Quotes

“At the heart of Reformed Theology, at the heart of Luther and Calvin’s struggle, and in Knox and Jonathan Edwards, were men who were awakened to the greatness, to the majesty, to the holiness, and the sovereignty of God. By contemplating the holiness and sovereignty of God, they were driven to develop their doctrines of the grace of God. Because until you meet a God who is holy and is sovereign, you don’t know what grace means. I don’t think we are ever going to see a healthy evangelical church until the evangelical church is solidly Reformed, where it takes biblical Christianity seriously with a right concept of a sovereign God.

That’s because unreformed Christianity has failed in our culture. It has been pervasively antinomian (no law, no Lordship), and has been pervasively liberal in it’s trends and tendencies away from Scripture, because there’s been no real basis in the sovereignty of God.

Today’s evangelicals are never amazed by grace, because they don’t understand sovereignty. They don’t understand God. The evangelical church today is sick, more sick than it ever has been. We need a style and a variety of Christianity that is not a religion, but is a life and a worldview, where at the heart and foundational structure of it is a sound and deep biblical concept of the character of God.”

Dr. R.C. Sproul, A Blueprint for Thinking

HT: Reformed Pilgrim.

The second installment of my pick of the best reads from the list of blogs I read on a daily basis in my Google Reader:

The Problem With Free Will
At Caffeinated Thoughts, Eric Goransan writes:

The man who fights for discipline and holiness will open himself up to lies when he fails (God didn’t help me, I failed, I’m not going to win this, etc.) while the man who dies to himself and clings to God will have rest in his relationship with God and his depravity knowing that his heart is renewed and desires holiness. There is a security in attacking the problem from God down instead of from effort up.

Human nature strives after free will. A regenerated heart seeks to die to self. Daily death is better than fighting for life.

Read more…

Seven Implications Of The Book Of Job
Abraham Piper gives us four theological and three personal implications of the Book of Job, which I thought an apt summary in these times.

What Is Secular Humanism?
With humanism having already made inroads into our churches, some Christians might still be clueless as to what the philosophy advocates when set against orthodox Christianity. It’s a good thing, then, that brother Mike Ratliff at Possessing The Treasure has posted a great primer on secular humanism.

Would You Grow In The Grace Of The Fear Of God?
Reformation Theology posts an excerpt from John Bunyan’s The Fear of God.

This Is For The Circus Churches
Great quote from Archibald Brown over at Symphony of Scripture:

Jesus pitied sinners, pleaded with them, sighed over them, warned them, and wept over them; but He never sought to amuse them! Read on…

The very act of setting out Calvinistic soteriology [the doctrine of salvation] in the form of five distinct points (a number due, as we saw, merely to the fact that there were five Arminian points for the Synod of Dort to answer) tends to obscure the organic character of Calvinistic thought on this subject. For the five points, though separately stated, are inseparable. They hang together; you cannot reject one without rejecting them all, at least in the sense in which the Synod meant them. For to Calvinism there is really only one point to be made in the field of soteriology: the point that God saves sinners.

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“The overwhelming majority of professing Christians grants that God is sovereign over nature and that He is sovereign over human behavior. The affirmation of divine sovereignty starts to disappear, however, when Christians begin to struggle over the third area in which the Scriptures affirm God’s sovereignty — His grace. Somehow the idea that God reserves to Himself eternally and absolutely the right to manifest His saving mercy on some individuals and to withhold it from others is an act we adjudge to be unfair. The apostle Paul anticipated this human reaction to divine sovereignty in salvation when he raised the rhetorical question, “Is there injustice on God’s part?” (Rom. 9:14b). Such a question has never been raised about Arminian or semi-Pelagian schemes of salvation. The suggestion of unrighteousness in God comes only in response to the affirmation of the absolute sovereignty of God in His saving choice to elect some and not others.”

Dr. R.C. Sproul, emphasis mine.

HT: The Bororean.

Soli deo Gloria.

This is the first installment of a new regular column where I’ll share some of the best reads on my RSS feed.

To Know God
The Thirsty Theologian succinctly captures in writing exactly the Christian that I am on so many occasions.

I want to know God, I say again. I want to know Him in all his glory. Yet there is a part of me that most definitely does not want to know Him: my flesh. My flesh assiduously avoids all knowledge of God. Why? Because knowledge makes demands. My flesh does not like demands. Oh, it likes to make demands. It makes demands on people, on things, on circumstances, and even on God, but it hates demands made on me.

…

But I am not humble. I am proud and independent. If I was humble, the logical thing to do at this point would be to acknowledge my helplessness, rest on God’s promises, and pray for grace. But very often, my reaction is anything but humble. Rather than praying, I resolve to do better. I will try harder. Can you believe it? I retreat to my own self-sufficiency! The very self-sufficiency that has already been destroyed!

Read more of the post at The Thirsty Theologian.

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This in some ways is a response/follow-up to my thoughts on dependence on Study Bibles.

Knowledge puffs up. … The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:1–2).

To be preoccupied with getting Theological knowledge as an end in itself, to approach Bible study with no higher motive than a desire to know all the answers, is the direct route to a state of self-satisfied self-deception. We need to guard our hearts against such an attitude, and pray to be kept from it. … There can be no spiritual health without doctrinal knowledge; but it is equally true that there can be no spiritual health with it, if it is sought for the wrong purpose and valued by the wrong standard. In this way, doctrinal study really can become a danger to spiritual life, and we today today, no less than the Corinthians of old, need to be on guard here.

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Set God on High & Lay the Creature in the Dust

“I feel persuaded that false doctrine, inasmuch as it touches God’s sovereignty, is always an object of divine jealousy. Let me indicate especially the doctrines of free-will. I know there are some good men who hold and preach them, but I am persuaded that the Lord must be grieved with their doctrine though he forgives them their sin of ignorance.

Free-will doctrine — what does it? It magnifies man into God; it declares God’s purposes a nullity, since they cannot be carried out unless men are willing. It makes God’s will a waiting servant to the will of man, and the whole covenant of grace dependent upon human action. Denying election on the ground of injustice it holds God to be a debtor to sinners, so that if he gives grace to one he is bound to do so to all. It teaches that the blood of Christ was shed equally for all men and since some are lost, this doctrine ascribes the difference to man’s own will, thus making the atonement itself a powerless thing until the will of man gives it efficacy. Those sentiments dilute the scriptural description of man’s depravity, and by imputing strength to fallen humanity, rob the Spirit of the glory of his effectual grace: this theory says in effect that it is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that showeth mercy.

Any doctrine, my brethren, which stands in opposition to this truth — “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,” provokes God’s jealousy. I often tremble in this pulpit lest I should utter anything which should oppose the sovereignty of my God; and though you know I am not ashamed to preach the responsibility of man to God — if God be a sovereign, man must be bound to obey him — on the other hand, I am equally bold to preach that God has a right to do what he wills with his own, that he giveth no account of his matters and none may stay his hand, or say unto him, “What doest thou?” I believe that the free-will heresy assails the sovereignty of God, and mars the glory of his dominion. In all faithfulness, mingled with sorrow, I persuade you who have been deluded by it, to see well to your ways and receive the truth which sets God on high, and lays the creature in the dust.”

Charles Spurgeon, from the sermon, A Jealous God

HT: Symphony of Scripture.

Lord, remove the pride of the flesh in me.

The more you behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the more you will see of your own vileness. The more you grow in holiness, the more aware you will be of your inward corruptions and the imperfection of your duties. More and more, you will feel your need of the gospel of grace and you will realize, even after many years of faithful Christian service, that you are a sinner who has no hope apart from Christ. Never forget that in yourself you are unworthy, and guilty and condemned; only in Jesus are you accepted.

Abraham Booth (1734-1806)

HT: The Bororean.

Go Directly To Jesus

“I feel, when I have sinned, an immediate reluctance to go to Christ. I am ashamed to go. I feel as if it would do no good to go, as if it were making Christ a minister of sin, to go straight from the swine-trough to the best robe, and a thousand other excuses; but I am persuaded they are all lies, direct from hell.

John argues the opposite way: ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.’ I am sure there is neither peace nor safety from deeper sin, but in going directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is God’s way of peace and holiness. It is folly to the world and the beclouded heart, but it is the way.”

Robert Murray M’Cheyne, quoted by Andrew Bonar
Robert Murray M’Cheyne (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960), 176

HT: Of First Importance.

Or have you yourself been given the false Gospel by a Christian, who though well-meaning and sincere, didn’t tell you the Good News as it should be?

I have, and was even taught the same manner of evangelism once, in particular the “relational gospel”. Add the ‘miracle prayer’ and bam! another false convert is born.

James MacDonald tells us of the four false gospels out there today — the relational, relevancy, resource, and prosperity “gospels” (taken from an old clip from Todd Friel’s previous radio show, Talk the Walk, on AM 980 KKMS in Minneapolis).

I’ll also like to include a quote by Dr. John MacArthur here on this issue:

Listen to the typical gospel presentation nowadays. You will hear sinners entreated with words like, “accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior”; “ask Jesus into your heart”; “invite Christ into your life”; or “make a decision for Christ.” You may be so accustomed to hearing those phrases that it will surprise you to learn that none of them is based on Biblical terminology. They are the products of a diluted gospel.

John MacArthur

HT: Bororean for the quote.

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as Head above all

1 Chronicles 29:11

The Sovereignty of God is an expression that once was generally understood. It was a phrase commonly used in religious literature. It was a theme frequently expounded in the pulpit. It was a truth which brought comfort to many hearts, and gave virility and stability to Christian character. But, today, to make mention of God’s Sovereignty is, in many quarters, to speak in an unknown tongue. Were we to announce from the average pulpit that the subject of our discourse would be the Sovereignty of God, it would sound very much as though we had borrowed a phrase from one of the dead languages. Alas! that it should be so. Alas! that the doctrine which is the key to history, the interpreter of Providence, the warp and woof of Scripture, and the foundation of Christian theology should be so sadly neglected and so little understood.

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Godliness is our spiritual beauty

‘The beauties of holiness’ (Psalm 110:3). Godliness is to the soul what the light is to the world: to illustrate and adorn it. It is not greatness which sets us off in God’s eye but goodness. What is the beauty of the angels but their sanctity? Godliness is the intricate embroidery and workmanship of the Holy Ghost. A soul furnished with godliness is damasked with beauty, it is enamelled with purity. This is the clothing of wrought gold which makes the King of heaven fall in love with us. Were there no excellence in holiness, the hypocrite would never try to paint it. Godliness sheds a glory and lustre on the saints. What are the graces but the golden feathers in which Christ’s dove shines (Psalm 68:13)?

Godliness is our defence

Grace is called ‘the armour of light’ (Romans 13:12). It is light for beauty and armour for defence. A Christian has armour of God’s making which cannot be shot through. He has the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, the breastplate of righteousness. This is proof armour, which defends against the assaults of temptation and the terror of hell.

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“Prosperity Gospel is no Gospel because what it does is offer to people what they want as natural people. You don’t have to be born again to want to be wealthy and therefore you don’t have to be converted to be saved by the Prosperity Gospel.

When you appeal to people to come to Christ on the basis of what they already want, 1st Corinthians 2 makes no sense! The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit, they are foolishness to him. Therefore if you offer to people what they do not consider foolishness in the natural man, you’re not preaching the Gospel.

And the Prosperity Gospel offers to people what they desperately want as fallen people, gives it to them and grows huge churches … I can’t believe what we tolerate in the Church, so I am on a crusade to crucify the Prosperity Gospel!”

John Piper
“God Is the Gospel: Meditations on the Love of God as the Gift of Himself”
February 18, 2007

John Owen (1616 - August 24, 1683) was the one quoted in the poll, saying:

“If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world; at least, we should be better enabled to bear them.”

Three people got it right, but unfortunately I can only name two as the information on one of the voters was not captured somehow.

My hat’s off to ChannelofHealing, Bobby and Vincent for getting the answer right!

In my opinion, John Owen’s book The Mortification of Sin is one extra-Biblical book that all Christians need to read.

My thanks to all who participated in the poll! Until the next poll, Shalom!

In light of the recent revelations and discussions in the past few days, I thought this a very apt reminder from A.W. Tozer:

The Church at this moment needs men, the right kind of men, bold men. The talk is that we need revival, that we need a new [movement] of the Spirit–and God knows we must have both; but God will not revive mice. He will not fill rabbits with the Holy Ghost.

We languish for men who feel themselves expendable in the warfare of the soul, who cannot be frightened by threats of death because they have already died to the allurements of this world. Such men will be free from the compulsions that control weaker men. They will not be forced to do things by the squeeze of circumstances; their only compulsion will come from within–or from above.

This kind of freedom is necessary if we are to have [powerful preachers] in our pulpits again instead of mascots. These free men will serve God and mankind from motives too high to be understood by the rank and file of religious retainers who today shuttle in and out of the sanctuary. They will make no decisions out of fear, take no course out of a desire to please, accept no service for financial considerations, perform no religious act out of mere custom; nor will they allow themselves to be influenced by the love of publicity or the desire for reputation.

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This addresses so very directly what I have not done with my sins, and how much I am troubled and have not peace when I sin. Jonathan Edwards exhorts us to commit violence against sin — to stone our sins, bury them for good, not even allowing the children of such sins to live.

I am learning so much from this book Pursuing Holiness in the Lord that I greatly recommend it to anyone struggling to truly live a life of holiness as God commands (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Whatever troubles there are for sin, yet if the troubler is not slain, it cannot be expected but that there will be trouble still. Before there will be no true comfort. The soul may return to stupidity and carelessness, and may receive a false peace and hope, and sin be kept alive; but no true hope.

Persons may be exceedingly troubled for sin, and yet sin be saved alive. Persons may seem to lament that they have done thus and thus, and weep many tears, and cry out the sinfulness and wickedness, and yet the life of sin be whole in them. But if so, they shall never receive true comfort.

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This really puts me to shame, and gave me much food for thought.

Now here appears Christianity in its true colors. To be of such a spirit as this is to be of such a spirit as Christ so often requires of us, if we would be His disciples. This is to sell all and give to the poor. This is to take up the cross daily and follow Christ. To have such a spirit as this is to have good evidence of being a Christian indeed, a thorough Christian, one who has given himself to Christ without reserve; one who hates father and mother and wife and children and sisters, yea, and his own life also; one who loses his life for Christ’s sake, and so shall find it.

And though it is not required of all that they should endure so great sufferings as [the Apostle] Paul did, yet is required and absolutely necessary that many Christians should be in a measure of this spirit, should be of a spirit to lose all things and suffer all things for Christ, rather than not obey His commands and seek His glory.

How well may our having such an example as this [speaking of the Apostle Paul] before our eyes make us ashamed, who are so backward now and then to lose little things, to put ourselves a little out of our way, to deny ourselves some convenience, to deny our sinful appetites, or to incur the displeasure of a neighbor.

Alas! What thought have we of Christianity to make much of such things as these; to make so many objections, to keep back, and contrive ways to excuse ourselves, when a little difficulty arises! What kind of thoughts had we of being Christians when we first undertook to be such, or first pretended a willingness to be Christians? Did we never sit down and count the cost, or did we cast it up at this rate, that we thought the whole sum would not amount to such little sufferings as lie in our way?

Edwards, Jonathan. Pursuing Holiness in the Lord.
P&R Publishing, 2005. 77-78.

Let this be to you the mark of true Gospel preaching - where Christ is everything, and the creature is nothing; where it is salvation all of grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying to the soul the precious blood of Jesus.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Look at actions which you have thought to be great, and upon which you have prided yourself — how will they look at the last?

You made money; you made money fast; you did it very cleverly; you praised yourself for it, just as others have praised themselves for conquering nations, or forcing their way to fame, or lifting themselves into eminence.

Now you are dying, and what do you think of all that? Is it so great as it seemed to be? Oh, how you leaped up to it, how you strained yourself to reach it, and you have got it, and you are dying. What do you think of it now?

The greatest of human actions will appear to be insignificant when we come to die, and especially those upon which men most pride themselves — these will yield them the bitterest humiliation.

We shall then say what madmen we must have been to have wasted so much time and energy upon such paltry things!

When we shall discover that they were not real, that they were but mere bubbles, mere pretenses, we shall then look upon ourselves as demented to have spent the whole of our life and of our energy upon them!

Charles Spurgeon
“Last Things”, Proverbs 5:11