bluecollarmusings

My Thoughts on New Covenant Theology

2011-11-07T18:54:00.001-05:00

The fulfillment of the New Covenant is God the Holy Spirit living inside and moving us to walk in God's ways. Where man failed under the Old Covenant God takes up with the "I wills" of the New Covenant. Christians, both Jews and Gentiles, benefit from God's "I wills". Man failed under the Old, God triumphs in the New. I believe that the Church is now at the very appex of redemptive history this side of the eternal state.

The New Covenant is being experienced in an inaugural sense right now as men and women are now temples of God, indwelt by His Spirit, and walking (albeit faultingly)in His ways. He is now working in them both to will and to do for His good pleasure. His Spirit, working in concert with His word, is bearing fruit in lives. New desires arise from that heart of flesh spoken of in the New Cov. Christ-likeness is now the aim of the Christian life, thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit.

That contrite heart God desires is now a reality. We are now to show forth the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. We are now His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. The drive to be more like Christ is the product of the Spirit's indwelling.

Living lives to the glory of Christ is what brings on the rewards. In short, we are saved to serve, the Father having crucified us with His Son, that our bodies of sin might be destroyed. We are no longer slaves of sin, but slaves to God, and led by His Spirit. Having been conveyed by the Father into His Son's kingdom, the Son now reigns over us His subjects by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We all will go on to rewards, some having yielded 100 fold, some 60, some 30 - yet ALL will be rewarded. It will be grace upon grace - God having been the One to have enabled, to have led and to have energized the saint all along; and that saint getting the rewards for what God had done through him or her.

God's Love in Christ

2010-01-01T12:24:00.002-05:00

'As I live' says the Lord God,'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

A loving God calling out to rebellious ancient Israel. From this verse we can gain so much insight into the Heart of Almighty God. Truely God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He hates sin and its consequences upon the human race. His desire is that lost men and women would look unto Him and be saved. He is the One Who said:" There is no other God besides Me , A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me".

He pleads with the lost to "Turn,turn from your evil way!" You can sense the love and compassion of His Heart in the question, " For why should you die, O house of Israel?".

Indeed, God IS love. He is not willing that any should perish,but that all would come to repentance.

But,God's love cost Him dearly. " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...".

Yes, He gave that One with Whom He shared His glory before the world was. He sent that One Whom He loved before the foundation of the world. No human can fathom the width and length and depth and height of the Father's love for His Son. The Father sent that One Who was the very center and focus of His infinite love. He sent that One Who alone is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person. He sent that One Who alone loved Him enough to be able to say,"I have come to do thy will, O God".

Yes, God's love cost Him dearly. Yes, What happened to the Son was pre-determined in eternity past. Still, the Son must endure and the Father must watch. The Son has taken upon Himself the sins of a lost world. He is beaten with a whip, ripping flesh from His bones. He is punched in the face, so much so that He is no longer recognizable. They mock Him, spit at Him and pound a crown of thorns onto His head.(He is the One Through Whom the world was created). But, the truth be known, all of this, and the cross that lay ahead was the Father's doing. He was carrying out His plan of having His Son pay the price for the sins of mankind. His plan was carried out by the hands of wicked men. God,you see, was in complete control.

There, on the ground lay the assembled cross. One can imagine the Son, out of love for His Father, out of love for mankind, walking over to the cross unforced. That love motivates Him to lie down on that cross unassisted. No one need hold Him down as the nails are driven in. Then that cross, bearing the sinless, sin-bearing Son of God, is picked up and thrown into an awaiting post-hole. His body bounces back and forth while suspended from those nails. There He hung, bearing our sins and the Father's wrath upon those sins. At one point the Father turns His head from the Son. Our sins are THAT ugly in His sight. Then, after hours of agony, out of the Son's mouth come those wonderful words," It is finished". Man's sins are now paid for. The Father's wrath upon those sins has been spent in its entirety. Now, with His sin-bearing mission complete, Jesus yields up His spirit. THE way to approach God is now opened.

Oh, what Christ accomplished on that day!

Now sinners, those slaves of sin, have deliverance from that slavery. Those coming to Him no longer need fear judgement, there is now forgivness of sins. Now repentance and remission of sins can be preached in His name to all nations. For, you see, three days later He rose again. The Father had accepted His sacrifice. The Son has conquered sin and death. God has provided the perfect way of salvation. It truely is finished!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"...John 3:16.

Jesus now invites, yea, He commands, people to come unto Him - those who labor to be right with God, and are heavy laden with guilt over their sin - and He will give them rest. His instruction for us is to take His yoke upon us, so that He has control over our lives, so that He can steer our lives in the direction He would have us go. He would have us learn of Him, how He wants us to live.

Yes, come to Him, believing that His sacrifice paid for all your sins. Come to Him in full surrender of your life over to His Lordship. Yes, come to Him

Calvin on the Atonement

2009-06-10T11:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.apuritansmind.com/Arminianism/NicoleRogerCalvinsLimitedAtonement.htm

D.A. Carson on Assurance

2009-03-21T21:54:00.002-04:00

Folks,

Some interesting reading from D.A. Carson on assurance ...http://www.sgc.org/resources/ReflectionsonAssurance.pdf

Happy reading!

Jesus Christ the True Israel

2009-03-11T12:55:00.002-04:00

Folks,

Some good things to chew on here...http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/the-latest-post/2008/4/1/amillennialism-101-jesus-christ-the-true-israel.html

This is a great non-dispensational article concerning Christ, the True Israel.

The London Baptist Confession - 1646

2009-02-16T10:48:00.002-05:00

The First London Baptist Confession of Faith
1646 Edition

The first edition was published in 1644. This second edition "corrected and enlarged" was originally published in 1646.
A confession of faith of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London, which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

I.

The Lord our God is but one God, whose subsistence is in Himself; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto; who is in Himself most holy, every way infinite, in greatness, wisdom, power, love, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; who giveth being, moving, and preservation to all creatures.
1 Cor. 8:6, Isa. 44:6, 46:9, Exod. 3:14, 1 Tim 6:16, Isa. 43:15; Ps. 147:5, Deut. 32:3; Job 36:5; Jer. 10:12, Exod. 34:6,7, Acts 17:28; Rom. 11:36.

II.

In this divine and infinite Being there is the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; each having the whole divine Essence, yet the Essence undivided; all infinite without any beginning, therefore but one God; who is not to be divided in nature, and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties.
1 Cor. 1:3; John 1:1, 15:26, Exod. 3:14; 1 Cor. 8:6

III.

God had decreed in Himself, before the world was, concerning all things, whether necessary, accidental or voluntary, with all the circumstances of them, to work, dispose, and bring about all things according to the counsel of His own will, to His glory: (Yet without being the [chargeable] author of sin, or having fellowship with any therein) in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, unchangeableness, power, and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree: And God hath before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace; [having foreordained and] leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.
Isa. 46:10; Eph. 1:11, Rom. 11:33, Ps. 115:3; 135:6, 33:15; 1 Sam. 10:9, 26, Prov. 21:6; Exod. 21:13; Prov. 16:33, Ps. 144, Isa. 45:7, Jer. 14:22, Matt. 6:28, 30; Col. 1:16, 17; Num. 23:19, 20; Rom. 3:4; Jer. 10:10; Eph. 1:4,5; Jude 4, 6; Prov. 16:4.

IV.

In the beginning God made all things very good; created man after His own image, filled with all meet perfection of nature, and free from all sin; but long he abode not in this honor; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce first Eve, then by her seducing Adam; who without any compulsion, in eating the forbidden fruit, transgressed the command of God, and fell, whereby death came upon all his posterity; who now are conceived in sin, and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subject of death, and other miseries in this world, and for ever, unless the Lord Jesus Christ set them free.
Gen. 1:1, Col. 1:16, Isa. 45:12, 1 Cor. 15:45, 46; Eccles. 7:29; Gen. 3:1,4,5; 2 Cor. 11:3, 1 Tim. 2:14; Gal. 3:22; Rom. 5:12, 18, 19, 6:22; Eph. 2:3.

V.

God in His infinite power and wisdom, doth dispose all things to the end for which they were created; that neither good nor evil befalls any by chance, or without His providence; and that whatsoever befalls the elect, is by His appointment, for His glory, and their good.
Job 38:11; Isa. 46:10,11, Eccles. 3:14, Mark 10:29,30; Exod. 21:13; Prov. 16:33, Rom. 8:28.

VI.

All the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any man should boast, but, only and wholly by God, of His own free grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and all in all, that he that rejoiceth, might rejoice in the Lord.
Jer. 31:2; Eph. 1:3, 7, 2:8,9; 1 Thess. 5:9, Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 5:21; Jer. 9:23,24; 1 Cor. 1:30,31; Jer. 23:6.

VII.

And this is life eternal, that we might know Him the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. And on the contrary, the Lord will render vengeance, in flaming fire, to them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
John 17:3; Heb. 5:9, 2 Thess. 1:8; John 6:36.

VIII.

The rule of this knowledge, faith, and obedience, concerning the worship of God, in which is contained the whole duty of man, is (not men's laws, or unwritten traditions, but) only the word of God contained [viz., written] in the holy Scriptures; in which is plainly recorded whatsoever is needful for us to know, believe, and practice; which are the only rule of holiness and obedience for all saints, at all times, in all places to be observed.
Col. 2:23; Matt 15:6,9; John 5:39, 2 Tim. 3:15,16,17; Isa. 8:20; Gal. 1:8,9; Acts 3:22,23.

IX.

The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote, the Apostles preached, He is the Son of God, the brightness of His glory, etc. by whom He made the world; who upholdeth and governeth all things that He hath made; who also when the fulness of time was come, was made of a woman, of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David; to wit, of the virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, the power of the most High overshadowing her; and He was also tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Gen. 3:15, 22:18, 49:10; Dan. 7:13, 9:24, etc.; Prov. 8:23; John 1:1,2,3; Heb. 1:8; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5; Gen. 49:9,10, Rom. 1:3, 9:10; Matt. 1:16; Luke 3:23,26; Heb. 2:16; Isa. 53:3,4,5; Heb. 4:15.

X.

Jesus Christ is made the mediator of the new and everlasting covenant of grace between God and man, ever to be perfectly and fully the prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God for evermore.
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 9:15; John 14:6; Isa. 9:6.7.

XI.

Unto this office He was appointed by God from everlasting; and in respect of his manhood, from the womb called, separated, and anointed most fully and abundantly with all gifts necessary, God having without measure poured out His Spirit upon Him.
Prov. 8:23; Isa. 42:6, 49:15; 11:2,3,4,5, 61:1,2; Luke 4:17, 22; John 1:14, 26, 3:34.

XII.

Concerning His mediatorship, the Scripture holds forth Christ's call to His office; for none takes this honor upon Him, but He that is called of God as was Aaron, it being an action of God, whereby a special promise being made, He ordains His Son to this office; which promise is, that Christ should be made a sacrifice for sin; that He should see His seed, and prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; all of meer free and absolute grace towards God's elect, and without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.
Heb. 5:4,5,6, Isa. 53:10,11; John 3:16; Rom. 8:32.

XIII.

This office to be mediator, that is, to be prophet, priest, and king of the Church of God, is so proper to Christ, that neither in whole, or any part thereof, it cannot be transferred from Him to any other.
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:24; Dan. 7:14; Acts 4:12; Luke 1:33; John 14:6.

XIV.

This office to which Christ is called, is threefold; a prophet, priest, and king: This number and order of offices is necessary, for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of His prophetical office; in respect of our great alienation from God, we need His priestly office to reconcile us; and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, we need His kingly office, to convince, subdue, draw, uphold and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom.
Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22,23; Heb. 3:!, 4:14,15; Ps. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:21; John 16:8, Ps. 110:3; Song of Sol. 1:3; John 6:44; Phil. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:18.

XV.

Concerning the prophecy of Christ, it is that whereby He hath revealed the will of God, whatsoever is needful for His servants to know and obey; and therefore He is called not only a prophet and doctor, and the apostle of our profession, and the angel of the covenant, but also the very wisdom of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who for ever continueth revealing the same truth of the gospel to His people.
John 1:18; 12:49,50; 17:8; Deut. 18:15; Matt. 23:10; Heb. 3:1; Mal. 3:1; 1 Cor. 1:24; Col. 2:3.

XVI.

That He might be a prophet every way complete, it was necessary He should be God, and also that He should be man; For unless He had been God, He could never have perfectly understood the will of God; and unless He had been man, He could not suitably have unfolded it in His own person to men.
John 1:18; Acts 3:22; Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1.
Note:
That Jesus Christ is God is wonderfully and clearly expressed in the Scriptures. He is called the mighty God, Isa. 9:6. That Word was God, John 1:1. Christ, who is God over all, Rom 9:5. God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3:16. The same is very God, 1 John 5:20. He is the first, Rev. 1:8. He gives being to all things, and without Him was nothing made, John 1:2. He forgiveth sins, Matt. 9:6. He is before Abraham, John 8:58. He was and is, and ever will be the same, Heb. 13:8. He is always with His to the end of the world, Matt. 28:20. Which could not be said of Jesus Christ, if He were not God. And to the Sone He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, Heb. 1:8, John 1:18.
Also, Christ is not only perfectly God, but perfect man, made of a woman, Gal. 4:4. Made of the seed of David, Rom 1:3. Coming out of the loins of David, Acts 2:30. Of Jesse and Judah, Acts 13:23. In that the children were partakers of flesh and blood He Himself likewise took part with them, Heb. 2:14. He took not on Him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, verse 16. So that we are bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh, Eph. 5:30. So that He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one, Heb.2:11. See Acts 3:22, Deut. 18:15; Heb. 1:1.

XVII.

Concerning His priesthood, Christ having sanctified Himself, hath appeared once to put away sin by that one offering of Himself a sacrifice for sin, by which He hath fully finished and suffered all things God required for the salvation of His elect, and removed all rites and shadows, etc. and is now entered within the vail into the holy of holies, which is the presence of God. Also, He makes His people a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Him. Neither doth the Father accept, nor Christ offer to the Father, any other worship or worshippers.
John 17:19; Heb. 5:7,8,9,10,12; Rom. 5:19, Eph. 5:2; Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14, etc.; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24; 8:1; 1 Pet. 2:5; John 4:23,24.

XVIII.

This priesthood was not legal or temporary, but according to the order of Melchisedec, and is stable and perfect, not for a time, but forever, which is suitable to Jesus Christ, as to Him that ever liveth. Christ was the priest, sacrifice, and altar: He was a priest according to both natures; He was a sacrifice according to His human nature; whence in Scripture it is attributed to His body, to His blood: Yet the effectualness of this sacrifice did depend upon His divine nature; therefore it is called the blood of God. He was the altar according to His divine nature, it belonging to the altar to sanctify that which is offered upon it, and so it ought to be of greater dignity than the sacrifice itself.
Heb. 7:16, etc.; Heb. 5:6, 10:10; 1 Pet. 1:18,19; Col. 1:20, 22; Heb. 9:13; Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:14, 13:10,12,15; Matt. 23:17; John 17:19.

XIX.

Concerning His kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, He doth spiritually govern His church, and doth exercise His power over all, angels and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, and to the overruling and destruction of His enemies. By this kingly power He applieth the benefits, virtue, and fruits of His prophecy and priesthood to His elect, subduing their sins, preserving and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by His Spirit: By this His mighty power He ruleth the vessels of wrath, using, limiting and restraining them, as it seems good to His infinite wisdom.
1 Cor. 15:4; 1 Pet. 3:21,22; Matt. 28:18,19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:1, 5:30,31; John 19:36; Rom. 14:9; John 5:26,27; Rom. 5:6,7,8; 14:17; Gal. 5:22,23; Mark 1:27; Heb. 1:14; John 16:15; Job 2:8; Rom. 1:21, [9:17-18]; Eph. 4:17,18; 2 Pet. 2.

XX.

This His kingly power shall be more fully manifested when He shall come in glory to reign among His saints, when He shall put down all rule and authority under His feet, that the glory of the Father may be perfectly manifested in His Son, and the glory of the Father and the Son in all His members.
1 Cor. 15:24,28; Heb. 9:28; 2 Thess. 1:9,10; 1 Thess. 4:15,16,17; John 17:21, 26.

XXI.

Jesus Christ by His death did purchase salvation for the elect that God gave unto Him: These only have interest in Him, and fellowship with Him, for whom He makes intercession to His Father in their behalf, and to them alone doth God by His Spirit apply this redemption; as also the free gift of eternal life is given to them, and none else.
Eph. 1:14; Heb. 5:9; Matt. 1:21; John 17:6; Heb. 7:25; 1 Cor. 2:12; Rom. 8:29,30; 1 John 5:12; John 15:35, 3:16.

XXII.

Faith is the gift of God, wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God; by which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and the excellency of them above all other writings, and all things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in His attributes, the execellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and of the power and fulness of the Spirit in its [His] workings and operations; and so are enabled to cast their souls upon His truth thus believed.
Eph. 2:8; John 6:29, 4:10; Phil. 1:29; Gal. 5:22; John 17:17; Heb. 4:11,12; John 6:63.

XXIII.

All those that have this precious faith wrought in them by the Spirit, can never finally nor totally fall away; seeing the gifts of God are without repentance; so that He still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise, and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock, which by faith they are fastened upon; not withstanding, through unbelief, and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of this light and love, be clouded and overwhelmed for a time; yet God is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palms of His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.
Matt. 7:24,25; John 13:10, 10:28,29; 1 Pet. 1:4,5,6; Isa. 49:13,14,15,16.

XXIV.

Faith is ordinarily begotten by the preaching of the gospel, or word of Christ, without respect to any power or agency in the creature; but it being wholly passive, and dead in trespasses and sins, doth believe and is converted by no less power than that which raised Christ from the dead.
Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:28; Rom. 9:16; Ezek. 16:16; Rom. 3:12, 1:16; Eph. 1:19, Col. 2:12.

XXV.

The preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free; no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law, but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead and buried, and risen again; who is made a prince and a Savior for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe on Him.
John 3:14,15, 1:12; Isa. 55:1; John 7:37; 1 Tim. 1:15; Rom. 4:5, 5:8; Acts 5:30,31, 2:36, 1 Cor. 1:22,24.

XXVI.

The same power that converts to faith in Christ, carrieth on the soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings; and whatsoever a believer is, he is by grace, and is carried on in all obedience and temptations by the same.
1 Pet. 1:5, 2 Cor. 12:9, 1 Cor. 15:10; Phil. 2:12, 13; John 15:5; Gal. 2:19,20.

XXVII.

All believers are by Christ united to God; by which union, God is one with them, and they are one with Him; and that all believers are the sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ, to whom belong all the promises of this life, and that which is to come.
1 Thess. 1:1; John 17:21, 20:17; Heb. 2:11, 1 John 4:16; Gal.
2:19,20.

XXVIII.

Those that have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins by the blood of Christ, which justification is a gracious and full acquittance of a guilty sinner from all sin, by God, through the satisfaction that Christ hath made by His death for all their sins, and this applied (in manifestation of it) through faith.
1 John 1:7; Heb. 10:14, 9:26; 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 3:23; Acts 13:38,39; Rom. 5:1, 3:25,30.

XXIX.

All believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new covenant, and an effect of the love of God manifested in the soul, whereby the believer presseth after a heavenly and evangelical obedience to all the commands, which Christ as head and king in His new covenant hath prescribed to them.
1 Cor. 12; 1 Pet. 2:9; Eph. 1:4; 1 John 4:16; Matt. 28:20.

XXX.

All believers through the knowledge of that justification of life given by the Father and brought forth by the blood of Christ have as their great privilege of that new covenant, peace with God, reconciliation, whereby they that were afar off are made nigh by that blood, and have peace passing all understanding; yea, joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received atonement.
2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 5:9,10; Isa. 54:10; Eph. 2:13,14, 4:7; Rom. 5:10,11.

XXXI.

All believers in the time of this life, are in a continual warfare and combat against sin, self, the world, and the devil; and are liable to all manner of afflictions, tribulations and persecutions, being predestined and appointed thereunto, and whatsoever the saints possess or enjoy of God spiritually, is by faith; and outward and temporal things are lawfully enjoyed by a civil right by them who have no faith.
Rom. 7:23,24; Eph. 6:10,11, etc.; Heb. 2:9,10, 2 Tim. 3:12; Rom. 8:29; 1 Thess. 3:3; Gal. 2:19,20; 2 Cor. 5:7; Deut. 2:5.

XXXII.

The only strength by which the saints are enabled to encounter with all oppositions and trials, is only by Jesus Christ, who is the captain of their salvation, being made perfect through sufferings; who hath engaged His faithfulness and strength to assist them in all their afflictions, and to uphold them in all their temptations, and to preserve them by His power to His everlasting kingdom.
John 16:33, 15:5; Phil. 4:11, Heb. 2:9,10; 2 Tim. 4:18.

XXXIII.

Jesus Christ hath here on earth a [manifestation of His] spiritual kingdom, which is His Church, whom He hath purchased and redeemed to Himself as a peculiar inheritance; which Church is a company of visible saints, called and separated from the world by the word and Spirit of God, to the visible profession of faith of the gospel, being baptized into that faith, and joined to the Lord, and each other, by mutual agreement in the practical enjoyment of the ordinances commanded by Christ their head and king.
Matt. 11:11; 2 Thess. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:1; Rom. 1:7; Acts 19:8,9, 26:18; 2 Cor. 6:17; Rev. 18:4; Acts 2:37, 10:37; Rom. 10:10; Matt. 18:19,20; Acts 2:42, 9:26; 1 Pet. 2:5.

XXXIV.

To this Church He hath made His promises, and giveth the signs of His covenant, presence, acceptation, love, blessing and protection. Here are the fountains and springs of His heavenly graces flowing forth to refresh and strengthen them.
Matt. 28:18, etc.; 1 Cor. 11:24, 3:21; 2 Cor. 6:18; Rom. 9:4,5; Ps. 133:3; Rom. 3:7,10; Ezek. 47:2.

XXXV.

And all His servants of all estates (are to acknowledge Him to be their prophet, priest and king;) and called thither to be enrolled among His household servants, to present their bodies and souls, and to bring their gifts God hath given them, to be under His heavenly conduct and government, to lead their lives in this walled sheepfold, and watered garden, to have communion here with His saints, that they may be assured that they are made meet to be partakers of their inheritance in the kingdom of God; and to supply each others wants, inward and outward; (and although each person hath a propriety in his own estate, yet they are to supply each others wants, according as their necessities shall require, that the name of Jesus Christ may not be blasphemed through the necessity of any in the Church) and also being come, they are here by Himself to be bestowed in their several order, due place, peculiar use, being fitly compact and knit together according to the effectual working of every part, to the edifying of itself in love.
Acts. 2:41,47; Isa. 4:3, 1 Cor. 12:6,7, etc.; Ezek. 20:37,40; Song of Sol. 4:12; Eph. 2:19; Rom. 12:4,5,6; Col. 1:12, 2:5,6,19; Acts 20:32, 5:4, 2:44,45, 4:34,35; Luke 14:26; 1 Tim. 6:1; Eph. 4:16.

XXXVI.

Being thus joined, every [local] church hath power given them from Christ, for their wellbeing, to choose among themselves meet persons for elders and deacons, being qualified according to the word, as those which Christ hath appointed in His testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of His Church; and that none have any power to impose on them either these or any other.
Acts 1:23,26, 6:3, 15:22,25; Rom. 12:7,8; 1 Tim. 3:2,6,7; 1 Cor. 12:8,28; Heb. 13:7,17; 1 Pet. 5:1,2,3,4:15.

XXXVII.

That the ministers lawfully called, as aforesaid, ought to continue in their calling and place according to God's ordinance, and carefully to feed the flock of God committed to them, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
Heb. 5:4; John 10:3,4; Acts 20:28,29; Rom. 12:7,8; Heb. 13:7,17; 1 Pet. 5:1,2,3.

XXXVIII.

The ministers of Christ ought to have whatsoever they shall need, supplied freely by the church, that according to Christ's ordinance they that preach the Gospel should live of the gospel by the law of Christ.
1 Cor. 9:7,14; Gal. 6:8; Phil. 4:15,16; 2 Cor. 10:4; 1 Tim. 1:2; Ps. 110:3.

XXXIX.

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, given by Christ, to be dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that are made disciples; who upon profession of faith, ought to be baptized, and after to partake of the Lord's Supper.
Matt. 28:18,19; John 4:1; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:37,38, 8:36,37, etc.

XL.

That the way and manner of dispensing this ordinance, is dipping or plunging the body under water; it being a sign, must answer the things signified, which is, that interest the saints have in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ: And that as certainly as the body is buried under water, and risen again, so certainly shall the bodies of the saints be raised by the power of Christ, in the day of the resurrection, to reign with Christ.
Matt. 3:16; Mark 15:9 reads (into Jordan) in Greek; John 3:23, Acts 8:38; Rev. 1:5, 7:14; Heb. 10:22; Rom. 6:3,4,5,6; 1 Cor. 15:28,29. The word baptizo signifies to dip or plunge (yet so as convenient garments be both upon the administrator and subject with all modesty).

XLI.

The person designed by Christ to dispense baptism, the Scripture holds forth to be a disciple; it being no where tied to a particular church officer, or person extraordinarily sent the commission enjoining the administration, being given to them as considered disciples, being men able to preach the gospel.
Isa. 8:16; Eph. 2:7; Matt 28:19; John 4:2; Acts 20:7, 11:10; 1 Cor. 11:2, 10:16,17; Rom. 16:2; Matt. 18:17.

XLII.

Christ hath likewise given power to His Church to receive in, and cast out, any member that deserves it; and this power is given to every congregation, and not to one particular person, either member or officer, but in relation to the whole body, in reference to their faith and fellowship.
Rom. 15:2; Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:4,11,14, 12:6, 2:3; 2 Cor. 2:6,7.

XLIII.

And every particular member of each church, how excellent, great, or learned soever, is subject to this censure and judgment; and that the church ought not without great care and tenderness, and due advice, but by the rule of faith, to proceed against her members.
Matt. 18:16, 17:18; Acts 11:2,3; 1 Tim. 5:19, etc.; Col. 4:17; Acts 15:1,2,3.

XLIV.

Christ for the keeping of this church in holy and orderly communion, placeth some special men over the church; who by their office, are to govern, oversee, visit, watch; so likewise for the better keeping thereof, in all places by the members, He hath given authority, and laid duty upon all to watch over one another.
Acts 20:27,28; Heb. 13:17,24; Matt. 24:45; 1 Thess. 5:2, 14; Jude 3,20; Heb. 10:34,35 [cf. 24,25], 12:15.

XLV.

Also such to whom God hath given gifts in the church, may and ought to prophecy [viz., teach] according to the proportion of faith, and to teach publicly the word of God, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church.
1 Cor. 14:3, etc.; Rom 12:6; 1 Pet. 4:10, 11; 1 Cor. 12:7; 1 Thess. 5:19, etc.

XLVI.

Thus being rightly gathered, and continuing in the obedience of the gospel of Christ, none are to separate for faults and corruptions (for as long as the church consists of men subject to failings, there will be difference in the true constituted church) until they have in due order, and tenderness, sought redress thereof.
Rev. 2, 3; Acts 15:12; 1 Cor. 1:10; Heb. 10:25; Jude 19; Rev. 2:20,21,27; Acts 15:1,2; Rom. 14:1; 15:1,2,3.

XLVII.

And although the particular congregations be distinct, and several bodies, every one as a compact and knit city within itself; yet are they all to walk by one rule of truth; so also they (by all means convenient) are to have the counsel and help one of another, if necessity require it, as members of one body, in the common faith, under Christ their head.
1 Cor. 4:17, 14:33,36, 16:1; Ps. 122:3; Eph. 2:12,19; Rev. 21; 1 Tim. 3:15, 6:13,14; 1 Cor. 4:17; Acts 15:2,3; Song of Sol. 8:8,9; 2 Cor. 8:1,4, 13:14.

XLVIII.

A civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set up by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; and that in all lawful things, commanded by them, subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake; and that we are to make supplications and prayers for kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.
Rom. 13:1,2, etc.; 1 Pet. 2:13,14; 1 Tim. 2:1,2,3.
Note:
The supreme magistracy of this kingdom we acknowledge to be the king and parliament (now established) freely chosen by the kingdom, and that we are to maintain and defend all civil laws and civil officers made by them, which are for the good of the commonwealth. And we acknowledge with thankfulness, that God hath made this present king and parliament honorable in throwing down the prelatical hierarchy, because of their tyranny and oppression over us, under which this kingdom long groaned, for which we are ever engaged to bless God, and honor them for the same. And concerning the worship of God; there is but one lawgiver, which is able to save and destroy, James 4:12; which is Jesus Christ, who hath given laws and rules sufficient in His word for His worship; and for any to make more, were to charge Christ with want of wisdom, or faithfulness, or both, in not making laws enough, or not good enough for His house: Surely it is our wisdom, duty, and privilege, to observe Christ's laws only, Ps 2:6,9,10,12. So it is the magistrates duty to tender the liberty of mens' consciences, Eccles. 8:8 (which is the tenderest thing unto all conscientious men, and most dear unto them, and without which all other liberties will not be worth the naming, much less enjoying) and to protect all under them from all wrong, injury, oppression and molestation; so it is our duty not to be wanting in nothing which is for their honor and comfort, and whatsoever is for the wellbeing of the commonwealth wherein we live; it is our duty to do, and we believe it to be our express duty, especially in matters of religion, to be fully persuaded in our minds of the lawfulness of what we do, as knowing whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And as we cannot do anything contrary to our understandings and consciences, so neither can we forebear the doing of that which our understandings and consciences bind us to do. And if the magistrate should require us to do otherwise, we are to yield our persons in a passive way to their power, as the saints of old have done, James 5:4. And thrice happy shall he be, that shall lose his life for witnessing (though but for the least tittle) of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 5; Gal. 5.

XLIX.

But in case we find not the magistrate [or governing authority] to favor us herein; yet we dare not suspend our practice, because we believe we ought to go in obedience to Christ, in professing the faith which was once delivered to the saints, which faith is declared in the holy Scriptures, and this our confession of faith a part of them, and that we are to witness to the truth of the Old and New Testaments unto the death, if necessity require, in the midst of all trials and afflictions, as His saints of old have done; not accounting our goods, lands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brethren, sisters; yea and our own lives dear unto us, so we may finish our course with joy; remembering always, that we ought to obey God rather than men, who will when we have finished our course, and kept the faith, give us the crown of righteousness; to whom we must give an account of all our actions, and no man being able to discharge us of the same.
Acts 2:40,41, 4:19, 5:28,29, 20:23; 1 Thess. 3:3; Phil. 1:28,29; Dan. 3:16,17, 6:7,10,22,23; 1 Tim. 6:13,14; Rom. 12:1,8; 1 Cor. 14:37; Rev. 2:20; 2 Tim. 4:6,7,8; Rom. 14:10, 12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Ps. 49:7,50:22.

L.

It is lawful for a Christian to be a magistrate or civil officer; and also it is lawful to take an oath, so it be in truth, and in judgment, and in righteousness, for confirmation of truth, and ending of all strife; and that by wrath and vain oaths the Lord is provoked and this land mourns.
Acts 8:38, 10:1,2,35; Rom. 16:23; Deut. 6:13; Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 10,11; Jer. 4:2; Heb. 6:16.

LI.

We are to give unto all men whatsoever is their due, as their place, age, estate, requires; and that we defraud no man of anything, but to do unto all men, as we would they should do unto us.
1 Thess. 4:6; Rom. 13:5,6,7; Matt. 22:21; Titus 3; 1 Pet. 2:15,17, 5:5; Eph. 5:21,23, etc. , 6:1,9; Titus 3:1,2,3.

LII.

There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, and everyone shall give an account of himself to God, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:12. [Matt. 25; Rev. 22:11,12,13,14,15.]
The Conclusion.
Thus we desire to give unto Christ that which is His; and unto all lawful authority that which is their due; and to owe nothing to any man but love; to live quietly and peaceably, as it becometh saints, endeavoring in all things to keep a good conscience, and to do unto every man (of what judgment soever) as we would they should do unto us, that as our practice is, so it may prove us to be a conscionable [viz., reasonable], quiet, and harmless people (no ways dangerous or troublesome to human society) and to labor and work with our hands that we may not be chargeable to any, but to give to him that needeth, both friends and enemies, accounting it more excellent to give than to receive. Also we confess, that we know but in part, and that we are ignorant of many things which we desire and seek to know; and if any shall do us that friendly part to show us from the word of God that which we see not, we shall have cause to be thankful to God and them; but if any man shall impose upon us anything that we see not to be commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, we should in His strength rather embrace all reproaches and tortures of men, to be stripped of all outward comforts, and if it were possible, to die a thousand deaths, rather than to do anything against the least tittle of the truth of God or against the light of our own consciences. And if any shall call what we have said heresy, then do we with the Apostle acknowledge, that after the way they call heresy, worship we the God of our fathers, disclaiming all heresies (rightly so called) because they are against Christ, and to be steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in obedience to Christ, as knowing our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord.
Psalm 74:21,22
Arise, O God, plead thine own cause; remember how the foolish man blasphemeth Thee daily. O let not the oppressed return ashamed, but let the poor and needy praise Thy name. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Abba, Father

2009-01-23T10:40:00.001-05:00

By Mark Pierson

"Abba, Father,...not what I will, but what You will"

In those moments when anguish settles into the very core of your being...those times when there seems to be no hope, nothing but utter darkness and despair, when all you can do is fall to your knees before God in absolute surrender, for there is nowhere else to turn - it is there that you encounter your Father Who adopted you.

Absolute surrender, when you can't see any other avenues, beyond your own resources, yea, beyond those of any mere human being; undone, naked, at the very end of your rope.

Let's face it, there are even times when trials literally come flying at us from every conceivable direction, all at one time, at a dizzying pace, so as to make us wonder "how could God be in control of any of this at all"? Doubt and frustration fill the mind. Angry outbursts can follow.

It would seem that, at times like these, the Lord has chosen to invade, attack, dismantle and enlarge our comfort zone. There is no maintaining or taking of control that we can do; it is entirely beyond our abilities. You find out the hard way that you are not "the captain of your own destiny". You have NO control AT ALL.

Take that man whose son has a debilitating disease, whose medical bills are pilling up, and he has just lost his job. Or the couple whose daughter is born with a rare cancer and tumorous growths cover her body. What about the young couple whose six-year-old son contracts a rare disease and shortly thereafter dies. Or, yet again, what about that missionary, faithful to the call of Christ in his life, who now lay in bed with Lou Gherig's disease.

Powerless, helpless, out of control; you fall to your knees and cry out to your Maker; the One who saved your soul from everlasting destruction; the One Who Alone has the Power over such things.

We can cling to Him Whose promises are true. He Alone is our Refuge and Shield. He never changes. He will always remain true to His Word; we can bank our lives on that.
Somehow, in the acknowledging of His power and control over the matters and events in our lives, both joyous and grievous, the peace begins to flow into our hearts.

The Lord never once promised us a Rose Garden nor to feather our beds. The problems will come. Spouses will abandon; loved ones will contract terminal illness; jobs will be lost; dear ones will die.

In considering our adoptive relationship we do well to remember back at what it took for our Holy Maker to enter into that special relationship with us - that of being our Father.
Believe it or not we were once the children of wrath even as others. We too walked in disobedience and according to the course of this world. If not for God's intervention into our lives we would have gone on to experience the full brunt of His fury on our sins. We would have been outside of His care and favor in this life and subjected to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire after it was over. No one, no one has attracted God's love and care. If not for His mercy and grace, His sovereign grace in choosing us in His Son before the world was created, we would be the objects of His Holy wrath just like everybody else. Eternal punishment is what we deserve when held up to the Holy Standard, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Unsaved, dead in trespasses and sins, slaves to sin, children of the devil, objects of the coming wrath; that's who we were before the love of God in Christ appeared to us; before the Holy Spirit quickened our hearts to the truth.

Jesus took the punishment we deserved. And, oh how He suffered! God the Father unleashed all of His fury on His Holy Son as He bore our sins in His sinless body. The Holy suffering for the unholy. All to bring to an end the enmity that existed between a Holy God, who is just in His Righteous anger against sin, and sinful creatures as we, who deserve to be recipients of that righteous anger. So now there is peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace, no more being at odds, peace now to experience the love of God in all it's breadth, depth, and height. Peace, His care leading and guiding us through life, in all its ups and downs. Peace because now HE has control over us; no longer is it the "spirit that now works in the children of disobedience". Peace, because His promises to us are now "yea and amen" in Christ. Where once existed hostility - God's wrath towards sinful creatures as we, versus our willful disobedience to His decrees and will - now there is harmony to those in Christ.

What did it take to bring about this peace? What did it take to bring together two polar opposites - a Holy Righteous God, with whom is no darkness at all, and unholy, sinful rebellious creatures as we? How could He become our Father and we His children? There was a price to be paid!

Oh, what a price it was. God gave His Son. He gave His Son that we, His elect, might be saved from the wrath to come - that we might be adopted into His family as He puts us into His Son. He has made us accepted in His Beloved Son. "In Him we have redemption through His blood". Ephesians 1:7 says.

Now, let us consider what price the Son paid. Both Testaments paint a graphic picture.
In Isaiah we read: "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting". Isaiah 50:6. ...His visage was so marred more than the sons of men...Isaiah 52:14.

By the time the soldiers had gotten done with their mistreatment of Him, He was beaten beyond recognition, even beyond having the form of a man! "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed" Is 53:5. Isaiah goes on: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Verse 6. - There's more---"He was oppressed, and He was afflicted---He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter---for the transgression of my people was He stricken. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief:---Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin---by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bare their iniquities---He has poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors - Is. 53:7-12.

In the New Testament Jesus Himself at the Last Supper, while taking bread and wine, which stood symbolically for His body and blood, said of the wine "...this is My blood which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
His blood was shed that our sins may be forgiven! - The blood poured from the crown of thorns pressed deeply upon His head. The blood poured from His back from the scourging with the whips laced with glass and bone chips. The blood poured from His face after the pounding He received from the soldiers' fists and from their pulling out of His beard. The blood poured from the nails in His forearms and ankles as He dangled from them on the cross. And, finally, the blood poured when, after His death, the soldier pierced His side with a sword.

Ah, there it is, that "fountain---opened---for sin and uncleanness." There is the means whereby sin can be forgiven and washed away. There is the means whereby we can come before the Throne of the Holy Creator and call Him "Father." From a position of rebellious, disobedient, hostile, morally filthy, unthankful objects of the coming wrath; to the positions of pardoned, forgiven, cleansed, reconciled, adopted sons and daughters of the Most High God! "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool", says Isaiah.

Jesus came to die in our place, IN OUR PLACE!

While hanging on that rugged old cross something happened that never, in all eternity past, nor shall it ever happen again. Something horrible, indeed the most horrible event in all history took place: at the height of His sin-bearing mission the Father turned His Face from the Son. "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" was the Son's cry. Who could possibly imagine what it was like to the Father to turn His Head from the Eternal Object of His love? Who could imagine what it was like for the Beloved Son to experience the Father looking away from Him - a once in eternity experience. For the first time ever, never to happen again, the Son experienced the loss of Fellowship and joy of being in His Father's presence.

That is the price that God paid for His elect! And, oh how we are often tempted to trifle with this knowledge! How, at the slightest turn in our fortunes, are we tempted to question His love and care for us! Even after our regeneration we still have no concept of the price God paid for our adoption into His family. There is no real concept of what it was like for the Holy Father to have to vent all of His Righteous fury on top of His Beloved Son - His Holy, Pure, and Righteous Son. There is no concept of what it was like for the Son to experience the Father turning His head from Him as He bore our sins - "the just suffering for the unjust, that He might bring us to God."

Now, the price has been paid. Now, we can call Him "Father." After His resurrection Jesus said, "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father." He taught us to pray, "Our Father, who are in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name---." In the Gospel of Matthew alone Jesus referred to His Father as our Father no less than 22 times!
"But ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Romans 8:15. "And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will---." Eph. 1:

Now we can come to Him as His adopted children - He adopted us, it was His will! We can call Him "Father.:"
We can call Him "Father" of Whom it is written,"---for I am God, there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me." Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure---" Is. 46:9-10.

We can call Him Father of Whom it is written, "My times are in Your hand---." My times, every event sweet or sour, pleasant or unpleasant, joyous or sad are in [His] hand." He knows the number of hairs on our head. He, in His Providence, controls all the comings and goings of our lives. Not one trial or experience comes at us without His approval and permission. He, not we, is in control. Nothing catches Him by surprise. Nothing gets by Him. Regardless of our deceptive feelings, everything is in His control - He has the reigns of every trial and tribulation. We can console ourselves with this truth.

But there is more...

We can call Him "Father" of Whom it is written, "You are my Rock and my Fortress---my Strength" Psalm 31:3-4. The mighty King David knew our "Father" as his place to run and hide. He knew our "Father" as his source of strength and comfort. David, a model of manliness and power, shamelessly clung to our Father for protection and strength. The mightiest of warriors taking refuge in his God, our Father! David's hope and trust were not in his own abilities, but in his God, our Father. David entrusted his entire make-up, his emotional well being; his physical safety; his future state, into the hand of his God, our Father. David acknowledged God's Hand in his past and in the present. David knew that as surely as God was in control of all that ever came his way, He would also direct all of his future as well. David's heart took refuge in these truths.

The storms; inward turmoil's - depressions, fears, anxieties and terrors - external oppositions of people and events, in all these things he found our Father faithful. David prayed "Into your hand I commit my spirit." God, our Father was his Rock, his fortress, and his strength. There was no better place to commit his spirit.

Oh, the utter surrender and careless abandon with which he threw himself into God's care - and found Him utterly faithful! No reservation, complete dependence on our Father's abilities to uphold, sustain, protect, lead and guide him in his life.

Beloved, there is so much more that we could examine in scripture concerning our Father, but let us for now turn lastly to 1 Peter. While giving instructions to Christian slaves on how to live God fearing lives before their masters, Peter invited his readers to consider Our Lord and how He conducted Himself in the last hours before the crucifixion. Here Peter writes "---Who, when He was reviled did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously." - Our Lord handed over Himself to His Father, our Father, to keep. To borrow the words of John MacArthur in his commentary here Jesus had "perfect confidence in the sovereignty and righteousness of His Father."

Knowing full well the sufferings and all of the experiences that lay ahead Jesus "committed Himself" into His Father's care. He did not shrink back or faint at what lay ahead. He did not plot or plan an alternate route. He did not try to take charge of the situation. He did not lower his shoulder and charge into the situation like a fullback into the line of scrimmage. There He stood, full of peace, calm, collected, in the full assurance that His Father was in complete control of the situation. He was there in complete compliance to His Father's will. His Father was in charge. Nothing should befall Him but that which His Father had ordered. Surrender, sweet surrender, total submission, absolute abandon, no reserve, unshaken, utter reliance.

Just hours earlier He had prayed "Abba, Father---not what I will, but what You will."

And there is the lesson...

The One Who in scripture said, "I must be about My Father's business" or "for I always do those things that please Him"; "The One of Whom it is written that He said; "a body you have prepared for Me. ---then I said "Behold, I have come---to do your will , O God." , yes, that One has provided us a model.

Yes, that's it!

Our Lord's whole strength and energy was in the doing of His Father's, our Father's will. The absolute focus and gaze of His life was His Father's Face and being in perfect and total surrender to Him. Oh, what trust. In the midst of false accusations and venomous hatred by the mobs outside His trial, there He stood - in perfect peace. Was His heart-skipping beats do to anxiety? Was His stomach upset about the sufferings that lay ahead? No! That was behind Him now - back at the garden. This is now after the prayer "Not My will ---but Thy Will be done." This now, is the time of reliance on His Father's being in charge. His Father's Face must have been all that Jesus was content to behold in these terrible moments. A scripture that describes Jesus' relationship to His Father is Psalm 16:11b "...In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore."

"Not My will ---but Thy Will be done." Oh, to behold the lesson taught here! Unselfish devotion to His Father's Will. In John 4 Jesus said, "My meat is to do the Will of Him that sent me." His sustenance, the thing that filled His appetite, was the doing of His Father's will.

A very central lesson in Christianity comes to us here, for you see, we too are to live our lives in total submission to our Father's will. His will is to conform us into the image of His dear Son. In the middle of the trials and tribulations that come our way. He is at work molding, melting, breaking, and chiseling our lives like a Master Craftsman. He breaks and hammers away at our lives. He melts us in the heat and fire only to skim away the dross. He shakes us up in order that we don't settle on our lees. How very painful it can be. Yet, it is our loving Heavenly Father, the One Who adopted us at a Great Price, Who is in complete control. Thus, just as our Saviour "committed Himself into His Father's care, we too should pray "Abba, Father not my will but Thy Will be done".

Living for Him, selfless, submissive, and surrendered. Thankful for His promises, thankful that He "the only Wise God" is in control. Thankful that He "who calls the beginning from the ending", the One whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours "as high as the heavens are above the earth", is in control of everything that comes our way. Thankful that we don't have to rely on our own faulty, frail and very mortal wisdom to guide us through life. Thankful that the very most beautiful destiny in all of creation is ours - that of being conformed into the Image of God's Beloved Son, and becoming like Him when we see Him face to face as He comes to take us home to be with Him for all eternity.

In the middle of your darkest hour, in the middle of your manifold temptations, cry out to Him in surrender. Give yourself totally into His care. Weep in His presence "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Let us close now with a prayer of king David and echoed by our Saviour as His last prayer while hanging on the cross "Father, Into Your Hands I commit My Spirit."

Why The New Covenant Is Unilateral (Notes)

2009-01-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.graceforlife.com/2008/12/why-new-covenant-is-unilateral_23.html

Why The New Covenant Is Unilateral

2009-01-17T14:54:00.000-05:00

http://www.graceforlife.com/2008/12/why-new-covenant-is-unilateral.html

Some Excellent Stuff by Ironside

2008-12-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/series/10442

Repentance, yes!

Dispensationalism"s Distortions

2008-12-17T12:38:00.000-05:00

http://againstdispensationalism.blogspot.com/2008/08/dispensational-distortions-part-two.html

Good reading

Riddlebarger on Dispensationalism

2008-12-10T12:07:00.000-05:00

http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/the-latest-post/2007/3/10/a-quick-list-of-amillennial-resources-in-light-of-macarthurs-charges.html

Happy reading!
Mark

A Look At James 2:14-26

2008-12-06T17:24:00.001-05:00

http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/NTeSources/NTArticles/GTJ-NT/Heide-James2-GTJ.pdf

Mark

Interesting

2008-09-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

http://tripatlas.com/Lordship_salvation

The Carnal Christian Heresy

2008-07-29T07:21:00.000-04:00

http://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/Sanctification.htm

Happy reading!

Mark

CHAFER VERSUS WARFIELD

2008-07-05T20:22:00.000-04:00

http://electexiles.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/history-of-the-lordship-salvation-controversy/

HAPPY READING!

Spurgeon's "Life From The Dead"

2008-06-27T13:22:00.000-04:00

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2267.htm

Happy reading!

NonCalvinism Dealt With

2008-06-12T08:12:00.003-04:00

http://www.puritanboard.com/archive/f-48.html

Happy reading!

Mark

Also, the Middletown Bible Church on Wilkinism

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/theology.htm

(talk about thorough handling of "nonCalvinism")

Knowing God

2008-06-02T13:55:00.002-04:00

http://www.ccel.org/wwsb/John/17/3.html

Happy studying!

Mark

Analogy of Faith: Does Scripture Interpret Scripture

2008-05-11T12:35:00.001-04:00

http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2548859/k.672D/The_Analogy_of_Faith_Does_Scripture_Interpret_Scripture.htm

Happy reading!

A Comparison of Three Systems

2008-05-10T00:19:00.000-04:00

http://www.pressiechurch.org/Theol_1/a_comparison_of_three_systems.htm

Happy reading

Dispensationalism Refuted

2008-04-23T08:31:00.001-04:00

http://www.cc-vw.org/articles/dispen4.html

http://www.firstbaptistparker.org/documents/PDisp1.pdf

Check out Antinomian post here

2008-03-30T01:01:00.000-04:00

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-is-antinomian.html#links

Mark

The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life

2008-02-11T07:58:00.000-05:00

We would hardly recognize it!

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life")

It was the early church father Ambrose who used a wonderful illustration concerning believers' prayers. He said we are like little children who run into the garden to gather flowers to please their father—but we are so ignorant and childish that we pluck as many weeds as flowers, and some of them are very noxious. We carry this strange mixture in our hands, thinking that it is acceptable to him. The mother meets the child at the door and says, "Little one, you don't know what you have gathered." She unbinds the mixture and takes from it all the weeds, leaving only the sweet flowers; and then she takes other flowers, sweeter than those the child plucked—and inserts them instead of the weeds. Then she puts the perfect posy in the child's hand, and he runs with it to his father.

Jesus Christ in more than motherly tenderness, thus deals with our supplications. If we could see one of our prayers after Christ Jesus has amended it—we would hardly recognize it! Jesus has such skill that even our good flowers grow fairer in His hand. We clumsily tie them into a bundle—but He arranges them into a lovely bouquet, where each beauty enhances the charm of its neighbor. If I could see my prayer after the Lord has prayed it, I would discover so much missing and so much there that was none of mine—that I am sure its fullest acceptance with God would not cause me a moment's pride. It would rather make me blush with grateful humility before Him, whose boundless sweetness lent to me, and my poor prayer—a sweetness not my own.

Happy Reading!

2008-02-09T14:06:00.000-05:00

Excellent stuff...

http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.com/2006/02/john-jasper-ordinary-man-extraordinary.html

See ya!

Hmmm

2008-02-07T09:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=347

More later.

Swan's Got It Goin' About Luther

2007-10-31T11:44:00.000-04:00

A great read here...
http://aomin.org/index.php?itemid=2339

Check it out!

God's Love In Christ

2007-10-23T11:19:00.000-04:00

'As I live' says the Lord God,'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

A loving God calling out to rebellious ancient Israel. From this verse we can gain so much insight into the Heart of Almighty God. Truely God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. He hates sin and its consequences upon the human race. His desire is that lost men and women would look unto Him and be saved. He is the One Who said:" There is no other God besides Me , A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me".

He pleads with the lost to "Turn,turn from your evil way!" You can sense the love and compassion of His Heart in the question, " For why should you die, O house of Israel?".

Indeed, God IS love. He is not willing that any should perish,but that all would come to repentance.

But,God's love cost Him dearly. " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...".

Yes, He gave that One with Whom He shared His glory before the world was. He sent that One Whom He loved before the foundation of the world. No human can fathom the width and length and depth and height of the Father's love for His Son. The Father sent that One Who was the very center and focus of His infinite love. He sent that One Who alone is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person. He sent that One Who alone loved Him enough to be able to say,"I have come to do thy will, O God".

Yes, God's love cost Him dearly. Yes, What happened to the Son was pre-determined in eternity past. Still, the Son must endure and the Father must watch. The Son has taken upon Himself the sins of a lost world. He is beaten with a whip, ripping flesh from His bones. He is punched in the face, so much so that He is no longer recognizable. They mock Him, spit at Him and pound a crown of thorns onto His head.(He is the One Through Whom the world was created). But, the truth be known, all of this, and the cross that lay ahead was the Father's doing. He was carrying out His plan of having His Son pay the price for the sins of mankind. His plan was carried out by the hands of wicked men. God,you see, was in complete control.

There, on the ground lay the assembled cross. One can imagine the Son, out of love for His Father, out of love for mankind, walking over to the cross unforced. That love motivates Him to lie down on that cross unassisted. No one need hold Him down as the nails are driven in. Then that cross, bearing the sinless, sin-bearing Son of God, is picked up and thrown into an awaiting post-hole. His body bounces back and forth while suspended from those nails. There He hung, bearing our sins and the Father's wrath upon those sins. At one point the Father turns His head from the Son. Our sins are THAT ugly in His sight. Then, after hours of agony, out of the Son's mouth come those wonderful words," It is finished". Man's sins are now paid for. The Father's wrath upon those sins has been spent in its entirety. Now, with His sin-bearing mission complete, Jesus yields up His spirit. THE way to approach God is now opened.

Oh, what Christ accomplished on that day!

Now sinners, those slaves of sin, have deliverance from that slavery. Those coming to Him no longer need fear judgement, there is now forgivness of sins. Now repentance and remission of sins can be preached in His name to all nations. For, you see, three days later He rose again. The Father had accepted His sacrifice. The Son has conquered sin and death. God has provided the perfect way of salvation. It truely is finished!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"...John 3:16.

Jesus now invites, yea, He commands, people to come unto Him - those who labor to be right with God, and are heavy laden with guilt over their sin - and He will give them rest. His instruction for us is to take His yoke upon us, so that He has control over our lives, so that He can steer our lives in the direction He would have us go. He would have us learn of Him, how He wants us to live.

Yes, turn from your evil ways, and come to Him. Look only to Him and be saved.

Dad

2007-10-20T22:56:00.000-04:00

Well, I went to see dad after work today. (I only had a 6 hour workday today, meaning I was out and about at 5:00 PM). On the car ride from work to the nursing home I was reflecting on days gone by; days of when I was very young. My mind stayed fixed on a certain Saturday morning, probably around 1965 or so. It was winter and snowing lightly. I was the only one awake. There, beside me, was my little Westclocks alarm-clock. It was one of the very first things I had ever bought with my own money. I was so very proud of that little clock as I layed there just staring at it. It just ticked away. It was one of those wind-up types. If I remember correctly it cost about three dollars.

Another thing about that morning was the sense that we were a happy family, all safe and sound in a warm house. Dad did not have to go to work that day; Mom was a stay at home housewife; and Ron and I did not have to go to school. It was just a peaceful pleasant moment; obviously one that stuck with me all these years.

Dad is the only surviving person in my life from that time; well, surviving in body only. As I watched him today I tried to make believe it was that Saturday morning all over again. The reality is that he can't even remember that house anymore. He's pretty much confined to a chair with a respirator on. He's in a chipper mood however, and for that I am thankful. Now that one who was responsible for providing me with many a happy memory in my early years is depending on visits from me for his happiness.

How things change...

Fibromyalgia

2007-10-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

Read about it here... http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/bones-joints-muscles/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia?section=section_01&msc=N04814&s_kwcid=TC-3979-98780487512-S-8006280012

Some doctors think this is all in the mind.

Let them walk a mile in the shoes of someone who has it.

Some pastors think that the attending depressions can be traced to the sin of unbelief in one's life.

How cruel.

The violent mood swings.

The intense desire to die.

The daily feeling of the aches and pains as if to have the flu; accompanied by joints swelling and tremendous stiffness.

Such is my experience.

My poor wife. She and I can be talking, when suddenly, right in the middle of the conversation, without warning, and for no reason at all, my mood swings. At this point I become mean, and very angry.

In the early days of our marriage I would just let go with inconsiderate behavior towards her. Naturally she'd be stunned and hurt; and understandably so. After all, she had neither done or said anything to have deserved that treatment.

In the later years I'd been counseled to gently let her know when my mood was swinging, so as to be able to take up the conversation again at another time. I've done this, but still she is hurt and doesn't understand. Still the division between us widens as a result of my problem.

Every morning I wake up unrefreshed. I've been to the sleep clinic five times. I have sleep apnia. The clinic counted my having stopped breathing 90 times in a two hour period.

And, talk about waking up with either a hamstring or a calf muscle tying up in a knot...

The depressions are deep. Some people wrongly think that depression comes on as a result of the circumstances in life. I beg to differ. I say the depression just heightens the sense of the magnitude of those circumstances. It is an amplifier, not a result. The depression is always there, waiting for a place to light.

I have gone on to discover all of these things late in my life. The symptoms have been there since I was 8 or 9 years old. I just did not know the hows or whats.

As a result of these experiences I am now a very solitary person. Even my pastor and church mates don't understand. I guess I've made life unpleasant for them too.

These mood swings have it so that I have had to step down from the Eldership and Deaconate in various churches over the years. Understandably so. My family life has suffered, and, consequently, I am less than an example of the believer.

I hope someone reading this, who has these same problems, is comforted, knowing that you are not alone.

Title?

2007-10-04T12:31:00.000-04:00

Last night, after work, I decided to drive past the old house. Well, not surprising, the new owners are chopping down a tree in the front yard that my late brother planted back in 1974.

Eeek!

It's a good thing my parents didn't see this. They would have felt terrible. It would have been like watching their son die all over again.

All I can do is roll with the blows here.

The Lord is good.

The End

2007-09-26T07:51:00.000-04:00

Well, this past Monday the new owners closed on my parent's house. The day before I decided to take one last trip down memory lane. Some would say it was strange of me to do so, but I had to go over there to turn off the lights one last time. Yes, ceiling lights and some old lamp fixtures were left behind, and left lit, these last six months since my dad's departure for the nursing home, so as to discourage vandalism.

My first room to visit was the basement. No lights were left on there so I turned them on, all of them; you know the kind of light I'm talking about in an unfinished basement, the one bulb fixtures that hang from the ceiling with a pull cord. When I was young I used to love to turn them all on at once, especially at night. This was going to be the last time. The memories. My younger brother and I used to play down there. He died while having AIDS in 1999. My first home gym was also down there. The remnants of my old lat-pulldown machine were still hung from the ceiling. I built that in April, 1972. The bench where my radio used to sit was still there too. I used to love listening to it while working out. All I could do now was stare at what once was. I turned those lights off for the last time. Sadness.

Next was the attic. It too was unfinished; just one light hung from the ceiling. The new owners plan to raise the roof in order to add a bedroom up there. I was the last Pierson to see it in its original form. Some Christmas cards delivered to my mom in 1955 were still on an old table. My mom died in 2005. An old Johnny Speed remote control car was on the floor beside the old artificial Christmas tree. I decided to leave all as is. Again, all I could do was stare at what once was. I turned that light off one last time. Sadness

All of the rooms had memories, every square inch of them. There was that bedroom my brother and I shared. The times we played "Police in neck-ties", inspired by the character Inspecter Henderson, from the old Super-Man series. The closet served as our police car. Over by the corner windows was our desk, complete with a working toy type writer, and one of those Remcoe toy phones that actually worked when hooked up to its sister phone by wire. I turned that light off one last time. Sadness.

Well, after completing my little ritual throughout the house (yes, I turned on and off every light switch in the house) it was time to turn off one last light. There, it is done. my ritual was winding down now. Time to reflect. Never again will my mother's loving voice be heard within these walls. I will never again hear the sound of my brother's voice echo through the halls. I will never again feel the safety of being within these walls, safety provided by a fearless dad. He doesn't even remember this house now.

I stood in the doorway one last time. I turned to look in. All the lights were off now. It was so very quiet, so very dark...

The Pierson family doesn't live here anymore.

Spurgeon and the Gospel

2007-09-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

Folks, ya gotta check this out...

http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.com/2007/09/your-weekly-dose-of-gospel-mark-of-true.html

Questions Friends Ask

2007-09-23T19:45:00.000-04:00

A good friend was wondering about John 6:48-58...

48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” 52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

The problem was what is meant by, "53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. "

What is meant by, "eats My flesh and drinks My blood"?

Note that it says, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,..." The phrase, "has eternal life" is what catches my eye. If we look up a few verses we read in verse 47, " Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."

So in one verse we have everlasting life by believing (verse47); and in another we have eternal life by eating His flesh and drinking His blood (53-54).

Are there two ways to get eternal life - believing as well as eating His flesh and drinking His blood? Or is there only one way, and that by believing. There is only one way, believing. Therefore eating His flesh and drinking His blood is another way of saying "he who believes in Me has everlasting life."

Jesus said in verse 63 " It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." Jesus was telling spiritual truth here. Only those enlightened by the Holy Spirit would have at least some understanding of His teaching here. Note Peter's response to Jesus after all the others left... "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life". Peter and ten others understood Jesus. Why? The Holy Spirit's ministry in their lives.

The good news is, "33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

Amen.

From Spurgeon Sermon 979 "Faith and Regeneration"

2007-09-10T08:36:00.000-04:00

"Now we go a little further. True faith is reliance. Look at any Greek lexicon you like, and you will find that the word pisteuein does not merely mean to believe, but to trust, to confide in, to commit to, entrust with, and so forth; and the marrow of the meaning of faith is confidence in, reliance upon. Let me ask, then, every professor here who professes to have faith, is your faith the faith of reliance? You give credit to certain statements, do you also place trust in the one who glorious person who alone can redeem? Have you confidence as well as credence? A creed will not save you, but reliance upon the Anointed Saviour is the way of salvation. Remember, I beseech you, that if you could be taught an orthodoxy unadulterated with error, and could learn a creed written by the pen of the Eternal God himself, yet a mere notional faith, such as men exercise when they believe in the existence of men in the moon, or nebulae in space, could not save your soul. Of this we are sure, because we see around us many who have such a faith, and yet evidently are not the children of God."

Preach Repentance

2007-09-02T13:02:00.001-04:00

by Mark Pierson

With sadness I enter this post. I have friends in the Free Grace movement whom I love and respect; but that does not mean I keep my mouth shut about this system. I have watched how the proponents of this system present their views, how they make man-made divisions into the word.

It seems to me that they are working from a false paradigm which supplies them with a false premise from which to build their case. Their system fails to provide Biblical information to the lost, spiritually dead, rebellious, sin-loving God-hater, who is walking according to the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, that slave to sin who is by nature a child of wrath, who walks according to the weather vane of this world.

Consider this: the gospel of John begins in chapter 1 to present Christ as God, the Perfect Representative of the Father; the One Who unfolds the Father as a scroll to a world that has not retained God in its knowledge. Romans one through three is clear on this. The world has cast aside all knowledge of its Maker and has fully rejected His rightful rule. As a result mankind is completely under the devil's sway. To ignore what is before us in chapter one of John as we preach Christ is to ignore a major portion of Christ's mission to this earth. I repeat, He came to show us the Father as His only perfect representative.

We are saved by being in Christ the Person. Coming to Christ means taking His yoke upon us and learning of Him. Their system dichotomizes where the Bible does not authorize them. They have split faith and repentance which clearly belong together. In the Great Commission faith, (Mk.16:16) and repentance, (Lk.24:47) are to be preached together.

If I believed the building I was standing in was on fire I would seek the fast escape. So it is with those who are told that they are in rebellion against their Creator and His Christ. That person is commanded by scripture to repent and believe the gospel - IOW, turn from following the spirit of this age, and take Christ's yoke upon him and so learn of Him.

That system, in all practicality, treats men as if there were no issue of original sin, no love of sin and hatred of God, no rebellion against the Creator. Calvinists and nonCalvinists alike agree that repentance flows from the genuine believer.

A couple of points:

1)No where in scripture does justifying faith happen without repentance also being evident. IOW, repentance always shows in the life of the believer. So, I say, nowhere in scripture do we see an unrepentant believer.

2) Let's look at Christ's accomplishments and their effects on the believer - Because of Christ's cross-work Paul was entrusted with a message that would "open eyes,turn people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins... " Acts 26:18-20. The Father has "conveyed us into His Son's kingdom" where there is redemption (being bought back from Satan's dark rule)and forgiveness of sins. Col. 1:12-14. Also Romans 6 teaches that we were once slaves of sin, but now, because of Christ's accomplishments on the cross, we are slaves of righteousness and of God.

Because of Christ's cross-work, His telling people to repent, through those servants of His who preach His word accurately, is like His having commanded that man to stretch forth his crippled hand, and when he has done so it is whole. And so it is when one is commanded to repent. His life will straighten out because of the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ as a result of His cross-work.

Justification is not the whole of the picture. Conformity to Christ is. This conformity, though not automatic, is inevitable, and begins at the moment of regeneration; hence the need to preach repentance to the unsaved. Christ is the One to be looked at for salvation. The world has rejected its Maker and His Christ. The world has thrown off God's rule in their lives. See the second Psalm. Faith and repentance result in the believer being brought into the Kingdom of God, and away from the rule of Satan.

Repentance and Faith

2007-08-26T12:56:00.000-04:00

"The word repentance signifies in the Greek, "change of mind;" and this change the Holy Spirit produces in connection with the gospel, not the law. "Repent and believe the gospel: does not mean get repentance by the law, and then believe the gospel; but let this good news about the kingdom which I am preaching, lead you to change your views and receive the gospel. Repentance being put before faith here, simply implies, that there must be a turning from what is false in order to the reception of what is true. If I would turn my face to the north, I must turn it from the south; yet I should not think of calling the one of these preparatory to the other. They must, in the nature of things, go together. Repentance, then, is not, in any sense, a preliminary qualification for faith, - least of all in the sense of sorrow for sin. "It must be reckoned a settled point," says Calvin, "that repentance not only immediately follows upon faith, but springs out of it...They who think that repentance goes before faith, instead of flowing from or being produced by it, as fruit from a tree, have never understood its nature. And Dr. Colquahoun remarks, "Justifying and saving faith is the mean of true repentance; and this repentance is not the mean but the end of that faith."

The entire article can be found here...
http://www.biblebelievers.com/Bonar/way_of_peace12.htm

Colin Maxwell: An Excellent Comment

2007-08-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

First of all, in line with many (probably most) Calvinists, I do not limit the love of God only to the elect. I hold that He loves all men without exception, although He loves His elect with a deeper (and ultimately) saving love i.e. a love that effects their salvation, bringing them to actual faith in His Son etc., I think you too believe that He loves His elect people with a deeper love, because He loves them with am everlasting love and I don't think you believe that He still loves the souls in Hell who feel the manifestation of His anger and rage against them. Certainly (if you do) you could never at this stage say that He loves them just exactly as He loves His own reconciled people. At least I hope not. Secondly, my Calvinism teaches me of the universal offer of the gospel (hence the question above) that relays to me the bona fide offer of God to all sinners without exception. It is there that I must look for my answers and it is there in texts like John 3:16 and many others that I read that any soul that sincerely casts itself upon the mercy of God is saved. My guiding star is not the decree of God, much of which lies buried out of my sight, but the clear commands and promises of a God who is rich in mercy and who has no delight in the death of the wicked. My Calvinism teaches me (as indeed the gospel does) that if I cast myself upon the mercy of God like the publican in Luke 18, then I am justified and we know that such justification is eternal. Therefore I can never be lost. I will certainly persevere unto the end, not in order to be saved, but because I am saved and safe in the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. Re: spurious faith See: http://goodnightsafehome.blogspot.com/2007/08/wheres-my-shovel.html which I write in good old plain English and the problem of the FG position. I think we should bear in mind that God's will for His people is that they should be saved and know it and not be plagued by doubts. It is also His will that their assurance should be based on a Bible based reality, rather than a false notion that if they believe on the Mormon spirit brother of Satan Jesus or the Muslim Jesus (PBOH) or "a god called Jesus" of the Watchtower or the Wafer Jesus of Rome and are living like the Devil without any change of life whatsoever, that they are Heaven bound. I take this theme up in the posting referred to. You rightly declare that God started a work in your life when you were born again. If you see someone claiming to be born again, but with the building site empty, do you not at least draw some kind of question mark over their claim? Re: old Christians getting mental illness etc., I don't think you are going to find a Calvinist claiming that such folk are outside the pale.

Positions: They Are a Changin'

2007-08-16T10:26:00.000-04:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking on 2 Cor. 13:5 lately. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified."

I have Read MacArthur's "The Gospel According to Jesus" and "The Gospel According to the Apostles" as well as "Hard to Believe". I am familiar with his take on this verse, that Christians should examine themselves to see that they are genuinely regenerate. I once held this position too. I no longer do.

Throughout this epistle Paul's apostleship is challenged. He answers those challenges. Note chapter 3, where he asks the Corinthians if he needs to commend himself or does he need letters of commendation to them or from them. His answer: "clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart."

Note he says "ministered by us". Note the Spirit's work on their hearts as a result of Paul's ministry. The work of the Spirit on the hearts of the Corinthian's was proof of Paul's apostleship.

So it is in chapter 13:5. The evidence of Paul's apostleship is to be seen in the fact that the Corinthians have exhibited spiritual life. It isn't so much a test for them as it is a testament to his apostleship.

Mark

Speaking in Love?

2007-08-11T10:15:00.000-04:00

Walk in Wisdom - Gleanings from the Scripture2 Tim. 2.23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorantcontroversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant must must not be quarrelsomebut kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduringevil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. Godmay perhaps grant them a knowledge of the truth, andthey may come to their senses and escape from thesnare of the devil, after being captured by him to do hiswill.I just watched it for the second time" "Lifting the Veilof Polygamy" - produced by Living Hope Ministries:http://www.lhvm.org/polygamy.htm And I am as, if notmore profoundly moved by it this time. Seeing howdeeply so many are mired in the false teaching,deception and heartbreak of Mormonism, both main-stream and the fundamentalist/polygamous types. Myheart just breaks.Maybe you're like me, and when you see such things,you want to come down really really hard on those whoare their apologists and missionaries. My first response(Father, please forgive me) was to want to throttle them.But of course, as our text above notes, that is not theproper response at all. In fact, just the opposite. Whichalso then begs the question of how we deal with Christiansof other stripes when we disagree. But that will have to waituntil another time. For now, I want to help us grasp just 3principles from our text, and handle them in the context ofaddressing those we interact with from cults and falsereligions.Note first, that Paul instructs Timothy to "have nothing todo with foolish, ignorant controversies." This he says onthe heels of mentioning the teaching of Hymenaus andPhiletus, "who have swerved away from the truth, sayingthat the resurrection has already happened. This is VERYserious stuff. And it must be addressed - some. But not toget ourselves all caught up in it. Some, especially thosewho major on such issues, will no doubt think us simplydismissive. So be it. Better to pour ourselves into the buildingup of the saints in Christ, and bringing the lost to Him. Yes,as Paul's second dictate will show us, we DO deal with them,but sparingly. It isn't worth the debate most of the time.Note secondly, that he bids Timothy to remember hisdemeanor is to remain "gentle" in these exchanges. I knowfor myself, the frustration of such encounters can makeyou want to wring somebody's neck. But no. Gentlenessis the approach. That is not to imply even slightly that we donot speak the truth absolutely, clearly and withoutequivocation. Precision, and firmness are essential. But alsoa gentle attitude. This is not Friday Night Smackdown - it is,it MUST be done in kindness and looking to bring correction,not win the battle or bludgeon their brains. I blush to thinkhow I have been to so many over the years. Harsh with thosein the Church over issues like the doctrines of grace, andharsh with those outside, like Mormons, Jehovah's Witnessesand the like.Lastly, we are to view these folks as certain way. A way whichprovokes compassion from our own hearts, rather than rancor.We are to treat them as those who are "captured" by thedevil, "to do his will." Can there be anything more pitiful in allthe world than one caught in the snare of the devil? This isnot a time for bombast, but beseeching prayer. Not a time forverbal floggings, but pleading and entreaty. To speak the truthclearly, gently, and lovingly - with an eye toward their liberation.Lord, make us such a people.

Confessions

2007-08-09T07:46:00.000-04:00

This past July 22nd I was involved in a situation wherein I seriously hurt my witness for Christ- Road-rage.

This is what happened: I had just taken my son to dinner. At dinner he was telling me about how some punk was messing with him at summer-school, and how that he was intending to fight him the next day. I told him that I was once a fighter in school and had many fights then. I told him that that made me an authority, able to tell him to do the right thing by forgiving this individual. He would not hear of it. I was going nowhere here. The dinner ended, and he still did not see my point.

Fifteen minutes later, on the road home, a punk started throwing me the finger and cussing me while driving side by side with me. He apparently did not like my driving. Did I start praying for and forgiving him as I ought? No! Instead I disobeyed God's word and the leadings of God's Holy Spirit. After taking it a bit I pulled in behind him while blowing my horn, motioning in his rear-view mirror to pull over so that we could fight; all this in front of my son! He finally pulled over. We both stormed out of our vehicles and met, face to face. I pushed him backwards as other drivers converged to intervene. The police were called and I was issued an order to appear in criminal court on August 8.

Well, I had my day in court. While there I ran into somebody who used to attend a home Bible-study my wife and I had back in the mid 90's. Yup, somebody that used to hear me teach the Bible was there to see me answer to charges of harassment, 2nd degree. Yes, it was the State of New York versus Mark Pierson. There I was, one time Elder and Deacon and teacher of adult Bible-study, standing there while the Judge orders me to attend an Anger-Management class so that the charge would go away.

Mark Pierson, chief sinner, appealing to the Grace and Mercy of God in Christ. Where else can one go but to the Throne of Grace?

2007-08-02T11:13:00.000-04:00

Well, this is my own personal blog. I use it to share a little about me, my hobbies and stuff. I also use this blog to store material for possible use on the main blog.

I know that some of my friends do not like the direction that the main blog is going. I am sorry about that. Sometimes though we must take a stand on issues, a stand that may lose friends. If weighed in the balances the stand for truth will out-weigh friendships. One can only hope that friends will stick around in order to see why I believe as I do.

2007-07-28T09:22:00.001-04:00

(Thomas Watson, "Body of Divinity")Sin cleaves to us, as blackness to the skin of the Ethiopian, so that we cannot get rid of it. Paul shook off the viper on his hand--but we cannot shake off this inbred corruption! Sin comes not, as a lodger, for a night--but as an indweller. "Sin which dwells in me." Romans 7:17. Sin is an evil spirit, which haunts us wherever we go. Sin, though latent in the soul, and as a spring which runs under ground--often breaks forth unexpectedly. Christian, you cannot believe that evil which is in your heart, and which will break forth suddenly--if God should leave you! "Is your servant a dog that he should do this monstrous thing?" 2 Kings 8:13. Hazael could not believe he had such a root of evil in his heart, that he would rip up pregnant women. "Is your servant a dog?" Yes, and worse than a dog--when that corruption within is stirred up!If one had come to Peter and said, "Peter, within a few hours you will deny Christ;" he would have said, "Is your servant a dog?" But alas! Peter did not know his own heart, nor how far that corruption within would prevail upon him. The sea may be calm, and look clear; but when the wind blows--how it rages and foams! So though now your heart seems good--yet, when temptation blows--how may sin reveal itself, making you foam with lust and passion!Who would have thought to have found adultery in David, and drunkenness in Noah, and cursing in Job? If God leaves a man to himself--how suddenly and scandalously may sinbreak forth in the holiest men on the earth!

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)
Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

2007-07-21T10:27:00.001-04:00

Walk in Wisdom - July 20, 2007Mark 9.14 And when they came to the disciples,they saw a great crowd around them, and scribesarguing with them. 15 And immediately all thecrowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazedand ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And heasked them, "What are you arguing about withthem?" 17 And someone from the crowd answeredhim, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he hasa spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever itseizes him, it throws him down, and he foams andgrinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked yourdisciples to cast it out, and mthey were not able..."25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came runningtogether, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it,"You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, comeout of him and never enter him again." 26 And aftercrying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out,and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of themsaid, "He is dead." 27 But Jesus utook him by thehand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And whenhe had ventered the house, his disciples asked himprivately, "Why could we not cast it out?" 29 And hesaid to them, "This kind cannot be driven out byanything but prayer."The quandary of the Disciples here is a reasonableone. Why indeed couldn't they cast this demon out?Luke's chronology shows us this event took placeAFTER they had already been commissioned andsent out two by two and gave "them power andauthority over all demons and to cure diseases."This fit clearly within the scope of that commission.Yet here they were, powerless, embarrassed andconfused. Jesus' answer to them is not much morehelp is it? "This kind cannot be driven out byanything but prayer (and some texts add - fasting).What is the deal?The lesson is simple, but stunningly profound.Especially for all who seek to labor in God's field inany capacity. And I believe it is this: No matter howgreat, how divinely given, how extraordinary our giftsmay be, there will always be situations where ourgifts are not sufficient to the task, and we are drivenback to the throne of grace in humility anddependence.One of the great pitfalls of giftedness, is a growingreliance upon the gift, above the Giver. And the Fatherin His infinite wisdom will always bring us face to facewith the things that exceed our gifts, lest we grow totrust them, more than Him. How good is our God!Maybe you are a teacher, preacher, counselor,musician, evangelist, deacon, etc. Whatever Godhas gifted you to do in your service to the Body,mark it well, you WILL come to the end of those gifts.You will - by His mercy - be caught up short. It is nota question of "if", but when. And in those places, it isnot that you have lost your gift, are not still God's manor woman, are somehow shelved or steeped in sin. Itis that the Father is wanting renewed focus upon Himselfboth to you, and through you. For that is what is bestboth for you, and those you minister to. This is the Fatherin grace, making sure you know that all still depends uponHim. That He is still the source from which all goodnessflows. That what you have, as good and excellent as itmay be, functions only by His grace, and must subsistupon His resting hand.Seasons of helplessness, are seasons of intimacy, ifwe use them to seek His face, rather than ponder howwe fared in the eyes of those who watched us fail. Inour text, the Disciples were forced to wait until theSavior came. And that left no question as to the realsource behind this glimpse of the Kingdom. Don't beafraid to fall upon your knees and beseech His help.Its not such a bad thing to let people see our inability,if it means they get to see Him better.Blessings: ReidDulcius Ex

2007-07-19T11:14:00.000-04:00

Walk in Wisdom - Gleanings from the Scripture.Luke 2.35 - (And a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that the thoughts from many hearts may berevealed.

These interesting words were spoken to Mary by Simeon. She and Joseph had taken Jesus to present him in theTemple as a baby to fulfill the Levitical laws concerning purification and. "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord" Exodus 13.9 reads. So it is they made their sacrifice, and Simeon, "righteous, devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the HolySpirit" being upon him - prophesied.

Verse 35 above has his closing words.What does it mean that the thoughts from many hearts will be revealed, and why is that so necessary? The simple answer is this: Most people (thinking people)will admit to being sinners - at least in name. "No one's perfect" so many will reply when asked about their own goodness or lack thereof. Sure, we're sinners. Its not hard to own it in the abstract. But what we are not willing or perhaps even able to do, is get a good grip on just how deep, how severe the enmity of our hearts is against God. Men do not ordinarily think of themselves as God's sworn enemies. Not close, maybe, but enemies? I dare say not one in a 1000 would own to actually and consciously hating God. But that is the very reality lost men and women need to come to, if they are to call upon Christ to be saved.Now there is no question that Christians have often come to realize this dilemma as well. We come to grips with the fact that we are proposing a cure, for something most do not even know they are infected with. We're selling life jackets to Noah's pre-flood audience. Flood? Never seen one. There's never been one. And given those odds, investing too seriously in Ark building seems a tad over the top. And in the face of such blindness, the temptation is to become prosecuting attorneys. Rather than though - our better tactic, is simply to make Him known. So it is Simeon's message unfolds for us that one of the very reasons Christ has come, is "for a sign that is opposed...so that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." To whom? To them. He does the revealing, not us. To let them know the real condition of their own souls, so that they might seek reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus.What does that revelation look like? Well, when confronted with Christ's exclusivity, our inherent idolatry is exposed. We recoil that He is the ONLY way to the Father, and reveal our preconceived idol-worshiping souls. When confronted with His supremacy over all, the depths of our prideful autonomy come to light. Our(most often) unspoken self-deification is challenged. In the face of his Lordship, we refuse to bow. In the light of His Cross, we see how much we cling to our own self-righteousness. In the Light of His face, the darkness of our separation from God is revealed in all its terrifying reality. The gulf between us is fixed, and uncrossable.Yet this is the very One who comes seeking and saving the Lost. Never do we see so clearly our need of the Savior, until we are exposed to Him for who and what He really is. We preach Christ, and Him crucified. And if we preach Him well, their hearts will be exposed for sure.

2007-05-31T06:34:00.000-04:00

GeneMBridges said...
Is America prosperous because of its relation to Israel? That would mean that America was not prosperous prior to 1948. That argument is highly dubious.

By way of contrast, we support Israel now, but look @ our nation. Our food supply is easily disrupted. MRSA is on the rise. STD's are on the rise. We've had a man with drug resistant TB enter the nation. The country is flooding and burning, literally. Our fuel supply is easily disrupted, which causes the cost of doing business to rise. This causes groceries to rise. Look at our nation, and tell me that something isn't amiss.

The biblical pattern is that when the covenant people are mistreated, whomever they may be, Israel or the church in the New Covenant era, judgment will ensue. Look at Rome in her day. Look at the nations of Europe that apostatized in the 18th century.

No, I don't think this is a promise for relations with national Israel. Rather, it is extended to those who are Israel, that is, the covenant community.

That said, I do think Israel remains with us as a warning and sign to the church, a parable, if you will, on the consequences of apostasy. She is embattled on all sides, and she remains in state of general rebellion against God and Christ. Most of her people are blinded to the gospel to this day, and truly what came upon "us and our children" has come to pass. I think that in this age, and this is just my opinion, God has put national Israel back on the map at a time when the Church (as a whole) is rife with apostasy within, doctrinal and practical latidudinarianism, and all sorts of ills. I think that God is saying, "Look at Israel, and do not think this will not happen to you." The picture Scripture paints of the Day of the Lord is not a pretty time for the covenant community. Sometimes it is said, "I hope I'm alive when Jesus returns." I'm not so sure I want to live in that time, because I suspect the Church will be at its nadir. She will need her Lord to return in order to clean up the mess she is in. When "the day of the Lord" came upon Israel of old, she was apostate, whether when Babylon came and took her or when they rejected the Lord Jesus Himself. I think the Church, when all is said and done, will have largely, and somewhat poetically, relived the history of Israel of old, such that when the Lord comes, there will be very few pious believers left in the nation, just as there were few in the day she was carried to Babylon and few when Jesus was on the earth. He's coming to judge us first, and the whole earth will be a bystander, as it were, caught in the judgment. Their judgment will come, because the Church will have earned the judgment of the Groom. But that's just my impression...
5/29/07 11:23 PM

2007-04-22T19:38:00.000-04:00

Yup, The Lord has blessed me with a very beautiful wife. I have a copy of this picture of us in my tool-box at work. Every once in a while I stop to look at it and reflect on just how pretty she is.

2007-04-19T07:58:00.000-04:00

Math wizards: This dude is benching 212.5 kilo's. Can you convert this to pounds for me?

This is a sport I enjoyed back in my younger day. The best I had ever done in a contest was 385 lbs.in the 220 weight-class. I had once put up 390 in the gym. I even had a 400 up, but could not lock the elbows. Talk about close!

2007-04-18T09:41:00.000-04:00

These are the kinds of fish that I raise. Their common name is the Platy. This is from wikipedia. I haven't mastered aquarium photography yet. Go visit wikipedia for platy information.

2007-02-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

I do not think I differ from any of my Hyper-Calvinistic brethren in what I do believe, but I differ from them in what they do not believe. I do not hold any less than they do, but I hold a little more, and, I think, a little more of the truth revealed in the Scriptures. Not only are there a few cardinal doctrines, by which we can steer our ship North, South, East, or West, but as we study the Word, we shall begin to learn something about the North-west and North-east, and all else that lies between the four cardinal points. The system of truth revealed in the Scriptures is not simply one straight line, but two; and no man will ever get a right view of the gospel until he knows how to look at the two lines at once. For instance, I read in one Book of the Bible, "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Yet I am taught, in another part of the same inspired Word, that "it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." I see, in one place, God in providence presiding over all, and yet I see, and I cannot help seeing, that man acts as he pleases, and that God has left his actions, in a great measure, to his own free-will. Now, if I were to declare that man was so free to act that there was no control of God over his actions, I should be driven very near to atheism; and if, on the other hand, I should declare that God so over-rules all things that man is not free enough to be responsible, I should be driven at once into Antinomianism or fatalism. That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one part of the Bible that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find, in another Scripture, that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is only my folly that leads me to imagine that these two truths can ever contradict each other. I do not believe they can ever be welded into one upon any earthly anvil, but they certainly shall be one in eternity. They are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the human mind which pursues them farthest will never discover that they converge, but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring.

2007-02-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

testing