Posted in Flavel, John, salvation on December 31, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Grace is in no sense contingent upon or dependent upon what man does.
Source: D. M. Lloyd Jones
No repentance, obedience, self-denial, prayers, tears, reformation or ordinances, without the new creation, avail any thing to the salvation of thy soul.
Source: John Flavel
Posted in Flavel, John, salvation on October 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Source: A sermon by John Flavel in 1671 on Isaiah 53:12
Doctrine: That the business of man’s salvation was transacted upon covenant terms, between the Father and the Son, from all eternity.
The persons transacting and dealing with each other in this covenant are great persons, God the Father, and God the Son.
The business, transacted between them; and that was the redemption and recovery of all God’s elect …
For the manner, or quality of the transaction, it was federal, or of the nature of a covenant; it was by mutual engagements and stipulations, each Person undertaking to perform his part in order to our recovery.
[The Father] promiseth to invest [Christ], and anoint him to a threefold office, answerable to the misery that lay upon the elect; for, if ever man be restored to that happiness, the blindness of his mind must be cured, the guilt of sin expiated, and his captivity to sin led captive. Christ must, "of God, be made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." And he is made so to us as our Prophet, Priest, and King.
Blindness – Prophet (a light to the Gentiles – Isaiah42) – Wisdom
Guilt – Priest (of the order of Melchizedek – Psalm 110) – Sanctification
Captivity to sin – King (over enemies – Psalm 2) – Redemption
When was this compact made between the Father and the Son? I answer, it bears date from eternity. Before this world was made, then were his delights in us, while as yet we had no existence, but only in the infinite mind and purpose of God, who had decreed this for us in Christ Jesus, as the apostle speaks, 2 Tim 1:9. What grace was that which was given us in Christ before the world began, but this grace of redemption, which was from everlasting thus contrived and designed for us, in that way which hath been here opened?
Andrew’s comment. We are very loved people when you think that as long as God has existed, we have existed in the mind of God. He has always, as long as he has existed loved us and our creation and redemption are merely God’s love in history. But as long as he has existed he has loved us knowing all our weakness and failures. This is love … not that we loved him but that he loved us!
Posted in salvation on July 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19
At the cross God’s temple is destroyed in judgment by the hand of God’s enemies.
In his death we see a righteous Israelite driven into exile away from the land of the living.
In his resurrection we see David’s greater son building a house for God’s name that would never perish so that everyone who comes to him would find life in God’s presence.
Posted in salvation on July 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The Kingdom promised
The kingdom is promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons.
The Kingdom prefigured
The kingdom is prefigured in God’s ruling over Israel in the land of Canaan from Joshua to the exile. The kingdom is especially prefigured in the reigns of David and Solomon.
The Kingdom foreshadowed
The kingdom is foreshadowed by the Old Testament prophets. The prophets describe the kingdom in terms of earthly covenant blessings described in Deuteronomy.
The Kingdom inaugurated (now)
The kingdom is inaugurated in the actions of Jesus e.g. driving out of demons, plundering the possessions of the strong man. The kingdom has an inaugurated expression in the church.
The Kingdom consummated (not yet)
The kingdom’s final consummation will occur at the second coming of Christ and the new heavens and earth.
Posted in creeds and catechisms, doctrine, salvation on July 26, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Question 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Answer
That I am not my own, but belong – body and soul in life and in death – to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. (1-3)
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. (4-5)
He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven in fact all things must work together for my salvation. (6-8)
Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. (9-10)
(1) 1Co_6:19-20 (2) Rom_14:7-9. (3) 1Co_3:23; Tit_2:14. (4) 1Pe_1:18-19; 1Jo_1:7; 1Jo_2:2. (5) Joh_8:34-36; Heb_2:14-15; 1Jo_3:8. (6) Joh_6:39-40; Joh_10:27-30; 2Th_3:3; 1Pe_1:5. (7) Mat_10:29-31; Luk_21:16-18. (8) Rom_8:28. (9) Rom_8:15-16; 2Co_1:21-22; 2Co_5:5; Eph_1:13-14. (10) Rom_8:14.
Posted in music, salvation on July 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still.
Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,
Their own soul could heal?
Our shame was deeper than the sea
Your grace is deeper still.
You alone can rescue
You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise
You O Lord have made a way
The great divide You healed
For when our hearts were far away
Your love went further still
Yes Your love goes further still
We lift up our eyes, lift up our eyes
You’re the giver of life
Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin Copyright (c) 2009 Thankyou Music/Said And Done Music & Jonas Myrin/SHOUT! Publishing/kingswaysongs.com http://www.mattredman.com/chordcharts.php
Posted in regeneration, salvation, Spurgeon, Charles on July 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Man ruined, wholly ruined, hopelessly helplessly, eternally ruined!
Man regenerated by the Spirit of God, and by the Spirit of God alone wholly made a new creature in Christ!
Man redeemed, redeemed by precious blood from all his sins, not by works of righteousness, not by deeds of the law, not by ceremonies, prayers, or resolutions, but by the precious blood of Christ!
source: Charles Spurgeon, ‘Natural or Spiritual’ NO. 407
Posted in Brown, John, repentance, salvation on May 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The past judgments of God upon sinners ought to be improved by us as warnings to avoid imitation of their sins. And the view of his almighty power ought to animate us to a speedy and serious repentance. It is happy to have him for a friend, but terrible to have him our adversary.
No pattern ought to be copied in contempt or disobedience to him. And no safety can be expected in obstinate wickedness. No unbelief can falsify God’s word. If we receive not has promises, he will execute his threatenings upon us.
But how closely Jesus Christ cleaves to his people in all their debasement and distress! He is ready to teach his servants, or employ his angels or ministers, for their relief. And while most of mankind remain unconcerned under the curse of God and the power of the devil, seasonably and effectually he intercedes for his people.
Hereby is ensured to his church the destruction of all their cruel and brutal enemies, and comfort and happiness to themselves. And, let Satan find as many and as powerful agents to oppress the church as he will, Christ will find enough to resist and destroy them.
Source: Reflections by John Brown on Zechariah Chapter 1
Posted in Edwards, Jonathan, forgivesness, salvation on May 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »
"Christ will not refuse to save the greatest sinners, who in a right manner come to God for mercy; for this is his work. It is his business to be a Savior of sinners; it is the work upon which he came into the world; and therefore he will not object to it. He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matt 9.13). Sin is the very evil which he came into the world to remedy: therefore he will not object to any man, that [though] he is very sinful. The more sinful he is, the more need of Christ."
"Christ doth not pity sinners because they are worthy, but because they need his pity."
Source: A sermon by Jonathan Edwards titled “Pardon for the Greatest Sinners” based on Psalm 25.11.
Posted in salvation, sovereignty on May 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »
“A man cannot be thoroughly humbled till he realizes that his salvation is utterly beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will and works, and depends absolutely on the will, counsel, pleasure and work of Another – God alone. As long as he is persuaded that he can make even the smallest contribution to his salvation, he remains self-confident and does not utterly despair of himself, and so is not humbled before God; but plans out for himself (or at least hopes and longs for) a position, an occasion, a work, which shall bring him final salvation. But he who is out of doubt that his destiny depends entirely on the will of God despairs of himself entirely, chooses nothing for himself, but waits for God to work in him; and such a man is very near to grace for his salvation.”
Source: Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
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Andrew Groves 