Dr. Alan Cairns On Law And Gospel

The New Testament invariably sets before Christians the gospel of grace and faith in Christ as He is revealed in that gospel. On that basis it calls believers to obey God. We live by faith. That simply means that what we believe concerning Christ and our position in Him governs what we do. We respond to God’s word and God’s law in the light of the cross. Calvary controls our response to Sinai.

Any attempt to set up a system of rules or principles in the place of a life lived by faith in Christ will bring bondage and bitterness. C. H. Spurgeon’s comment (on Psalm 37:31) about God’s law is memorable: “In the head it puzzles, on the back it burdens, in the heart it upholds.” Believers keep God’s law because they love it and the One who gave it, the One who in love for them gave His Son to be their Saviour. The gospel motivates believers to observe God’s law as a delight to their soul, an expression of the very will of God they find written on their hearts. The law may tell us what to do, but it cannot give us the desire or power to do it. Only gospel grace can do that. To divorce obedience from the gospel and from Christ is blatant legalism. It is an unlawful use of God’s law.

A common sin unites all these abuses. Ultimately, each of them substitutes the law for Christ. Christ, not the law, should be for us the way of salvation, the base of all our operations, the ground of our freedom from condemnation, and the source of our motivation and power to live holy lives. We must never allow anyone to set the law in Christ’s place.

Let the weight of the law fall on sinners. God intends that it should. He did not give it to bear down on His redeemed people, because it has already fallen in all its force on their Saviour and Substitute. Did not Christ perfectly fulfil the law for His people? Did He not then go to the cross and pay the full penalty for all their breaches of the law? If the law lay hard on Christ—if it bore down on Him—and He satisfied it, then it is unlawful for any man to make it bear down on a believer in Christ.

We must ever be watchful lest anyone move us from the lawful to the unlawful use of God’s law.*

*Cairns, A. (2000). Chariots of God: God’s Law in Relation to the Cross and the Christian (66–67). Greenville, SC; Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ambassador-Emerald International.

Weekly Dose Of Lloyd-Jones (The Necessity Of God's Righteous Wrath)

No man will really seek salvation until he is clear about this doctrine.

...If I did not believe in the doctrine of the wrath of God, I would not understand the death of Christ upon the cross, it would be meaningless to me.

...The ultimate proof of the wrath of God upon sin is the death of our Lord upon the Cross on Calvary’s hill. It is the greatest manifestation of the love of God. It is at the same time the greatest manifestation of the wrath of God. Many things met at Calvary.

...The ultimate trouble with people who do not believe in the doctrine of the wrath of God is that they do not believe the biblical revelation of God. They have got a God of their own creating. Generally, people who reject the biblical doctrine of the wrath of God also reject the biblical doctrine of redemption and of salvation. They are quite consistent. If you do not believe in God’s wrath there is no real need for the sacrifice on Calvary’s hill.

...Here is a doctrine that the natural man abominates. He feels that it is insulting to him. He has always been like this. Go back again and read the histories and you will find in all periods of deadness and of declension that people did not believe in sin in that way. They did not believe in the wrath of God. And I suppose there are no two things in connection with the Christian faith that are so abominated today, as the doctrine of sin, and the doctrine of the wrath of God.

...The Jesus whom people put up against the Old Testament, he taught about the wrath of God … and I know of nothing that is so terrifying in the whole of the Bible than in the last book, in Revelation 6, which tells us of those men and women who at the end, when they see him they will call to the mountains, and the rocks to fall upon them and to hide them—from what? From the wrath of the Lamb, the incarnation of his love. It is his wrath that is the most terrifying thing of all.*

*Sargent, T. (2007). Gems from Martyn Lloyd-Jones: An Anthology of Quotations from 'the Doctor' (314-316). Milton Keynes, England; Colorado Springs, CO; Hyderabad, AP: Paternoster.

Dr. Frame On The Law And Gospel

When Dr. Frame is right, he is right on in my opinion. While I do have some strong disagreements with him on different issues (the Regulative Principle of Worship for example) I heartily agree with him, in general, on the issue of Law and Gospel (though I disagree with his generalization that the Biblical pattern is Gospel before Law).

In this day and age there seems to be too sharp of a distinction between Law and Gospel. It's either Law or Gospel with many hinting that to preach any commands of Scripture (Law), in the realm of sanctification, is to lead to legalism. The idea from such proponents is that obedience to Christ is only from gratitude (though they would never say so in such terms).

Without my further babbling here is Dr. Frame on the subject:

Over the years we have come to think of gospel as correlative with faith, and law as correlative with works. In this usage, law is what condemns, and gospel is what saves. Although this distinction differs from the biblical use of the terms, it does become useful in some contexts. For example, we all know a type of preaching that merely expounds moral obligations (as we usually think of them: don't kill, don't steal, etc.) and does not provide the knowledge of Christ that sinners need for salvation. That kind of preaching (especially when it is not balanced by other preaching emphases) we often describe as preaching of mere law, legalism, or moralism. There is no good news in it. We are inclined to say that it is not preaching of the gospel. So, in this general  way we come to distinguish the preaching of law from the preaching of gospel. That is, I think, the main concern of the Formula of Concord: to remind us that we need to preach both things.

We should be reminded, of course, that there is also an opposite extreme: preaching "gospel" in such a way as to suggest that Christ makes no demands on one's life. we call that "cheap grace" or "easy believism." We might also call it preaching gospel without law." Taken to an extreme, it is antinomianism, the rejection of God's law. The traditional law/gospel distinction is not itself antinomianism, but those who hold to it tend to be more sensitive to the dangers of legalism than to the dangers of antinomianism.*

...So the law may use threats to drive us to Christ. But truly good works are never motivated by any command, threat, or reward. In my view, this teaching is unbiblical. It suggests that when you do something in obedience to a divine command , threat, or promise of reward, it is to that extent tainted and unrighteous, something less than a truly good work. I agree that our best works are tainted by sin, but certainly not for this reason. When Scripture presents us with a command, obedience to that command is righteous action. Indeed, our righteousness is measured by our obedience to God's commands. When God threatens punishment and we turn from wickedness to do what he commands , that is not a sin, but a righteous response. when God promises a reward it is a good thing for us to embrace that reward.

The notion that we should conduct our lives completely apart from the admonitions of God's Word is a terrible notion. To ignore God's revelation of his righteousness is sinful. To read Scripture, but refuse to allow its commands to influence one's conduct, is the essence of sin. And what then is to motivate good works, if not the commands, threats, and promises of reward in Scripture? The Formula doesn't say. What it suggests is that the Spirit simply brings about obedience from within us. I believe the Spirit does exactly that. But the Formula seems to assume that the Spirit works that way without any decision on our part to act according to the commands of God...The Christian life is a battle, a race. It requires decision and effort.*

Please note that when Frame speaks of our righteousness being measured in obedience to Christ's commands he is not speaking in regards to justification but rather sanctification.



* John Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life (Phillipsburg, NJ.: P7R Publishing, 2008), p.188-189

*Ibid, p.

Hallowed Be Your Name

Hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9b).

Do you pray what is commonly referred to, variously, as The Lord’s Prayer and The Disciple’s Prayer?

I hope you do. This is a model for effectual, fervent prayer that the Lord Himself gave to His disciples, and so to us. It is a framework of the most simple, yet powerful and moving words contained in Scripture. On this framework, the very beginning of it takes us into the throne room of our heavenly Father, which we who have been chosen in Christ, due to no merits of our own, but all merit of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, are not only allowed, but enabled, to enter (Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-23).

The very beginning of this prayer evokes the reality that there are none good but God, for the sense of the word translated Hallowed be is of a structure that shows us, in the original language, it is God Himself who hallows, or sets apart as holy, His name, which is to say all those attributes of Himself which we are taught of by His Spirit in His holy Scriptures. His majesty –  His power, wisdom, holiness, justice, mercy, and truth – with His righteousness, hatred of sin, undeserved love to sinners with whom He is well pleased because of His work in His Son, and His Son’s work on our behalf, all redound to His glory, and this is something that He ever-presently IS, not something which we bring about by virtue of our actions and prayers.

This is the first thing we must learn from this prayer (or some would say the second thing, since we have not touched much upon the first portion of this particular petition): God Himself sets His name apart as holy among all His creation; by His power, He magnifies His name upon this earth, in the heavens, and whatsoever else there is which He created.

Therefore, we must not think that our prayers or actions add anything to that holiness which God, our Father in heaven, infinitely and perfectly is – be is added to our English translations to give us some sense of the meaning of our God’s character as described in the verb for hallowed, for the English language breaks down at this point without a verb of being used to express the timeless holy perfection which our God alone is.

So, before this is  a petition, it is a statement of fact: God is Holy, because all of His attributes define and exemplify this overarching characteristic which, in turn, gives each of His attributes their definition. As to His being, God is forever, timelessly holy, in each and every part of that indivisible substance which He alone is.

This is the most blessed of truths, for in it is the germ of how we must view ourselves in relation to God: God is holy; we are not, and no matter the number of our prayers or works, we will not be holy as God is holy. This is the most humbling of truths, for in it we have that understanding of our impoverished selves, which can only be realized once we are regenerated by our God (John 1:12-13; cf. Matthew 5:3).

In view of this, we must remember that our Lord commanded His disciples (and so us), to pray in this manner, and we must ask ourselves how such can be done, and look to the Scripture for the answers to this command.

As a statement of fact, as we said, this speaks of all that God has always been and will always be; however, if we stop here, we do not realize that He uses those He has called as the primary expression of His character on earth.

How humbling is that?

God uses those He has implanted His seed of holiness within, without removing the corrupt bodies they yet dwell in, to express His everlasting incorruption. Perfection is articulated by imperfection in those He has given to His Son – those His Son redeemed to be …“a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” … “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God (1 Peter 2:9, 1:23).”

We know that spiritually, we have died with Christ, and risen in newness of life with Him; yet God leaves us in this corrupt flesh (whether the dual nature some expound, or an attenuated corruption that is not truly alive, but yet exercises power when we are not actively seeking God for that holy power unto holy living, we will leave others to expound upon), and we must count this as part of that goodness He is, that we are so humbled, knowing it is all of Him that we are able to even desire to seek that which is also of Him (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).

This is the petition part of the statement of fact: “God, you command us to mature in you towards that perfection which you alone are; to be holy, as you are holy, and to walk in a manner that is meet and fit with the calling to which you have called us, in order that we may expound the excellencies of You who called us out of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of Your love; into the light of He who is the Light of the World, begotten of You, Father of Lights.”

Put simply, the Scripture is replete with commands for us to live in a manner that shines the light of our Lord to an extent that shows forth the glory of God, but this responsibility is not left in our incapable hands; we must realize it in our Lord Jesus Christ, for all that we do without this experiential understanding is nothing (John 15:1-9; 2 Corinthians 4:5-7).

So, I do hope you pray that which is the model prayer to the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that you realize that it is filled with, and filled out, with all of His excellencies, by His power, to proclaim and shine forth that which we would not be able to do in the least, but that we realize that the excellency and surpassing greatness of the power is of God, and not of us, that no flesh should glory in His presence.

My Son, My Only Son

When you read Genesis 24, do you see in Abraham’s faithful following of God’s commands concerning Isaac something beautiful?

If an unbeliever reads this portion of Scripture, most often they will come to the conclusion that only a barbarous God would command of His servant the sacrifice of that servant’s son to prove his faith to His God; however, was Abraham proving his faith by his works, or did the faith the Lord had imparted to Abraham produce works in concert with that faith?

The unbeliever sees a barbarous command, yet fails to see the faith of Abraham demonstrated before he ever arrives at the mountain with Isaac.

We have the fact that Abraham never questioned God in all this; we also have the facts of his statements, which of themselves reflected and shone forth that faith of God Abraham was given, before the fact of his actually preparing to perform this seeming command to human sacrifice.

Consider: we have verse 5, in which Abraham tells his servants that he and the boy will go and worship, and that they will then return to them.

We have Abraham’s certain statement to his son, Isaac, that God will provide the burnt offering for Himself in verse 8. Consideration of these two statements together certainly does not sound like Abraham thought he would lose his son of the promise, yet looking at his absolute trust in God is often seen only as his being willing to offer his only son as a burnt offering to God, without even bringing these preceding statements into play.

If any have a doubt that the faith exercised was not from God, we have the wonderful lens of God’s unfolding revelation in the New Testament from which we are able to look back upon this narrative.

In Romans 4:18-21 we have both the responsibility Abraham exercised – an active faith – and how this faith was unwavering, growing in strength and fully convinced that God was able to do that which He promised. Interestingly enough, three aorist passives (the subject is being acted upon by an outside agent) are contained in these verses: waver and grew strong in verse 20, and fully convinced in verse 21. These are framed with aorist active indicatives in the context, regarding how Abraham exercised his faith, but there can be no mistake that it was God who kept him from wavering, caused him to grow strong in that faith, and gave him to be fully convinced that God was able to do that which He had promised Abraham concerning Isaac (one can read of the promise regarding Abraham’s offspring in Genesis 17-23).

In other words, Abraham’s active faith was based in that which had been imparted to him by God, and was strengthened, kept from wavering and made to be fully trusting in God for all that He has promised.

We know that God uses that which seems foolish to the world to confound the wise of the world (1 Corinthians 1:17-2:6), and this is one of those things that the world cannot comprehend, for it does not have – nor can it receive – the Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14).

Which brings us to the final point: Who, among those who name the name of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, can fail to see the love of the Father for His only Son in this Old Testament type?

How much more love can any have than the Father did for His only Son; yet He sacrificed Him freely to bring to Himself many made just by the righteousness of His Son.

We are told that this is because of that great love with which He loved us (Ephesians 2:4).

The richness of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus our Lord is thereby pictured in this narrative of Abraham offering his only son, and the faith that responds to God without wavering – the faith that grows in strength, and remains fully convinced in the promises of God – is seen to be that gift of faith which accompanies salvation; indeed, is inherent in the saving work of our God.

Those who know the beauty of this wondrous type of God in Abraham’s trusting obedience to God was faith placed in God, fully convinced that God was able to do all that He had promised, by the action of God Himself in believing Abraham’s heart, see in it their hope of that Life in which theirs is now hidden – the very life of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we are hidden in God.

The words of the Scripture remain a closed book to those who know not God, regardless of how much such an one studies these words; it takes the power of God’s Spirit to make us realize these spiritual things.

May we all see and understand that, as we search throughout the Scriptures, they speak of that which is truth: God gave His only Son, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25).

May we never look upon the Scriptures as other than that body of divine Writ which testifies and bears witness of the One who created us for Himself, and search them with this truth in mind: God gave His Son, His only Son, that we might live, and having been given life, live unto Him.

A Little Grace And A little Of John Newton

Paul does exactly the same with the word charis. He takes it out of the commonplace and clothes it with a wonderful new meaning. From the condescending, patronising favour of a superior, Paul turns charis into the most expressive word in our Christian language. So much did Paul love this word that often he could not leave it to stand on its own but felt that he must adorn it with adjectives or adverbs. He writes of ‘much more grace’, ‘abundant grace’, ‘superabundant grace’, ‘abounding grace’, ‘reigning grace’, ‘exceeding grace’, ‘exceeding abundant grace’, ‘glorious grace’, ‘sufficient grace’ and even, ‘incomparable riches of grace’.

For Paul, grace was the only way to explain his salvation, it was the key to all his benefits in the Christian life, it was the single-word summary of his message to the world and the only guarantee that the One who had found him would never lose him. God’s choice of his people is ‘of grace’, we are justified freely ‘by grace’ and saved ‘by grace’, we have access to God ‘through grace’ and all spiritual gifts come to us ‘according to grace’.

Paul seems to have made a conscious decision to commandeer this word grace in order to express God’s response to us. He never once soils it by using it to describe our response to God. On just two occasions in his letters Paul allows himself the use of the word charis to describe our relationship to each other. In 2 Corinthians 8:6–7 he writes of the ‘act of grace’ when he refers to the church’s giving, and in Colossians 4:6 he urges that our speech should always be ‘gracious’—although even these have a clear God-ward dimension. Beyond this, the word belongs to God. If every other word was denied him, grace is the one Paul would retain to explain the very heart of his gospel. If you asked him how sinners could be rescued from themselves, from Satan and from hell, he would reply simply, ‘By grace’; and if you enquired on what ground this could be, he would respond, ‘Jesus Christ and him crucified’.

Grace is perfect, all-embracing and costly, because grace is expressed ultimately in Jesus Christ who is, in himself, the fullness of grace.

Though grace is ubiquitous—it is everywhere—it is recognised by only a few, embraced by even fewer, and understood fully by none. Grace is often a mystery, a puzzle. There is an enigma about grace. It is present above the mindless destruction and passionate hatred of men; it is there in our shattered plans, frustrated expectations, and broken hearts; and it is to be found even in the dull grind of our daily routine. Can grace really be present here on earth always and everywhere? Yes, because the absence of grace is hell.

For Saul of Tarsus there was nothing more wonderfully reassuring than to receive grace, and there was nothing more dreadful than to come close to it and then to ‘fall away from grace’. The most glorious experience known to Paul was to be embraced by grace—and the most terrifying possibility was to reject it.

John Newton was born in 1725 in Wapping, one mile down river from the Tower of London, and he died eighty-two years later barely one mile away in the City. His life in between is well summed up by his own epitaph written on a plain marble slab that can be found in the parish church of St Mary Woolnoth in the City of London. Part of it reads:

John Newton

once an infidel and libertine

a servant of slaves in Africa

was

by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour

Jesus Christ

preserved, restored, pardoned

and appointed to preach the faith

he had longed laboured to destroy.

Abandoning his mother’s Christian faith, the young Newton became an arrogant unbeliever. Having rejected God and his conscience, he considered that he was free to live as he pleased—and he did! As a blaspheming, drunken, promiscuous sailor, he filled up his teenage years until, herded onto a warship and pressed into His Majesty’s service at the age of nineteen, he refined his anti-Christ philosophy and dragged others with him. Eventually Newton turned up in West Africa as a slave trader and sunk so low that he became the pity and scorn of slaves himself.

In March 1748 John Newton was on his way back to England when a violent storm smashed into the little ship Greyhound and for weeks the crew nursed their shattered boat across the Atlantic, expecting a choking grave with every shift of wind. In his terror Newton called out to God for help and his prayer was heard. After days of remorseless battering by the ocean and his conscience, John yielded to the claims of Christ, believed the promises of God’s word, and received his first hope of forgiveness. Somewhere on board the broken ship Newton found a little book of sermons, and one in particular he read over and over again, it was based on the words of John the Baptist recorded in John 1:29, ‘Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world’. The Easter sermon was entitled, ‘The merits of Christ’s passion’, and in it he read these words: ‘We can think and talk of Christ dying for our sins and yet live in them. We can hear of his being accused and condemned and yet not condemn nor so much as accuse ourselves for our sin. We can read over the whole history of our Saviour’s passion with dry eyes, and be no more troubled at it than if we had been in no way concerned in it.’ As the shivering, starving sailor read those words he knew they were so true of him. He had for too long responded to the death of Christ exactly like that. Newton read on and learned that Christ had come to take away sin, ‘Not only for some particular sins but sin in general, sin as sin … the strength as well as the guilt of our sin, our inclination to it, as well as our obligation to punishment for it.’

Just four weeks after the terrifying storm that almost sank Newton’s hope of salvation, the broken Greyhound struggled into Lough Swilly, one of the northernmost points of Ireland. The date was 8 April 1748, which in that year was Good Friday—a neat coincidence for the man who had been reading an Easter sermon. Less than two hours after they had anchor­ed in the comparative shelter of the bay, a gale blew at sea with such a force that the ship would cer­tainly have been broken to pieces had it still been beyond the Lough.

John, who was born in the rough waterfront village of Wapping and whose formal education amounted to just two years at an inferior school, found in Christ alone the grace of God. And Saul, who grew up as a graduate in the university city of Tarsus close to the wild frontier of the Roman Empire, had long before found exactly the same. These two men, seventeen hundred years apart, had both experienced the meaning of grace, and each had begun an adventure in which their life would explore and enjoy the incredible wealth of amazing grace. For this reason, since John of Wapping and Saul of Tarsus have so much in common, we will return often in this book to the life of John to illustrate the teaching of Paul. Years later John Newton turned his experience into what has become one of the most popular hymns of the Christian church. It was written for his congregation at Olney in Buckinghamshire to sing on New Year’s morning 1773 and was based upon the text for his sermon from 1 Chronicles 17:16–17.

  AMAZING GRACE—HOW SWEET THE SOUND—

  that saved a wretch like me!

  I once was lost, but now am found;

  was blind, but now I see.

  2 God’s grace first taught my heart to fear,

  his grace my fears relieved;

  how precious did that grace appear

  the hour I first believed!

  3 Through many dangers, toils and snares

  I have already come;

  his grace has brought me safe this far

  and grace will lead me home.

  4 The Lord has promised good to me,

  his word my hope secures;

  my shield and great reward is he

  as long as life endures.

  5 And when this mortal life is past

  and earthly days shall cease,

  I shall possess with Christ at last

  eternal joy and peace.

  6 The earth will soon dissolve like snow,

  the sun no longer shine;

  but God, who called me here below,

  will be for ever mine.

  John Newton 1725–1807

  Praise! 772*

*Edwards, B. H. (2003). Grace: Amazing grace (13–18). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

Can You Trust The Public School System?

Some excerpts from The Harsh Truth About Public Schools:

A Christian education must impart a Christian worldview in which the sovereignty of God and the central role of Jesus Christ in human history and affairs are understood by every Christian child...But this is not an education that Christians should desire to provide through a system of government schools.*

The point here is that Christian parents must not be distracted from their duty to their children by hoping for a reform of government schools that will not and should not happen. Instead, Christian parents must squarely confront what is now being done to their children. Secular humanists and New Agers are using government schools coercively to evangelize Christian children to their atheistic or pagan beliefs. These government-sponsored evangelists are relentless, and, as the data from Nehemiah Institute and Barna Research show, they have been very effective. If we are to be faithful stewards of the children God has given us, Christian parents must lead their children out of Pharaoh's schools now.*

First, parents today (and their parents, and their parents before them) were raised in a society that unreflectively  came to accept the belief that the education of children is the business of the state, not parents. Government schools, after all, employ legions of "highly trained education professionals" who have been known to remind questioning parents that they, not the parents, are the "experts." From the perspective of today's parents, why should they undertake something that is the government's job, that they haven't been "trained" for, and that they've already paid to have someone else do? Besides, being personally responsible for their children's education might cause some anxiety and force them to reorder their lives.*

The truth is hard, but simple. Those who control government schools want your children and your money. They don't want you sticking your nose into what they consider to be their business, and they don't want to change.*

"But What About Socialization?" Some Christian parents are a little schizophrenic- they want children to be Christian and to be like everyone else. This is obviously impossible. Christ offended many because His words and His actions were a rebuke to sinners. His apostles new they would suffer because they would give offense for His sake...So, the real question is, to which standards are we going to socialize our children- to those of Pharaoh's schools or to those of Christ?*

Bruce N. Shortt, The Harsh Truth About Public Schools ( Vallecito, Ca.:Chalcedon Foundation, 2004), p. 315-316

*Ibid, p. 316

*Ibid, p. 318

*Ibid, p. 323

*Ibid, p. 328

Right Doctrine, In The Wrong Heads, Can Be A Dangerous Thing

A letter from John Newton (author of the hymn Amazing Grace) to a friend:

There is a principle of self, which disposes us to despise those who differ from us; and we are often under its influence, when we think we are only shewing a becoming zeal in the cause of God. I readily believe, that the leading points of Arminianism spring from, and are nourished by, the pride of the human heart; but I should be glad if the reverse was always true; and that to embrace what are called the Calvinistic doctrines was an infallible token of an humble mind. I think I have known some Arminians—that is, persons who, for want of clearer light, have been afraid of receiving the doctrines of free grace—who yet have given evidence that their hearts were in a degree humbled before the Lord. And I am afraid there are Calvinists, who, while they account it a proof of their humility that they are willing in words to debase the creature, and to give all the glory of salvation to the Lord, yet know not what manner of spirit they are of. Whatever it be that makes us trust in ourselves that we are comparatively wise or good, so as to treat those with contempt who do not subscribe to our doctrines, or follow our party, is a proof and fruit of a self-righteous spirit. Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines, as well as upon works; and a man may have the heart of a Pharisee, while his head is stored with orthodox notions of the unworthiness of the creature and the riches of free grace. Yea, I would add, the best of men are not wholly free from this leaven; and therefore are too apt to be pleased with such representations as hold up our adversaries to ridicule, and by consequence flatter our own superior judgments. Controversies, for the most part, are so managed as to indulge rather than to repress this wrong disposition; and therefore, generally speaking, they are productive of little good. They provoke those whom they should convince, and puff up those whom they should edify. I hope your performance will savour of a spirit of true humility, and be a means of promoting it in others (emphasis mine).*

*Newton, J., & Richard Cecil. (1824). The works of the John Newton Volume 1 (272–273). London: Hamilton, Adams & Co.

The Beauty Of Law And Grace

The law of God in the Old Testament, for all its rigorous demands and severe punishments, was an expression of God’s grace; this is precisely why Paul concludes that the law is ‘holy, righteous and good’ (Romans 7:12). Paul’s reasoning is that through the law we recognise sin as ‘sinful beyond measure’ (v 13), and only when we acknowledge the reality of sin will we be ready to receive the grace of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is therefore a perversion to talk of ‘law or grace’ as if the two were mutually exclusive; we will not even find the phrase ‘law and grace’ in the Bible. Instead, we should always think of ‘the grace of law’; because law is grace. For this reason we may speak of ‘law and gospel’, for both the law­—which in the words of William Tyndale ‘asks and requires’, and the gospel—which Tyndale claimed ‘pardons and forgives’, are expressions of grace. Whenever God gave his people laws, he provided salvation through the offering of a sacrifice. That is grace. In God’s covenant, wherever there was law there was also gospel. In the New Testament, the good news of Jesus Christ is called, ‘The word of his grace’ (Acts 14:3) and ‘The gospel of the grace of God’ (Acts 20:24). For his part, Paul summarises the whole of the gospel in four words, ‘By grace … through faith’ (Ephesians 2:8).*

*Edwards, B. H. (2003). Grace: Amazing grace (7). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

Reflections On a Twenty-Fourth Birthday

I usually get the "no way you're only (whatever age I currently am)". Maybe its the mass amount of facial hair that grows within a day's time. Whatever the case, I've always felt like time is flying by and I'm getting old fast. It feels like only yesterday that I was 19. Which I would say was about the time of my conversion. Most of the time before that seems a blur--thankfully so. Some of the most recent years are painfully vivid. I replay some of those crucial decisions I made back in my head, inserting things I could have said or done, and removing things I shouldn't have said or done. I would like to believe I've matured a lot since then, and I believe I have. At the core of being or becoming a man is that central idea of maturing. I say this, not to boast in the wisdom and experience I've gained over the years, but to highlight the grace of God in my life. I could have easily been just another hoodlum wandering the streets endlessly in pursuit of ungodly desires, but God was gracious. So, I write this not under the influence of illicit drugs, or after a night of wild partying, but I write this in a point of my life where I realize how desperately I need of God, today, tomorrow, and for the remainder of my days on earth. 

-awretchsaved

All That God Is For You In Christ (Another meandering meditation)

We have established some of what our God is for us in our Lord Jesus Christ – acceptance with God which causes us to confess Him before men (both our brethren and unbelievers); peace with God which carries within it so much more than a mere passive sense of peace, founded upon our being justified by the propitiatory satisfaction of God’s wrath against sin in our Lord Jesus Christ’s offering of Himself (Matthew 20:28; John 10:14-18; Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 5:21); cleansing of our sins, resulting in the death and washing away of that old nature, resulting in the new life imparted, which is being conformed to His image and unto good and holy works preordained (Titus 3:4-6; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:11-14).

It should be obvious, now, that one cannot consider just one area of that which God is for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord, without meditating upon other areas – the work of God in Jesus Christ for those He has called, accepted, justified, sanctified, and given rest cannot be pondered in a vacuum; one thought leads to the next, and all thoughts are interconnected, when doing such meditations, and this is by that renewing of the mind which gives the lie to outward conformity to the world and the flesh, but the truth, as it is in Christ Jesus, whom the Spirit has formed our inner man to grow from one degree of grace to the next degree of grace, in making us conform to that which He perfectly is as the first and only Man who walked perfectly before God, and this is through the work of the Word being applied by His Spirit to our inner man, which is preeminently seen and realized in our thoughts – which is to say, our mind – being transformed, that transformation radiating outward to show the character of our Lord as we are continually changed to live a life which proclaims and promotes the glory of God (Romans 12:2; 7:25).

The glory we will share with Him, or be with Him in, is not that glory of the infinite (the created creature can never share the infinite but in finite measure), although it is surrounded by that glory of the infinitely perfect and holy God; it is that glory of the Man, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, which glory – that of the perfect man who is also God the Son – we are given to know and live in finite measure now, and completely in the age to come (John 17:17-24; 2 Peter 1:3-4; 1 John 3:2).

The careful reader, considering the things stated in these meditations, will also have noticed the context of those Scripture passages referenced, which will give the solid evidence of a faith that is lived out because of all that God is for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. It must be noted, however, and considered carefully, that such is not done even by way of thanksgiving, since that in itself is but one of the good works true faith shines forth, but because of who we have been made in Christ, and for this reason, the present meditation turns to a well known passage of Scripture, which defines our present and future identity in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:3: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This verse is a plain statement of that which is true of those elect in Christ Jesus, who, having obtained that salvation of which He came to give to them, must realize the very identity of who they are is, indeed, hidden in Christ in God.

Some of the simplest statements in Scripture often are so profound as to shake our foundations when we meditate upon them, and I submit, this is one of those statements.

God uses that which would be mundane, in our manner of language, to express the infinitely great glory He proclaimed in His Son, and by extension, in those who are co-heirs with Him – I do not think the present statement mundane at all, and do not think those who are unsaved could even give such a meaning to it, short of ridicule; however, if God conveys such earth and heaven shattering truth in the words of the mundane, how much more so in what, to unredeemed ears, would at least be (if given true thought) an occasion for contemplation of the spiritual (as they know and understand such, though not of that spiritual understanding only the redeemed know) at a level of depth to which most men never seek (so, how much more should this truth give rise to heights of contemplation when done by the new nature in union with our Lord through His Spirit)?

By way of comparison, think of our Lord’s words to the apostle Paul when he asked for the temptation to be removed from him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

What?! “Sufficient?”

Why, this chair I am sitting on is “sufficient” to hold my weight as I type these words; should I decide to empty the trash, my feet are “sufficient” to bear me along, as the Lord has built me, to walk to the one receptacle, and carry the contents of it to the larger receptacle. Such an ordinary word in our usage, yet when given in the God-breathed Scriptures, see how it changes!

The weight of all temptations may come upon you, and because your life is hid with Christ in God, His grace is sufficient to  not only bear you up under the load, but to give you occasion to rejoice, even as it did the apostle. Now, that is sufficient!

To our current text: What does one think, confronted with the truth that their life which they lived before conversion has died, and that new life the Spirit of God gave birth to within them is hidden with Christ in God?

The context of this verse is contained in the first 17 verses of this third chapter of Colossians, and we see that the reason for the consideration we are to give it is because we have been raised with Christ and therefore, seek those things not of the carnal world, but of the heavenly treasure (vs. 1-2).

For the sake of brevity, I will put forth the purpose statement which accompanies my meditations as I do them, regarding this verse, and end this present meditation with that purpose statement, in consideration of this section of Scripture (Colossians 3:1-17, with special emphasis on verse 3):

“Realize all your righteousness, joy, peace, needs fulfilled, works, sanctification, holiness – all you are now, and all you will be, are in Christ, not in your efforts to apprehend Him, but of, by and through Him alone – look to Him, not your efforts.”

"You Become Like What You Worship"- Christianity and Islam

In Douglas Wilson's lectures entitled Sexual by Design, Douglas Wilson makes an excellent point when contrasting Islam from Christianity. He is hitting on the point that a person becomes like what they worship. This can be explicitly seen in Psalm 115 (verses 4-8).

Douglas then begins with the fact that in Islam, Allah is an ultimate hermit god. That is, that Allah before creation was completely alone. In contrast to Christianity where the three persons of the Trinity have eternally existed in complete harmony and love with one another. God is love- is central to the very idea of the Christian God. The Christian God does not simply love within the Trinity, but loves a people, to the very extent of giving Himself for that people- that concept in Islam is foreign. Allah does not give himself in Islam. Allah has a will, he reveals that will to creation, and the Muslim is he who submits to that will. No questions asked. Just obey. There is a "power relation", as Douglas puts it, in Islam. Then, does it surprise anyone that this is the reality in which Muslims operate, namely, the Muslim man? He reveals his will to his wife, and she obeys. No questions asked (The Islamic state reflects the same idea under Sharia law).


 In Christianity, The Christian man gives himself for his wife, as Christ gave his life for the church (Ephesians 5:25). The Christian man is he who sacrifices himself, in love, for his family, as Christ sacrificed himself, for the people of God. You become like what you worship. 


- awretchsaved




Note: You can see Douglas Wilson hit upon this point in the eleventh minute of the first lecture.

What Is The Doctrine Of Justification?

James Buchanan (1804-1870) explains:

BY Justification we mean—man’s acceptance with God, or his being regarded and treated as righteous in His sight—as the object of His favour, and not of His wrath; of His blessing, and not of His curse...

‘JUSTIFICATION IS AN ACT OF GOD’S FREE GRACE,—WHEREIN HE PARDONETH ALL OUR SINS,—AND ACCEPTETH US AS RIGHTEOUS IN HIS SIGHT,—ONLY FOR THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST,—IMPUTED TO US,—AND RECEIVED BY FAITH ALONE...’ 

PROP. IV. The term ‘Justification’ denotes, either an act of God, or a privilege of His people; and, in both cases, that which is denoted by it includes absolution and acceptance,—the full pardon of sin, admission into God’s favour, and a title to eternal life.

It denotes an act of God; for ‘it is God which justifieth:’ ‘He is near that justifieth me;’—and it denotes a privilege of His people; for ‘being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.’ In each of these aspects, some important truths have been revealed concerning it.

Considered as an act of God, who ‘justifies the ungodly,’ it is not a subjective operation producing a moral change in our personal character, although it is invariably accompanied by renewing and sanctifying grace; but an act which is external to us, and which effects an immediate and permanent change in our relation to God,—just such as is consequent on the sentence of a judge, by which any one is absolved from a charge of guilt,—or the act of adoption, by which any one is invested with the privileges of legal sonship. It is an act, too, which is completed at once, and not a work which is gradually accomplished by successive acts; for although we read of the continuance, as well as the commencement, of Justification, considered as the privilege of believers, and of the renewed exercise of forgiving mercy as often as they contract fresh sin, yet there is no second Justification, properly so called, but a decisive and unalterable change in our relation to God, which commences with our union to Christ, and is continued by our remaining in Him; an abiding state of Justification, which is the effect of that indissoluble union. ‘There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.’ ‘He that believeth … hath everlasting life, and shall never come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’2 The act of Justification introduces believers into a state of Justification, which is stable and enduring, and which is described as ‘this grace wherein we stand,’ and as ‘a new life:’ for Christ is ‘our life.’ Justification, considered in the same aspect, is, still further, an act of God in time,—not His eternal purpose merely, as some Antinomians have held,—nor is it a mere revealing of what was always true, and is now only made known and believed; it is a real efficacious act of grace, by which God constitutes the sinner legally righteous, and accepts him as such, although till that hour he was not righteous, but guilty and condemned. It is an act of God with reference to individuals, and it takes place at a definite period in the life of each,—for as long as any one remains without Christ, and in a state of unbelief, he is charged with guilt, and exposed to wrath; but as soon as he believes and is united to Christ, his state in this respect is entirely changed. All who are justified were once ‘dead in trespasses and sins;’ and they continued in that state, till the decisive moment when, by an act of divine grace, they were taken out of it, and placed in a state of pardon and peace. ‘For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.’2 ‘He that believeth on Christ is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.’ ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.’ This act of God takes instant effect, and produces an immediate and complete change in the sinner’s whole relation to Him; it bestows the full and free pardon of sin, and translates him at once from a state of condemnation into a state of favour and peace. His person is first justified, and then his services are accepted: and should he afterwards incur fresh guilt, he is not suffered to fall again into condemnation, but, as an adopted child, he ‘is chastened of the Lord, that he should not be condemned with the world.’ ‘For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.’*

*Buchanan, J. (1867). The doctrine of justification: An outline of its history in the church and of its exposition from Scripture. (17,411, 250-252). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Christian Growth Comes Through Doctrinal Struggle

A reason many Christians fail to grow is because of a refusal to grapple with biblical doctrines. There is this tendency to think that every doctrinal truth will come easy and be easy to understand. When they find the contrary, that much time and effort needs to be invested, they are prone to give up and think that such matters are only for the academics and theologians. Yet if you read all the great academics and theologians, both present and of old, they struggled with important doctrines. They wrestled with doctrines and texts on a variety of issues. The kingdom, election, predestination, salvation, atonement, sanctification, baptism, ecclesiology e.t.c. While some came easier than others, there was still a tremendous amount of study and struggle that came with the theological growth, which in turn led them to greater worship and obedience to Christ. I'm sure there were many sleepless nights and times of discouragement but by the grace of God when these people came through the fire, they were greater Christians.

I can testify to this because I well remember studying the doctrine of election. I was Arminian to my soul and was challenged by a group of friends in bible college and told about a certain book titled The Potters Freedom by Dr. James White. I was tired of hearing how Arminians misunderstood and misrepresented Calvinists on the issue so I decided to read them for myself. That was the beginning of my theological shift. But before that came the agonizing of studying, being challenged, corrected, confronted and finally being humbled by coming face to face with Christ, as taught in His Word, in a manner that I not only denied but once repudiated and realized was indeed true. God has the sovereign right to show mercy those whom He wishes and has the right harden whom He wills and bring justice upon them (Ro. 9:13-26). That was a great period of distress for me. I was a rabid Arminian that openly and brazenly challenged anyone who believed and taught such things until I was blunted by the precious truths of God's Word. As Romans 9 bounced around in my head I remember telling God that if that was who He was then I wanted nothing to do with Him (praise the Lord for His faithfulness as I would have turned away if left to my own 'free-will'). I stayed in my room for a few days talked to no one except for when I went to classes. Yet Romans 9 kept permeating my thoughts until finally I submitted to the Word of God. That was over a two year period and only one struggle over doctrine. A few years later I went through a similar struggle over the kingdom of God and dispensationalism and had to abandon my once beloved premillennial dispensationalism. Of course there are many who have went the other route but the point is that such matters require much study and can lead to great struggles. It is always a painful thing to be blunted by the Word of Christ but even better to be soothed and healed by it. You don't get a healing unless there is some sort of pain or discomfort. You don't get built up if there was not a first tearing down. It is the way Christians grow (2 Pe. 3:14-18, 2Cor. 1:3-7, Jn 17:17-20).

I've had countless conversations with fellow believers, whether it be friends, family or members of my own congregation, who may not like one of my doctrinal stances but it becomes fairly obvious at the beginning of the conversation that they have not grappled with the particular doctrine. They have not struggled in the study of it; it is never a good thing to reject someone's position when you not only do not understand it but cannot explain and give a defense of your own, except to say "but I just believe," or "but if that's true then (insert emotional objection)!"

Some believers seem to like the word "study" when it comes to politics, financial gain, sports, secular academics and so on. There they will labor long and hard to learn in such areas. Will spend money and time to develop growth in any of those given subjects. Sadly, when it comes to theology  and biblical doctrine then the word "study" seems to take on less importance or to be applied only to pastors, academics or theologians. But what does the Apostle Paul command Timothy to do?

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Ti 2:15). 

Some translations have "be diligent" others "do your best (which I do not prefer)" or "study." There must be great effort and time in presenting ourselves approved to God through the correct handling of His Word. There is a rightful place for five or ten minute devotionals but that is hardly what Paul means by "be diligent" and "accurately handling the Word of truth." I am not convinced that Christians will grow substantially into the likeness of Christ on ten minute devotionals or even through reading whole books of the Bible for hours at a time, unless they take the time to reflect and meditate on what is being communicated in whatever passages of Scripture. They must grapple with the text and see how it relates to the whole of Scripture. Far too many believers go into the sacred Word of God to look for themselves. That is to say they go to the Bible to find the "great plans" God has for their lives or what blessing He has in store for them or even how much he loves them. They wish to ruffle through the Bible for passages like, ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you (Je 29:11–12). Much of their doctrinal diet consists of "me." Put another way God's blessings for "me." But the fact of the matter is that the Word of God is a testimony of the Triune God as come to us through Christ Jesus, "Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures (Lk 24:27). His life, death, resurrection and ascension. In other Words we go to the Bible to find Christ. It is through Him that we know all three persons of the blessed Trinity. We go to the Bible because we wish to worship God by knowing who He is, and along the way of our study of Christ we find all those other blessings. At the risk of oversimplifying, we go to the Bible to find Christ and when we find Him He is our blessing (Eph. 1:10-23).


Thus when we turn the Word of God to learn about Him, we find things in Scripture that is not very pleasing to the natural man. We've all heard (correctly or incorrectly) about the love, mercy and grace of God but how many Christians have heard of Christ the Warrior King prepared for battle in bringing His wrath upon His enemies (Rev. 1:9-20)? See many a believer have not wrestled with such a portrait of Christ partly, I believe, because it is not where one will find the "me" blessing and partly because someone have been so focused on the "love" of God that that is the primary attribute of God that they understand all others and since this picture of Jesus ready to avenge His Name and the blood of His martyrs, they cannot reconcile it with their view of Christ. They refuse to grapple with it. They ignore or assume that the wrath of God, as revealed in Revelation, is only for the Hitlers, Stalins and mass murderers. They seem to have a very difficult time understanding that it includes their "good" neighbor who thinks Christianity is good and all but just not for them. 


Such a Christian is so stunted in their growth that they are almost apologetic (in how and the way they answer) the unbeliever who angrily says, "How could a loving God send me to hell for not believing in a Jesus I cannot see!" In my early years as a Christian the most I could answer to such a person was a pathetic "Jesus still loves you." But that was all part of the growing process. I was driven back to the Word of God for answers. Much time and much study with the help of godly men who were mature and guided me through their writing and sermons. The appropriate response, I have since learned, is not to to start with the love of God to such an objection but rather with His holiness. The proper answer should be how can a an absolutely holy God, who can see you, not send lawbreakers to hell?


Of course I didn't come to this theological conclusion until I had to struggle in my study of doctrine.   I was forced to by others who held a differing view than mine or through my own studies. Either way Christians will not grow until they grapple with biblical doctrines.


If one does not care for such things because they are boring, then the best we can do for an individual is to evangelize them.



         16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Ti 3:16–17). 


Here are some more thoughts from pastor Brian Dempsey:

A Partial Truth Is A Dangerous Truth

1. The first is the fact, too apt to be overlooked by eager controversialists, that all error, especially all effective and therefore dangerous error, is partial truth. The human mind was formed for truth, and so constituted that only truth can exert permanent influence upon it. But the truth revealed in the Scriptures is so many-sided in its aspects, and so vast in its relations, and our habits of thought because of sin are so one-sided and narrow, that as a general fact, the mind of any Church in any single age fails to take in practically and sharply more than one side of a truth at a time, while other aspects and relations are either denied or neglected. A habit of unduly exalting any subordinate view of the truth at the expense of that which is more important, or of overlooking, on the other hand, some secondary aspect of it altogether, is certain after a time to lead to a reactionary tendency, in which that which has been too much exalted shall be brought low, and that which has been abased shall be exalted. This principle is abundantly illustrated throughout the entire history of theological speculation as in the ever-repeated oscillations between the extremes of Sabellianism and Tritheism as to the Trinity, of Eutychianism and Nestorianism as to the Person of Christ, and in the history of speculations on the doctrine of Redemption. Every prominent heresy as to the nature of the Atonement, as the reader will find carefully acknowledged and defined in the following work, embraces and emphasizes on its positive side an important truth. The power, and hence the danger, of the heresy resides in that fact. But on the other hand, it is a heresy, and hence an evil to be resisted unto death, because it either puts a subordinate principle into the place of that which is central and fundamental, or because it puts one side of the truth for the whole, denying or ignoring all besides the fractional truth presented. It is plainly the policy as well as the duty of the defenders of the whole truth, not only to acknowledge the truth held on the side of their opponents, but to vindicate the rights of the perfect system as a whole, by demonstrating the true position and relation of the partial truth admitted in the larger system of truth denied. By these means we double the defences of orthodoxy, by bringing into contribution all that is true, and therefore all that is of force, in the apologies of error.*

*Hodge, A. A. (1867). The atonement (17–18). Philadelphia, PA: Presbyterian Board of Publication.

To Err On The Doctrine Of Sin Is To Err On The Doctrine Of Salvation

This diagnosis of the human race has probably never been as out of favour as it is today; some professing Christians would prefer to deny it rather than challenge the viewpoint of our optimistic world. Yet, to deny these facts is to deny the authority of Scripture. As we said at the start, to have a proper view of the atonement we must begin with a proper view of sin, and how it is viewed by a just and holy God. If we err here, the consequences will be profound.

Second, what is the nature of God?

To understand the tragic consequences of the Fall for the human race is only half way to appreciating the way of the atonement. We must also understand something of the nature of God. What kind of God is he? No description can exhaust the qualities of the omnipotent Creator God, and it is almost presumptuous to try, but for our subject, we can establish four facts about God that were clearly taught in the Hebrew Scriptures and underlined by Jesus and the apostles: God is holy, God hates sin, God is just and must punish sin, God is merciful.

GOD IS SUPREMELY HOLY

It is one of the great errors of our modern age, and into which too many well-meaning Christians fall, that one of the attributes of God is singled out and placed above all others. It is almost always the attribute of love that is given pride of place. It has been claimed that love is the most important quality that we attribute to God, it is ‘the first and last word in the biblical portrait’ of God  and that, as a consequence ‘The Bible never defines God as anger, power or judgement—in fact it never defines him as anything other than love.’4 This is simply not true. The Bible describes the character of God in a multitude of ways. He is ‘a consuming fire’ (Deuteronomy 4:24), ‘a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11), ‘righteous’ (Daniel 9:14), ‘truthful’ (John 3:33), ‘just’ (2 Thessalonians 1:6), ‘living and active’ (Hebrews 4:12) ‘light’ (1 John 1:5), ‘holy’ (Psalm 99:9), ‘merciful’ (Deuteronomy 4:31), ‘gracious and compassionate’ (2 Chronicles 30:9)—and much more besides.

To elevate one aspect of God above all others is both unbalanced and dangerous. Unlike us, who can be sometimes one thing and sometimes another, God is all that he is all the time; he is never one thing or another, he is always everything that he is. He described himself in this way: ‘I the Lord do not change’ (Malachi 3:6), and James referred to him as the ‘Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows’ (James 1:17). It is true that there are times when his love and mercy are seen most clearly, and other times when his anger and justice come to the fore, but when he is revealed as a God of judgement, he does not cease to be a God of love, and when he is seen in overwhelming mercy and compassion, he does not cease to be a Creator who is absolutely holy and pure and who insists on implicit obedience to his commands and who threatens serious consequences to those who defy him. This cannot be emphasised too much. Many false theologies today stem from this basic misunderstanding by allowing one characteristic of God to usurp all others. Thus, to declare the awesome holiness of God and his implacable hatred of sin in all its forms, does not in any way deny the overwhelming mercy and compassion of that same God.*

*Shaw, I. J., & Edwards, B. H. (2006). The Divine Substitute: The Atonement in the Bible and History (12–14). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

Saving Faith, Means of Grace, and Growing in Faith

We reference, and consider briefly, here, that document which is a confession of our faith, according to the Holy Scriptures, regarding saving faith and continuing in the faith, which we will comment upon briefly.

A Faith to Confess: The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 Rewritten in Modern English CHAPTER 14 – SAVING FAITH THE grace of faith by which the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls is the work of the Spirit in their hearts. Normally it is brought into being through the preaching of the Word. By the Word and its ministry, by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, by prayer, and also by other means appointed by God, faith is increased and strengthened.  Luke 17:5; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14,17; 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph. 2:8; 1 Pet. 2:2.

Although the chapter and head in mention is entitled “SAVING FAITH,” in it we see the means by which God not only gives those who are His to be born again, but to continue and grow in that faith which He has granted.

This section should be referenced when one gets to the latter sections regarding the ordinances (Chapters 28-30).

It is interesting to note that the “means of grace” which are used are appointed by God, and that these are, primarily, the preaching of the Word, administration of the ordinances, and prayer; by “other means appointed by God,” we should think of those which have to do with the exercise of those gifts, no more ours (but as stewards) than the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the setting of corporate worship, which would be inclusive of that which occurs outside the corporate setting (hospitality, mercy, cheerfulness – Romans 12:8).

In other words, all means of grace given us by God are apprehended and comprehended  in Christ, as He is formed in us by the Spirit regenerating us, and growing in Him in Christian maturity by that same Spirit of Christ (Titus 3:4-8; 2:11-14).

The late Charles Spurgeon realized this truth at the beginning of the ministry which the Lord gave to him, and bountifully blessed; if any have read any of the biographical literature of our brother gone to glory, they have heard of how he encountered our Lord at the simple preaching of a lay minister in a small Methodist church, who spoke the words to him “Look to Jesus, and be saved,” to summarize and paraphrase.

We also know that our lately here, but now with our Lord, brother did not lack from preaching of what that simple statement contained, as to his upbringing – we see that the Holy Spirit was pleased to reveal the all-encompassing grace of God in Jesus Christ to our brother through this simple statement, and truly, what more do we need to know?

If we look to Jesus, we are saved; if we comprehend that this looking is given of God through His Spirit, such may take place later, or soon after, or simultaneously, along with the well-established fact, in Scripture, that we have nothing to offer the great and gracious God in the performance of either this initial apprehension of us by the Lord, or our further growth in Him (Matthew 5:3; Galatians 4:9b), we know that nothing of our pressing on can truly be realized if we look to the methods of pressing on, rather than the Author and Finisher of our faith, so we do not look to other than our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:9c; Hebrews 12:2). In Him is comprehended all that we are now, and all we shall be in the next age; therefore, it is proper to view that which is praiseworthy in us as being from, of, to and for Him, by that good pleasure of God which He poured out on us, and continues to pour out on us (Titus 3:4-6; Romans 5:1-5; 8:14: Ephesians 1:5, 11; 2:10).

So many times, we concentrate on the efforts we are to make of confession, repentance, striving against the flesh, and doing good works, without realizing that we can do none of these apart from our “seeing Jesus,” not just as some abstract notion or far-off benefactor who will bless our efforts, but of Himself, the sole proprietor and executor of those efforts. It is easy to seek to live by the fruits of faith, concentrating on how unworthy we are, without realizing that all our worth, and the exercising of that worth in the aforementioned works, are His. Although it is not unhealthy to realize our own wretchedness and disability to do those things in accord with the grace of God, if we do so without understanding the One who died and rose again, who Himself is imparted to and grown in us by His Spirit, we are trying to work out our own salvation without realizing that that it is God who both wills and works in us for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). As we did not merit our salvation, neither do we gain merit through the exercise of those godly characteristics which are only evidence of the infinite worth and righteousness of the Son – we need to acknowledge that it is with our Lord that the Father is well pleased, and it is in His Son that we do those things which are of Him, without gaining us any more merit than when we began (Matthew 3:17; Luke 17:7-10).

Although saving faith is the heading of the particular link we are expounding somewhat upon, the LBCF goes on to speak of these things which we have mentioned. In all of what we read, however, the Scriptures are referenced, and indeed, given the only place of primacy as the inerrant and inspired Word of God, where we learn the LBCF, and indeed, all the great Confessions, depend entirely upon His Scripture, and do not count their own words as being equal with Scripture, but merely expounding upon that which is contained in Holy Writ; so it is also with all works of men, both spoken and written, that speak to the “fleshing out” of God’s own words.

In view of these things, may we understand, with our brethren, that it is only in “looking to Jesus” that we both gain that eternal life and grow in the fruits thereof, never thinking it is of our own power that we do those things which are “walk(ing) in a manner worthy of that calling to which you have been called,” for the worth has always been, and will always be, of His excellence in all things, and not of our own doings.

We must remember that the “means of grace” our Lord has granted to us are only comprehended and apprehended in and of Him, and that, benefactors that we are of this, it is yet, and always, His worth that is looked to and realized.