“Faith is rest, not toil.”

Horatius Bonar wrote sermons, books, and hymns. He was gifted by God in these things. The blog, Of First Importance, consists of quotes from the writings of godly men of the past. They've posted this quote from Horatius Bonar--go check it out-
“Faith is rest, not toil.”

Raised from the Dead

Have you ever heard the question asked about the people raised from the dead in the Bible? You know, the one that goes along these lines, "What was their reaction to being brought back to this world from the presence of God?"

Usually the person asking this is pointing out how that person could be a little ticked off they were no longer with the Lord.

I was thinking about that the other day, and while I can't be dogmatic about this I did realize that every one of the people raised from the dead in the Bible was raised for SOMEBODY else's benefit, not their own. The question is perhaps a bit self-centred, although probably not intentionally. The reason they were raised for somebody else's benefit. That puts it in a whole new light for me. Those raised were in some way serving God by returning.

Of course I can say dogmatically that at least one person raised from the dead in the Bible was raised for the benfit of others. That person was Jesus. He was raised for the benefit of His people.

Merry Christmas

May we all celebrate Christ's incarnation EVERY day of our lives, I'm sure His people will celebrate it in eternity.

John 1:14-"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (ESV)

Book Recommendation-The Vanishing Conscience by John MacArthur

(This is adapted from the first book review/recommendation I wrote for the Church Newsletter about 7 years ago. Hopefully any changes are for the better.)

The Vanishing Conscience is a book well worth reading. It combines characteristics I find most useful when they are all present. It is challenging, convicting, exhorting, and encouraging. When a book combines all four of these characteristics it can give me a fuller picture of who I am in Christ, and where I’d be without Him. I can see my sin and see my Saviour.

The Vanishing Conscience is in some ways the most difficult book I have ever read. It is not written at a highly technical or scholarly level. Its style is very readable. The difficulty lies in how it challenged and convicted me. I often had to stop reading and examine myself and pray. This can be very profitable, as you are not allowed to be complacent. In fact, I would say if you can read this book without feeling challenged and convicted, you need to examine yourself to see if you really do know the Lord. Some sections did not bother me at all, but others cut deeply.

In the first section, MacArthur looks at society’s notions about sin and guilt. He shows how they are not only tolerated, but often condoned and even celebrated. He outlines the “victim mentality” and challenges you to examine yourself to see if you fall in with the world this way. He then proceeds to define the conscience and look at how it can be cleansed and strengthened (This is part of the encouraging the book does.) He then turns his attention to how sin can silence the conscience and lead to moral decline. We need to ask if this is happening to us.

In the next section MacArthur looks at the nature of sin. He begins by examining the doctrine of total depravity, using the first three chapters of Romans. He looks at how society focuses on self, not God. He moves on to how we try to justify our own sin, and then looks to Christ as the only answer. He outlines the need for repentance and being born again. He brings in the gospel. To believers this is wonderful encouragement. He then looks at misguided attempts to deal with sin, looking primarily at those who say we can be perfect in this life. Sanctification is a life long process. On various occasions MacArthur has stated, “It’s not the perfection of your life, but the direction.” It is important to see this. We are not perfect in this life, but we ought to be moving in that direction.

In the final section MacArthur deals with handling sin. He brings up the often neglected biblical teaching of mortification. Mortification is putting to death the deeds of the flesh. It is not effective if it’s only half-done. MacArthur explains mortification using I Samuel 15, which tells what happened after Israel had defeated one of their fiercest enemies, the Amalekites. God had told them to destroy everything connected to the Amalekites, but Saul didn’t fully obey. He even spared the Amalekites’ king. This was the final event that led to God rejecting Saul as king of Israel. It is well worth your time to read this section, as the full impact of this illustration can not be properly conveyed here.

MacArthur goes on to overcoming temptation. He explains the difference between temptation and God’s testing of us. Through Christ we can endure both. The most convicting part for me was the chapter on keeping a pure mind. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit our minds are the place we sin the most. Most visible or outward sin starts in the mind. If our sin stays in the mind, no one knows about it (except God, but we often ignore that). If the sin stays there we think we got away with it, but eventually it will catch up with us. MacArthur exhorts us to watch over our hearts and guard our thoughts.

The final chapter looks at how many in the church have substituted forgiveness of our sins, and the seriousness of sin with “feeling good”. He ends it with practical application for recognizing and dealing with sin in our lives. This is indeed the sort of encouragement we all need. The book also contains three appendices well worth reading.

Throughout the book, MacArthur looks to the Bible and to God. Jesus Christ and the gospel are prominent. He challenges us to examine our attitudes. The conviction I felt came from the Holy Spirit as God’s word was opened up and showed me my sin. I was encouraged in the application parts of the book, and in looking to Christ and what He has done. It is so easy to be lazy regarding our conscience and therefore how we live. This book deals with the heart and mind. It follows the idea of reformation starting with ourselves and working outwards. The Vanishing Conscience is a much needed and profitable wake up call I recommend for every Christian.

"For Whom Did Christ Die?" by Charles Hodge

From Reformation Ink,here's a look at the question, "For Whom Did Christ Die?"
It's answered from the writings of Charles Hodge. (1823-1886)

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Conclusion

Jesus not only saves His people by His death, but we are told they will be saved—future tense—by His life. (For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:10-all Bible quotes are ESV.)

Christ needed to be pure and unblemished, just as Old Testament sacrifices were to be. For example, a shepherd didn’t pick a lamb at random, or give a sickly one when it was time to sacrifice. He was to give his best—an unblemished lamb. By living a sinless life and fulfilling the Law—Jesus could offer Himself as an unblemished sacrifice for His people. I believe that, but there is more than that here. The verb here is future tense, and also speaks of present tense (will be saved.) After Jesus died and was buried—what happened? He rose again—and He still lives—this is the life Paul is referring to in verse 10—Jesus’ resurrection life!

There are three tenses of Salvation. The past tense is justification. This means all true believers are saved from the penalty of sin, Because of reconciliation with God through Christ.

We are also being saved from the power of sin—this is sanctification—where God shapes us and we grow in Him. We shall also be saved from the presence of sin in eternity future as we receive glorification.

These last two are what Paul has in mind in verse 10—especially the future glory. The salvation from the presence of sin is secure in Christ because He lives to make intercession for us.

This means to petition for, to speak on another’s behalf. There are many examples in Scripture of this. In Numbers 21:4-9, Moses interceded with God when the people were ungrateful and complaining about God after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They wanted more, and they wanted it on their own terms—does that sound familiar? It’s the human way. Jesus also used the example of the bronze serpent being lifted up to point to His crucifixion, and the reconciliation that would bring. Christ does this for us-He died for us, reconciled us to the God, and keeps us safe. Because He does this we are forever His, he will not let us go, and we can not sneak away. Paul-in a familiar passage (Rom 8:38-39) gives a list of what can not remove us from His love, from His protection, and therefore our salvation. That list covers everything-including ourselves. This security is possible because He lives and He intercedes to protect us.

Christ didn’t just die to pay for our sin—He rose again to secure that salvation. And as the risen Christ, according to Hebrews 7:25- He lives always to make intercession for us.

Please do not think this means our sins are still being paid for—that has been finished as Hebrews 1:3 says He has finished that and has sat down, and John 19:30 tells us Christ on the cross decalred it is finished—that the debt has been paid. But the future tense of salvation—our glorification is guaranteed by Christ as the LIVING Saviour.

Romans 5:8-11 tells of the past and present state of believers—from enemies to friends-and even children. And the past & present condition of Jesus—He died, He is now alive.

They are intimately intertwined, because Christ died for us, while we were enemies. By His death He paid the highest price ever paid anywhere at anytime for anything to reconcile His people to God, by His resurrection He was able to enter into Glory where we who are His will one day enter as well. Because He lives! Our lives and His are bound together. Romans 6:8 says if we die with Him, we shall live with Him. The dying here refers to our sinful nature, which is said to die when we become new creatures through Christ, when we come to salvation-and experience the reconciliation He has earned.

Ephesians 2:1-7

When I was newly Reformed Ephesians 2:8-10 was a passage I used a lot. It is a great passage (Although too often verse 10 is neglected.) But I wanted to remind you of the verse leading up to that wonderful passage-they are wonderful words themselves.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

(Verse 8-10)

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Part One

(I wrote this in March 2003--shortly before Easter. I have made some updates, clarifications and other minor changes--but writing shortly before Easter influenced some of it, and I left that in.)

I like Easter-in fact it’s my favourite holiday—mostly because of what we celebrate-The death and Resurrection Of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Although I must also confess I have a sweet tooth, and the abundance of candy at that time is test of my self control. Still this ranks way behind the resurrection.)

I have no problem with setting aside a special time to celebrate and acknowledge His resurrection, but we need to celebrate His death & resurrection every day, and not put it in a box we take out once a year—and I’ve met professing believers who feel that way—they have a problem, for example, with singing what they see as “Easter songs” at other times of the year. I say why can’t we celebrate that He is risen! In fact without the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ, the gospel would be meaningless. In I Cor 15:14-18 Paul says as much—If Christ is not risen our faith is vain, and we are still in our sins. That’s a good reason to celebrate every day that He is indeed risen.

And it’s His death and resurrection that give sharing of the gospel, and of who Christ is, meaning as well. If a sermon or essay or book would be meaningless or worthless without the death & resurrection—It’s an Easter sermon or essay or book in a sense. May all the sermons we hear be in that sense—Easter sermons, their meaning is connected to the death and resurrection Of Jesus Christ.

I’ve titled this “Death and Life”. But saying “Death and Life” sounds a bit awkward to me, and perhaps it sounds awkward to you as well. My tendency would be to put them in the other order -life and death-which we’re more used to hearing. It’s the order we experience them chronologically. But the focus here is on Jesus Christ, not on us, and Romans 5:8-11, especially v.10-speaks of Christ’s death and life in that order-chronologically. In Romans 5:8-11, Paul is addressing believers who are in Rome, and in contrast to his other letters this is a church he did not plant, with leaders he had not ordained or even met. He had very little direct contact with the people there at the time he wrote these words-

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV)

( Listen to it here. )

In the context here, the “we” Paul addresses are believers. He is not excluding the possibility of unbelievers coming to a saving faith in Christ. He does refer to how it is possible for that to happen, but the beneficiaries of this verse are believers-and the benefactor is Christ.

In verses 9 and 10 there is a parallel. Christ saves us from the wrath of God by His blood in verse 9 and in verse 10 we are reconciled to God through His death. There is also a contrast between them. Vesre 9 is a legal statement about believers’ standing with God because of what Jesus has done-we are justified and saved form wrath. Verse 10 which I’ll be focus on, is the personal side of things, We are reconciled with God.

I want to consider 3 questions –which have some overlap
1. What does it mean that we were enemies?
2. What does it mean that we (believers) were reconciled to God by the death of His Son?
& 3. What does it mean we (believers) shall be saved by His life?

(Next- Part 2: What does it mean that we were enemies?)

Bald-faced absurdity

James White has an interesting post on a woman who claims to be descended from Jesus & Mary Magdelene--and she has a book deal.

And Just When You Thought Da Vinci Went Away

P.T. Barnum was right.

What Sinners Should Plead with God-by Ralph Erskine Part 6

6. Plead Christ's commission, Isa. 61:1, that he came "to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Cry, Lord, here is a poor prisoner, a locked and bound up heart; here is employment for you. O loose and knock off my fetters, and bring my soul out of prison. O here is a naked sinner for you to cover, a wounded soul for you to cure, a lost sheep for you to seek and save; and was not this your errand? You came to seek and save that which was lost. And will you not find a lost sinner, that desires to seek you through your grace? Plead his commission under the broad seal of heaven; for, "Him has God the Father sealed." And plead the value of his blood, and merit of his righteousness: and upon that ground whereby all grace is purchased: plead for faith and grace to receive Jesus Christ the Lord.
-Ralph Erskine.

(Thanks to the fine folks at Fire and Ice, for their wonderful Puritan site. It's an excellent resource, and where I've been getting Ralph Erskine's writings.)

Jesus-The Great Liberator Conclusion-Why this Freedom is so Valuable

The Puritan John Flavel in his work, Method of Grace points out that the excellence of the freedom believers receive in Christ point to a wonderful liberty, especially for people who owed God more than we could ever pay Him through our works or through our sufferings. All believers have been freed from bondage we did not and could not understand, and our wills were stubborn, our hearts hardened, and our affections for ourselves and meaningless things. We were slaves and did not know it. Christ sets His people free from this, and words can not fully express how wonderful that truly is. But I will attempt to flesh it out some.

1.The freedom of believers is an exclusive freedom-it can only be found in believers, but it is not exclusive to any one type of person, or tribe or tongue.
The old credit card commercial slogan certainly applies here-"Membership has its privileges."

2. It is a precious freedom-it was brought at a high cost-Christ’s own blood.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.(Acts 20:28-Paul’s farewell to elders from Ephesus)

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.(I Peter 1:18-19.)

We ought to treat it that way, and not take it for granted.

3. It is an increasing freedom, as we grow in Christ and are changed by the Lord.

4. While believers are not promised a life free from hardship, there is a comfort in the freedom of believers. "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt 11:30.) Bondage to sin is a heavy yoke.

5. It is an eternal freedom. Believers are not lost, of all the Father gives Him, the Son loses none-as we see in verses like John 6:39 & 18:9.
Of those the Father gives the Son, not one is lost.

6. It is salvation. In saving us from the penalty, the power, and eventually the presence of sin, Christ has set us free in ways we have looked at, if we are His.

7 There is only one way to be set free from sin, and that is through the Son-Jesus Christ. Look at verses such as John 14:6-

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

&
Acts 4:12-

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

So I hope you see, if the Son sets you free-You will be free indeed, (or free for real.) Only the Son can do that, and that is why He can truly be called the Great Liberator.

In 1864—British preacher Charles Spurgeon asked his congregation this-
“Are we free? I will not answer it for you…but I would beseech you to make a searching enquiry into it.”-I as well encourage each of us to ask seriously if we are free.

Spurgeon also told his congregation, if they are free then-“You wear a garment which a slave may never wear and you feel an instinct within which the slave can never feel. There is an Abba, Father, cry un you which was not there once.”
You have been freed from the bondage of sin, and freed to obey and love God.

If you have not been freed I encourage you to come to only one who can free you from your sins, and give you the real freedom. If you have a sense of your bondage, remember Christ alone can free you, and only then will you be free indeed.
Amen.

(I am especially indebted to the Puritan John Flavel's work Method of Grace in this series, even more in this conclusion, see the links above for more on Flavel.)

Previous parts-
Part 3 is here.
Part 2 is here.
I've added Parts 2-4 to Part 1 if you'd like to read it in one shot.