tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11770243482546962532024-03-14T11:59:15.757-05:00Flipping The SwitchJOHN 3:20-21 "LIVING LIFE WITH THE LIGHT TURNED ON"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-59815405388137869392021-10-07T15:54:00.000-05:002021-10-07T15:54:56.184-05:00<p> Very good article by </p><h4 class="widget-title widgettitle" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">MICHAEL J. KRUGER</h4><header class="entry-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: lora, serif; font-size: 18px;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: oswald, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px;">Why Don’t Churches Stop Spiritually Abusive Pastors?</h1><p class="entry-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px;"><time class="entry-time" style="box-sizing: border-box;">March 30, 2021</time></p></header><img alt="" class="attachment-post-image size-post-image wp-post-image" data-attachment-id="8473" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="sheep" data-large-file="https://5mt.michaeljkruger.com/2020/10/sheep-e1603209754678-1024x478.jpg" data-medium-file="https://5mt.michaeljkruger.com/2020/10/sheep-e1603209754678-400x187.jpg" data-orig-file="https://5mt.michaeljkruger.com/2020/10/sheep-e1603209765620.jpg" data-orig-size="1000,467" data-permalink="https://www.michaeljkruger.com/the-worlds-easiest-theological-question/sheep/" height="467" loading="lazy" src="https://5mt.michaeljkruger.com/2020/10/sheep-e1603209765620.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: right; font-family: lora, serif; font-size: 18px; height: auto; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; max-width: 100%;" width="1000" /><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: lora, serif; font-size: 18px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">For the last couple of months I’ve been making my way through a blog series on spiritual abuse which I am calling <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2iD" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">“Bully Pulpit”</a>. You can see the prior installments <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2j0" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">here</a> , <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2jl" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2jE" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2kI" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Part of the goal of this series has been to lead up to my session on spiritual abuse at the <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/tgc21/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">TGC National Conference</a>. I will be leading a panel discussion on this topic with my friends Dan Doriani and John Yates, at 11AM on April 12th. Please join us if you will be attending TGC, or you can tune-in online.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">With the conference right around the corner, this will be the last installment of my blog series. But I am in the process of writing a full-length book on the subject of spiritual abuse, so you can keep an eye out for that over the next year or more.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">As we come to the final post in the series, we face one of the most troubling questions of all: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Why don’t churches stop spiritually abusive pastors</em>?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">In story after story of abuse, the same tragic series of events plays out. T<b>he abusive pastor engages in his destructive behavior for years and years until someone finally speaks up. But even then, most churches do nothing (in fact, many churches actually attack the victims). And even when the church does do something, it’s often a half-hearted, inadequate response.</b> And even if the rare church finally removes a pastor for abuse, that just leads to the next question: Why did it take you so long to act? Why did you tolerate this behavior for 25 years?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">The reason we ask these questions is because there is always evidence—actually, lots of evidence—for the destructive behavior of these abusive pastors. As we observed in a <a href="https://wp.me/p2dVaB-2jl" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">prior post</a>, abusive pastors often leave a “relational debris field” or a “trail of dead bodies” in their wake. So, why don’t churches see the trail of dead bodies? Why don’t they connect the dots?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">There are a lot of reasons churches don’t see what’s happening. But I would suggest there are several theological misunderstandings that have contributed greatly to the problem. Let’s look at three of them.<span id="more-9000" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">A Misunderstanding of Total Depravity</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Reformed folks frequently talk about total depravity—how sin is deeper and more pernicious than we realize, affecting every aspect of our lives (actions, mind, will). Consequently, every human being (even pastors) have the potential to commit serious acts of wickedness.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">And yet, despite affirming this doctrine on paper, it is amazing how quickly it is forgotten when it comes to cases of spiritual abuse. <b>As soon as someone has the courage to speak up about abusive behavior, they are usually met with a chorus of rebuttals along the lines of, “I know this pastor, and he could never do this.” Or, “This pastor has blessed and helped countless people over the years. Thus, he could never do something like this.”</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">In other words, rather than taking the concerns seriously and investigating them carefully, they are dismissed as essentially impossible (or at least so unlikely as to not merit further consideration).</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><b>And in tragically ironic turn, the defenders of the abusive pastor will often raise questions about the integrity and the character of the victims, suggesting that they are out to “slander” or malign a person’s “good name.”</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><b>So, the doctrine of total depravity is forgotten when it comes to the pastor, but remembered when it comes to the victims.</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Sadly, the events of the last year with Ravi Zacharias have shown us that even the most respected and well-loved leaders have the potential for unspeakable depravity. Ravi had his defenders, arguing that he could never, and would never, do these things. But, it turned out that he did, in fact, do them.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">This doesn’t mean, of course, that we do away with the presumption of innocence. But, as David French observed in regard to the Ravi Zacharias case, “No organization can allow shock at dreadful allegations (or the conviction that, “I know him. He would not do that”) transform the presumption of innocence into the wholly improper assumption that an accuser is lying.”</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">A Misunderstanding of Grace</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Christianity, at its core, has always been about <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">grace</em>. And in recent years, particularly in Reformed, evangelical circles, there has been a burst of new attention on grace—and that’s a good thing.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">But, in order to accentuate the beauty of this grace, an additional step has been taken by some. Since we are desperate sinners saved by grace, it is reasoned, then it must be the case that we can make no distinctions between levels of sin. Now more than ever, then, we hear phrases like “all sins are equal,” or “all of us are equally sinners.” Such language is intended to uphold grace; it’s just another way to say that no one is any better than anyone else.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Now, the phrase “all sins are equal” is partly true, depending on what one means. If one uses the phrase simply to indicate that <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">any</em> sin is enough to separate us from God and warrant his wrath, then it would be correct. God is so holy that any violation of his law, no matter how trivial in our eyes, is an offense in his eyes worthy of condemnation.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">However, that is not the only way the phrase has been used. Others use this phrase as way to “flatten out” all sins so that they are not distinguishable from each other. Or, to put it another way, this phrase is used to portray all human beings as precisely the same.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">But, this understanding is deeply problematic on a number of grounds. For one, to say all sins are the same is to confuse the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">effect</em> of sin with the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">heinousness</em> of sin. While all sins are equal in their effect (they separate us from God), they are not all equally heinous. In fact, the Bible clearly differentiates between sins. Some sins are severe in terms of impact (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Cor 6.18" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Cor%206.18" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">1 Cor 6:18</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:1Cor6.18|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>), in terms of culpability (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Rom 1.21-32" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%201.21-32" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Rom 1:21-32</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:Rom1.21-32|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>), in terms of judgment warranted (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="2 Pet 2.17" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Pet%202.17" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">2 Pet 2:17</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:2Pet2.17|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>; <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Mark 9.42" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%209.42" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Mark 9:42</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:Mark9.42|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>; <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="James 3.1" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%203.1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">James 3:1</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:James3.1|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>), and in terms of whether one is qualified for ministry (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Tim 3.1-7" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Tim%203.1-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">1 Tim 3:1-7</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:1Tim3.1-7|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>).</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Even more importantly, however, this misunderstanding of grace has been used to defend abusive leaders. If we are all equal sinners, it is argued, then we should give these abusive pastors a break. They are sinners too, just like the rest of us. To say otherwise is to put ourselves in a place of judgment over them; it is to make out ourselves to be more righteous than other people. In other words, we need to “show them grace.”</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">It is difficult to overstate how destructive and debilitating this sort of theological error can be. It makes the victims feel almost like they are to blame; as if its their own “unforgiving” heart that is in the way of “reconciliation.” Moreover, it utterly ignores the heinousness of the abusive itself. It forgets that some sins are worse than others. And some sinners are worse than others. And a shepherd abusing the sheep is one of the very worst. On top of this, such a misuse of grace ignores all the passages in Scripture about upholding justice, righteousness, and defending the innocent.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">A Misunderstanding of Conflict</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">Sadly, there is an additional way that a misunderstanding of grace has been used to defend abusive pastors and further harm the victims. If we are all equally sinful, it is argued, then that must mean that <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">the abusive pastor and the victim are equally to blame for the conflict</em>. A wrong understanding of grace, then, is used to minimize the heinousness of the abuse, and accentuate the sins of the victim (whatever they may be).</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">At this point, elder boards will typically make statements like, “Well, everyone here’s guilty of sin.” Or, “There’s blame on both sides.” In other words, they have taken abuse, and turned it merely into a “conflict.” It’s no different, they say, than just Paul and Barnabas disagreeing.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">If the prior error was tragic in its own right, this second one may be even worse. It’s hard to conceive of a greater abuse of the doctrine of grace, but sadly it happens all the time—ironically, in churches that most loudly profess to be about grace. What these churches have done is wrongly assumed that all sins are equal and that all conflicts are equal in terms of blame and accountability. Rather than helping, they are actually further abusing the victim.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">It would be the equivalent of taking a situation where a husband abuses his wife and telling them they just need to each confess their sins and go to marriage counseling. But this would be a tragic mistake. An abuse case is not just a “conflict.” It is not an equal playing field. Of course, the wife is a sinner too. But, whatever sins she may have committed do not justify the husband’s abuse, nor should they distract the church from making it a priority to address that abuse.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Conclusion</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">We should remember that even if churches don’t stop abusive shepherds, that does not mean there is no hope. After rebuking the bad shepherds of Israel in Ezekiel 34, God promises that <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">he</em> will do something about them: “Behold, I am against the [bad] shepherds . . . I will rescue my sheep from their mouths” (v.10).</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">How will God do this? By coming himself to be the great shepherd: “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declare the Lord God” (v.15).</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">With such a promise in mind, the words of Jesus in the Gospels take on a new significance: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="John 10.11" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2010.11" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">John 10:11</a><a class="rtLibronix" href="libronixdls:keylink|ref=[en]bible:John10.11|res=LLS:ESV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed702b; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><img align="bottom" border="0" class="libronixLinkImage" src="https://www.logos.com/images/Corporate/LibronixLink_dark.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" title="Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)" /></a>). In other words, Jesus is declaring that he is the Lord God keeping the promise of Ezekiel 34 to shepherd his people.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding: 0px;">And he will do the <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">opposite</em> of what the bad shepherds of Israel did. They saved their life at the expense of the sheep, whereas Jesus will save the sheep at the expense of his own life.</p></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07633818236537352454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-6209633216180101232015-07-10T14:47:00.000-05:002015-07-10T14:52:25.598-05:00Burning Hearts Are Not Nourished by Empty Heads<br />
<small><b>Christianity Today 26, 100 (Sept. 3, 1982).</b> | Sept. 3, 1982 | R.C. Sproul </small><br />
<small></small><br />
How can we love what we do not understand? What do you read first when the newspaper arrives? I dive for the sports pages—an involuntary reflex action left over from a youth spent with visions of Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers dancing in my head. The child within me still suffers more anxiety over league standings than the Falkland Islands. Old reading habits die hard. It is the same with Christian magazines and periodicals. When I first began reading Christianity Today, two columns hooked me quickly. One was "Eutychus and His Kin," the other, "Current Religious Thought." I still go first to "Current Religious Thought," for I know I will encounter some vignettes of intellectual insight to nourish my too-empty head. <br />
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We live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization. We are not necessarily antiacademic, antitechnological, or antiscientific. The accent is against the intellect itself. Secular culture has embraced a kind of impressionism that threatens to turn all our brains into mush, and the evangelical world has followed suit, developing an allergy to all things intellectual. The kind of debate waged between Luther and Erasmus or Edwards and Chubb would be unacceptable today. Their reasoning was too acute, their polemics too acerbic, their critiques too rapier-like for our modern comfort zones. Debates, if they are held today, are won by charm and a benign smile rather than by lucid argument. Satire is almost extinct, the verbal gladiators who used it having perished with the fathers. <br />
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To be sure, William Buckley persists, but he is an anachronism, a refurbished antique whose style is so uncommon that some mistake him for something new. How I pine for the days of yore when Ad Leitch responded to Tillich's recasting of traditional categories of divine transcendence from "up-there" to "down-there" on the depth dimension of the Ground of Being. Does anyone remember Leitch's article in the early sixties about the impact Tillich's theology would have on church architecture? He said that instead of steeples pointing heavenward we would have to have our church services while assembled in a cavernous open pit. Our search for the Ground of Being would occur not while singing "Rise Up, O Men of God," but rather ''Go Down, Moses." Kierkegaard, after evaluating the state of the church in nineteenth-century Europe, wrote, "My complaint is not that this age is wicked, but that it is paltry: It lacks passion." The Dane should be alive today. Passion we have —it is reason that is in eclipse. <br />
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Christianity is an intellectual faith. This does not mean that it flirts with intellectualism or restricts sainthood to an elite group of gnostic eggheads. But though the Word of God is not limited to intellectuals, its content is addressed to the mind. There is a primacy of the intellect in the Christian life as well as a primacy of the heart. How can that be? To speak of the primacy of both mind and heart sounds like a neo-orthodox creed, a dabbling in dialectics. How can two distinct things have primacy at the same rime without resorting to contradiction? Must there not be one ultimate primacy, or at least a primus inter pares? We can, I think, have two primacies if they hold their primacy in different relations. The primacy of the intellect is with respect to order. The primacy of the heart is with respect to importance.<br />
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We know that the disposition of the heart toward Christ is of supreme importance. If our doctrine is correct, our intellectual understanding of theology impeccable, it is to no avail if our heart is "far from him." If the head is right and the heart is wrong, we perish. On the other hand, if the head is confused, the understanding muddled, and the doctrine fuzzy, there is still hope for us if our hearts beat with a passion for God. Better the empty head than the empty heart. <br />
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Why then bother with religious thought, or speak at all of the primacy of the mind? Precisely for the sake of the heart. How can we love what we do not understand? How can we worship an unknown God? If the character of God remains an enigma to us, all our singing, praying, and religious zeal becomes a useless passion, a beating of the air. Religion degenerates to superstition and liturgy becomes a form of magical incantation. <br />
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There is a content to the Christian faith. That content is directed, by way of order, to the mind. The New Testament calls us to be childlike, but not with respect to understanding. It is the plea of the apostolic heart that we not be ignorant in our heads. God has made us with a harmony of heart and head, of thought and action, God the Holy Spirit superintended a Book that is to be read, whose verbal content is to be so understood and digested that our hearts may burn within us. As the ankle bone is connected to the knee bone, so there is a marvelous circuitry fashioned by God that flashes back and forth from head to heart. The more we know him the more we are able to love him. The more we love him the more we seek to know him. To be central in our hearts he must be foremost in our minds. Religious thought is the prerequisite to religious affection and obedient action.<br />
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We must have passion—indeed hearts on fire for the things of God. But that passion must resist with intensity the anti-intellectual spirit of the world. <strong><em>The entrance of that spirit into the house of God is like a Trojan horse, concealing within its belly the troops of the enemy who would beguile us with contentless religion, thoughtless action, and vacuous zeal—fire without; light. Its only legacy will be a tomb for a forgotten deity inscribed with the; epitaph, "To an Unknown God</em></strong>."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-31353311422549813142014-04-30T07:51:00.001-05:002014-04-30T08:01:54.929-05:00How Bible Preachers Can Turn Into Cult Leaders<br />
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<h2 class="post-title">
High profile church leaders need accountability to keep them focused on Christ and his truth.</h2>
<div class="post-info">
Written by Philip Rosenthal | Tuesday, September 4, 2012 </div>
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<em>There are 3 stepping stones used by personality cult leaders in developing a following. Loyalty to Bible to Movement to the Leader. If they were just to go around saying: ‘I am the messianic hero – follow me,’ then they would mostly just be ignored as crazy. So instead they use a 3 step strategy. </em><br />
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You’re in a church that affirms the inerrancy of scripture so you’re safe. Right? Sorry. No. There are other problems. Liberals have long pointed out how that cult-like authoritarian leaders are almost all pastors in conservative Bible believing churches. Unfortunately and painfully that is true. Why? And how do we correct the problem.<br />
<strong>Three Stepping Stones to Cultish Authority</strong><br />
There are 3 stepping stones used by personality cult leaders in developing a following. Loyalty to Bible to Movement to the Leader. If they were just to go around saying: ‘I am the messianic hero – follow me,’ then they would mostly just be ignored as crazy. So instead they use a 3 step strategy.<br />
<ul>
<li>First, they promote loyalty to the truth of the Bible. This massive absolute trustworthy authority gets them lots of sincere followers and provokes little challenge.</li>
<li>Second, they promote loyalty to their movement as a means to implement obedience to the scriptures. Fair enough to do so and necessary, but the break point becomes when loyalty movement becomes more important than loyalty to scripture. Then people are drawn into the next level and for them the movement becomes a cult. The successes of the movement are boasted about in an unrealistic manner. All sorts of benefits are promised. The value of defending each other is emphasized. But most others are still loyal to scripture.</li>
<li>Then the third stage is the transfer of loyalty from the movement as a group to the messianic hero leader himself. Lots of subtle ways to do this: self-promotion, boasting, mentoring, special promotions etc. Telling people their destiny is linked to being around a great leader etc. Leaders introducing each other in bloated unrealistic ways. Anyway, at the same time different people in the movement can be at different stages in this loyalty slide: Bible to Movement to Leader.</li>
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Once the person is loyal to the next level, loyalty to the previous level can be dispensed with quite conveniently. e.g. Once people are blindly loyal to the movement, then the Bible can be dispensed with. Once people are blindly loyal to the leader, the interests of the rest of the movement can be dispensed with. This explains how certain cultish people can be so hypocritical. They no longer really care about the Bible or really care about the interests of other people in the movement. Their professed loyalty to these other things are just stepping stones for people to stop on in the manipulative plans of a personality cult.<br />
In some cases, the driver of this movement is not actually the leader – it is the followers. They move themselves with no encouragement to the next level of cultish loyalty. In fact they push the decent honest leader to behave as if he was God-like, they hero-worship him and flatter him and try to attack anyone who disagrees with him. But it is evil and idolatry and good people must stand up to this degeneration and stop it.<br />
The pattern also explains how someone can be teaching stuff that is almost 100% Biblically correct and yet still be leading people astray like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.<br />
Yes, it’s painful, but this is how good honest God-loving people get sucked into a personality cult. We must expose this manipulation and try helping these people back to God and the Bible.<br />
<strong>Why do Bible Believing Groups So Often Go Cultic?</strong><br />
Liberals have pointed out how many Bible believing groups abuse their followers in a cultic manner. How do we as evangelicals explain how belief in the inerrancy of scripture co-exists with spiritually abusive behavior? I would explain as follows: The cult leader wants absolute power. He does not want partial power or a degree of power. He wants it all. Anything that is affirmed as absolute and infallible automatically carries with it an enormous amount of power and authority. The cult leader wants to share some of that. So he tries to associate himself with the authority (in this case the Bible) in the minds of his followers. This is the same dynamic as the junior wannabe deputy cult leaders who suck up to the senior ‘apostolic’ and ‘senior pastor’ ‘cult leaders’ / ‘wannabe Pope’ – who try hang around them in the hope that they might get some of their power. It is also a bit like the junior leader who ‘name drops’ about all the important people he knows in order to get people to put him on their level. So the cult leader wants to affirm the high authority of the Bible and then also put himself on a similar level of authority as the sole interpreter of the Bible to his followers. That way, he and not the Bible gets affirmed as the final authority.<br />
Now in churches which don’t affirm the inerrancy of scripture, this trick to steal authority from scripture won’t work. If the Bible doesn’t have authority, then all that counts is everybody’s human opinion. Why should I listen to you – I have my own opinion. Now in such churches there are other ways for people to manipulate to get power. In these instances, power usually goes to the Modernist or Post-Modernist academics who are seen as all knowing and the men with all the answers. But in these instances, it is basically an intellectual following. They can’t get people bowing and scraping to their every whim and hanging on their words as if they proceed directly from God.<br />
Now really the problem is not with the inerrancy of the Bible. The problem is with cult-leaders who act as though their interpretation of and application of the Bible is infallible – and their cult-followers who believe it.<br />
To give a further illustration as to why personality cultists tend to prefer to affirm the infallible word of God. There is real money and there is counterfeit money. They look similar, but on close examination they are not. But what do the counterfeiters counterfeit? Do they counterfeit one dollar coins? No. That would be a waste of time. They counterfeit hundred dollar bills (or hundred rand notes for South Africans). But does that mean that all hundred dollar bills should now be suspect. No. The issue is that counterfeiters go to the trouble of counterfeiting something that is real and valuable. They don’t copy cheap stuff. So there is very little point in trying to counterfeit liberal, modernist or post-modernist Christianity. It has no real authority, so there is very little to steal or borrow from. The infallible word of God on the other hand carries with it divine authority – now for those who want to be ‘little gods’ in their own community – that is a good stepping stone in their quest for divine status. So that is why personality cultists like to affirm the absolute authority of scripture – just that they never want scripture used to hold them accountable. You can’t do so because they are the only one who can interpret it. If you challenge them, then they say you are interpreting wrongly and must listen to their interpretation. Their interpretation can bend and change with whatever is convenient at the time – so it is not actually scripture which has divine authority – but them that has divine authority.<br />
<strong>Charismatic Elitists</strong><br />
Certain elitist Charismatic groups take this authoritarianism to an even more extreme level with the idea that God speaks through the Messianic leader with ‘words of knowledge’ and a ‘hotline to heaven’ with perfect accuracy – but that the ordinary congregation member can’t get guidance from God themselves. Then what do you get? A man interpolated as the voice of God – who you better absolutely obey else you are disobeying God.<br />
<strong>Correcting Cultic Authoritarian Interpretations of Scripture</strong><br />
A correct understanding of scripture corrects these problems. While the Bible is infallible, the interpretation of it is not – and the senior leader is accountable to other leaders and in extreme case ultimately everyone else in proving his interpretation of scripture from scripture. Historic confessions referred to these teachings as ‘the priesthood of all believers’ and ‘the clarity of scripture’. In the book of Galatians, even the apostle Peter made a mistake and had to be corrected by the apostle Paul. Nobody then is above challenge. Systems of church governance which give mechanisms to hold senior leaders accountable to their followers help correct such personality cults developing. If your church doesn’t have those, seriously consider pushing for reform or moving to a church with healthier governance.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-89007004905279490212014-03-13T20:23:00.000-05:002014-03-17T11:59:53.775-05:00You Can't Get There From Here... pt 1<strong>Can a Reformed Baptist that holds to covenant theology as expressed in the 1689 LBC be a Theonomist?</strong><br />
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IT is my contention and others as well that for someone to say <em>"I am a Reformed Baptist and a theonomist" </em>is an actual impossibility. Covenantal Presbyterian no but I can see the confusion, Covenantal Baptist no! <br />
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Here is an excerpt from <a href="http://reformedlibertarian.com/blog/its-all-about-the-covenants/"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>this article</strong></span></a> discussing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kingdom-God-Expression-Covenant/dp/1599255030/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394756880&sr=8-4&keywords=jeffrey+johnson"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><strong>Jefferey Johnson's new book</strong></span></a> on Reformed Baptist covenant theology.<br />
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<em>"Our view of the covenants have profound implications for political theory as well. Understanding the covenants accurately will play into questions on the relationship of the Christian with the State, the Church with the State, and the Christian and the Church with culture and society. Should the Mosaic law be applied today? The Christian Reconstructionists answer in the affirmative. This is because of their understanding of the nature of the Mosaic Covenant specifically, and the nature of the Covenant relationships more broadly. <span style="color: black;"><strong>But for those who hold to a Baptist understanding of the Covenants, it is a theological impossibility for the Mosaic law to be applied today. That is, it would be a logical and hermeneutical systematic inconsistency to take this view".</strong></span></em><br />
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<strong>Here is an email question I sent to Pastor Jefferey Johnson and his response.</strong><br />
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Pastor Johnson,<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>.......I have recently been in a conversation with a confessing baptist brother (LBC) who is a theonomist, which is contra the confession. </em></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1394757302475_4408"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>......As I have been reading these works, seeing the distinction of the Mosaic covenant as a republication of the covenant of works given to Adam, I am wondering is it possible for a Reformed covenantal baptist to be a theonomist? I am wondering if the understanding of the Mosaic covenant being a covenant of Grace is somehow responsible at least to some degree in a theonmist error. I find that most if not all of the writers and adherents of theonomy seem to be Presbyterian. Is it their view of the covenant of grace as the same substance two administration model which allows for the Mosaic covenant to be a covenant of grace somehow responsible for their theonomic views to be easily ushered in? Is the idea of too much continuity between the old and new testament somehow responsible? Am I on the right track? Am I looking for an issue here that is not necessarily an issue? I know the issue, at least when you see a rebuttal to a theonomist from another Presby, it always focuses on the misapplication of Old testament case laws enforced through the government authorities in todays society. Which i think is true, but I haven't read anything that approaches this subject from a covenantal standpoint. That is, from a Reformed Baptistic covenantal polemic against theonomy. I have read Sam Waldron's article. I did not notice a covenantal argument. </em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Thanks in advance</em></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1394757302475_4423"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Nolan</em></span></span><strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>.</em></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Nolan,<br /><br />I believe you are 100% right! It is very inconsistent at best for any Reformed Baptist to be a Theonomist. For Theonomy is based upon the Presbyterain assumption that there is essential unity between the Old and New Covenants. For this reason, Theonomy is the natural outworking of Presbyterian covenant theology, for what is true in the Old must be true in the New unless directly abrogated in the New Testament. I know of only one Baptist Theonomist, and could not understand why he did not view his children as belonging to the covenant. <br /><br />Like you, I wish I knew of a good resource (book or article) that critiqued Theonomy from a Reformed Baptist position, but I know of none. I would assume this is because Theonomy is chiefly a Presbyterian issue. <br /><br />May we keep pressing forward, brother.<br />In the love of Christ, <br />jeff </em><strong><em> </em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: red;">Here is another email question I sent to Jason Delgado of </span></strong><a href="http://confessingbaptist.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue;">Confessing Baptist website</span></strong></a><br /><em>I have been enjoying your website and podcast. Thank you,it has and am sure it will continue to be a blessing. I have a question that maybe you could help me with or at least send me to someone who can via email conversation, maybe. Until recently everything that I have read and studied on covenant theology has been from a presby. I found Pascal Denault\'s book and it helped me see that there is a major difference covenantaly that I never knew. I also listened to your interviews with Denault, again thank you. I have recently read Nehemiah Cox and John Owen on Covenant theology as well as Jeffery Johnson\'s book \"The fatal Flaw\". In Bahnsan and Rushdooney\'s writings on the subject of Theonomy, which by the way my former pastor endorses they do not see the Mosaic/Sianatic covenant as a covenant of works as do our reformed baptist brothers have seen, not to mention some presby\'s as well. It also appears that all the ones I see who are theonomic are presbyterians. So my question is can a Reformed Baptist who adheres to Reformed Baptist covenant theology actually be an \"honest\" theonomist? It appears that the difference a Reformed baptist sees between the old covenant and new covenant would make a theonomic position unattainable. Maybe they have been unknowingly influenced by an interpretation of a presbyterian view of covenant theology? Am I on the right track?<br /> Has anyone written something specific that you are aware of on the subject of why a reformed baptist cannot be a theonomist?<br /><br /> Thanks in advance</em><br /><em>Nolan</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><br /><span style="color: #888888;"><strong> </strong><span style="color: black;">Howdy Nolan,</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I am unsure as of yet who would be best to answer this question (been trying to dig) but I don't have anything specific. I will keep this question in mind though if I find someone who would be best to answer.</em></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><em>Regarding Reformed Baptist and Theonomy here are two post we have that have dealt with it. Neither one endorses it to say the least and show it is inconstant with 1689 Confessional theology:</em></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><a href="http://confessingbaptist.com/theonomy-christian-reconstruction-and-the-1689/" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1394757302475_7904" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><em>http://confessingbaptist.com/theonomy-christian-reconstruction-and-the-1689/</em></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><a href="http://confessingbaptist.com/theonomy-christian-reconstructionism-by-roger-nicole/" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1394757302475_7883" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><em>http://confessingbaptist.com/theonomy-christian-reconstructionism-by-roger-nicole/</em></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><em>I would be interested to find any 1689 pastor that was positively endorsing it though.</em></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><em>soli Deo gloria!</em></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><em>jason d. of The </em></span><span style="color: black;"><em>ConfessingBaptist.com</em></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="yiv7294779414HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><em><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></em></span></span></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: black;">To be continued.........</span></em></div>
</span></span></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-8281703545884737082014-03-05T15:57:00.002-06:002014-03-05T18:06:07.491-06:00Can An "Orthodox" Christian Minister/Elder Share Six Sociological Characteristics of Cult Behavior? <div style="padding-left: 30px;">
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<a href="http://chantrynotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/authoritarianism.png" sl-processed="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="authoritarianism" class=" wp-image-1080 alignleft" src="http://chantrynotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/authoritarianism.png?w=230&h=160" height="160" width="230" /></a><a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/RonRhodes.html" target="_blank">Ron Rhodes</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0310232171/?tag=andynaselli-20" target="_blank"><em>The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions: The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response</em></a> (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 31–34:</div>
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<strong>[1] Authoritarian Leadership</strong></div>
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Authoritarianism involves the acceptance of an authority figure who exercises excessive control on cult members. As prophet or founder, this leader’s word is considered ultimate and final. . . .</div>
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Often this authoritarianism involves legalistic submission to the rules and regulations of the group as established by the cult leader (or, as in the case of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, submission to the Watchtower Society). Cult members are fully expected to submit, even if they do not agree with the requirements. Unquestioning obedience is compulsory.<strong></strong><span id="more-4580"></span></div>
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<strong>[2] Exclusivism</strong></div>
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Cults often believe that they alone have the truth. The cult views itself as the single means of salvation on earth; to leave the group is to endanger one’s soul. . . .</div>
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<strong>[3] Isolationism</strong></div>
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The more extreme cults sometimes create fortified boundaries, often precipitating tragic endings (we have already mentioned the tragedies in Waco and Jonestown). Some cults require members to renounce and break off associations with parents and siblings. . . .</div>
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<strong>[4] Opposition to Independent Thinking</strong></div>
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Some cultic groups discourage members from thinking independently. The “thinking,” as it were, has already been done for them by the cult leadership; the proper response is merely to submit. . . .</div>
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<strong>[5] Fear of Being “Disfellowshiped”</strong></div>
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It is not uncommon in cults that people are urged to remain faithful to avoid being “disfellowshiped,” or disbarred, from the group. Again, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a prime example, for a person can be disfellowshiped merely for questioning a Watchtower doctrine. . . .</div>
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<strong>[6] Threats of Satanic Attack</strong></div>
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Finally, some cults use fear and intimidation to keep members in line. Members may be told that something awful will happen to them should they choose to leave the group. Others may be told that Satan will attack them and may even kill them, for they will have committed the unpardonable sin. Such fear tactics are designed to induce submission. Even when people do muster enough courage to leave the group, they may endure psychological consequences and emotional baggage for years to come.</div>
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Sadly, some Christian groups share these characteristics to some degree. Some "orthodox" churches suffer from leaders who take on "authoritarian" tendencies. Here is an excerpt from Tom Chantry.....<br />
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.........<em>what is authoritarianism? In an age that rebels against any and all authority, even the legitimate rule of elders will be labeled by some as “authoritarian.” Yet all agree that there is such a thing as authoritarian church rule. Authoritarianism may be identified by several characteristics.</em><br />
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<em><strong>First</strong>, authoritarianism is seen in leaders who go beyond the authority granted to them by God in His word. When, for example, a pastor or a board of elders binds the conscience of a believer in an area where God has granted liberty, this trespasses on the authority or rights belonging to another. <br /><br /><strong>Second</strong>, when an individual pastor acts unilaterally without securing the approval of fellow elders, he acts with authority not granted to an individual.<br /><br /><strong> Third</strong>, when a pastor or board of elders regularly demonstrate arrogance in their dealings with the church, either privately or in the pulpit, this indicates an abusive approach to authority. <br /><br /><strong>Fourth</strong>, recourse to church discipline in cases in which it is not justified is authoritarian. Scripture lays out specific situations in which discipline is required, but authoritarian leadership exemplifies the tendency of the hammer to treat each problem as a nail. Finally, when a pastor or a board of elders exercise their authority without apparent affection or concern for the wellbeing of the flock, this suggests the presence of authoritarianism.</em><br />
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Does your church resemble the things above? Have you experienced something close to what has been listed above? It is amazing how churches that hold to Christian "orthodox" doctrine take on similar traits. Continue reading below.....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When elders become obsessed with the submission of the flock, they have a view dangerously close to the autocracy of Rome......Tom Chantry<br /><br /><strong>The following excerpts are from by John G. Reisinger</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
"'Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture'! declares the Lord. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: 'Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,' declares the Lord... 'I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:1-5)<br />
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How many sincere sheep do you know who "have been scattered" because of the tyranny of pastors and elders? How many sincere believers do you know who have been "afraid and terrified" even to speak what was in their hearts for fear of the elder's discipline? How many husbands and wives have been alienated in their affections from each other because of the intrusion of the church or elder into their relationship with each other.<br />
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Many of you who read these lines have seen in practice what the following verse describes:<br />
<strong>"The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly." (Jeremiah 10:23)</strong><br />
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I would pray to God that some of the preachers who have split churches over the issue of "elder authority" would ponder Ezekiel 34. Usually when people are run out of a church for refusing to obey the "duly authorized elders" (which, interpreted, means refusing to sell your conscience in "unquestioning obedience" to the eldership), they are never visited personally by the pastor. They are not contacted in any manner except to be informed in a "duly authorized" letter that quotes a lot of verses (mostly out of context) and then informs the "rebel" that he has been "duly" excommunicated from the church, or cult, as the case may be. Sometimes, not too often, the rebel is told that the elders are willing to consider receiving him back as soon as he will genuinely repent, which of course means, kiss the pope's ring in submission.<br />
"This is what the Sovereign Lord says:<br />
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<strong> Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourself with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock." (Ezekiel 24:2, 3)</strong><br />
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If you were a pastor whose church was sacrificing to pay you close to $50,000 a year in salary and benefits and putting less than $1,000 a year into any kind of mission work, how should you feel when you read the above words from Ezekiel?<br />
If you were helping to pay that $50,000.00 salary and you were personally being treated like a dog, or even worse, maybe that pastor was systematically turning your wife (or husband) and children against you, how should you feel when you read the following verses from the Word of God?<br />
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<strong>"You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back strays or searched for the lost. You ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered...." (Ezekiel 34:4, 5)</strong><br />
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If you are a pastor who has driven families out of your congregation only because they dared to disagree with you, and you have never visited one of them to try to resolve the difficulty, who do you think God is talking about in Ezekiel 34:2-5?<br />
My friend, beating the sheep into subjection with the supposed "duly authorized office of eldership" and sending them home bleeding and wounded is just as hateful to God as daubing with untempered mortar. Rubbing salt into an open wound is exactly what many preachers do week after week. Because true sheep have tender consciences, a false preacher can pummel them to death with two big clubs. When the law (club number one) is swung by the "duly authorized prophet of God" (club number two), you have a gruesome twosome that will bring any tender conscience into subjection and fear. When one of these sheep finally gets enough courage to leave such a church, or in one writer's words, "...with a sigh of relief some sheep escape such ministries," I guarantee you that God does not view this "escape" as rebellion against His "duly authorized church." He views it as a refusal by a sheep to follow a false shepherd. When a child of God flees from that kind of tyranny, he is being obedient to the voice of his one true Shepherd and he is rejecting the authority of a false prophet.<br />
The amazing thing about this sad situation is that so many sincere sheep seem willing to submit to a form of Romanism without challenging it with Scripture. The words of Jeremiah is true in many churches today:<br />
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<strong>"A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, and priests rule by their own authority, and my people love to have it this way." (Jeremiah 5:30, 31</strong>)<br />
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Arrogance and an overbearing spirit is never acceptable in elders. Popish demeanor reveals pride in the heart. Pompous and tyrannical treatment of subordinates almost universally attends positions of authority in the world and in human institutions. Never is such deportment permissible in elders. Our Chief Shepherd has said, "<strong>Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you"! (Matthew 20:25,26)</strong><br />
Christ and Peter are not addressing hypothetical possibilities, nor peculiar attitudes of ancient times. Self-importance and lording it over others is a shameful reality among modern ministers. Many young Christians have been seriously injured by the imperious ways of elders..<br />
We live in an age when rebellion is common against all divinely constituted authorities. Many have no respect for those whom the Holy Ghost has made their overseers (Acts 20:28). Multitudes of local churches are ruined by anarchy. Christians must be taught to submit to Christ's order and to his assigned elders and deacons. Yet a church may be as much injured by tyranny as by anarchy.<br />
At times there come challenges to issues of truth and righteousness which are vital to the glory of God and the well-being of the flock. Then pastors must know how to be insistent in their opposition to immorality and heresy. Their prophetic voices should thunder and their feet hold firm. But all issues are not so essential. Neither should a severe, authoritative stance be the characteristic feature of a pastor's bearing.<br />
Some have imagined that with Biblical commands that the sheep submit, congregations could be coerced into non-resistance to the pastor's opinions and decisions. Zeal for truth and righteousness mixes with an inflated self-esteem in the elders. Other men are not led by example but suppressed by the worst of worldly tactics. Disagreement and question are rigorously stamped out. When elders become obsessed with the submission of the flock, they have a view dangerously close to the autocracy of Rome. That outlook involves an egotism from which ministers must be delivered.<br />
Some elders never appreciate the compliment given them when a saint disagrees with the pastor's exposition of a text. At least the Christian under his care is devoted more to Scripture than to the man in the pulpit. Under his ministry the child of God has reached a maturity to think through issues for himself and has imbibed a Berean spirit (Acts 17:11). But some ministers cannot endure the process of maturing in the sheep. At times parents are so flattered by the dependence of children that they cannot bear to see them grow independent with passing years. A swollen image of self-importance suffers too much for them to relinquish the reins. It is even so with domineering ministers.<br />
provokes mature men of strong minds and independent judgment to leave the church. These very ones would have the greatest potential for future leadership in the assembly. Dictatorial measures make lesser men craven and dependent, stunting their true growth. But it also has its harmful effects on the "lords over God's heritage." It makes them egotistical and self serving.<br />
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From: The Christian Ministry and Self Denial, by Pastor Walter J. Chantry, Banner of Truth Magazine, November 1979, Page 22, 23. There are only two options for you if you are sitting under a ministry like that so clearly described by Pastor Chantry. One, you can stay in that church. However, you will have to shut up and obey the "duly authorized eldership" and totally dry up spiritually. You will be sinning against Christ by allowing your pastor to be the Lord of your conscience -- and believe me, that is a grave sin! If you stay under such a ministry very long you cannot help but yield your conscience to the leader. However, the moment you do that you will begin to live in fear of that leader and his authority over your soul. When you reach that point, you are actually part of a cult and you have totally given up your true liberty in Christ. You will be afraid to even think for yourself, let alone speak and act that way.<br />
Unfortunately, there are some churches that actually demand that kind of submission from you in order for you to be a member in their church, or cult, as the case may be. They will bounce you in and out of membership according to your "rebellion" (questioning anything the elder says or does) or "repentance" (treating the pastor like a pope). Some poor souls have been in and out of church membership many times at the whim of the preacher. These kind of churches use the office of elder and deacon as a carrot stick to award the "really loyal devotees." It is sickening to see men grovel and lick boots in order to be in favor and power with "the man of God."<br />
The second, and right, choice for you if you feel Pastor Chantry is describing your pastor, is to get out of that church as fast as you can and never go back again. I do not know your situation, but I personally know of six Reformed Baptist churches where a large part of the membership was thoroughly convinced that Chantry was talking about their church and their pastor! The next time some key families leave a church, don't be too quick to believe that the "duly authorized" pastor and his devotees were right and the people who left were all "rebels against authority." It just may be that the pastor was a power mad paranoid that had begun to think of himself as the infallible voice of God. It is possible that the power structure in a church can be wrong! It is even possible in a "true" Reformed Baptist church! As Chantry said, "A church may be injured as much by tyranny as by anarchy." I have yet to see a Reformed Baptist Church ruined by anarchy, but I know of more than one that was ruined, or is being ruined, by the tyranny of pastors.<br />
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Carefully read again what Chantry gives as the reason many good men leave a church like those I have been describing:<br />
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Lording it over the flock provokes church fights and splits. A domineering spirit in elders provokes mature men of strong minds and independent judgment to leave the church. These very ones would have the greatest potential for future leadership in the assembly. Dictatorial measures make lesser men craven and dependent, stunting their true growth. But it also has its harmful effects on the "lords over God's heritage." It makes them egotistical and self serving.<br />
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Part 3 from <strong>John G. Reisinger</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.batteredsheep.com/leave_part_03.html">http://www.batteredsheep.com/leave_part_03.html</a><br />
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-16497335604707770062014-01-01T00:39:00.003-06:002014-01-01T00:40:01.300-06:001689 federalism compared to 20th century fedederalism (covenant theology)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-28689563977651719702013-12-15T02:35:00.000-06:002013-12-15T02:35:18.336-06:00What is your only comfort in life and in death?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great question. I would like to focus on this thought by
letting a book that is 450 years old guide us through God’s word. It’s
called the Heidelberg Catechism. It was written in 1563, after much
study and prayer by a preacher and theologian named Zacharias Urinus and
several of his friends in the southern German city of
Heidelberg. A catechism is simply a teaching tool that uses a
question and answer format to share knowledge and truth. A catechism is not the
Holy Bible nor is it a replacement for scripture and should only be used to
help us dive deeper into the Word of God never to draw us further away from
it. That is why what I want to do tonight is to look at the first
question asked by this Catechism and use various scripture to verify
it. The question is this: </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Question</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: What is your only comfort in life and death?</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Answer</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: That I am not my own,<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my
faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious
blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>He also watches
over me in such a way<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">
</span></sup>that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my
Father in heaven;<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>in
fact, all things must work together for my salvation.<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>Because I belong
to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup>and makes me
wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">1</span></sup> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before we dig into this let me say that the question that
they are asking is not what makes you comfortable like a big lay-z-boy chair or
something like that. A better translation of this (remember it was
originally in German….from the word “<i>trost</i>”) is where is your only
‘trust’. It is no accident that Mr. Urinus and his friends thought
this should be the first of a 129-question catechism. In his own
commentary on the catechism, Urinus says, “The question of comfort (or trust)
is placed, and treated first, because it embodies the design and substance of
the catechism.” He goes on to say later that the <b>design</b> is
to lead believers to sure and solid comfort (trust) in any circumstance we find
ourselves in. The <b>substance</b> of this trust is this,
“that we are ingrafted into Christ by faith, that through him we are reconciled
to, and beloved of God, that thus he may care for and save us
eternally.” I love this because it focuses not on what we must do
but on what has already been done in Christ for his glory and our
good. Grace. The amazing grace fact is that, if we believe
in Jesus, we belong to Christ and in his pierced hands we are sufficiently,
eternally, and fully cared for. We are safe. Safer than
any other place we could be. We are saved and he will see us through
until the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the great things about catechisms is the fact they
list the scripture from which they draw their answers. So, let’s
dissect this and examine the scripture that led them to this conclusion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first part of the answer says, <b><i>“That I am not
my own”</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This comes from 1 Corinthians
6:19-20 which states:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">19 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and <i><u>ye are not your own</u></i>?</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">20 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For <u>ye are bought with a price</u>: therefore glorify God
in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “<b><i>but belong body and soul, in life and in death”</i></b> comes
from Romans 14:7-9</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to
himself.</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we
die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, <u>we are the
Lord's</u>.</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived,
that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.” This is from 1 Corinthians 3:23</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">23 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And <u>ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and Titus 2:14</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">14 </span></sup><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The gospel is the answer to this first
question. I am a firm believer that the gospel is not just
Christianity 101 but is to be cherished and wrote on the tablet of every
believer in Jesus Christ heart. We should remind ourselves of it
daily. Remind others who we fellowship with and tell it to those who
may have never heard it. Kevin Deyoung is an author I like and in
his book, <u>The Good News we Almost Forgot</u>, he had this to say of
question 1 from the Heidelberg, “We live in a world where we expect to find
comfort in possessions, pride, power and position. But the Catechism
teaches us that our only true comfort comes from the fact that we don’t even
belong to ourselves.” The catechism does not only teach this…the
Bible does. The gospel is so counter cultural…so opposed to
pride. Some may say, “But I enjoy my stuff.” That’s fine…enjoy
it. But don’t put your trust in it. Some may say, “But
I’ve done much for the church, I read my Bible, I help people
out.” To which I must reply, “Amen! That’s wonderful!” <u>BUT</u>
if you are looking for that to save you….THEN it’s just filthy
rags. Dung. Dross and loss. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you know what we bring to the table when it comes to our
salvation? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The need for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The sin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That’s it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We will not stand at the throne of God and be able to say
anything in our defense except, “I belong to Christ. My savior paid
my debt in full.” But, this is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>JOY</u></b>. How
astounding is that? Deserving wrath, I get grace. My
responsibility is to repent (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">turn from my
sin and turn to Christ in my trust</i>) and believe (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that Jesus Christ is exactly who claims to be</i>). Derrick
Thomas another author who wrote one of my favorite books (<u>Romans 8: How The
Gospel Takes Us All the Way Home</u>) said this, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“If
we were depending on our feeble effort and resolve to keep our salvation than
it’s over, the devil wins. But it is NOT because our salvation, from
beginning to end, is God’s work as ‘he who began a good work in us will bring
it to completion.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What a joyous triumphant verse this
is! Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ” How glorious! The Greek word for ‘confident’ in this
verse is the <u>strongest</u> use of the verb…in other words it’s like Paul is
saying he’s absolutely, 150%, without a doubt, positive, that Christ WILL
complete the work that he began! How can he be sure? Because HE IS
NOT HIS OWN! Believers belong to Christ! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You see that’s the key. We are sure not because
of doctrine <u>or</u> our action <u>or</u> our effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have a relationship with those
things. Our relationship is with Christ. Doctrine is to
get to know HIM more deeply, our actions are to get know HIM and HIS ways more
clearly, our effort is to get to know HIM more intimately. Notice
that the recurring theme is to <u>KNOW HIM MORE</u>. Let this be our
goal, our breath, our prayer, and our cry. On my epitaph I pray that it
will be written, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He sought to know
Christ deeper.” </i>And then in my spirit in heaven let it be so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Christ is the point, brothers and sisters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He is the author of our faith. He is the finisher of our
faith </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hebrews 12:2</span></b><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></sup></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">our</span> faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.</span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 John 4:19 </span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We love him, because he first loved
us.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He is the sustainer of our faith (Philippians 1:6 “he will
complete the work he began) because he is the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>OBJECT</u></b> of our faith! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We belong to him. This is our
comfort. This is our trust and so mighty is our master that His
will, will be done!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JI Packer said it this way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“God’s
love is a function of omnipotence and has at its heart an almighty purpose to
bless that which cannot be thwarted.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His will, his Word, his hand…cannot be
thwarted. If Christ is for us who can be against us? (<b>Romans 8:31</b>) This
is why we can count it all loss because of the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ
our Lord…because Christ owning us is infinitely better than owning
ourselves. This is JOY! Christ! This is why
Paul could be beaten and stoned to the point where a whole town thinks he is
dead and then goes back inside after he awakens to finish his sermon! This
why martyrs sang as they were being burned! This is why no matter the struggle
we cling to Christ because it didn’t begin with us it began with
HIM. We cling to the rock of ages because he is securely, yet
tenderly caressing us. Every private struggle, prayer, pain, suffering, He is
there perfecting you until the day when he says, “Well done thy good and
faithful servant.” Welcome home. Keep that in mind
and heart…those of you who reminisce on the past often. Remember
that your true ‘glory days’ are yet to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This brings us to the final part of the question, “What is
your only comfort in life and DEATH?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The great equalizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It comes to kings and paupers, strong and
weak, mice and men, sick and healthy, young and old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people live in fear of it, seeking cure after cure, spending
all their money on a mad dash for re-generated youth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But beloved, if you belong to Christ death is not something we
fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because our wonderful savior has
overcame this dark shroud as well, by dying on the cross and then raising <u>from
the dead</u> on the third day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has
been well said, “What death did to Jesus is nothing compared to what Jesus did
to death.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus Christ conquered death
and we are more than conquerors through him that loves us (Romans 8:31). The
Apostle Paul’s struggle was whether or not to go home and be with the Lord or
stay to preach and help the Philippians and other brother and sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Philippians 1:21-25 he said, </span></div>
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<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">21 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For to me,
to live</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">is</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christ, and to die</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">is</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">gain.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">22 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But if</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">live on in the
flesh, this</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">will mean</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">fruit from</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">my</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">23 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with
Christ,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">which is </span></i></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">far better.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">24 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nevertheless to remain in the flesh</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">is</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">more needful for
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
is to live Christ and die gain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because, we belong to him and in all we do…in life or death, he is our
comfort…our trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And praise God for
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen closely, He is not only
there at the first cry of life and at our last death rattled gasp but he is
there beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when that time comes
(and his timing is perfect, like Him) he has a place prepared for you in heaven
for eternity, forever and ever, in his actual tangible presence in glory (John
14:2-3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me read to you from the
last chapter of the Holy Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revelation
22: 1-4</span></span></div>
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<span class="chapternum"><b><span style="color: black;">22 </span></b></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black;">And he shewed me a pure river of water of
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.</span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black;">2 </span></sup></b><span style="color: black;">In the
midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.</span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black;">3 </span></sup></b><span style="color: black;">And there
shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it;
and his servants shall serve him:</span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black;">4 </span></sup></b><span style="color: black;">And they
shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.</span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="text"><b><sup><span style="color: black;">5 </span></sup></b><span style="color: black;">And there
shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for
the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span class="text"><span style="color: black;">If you
belong to Christ, He gave his life for you, his church, therefore; know that he
will come back for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death to us who
are saved is bitter/sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sad for
those we leave behind but beautiful for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because we….are…going…home.</span></span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let me touch on another aspect, in understanding all of
this. If God did all of this for you…all of grace, than who
are we not to forgive and patiently love others. Because of what
Christ did for us, we are finally free to love others without expecting
anything from them. With only their interest and God’s glory in mind
not our own recompense or needful desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because our needs and desires are found in Christ and he took the and
drank the cup of wrath we made for ourselves and gave us a sufficient
overflowing cup of mercy that will follow us all the days of our lives and
beyond. (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Psalm 23:5-6)</b> So,
who are we not to love everyone? And if you want an example let me tell you
something a man named Sinclair Ferguson said that hit me between the eyes, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Jesus washed Judas’ feet, too</u></i>.” Our
sovereign rulings Lord, creator of all the heavens and the Earth stooped down,
cleaned, dried, and cared for the same feet that ran to betray
him. Think on that. If this were a Psalm now would be a good place
to say, “Selah.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are told to bless
those who use us and pray for those who harm us (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Luke 6:28</u></b>). Saying ‘Amen’ to these thing is easy,
now. It’s when we are persecuted, suffering from sickness, hurt by
loved ones, and tempted by Satan that at the forefront of our mind, solidified
in the concrete of scripture, encased in our new heart that we must burn before
us the blazing truth that, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Our only
comfort in life and death is that we belong to Christ our Lord and
savior.” </b>And what a well-placed, sweet trust it
is. Everything we do should be filtered though this truth. So,
strong and secure is the hold our savior has on us that NOTHING can pry us from
his safe, soft, strong, and loving arms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Romans 8:38-39</b>:</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">38 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">39 </span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazing grace, indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How sweet the sound. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I want to now say that if you don’t know Christ, you have no
comfort. Only sinking sand. You have no reason to sing
Joy to the World because you have no joy. Only temporary moments of
fleeting happiness. If you do not repent and believe in Christ than
all you have ahead of you is the oncoming storm that is judgment and the just,
fully deserved, consequence thereof. But God, in his mercy, sent his
son to be the sacrifice for sin. I compel you and pray for you to
seek the Lord. It is only as we go humbly in repentance and faith before the
suffering instrument of death that is the cross of Christ that we can go boldly
before the glorious, sovereign throne of the almighty God of all creation.<b> </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This is how much He loved us, he became a man, lived
the perfect life for us, suffered the wrath that we deserved, died the death
that awaited us, and then stripped out death’s dreaded sting in bodily
resurrection. And not only is he here with us now in all we endure,
but one day…he is coming back to bring us home forever. WE THAT
BELIEVE ARE HIS. “Greater love hath no man, that a man lay down his
life for his friends.” (John 15:13). That is worth
celebration. So, this year, every time you say, “Merry Christmas.”
Let your smile be ear to ear in anticipation for that day…the day we go home to
our loving God and acknowledgment of what he did to get us there.</span>King311http://www.blogger.com/profile/16745645695886316811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-20087027304166857512013-10-19T10:07:00.001-05:002013-10-19T10:37:34.825-05:00 Sinai Covenant: A Republication Of The Covenant Of Works? An Excerpt From The Marrow Of Modern Divinity<center>
<strong>Chapter II, Section II, 3 <br />The law, as the covenant of works, added to the promise.</strong></center>
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<strong>Ant</strong>. But whether were the ten commandments, as they were delivered to them on Mount Sinai, the covenant of works or no? <strong>Evan.</strong> They were delivered to them as the covenant of works. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="oneb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#one"><sup>1</sup></a> <strong>Nom.</strong> But, by your favour, sir, you know that these people were the posterity of Abraham, and therefore under that covenant of grace which God made with their father; and therefore I do not think that they were delivered to them as the covenant of works; for you know the Lord never delivers the covenant of works to any that are under the covenant of grace . <strong>Evan.</strong> Indeed it is true, the Lord did manifest so much love to the body of this nation, that all the natural seed of Abraham were externally, and by profession, under the covenant of grace made with their father Abraham; though, it is to be feared, many of them were still under the covenant of works made with their father Adam. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twob"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#two"><sup>2</sup></a><strong> </strong><strong></strong> <strong>Nom</strong>. But, sir, you know, in the preface to the ten commandments, the Lord calls himself by the name of their God in general; and therefore it should seem that they were all of them the people of God. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="threeb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#three"><sup>3</sup></a> Evan. That is nothing to the purpose; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="fourb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#four"><sup>4</sup></a> for many wicked and ungodly men, being in the visible church, and under the external covenant, are called the chosen of God, and the people of God, though they be not so. In like manner were many of these Israelites called the people of God, though indeed they were not so. <strong>Nom.</strong> But, sir, was the same covenant of works made with them that was made with Adam? <strong>Evan</strong>. For the general substance of the duty, the law delivered on Mount Sinai, and formerly engraven on man's heart, was one and the same; so that at Mount Sinai the Lord delivered no new thing, only it came more gently to Adam before his fall, but after his fall came thunder with it. <strong>Nom.</strong> Ay, sir, but as yourself said, the ten commandments, as they were written in Adam's heart, were but the matter of the covenant of works, and not the covenant itself, till the form was annexed to them, that is to say, till God and man were thereupon agreed: now, we do not find that God and these people did agree upon any such terms at Mount Sinai. <strong> Evan</strong>. No; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="fiveb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#five"><sup>5</sup></a> say you so? do you not remember that the Lord consented and agreed, when he said, (Lev 18:5), "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them"; and in Deuteronomy 27:26, when he said, "Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law, to do them?" And do you not remember that the people consented, (Exo 19:8), and agreed, when they said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do?" And doth not the apostle Paul give evidence that these words were the form of the covenant of works, when he says, (Rom 10:5), "Moses describeth that righteousness which is of the law, that the man that doeth these things shall live in them"; and when he says, (Gal 3:10), "For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them?" <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="sixb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#six"><sup>6</sup></a> And in Deuteronomy 4:13, Moses, in express terms, calls it a covenant, saying, "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments, and he wrote them upon tables of stone." Now, this was not the covenant of grace; for Moses afterwards, (Deut 5:3), speaking of this covenant, says, "God made not this covenant with your fathers, but with you"; and by "fathers" all the patriarchs unto Adam may be meant, [says Mr. Ainsworth,] who had the promise of the covenant of Christ. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="sevenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#seven"><sup>7</sup></a> Therefore, if it had been the covenant of grace, he would have said, God <em>did</em> make this covenant with them, rather than that he did not. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="eightb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#eight"><sup>8</sup></a><strong></strong><strong></strong> <strong> </strong><strong></strong> <strong>Nom</strong>. And do any of our godly and modern writers agree with you on this point? <strong>Evan</strong>. Yes, indeed. Polonus says, "The covenant of works is that in which God promiseth everlasting life unto a man that in all respects performeth perfect obedience to the law of works, adding thereunto threatenings of eternal death, if he shall not perform perfect obedience thereto. God made this covenant in the beginning with the first man Adam, whilst he was in the first estate of integrity: the same covenant God did repeat and make again by Moses with the people of Israel." And Dr. Preston, on the New Covenant, [p. 317,] says, "The covenant of works runs in these terms, 'Do this and thou shalt live, and I will be thy God.' This was the covenant which was made with Adam, and the covenant that is expressed by Moses in the moral law." And Mr. Pemble [Vind. Fid. p. 152] says, "By the covenant of works, we understand what we call in one word 'the law,' namely, that means of bringing man to salvation, which is by perfect obedience unto the will of God. Hereof there are also two several administrations; the first is with Adam before his fall, when immortality and happiness were promised to man, and confirmed by an external symbol of the tree of life, upon condition that he continued obedient to God, as well in all other things, as in that particular commandment of not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The second administration of this covenant was the renewing thereof with the Israelites at Mount Sinai; where, after the light of nature began to grow darker, and corruption had in time worn out the characters of religion and virtue first grave in man's heart, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="nineb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#nine"><sup>9</sup></a> God revived the law by a compendious and full declaration of all duties required of man towards God or his neighbour, expressed in the decalogue; according to the tenor of which law God entered into covenant with the Israelites, promising to be their God in bestowing upon them all blessings of life and happiness, upon condition that they would be his people, obeying all things that he had commanded; which condition they accepted of, promising an absolute obedience, (Exo 19:8), 'all things which the Lord hath said we will do'; and also submitting themselves to all punishment in case they disobeyed, saying, 'Amen' to the curse of the law, 'Cursed be every one that confirmeth not all the words of the law: and all the people shall say, Amen.'" And Mr. Walker, on the Covenant, [p. 128,] says, that "the first part of the covenant, which God made with Israel at Horeb, was nothing else but a renewing of the old covenant of works, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="tenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#ten"><sup>10</sup></a> which God made with Adam in paradise." And it is generally laid down by our divines, that we are by Christ delivered from the law as it is a covenant. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="elevenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#eleven"><sup>11</sup></a> <strong>Nom</strong>. But, sir, were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works, than either Adam or any of the old patriarchs were, that God renewed it now with them, rather than before? <strong>Evan.</strong> No, indeed; God did not renew it with them now, and not before, because they were better able to keep it, but because they had more need to be made acquainted what the covenant of works is, than those before. For though it is true the ten commandments, which were at first perfectly written in Adam's heart, were much obliterated <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twelveb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twelve"><sup>12</sup></a> by his fall, yet some impressions and relics thereof still remained; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="thirteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#thirteen"><sup>13</sup></a> and Adam himself was very sensible of his fall, and the rest of the fathers were helped by tradition; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="fourteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#fourteen"><sup>14</sup></a> and, says Cameron, "God did speak to the patriarchs from heaven, yea, and he spake unto them by his angels"; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="fifteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#fifteen"><sup>15</sup></a> but now, by this time, sin had almost obliterated and defaced the impressions of the law written in their hearts; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="sixteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#sixteen"><sup>16</sup></a> and by their being so long in Egypt, they were so corrupted, that the instructions and ordinances of their fathers were almost worn out of mind; and their fall in Adam was almost forgotten, as the apostle testifies, (Rom 5:13,14), saying, "Before the time of the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Nay, in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses, men had forgotten what was sin; so, although God had made a promise of blessing to Abraham, and to all his seed, that would plead interest in it, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="seventeenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#seventeen"><sup>17</sup></a> yet these people at this time were proud and secure, and heedless of their estate; and though "sin was in them, and death reigned over them," yet they being without a law to evidence this sin and death unto their consciences, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="eighteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#eighteen"><sup>18</sup></a> they did not impute it unto themselves, they would not own it, nor charge themselves with it; and so, by consequence, found no need of pleading the promise made to Abraham; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="nineteenb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#nineteen"><sup>19</sup></a> (Rom 5:20), therefore, "the law entered," that Adam's offence and their own actual transgression might abound, so that now the Lord saw it needful, that there should be a new edition and publication of the covenant of works, the sooner to compel the elect unbelievers to come to Christ, the promised seed, and that the grace of God in Christ to the elect believers might appear the more exceeding glorious. So that you see the Lord's intention therein was, that they, by looking upon this covenant might be put in mind what was their duty of old, when they were in Adam's loins; yea, and what was their duty still, if they would stand to that covenant, and so go the old and natural way to work; yea, and hereby they were also to see what was their present infirmity in not doing their duty: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentyb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twenty"><sup>20</sup></a> that so they seeing an impossibility of obtaining life by that way of works, first appointed in paradise, they might be humbled, and more heedfully mind the promise made to their father Abraham, and hasten to lay hold on the Messiah, or promised seed. <strong>Nom.</strong> Then, sir, it seems that the Lord did not renew the covenant of works with them, to the intent that they should obtain eternal life by their yielding obedience to it? <strong></strong> <strong>Evan.</strong> No, indeed; God never made the covenant of works with any man since the fall, either with expectation that he should fulfil it, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentyoneb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twentyone"><sup>21</sup></a> or to give him life by it; for God never appoints any thing to an end, to the which it is utterly unsuitable and improper. Now the law, as it is the covenant of works, is become weak and unprofitable to the purpose of salvation; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentytwob"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twentytwo"><sup>22</sup></a> and, therefore, God never appointed it to man, since the fall, to that end. And besides, it is manifest that the purpose of God, in the covenant made with Abraham, was to give life and salvation by grace and promise; and, therefore, his purpose in renewing the covenant of works, was not, neither could be, to give life and salvation by working; for then there would have been contradictions in the covenants, and instability in him that made them. Wherefore let no man imagine that God published the covenant of works on Mount Sinai, as though he had been mutable, and so changed his determination in that covenant made with Abraham; neither, yet let any man suppose, that God now in process of time had found out a better way for man's salvation than he knew before: for, as the covenant of grace made with Abraham had been needless, if the covenant of works made with Adam would have given him and his believing seed life; so, after the covenant of grace was once made, it was needless to renew the covenant of works, to the end that righteousness of life should be had by the observation of it. The which will yet more evidently appear, if we consider, that the apostle, speaking of the covenant of works as it was given on Mount Sinai, says, "It was added because of transgressions," (Gal 3:19). It was not set up as a solid rule of righteousness, as it was given to Adam in paradise, but was added or put to; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentythreeb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twentythree"><sup>23</sup></a> it was not set up as a thing in gross by itself. <strong>Nom.</strong> Then, sir, it should seem that the covenant of works was added to the covenant of grace, to make it more complete. <strong>Evan.</strong> O no! you are not so to understand the apostle, as though it were added by way of <em>ingrediency</em> as a part of the covenant of grace, as if that covenant had been incomplete without the covenant of works; for then the same covenant should have consisted of contradictory materials, and so it should have overthrown itself; for, says the apostle, "If it be by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works, then it is no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work," (Rom 11:6). But it was added by way of <em>subserviency</em> and <em>attendance</em>, the better to advance and make effectual the covenant of grace; so that although the same covenant that was made with Adam was renewed on Mount Sinai, yet I say still, it was not for the same purpose. For this was it that God aimed at, in making the covenant of works with man in innocency, to have that which was his due from man: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentyfourb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twentyfour"><sup>24</sup></a> but God made it with the Israelites for no other end, than that man, being thereby convinced of his weakness, might flee to Christ. So that it was renewed only to help forward and introduce another and a better covenant; and so to be a manuduction unto Christ, viz: to discover sin, to waken the conscience, and to convince them of their own impotency, and so drive them out of themselves to Christ. Know it then, I beseech you, that all this while there was no other way of life given, either in whole, or in part, than the covenant of grace. All this while God did but pursue the design of his own grace; and, therefore, was there no inconsistency either in God's will or acts; only such was his mercy, that he subordinated the covenant of works, and made it subservient to the covenant of grace, and so to tend to evangelical purposes. <strong>Nom.</strong> But yet, sir, methinks it is somewhat strange that the Lord should put them upon doing the law, and also promise them life for doing, and yet never intend it. <strong>Evan.</strong> Though he did so, yet did he neither require of them that which was unjust, nor yet dissemble with them in the promise; for the Lord may justly require perfect obedience at all men's hands, by virtue of that covenant which was made with them in Adam; and if any man could yield perfect obedience to the law, both in doing and suffering, he should have eternal life; for we may not deny [says Calvin] but that the reward of eternal salvation belongeth to the upright obedience of the law. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="twentyfiveb"><a href="http://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf-other/marrow/c2s23.html#twentyfive"><sup>25</sup></a> But God knew well enough that the Israelites were never able to yield such an obedience: and yet he saw it meet to propound eternal life to them upon these terms; that so he might speak to them in their own humour, as indeed it was meet: for they swelled with mad assurance in themselves, saying, "All that the Lord commandeth we will do," and be obedient, (Exo 19:8). Well, said the Lord, if you will needs be doing, why here is a law to be kept; and if you can fully observe the righteousness of it, you shall be saved: sending them of purpose to the law, to awaken and convince them, to sentence and humble them, and to make them see their own folly in seeking for life that way; in short, to make them see the terms under which they stood, that so they might be brought out of themselves, and expect nothing from the law, in relation to life, but all from Christ. For how should a man see his need of life by Christ, if he do not first see that he is fallen from the way of life? and how should he understand how far he had strayed from the way of life, unless he do first find what is that way of life? Therefore it was needful that the Lord should deal with them after such a manner to drive them out of themselves, and from all confidence in the works of the law; that so, by faith in Christ, they might obtain righteousness and life. And just so did our Saviour also deal with that young expounder of the law, (Matt 19:16), who it seems, was sick of the same disease: "Good Master," says he, "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" He doth not, says Calvin, simply ask, which way or by what means he should come to eternal life, but what good he should do to get it; whereby it appears, that he was a proud justiciary, one that swelled in fleshly opinion that he could keep the law, and be saved by it; therefore he is worthily sent to the law to work himself weary, and to see need to come to Christ for rest. And thus you see that the Lord, to the former promises made to the fathers, added a fiery law; which he gave from Mount Sinai, in thundering and lightning, and with a terrible voice, to the stubborn and stiff-necked Israel; whereby to break and tame them, and to make them sigh and long for the promised Redeemer. <hr align="center" size="3" width="75%" />
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<strong>Footnotes:</strong> <br />
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[[1] As to this point, there are different sentiments among orthodox divines; though all of them do agree, that the way of salvation was the same under the Old and New Testament, and that the Sinai covenant, whatever it was, carried no prejudice to the promise made unto Abraham, and the way of salvation therein revealed, but served to lead men to Jesus Christ. Our author is far from being singular in this decision of this question. I adduce only the testimonies of three late learned writers, "That God made such a covenant [viz: the covenant of works] with our first parents, is confirmed by several parts of Scripture," (Hosea 6:7, Gal 4:24),—Willison's Sacr. Cat. p. 3. The words of the text last quoted are these: "For these are the two covenants, the one from the Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage." Hence it appears, that in the judgment of this author, the covenant from Mount Sinai was the covenant of works, otherwise there is no shadow of reason from this text for what it is adduced to prove. The Rev. Messrs. Flint and M'Claren, in their elaborate and seasonable treatise against Professor Simpson's doctrine, [for which I make no question but their names will be in honour with posterity] speak to the same purpose. The former having adduced the fore-cited text, (Gal 4:24), says, <em>Jam duo federa, & c.</em>, that is, "Now here are two covenants mentioned, the first the legal one, by sin rendered ineffectual, entered into with Adam, and now again promulgate." [Exam. Doctr. Joh. Simp. p. 125.] And afterwards, speaking of the law of works, he adds, <em>Atque hoc est illud fadus, &c.</em>, that is, "And this is that covenant promulgate on Mount Sinai, which is called one of the covenants," (Gal 4:24). Ibid. p. 131. The words of the latter, speaking of the covenant of works are these, "Yea, it is expressly called a covenant," (Hosea 6, Gal 4). And Mr. Gillespie proves strongly, that Galations 4 is understood of the covenant of works and grace. See his Ark of the Testament, part 1. chap. 5. p. 180. The New Scheme Examined, p. 176. The delivering of the ten commandments on Mount Sinai as the covenant of works, necessarily includes in it the delivering of them as a perfect rule of righteousness; forasmuch as that covenant did always contain in it such a rule, the true knowledge of which the Israelites were at that time in great want of, as our author afterwards teaches.<br />
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<strong> </strong><strong>[2]</strong> The strength of the objection in the preceding paragraph lies here, namely, that at this rate, the same person, at one and the same time, were both under the covenant of works, and under the covenant of grace, which is absurd. <em>Ans</em>. The unbelieving Israelites were under the covenant of grace made with their father Abraham externally and by profession, in respect of their visible church state; but under the covenant of works made with their father Adam internally and really, in respect of the state of their souls before the Lord. Herein there is no absurdity; for to this day many in the visible church are thus, in these different respects, under both covenants. Farther, as to believers among them, they were internally and really, as well as externally, under the covenant of grace; and only externally under the covenant of works, and that, not as a covenant co-ordinate with, but subordinate and subservient unto, the covenant of grace: and in this there is no more inconsistency than in the former. <br />
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<strong>[3]</strong> As delivered from the covenant of works, by virtue of the covenant of grace.<br />
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<strong>[4]</strong> That will not, indeed, prove them all to have been the people of God in the sense before given, for the reason here adduced by our author. Howbeit, the preface to the ten commandments deserves a particular notice in the matter of the Sinai transaction, (Exo 20:2), "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Hence it is evident to me, that the covenant of grace was delivered to the Israelites on Mount Sinai. For the Son of God, the messenger of the covenant of grace, spoke these words to a select people, the natural seed of Abraham, typical of his whole spiritual seed. He avoucheth himself to be their God; namely, in virtue of the promise, or covenant made with Abraham, (Gen 17:7), "I will establish my covenant—to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee": and their God, which brought them out of the land of Egypt; according to the promise made to Abraham at the most solemn renewal of the covenant with him.—(Gen 15:14), "Afterwards shall they come out with great substance. And he first declares himself their God, and then requires obedience, according to the manner of the covenant with Abraham, (Gen 17:1); "I am the Almighty God, [i.e. in the language of the covenant, The Almighty God TO THEE, to make THEE for ever blest through the promised SEED,] walk thou before me, and be thou perfect." But that the covenant of works was also, for special ends, repeated and delivered to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, I cannot refuse, 1. Because of the apostle's testimony, (Gal 4:24), "These are the two covenants; the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage." For the children of this Sinai covenant the apostle here treats of, are excluded from the eternal inheritance, as Ishmael was from Canaan, the type of it, (verse 30), "Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman"; but this could never be said of the children of the covenant of grace under any dispensation, though both the law and covenant from Sinai itself, and its children, were even before the coming of Christ under a sentence of exclusion, to be executed on them respectively in due time. 2. The nature of the covenant of works is most expressly in the New Testament brought in, propounded, and explained from the Mosaical dispensation. The commands of it from Exodus 20 by our blessed Saviour, (Matt 19:17-19), "If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery," &c. The promise of it, (Rom 10:5), "Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doth these things shall live by them." The commands and promise of it together, see Luke 10:25-28. The terrible sanction of it, Galations 3:10. For it is written [viz: Deuteronomy 27:26,] "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." 3. To this may be added the opposition betwixt the law and grace, so frequently inculcated in the New Testament, especially in Paul's epistles. See one text for all, (Gal 3:12), "And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them." 4. The law from Mount Sinai was a covenant, (Gal 4:24), "These are the two covenants, the one from the Mount Sinai"; and such a covenant as had a semblance of disannulling the covenant of grace, (Gal 3:17), "The covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was 430 years after, cannot disannul"; yea, such an one as did, in its own nature, bear a method of obtaining the inheritance, so far different from that of the promise, that it was inconsistent with it; "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise," (Gal 3:18), wherefore the covenant of the law from Mount Sinai could not be the covenant of grace, unless one will make this last not only a covenant seeming to destroy itself, but really inconsistent: but it was the covenant of works, which indeed had such a semblance, and in its own nature did bear such a method as before noted; howbeit, as Ainsworth says, "The covenant of the law now given could not disannul the covenant of grace," (Gal 3:17). Annot. on Exodus 19:1 Wherefore I conceive the two covenants to have been both delivered on Mount Sinai to the Israelites. <em>First</em>, The covenant of grace made with Abraham, contained in the preface, repeated and promulgate there unto Israel, to be believed and embraced by faith, that they might be saved; to which were annexed the ten commandments, given by the Mediator Christ, the head of the covenant, as a rule of life to his covenant people. <em>Secondly</em>, the covenant of works made with Adam, contained in the same ten commands, delivered with thunderings and lightnings, the meaning of which was afterwards cleared by Moses, describing the righteousness of the law and sanction thereof, repeated and promulgate to the Israelites there, as the original perfect rule of righteousness, to be obeyed; and yet were they no more bound hereby to seek righteousness by the law than the young man was by our Saviour's saying to him, (Matt 19:17,18), "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments—Thou shalt do no murder," &c. The latter was a repetition of the former. Thus there is no confounding of the two covenants of grace and works; but the latter was added to the former as subservient unto it, to turn their eyes towards the promise, or covenant of grace: "God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? it was added, because of transgressions, till the Seed should come," (Gal 3:18,19). So it was unto the promise given to Abraham, that this subservient covenant was added; and that promise we have found in the preface to the ten commands. To it, then was the subservient covenant, according to the apostle, added, put, or set to, as the word properly signifies. So it was no part of the covenant of grace, the which was entire to the fathers, before the time that was set to it; and yet is, to the New Testament church, after that is taken away from it: for, says the apostle, "It was added till the seed should come." Hence it appears that the covenant of grace was, both in itself, and in God's intention, the principal part of the Sinai transaction: nevertheless, the covenant of works was the most conspicuous part of it, and lay most open to the view of the people. According to this account of the Sinai transaction, the ten commands, there delivered, must come under a twofold notion or consideration; namely, as the law of Christ, and as the law of works: and this is not strange, if it is considered, that they were twice written on tables of stone, by the Lord himself,—the first tables the work of God, (Exo 32:16), which were broken in pieces, (verse 19), called the tables of the covenant, (Deut 9:11,15)—the second tables, the work of Moses, the typical Mediator, (Exo 34:1), deposited at first [it would seem] in the tabernacle mentioned, (33:7), afterward, at the rearing of the tabernacle with all its furniture, laid up in the ark within the tabernacle, (25:16); and whether or not, some such thing is intimated, by the double accentuation of the decalogue, let the learned determine; but to the ocular inspection it is evident, that the preface to the ten commands, (Exo 20:2, Deut 5:6), stands in the original, both as a part of a sentence joined to the first commands, and also as an entire sentence, separated from it, and shut up by itself. Upon the whole, one may compare with this the first promulgation of the covenant of grace, by the messenger of the covenant in paradise, (Gen 3:15), and the flaming sword placed there by the same hand, "turning every way to keep the way of the tree of life." <br />
<br />
<strong>[5]</strong> Here, there is a large addition in the ninth edition of this book, London, 1699. It well deserves a place, and is as follows: "I do not say, God made the covenant of works with them, that they might obtain life and salvation thereby; no, the law was become weak through the flesh, as to any such purpose, (Rom 8:3). But he repeated, or gave a new edition of the law, and that, as a covenant of works, for their humbling and conviction; and so do his ministers preach the law to unconverted sinners still, that they who 'desire to be under the law may hear what the law says,' (Gal 4:21). And as to what you say of their not agreeing to this covenant, I pray take notice, that the covenant of works was made with Adam, not for himself only, but as he was a public person representing all his posterity, and so that covenant was made with the whole nature of man in him, as appears by Adam's sin and curse coming upon all, (Rom 5:12, Gal 3:10). Hence all men are born under that covenant, whether they agree to it or no; though, indeed, there is by nature such a proneness in all to desire to be under that covenant, and to work for life, that if natural men's consent were asked, they would readily [though ignorantly] take upon them to do all that the Lord requireth; for do you not remember," &c.<br />
<br />
<strong>[6]</strong> That the conditional promise, (Lev 18:5), [to which agrees Exodus 19:8,] and the dreadful threatening, (Deut 27:26), were both given to the Israelites, as well as the ten commands, is beyond question; and that according to the apostle, (Rom 10:5, Gal 3:10), they were the form of the covenant of works, is as evident as the repeating of the words, and expounding them so, can make it. How, then, one can refuse the covenant of works to have been given to the Israelites, I cannot see. Mark the Westminster Confession upon the head of the covenant of works; "The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience." And this account of the being and nature of that covenant is there proved from these very texts among others, Romans 10:5, Galatians 3:10, chap. 7, art. 2.<br />
<br />
<strong> </strong><strong>[7]</strong> "But the covenant of the law [adds he] came after, as the apostle observeth, (Gen 3:17).—They had a greater benefit than their fathers; for though the law could not give them life, yet it was a schoolmaster unto, i.e., to bring them unto, Christ." (Gal 3:21-24). Ainsworth on Deuteronomy 5:3. <br />
<br />
<strong>[8]</strong> The transaction at Sinai or Horeb [for they are but one mountain] was a mixed dispensation; there was the promise or covenant of grace, and also the law; the one a covenant to be believed, the other a covenant to be done, and thus the apostle states, the difference betwixt these two, (Gal 3:12), "And the law is not of faith, but the man that DOETH them shall live in them." As to the former, viz: the covenant to be believed, it was given to their fathers as well as to them. Of the latter, viz: the covenant to be done, Moses speaks expressly, (Deut 4:12,13), "The Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire, and he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to PERFORM [or DO] even ten commandments." And (5:3), he tells the people no less expressly, that "the Lord made not THIS COVENANT with their fathers." <br />
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<strong>[9]</strong> That is, had worn them out, in the same measure and degree as the light of nature was darkened; but neither the one nor the other was ever fully done. (Rom 2:14,15). <br />
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<strong>[10]</strong> Wherein I differ from this learned author as to this point, and for what reasons, may be seen earlier [footnote #4].<br />
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<strong>[11]</strong> But not as it is a rule of life, which is the other member of that distinction. <br />
<br />
<strong>[12</strong>] Both in the heart of Adam himself, and of his descendants in the first ages of the world. [Back] <br />
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<strong>[13</strong>] Both with him and them.<br />
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<strong>[14</strong>] The doctrine of the fall, with whatsoever other doctrine was necessary to salvation, was handed down from Adam, the fathers communicating the same to their children and children's children. There were but eleven patriarchs before the flood; 1. Adam, 2. Seth, 3. Enos, 4. Cainan, 5. Mahalaleel, 6. Jared, 7. Enoch, 8, Methuselah, 9. Lamech, 10. Noah, 11. Shem. Adam having lived 930 years, (Gen 5:5), was known to Lamech, Noah's father, with whom he lived 66 years, and much longer with the rest of the fathers before him; so that Lamech, and those before him, might have the doctrine from Adam's own mouth. Methuselah lived with Adam 243 years, and with Shem 98 years before the deluge. See Genesis 5. And what Shem, who, after the deluge, lived 502 years, (Gen 11:10,11), had learned from Methuselah, he had occasion to teach Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, (Gen 21:5,), and Jacob, to whose 51st year he [viz: Shem] reached. Genesis 11:10, and 21:5, and 25:26, compared. [Vid. Bail. Op. Hist. Chron. p. 2, 3.] Thus one may perceive, how the nature of the law and covenant of works given to Adam, might be far better known to them, than to the Israelites after their long bondage in Egypt. <br />
<br />
[<strong>15</strong>] That is, and besides all this, God spake to the patriarchs immediately and by angels. But neither of these do we find during the time of the bondage in Egypt, until the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the bush, and ordered him to go and bring the people out of Egypt, (Exo 3).<br />
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<strong>[16]</strong> The remaining impressions of the law on the hearts of the Israelites.<br />
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<strong> </strong><strong>[17]</strong> By faith; believing, embracing, and appropriating it to themselves, (Heb 11:13, Jer 3:4). [Back] <br />
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<strong>[18]</strong> Inasmuch as the remaining impressions of the law on their hearts were so weak, that they were not sufficient for the purpose.<br />
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<strong>[19]</strong> By faith proposing it as their only defence, and opposing it to the demands of the law or covenant of works, as their only plea.<br />
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<strong>[20]</strong> How far they came short of, and could not reach unto the obedience they owed unto God, according to the perfection of the holy law.<br />
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<strong>[21</strong>] Nor before the fall neither, properly speaking; but the expression is agreeable to Scripture style, (Isa 5:4), "Wherefore when I looked it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" <br />
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<strong>[22]</strong> (Rom 8:3), "For what the law could not DO, in that it was weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son," &c.<br />
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<strong>[23]</strong> It was not set up by itself as an entire rule of righteousness, to which alone they were to look who desired righteousness and salvation, as it was in the case of upright Adam, "For no man, since the fall, can attain to righteousness and life by the moral law," Lar. Cat. quest. 94. But it was added to the covenant of grace, that by looking at it men might see what kind of righteousness it is by which they can be justified in the sight of God; and that by means thereof, finding themselves destitute of that righteousness, they might be moved to embrace the covenant of grace, in which that righteousness is held forth to be received by faith.<br />
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<strong>[24]</strong> This was the end of the work, namely, of making the covenant of works with Adam, but not of the repeating of it at Sinai; it was also the end or design of the worker, namely of God, who made that covenant with Adam, to have his due from man, and he got it from the Man Christ Jesus. <br />
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<strong>[25]</strong> That is, the perfect <br />
obedience of the law; as it is said, (Eccl 7:29), "God made man upright." <br />
<br /><br /></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-29135066197955534102013-08-24T14:41:00.000-05:002013-08-24T14:44:24.547-05:00Am I really a Christian? Answering Eight Doubts<br />
A Simplified and Abridged Selection from Thomas Boston’s Human Nature In Its Fourfold State Simplified and edited by Jeffrey T. Riddle<br />
<br />
Copyright 2013 Jeffrey T. Riddle<br />
<br />
Note: Though it would certainly be unkind to give false assurance of salvation to someone who has not been truly converted, it would be equally cruel to withhold comfort and assurance to a weak lamb who suffers with despair over his spiritual state. In his spiritual classic “Human Nature In Its Fourfold State,” the Scottish minister Thomas Boston (1676-1732) lists eight “cases” where a true Christian might have spiritual doubts about the authenticity of his faith. Such doubts, Boston notes, “may hinder some persons from the comfortable view of their happy state.” Thus, he writes to encourage, comfort, and assure those saints who are burdened with such doubts.<br />
<br />
True Christians sometimes have serious doubts. Here are eight different kinds of doubts they<br />
sometimes have:<br />
<br />
<b>First Doubt</b>: I doubt I am really born again, because I do not know the exact time of my conversion.Neither can I trace the steps that led me to becoming a Christian.<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> Though it is desirable to be able to describe the beginning of the Lord’s work in your life and the gradual growth you’ve enjoyed, this is not always necessary to prove that you truly are a Christian. We must remember that the work of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. In the Gospel of John, we read about Jesus healing a blind man. This man simply said, “One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). When we see a flame, we know there is a fire, even if we don’t know how it began. Even so, we can know we are Christians, even if we do not know how or when it all happened. Has there been a change in your soul? Does your mind have light? Do you want to obey God in everything for the sake of Jesus who died on the<br />
cross? If you answer “yes” to such questions, then you do not need to trouble yourself with this doubt<br />
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<b>Second Doubt: </b>If I am really a Christian, a new creature in Christ, why do I continue to sruggle with sin?<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> We certainly do not want to lay down pillows, so that hypocrites can rest easy with indulging their sin and making God’s grace a slave to their lusts. On the other hand, we need to remember that “the just man falleth seven times a day” (Proverbs 24:16). Sin may prevail at times even over the children of God. Are you groaning under the weight of sin and the corruption of your nature? Are you disgusted with yourself for the sins of your heart and life? Are you striving to put your lusts to death, fleeing daily to the blood of Christ for pardon and looking to his Spirit for sanctification? Though you might say with Psalm 65:3, “Iniquities prevail against me,” remember that this verse ends, “As for transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.”The new creature in Christ is like a man who does not live in a house alone. An ill tempered neighbor lives in the same house with him. His name is “remaining corruption.” These two constantly struggle with each other for control: “The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). Sometimes old “corruption” prevails and makes the child of God a captive to the law of sin (Romans 7:23). Do not let his occasional victories make you conclude that you are not a child of God! Instead, let it humble you. Let it make you more watchful. Let it make you thirst even more intensely for Jesus Christ, His blood and Spirit. This attitude will become a principle of grace in you which seeks the destruction of the very sin that<br />
so often defeats you.<br />
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<b>Third Doubt:</b> I find that my heart has been in more turmoil after I became a Christian than it was before. Is this consistent with someone who is supposed to have been changed by Christ?<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> There are indeed dreadful cases of persons who appear to have become Christians, but who later renounce the faith and fall into gross and open immorality. It seems that the devil returns to their hearts with seven spirits worse than himself (cf. Matthew 12:45). Such persons are in a dangerous spiritual state. They risk sinning against the Holy Spirit. They must repent, before it is too late. This is not necessarily the case, however, with you. Corruption can be stirred up in a Christian even more strongly than it was before he became a Christian. It might appear to you that all the forces of hell have been raised to try to recapture you as an escape fugitive. Such stirrings may indeed occur in those truly changed by Christ. When restraining grace comes up against the corruption in a new believer, it is no wonder that it tries to fight back, “warring against the law of the mind” (Romans 7:23).<br />
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Sin will resist all the harder when it knows this new principle is seeking to cast it out. When the sun shines through a window we see all the dust in the house 16 that we did not see before. So when the light of grace shines in our lives, we see the corruption inside us that we had not noticed before. Sin is not quite dead in the believer’s soul. It is dying a lingering death. It is being crucified. No wonder it begins to fight so hard. It knows it is about to die, so it struggles to live. Besides all this, the Christian might be faced with more and stronger temptations after his conversion. Satan has to work harder to try to bring back one who has escaped than he does to guard one who is still a captive. The author of Hebrews says, “After ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Hebrews 10:32). He then adds, “cast not away your confidence” (v. 35). Remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you, and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Remember how Pharaoh and the Egyptians had the Israelites cornered at the Red Sea, but then God intervened and overthrew them (Exodus 14). Do not let this doubt destroy the foundation of your trust. Empty yourself. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and you will be victorious.<br />
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<b>Fourth Doubt:</b> I sometimes feel that my love for the things of this world is greater than my love for God. How then can I call him Father? Indeed, it sometimes seems that the affections I used to feel for God are gone. I fear that all the love I ever had for the Lord has only been like a fit and a flash. I fear I am a hypocrite.<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> It cannot be denied that an overriding love of the world is a certain mark of an unsaved man. “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15b).Still, the most active affections are not always the strongest. A little brook sometimes makes more noise than a mighty river. The strength of our affections can only be measured by the firmness and steadfastness of the root. Suppose a person meets with a friend who has been out of the country. He has not seen this friend for a long time. His affections for that friend might, in the moment, be stronger than his feelings for his own wife and children. Would we conclude that he loves his friend more than them?<br />
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Surely not! Even so, though a Christian might in the moment be moved with love for something in this world, this does not mean that he loves it more than God. Love to God is always more firmly rooted in a believer’s heart than is any worldly enjoyment. If there is ever a competition between love for God and love for the world, one of the loves will win. Do you want to understand your spiritual state? Look into your own heart and lay the two loves in the balance. See which outweighs the other. Ask yourself in the sight of God whether you would part with Christ for the sake of anyone or anything in the world. If you honestly answer that at this command you would cast away what is dearest to you in the world for Christ, then you have no reason to think you love the world more than God. On the other hand, if you love someone or something in the world more than God, then you are not a believer.<br />
<br />
Consider the following two texts: “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me” (Matt 10:37).<br />
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).<br />
From these texts, we can infer that one who is ready to part even with his father and mother for the Lord’s sake loves them less than Him. In addition, consider that there are two types of love for Christ: First, there is an emotional love for Him. It is like a dart in the heart. It creates a holy lovesickness in the soul. It longs to njoy the beloved. It is like the longing described in Song of Songs 5:8: “I charge you, O daughters of erusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love.” Or it refers to a fullness of love, as in Song of Songs 2:5: “Stay with me flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love.” Such strong eelings are usually found in young converts who “sing in the day of their youth” (Hosea 2:15). They are sometimes so on fire for the Lord that they are even ready to criticize godly persons who have long been<br />
believers just because they do not share the same strong feelings. They mistakenly think that there is far less religion in the world than there actually is.<br />
<br />
When the froth settles below the brim in his own cup, such a man finds in himself the same things he once criticized in others. This should humble him. It should make him know his daily need for the blood of Christ for forgiveness and for the Spirit of Christ for sanctification. So he grows downward in humiliation, self-loathing, and self-denial. Second, there is a rational love for Christ. This love is shown by a serious concern for God’s authority and his commands. When one has this love, he wants to please God by obeying him even if he does not feel strong emotions. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3). The emotional love for God does not always continue with you. If you lack it you have no need to consider yourself a hypocrite as long as you maintain a rational love for Christ. A faithful and loving wife has no need to question her love for her husband just because she does not have the same emotional experience of love for him as when they first married.<br />
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<b>Fifth Doubt:</b> Every time I begin to think I can see the marks of grace in me and that I am truly saved, I hear about some hypocrite or apostate, and I am shaken. Fear comes over me like a storm. Am I like this kind of person?<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> These sorts of things ought to stir us up. We ought to examine ourselves seriously and impartially. Still, we should not always be in a state of suspense about our spiritual state. You can see the outside of a hypocrite. You can see his “spiritual” activity and emotions, but you cannot see inside him. You do not know his heart.You can only form a judgment of another person based on what you see on the outside. You would do well to judge others with charity. Again, you cannot know the secret springs of their actions. Rather than judging others, you ought to look at your own heart. You are the only person you can judge with certainty. You must look at yourself as no one else in the world can do. You can see things in yourself that you simply cannot see in others.<br />
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A hypocrite’s religion may seem far greater than the religion of a sincere believer. Remember that what is great in the eyes of men is often of little value in God’s sight. I would rather groan with Paul (Rom 8:6) than shed false tears with Esau, prophesy with Balaam, or have the temporary joy of the shallow-ground hearers. There is a fire that will judge every man’s work to see “what sort it is” (1 Cor 3:13). If God does not judge by outward appearance, why do you? Without special revelation, you cannot know the sincerity of another man’s faith. But you can know the sincerity of your own faith, without any special revelation. This is why Peter exhorted the saints “to give diligence to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). Therefore, the actions of hypocrites and apostates should not disturb you. The important thing is seriously examining your own spiritual condition.<br />
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Here are two ways that the weakest saints excel the “best” hypocrites: First, the saints deny themselves. They renounce all confidence in themselves and their works. They venture their souls completely on God’s plan of salvation through Christ. They are “poor in spirit” (Matt 5:3). They are blessed, because they are not offended by Christ (Matt 11:6). In Philippians 3:3, Paul wrote, “We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Second, the saints have a real hatred of sin. They are willing to part with every lust, without exception, and to obey all the Lord’s commands. “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments” (Psalm 119:6). Test yourself by these standards.<br />
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<b>Sixth Doubt:</b> My life falls so far short of the standards of the great saints of the Bible and of the excellent Christians that I personally know. When I look at them, I can hardly stand to look at myself in comparison. How can I claim even to be in the same family with such saints?<br />
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<b>Answer: </b>We can indeed see a measure of grace and holiness in this life that we should have but cannot ever reach. This should humble us. It should also make us press all the more vigorously toward the mark. The devil wants weak Christians to be tortured by comparing themselves to strong Christians. To give in to this temptation would be like a child doubting his relationship to his father, because he is not the same height as his older brother. It is irrational! There are saints of various sizes in Christ’s family. Some are fathers; some are young men; and some are little children (1 John 2:13-14).<br />
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<b>Seventh Doubt:</b> I have never read in the Bible or known about a true child of God who was as tempted or as without God as I am. Since I do not know of any Christian who has ever been in my condition, I can only conclude that I must not be a believer.<br />
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<b>Answer: </b>This doubt comes from ignorance both of the Bible and of the actual experience of Christians. Those who have this doubt should try speaking with a mature Christian friend or a godly minister. Doing this has brought peace to some when they realize that their case is not exceptional and that many Christians have had the same struggle.<br />
<br />
The Bible provides many examples of Christians suffering with horrible temptations. The devil tempted Job to blaspheme (Job 1:11; 2:9). Asaph was tempted to think religion was vain and to throw it off (Psalm 73:13). Christ himself was tempted to “cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple” and “to worship the devil” (Matt 4:6-9). Many Christians have not only been attacked with temptations, but they have even been overcome by them and fallen into gross sin for a time. Peter denied Christ, and cursed and swore that he did not know him (Mark 14:71). Some Christians were compelled to blaspheme under persecution by Paul, before he was converted (Acts 26:10-11).<br />
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Many Christians can bear witness to their own sad personal experiences in this area. They have suffered very great temptations which have astonished their spirits, made their bodies tremble, and made them sick to their stomachs. Satan’s fiery darts can cause great damage. It takes great diligence to extinguish them or to block them with the shield of faith (Eph 6:16). Sometimes Satan throws so many fire-balls at our house that all we can do is constantly run back and forth to extinguish them. We must remember, however, that it is not a sin merely to be tempted. It is sin only when we consent to the temptation. If one is tempted to sin but does not consent to the temptation, he can no more be accused of that sin than a chaste man can be charged with fathering a child out of wedlock. Suppose you go to a mature Christian friend or minister and share your problem, but they say they have never known anyone exactly in your condition. You still should not think that your case is exceptional. You certainly should not give up hope! Even a mature Christian or godly minister cannot know every difficulty a child of God might face.<br />
<br />
Some have had struggles 20 known only to God and their own consciences. Though Scripture provides directions for every condition a believer might be in, it does not exhaustively list every struggle a Christian might face. Though you cannot find your specific case in the Bible, bring your case to the Bible, and you will find a remedy. Do not worry with trying to find out if anyone has ever been in your condition. Strive instead to apply Christ to your condition. Christ has a remedy for all diseases. Even if you found a true Christian who was tempted in the same way you are what would that prove? Your situations would not be exactly the same in every way.<br />
<br />
Consider the human face. In some ways, every human face is the same. Each has the same features. At the same time, every face is also different and can be distinguished from all others. Conclusion: If you see the marks of Biblical regeneration in your life, you should conclude that you are in the state of grace. This is true even if you are struggling with temptations that are unique to you (which, by the way, is not very likely).<br />
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<b>Eighth Doubt: </b>The struggles I have are strange or unusual. I doubt that a child of God has ever faced the kind of providential trials I have faced.<br />
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<b>Answer:</b> Much of what was previously said (see Doubt Seven) applies here also. Holy Job was assaulted with this temptation (see Job 5:1), but he rejected it and held fast. The apostle Peter says that Christians may be tempted “to think it strange concerning the fiery trial” (1 Peter 4:12). Sometimes we travel on paths where we can see the footprints of neither man nor beast. We cannot conclude from this, however, that no one has ever gone this way before us. Though you cannot see the footsteps of the flock in the way of your affliction, you must not conclude that you are the first to ever walk that road. But what if you were the first to walk that way?<br />
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Some saint or other must be first in drinking from each bitter cup. Who are we to question the rovidential circumstances God has given us? “Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in great waters; and thy footsteps are not known” (Psalm 77:19). If the Lord should carry you to heaven by some remote road, so to speak, you would have no reason to complain. We must learn to allow proper latitude for God’s sovereignty. Do your duty. Do not let any difficulty you face hide from you the fact that you are in a state of grace. As Solomon said, “no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them” (Ecclesiastes 9:1). Ω<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-89743476587311116042013-04-30T17:07:00.003-05:002013-04-30T17:08:41.878-05:00R.C Sproul Quotes: Legalism and Manipulation of Conscience <span style="background-color: white;"><br style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">“Perhaps the most deadly and widespread form of legalism is that type which adds legislation to the law of God and treats the addition as if it were divine law. The Old Testament prophets expressed God’s fury at this form of behavior, lamenting the result of “binding men where God had left them free.” It is a manifestation of man’s fallenness to impose his own sense of propriety on other people, seeking mass conformity to his own preferences and adding insult to it by declaring these prejudices and preferences to be nothing less than the will of God. A frequent point of conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees centered on the Pharisees’ traditions, which imposed hardships on the people who were bound by these man-made obligations. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they had elevated their traditions to the level of the law of God, seeking not only to usurp God’s authority, but to oppress mankind.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The elevation of human preferences to the level of divine mandate is not limited to an isolated group of moralistic Pharisees in the first century. The problem has beset the church throughout its history. Not only do traditions develop that are added to the law of God, but in many cases they become the supreme tests of the faith, the litmus test by which people are judged to be either Christians or non-Christians. It is unthinkable in the New Testament that a person’s Christian commitment would ever be determined by whether or not that person engaged in dancing, or in wearing of lipstick and the like. Unfortunately, so often when these preferences become tests of faith, they involve not only the elevation of nonbiblical mandates to the level of the will of God, but they represent the trivialization of righteousness. When these externals are elevated to the level of being measuring rods of righteousness, we begin to major in minors and obscure the real tests of righteousness.” R.C. Sproul, Following Christ, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1991), pp. 323-325.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The manipulation of conscience can be a destructive force within the Christian community. Legalists are often masters of guilt manipulation, while antinomians master the art of quiet denial. The conscience is a delicate instrument that must be respected. One who seeks to influence the conscience of others carries a heavy responsibility to maintain the integrity of the other person’s own personality as crafted by God. When we impose false guilt on others we paralyze our neighbors, binding them in chains where God has left them free. When we urge false innocence we contribute to their delinquency, exposing them to the judgment of God.” R.C. Sproul, Following Christ, (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 1991), p.3</span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">90.</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-48566363692558347422013-03-18T17:46:00.002-05:002013-03-18T18:09:28.277-05:00 Thief Theology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On my way to church I was listening to J Vernon Mcgee on the radio and he used this illustration below to stress his point. Now, it may not be exactly worded the way he put it but I am sure it is close enough to drive home the point.<br />
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There was a pastor who approached one of his members about possibly serving in the Sunday school class. There was a need and he thought this gentlemen was capable and able to handle that position.<br />
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<b>Pastor</b>: Hey how are you?<br />
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<b>Member</b>: Fine thanks<br />
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<b>Pastor:</b> I have something to ask of you.<br />
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<b>Member</b>: Sure, ask away.<br />
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<b>Pastor:</b> I've been thinking about you the last couple of weeks. I wanted to see if you were willing to help us out in our Sunday school class. There is a vacancy and I am confident you are capable of handling that. Just think and pray about it.<br />
<br />
<b>Member</b>: Oh, I don't need to pray about that pastor. I don't think I need to do any such thing as that.<br />
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<b>Pastor</b>: Ok, I understand. But, can I ask why not<br />
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<b>Member</b>: Well pastor as I see it the thief on the cross never taught a Sunday school class, so neither am I. I'm gonna just rest in what Christ has done for me.<br />
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<i>The next week at church: </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Pastor</b>: Hello again. I know we talked last week about you serving in our sunday school but I wanted to ask if you could help out with our greeter/usher ministry. I've noticed that your personality seems to be really suited for this.<br />
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<b>Member</b>: <i> </i>Pastor, I really appreciate your wanting to get me involved here but I don't think I will. You see the thief on the cross was never an usher either and everything turned out well for him. So I don't think I will be an usher either. As I told you before I'm gonna just rest in what Jesus has done for me.<br />
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<b>Pastor</b>: Well how about giving financially to our outreach ministries?<br />
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<b>Member</b>: Well, I see no need in giving. You see the thief never gave a penny before he went home with the lord.<br />
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<b>Pastor</b>: Well, I see. I would like to leave you with these words. I pray you ponder these thoughts. It appears that the difference between the thief on the cross and yourself is that he is a dead thief and you my friend are a living thief.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">James 2:14-26</span></h3>
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<span class="text Jas-2-14" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">14 </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30308A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>What use is it, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30308B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-2-15" id="en-NASB-30309" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30309C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-2-16" id="en-NASB-30310" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup>and one of you says to them, “<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30310D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for <i>their</i> body, what use is that?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Jas-2-17" id="en-NASB-30311" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">17 </sup>Even so <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30311E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>faith, if it has no works, is dead, <i>being</i> by itself.</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Jas-2-18" id="en-NASB-30312"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">1</sup><b><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">8 </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30312F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>But someone may <i>well</i> say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30312G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>faith without the works, and I will <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30312H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>show you my faith <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30312I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>by my works.”</b></span><b> <span class="text Jas-2-19" id="en-NASB-30313"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">19 </sup>You believe that God is one. <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30313K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>You do well; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30313L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>the demons also believe, and shudder.</span> <span class="text Jas-2-20" id="en-NASB-30314"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">20 </sup>But are you willing to recognize, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30314M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>you foolish fellow, that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30314N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>faith without works is useless?</span> <span class="text Jas-2-21" id="en-NASB-30315"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">21 </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30315O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?</span> <span class="text Jas-2-22" id="en-NASB-30316"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">22 </sup>You see that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30316P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>faith was working with his works, and as a result of the <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30316Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>works, faith was perfected;</span> <span class="text Jas-2-23" id="en-NASB-30317"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">23 </sup>and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30317R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness</span>,” and he was called <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30317S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>the friend of God.</span> <span class="text Jas-2-24" id="en-NASB-30318"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">24 </sup>You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.</span> <span class="text Jas-2-25" id="en-NASB-30319"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">25 </sup>In the same way, was not <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30319T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>Rahab the harlot also justified by works <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30319U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?</span> <span class="text Jas-2-26" id="en-NASB-30320"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; vertical-align: top;">26 </sup>For just as the body without <i>the</i> spirit is dead, so also <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-30320V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>faith without works is dead.</span></b></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-59902245752263115602013-02-15T22:14:00.002-06:002013-02-15T22:15:58.055-06:00Believing Without Effect<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, <u>if</u> ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, <u>unless</u> ye have believed in vain.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;"> (I Cor. 15:1-2)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">Apostle Paul preached the Gospel, which is the fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, “by which also ye are saved.” Salvation does not exist outside of the boundaries of this fact, plus nothing and minus nothing. If this simple fact is tainted by adding anything or removing anything it become perverted and is no Gospel at all. One is only able to be saved by believing into this truth of the Gospel of Jesus as preached by the Apostles. This comes not by believing about but by believing into. It is being plunged into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This is the effect of the Gospel of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1360987829093_102" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">The words “if ye keep in memory” from the language carries the thought of “having in one’s possession.” It is not just agreeing with the pronouncement of the Gospel; rather, it is possessing the Gospel which has been embedded by the Holy Spirit unto the birth of a new creature born out of God, saved unto the uttermost. We are saved IF we have truthfully in our custody the fact that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose by the power of God in a bodily resurrection. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1360987829093_111" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.18181800842285px;">“Unless” means “if not”; that is, if one is not in possession of the Gospel by the sovereign power and grace of Almighty God plunging him into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, then all of his believing about and all of his religious activities has been for nothing. “Believed in vain” means “believed without effect.” That is to say, if one possesses in his spirit the Gospel a change will take place inwardly and outwardly conforming him to the righteousness of Christ Jesus. One saying he believes with no conversion unto righteousness is still in his sins, because his believing has had no effect. He possesses not the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.453125px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;">From the Pastor:</span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.453125px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"> </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.453125px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"> </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.453125px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;">Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.</span></div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07633818236537352454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-6004599575845232072013-01-20T16:59:00.001-06:002013-01-20T16:59:10.992-06:00THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND SENSE<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">From a sermon by <o:p>Ebenezer Erskine on Song of Solomon <span class="style3">8:5 </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">–</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her Beloved?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Question. What is the difference between the life of faith and the life of sense? . . .</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">1. Sense regards only what a man hath in hand, or presently enjoys; but faith looks to what a man hath in Christ, and in the well ordered covenant. Sense is like a child that is better pleased with a penny, or any little trifle the parent gives it, than if he were giving it a charter to the whole estate; but faith, although it will not despise any thing that comes from the hand of the Father, yet it is particularly taken up with the charter of the promise or covenant, and the estate lying in the hand of the great covenant-head, Christ Jesus; it views the promise as it is "yea and amen in Christ;" it views the covenant as confirmed by his death and blood, and says, with David, "This is all my salvation that he hath made with me," in my new covenant-head, "an everlasting covenant, well-ordered in all things, and sure."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">2. Sense is ready to judge of the love of God by the aspect of Providence, or his present carriage; and whenever he seems to frown or hide, it razes all to the foundation, crying, "The Lord hath forgotten to be gracious;" but faith reads the love of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in the acceptance that the Surety has met with, and in the declarations, offers, promises of the word: "In his word will I hope, (says faith); Remember the word upon which thou hast caused thy servant to hope." Hence it follows,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">3. Sense and sight is a variable and fluctuating thing; but faith is steady and fixed, like Abraham, "who against hope believed in hope, and staggered not at the promise through unbelief." . . .</span></div>
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<o:p><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Verdana;">Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754)<b> </b>and his brother Ralph were famous Presbyterian ministers in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Verdana;">Scotland, and close friends of Thomas Boston. Their father was Henry Erskine, under whose preaching the youthful Thomas Boston came to Christ.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region></o:p></div>
</o:p></u1:p></st1:country-region></o:p></o:p></u1:p></st1:country-region></st1:country-region></o:p></o:p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-27661656843002545782012-12-30T20:12:00.001-06:002012-12-31T16:53:01.359-06:00Defining Terms<br />
J. I. Packer offers one of the best summaries of the different varieties of antinomianism.<br />
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<b>Dualistic Antinomianism</b><br />
Associated with Gnosticism, which treats the body (and its actions) as insignificant.<br />
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<b>Spirit-centered Antinomianism</b><br />
Views the inner promptings of the Spirit as sufficient apart from the external Word.<br />
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<b>Christ-centered antinomianism</b><br />
Argues that God sees no sin in believers, because they are in Christ, who kept the<br />
law for them, and therefore what they actually do makes no difference, provided that they keep believing.<br />
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<b>Dispensational Antinomianism</b><br />
Denies that in the “church age,” believers are obligated to the moral law.<br />
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<b>Situationist Antinomianism</b><br />
Teaches that love is the only rule and that duties (not just their application) will therefore vary according to circumstance.<br />
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<b>J. I. Packer, Concise Theology</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-68314486333102800082012-12-17T19:53:00.002-06:002012-12-17T19:54:00.182-06:00For whom Christ offered himself a Sacrifice<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">From “A View of the Covenant of Grace” by Thomas Boston.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span lang="EN-AU">Thomas Bosto</span><span lang="EN-AU">n (1676-1732) was a pastor of God's flock in</span><st1:city> <span lang="EN-AU">Ettrick,</span><span lang="EN-AU"><st1:country-region></st1:country-region></span><st1:country-region> <span lang="EN-AU">Scotland, whose preaching God abundantly blessed in the saving of many souls. The son of a Presbyterian who knew the Lord and was imprisoned for non-conformity,</span><span lang="EN-AU"><st1:city> </st1:city></span><span lang="EN-AU">Boston</span></st1:country-region></st1:city> was raised in times of murderous persecution. Nevertheless, he lived to see God’s people flourish and multiply, as “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts<span lang="EN-AU"> </span><span lang="EN-AU">2:47). He is perhaps best known for his part in the reprinting of “The Marrow of Modern Divinity”, a book which distinguishes the Covenant of Works from the Covenant of Grace.</span><span lang="EN-AU"><u1:p><o:p></o:p></u1:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">1. It was not for his own sins, for he had none; but for the sins and transgressions of others, Dan. 9:26, “The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself.” He could not suffer for any sin of his own; for he was “holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.” Though he made his soul an offering for sin, yet he had done no iniquity, neither was guile found in his mouth. As the legal lambs were without blemish, so Christ was a Lamb without spot. His extraordinary and miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin was an effectual bar against original sin, and he has no actual sin in the course of his life. He was infinitely holy as God, and habitually holy as man. Every power and faculty of his soul, and every member of his body, was elevated and raised to the highest pitch of holiness. And he fulfilled all righteousness in his life, and gave complete satisfaction to all the demands of the law; so that he needed not, as the Levitical priests, first to offer sacrifice for his own sin, and then for the sins of the people.<b> </b><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> 2. Christ did not offer up this sacrifice for the sins of fallen angels; for there was no sacrifice appointed for them. Whenever they rebelled against their Sovereign Lord and Creator, they were immediately expelled from the divine presence, and are kept in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day. Christ took not upon him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham. He offered up the sacrifice of himself to make an atonement for the sins of men.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">3. Christ did not die a sacrifice for every man and woman in the world. It is true, there was virtue and efficacy enough in his oblation to satisfy offended justice for the sins of the whole world, yea, and of millions of worlds more; for his blood hath infinite value, because of the infinite dignity and excellency of his person. And in this sense some divines understand those places of scripture where he is called the Saviour of the whole world. Yet the efficacy and saving virtue of his sacrifice extendeth not unto all. For,<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> 1st. It is restricted in scripture to a certain number, called sometimes the church of God, as Acts 20:28, “Feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood,” Eph. 5:25, “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it.” Sometimes they are called his sheep, as John 10:15, “I lay down my life for my sheep.” They are also called those that were given to him by the Father, John 17:2, “Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” See also John 10:26-29. In these places of scripture, and others that might be named, you see that Christ’s death is restricted to a certain number of persons, exclusive of all others,<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> 2dly, If Christ would not pray for every one in the world, then certainly he did not die for every one in particular. But so it is that he excludes the reprobate world from the benefit of his prayer, John 17:9, “I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me.” Both the parts of Christ’s priesthood, his offering sacrifice and his intercession, are of the same latitude and extent. We find them joined together in the scripture by an inseparable connexion, Rom. 8:34, “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intersession for us, 1 John 2:1,2, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins.” So that Christ intercedes for all those for whom he satisfied offended justice: but he intercedes not for the whole world, but only for those whom God hath given him; and therefore he did not satisfy offended justice for all men.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-18908915900044957612012-12-09T20:17:00.002-06:002012-12-09T20:17:55.751-06:00Why Moralism Is Not The Gospel<br />
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<i>Albert Mohler's sermon at the 2011 Gospel Coalition conference, on Christ in the old testament was very eye opening. About the 34 min mark he was discussing what many preachers tend to do with the biblical characters in the Old Testament. The problem he underscores is not only privy to pastors but also is problematic for all born again parents and believers, including yours truly. </i><br />
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<i>The problem of<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">only</span> </b>moralising the text. The problem of impressing on the hearer of his Old Testamernt oratory that the main thrust of the text is to show us a moral example. An example of morality in the negative or positive. A moral example yes, but not a moral example<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> <b>only</b></span> that is devoid of the Gospel. An example that is devoid of Christ. That is an injustice to the word of God and possibly damaging to the hearer.</i></div>
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<i>Here is an article By Dr. Mohler on this very subject.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><b>Dr. Albert Mohler</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> Why moralism is not the gospel- and why so many christians think it is</span></div>
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One of the most amazing statements by the Apostle Paul is his indictment of the Galatian Christians for abandoning the Gospel. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,” Paul declared. As he stated so emphatically, the Galatians had failed in the crucial test of discerning the authentic Gospel from its counterfeits.</div>
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His words could not be more clear: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you have received, he is to be accursed!” [Gal. 1:6-7]</div>
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This warning from the Apostle Paul, expressed in the language of the Apostle’s shock and grief, is addressed not only to the church in Galatia, but to every congregation in every age. In our own day — and in our own churches — we desperately need to hear and to heed this warning. In our own time, we face false gospels no less subversive and seductive than those encountered and embraced by the Galatians.</div>
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In our own context, one of the most seductive false gospels is moralism. This false gospel can take many forms and can emerge from any number of political and cultural impulses. Nevertheless, the basic structure of moralism comes down to this — <b>the belief that the Gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior.</b></div>
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Sadly, this false gospel is particularly attractive to those who believe themselves to be evangelicals motivated by a biblical impulse. <b>Far too many believers and their churches succumb to the logic of moralism and reduce the Gospel to a message of moral improvement. </b>In other words, we communicate to lost persons the message that what God desires for them and demands of them is to get their lives straight.</div>
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In one sense, we are born to be moralists. Created in God’s image, we have been given the moral capacity of conscience. From our earliest days our conscience cries out to us the knowledge of our guilt, shortcomings, and misbehaviors. In other words, our conscience communicates our sinfulness.</div>
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Add to this the fact that the process of parenting and child rearing tends to inculcate moralism from our earliest years. Very quickly we learn that our parents are concerned with our behavior. Well behaved children are rewarded with parental approval, while misbehavior brings parental sanction. This message is reinforced by other authorities in young lives and pervades the culture at large.</div>
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Writing about his own childhood in rural Georgia, the novelist Ferrol Sams described the deeply-ingrained tradition of being “raised right.” As he explained, the child who is “raised right” pleases his parents and other adults by adhering to moral conventions and social etiquette. A young person who is “raised right” emerges as an adult who obeys the laws, respects his neighbors, gives at least lip service to religious expectations, and stays away from scandal. The point is clear — this is what parents expect, the culture affirms, and many churches celebrate. <b>But our communities are filled with people who have been “raised right” but are headed for hell.</b></div>
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The seduction of moralism is the essence of its power. We are so easily seduced into believing that we actually <em>can</em> gain all the approval we need by our behavior. Of course, in order to participate in this seduction, we must negotiate a moral code that defines acceptable behavior with innumerable loopholes. <b>Most moralists would not claim to be without sin, but merely beyond scandal. That is considered sufficient.</b></div>
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Moralists can be categorized as both liberal and conservative. In each case, a specific set of moral concerns frames the moral expectation. As a generalization, it is often true that liberals focus on a set of moral expectations related to social ethics while conservatives tend to focus on personal ethics. The essence of moralism is apparent in both — the belief that we can achieve righteousness by means of proper behavior.</div>
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<b><i>The theological temptation of moralism is one many Christians and churches find it difficult to resist. The danger is that the church will communicate by both direct and indirect means that what God expects of fallen humanity is moral improvement. In so doing, the church subverts the Gospel and communicates a false gospel to a fallen world.</i></b></div>
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Just as parents rightly teach their children to obey moral instruction, the church also bears responsibility to teach its own the moral commands of God and to bear witness to the larger society of what God has declared to be right and good for His human creatures.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: inherit;">But these impulses, right and necessary as they are, are not the Gospel. Indeed, </span><b><i>one of the most insidious false gospels is a moralism that promises the favor of God and the satisfaction of God’s righteousness to sinners if they will only behave and commit themselves to moral improvement.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The moralist impulse in the church reduces the Bible to a codebook for human behavior and substitutes moral instruction for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Far too many evangelical pulpits are given over to moralistic messages rather than the preaching of the Gospel.</i></b></div>
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The corrective to moralism comes directly from the Apostle Paul when he insists that “a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus.” Salvation comes to those who are “justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” [Gal. 2:16]</div>
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<b><i>We sin against Christ and we misrepresent the Gospel when we suggest to sinners that what God demands of them is moral improvement in accordance with the Law. Moralism makes sense to sinners, for it is but an expansion of what we have been taught from our earliest days. But moralism is not the Gospel, and it will not save. The only gospel that saves is the Gospel of Christ</i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: inherit;">. As Paul reminded the Galatians, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” [Gal. 4:4-5]</span></div>
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We are justified by faith <em>alone</em>, saved by grace <em>alone</em>, and redeemed from our sin by Christ <em>alone</em>. Moralism produces sinners who are (potentially) better behaved. The Gospel of Christ transforms sinners into the adopted sons and daughters of God.</div>
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The Church must never evade, accommodate, revise, or hide the law of God. Indeed, it is the Law that shows us our sin and makes clear our inadequacy and our total lack of righteousness. The Law cannot impart life but, as Paul insists, it “has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” [Gal. 3:24]</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: inherit;">The deadly danger of moralism has been a constant temptation to the church and an ever-convenient substitute for the Gospel. </span><b><i>Clearly, millions of our neighbors believe that moralism is our message.</i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: inherit;"> Nothing less than the boldest preaching of the Gospel will suffice to correct this impression and to lead sinners to salvation in Christ.</span></div>
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<b><i>Hell will be highly populated with those who were “raised right.”</i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: inherit;"> The citizens of heaven will be those who, by the sheer grace and mercy of God, are there solely because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<b>Moralism is <em>not</em> the gospel.</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-65007099864331545212012-12-05T19:44:00.000-06:002012-12-05T19:56:37.184-06:00The Difference Between Legal & Gospel Mortification <div class="auto-style2" style="font-family: Verdana; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">
The right and wrong way to deal with sin<br />
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-size: xx-small;">by </span><span class="style11" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="style9" lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.covenantofgrace.com/r_erskine.htm"><span id="id79" lang="en-au" style="color: navy; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial;"><span class="auto-style3" style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ralph Erskine</span></span></a></span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">1. Gospel and legal mortification differ <i>in their principles from which they proceed</i>. Gospel mortification is from gospel principles, viz. the Spirit of God [Rom. 8. 13], 'If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live'; Faith in Christ [Acts 15. 9], 'Purifying their hearts by faith'; The love of Christ constraining [2 Cor. 5. 14], 'The love of Christ constraineth us.' But legal mortification is from legal principles such as, from the applause and praise of men, as in the Pharisees; from pride of self-righteousness, as in Paul before his conversion; from the fear of hell; from a natural conscience; from the example of others; from some common motions of the Spirit; and many times from the power of sin itself, while one sin is set up to wrestle with another, as when sensuality and self-righteousness wrestle with one another. The man, perhaps, will not drink and swear. Why? Because he is setting up and establishing a righteousness of his own, whereby to obtain the favour of God; here is but one sin wrestling with another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">2. They differ in their weapons <i>with which they fight against sin</i>. The gospel believer fights with grace's weapons, namely, the blood of Christ, the word of God, the promises of the covenant, and the virtue of Christ's death and cross [Gal. 6. 14]: 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [or, as it may be read, 'whereby,' viz. by the cross of Christ,] the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.' But now the man under the law fights against sin by the promises and threatenings of the law; by its promises, saying, I will obtain life; and win to heaven, I hope, if I do so and so; by its threatenings, saying, I will go to hell and be damned, if I do not so and so. Sometimes he fights with the weapons of his own vows and resolutions, which are his strong tower, to which he runs and thinks himself safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">3. They differ in the <i>object of their mortification</i>. They both, indeed, seek to mortify sin, but the legalist's quarrel is more especially with the sins of his conversation [<em>i.e</em>., behaviour], whereas the true believer should desire to fight as the Syrians got orders [1 Kings 22:31], that is, neither against great nor small, so much as against the King himself, even against original corruption. A body of sin and death troubles him more than any other sin in the world; 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?' [Rom. 7. 24]. His great exercise is to have the seed of the woman to bruise this head of the serpent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">4. They differ in the <i>reasons of the contest</i>. The believer, whom grace teaches to deny all ungodliness, he fights against sin because it dishonours God, opposes Christ, grieves the Spirit, and separates between his Lord and him; but the legalist fights against sin, because it breaks his peace, and troubles his conscience, and hurts him, by bringing wrath and judgment on him. As children will not play in the dust, not because it sullies their clothes, but flies into their eyes, and hurts them, so the legalist will not meddle with sin, not because it sullies the perfections of God, and defiles their souls, but only because it hurts them. I deny not, but there is too much of this legal temper even amongst the godly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">5. They differ in <i>their motives and ends</i>. The believer will not serve sin, because he is alive to God, and dead to sin [Rom. 6. 6]. The legalist forsakes sin, not because he is alive, but that he may live. The believer mortifies sin, because God loves him; but the legalist, that God may love him. The believer mortifies, because God is pacified towards him; the legalist mortifies, that he may pacify God by his mortification. He may go a great length, but it is still that he may have whereof to glory, making his own doing all the foundation of his hope and comfort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">6. They differ in the <i>nature of their mortification</i>. The legalist does not oppose sin violently, seeking the utter destruction of it. If he can get sin put down, he does not seek it to be thrust out; but the believer, having a nature and principle contrary to sin, he seeks not only to have it weakened, but extirpated. The quarrel is irreconcileable; no terms of accommodation or agreement; no league with sin is allowed, as it is with hypocrites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">7. They differ in the <i>extent of the warfare</i>, not only objectively, the believer hating every false way; but also subjectively, all the faculties of the believer's soul, the whole regenerate part being against sin. It is not so with the hypocrite or legalist; for as he spares some sin or other, so his opposition to sin is only seated in his conscience; his light and conscience oppose such a thing, while his heart approves of it. There is an extent also as to time; the legalist's opposition to sin is of a short duration, but in the believer it is to the end; grace and corruption still opposing one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="auto-style4" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">8. They differ in <i>the success</i>. There is no believer, but as he fights against sin, so first or last he prevails, though not always to his discerning; and though he lose many battles, yet he gains the war. But the legalist, for all the work he makes, yet he never truly comes speed [<em>i.e</em>., is never truly successful]; though he cut off some actual sin, yet the corrupt nature is never changed; he never gets a new heart; the iron sinew in his neck, which opposes God, is never broken; and when he gets one sin mortified, sometimes another and more dangerous sin lifts up the head. Hence all the sins and pollutions that ever the Pharisees forsook, and all the good duties that ever they performed, made them but more proud, and strengthened their unbelieving prejudices against Christ, which was the greater and more dangerous sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="auto-style4">Thus you may see the difference between legal and gospel mortification, and try yourselves thereby.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><o:p><span class="auto-style4"> <o:p> </o:p></span></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-4309061034432779362012-11-18T17:39:00.002-06:002012-11-18T17:42:22.592-06:00A reversal of the order is fatal<br />
W.G.T. Shedd<br />
<br />
There are two invitations given by the Lord Jesus Christ, which cover the whole subject of a sinner's salvation. One is an invitation to come to him, and the other an invitation to come after him. Examples of the first are: "Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Examples of the second are: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." Matt. 11 : 29. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matt. 16:24. The first of these is an invitation to come to the Saviour, by trusting penitently in his atoning blood in order to pardon and reconciliation with God's holiness. The second is an invitation to come after the Saviour, by imitating his character and example. And they must be accepted in the order in which the Saviour has placed them. A reversal of the order is fatal. If the sinner attempts to come after the Saviour before he has come to him, to copy the Redeemer's life and conduct without seeking peace with God by trust in the Redeemer's offering for sin, it will be an utter failure. A pacified conscience and a sense of being forgiven, must go before all true obedience. If, again, the sinner separates these two invitations, the consequence is equally fatal. If he attempts to obey the first without obeying the second, to come to Christ without coming after him, he is St. James's antinomian and his faith is dead faith without works. And if he attempts to obey the second invitation without obeying the first, to come after Christ without coming to him, he is St. Paul's legalist, who has no true sense of sin, rejects Christ's expiation, and expects salvation by moral character and a moral life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-69922121555792294172012-11-14T20:35:00.002-06:002012-11-14T20:35:29.553-06:00If your children are in your home for 18 years<br />
If your children are in your home for 18 years, you have over 5,600 occasions (figuring a 6-day week) for family worship.If you learn a new psalm or hymn each month, they will be exposed to 216 in those 18 years. If you read a chapter a day, you will complete the Bible 4.5 times in 18 years. Every day they will affirm a creed or recite the law. Every day they will confess their sins and plead for mercy. Every day they will intercede on behalf of others. Think in terms of the long view. What is the cumulative impact of just 15 minutes of this each day, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, for 18 years? At the rate of 6 days a week (excluding Sunday), one spends an hour and a half a week in family worship (about the length of a home Bible study), 78 hours a year (about the length of two weekend retreats), and<br />
1,404 hours over the course of 18 years (about the length of eight week-long summer camps). When<br />
you establish your priorities, think in terms of the cumulative effect of this upon your children. Think of the cumulative effect of this upon you, after 40 or 60 or 80 years of daily family worship. All this without having to drive anywhere.<br />
<br />
Terry Johnson is senior minister at Independent Presbyterian<br />
Church in Savannah, Georgia. This excerpt is from his Family<br />
Worship Book (Christian Focus, 2003).<br />
by Terry Johnson<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-48781928768043685882012-11-10T20:55:00.000-06:002014-03-14T16:48:33.172-05:00A Critique of Tenets 22 and 23 of Vision Forum's “The Tenets Of Biblical Patriarchy”<br />
Perhaps the most controversial plank in Vision Forum's platform is the issue of patriarchy, or what they call<br />
"biblical patriarchy". That will be the focus of this paper. It is important to state at the onset that the issue is not whether scripture describes a family structure that stresses the headship of the husband/father, because there is little argument that this is case. Rather the question is this: Is the pattern VF asserts as being the "biblical" model correct? This purpose of this paper is show that some of the methods and tactics VF utilizes to promote their definition of patriarchy are flawed and may even be harmful.<br />
<br />
The Editor's Note in “The Tenets Of Biblical Patriarchy” states:<br />
Central to the crisis of this era is the systematic attack on the timeless truths of biblical patriarchy. This<br />
attack includes the movement to subvert the biblical model of the family, and redefine the very meaning of<br />
fatherhood and motherhood, masculinity, femininity, and the parent and child relationship. We emphasize the<br />
importance of biblical patriarchy, not because it is greater than other doctrines, but because it is being actively attacked by unbelievers and professing Christians alike. Egalitarian feminism is a false ideology that has bred false doctrine in the church and seduced many believers.<br />
<br />
Apparently, disagreeing with “The Tenets Of Biblical Patriarchy” automatically makes one an "egalitarian<br />
feminist" who promulgates false doctrine. Such an inflated view of the absolute correctness of their doctrine should be the first warning that there may be danger ahead.<br />
<br />
<br />
Vision Forum Hermeneutics: Theonomy, Dominionism, Christian Reconstructionism<br />
<br />
“The Tenets Of Biblical Patriarchy” can be examined apart from a basic understanding of the underlying<br />
hermeneutical system known as theonomy or Christian Reconstructionism as employed by Doug Phillips and<br />
Vision Forum. A full critique of theonomy or Reconstructionism is not possible in this brief article. The reader is referred to the Appendix for a list of resources in addition to those cited in the footnotes.<br />
<br />
<br />
The rest of the critique is found here;<br />
<br />
<a href="http://dividingtheword.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/vf_22_23_2b.pdf" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1394833636506_1613" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1394833648_1">http://dividingtheword.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/vf_22_23_2b.pdf</span></a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-86839881052534840992012-09-01T07:12:00.000-05:002012-09-01T07:20:23.507-05:00Our Sabbath Rest<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I have been hearing talk of Sabbatarianism lately and how
Sunday is to be placed aside as a day of entirely no work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That this day should be strictly for bodily
rest and meditation in order to fulfill the 3<sup>rd</sup> commandment
(“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let me say from the onset I agree that the commandment is to be obeyed,
however I disagree with many Sabbatarians on what/when this day is and what it
means for a believer to obey it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I by
NO means am saying that Sunday is not the “Lord’s Day” and I am by NO means
saying that dedicating one day a week for public worship is in error.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the contrary if you do not do this, you
place yourself in danger of sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
one church body in Christ; we are not to forsake fellowship (<span class="redheading">Hebrews 10:25). We need to encourage one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to worship our Lord together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, get any ideas about not going to church
because of this exegesis out of your head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is not the authorial intent here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What needs to be seen in this article is that in attempting to obey the
Sabbath as it was given in Exodus 20 we miss it’s New Testament fulfillment in
Hebrews 4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please read the entire
chapter 4 of Hebrews:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-1">4
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest
any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.</span> <span class="textheb-4-2"><sup>2 </sup>For good news came to us just as to them,
but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united
by faith with those who listened.</span><span class="textheb-4-3"><sup>3 </sup>For
<b>we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,</b></span><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-3">“As I swore
in my wrath,</span><br />
<span class="textheb-4-3">‘They shall not enter my rest,’”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-3">although
his works were finished from the foundation of the world.</span> <span class="textheb-4-4"><sup>4 </sup>For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh
day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”</span>
<span class="textheb-4-5"><sup>5 </sup>And again in this passage he said,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-5">“They shall
not enter my rest.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-6"><sup>6 </sup>Since
therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the
good news failed to enter because of disobedience,</span> <span class="textheb-4-7"><sup>7 </sup>again he appoints a certain day, “<b>Today</b>,”
saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-7">“Today, if
you hear his voice,</span><br />
<span class="textheb-4-7">do not harden your hearts.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-8"><sup>8 </sup>For
if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later
on.</span> <span class="textheb-4-9"><b><sup>9 </sup>So then, there remains
a Sabbath rest for the people of God</b>,</span> <span class="textheb-4-10"><b><sup>10 </sup>for
whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from
his.</b></span></div>
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<span class="textheb-4-11"><sup>11 </sup>Let
us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same
sort of disobedience.</span> <span class="textheb-4-12"><sup>12 </sup>For
the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and
discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.</span> <span class="textheb-4-13"><sup>13 </sup>And no creature is hidden from his sight,
but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span class="textheb-4-14"><sup>14 </sup>Since
then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.</span> <span class="textheb-4-15"><sup>15 </sup>For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.</span>
<span class="textheb-4-16"><sup>16 </sup>Let us then with confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s break this up into some questions I had after reading
it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. What is “our rest”?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
This is key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to verse 3, it is we who believe
who have entered “rest”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cannot be
the belief itself that is “rest”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is no hope in hope alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our rest must
come from the object of our belief and chapter 3 (as well as the entire Holy
Scriptures) tells us that Christ, his completed work, and sovereign rule is
who/what we believe in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right off the
bat our rest has its source in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. But doesn’t Exodus 20:8-11 specifically point out a day?
When are we supposed to set aside our time to rest in the Lord? </div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
Hebrews 4 points out a day as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Verse 7 says our appointed day to rest in
Christ is “Today”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here and Now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to always rest in the peace of Christ that surpasses understanding
(Colossians 3:15, Philippians 4:7).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everything we do is to in Christ and should be for God’s glory (1
Corinthians 10:21)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Sabbath rest is everyday for those who believe, for we
are now fellow heirs with Christ because of the work he has accomplished for
us, undeserved and while we were yet sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You see, that’s the point of chapter 4….the work is done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no other choice but to rest in its
completion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the gospel doesn’t make
you wipe your brow and say, “whew!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if
the gospel doesn’t buckle your heavy laden knees, collapsing you before the
throne you can now boldly go to, than no amount of Sunday abstention will give
you the slightest true joy and ease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, if taking extra time on Sunday to focus on Christ and his work
is what you choose to do, than glory be to God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
this should be done everyday and in everything we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if going over to friends house to help them with their yard
(after church) is how you plan to spend your Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Praise the lord!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
whatever you do it must be for the glory of God always resting in the belief
(the fact) that “Jesus paid it all and all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson
stain but He washed it white as snow.”</div>
King311http://www.blogger.com/profile/16745645695886316811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-58645708037980583682012-08-26T21:14:00.002-05:002012-08-26T21:17:20.464-05:00Christian Liberty by: "good and necessary consequence"<br />
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<br />
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The Word of God is our only rule of faith and practice. This is the doctrine of <em>sola scriptura</em>: we must not contradict Scripture, and we must not add to Scripture. When the church would bind the conscience, the Christian can appeal to the Word of God and find liberty. A church without this guarantee will be at the mercy of ambitious bureaucrats or repressive moralists, and it binds the conscience by the word of man.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 12px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"Good and Necessary Consequence"</span></h3>
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The principle that Machen was honoring found its clearest expression in the <em>Westminster Confession of Faith</em>: "The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men" (1.6).</div>
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The <em>Westminster Confession</em> explains that there are two ways in which God reveals himself in Scripture: explicit truth ("which is expressly set down in Scripture") and implicit truth (which "by good and necessary consequence can be deduced from Scripture"). Together these truths constitute the whole counsel of God, and both are equally obliging on the church. Herman Bavinck explains: "[T]hat which can be deduced from Scripture by legitimate inference is as binding as that which is expressly stated in it." <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1177024348254696253" name="top3" style="outline: none;"></a>(<a href="http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1188&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=115#footnote3" style="color: #2a58a0; outline: none;">3</a>)</div>
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It is important to underscore that "good and necessary consequence" is not the voice of human wisdom. Because it is reason that submits to the rule of Christ, it is the voice of Scripture itself. As James Bannerman, the nineteenth-century Scottish Presbyterian, explained, <em>good</em> consequences "must be truly contained in the inspired statements from which they profess to be taken."<em>Necessary</em> consequences must be "unavoidably forced upon the mind, upon an honest and intelligent application of it to the Scripture page." <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1177024348254696253" name="top4" style="outline: none;"></a>(<a href="http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1188&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=115#footnote4" style="color: #2a58a0; outline: none;">4</a>)</div>
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In a helpful essay, C. J. Williams points out that this phrase can be juxtaposed with the wording of the <em>Westminster Larger Catechism</em> (Q/A 105), which warns against "bold and curious searching into [God's] secrets." Where there is not good and necessary consequence, there is exegetical recklessness. This is "presumptuous theological creativity." The deductive reasoning that the confession commends is no license for "an uncharted world of interpretive possibilities," writes Williams. "Good and necessary consequences will propound specific truths, not unveil mysterious layers of meaning in Scripture." <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1177024348254696253" name="top5" style="outline: none;"></a>(<a href="http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1188&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=115#footnote5" style="color: #2a58a0; outline: none;">5</a>) The confession goes on (in 1.6) to explain that the Holy Spirit guides the church in identifying these consequences: "the inward illumination of the Spirit of God [is] necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word." Bavinck writes, "This is how the church acts every minute of the day in the ministry of the Word, in the practice of life, in the development of its doctrine. It never stops with the letter but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit deduces from the data of Scripture the inferences and applications that make possible and foster its life and development." <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1177024348254696253" name="top6" style="outline: none;"></a>(<a href="http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1188&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=115#footnote6" style="color: #2a58a0; outline: none;">6</a>)</div>
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The "good and necessary" principle can be demonstrated by way of illustration. We do not have a positive command or historical example to administer the Lord's Supper to women. But the practice of admitting women to the Table is a clear argument from inference that the church has never questioned. Similarly, there is no explicit statement in the New Testament that the Sabbath day has been changed from the last to the first day of the week. But the New Testament practice of meeting on the first day and John's reference to the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10) establish the warrant, by good and necessary consequence, of recognizing the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath.</div>
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On the other hand, there may appear to be, in a very literal reading, an explicit command from Christ for his disciples to practice foot washing (John 13:14). However, this was a common practice in first-century Palestine, and Christ cites it in order to instruct Christians to perform humble service for one another, not to bind the church in a particular liturgical practice. As an ordinance for the church, foot washing fails to meet the burden of good and necessary consequence.</div>
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Good and necessary consequence, then, is a principle that safeguards the consistent application of the Protestant doctrine of <em>sola scriptura</em>. The church has no right to impose on its members any teaching, commandment, or ordinance that is contrary to or cannot be deduced from Scripture.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 12px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The Battle for Christian Liberty</span></h3>
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The temptation to impose non-biblical demands derived from "bold and curious" reasoning is not limited to theological liberals. Some conservative churches have constructed a "catalog of sins," highlighting particular "bar-room vices" that comprise a legalistic picture of the Christian life. As soon as Machen and his associates founded the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a minority within the new church pressed for a declaration against the use of alcohol. The majority in the church, while opposed to intemperance, countered that loyalty to Christ forbade their adopting rules that went beyond the Word of God.</div>
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Of course, none of the advocates of abstinence were consciously challenging the authority of the Bible as the church's standard of conduct. But the effect of their crusade was to deny the sufficiency of Scripture and ultimately its authority as well. If it is denied that the Bible provides principles that serve as infallible guides to the Christian in all matters of conduct, then additional authorities must enter the picture. The addition of such man-made rules to the Scripture is as harmful as any subtraction from God's Word.</div>
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The principle of Christian liberty is not a popular cause in many circles today. A refusal to condemn alcohol may leave the Christian vulnerable to the impression of being opposed to personal holiness and in favor of sinful license. On a social level, consider the zeal of some churches to take a stand against a social evil by organizing boycotts or political campaigns for particular laws or candidates for office. The church that safeguards liberty of the Christian in this way is not likely to join such social bandwagons. It may be accused of being cowardly in the face of apparent grave threats to the moral fabric of the nation.</div>
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Speaking in the early years of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, shortly after some prominent fundamentalists had left the church over this issue, R. B. Kuiper of Westminster Seminary conceded the unpopularity of the church's stand: "The mere mention of Christian liberty causes some of you to worry. You see smoke and smell liquor, and you wonder whether I may not be about to utter some awful indiscretion. Forget it. Christian liberty is something big. It is truly broad."</div>
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Kuiper's point is that in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and other Reformed churches, there has been a recognition of the rights and duties of Christians to follow the dictates of their own consciences in matters where the Bible has not pronounced judgment.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 12px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Who Binds the Conscience?</span></h3>
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The "something big" to which Kuiper referred comes into view as the <em>Westminster Confession</em> goes on to describe in 20.2: "God alone is Lord of the Conscience and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything contrary to His word, or beside it in matters of faith and worship." This is often misunderstood by Christians who assume that because God is Lord of the conscience, the church cannot bind consciences. But the church has real God-given authority, and the elders of the church, in the execution of their rule, inevitably and unavoidably bind the consciences of their members. The question, rather, becomes: On what basis is the conscience bound? Is it by the Word of God or by the word of man?</div>
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In Christ, Christians are free from all the condemnation of the law, but this liberty never descends into license. Christians are enabled to live for that great end for which they were created: the glory of God. We pursue that aim according to God's own will revealed in the Bible. That standard, given by inspiration of God, is absolute and final. It was designed so that "the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16).</div>
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In this context, we see that Christian liberty is not an end to itself. Rather, Christian liberty serves the Lordship of Christ, who alone is Lord of the conscience. Christian liberty limits the church to ministering and declaring only the Word of God and not human opinion.</div>
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Nowhere do we find greater violations of this principle than with innovations to public worship. There are many Reformed Christians who regard the regulative principle as a narrow-minded rule that robs worshipers of the freedom that God would have them express in worship. This argument completely misses the genius of Christian liberty. Imagine a worship service that entails something without biblical warrant, such as a personal testimony or a dramatic skit. What recourse does a worshiper have who finds that objectionable? By not participating, one sins by violating the divine command to worship with God's assembled people. By joining in, one sins by violating one's conscience. The only way the church can worship God and protect liberty of conscience is by observing the regulative principle of worship. The freedom of the Christian is found in serving one Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.</div>
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So what is at stake in the principle of Christian liberty is something far greater than a craving for single malt scotch or the inclination to vote Democrat. It is liberating the believer from arbitrary human rules and the church from a false agenda that distracts it from its calling. Should the minister contend that America is a Christian nation that will receive the blessing from God in return for civic righteousness? Does he promise health and wealth to the believer who follows the Bible's formula for success? We may be quick to dismiss those claims when they come from a crass televangelist, but they come in more subtle forms in churches that follow "brash and curious" principles rather than good and necessary consequence.<br />
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Modern Reformation Magazine<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-size: 12px;">Issue: "Sola Scriptura" Nov./Dec. 2010 Vol. 19 No. 6 Page number(s): 14-17</span>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-76425748623977195892012-08-26T18:01:00.000-05:002012-08-26T18:10:14.530-05:00Freemasonry: A Cult That Operates On The Inside Of The Church Part 1I was blessed to sit through a cult apologetics course taught at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama during the winter of 2008. The course was entitled Defending the faith: An examination of four false religions, taught by Tony Barlow. I will share what he shared with us on the teaching of Freemasonry.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6dCTsTOWkpETtZ-53pSPy2zxgN2j-aha-zSlH9j0L-fw3_iTqeRum8ENQV43mcLjxHPBbtaLFv-ZeSzcR6an0ZxtstYSyp8PLV0ZY9506-01OvsFYnnWdYUc6dW68pt5Yv2Nw3qGNEk/s1600/mason+symbol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6dCTsTOWkpETtZ-53pSPy2zxgN2j-aha-zSlH9j0L-fw3_iTqeRum8ENQV43mcLjxHPBbtaLFv-ZeSzcR6an0ZxtstYSyp8PLV0ZY9506-01OvsFYnnWdYUc6dW68pt5Yv2Nw3qGNEk/s200/mason+symbol.jpg" width="198" /></a><br />
Part 1: Intro<br />
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It is said that Freemasonry exists to make "good men better through the brotherhood of man, under the fatherhood of God, yet beyond the outer gates of this seemingly harmless philanthropic "craft" lies a false religious system as old as time itself. Masonry posits itself as a peaceful brotherhood of fellow "craftsmen" who only have the interests of humanity, morality, and self development at heart. But beneath it's exterior of light, lies a resident evil that could have only been the progeny of Lucifer himself.<br />
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The goal of Freemasonry is to be more than just a philanthropic or self improvement orginization, at its heart lives a mystical religious system that envisions world conversion to its creed and peculiar form of morality. Note the following prayer given in the opening ceremonies of the 31st degree of Scottish Rite:<br />
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"Here us with indulgence, O infinite Deity....Help us to perform all our Masonic duties, to </div>
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ourselves, to other men, and to Thee. <b>Let the great flood of Masonic light flow in a perpetual </b><b>current over the whole world and make Masonry the creed of all mankind".</b></div>
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Judging from its influence and popularity Freemasonry has definitely had an impact on our nation, culture, and social order. The following list provides some chilling examples of the impact the "Lodge" has had throughout American and world history:<br />
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14 presidents and 18 vice presidents have been Masons.</div>
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5 chief justices of the supreme Court were Masons. </div>
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Douglas Macarthur, John Phillips Sousa, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Norman Vincent Peale, Ernest Borgnine, Cecil B. Demille, W.C. Fields, Henry Ford, Barry Goldwater, J Edgar Hoover, Harry Houdini, J. C. Penny, Roy Rogers, Red Skelton, Lewis Carroll, Benjamin Franklin, James Monroe, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Francois Voltaire, Franz Joseph Hayden, and Paul Revere. The majority of the 56 singers of the American Decleration of Independence, and most of the American Generals of the revolutionary war just to name a few.</div>
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Today millions of peolpe are involved in the various orders of Freemasonry. as of 2001 there were approximately some 3 million in the Scottish Rite. There are over 33,700 Masonic Lodges in 164 countries worldwide, with some 15,300 of these in the United States. This has led one Masonic scholar to observe that, "...Freemasonry is the second-largest and best equipped spiritual organization in the world ...it has millions of members, thousands of temples and meeting rooms, and an infrastructure of Grand lodges in most countries of the world. It is second in size only to the Roman Catholic church as a worldwide spiritual movement." <br />
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Saddest of all are the Southern Baptist, who seemingly turn a blind eye to the invasion of Freemasonry into the nations largest protestant evangelical denomination. In 1993 the North American Mission Board upon request conducted an investigation of the Lodge entitled, <i>A Study of Freemasonry.</i> This study was in part due to the fact that some 500,000 to 1.5 million Southern Baptist are also Masons. While the study does indicate that there are some teachings of Freemasonry that are incompatible with the Christian faith, it ultimately leaves membership in the lodge to<b> "a matter of personnel conscience."</b> As a result of the denominations failure to stand firm for the truth, Masons around the world saw it as a positive movement toward their fraternity.<br />
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Because of your support, the vote of the Southern Baptist Convention</div>
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is a historic and positive turning point for Freemasonry. Basically, it is a</div>
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revitalization of our fraternity by America's largest Protestant denomination </div>
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after nearly a year of thorough, scholarly study. At the same time, it is a call</div>
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to renewed effort on the part of all Freemasonry today to re-energize our </div>
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Fraternity and move forward to fulfilling its mission as the world's foremost</div>
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proponent of Brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. </div>
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(www.namb.net/evangelism/iev/mason/asp) Scottish Rite Journal August 1993 </div>
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As nothing more than neo-pagan mysticism, and working within the framework of the Christian faith, Freemasonry operates with relative immunity and in a clandestine way among some of evangelical's largest denominations. Blurring the lines between light and darkness, corrupting the distinctions between the doctrines of Christ and the doctrines of Devils, Freemasonry is by far in the opinion of this writer the most damning heretical false religious substitute Satan has ever contrived against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-85792723786690110612012-08-22T20:11:00.001-05:002012-08-22T20:12:10.296-05:00The Hidden Faith Of Our Founding Fathers<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dmFPfEYRZF8" width="420"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1177024348254696253.post-21801901724609768862012-08-18T08:10:00.002-05:002012-08-18T17:32:09.171-05:00Love Forgives<br />
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Dr Steve Lawson recently gave a sermon entitled Love
Forgives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It can be found at this <a href="http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=814121958141">link</a>) Too
often we are believers do not dwell enough on what has been The following are
scriptures that show we are to forgive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>COMPLETELY forgive….no remembering wrongs, no petty looking at someone
in disgust as they walk by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>Read
the following slowly, in contemplation of how petty the wrongs against you are
compared to the sins you have committed against the holy God and how graciously
he forgave you through the blood of Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></div>
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I Corinthians 13:5</div>
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<span class="text1cor-13-4"><sup>4 </sup>Love is patient,
love is kind <i>and</i> is not jealous; love does not brag <i>and</i> is not
arrogant,</span></div>
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<span class="text1cor-13-5"><sup>5 </sup>does not act
unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong <i>suffered</i>.</span></div>
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Matt 6:14-15</div>
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<span class="woj"><sup>14 </sup> For if you forgive
others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.</span>
<span class="woj"><sup>15 </sup>But if you do not forgive others, then your
Father will not forgive your transgressions.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></div>
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Ephesians 4:32</div>
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<span class="texteph-4-32"><sup>32 </sup> Be kind to one
another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has
forgiven you.</span></div>
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Colossians 3:15</div>
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<span class="textcol-3-15"><sup>15 </sup>Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be
thankful.</span></div>
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<span class="text2cor-2-11"><i>(Unforgiveness is an invitation
to Satan to come in)</i></span><span class="textcol-3-15"></span></div>
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<span class="textcol-3-15">II Corinthians 2:5-11</span></div>
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<span class="text2cor-2-10"><sup>10 </sup>But one whom
you forgive anything, I <i>forgive</i> also; for indeed what I have forgiven,
if I have forgiven anything, <i>I did it</i> for your sakes in the presence of
Christ,</span> <span class="text2cor-2-11"><sup>11 </sup>so that no
advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his
schemes.</span></div>
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<span class="text2cor-2-11"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Matthew 18:21-35</span></span></div>
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<span class="textmatt-18-21"><sup>21 </sup>Then Peter
came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I
forgive him? Up to seven times?”</span> <span class="textmatt-18-22"><sup>22 </sup>Jesus
said to him, </span><span class="woj">“I do not say to you, up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></div>
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<span class="woj"><sup>23 </sup>“For this reason the
kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with
his slaves.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>24 </sup>When he had begun to
settle <i>them</i>, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.</span>
<span class="woj"><sup>25 </sup>But since he did not have <i>the means</i>
to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children
and all that he had, and repayment to be made.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>26 </sup>So
the slave fell <i>to the ground</i> and prostrated himself before him, saying,
‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’</span> <span class="woj"><sup>27 </sup>And the lord of that slave felt compassion and
released him and forgave him the debt.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>28 </sup>But
that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred
denarii; and he seized him and <i>began</i> to choke <i>him</i>, saying, ‘Pay
back what you owe.’</span> <span class="woj"><sup>29 </sup>So his fellow
slave fell <i>to the ground</i> and <i>began</i> to plead with him, saying,
‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’</span> <span class="woj"><sup>30 </sup>But
he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what
was owed.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>31 </sup>So when his fellow slaves
saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their
lord all that had happened.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>32 </sup>Then
summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that
debt because you pleaded with me.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>33 </sup>
Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I
had mercy on you?’</span> <span class="woj"><sup>34 </sup>And his lord,
moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all
that was owed him.</span> <span class="woj"><sup>35 </sup> My heavenly
Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his
brother from your heart.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="woj"><i>(We are to pardon whether they ask for
forgiveness or not) </i></span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Luke 23:34</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
But Jesus was saying, “ <b>Father</b>, <b>forgive</b> them; for they do not
know what they are doing.”</span>King311http://www.blogger.com/profile/16745645695886316811noreply@blogger.com0