as assumed doctrine is the real damage being inflicted each week.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES

An American citizen at the age of 35 has the chance of becoming President of the USA; On some level it is 50-50, either you will or you won't; but the odds are much less considering all alternatives.


Did Jesus die merely to have the "chance" of saving sinners? Is it 50-50? or much lower odds knowing how many false gods are out there? Did Jesus even campaign in 1010 in North-South America?

In that Arminian view, He is hardly any different than me running for president of the USA, we both have chances (to lead/save) but neither of us are ensuring our office (as leader/Savior).

THE DENIAL OF GOD'S BEING

"There is absolutely no difference between the denial of God's sovereignty and the denial of God's being. Arminianism is neither more nor less than religious atheism."


-Don Fortner

Without a Bible

2010 Statistics:

Almost 2,100 ...the number of languages without any of the Bible, but with a possible need of a Bible translation to begin.  340,000,000+ ...the number of people who speak the 2,100 languages where translation projects have not yet begun

Consider what the Statistics were in 1517 across the globe, or in 1010, in Africa, North America, South America, Australia, Asia.

IT IS A LOSS

The only multiplication of the Church of God that is to be desired is that which God sends…If we add to our churches by becoming worldly…if we add to our churches by accommodating the life of the Christian to the life of the worldling, our increase is worth nothing at all; it is a loss rather than a gain.

If we add to our churches by excitement, by making appeals to the passions, rather than by explaining truth to the understanding; if we add to our churches otherwise than by the power of the Spirit of God making men new creatures in Christ Jesus, the increase is of no worth whatever. (from: Harvest Joy, Sermon No. 2265) (RT: Spurgeon.US)

MERE EMPTINESS

"All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared with our closets."

 C.H. Spurgeon

A THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS. INTRO

2 Corinthians. 4:7-18    But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. [8] We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [11] For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death is at work in us, but life in you.

[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [15] For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

[16] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. [17] For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthiains. 6:3-10   We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, [4] but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, [5] beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; [6] by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, [7] by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; [8] through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; [9] as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; [10] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians. 11:23-33   Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. [24] Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. [25] Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; [26] on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; [27] in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. [28] And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. [29] Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

[30] If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. [31] The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. [32] At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, [33] but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

BLINDESS NOW AND THEN

I thought about this last night, in November of 1517 what was happening in Germany? But what was happening in North America, South America, India, Australia, South Africa....countless millions without a Bible or Gospel Witness...no mediums of tv, radio, internet, BarnesnNobles, just people live and dying clueless of who both Jesus Christ is and current American idols like Oprah or Donald Trump or Bill Gates.

IS IT MEAN TO BE INSISTENT

Galatians 5:12   I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

http://www.opc.org/nh.html?article_id=217
Galatians 5:12 was posted in reflection on a letter John Newton wrote which addresses on how Calvinists should be meek in witnessing. My point is: Being bold against a TOPIC should not be lumped as being rude to a person. We can say Mormonism is heretical without being rude to a Mormon. We can say Freemasonry is a lie without being rude to Freemasons. It is a fact that praying to Mary is wrong, just as drunkenness, lying, drugs, sloth, greed is wrong.



Newton is upfront that haughtiness in Calvinism is wrong, I can't tell Newton, "Now Newton, be meek now." when he is merely being truthful in telling us that haughtiness is wrong. I am sure he is insistent in his point, there is no compromise when he comes to exposing haughtiness. Man's ability is just as wrong as haughtiness. Conditional Election is just as wrong as pride in Calvinism; Unapplied Atonement is just as needful for correction as brash theology; etc. So sometimes people blur a unwavering theology as a sign of being rude, or a public insistency against a doctrine as being mean...yet Newton's own letter has an unwavering positon in what he asserts, and it is now a public insistency for what is asserted; and so likewise I have no problem with being unwavering against Arminianism and being publicly insistent on the errors of the system...Newton has done the same thing, just on a different subject matter.


If that letter is misapplied to Calvinist then Calvinist can return the notion to Newton, which is to silence Newton too. If that letter is properly seen as firm and public in it's purpose, then likewise it supports Calvinist being firm and public in their purpose to adominsh the system of Arminianism. Rick Warren will insist to me that his ministry is fine, and likewise I will insist that his ministry is not fine, both are insistent, both are polite...so I find it unfair to portray plain speech and forthrightness as "fleshly". John called men objectively a brood of vipers, and we can do the same, without being counseled to be a docile, passive wet-noodle.

So I think it is improper to push for more moderation, when the issue is not about delivery, but content, and content must never be in moderation; The blue lights are blue lights, the speeder may get mad and call them mean blue lights, but they are on, and his frustration is not really with the blue light itself as been "delivered" for that is nominal, but he is angry at the "insistent meaning" of that delivery. The cop will not turn off the lights, and finds no reason to tell the lights to "tone it down" when the lights are merely "constant in meaning" never "brash"; Whatever Newton's letter means, it cannot mean that we turn off the blue lights, just to make the speeder happy, but that is how many people seem to apply that letter. Gal 5:12 is an unwavering view, don't accuse Paul of failing to be meek in his adamancy, and many are unwavering in TULIP, and should not be falsely accused of failing to be meek in that adamancy. (yes, there are rude calvinist, but there is still a danger of confusing all insistent theology is thereby innately rude-- which is not true.


So that was the context of me posting this verse.

FEWER PEOPLE

‎"If the gospel were more faithfully preached, there would be fewer people professing to believe it."
-- A.W. Pink

WHY PRESENT

Are we saying that God did not show the resurrected body of Jesus to all sinners (beyond doubting Thomas) because God knew that evidence would not convince them; If God knows this presentation will not convince the unbeliever, then why give any other presentations at all, which God likewise knows will never convince them?

KNOWING CHRIST

Note to Self:  Focus on Knowng Christ (Philip 3), not making a difference; (1 Cor 2:1-5);  #1.  You will never make a difference until you know Christ.  (John 15:5)  #2.  You might find out that they more you are made like Christ, the more the world will scorn you as they did Christ (John 15:18-John 16::4);  they crucified Him according to the design of God (Acts 2:23).  God just might show you many things you are to suffer for His name's sake.(Acts 9:16);

FROM ROME

I must repeat, what already seems to have given him so much offence, that Arminianism "came from Rome, and leads thither again."

If we sum up the evidence that has been given, we shall find its amount to be, that Arminianism came from the Church of Rome, and leads back again to the pit whence it was digged.



Augustus Toplady

ONLY AXES

"The wickedest of enemies of God are only axes and saws and hammers in his hands, and are ignorantly his instruments for doing his work in the world." - J. C. Ryle

WRONG DEFINITION

Ministry Visibility is not synonymous with: Christian Impact, nor God's approval, nor Christ Exalted, nor Scripture Honored.

WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE

Exodus 32:25-29 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), [26] then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. [27] And he said to them, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'Put your SWORD on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.' " [28] And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. [29] And Moses said, "Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day."


Matthew 10:34  "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a SWORD. [35] For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. [36] And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

[37] Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. [38] And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [39] Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.


Luke 14:25-33   Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, [26] "If anyone comes to me and does not HATE HIS OWN FATHER AND MORTHER AND WIFE AND CHILDREN AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YES AND EVEN HIS OWN LIFE, he cannot be my disciple. [27] Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple..... [33] So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

(Luke has the same material as Matthew)  Luke 12:49-53   "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! [50] I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! [51] Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. [52] For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. [53] They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

In Luke and Matthew, Jesus describes who cannot be His disciple, or to state it positively who can be his disciple.  The very same question was addressed by Moses,  "Who is on the Lord's side?"  Jesus answers that question.  He is a greater High Priest than any Levite.  Jesus will come with His own sword and strike down the Nations.  He is Joshua.  Yehoshua.  Jesus.

Rev. 19:11-21

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. [12] His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. [13] He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. [14] And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. [15] From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

[17] Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, [18] to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." [19] And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. [20] And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. [21] And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

AMONG CHRISTIAN MECHANICS

This devotional is really revolutionary for me, something that has paralyzed me deeply for years.  But this helpful observation came to mind today.  "Who is the John Owen, Martin Luther, John Gill, Thomas Boston among Christian Auto Mechanics?"  The answer?  We don't know.  The point.  We don't have to know. 

A self-employed Christian Mechanic may repair over 300 cars a year.  That is 300 lives and homes helped.  In theory it may be 300 pastors, missionaries, elders, deacons, widows, and blessings for explicit gospel needs or otherwise implicit gospel needs.   The Christian mechanic does not look back and think, "but the other mechanics are getting more books written and sold, more initivations to preach, hold conference, and serve as professor; they have 10 locations and 3000 attendees compared to my small 300;  everyone knows their brand name, but not mine, woe is me, what is the point."

This can parallel into every occupation that Christians partake.  The lowly nurse with 300 patients a year, the mother with 5 kids, the brick mason, the janitor, the truck driver, the chicken farmer, the widget maker.  A nurse may bless her patients, but is still anonymous among the pool of a million Christian nurses.  A mother may raise a pastor, elder, deacon, author, missionary, but is still anonymous among other Christian mothers. 

The brick mason may build church plant facilities, hospitals, and seminaries, but is also anonymous among other Christian brickmasons.  How would baptists survive without Chickens to eat, and yet the chicken farmer does not compare himself with other famous Chicken farmers.  The truck driver ships books, pews, and supplies for congregations to worship and minister, but is still unknown in his labors.

Do I admire William Carey?  Sure, but there are countless servants also sacrificing and laboring in secret who will never be known this side of Glory.  Do I admire James White?  Sure, but let us name all the unknown pastors and professors and authors and friends that shaped in during his formative years.  Monergism.com is a great website, yet they did not author 90% of what they provide.

In conclusion,

#1   It is wrong to divide the "sacred" from the "secular",
#2  Because all labors are to be sacred and offered unto Christ.
#3  All Christian labors are made unto Christ, not in comparison to the publicity of other Christian labors.
#4  All Christian labors find their value and significance by the grace of Christ directing them to the glory of Christ in that labor, not by the attention of men giving attention to the servants.

Think about these things.

THE LORD SEES THEM

” I can hardly recollect a single plan of mine, of which I have not since seen reason to be satisfied, that had it taken place in season and circumstance just as I proposed, it would, humanly speaking, have proved my ruin; or at least it would have deprived me of the greater good the Lord had designed for me.

We judge of things by their present appearances, but the Lord sees them in their consequences, if we could do so likewise we should be perfectly of His mind; but as we cannot, it is an unspeakable mercy that He will manage for us, whether we are pleased with His management or not; and it is spoken of as one of his heaviest judgments, when He gives any person or people up to the way of their own hearts, and to walk after their own counsels.”


John Newton (1725-1807)

STASH OF QUOTES FOUND

GREAT STASH OF QUOTES FOUND ON OSHEA DAVIS' WALL.  http://www.osheadavis.com/

"As it is fit that God should love and esteem His own excellence, it is also fit that He should value and esteem the love of His excellency. And if it becomes a being highly to value Himself, it is fit that He should love to have Himself valued and esteemed"(Edwards, Works, 99).



"Another part of God's fulness which He communicates, is His happiness. This happiness consists in enjoying and rejoicing in Himself; and so does also the creature's happiness. It is a participation of what is in God; and God and His glory are the objective ground of it. The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God; by which also God is magnified and exalted"(Edwards, Works, 101).


"Be more afraid of sin than of suffering. A man may be afflicted, and yet have the love of God; but if he sin, immediately God is angry"--Thomas Watson(Sermons of the Great Ejection, 142).


"God's rod is a pencil to draw Christ's image more distinctly upon us"(Watson, Gleanings , 141).

GOD'S FREEDOM FOR INEQUALITY

Did God look down the corridors of time and see a choice of Abram or Moses or David or John or Saul and determine to make them the father, prophet, king, forerunner...among the 6 million plus peers in their respective generations? What a tremendous blessing not granted to their peers. Apparently God quote fore-knew that the rest were all going to reject his equal offer, attempt, and effort. (tongue-in-cheek)

HE STOOD BETWEEN

Atonement of the Holy Place: a reality from the blood, not from the tent's acceptance and trust in an offer/priest
Leviticus 16:16-19 Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them... in the midst of their uncleannesses. [17] No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. [18] Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. [19] And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.


‎2 Cor. 6:16 For we are the temple of the living God;


Ephes. 2:21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

‎1 Cor. 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? [17] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.


1 Cor. 6:19 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,

Numbers 16:41-50 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord." [42] And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and a...gainst Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. [43] And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, [44] and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, [45] "Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces. [46] And Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun." [47] So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. [48] And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. [49] Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. [50] And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.


The people were GRUMBLING against Moses and were AGAINST MOSES and AGAINST Aaron (priests), not trusting him as God's designated mediator and prophet. The Lord was ready to consume the people in a moment. The wrath of the Lord has gone out, and the plague begun.

Aaron made atonement for the people. ..... AND HE STOOD BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING AND THE PLAGUE WAS STOPPED.

Over 14,700 were dead. I find it impossible to suggest the plague stopped on all the inhabitants because every solitary inhabitant paused to forsake their grumbling and begin trusting in Moses and the atonement made>>> as the basis of the plague stopping.

BUYING SHEEP

 Some would say the Father does not make salvation a reality for sinners on the basis the Jesus' decision (and action), but the Father makes salvation a reality for sinners on the basis of their decision. What was lacking and insufficient in the decision (and action) of the spotless Lamb to deem it unworthy of making salvation a reality in and of itself.

These persons should not say, "The Father sent Jesus to make the salvation of all sinners a reality" nor that " Jesus came to make the salvation of all sinners a reality." When I present a coupon to a cashier, the cashier accepts it and applies it because of the validity of that which is presented. When Jesus presents His life, death, and blood to the Father, the Father accepts it and applies it because of the validity of that which is presented. Jesus purchased sheep. Shepherds do not look to the sheep to wait for them to accept the payment of their Redeemer.

IT WOULD MANIFEST

‎"Remember this--there is not a worse nature in hell

than that which is in you, and it would manifest itself

accordingly--if the Lord did not restrain it!"
 
~~Thomas Brooks;

PONDERING WHAT GOD WILLED

‎1. God willed to make Man. Adam was not free or able to will himself into existence.




2. God willed to make Man mutable. Adam was not free or able to will himself immutable. This was not a trait left up to Adam to determine. If Adam ...could determine himself to be immutable, then he could have eaten of the forbidden tree and then remained alive, contrary to God's warning that Adam would surely die.



3. God willed to make a tree of forbidden food. Man was not free or able to prevent the existence of such a tree.



4. God willed to make a snake with legs that Satan could possess and approach and talk to Eve. Adam was not free or able to prevent Satan's access to the snake, garden or Eve.



5. God willed: to create Adam, when to make Adam, where to make Adam, how to make Adam (two legs not eight), to limit Adam (from flying, creating worlds by speech, absolving sin). Adam was not free or able to determine: if he was going to be made, when he was going to be made, where he was going to be made, how he was going to be made, his capabilities and limitations; Adam did not determine why he was being made. God determined why Adam was being made as well.



6. God willed to make Adam before Eve; Eve could will herself to be made prior to Adam, or vice versa.



7. If Adam had a free will then he could have told God which trees were acceptable and which trees where forbidden, and what consequences (if any) would result from eating of the forbidden tree. But Adam does not set rules and consequences before the eternal God. If Adam had a free-will he could have uncursed the ground which God cursed and un-cursed the snake; or, commanded the angels not to gaurd the tree of life. (Obviously his command would have been ignored by them);



8. Adam had a will, and even while upright, it was limited, not free and not sovereign. The elect angels today have wills, but they are not free nor sovereign, they are limited. If Adam wants a free will then he must first free his will from the Sovereign will of God, until then Adam's will is not free to override God's sovereign will.



9. Did God will to cover Adam's nakedness, or merely make a covering to be possiblity? Did God will to save every son of Adam, or merely make the salvation of every son of Adam to be a possibility? If God made Adam's covering to be only a possibility, then it would be up to Adam to meet a condition for that covering to be a reality.



10. If God made Peter's salvation to be only a possibility, then it would be up to Peter to meet a condition for that salvation to be a reality. If Peter's salvation is contingent on Peter meeting a condition (moreover command) of God before Peter is actually saved, then Peter's salvation is no more of grace, but of a work of Peter. Thus Peter would have reason to glory in himself for meeting the condition of God. Salvation is a work of Grace, because it is a work of God in Jesus Christ presented to the Father as a substitue for the person in need. Christians glory not in themselves, but in Christ who secured and accomplished and guaranteed salvation for all whom he died.



11. Those who reject TULIP cannot proclaim that the death of Jesus ALONE guarantees and assures the salvation of any sinner; However, Christians in contrast profess (without double speak) the wonderful truth surmised by the phrase: Sola Christus, Christ alone.



12. The accomplishment and full satisfaction of Jesus before the Father is the basis of the Holy Spirit regenerating all for whom Christ died. The Holy Spirit will not fail to regenerate all that Christ died for. The accomplishment and full satisfaction of sinners placing faith in Jesus before the Father is NOT THE BASIS (condition met, obedience given) of the Holy Spirit regenerating some for whom Christ died. The Holy Spirit in His work honors the decision and death of Jesus, not the decison of the sinful creature. For the Holy Spirit, Jesus makes all the difference. Thus the sinner cannot say "I made the difference, my faith made the difference." Many will never say this, but yet they believe it, and thereby contradict all Scripture and even God Himself.

EFFICACIOUS

‎"I may be called Antinomian or Calvinist for preaching a limited atonement; but I had rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody, except the will of man be joined with it."

~CH Spurgeon

VERY CONFUSING

It doesn't make any sense to say, "Jesus knew from all eternity past, before Adam was created, that Goliath would reject faith in Christ, but yet Jesus went ahead and died for Goliath in an divine but failing attempt to save him".

In sarcasm, but in analogy, I sent a check for $5,000 along with 10 books, 10 videos, and 100 mp3s to Pharaoh's tomb, in an attempt to get him to let the jewish slaves free, and spare himself the coming plagues.

JESUS REDEEMS INDEED

Did Jesus intercede for a sinner in life, prayer, blood, and death on a criminal's cross before His Father, and His Father deem His intercession to be insufficient or unacceptable?  Did Jesus sprinkle His blood in the heavenly Holy of Holies, and His blood not avail redemption and atonement?

Did Jesus, who is fully God, Thrice Holy, uncreated, eternal, infinite in power and wisdom....intercede for a sinner in life, prayer, blood, and death on a criminal's cross before His Father, and His Father deem His intercession to be insufficient or unacceptable?  Did Jesus sprinkle His blood in the heavenly Holy of Holies, and His blood not avail redemption and atonement?

FAR MORE OCCUPIED

"We are far more occupied with our work [in ministry] than we are with our prayer." - Andrew Murray; thanks Craig Ireland. Bracketed note is mine, not Murray's or Craig's.
- - - -

Al Hartman added:

If we would realize that our work, all of it, is ministry, and that ministry, all of it, is performed unto God and not for self, family, home, church, or community, then we would realize our insufficiency to work adequately and would be driven to prayer for His help in it.


As it is, we need to be driven to prayer just for the wisdom to recognize all that we have failed to realize...
- - - -
 
Pondering:  "all is performed unto God"
Consider Luther trembling in his first communion service...the Holiness of God.

JOHN OWEN, DDDC, BOOK 1, SECTION 3.

III. Rebuttal against general ransom theory.


A. general ransom-- to pay, redeem for all, every single one of Adam.

If this be the end, if this be the fruit, product thereof.

1. Either God and Christ failed, did not accomplish their intention (the death of Christ being not a fitly proportioned means to the attaining end.-- is blasphemous injurious to the wisdom, power, and perfection of God, likewise derogatory to the worth, value of the death of Christ.

2. or else, that all mean, all the posterity of Adam, must be saved, purged, sanctified, glorified. Which will not maintain the testimony of Scripture and the woeful experience of millions will not allow. (for such a conclusion) {universalism}

These then:

1. Do deny that God or His Son had any such absolute aim or end in the death and blood shedding of Jesus Christ. ---or/and---

2. Do Deny that any such thing was immediately procured and purchased by it. -- that God intended nothing, and Christ effected nothing.

That no benefit arises to any immediately but that which is comes to all and every soul (though never so cursedly unbelieving here and eternally damned hereafter) until some act not procured for them by Christ (for if it were, why have they it all not alike) but to wit- Faith-- does distinguish them from others.

Faith is an effect of the satisfaction and death of Christ, not the basis thereof.

Faith is an product of grace, not a cause of grace.

FLAWED PREMISE

‎(If) "Responsibility denotes capability". Then be perfect.
 
-- Will Torres  [to explose the error of Arminian Philosophy)

LOVE LESS ERROR

Arminians will say "hated" means "love less".  Then they will say,  'God does not hate the sinner, he loves the sinner, but hates the sin."    Which then we must tell them, "Oh so, you are saying He does not hate sin, he merely loves the sin less."  What a horror. (you cannot have it both ways.)

CAN THIS POSSIBLY NOT TAKE PLACE

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring a charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died---more than that, who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:32-34).


The Father gave the Son in our place. Who is the "our" of this passage? The text says that it is "those whom God has chosen," that is, the elect of God. Again, the intercessory work of Christ at the right hand of the Father is presented in perfect harmony with the death of Christ---those for whom Christ died are those for whom He intercedes. And, as this passage shows, if Christ intercedes for someone, who can possibly bring a charge against that person and hope to see them condemned? So we see what we have seen before: Christ dies in someone's place, He intercedes for them, and they are infallibly saved. Christ's work is complete and perfect. He is the powerful Savior, and He never fails to accomplish His purpose.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Are all the friends of Christ? Do all own His name? Do all bow before Him and accept Him as Lord? Do all do His commandments (John 15:14)? Then not all are His friends.

While we wait for the blessed hope---the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good (Titus 2:13-14).

Both the substitutionary element of the cross (gave himself for us) and the purpose thereof (to redeem us...to purify) are forcefully presented to Titus. If it was the purpose of Christ to redeem and purify those for whom He died, can this possibly not take place?

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Christ will save His people from their sins. I ask what Edwin Palmer asked me before: Well, did He? Did He save His people, or did He not?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

This is the common confession of every true believer in Christ. We died with Him, our Substitute, the one who loved us and gave Himself in our behalf.

We have seen, then, that the Word teaches that Christ died for many, for His sheep, for the Church, for the elect of God, for His friends, for a people zealous for good works, for His people, for each and every Christian.

--- James White
 
http://vintage.aomin.org/Was%20Anyone%20Saved.html

WHY CHRIST CAME

The Intention of the Atonement


Why did Christ come to die? Did He come simply to make salvation possible, or did He come to actually obtain eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12)? Let's consider some passages from Scripture in answer to this question.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10).

Here the Lord Jesus Himself speaks of the reason for His coming. He came to seek and to save the lost. Few have a problem with His seeking; many have a problem with the idea that He actually accomplished all of His mission. Jesus, however, made it clear that He came to actually save the lost. He did this by His death.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15).

Paul asserts that the purpose of Christ's coming into the world was to actually save sinners. Nothing in Paul's words leads us to the conclusion that is so popular today---that Christ's death simply makes salvation a possibility rather than a reality. Christ came to save. So, did He? And how did He? Was it not by His death? Most certainly. The atoning death of Christ provides forgiveness of sins for all those for whom it is made. That is why Christ came.

--James White


http://vintage.aomin.org/Was%20Anyone%20Saved.html

THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD

"The love and hate of God towards men is immutable and eternal, existing, not merely before there was any merit or work of ‘free-will,’ but before the world was made; [so] all things take place in us of necessity, according as He has from eternity loved or not loved ... faith and unbelief come to us by no work of our own, but through the love and hatred of God."


~ Martin Luther (1483-1546): (The Bondage of the Will)

FAR BEYOND

‎"to mortify the lusts of the flesh, to be crucified unto the world, to overcome the Devil, to die daily unto sin and live unto righteousness, to be meek and lowly in heart, trustful and obedient, pious and patient, loving and gentle is a task far, far beyond the poor resources of fallen human nature." - A.W. Pink

THINK

DID CHRIST DIE FOR EVERYONE?  You may think that question is absurd. Most people would agree with you. Everybody knows that "God loves all men, Christ died for all men, and the Holy Spirit is striving to save all men?" But could it be that those things are not so? If you will examine the Word of God you will discover that none of those things are so.

God does not love all people (Rom. 9:13). If he did, no one would go to hell! Christ does not pray for all men (John 17:9, 20). If he did, none would perish! Christ did not die for all men (Isa. 53:8). If he did, none would be required to suffer for their sins! The Holy Spirit is not trying to save all sinners (Acts 16:6). If he were, all would be saved!

THINK! Don't blindly accept the traditions and doctrines of men. Your soul is at stake! The glory of God is at stake! If Christ died for the sins of all men, then none shall be lost; all the sins of all men must be forgiven; or Christ is a failure! If the Son of God died for some of the sins of all men, then all men must perish forever, because none can make atonement for sin. BUT IF, as the Scriptures everywhere assert, Christ died for all the sins of some men (God's elect), then all for whom he died must be saved. His blood was not shed in vain. Justice, being satisfied, demands that all for whom atonement has been made must be saved.

"Payment God cannot twice demand,  First at my bleeding Surety's hand, And then again at mine!"

Donald S. Fortner, Pastor
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH OF DANVILLE
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville, Kentucky 40422

FREEWILL RELIGION

"Freewillism is that doctrine that says, “God loves you, Christ died for you, and the Holy Spirit is calling you; but it will all be vain unless you choose to be saved.” Freewillism makes the determining factor in salvation to be the will of man. It makes the work of the Triune God and the grace of God to be impotent without the consent of man’s “freewill.” Freewill religion is in direct opposition to the gospel of the free grace of God. The Bible declares that salvation is not accomplished, determined by, or dependent upon the will of man, but by the will of God (John 1:12-13; Rom. 9:16). The word “freewill”, when used with reference to salvation is a blasphemous obscenity!"

- Don Fortner taken from, "Damnable Heresies."

I SURE CANNOT

The God I worship saves. He does not merely "offer" salvation and leave it up to the "guilty sinner" to make the difference.  If Scripture does not convince you of grace, then I sure cannot improve on Scripture; If the Holy Spirit does not give you a humble heart, then I sure cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit.


The God I worship saves; He does not command repentance, leaving it up to the guilty sinner to make the difference. If Scripture does not convince you of grace, then I sure cannot improve on Scripture; If the Holy Spirit does not give you a humble heart, then I sure cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit.
 

UNITY AND PURITY

‎"But Jesus does not just pray for the unity of the Church. He prays for the purity of the Church."

--Dr. R.C. Sproul (Quoted from Onward Christian Soldier pg 212)

ALL BUT DEMIGODS

2. WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THERE IS NOKNOWLEDGE OF SELF



Again, it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself. For we always seem too  urselves righteous and upright and wise and holy — this pride is innate inall of us — unless by clear proofs we stand convinced of our ownunrighteousness, foulness, folly, and impurity. Moreover, we are not thus convinced if we look merely to ourselves and not also to the Lord, who is the sole standard by which this judgment must be measured. For, because all of us are inclined by nature to hypocrisy, a kind of empty image of  righteousness in place of righteousness itself abundantly satisfies us. And because nothing appears within or around us that has not been contaminated by great immorality, what is a little less vile pleases us as a thing most pure — so long as we confine our minds within the limits of human corruption. Just so, an eye to which nothing is shown but black objects judges something dirty white or even rather darkly mottled to be whiteness itself.
 
Indeed, we can discern still more clearly from the bodily senses how much we are deluded in estimating the powers of the soul. For if in broad daylight we either look down upon the ground or survey whatever meets our view round about, we seem to ourselves endowed with the strongest and keenest sight; yet when we look up to the sun andgaze straight at it, that power of sight which was particularly strong on earth is at once blunted and confused by a great brilliance, and thus we are compelled to admit that our keenness in looking upon things earthly is sheer dullness when it comes to the sun. So it happens in estimating our spiritual goods. As long as we do not look beyond the earth, being quite content with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue, we flatter ourselves most sweetly, and fancy ourselves all but demigods.
 
Suppose we but once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and to ponder his nature, and how completely perfect are his righteousness, wisdom, and power —the straight edge to which we must be shaped. Then, what masquerading earlier as righteousness was pleasing in us will soon grow filthy in its consummate wickedness. What wonderfully impressed us under the name of  wisdom will stink in its very foolishness. What wore the face of power will prove itself the most miserable weakness. That is, what in us seems perfection itself corresponds ill to the purity of God.
 
-- John Calvin, Institutes.  B.1. C.1. page 83

100 PERCENT FIELD GOAL

What would you say of a basketball player who made EVERY SINGLE free throw, three pointer, layup, field goal, point he attempted to make? Wilt Chamberlin has the best yearly field goal of 73%, but that was for only one season. The best lifetime percentage is 60%. What about someone who attempts 1 billion shots and makes all 1 billion without fail.

THE LATTER IS THE GOSPEL

Either your Christianity will focus primarily on what you do and the power of your choices and will or else it will focus on what Christ has already done for you. The former is humanism, the latter is the Gospel. ~ Andrew Taylor

THE CONVINCER

The convincer and convicter of men is the Holy Spirit, who may use us as His vessels, but never as His substitute-- not even men so spiritually advanced as I may think myself to be may presume to do His work for Him. His office, permanently filled, is not to be usurped by even the most righteous of believers-- Al Hartman.

HEART OF STONE

You may heat a stone if you thrust it into the fire, but for how short a time will it retain its heat; and though it glowed just now, how very soon it loses all its warmth and returns again to its native coldness. Such is the heart of man. You may think you have heated it under a powerful exhortation, or in presence of a solemn judgment, but how soon it returns to its natural state!

C. H. SPURGEON

JOHN NEWTON ON INDWELLING SIN

Quotes from The Letters of John Newton - Indwelling Sin and the Believer


Though sin wars in us — it shall not reign in us. And though it breaks our peace — it cannot separate from his love. Nor is it inconsistent with his holiness, and perfection, to manifest his favor to such poor defiled creatures, or to admit them to communion with himself; for they are not considered as in themselves — but as one with Jesus, to whom they have fled for refuge, and by whom they live a life of faith.
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His power is displayed — in maintaining his own work in the midst of so much opposition, like a spark burning in the water, or a bush unconsumed in the flames.
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They dare not, they will not ascribe anything to themselves — but are glad to acknowledge, that they must have perished a thousand times over — if Jesus had not been their Savior, their Shepherd, and their Shield!
==========
Whoever is truly humbled — will not be easily angry, nor harsh or critical of others. He will be compassionate and tender to the infirmities of his fellow-sinners, knowing that if there is a difference — it is grace alone which has made it! He knows that he has the seeds of every evil in his own heart. And under all trials and afflictions — he will look to the hand of the Lord, and lay his mouth in the dust, acknowledging that he suffers much less than his iniquities have deserved.


Quotes from The Letters of John Newton - Indwelling Sin and the Believer

John Owen Christologia Preface

JOHN OWEN:   CHRISTOLOGIA

OR  A DECLARATION OF THE GLORIOUS MYSTERY  OF  THE PERSON OF CHRIST — GOD AND MAN:


In his preface writes....

Unto them that believe unto the saving of the soul, he (Jesus) is, he always has

been, precious — the sun, the rock, the life, the bread of their souls —

every thing that is good, useful, amiable, desirable, here or unto eternity.

In, from, and by him, is all their spiritual and eternal life, light, power,

growth, consolation, and joy here; with everlasting salvation hereafter. By

him alone do they desire, expect, and obtain deliverance from that woeful

apostasy from God, which is accompanied with — which containeth in it

virtually and meritoriously whatever is evil, noxious, and destructive unto

our nature, and which, without relief, will issue in eternal misery. By him

are they brought into the nearest cognation, alliance, and friendship with

God, the firmest union unto him, and the most holy communion with him,

that our finite natures are capable of, and so conducted unto the eternal

enjoyment of him. For in him “shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and

shall glory;” (Isaiah 45:25;) for “Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an

everlasting salvation;” they “shall not be ashamed nor confounded, world

without end:” verse 17.

On these and the like accounts, the principal design of their whole lives

unto whom he is thus precious, is to acquaint themselves with him — the

mystery of the wisdom, grace, and love of God, in his person and

mediation, as revealed unto us in the Scripture, which is “life eternal;”

(John 17:3;) — to trust in him, and unto him, as to all the everlasting

concernments of their souls — to love and honor him with all their hearts

— to endeavor after conformity to him, in all those characters of divine

goodness and holiness which are represented unto them in him. In these

things consist the soul, life, power, beauty, and efficacy of the Christian

religion; without which, whatever outward ornaments may be put upon its

exercise, it is but a useless, lifeless carcass. The whole of this design is

expressed in these heavenly words of the apostle: (Philippians 3:8-12:)

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of

the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered

the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win

Christ, 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: that I may know him,

and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his

sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means

I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had

already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if

that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of

Christ Jesus.”

This is a divine expression of that frame of heart of that design — which is

predominant and efficacious in them unto whom Christ is precious

TIED MY REBELLIOUS IGNORANT LEGS TOGETHER

My God is a robust Savior, He is not a weak willed confused being with no real power except that which His subjects willingly surrender. All throughout scripture He is shown majestic and holy, glorious and triumphant able to do all that He wills without limitation. Notice when the angel speaks of Him in Matthew 1:21 he says, "...He WILL save HIS people from their sins."

It isn't Mary's obediance we should herald this day, nor the willingness of any of His creatures.

He busted through the door of my stoney heart and wrestled me to the ground like a lost sheep then tied my rebellious ignorant legs together, ...threw me over His shoulders and will carry me all the way home. This God my friends is mighty to save and worthy of my worship, forever and ever and ever! (emphasis mine, my favorite part, thanks Tim!)

May the Christ child be celebrated today as not the great enabler but King! His last words... "It is finished".



-- Tim Haufler

NOT THY FAITH

‎"It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ, though that be the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merit."

- Charles H. Spurgeon

DARKER FOULER

Let the Stable Still Astonish

Let the Stable still astonish:
Straw -- dirt floor, dull eyes,
Dusty flanks of donkeys, oxen;
Crumbling, crooked walls;
No bed to carry that pain,
And then, the child,
Rag-wrapped, laid to cry
In a trough.
Who would have chosen this?
Who would have said: “Yes,
Let the God of all the heavens
and earth
Be born here, in this place”?
Who but the same God
Who stands in the darker, fouler
rooms
of our hearts
and says, “Yes,
let the God of Heaven and Earth
be born here --
in this place.”
Leslie Leyland Fields

SECRET TO ACCOMPLISH

the duties God requires of us are not in proportion to the strength we possess in ourselves. Rather, they are proportional to the resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in ourselves to accomplish the least of God’s tasks. This is a law of grace. When we recognize it is impossible to perform a duty in our own strength, we will discover the secret of its accomplishment. But alas, this is a secret we often fail to discover.

--John Owen

DESIGNED FOR GOD

Tomato Sauce was designed for Lasagna, Spaghetti, and Pizza...not for painting walls, staining furniture, or cleaning clothes; Likewise Music was designed for God's Glory and God's Pleasure...not for the secular world to make money, become famous, and entertain themselves; what waste and misuse of a gift.

REJOICE IN THE LORD

My Joy is not based on sinners.

My Joy is not based on sinners, whether it be other sinners, or my old nature considered dead.

It is not based on my performance as it relates to intellectual progress, athletic progress, financial progress, ministry exposure, ministry reception.

My Joy IS based on the Sovereign, the Savior;

My Joy IS based on...

who HE is: Fully God, Fully Man, King, Messiah, Sovereign, Savoir, Lion, Lamb.

what HE has accomplished: incarnate, life, cross, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, enthronement.

what HE has accomplished: redemption, atonement, propitiation, preservation of His Bride.

where HE is: at the right hand of the Father, in glory, with adoration and exultation.

what HE has promised: to return, to rescue, to restore, to reign, to vindicate His Holiness, Righteousness, Glory, Name.

that He is...... who He is......without me, my contribution, my effort, my intentions, my zeal, my tears.

Circumstances change, Christ does not.

Rejoice in the Lord always....and I again I say, Rejoice IN THE LORD.

THE ONLY WAY

One thinks he could serve God much better if he were more prospered temporally...another if only he could have more society and Christian fellowship. But, my reader, the only way to serve God better is to be content with the place in which He has put you, and therein get a better heart!

~AW Pink

A TRUE PURITAN

A true Puritan is one whose heart is warmed by the Lord's sweet communion,
whose esteem is bent to the ground, facedown in His awesome presence,
whose mind is captured by the words of the Word Incarnate,
whose will succumbs to the sovereignty of God Almighty,
whose bones burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit,
whose desires are inflamed with the pleasures of the Great I Am,
who knows that he is yet incomplete, wretched, undeserving, unworthy, still persevering, still longing, still in dire need of His tender mercies and steadfast love.

A true Puritan doesn't yet know that indeed he is one.

– A Reformed sister in India, who wishes to remain anonymous.

OBJECT LESSON

When asked to give examples of sin, one little boy raised his hand, when called on, he didnt say a word, he simply slapped the boy next to him on the back of the head. (via Ndivhuwo Rembuluwani)

CONFLICT

‎"You are but a poor soldier of Christ if you think you can overcome without fighting and suppose you can have the crown without conflict."

- John Chrysostom

(Of course the overcoming and crown are from Christ, not our fighting or conflict)

CHRIST HIMSELF

‎"All promises are either Christ himself, or by Christ, or from Christ, or for Christ. All promises that ever were made to God's people, they were either of Christ Himself, when He was promised, or such as were promised for Christ."

- Richard Sibbes

CONDITIONS MET

For Tulip-Deniers, Regeneration is not an act of God's Grace, but a reaction of God to the sinners who employed their ability to meet the condition/command of placing faith in Christ; Like their mother-Rome, and cousin-Mormon, grace gets them started, but it is up to them to make the most of God's offer, and in the end it is the sinner's ability to make the difference.

2 Nephil 25:23.....for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. (throw the term grace around, but redefine it)

NOT BY FORCE OF WILL

May God's grace grant me to become one who can admit his faults, yet persevere to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Ph.3:14), not by force of will, but by faith in the grace of Him who called you, who will also faithfully do it (1Th.5:24).

(based on material from Al. H.)

FAILING TO INTEGRATE

There is SO-O-O much Scripture that I have sorely failed to integrate in my worldview...for example...

The Bible says, "The greatest among you shall be your servant." yet in my mind for 10 years I have still held different standards; The Bible does not say...The greatest among you shall be your: apologists, intellect, writer, published au...thor, speaker, prolific reader, greek scholar" and yet I have in some level coveted these goals more than serving; It is almost like what Jesus told to Nicodemus in paraphrase and new application, "You claim to be a Seminary student and pastor of 10 years, and you do not understand this, how shall you understand heavenly things, if you do not understand the basics?"

BETTER FOR THEM

“How sad is their condition that have a knowledge of Christ, and yet as to themselves it had been better they had never had it! Many there be that content themselves with an unpractical, ineffectual, and merely notional knowledge of him; of whom the apostle saith, “It had been better for them not to have known,” 2 Pet. 2: 21. It serves only to aggravate sin and misery; for though it be not enough to save them, yet it puts some weak restraints upon sin, which their impetuous lusts breaking down, exposes them thereby to a greater damnation.”

~ John Flavel

SCRIPTURE SUPPLIES

"The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both."

~ John Calvin

OUR BEST CANNOT

[The bad news] is that the best efforts of the best Christians, on the best days, in the best frame of heart and mind, with the best motives fall short of that true righteousness and holiness that God requires. Our best efforts cannot satisfy God's justice.

- Michael Horton

CONSTANT LOOKING

Let your constant motto be, "looking unto Jesus;" looking to Him just as you are; looking unto Him when faith is feeble; looking unto Him when faith is tried; looking unto Him when faith is declining; yes, looking unto Him when you fear you...... have no faith. Look up, tried and tempted soul! Jesus is the Author, the Sustainer, and He will become the Finisher of your faith. All you need is in Him; one glimpse, dim though it be, of His cross, one touch, trembling though it be, of His garment, will lift you from your lowest depths, lighten your heaviest burden, gild your darkest prospect.

~ Octavius Winslow

WE ARE THE ROMAN

We are the Roman Soldier who hurled the whip repeatedly to the bleeding back of Jesus. (Our old nature is; of course in Christ we are a new creation.)

I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

Scripture is like water and bread. 12 ounces of water/milk and 2 slices of bread at 8 a.m. might last you 2 hours, and your body will be needing more fluid and food (Scripture). The need is based upon the weakness of the body, and meant to picture our constant need of Jesus to be our strength.

LOOKING UNTO JESUS

- “It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to... the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus." All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within.


But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.


If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.”

~ C.H. Spurgeon

Let your constant motto be, "looking unto Jesus;" looking to Him just as you are; looking unto Him when faith is feeble; looking unto Him when faith is tried; looking unto Him when faith is declining; yes, looking unto Him when you fear you...... have no faith. Look up, tried and tempted soul! Jesus is the Author, the Sustainer, and He will become the Finisher of your faith. All you need is in Him; one glimpse, dim though it be, of His cross, one touch, trembling though it be, of His garment, will lift you from your lowest depths, lighten your heaviest burden, gild your darkest prospect.

~ Octavius Winslow

DOUBLE IMPUTATION

"Our sins, when laid upon Christ, were yet personally ours, not his; so his righteousness, when put upon us, is yet personally his, not ours."

- John Bunyan

THE VERY ESSENCE

Arminianism is the very essence of Popery. Christopher Ness of St. John's College, Cambridge, a Puritan divine, in his treatise "An Antidote Against Arminianism," recommended by the great Dr. John Owen, writes...

"As blessed Athanasius sighed out in his day, 'The world is overrun with Arianism; so it is the sad sigh of our present times, the Christian world is overrun, yea, overwhelmed with the flood of Arminianism; which cometh as it were, out of the mouth of the serpent, that he might cause the woman (the Church) to be carried away of the flood thereof.' [Rev. 12.15.]

He quotes Mr. Rous, Master of Eton College, as saying, 'Arminianism is the spawn of Popery, which the warmth of favour may easily turn into frogs of the bottomless pit,' and Dr. Alexander Leighton who calls Arminianism 'the Pope's Benjamin, the last and greatest monster of the man of sin: the elixir of Anti-Christianism; the mystery of the mystery of iniquity; the Pope's cabinet; the very quintessence of equivocation.'"

http://www.truecovenanter.com/gospel/arminianism_another_gospel.html

SBC STATS

http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=832
Southern Baptists, an Unregenerate Denomination (Part 1)

by Jim Elliff

"How are you doing?"
"Pretty well, under the circumstances."
"What are the circumstances?"
"Well, I have a very effective arm. It moves with quite a bit of animation. But then I have my bad leg."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I guess it's paralyzed. At least it doesn't do much except twitch once a week or so. But that's nothing compared with the rest of me."
"What's the problem?
"From all appearances, the rest is dead. At least it stinks and bits of flesh are always falling off. I keep it well covered. About all that's left beyond that is my mouth, which fortunately works just fine. How about you?"

Like the unfortunate person above, the Southern Baptist Convention has a name that it is alive, but is in fact, mostly dead (Rev. 3:1). Regardless of the wonderful advances in our commitment to the Bible, the recovery of our seminaries, etc., a closer look reveals a denomination that is more like a corpse than a fit athlete. In an unusual way, our understanding of this awful reality provides the most exciting prospects for the future-if we will act decisively.

The Facts
Although the Southern Baptists claim 16,287,494 members, on average only 6,024,289 people (guests and non-member children included), a number equal to only 37% of the membership number, show up for their church's primary worship meeting (usually Sunday morning). This is according to the Strategic Information and Planning department of the Sunday School Board (2004 statistics). If your church is anything like normal, and is not brand new, your statistics are probably similar. In other words, if you have 200 in attendance on Sunday morning, you likely have 500-600 or even more on your roll. Many churches have an even worse record.

Discerning who among us is regenerate is not an exact science, but a closer look at these numbers will at least alert us to the fact that most Southern Baptists must certainly be dead spiritually. That is so, unless, of course, you claim that there is no difference between a believer and a non-believer.

In the average church you can cut the 37% Sunday morning attendance by about two-thirds or more when counting those interested in a Sunday evening service, or other gatherings held in addition to the principal meeting of the church. In 1996, the last time the SBC kept these statistics, the number of Sunday evening attenders was equal to only 12.3% of the membership (in churches that had an evening meeting). One might ask what makes us claim that the rest are Christians, if they involve themselves with God's people only on such a minimal, surface level? How are they any different from the people who attend the liberal church down the street-the "church" where the gospel is not even preached?

And remember that the numbers of those attending include many non-member children and guests, often making up a third of the congregation's main meeting attendance. When all factors are considered, these figures suggest that nearly 90% of Southern Baptist church members appear to be little different from the "cultural Christians" who populate other mainline denominations.

To make matters worse, we tell a lot more people that they are true Christians (because they prayed a prayer sincerely) than we can convince to be baptized. Our largest pizza supper may bring in a hundred new "converts," but we will likely get only a few of those on the roll. After that, the percentages that I have been mentioning kick in. In other words, if you compare all who we say have become Christians through our evangelistic efforts, to those who actually show signs of being regenerate, we should be red-faced. In the Assembly of God's 1990s "Decade of Harvest," out of the 3.5 million supposedly converted, they showed a net gain of only 5 new attenders for every 100 recorded professions. When one considers all of our supposed converts, including those who refuse to follow Christ in baptism and who never join our churches, our numbers are much the same. Doesn't anybody see that there is a serious problem here?

Let me illustrate in rounded figures by looking at some of the churches where I have preached as a guest speaker. Each could be any Baptist church in any city. In one church, with 7,000 on the active roll, there were only 2000 in attendance on Sunday morning, and a mere 600-700 on Sunday evening. When you account for those attenders who are not members of this flagship church (i.e. guests and non-member children), you have about 1500 actual members coming in the morning and 500 or so in the evening. Where are the 5,500 members who are missing on Sunday mornings? Where are the 6,500 who are missing in the evening?

Another church had 2,100 on the roll, with 725 coming on Sunday morning. Remove guests and non-member children and the figure drops to 600 or less. Only about a third of that number came out on Sunday evening, representing less than 10% of the membership. Yet another church had 310 on the roll with only 100 who attended on Sunday morning. Only 30-35, or approximately 10%, came to the evening worship service.

These are all considered fine churches. All have an extremely competent level of leadership and vision. Some shut-ins and those who are sick, out of town, or in the military, certainly affect the figures a little. But those who are justifiably absent are not enough to alter the bleakness of the picture, especially when we remember that these numbers represent people who have been baptized and have publicly declared their allegiance to God and the Body of Christ. Even if you generously grant that the 37% are all true believers (an estimation that most pastors would say is way off the mark), one still has a church membership that is more dead than alive. If we are honest, we might have to ask ourselves, "Do Southern Baptists believe in a regenerate membership?"

Missing Christians are No Christians
What do these facts and figures, as general as they are, suggest? First, they reveal that most of the people on our rolls give little evidence that they love the brethren-a clear sign of being unregenerate (1 Jn. 3:14). It is impossible to believe that anything like real familial affection exists in the hearts of people who do not come at all, or who only nominally check in on Sunday morning as a cultural exercise. Love is the greatest mark of a genuine believer (1 Jn.3:14-19). Attendance alone does not guarantee that anyone is an authentic believer, but "forsaking the assembling," is a serious sign of the unregenerate heart. The phrase: "They went out from us, because they were never of us" (1 Jn. 2:19) may have doctrinal overtones, but it nonetheless represents many on our membership rolls.

Second, these numbers suggest that most of those who do not attend (or who only come when it is convenient), are more interested in themselves than God. To put it in Paul's words, they are "fleshly-minded" and not "spiritually-minded" (Rom. 8: 5-9). The atmosphere that most pleases them is that of the world and not God. They can stand as much of God as makes them feel better about themselves, and they find a certain carnal security in "belonging" to a local church. But beyond that, they will politely resist getting involved. They use the church, but are not really a part of it. For some, the extent of what they can take is an Easter service now and then; for others it is an occasional sterile (and somewhat Pharisaical) trip to church on appropriate Sunday mornings as fits into their schedule. But their apathy towards regular and faithful church attendance betrays their true affections. The fact is, you do what you love to do.

Third, the numbers indicate that some people have joined other denominations and our churches have not kept up with their movements-a sign of inadequate pastoral oversight and the built-in deficiencies of the "inactive membership" concept. I'm quite certain Paul never dreamed of "inactive membership." Embarrassingly, some left on the rolls are dead-physically! It goes without saying that a dead person is about as inactive as one could be! But others, though presumably alive physically, have disappeared without a trace. I believe it was our beloved Dr. Roy Fish of SWBTS who said, "Even the FBI could not find some of them." Yet, if we want to claim them as members, we are responsible to keep up with them.

All of these people have "prayed the prayer" and "walked the aisle." All have been told that they are Christians. But for most, old things have not really passed away, and new things have not come. Most are not new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). In too many cases, obvious signs of an unregenerate heart can be found, such as bitterness, long-term adultery, fornication, greed, divisiveness, covetousness, etc. These are "professing believers" that the Bible says are deceived. "Do not be deceived" the Bible warns us concerning such people (see 1 Cor.6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; 6: 7-8; Eph. 5:5-6; Titus 1:16; 1 Jn. 3:4-10; etc.).

Jesus indicated that there is a good soil that is receptive to the gospel seed so as to produce a fruit-bearing plant, but that the "rocky ground" believer only appears to be saved. The latter shows immediate joy, but soon withers away (Mt. 13:6, 21). This temporary kind of faith (which is not saving faith, see 1 Cor.15:1-2) is rampant among Southern Baptists. In The Baptist Faith and Message we say we believe that saving faith is persistent to the end. We say we believe in the preservation and perseverance of the saints (once saved, always persevering). In other words, if a person's faith does not persevere, then what he possessed was something other than saving faith.

In John 2:23-25 Jesus was the center-piece for what turned out to be a mass evangelism experience in which a large number of people "believed" in Him. Yet He did not entrust Himself to even one of them because "he knew their hearts." Is it possible that we have taken in millions of such "unrepenting believers" whose hearts have not been changed? I say that we have. Our denomination, as much as we may love it, is on the main, unregenerate. Even if you double, triple, or quadruple my assessment of how many are true believers, we still have a gigantic problem. It is naive to believe otherwise.

There are those who would say that such people are "carnal Christians" and don't deserve to be thought of as unregenerate. It is true that the Corinthian believers (about whom this phrase was used; see 1 Cor. 3:1-3) acted "like mere men" in their party spirit. Christians can commit any sin short of that which is unpardonable.

Undoubtedly, however, Paul did suspect that some of the Corinthians were unbelievers, for he later warns them about such a possibility in 2 Cor.12:20-13:5. A long-term and unrepentant state of carnality, is, after all, the very description of the unregenerate (Rom. 8:5-14, 1 Jn. 3:4-10, etc.). In calling some people "carnal" Paul did not mean to imply that he was accepting as Christian a lifestyle that he clearly describes elsewhere as unbelieving. He wrote, in the same letter: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived" (1 Cor. 6:9-11, etc.). Apparently there were some, even then, who were deceived into thinking that an unrighteous man or woman who professes faith in Christ could really be a Christian!

Is Follow-up the Problem?
A great mistake is made by blaming the problem on poor follow-up. In many churches there is every intention and effort given to follow-up, yet still the poor numbers persist. One church followed up "by the book," seeking to disciple people who had been told they were new converts during the crusade of an internationally-known evangelist. The report of the pastor in charge was that none of them wanted to talk about how to grow as a Christian. He said, "In fact, they ran from us!" I have known some churches to go to extreme efforts to disciple new believers. We must do this. Yet, like the others, they generally have marginal success. They have learned to accept the fact that people who profess to have become Christians often have to be talked into going further, and that many, if not most, simply will not bother. Authentic new believers can always be followed up, however, because they have the Spirit by which they cry, "Abba Father" (Rom. 8:15). They have been given love for the brethren, and essential love for the beauty and authority of the Word of God. But you cannot follow-up on a spiritually dead person. Being dead, he has no interest in growth.

It was the preaching of regeneration, with an explanation of its discernible marks, that was the heart of the Great Awakening. J. C. Ryle, in writing of the eighteenth century revival preachers, said that they never for a moment believed that there was any true conversion if it was not accompanied by increasing personal holiness. Such content was the staple of the greatest of awakening preaching throughout the history of revival. Only such a powerful cannon blast of truth could rock the bed of those asleep in Zion.

Copyright © Jim Elliff Permission granted for photocopy and internet transmission. For other uses, write info@ccwonline.org.



(This part of 1 of 2 parts).



More of Jim's articles may be found at www.CCWonline.org.

Distributed by www.worldviewweekend.com

NOT THE GIFT OF GOD

Arminians on the other hand believe that man has the natural power of will to exercise faith on Christ. Sinners are therefore urged to make decisions for Christ. On this foundation of sand multitudes build their hope for eternity. The decisionist conversion is but the exercise of the unrenewed will. The faith in Christ professed is not the gift of God.

The joy experienced is the joy of the stony-ground hearers. The hope cherished is not the good hope through grace, but the hope of the hypocrite that shall perish. All the religious activity which follows, is not of the Spirit but of the flesh.

"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me ye that work iniquity." (Matt. 7: 22, 23).

SOURCE: http://www.reformed.org/calvinism/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/calvinism/misc/arminian_another_gospel.html

POPE AND HIS ARM

‎"The charge on which many of the Protestant martyrs were burnt at the stake was that they held to the doctrine of predestination and rejected the Arminian and Popish doctrine of free will."

--Augustus M. Toplady

SALVATION BY WORKS

“The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works…”

Charles H. Spurgeon

ASK GOD

‎"We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown." ~ John Calvin

PAGAN NATION

‎"America...is not a Christian nation. It is pagan to the core." - R.C. Sproul

RUBBISH

Dr. Luther's thoughts about Erasmus "eloquent" defense of free-will: "I feel an indignation against the matter also, that such unworthy stuff should be borne about in ornaments of eloquence so rare; which is as if rubbish, or dung, should be carried in vessels of gold and silver;

"Does it follow from: 'turn ye' that therefore you can turn? Does it follow from "'Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart' (Deut 6.5) that therefore you can love with all your heart? What do arguments of this kind prove, but the 'free-will' does not need the grace of God, but can do all things by its own power...But it does not follow from this that man is converted by his own power, nor do the words say so; they simply say: "if thou wilt turn, telling man what he should do. When he knows it, and sees that he cannot do it, he will ask whence he may find ability to do it..." 164

ONLY CHRIST

"Ministers may set the food of the word before you, and carve it out to you; but it is only Christ can cause you to taste it"(Watson, Gleanings , 93).

ALWAYS CARRY

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." ~ 2 Corinthians 4:10