“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”
—Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, ed Andrew Bonar (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth: 1960), 179
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The chief difference between us and the disciples, when our Savior was upon earth, is in this: they then walked by sight, and we are called to walk by faith. They could see him with their bodily eyes; we cannot; but he said before he left them, "It is expedient for you that I go away." How could this be, unless that spiritual communion which he promised to maintain with his people after his ascension, were preferable to that fellowship he allowed them while he was visibly with them? But we are sure it is preferable, and those who had tried both—were well satisfied that he had made good his promise; so that, though they had known him after the flesh, they were content not to know him so any more.
Yes, madam, though we cannot see him—he sees us; he is nearer to us than we are to ourselves. In a natural state, we have very dark, and indeed dishonorable, thoughts of God—we conceive of him as at a distance. But when the heart is awakened, we begin to make Jacob's reflection, "Surely the Lord is in this place—and I knew it not!" And when we receive saving faith, we begin to know that this ever-present God is in Christ; that the government of heaven and earth, the dispensations of the kingdom of nature, providence, and grace—are in the hands of Jesus; that it is He with whom we have to do, who once suffered agony and death for our redemption, and whose compassion and tenderness are the same, now that he reigns over all blessed forever, as when he conversed among men in the days of his humiliation.
Thus God is made known to us by the Gospel, in the endearing views of a Savior, a Shepherd, a Husband, a Friend; and a way of access is opened for us through the veil, that is, the human nature of our Redeemer, to enter, with humble confidence, into the holiest of all, and to repose all our cares and concerns upon the strength of that everlasting arm which upholds heaven and earth, and upon that infinite love which submitted to the shame, pain, and death of the cross—to redeem sinners from wrath and misery!
Though there is a height, a breadth, a length, and a depth, in this mystery of redeeming love, exceeding the comprehension of all finite minds; yet the great and leading principles which are necessary for the support and comfort of our souls, may be summed up in a very few words. Such a summary we are favored with in Titus 2:11-14, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Here the whole of salvation, all that is needful to be known, experienced, practiced, and hoped for, is comprised within the compass of four verses.
-The complete letter can be found here.
HT: Grace Gems
“There are two ‘courts’ we must deal with: the court of God in Heaven and the court of conscience in our souls. When we first trust in Christ for salvation, God’s court is forever satisfied. Never again will a charge of guilt be brought against us in Heaven. Our consciences, however, are continually pronouncing us guilty. That is the function of conscience. Therefore, we must by faith bring the verdict of conscience into line with the verdict of Heaven. We do this by agreeing with our conscience about our guilt, but then reminding it that our guilt has already been borne by Christ.”
- Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace (Colorado Springs, Co: NavPress, 1994), 54.
HT: Of First Importance
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1"Cry loudly, do not hold back;
Raise your voice like a trumpet,
And declare to My people their transgression
And to the house of Jacob their sins.
2"Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,
As a nation that has done righteousness
And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God
They ask Me for just decisions,
They delight in the nearness of God.
3'Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?'
Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,
And drive hard all your workers.
4"Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist
You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.
5"Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it for bowing one's head like a reed
And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?
6"Is this not the fast which I choose,
To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free
And break every yoke?
7"Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8"Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9"Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am '
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
10And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
11"And the LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
12"Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
13"If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot
From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,
14Then you will take delight in the LORD,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
| I ’m nobody! Who are you? | |
| Are you nobody, too? | |
| Then there ’s a pair of us—don’t tell! | |
| They ’d banish us, you know. | |
| | |
| How dreary to be somebody! | 5 |
| How public, like a frog | |
| To tell your name the livelong day | |
| To an admiring bog! |
THE BOTTOM LINE
Mark LaCour
"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:1-4)
A Christian's participation in politics, be it as simple as voting or complex as running for office, should match his prayers -- petitioning not for world peace but for the Church's peace in living out quiet, godly lives to accomplish the objective of educating sinners in God's saving truth. To have one objective before the throne of grace and another before the throne of men is hypocrisy. In other words, the Church always has an agenda when it relates to the powers that be -- how best to meet the Churchʼs mission here on earth. Here are some points to consider to that end:
First, the voting booth is just as sacred as the church altar. There is no sacred and secular compartments in the world -- everything is sacred. "Whether we eat or drink or whatever you do (that includes voting), do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). Weʼre driven by this single issue, and anything less marginalizes God.
Second, if our voting should glorify God, then our reasons for who we vote for should as well. Pragmatic reasons concerning who would best run the country or benefit my wallet must first give way to God-honoring reasons. Thereʼs a pecking order here. If I'm praying for the welfare of the Church and its mission in my culture, my vote should reflect who would be closer to seeing that happen -- voting many times between the lesser of two evils, or even not at all. While no candidate is "Godʼs" candidate in the election, some have better platforms than others in seeing our above prayers accomplished.
Lastly, accept those who may reason differently from you on which candidate can best accomplish the Church's above mission. This is similar to the "logic" of believers when it comes to eating things sacrificed to idols (1 Cor. 8) -- some could, some couldn't. But both did so before God and both were accepted in the Church. After all, if voting was allowed in the 1st Century who do you think would make a "better" Caesar in regards to the Church, Nero or Domitian?
God doesn't save republicans or democrats -- only sinners. Be careful in making the candidates or the issues the determining factor in your voting. The issue is always God -- and lost fellow-citizens needs to hear that from voting Christians.
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“Before you can ever make a clean and unamended confession of your sin, you have to first begin by confessing your righteousness. It’s not just your sin that separates you from God; your righteousness does as well. Because, when you are convinced you are righteous, you don’t seek the forgiving, rescuing, and restoring mercy that can be found only in Jesus Christ.”
- Paul David Tripp, Whiter Than Snow (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2008), 22.
HT: Of First Importance
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When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.
When I hear the wicked call,
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.
When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart,
Then Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.
When the praise of Heav’n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters’ noise,
Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.
Even on earth, as through a glass
Darkly, let Thy glory pass,
Make forgiveness feel so sweet,
Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,
Even on earth, Lord, make me know
Something of how much I owe.
Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Savior’s side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.
Oft I walk beneath the cloud,
Dark, as midnight’s gloomy shroud;
But, when fear is at the height,
Jesus comes, and all is light;
Blessed Jesus! bid me show
Doubting saints how much I owe.
When in flowery paths I tread,
Oft by sin I’m captive led;
Oft I fall—but still arise—
The Spirit comes—the tempter flies;
Blessed Spirit! bid me show
Weary sinners all I owe.
Oft the nights of sorrow reign—
Weeping, sickness, sighing, pain;
But a night Thine anger burns—
Morning comes and joy returns;
God of comforts! bid me show
To Thy poor, how much I owe.
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“Healing from duty, and not from Christ, is the most desperate disease.”
- Thomas Wilcox, “Honey Out of the Rock"
HT: Of First Importance
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The value of time must be taken into the account. Time is a precious talent, and our Christian profession opens a wide field for the due improvement of it. Much of it has been already lost--and therefore we are exhorted to redeem it.
Many things which custom pleads for, will not be suitable to a Christian, for this one reason--that they are not consistent with the simplest notion of the redemption of time. It is generally said--that we need relaxation. I allow it in a sense--the Lord Himself has provided it; and because our spirits are too weak to be always upon the wing in meditation and prayer, He has appointed to all men--the cares and toils of life.
And when everything of this sort in each person's situation is properly attended to, if the heart is in a right state--spiritual concerns will present themselves, as affording the noblest, sweetest, and most interesting relaxation from the necessary toils of life. On the other hand, secular work will be the best relaxation and unbending of the mind from pious exercises. Between the two, perhaps there ought to be but little mere leisure time. A life, in this sense divided between God and the world, is desirable, when one part of it is spent in retirement, seeking after and conversing with Him whom our souls love; and the other part of it employed in active services for the good of our family, friends, the church, and society, for His sake. Every hour which does not fall in with one or other of these views, I apprehend is lost time.
"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16
HT: Grace Gems
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It is a primary ministry of the Holy Spirit to come and convict the world of sin. And so know this... that when you do not deal specifically, passionately, lovingly with men and their depraved condition, the Holy Spirit is nowhere around you.
"I well remember distributing them in a town in England where tracts had never been distributed before, and going from house to house, and telling in humble language the things of the kingdom of God. I might have done nothing, if I had not been encouraged by finding myself able to do something ... [Tracts are] adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers ... They may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast.
"I look upon the giving away of a religious tract as only the first step for action not to be compared with many another deed done for Christ; but were it not for the first step we might never reach to the second, but that first attained, we are encouraged to take another, and so at the last ... There is a real service of Christ in the distribution of the gospel in its printed form, a service the result of which heaven alone shall disclose, and the judgment day alone discover. How many thousands have been carried to heaven instrumentally upon the wings of these tracts, none can tell ...
"Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing."
“From the far star points of his pinned extremities,
cold inched in—black ice and squid ink—
till the hung flesh was empty.
Lonely in that void even for pain,
he missed his splintered feet,
the human stare buried in his face.
He ached for two hands made of meat
he could reach to the end of.
In the corpse’s core, the stone fist
of his heart began to bang
on the stiff chest’s door, and breath spilled
back into that battered shape. Now
it’s your limbs he comes to fill, as warm water
shatters at birth, rivering every way.”
—Mary Karr, “Descending Theology: The Resurrection” (Poetry, January 2006)
HT: 22 Words & Of First Importance
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“In the religious approach, repentance separates you from the source of your power and your hope and your confidence - because thats a good record.
But in the gospel, repentance reconnects you to the source of your power and your confidence and your joy. Why? Because the source of your self image, the source of your power, the source of your confidence is not your record, but his record. Not what you have done, but what he has done.”
- Tim Keller, “He came to himself” (message given at Redeemer Presbyterian Church)
HT: Of First Importance
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Why doesn’t God totally remove Satan and all demons now, since he will someday without their approval (Revelation 20:10)?
Here is the answer I propose in the first paragraph of chapter nine of Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. The rest of the chapter gives the biblical basis and implications.
The glory of Christ is seen in his absolute right and power to annihilate or incapacitate Satan and all demons. But the reason he refrains from destroying and disabling them altogether is to manifest more clearly his superior beauty and worth. If Christ obliterated all devils and demons now (which he could do), his sheer power would be seen as glorious, but his superior beauty and worth would not shine as brightly as when humans renounce the promises of Satan and take pleasure in the greater glory of Christ.
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“Every time you acknowledge your sin, you long for Jesus too. But you’re not longing for the final sacrifice, because it’s already been made. No, you and I long for final deliverance. We long for that moment when we’ll be taken to the place where sin will be no more. We long to see Jesus, to be with him, and to be like him. Isn’t it comforting to know that that final deliverance has been written into the story as well? It is our guaranteed future. And so we long with hope.”
- Paul David Tripp, Whiter Than Snow (Wheaton, IL.: Crossway Books, 2008), 90.
HT: Of First Importance
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Do Not Be Afraid
(Letters of John Newton)
How wonderful is Christ's administration in His kingdom of grace! He is present with all His creatures--but in a special manner with His own people--each of whom are monuments of His saving power. For He finds them all in a state of rebellion and enmity--and makes them His willing people! From the moment that He reveals His love to them--He espouses their cause, and takes all their concerns into His own hands. He is near and attentive to every one of them--as if there were only that one!
This high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, before whom the angels veil their faces--condescends to hold communion with those whom men despise. He passes by the kings and the princes--to manifest Himself to a humble soul in a mud-walled cottage! He . . .
comforts them when in trouble,
strengthens them when weak,
makes their beds in sickness,
revives them when fainting, and
upholds them when falling!
He so wisely and effectually manages for them, that, though they are persecuted and tempted, though their enemies are many and mighty--nothing is able to separate them from His love!
We shall find Him, in all situations--to be our sun, shield, and exceeding great reward! He says to all of His children, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you! I have called you by name--you are Mine! When you go through deep waters and great trouble--I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty--you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression--you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior!" Isaiah 43:1-3.
HT: Grace Gems
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I preached a sermon by that title ["Confessing Our Sins] on October 12. You can get the MP3 here.
My thesis was that we do not confess our sins in order to be forgiven, but to have the once-for-all work of Christ applied afresh to our hearts and consciences, thus restoring our assurance and fellowship with God.
It may sound a bit unconventional to say that we do not confess our sins in order to be forgiven, but if we believe in the the doctrines of (a) propitiation (1 John 2:2), (b) justification (Rom 5:1), and (c) union with Christ (Eph 1:4-6), then it follows that all our sins - past, present, and future - are already forgiven in Christ, even before we confess them. Our objective judicial status does not change when we sin. Thus confession of sin must have to do with our subjective relationship and sense of fellowship with God.
The text was 1 John 1:5-2:2, especially verse 7: “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I argued that ”one another” does not refer to fellowship among believers, but fellowship with God (cp. verse 3: “… and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”).
In addition to dealing with the why of confessing our sins, I also gave seven practical applications on the how of confessing our sins.
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In his sermon this morning our pastor quoted John Paton's Autobiography (still in print almost 120 years after it was first published). It's a quote I've heard often and one that has stirred me every time. It describes Paton leaving his home in Torthorwald to attend missionary school in Glasgow (just to get to the train he had to walk some forty miles). His godly father accompanied him for the first portion of the journey. Here is what happened:
My dear father walked with me the first six miles of the way. His counsels and tears and heavenly conversation on that parting journey are fresh in my heart as if it had been but yesterday; and tears are on my cheeks as freely now as then, whenever memory steals me away to the scene. For the last half mile or so we walked on together in almost unbroken silence - my father, as was often his custom, carrying hat in hand, while his long flowing yellow hair (then yellow, but in later years white as snow) streamed like a girl's down his shoulders. His lips kept moving in silent prayers for me; and his tears fell fast when our eyes met each other in looks for which all speech was vain! We halted on reaching the appointed parting place; he grasped my hand firmly for a minute in silence, and then solemnly and affectionately said: "God bless you, my son! Your father's God prosper you, and keep you from all evil!"
Unable to say more, his lips kept moving in silent prayer; in tears we embraced, and parted. I ran off as fast as I could; and, when about to turn a corner in the road where he would lose sight of me, I looked back and saw him still standing with head uncovered where I had left him - gazing after me. Waving my hat in adieu, I rounded the corner and out of sight in instant. But my heart was too full and sore to carry me further, so I darted into the side of the road and wept for time. Then, rising up cautiously, I climbed the dike to see if he yet stood where I had left him; and just at that moment I caught a glimpse of him climbing the dike and looking out for me! He did not see me, and after he gazed eagerly in my direction for a while he got down, set his face toward home, and began to return - his head still uncovered, and his heart, I felt sure, still rising in prayers for me. I watched through blinding tears, till his form faded from my gaze; and then, hastening on my way, vowed deeply and oft, by the help of God, to live and act so as never to grieve or dishonor such a father and mother as he had given me.
“The mother never has such success in showing her affection to her child as when he is in distress, sick, poor, or imprisoned. So Christ shows His affection to His children when tempted, or when bested by temptation.
When His children lie in Satan’s prison, bleeding under the wounds of their consciences, this is the season He takes to give an example of His tender heart in pitying, His faithfulness in praying for them, His mindfulness in sending help to them, His dear love in visiting them by His comforting Spirit.
Thus Jesus Christ, whom Satan thought to bring out of the soul’s favor and liking, comes in the end to sit higher and surer in the saint’s affections than ever.”
—William Gurnall, Christian in Complete Armour
HT: Of First Importance
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Exercises of sin and grace
(Letters of John Newton)
Alas, how vain is man! What a contradiction is a believer to himself!
If I were to describe him from the Scriptural portrait--I would say that he is one whose heart is athirst for God, for His glory, and for His presence; that his affections are fixed upon an unseen Savior; that his treasures, and consequently his thoughts, are on eternal realities, far beyond the bounds of sense. Having experienced much God's forgiveness, he is full of mercy and forgiveness to all around. Having been often deceived by his own heart, he dares trust it no more--but lives by faith in the Son of God--for wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and derives from Him grace upon grace; sensible that without Him--he has not sufficiency even to think a good thought! In short--he is dead to the world, to sin, to self; but alive to God, and lively in His service. Prayer is his breath, the Word of God is his food, and Christ is more precious to him than the light of the sun. Such is a believer--in his judgment and prevailing desires.
But was I to describe him from his actual experience, especially at some times--how different would the picture be!
Though he knows that communion with God is his highest privilege, he too seldom finds it so; on the contrary, if duty, conscience, and necessity did not compel him--he would leave the throne of grace unvisited from day to day!
He takes up the Bible, conscious that it is the fountain of life and true comfort; yet perhaps, while he is making the reflection, he feels a secret distaste, which prompts him to lay it down, and give his preference to a newspaper!
He needs not to be told of the vanity and uncertainty of the world, and all beneath the sun; and yet he is almost as much elated or cast down by a trifle--as those who have their only portion in this world!
He believes that all things shall work together for his good, and that the most high God appoints, adjusts, and overrules all of his concerns; yet he feels the risings of fear, anxiety, and displeasure, as though the contrary was true!
He owns himself to be ignorant, and liable to be deceived by a thousand fallacies; yet he is easily betrayed into flattering views of himself, and self-conceit! He feels himself to be an unprofitable, unfaithful, unthankful servant--and therefore blushes to harbor a thought of desiring the esteem and commendations of men--yet he cannot suppress it!
By these exercises of sin and grace--the Lord teaches us more truly to know and feel the utter depravity and corruption of our whole nature--that we are indeed defiled in every part! His method of salvation is hereby exceedingly endeared to us! We see that it is and must be of grace, wholly of grace; and that the Lord Jesus Christ, and His perfect righteousness, is and must be--our all in all.
God's power likewise, in maintaining His own work, notwithstanding our infirmities, temptations, and enemies--is hereby displayed in the clearest light; His strength is manifested in our weakness!
Satan likewise, is more remarkably disappointed and put to shame--when he finds bounds set to his rage and wiles, beyond which he cannot pass; and that those in whom he finds so much evil to work upon, and over whom he so often prevails for a season--escape at last out of his hands!
He casts them down--but they are raised again!
He wounds them--but they are healed!
He obtains his desire to sift them as wheat--but the prayer of their great Advocate prevails for the maintenance of their faith!
Further, by what believers feel in themselves--they learn by degrees how to warn, pity, and bear with others. A soft, patient, and compassionate spirit, and a readiness and skill in comforting those who are cast down--is not perhaps attainable in any other way!
I believe that nothing more habitually reconciles a child of God to the thought of death, than the wearisomeness of this warfare with sin and temptation. Death is unwelcome to human nature. But the Christian knows that not until death--will the conflict cease! Then we shall sin no more! The flesh, with all its attendant evils, will be laid in the grave. Then the soul, which has been partaker of a new and heavenly birth, shall be freed from every encumbrance, and stand perfect in the Redeemer's righteousness before God in eternal glory! When we see Jesus, we shall be transformed into His image--and be done with sin and sorrow forever!
HT: Grace Gems
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Though we can fall of ourselves--we cannot rise without God's help! Indeed, every sin, in its own nature, has a tendency towards a final apostasy! By our repeated slips and falls into sin, we gain a more emphatic conviction of our own vileness and depravity; and we experimentally learn and feel our own weakness.
In His own time, Jesus returns to convince, humble, pardon, comfort and renew the soul. We begin at length to learn that we are nothing, have nothing, can do nothing--but sin! And thus we are gradually prepared to live more outside of ourselves--and to derive all our sufficiency of every kind from Jesus, the fountain of all grace. We learn to tread more warily; to trust less to our own strength; to have lower thoughts of ourselves, and higher thoughts of Jesus!
This wretched state of sin and temptation, makes the thoughts of death and eternity desirable. Then this conflict shall cease! Then I shall sin and wander no more, shall see Him as he is, and be like Him forever!
HT: Grace Gems
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