Friday, July 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
About Receiving Salvation
ETERNAL SECURITY
Will God accept our imperfect level of sincerity?
God doesn’t reject His people, He redeems them.
Because of our imperfectness we do not deserve salvation and there is nothing we can do to earn it (Ephesians 2:8,9). It is only by Gods grace through the gift of faith that we are saved.
Scripture tells us that due to the greatness, sufficiency, and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice at the Cross, all those who have been baptized by the Spirit (born again), and have truly received Christ as Savior are eternally secure in salvation, kept by God’s power, secured and sealed in Christ forever (John ch 3; 6:37-40; Ephesians 1:13,4:30).
Thus if a person is genuinely sincere in believing in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and that through Him is the only Way to be saved they are reconciled with Father God and are gifted eternal life (John 3:16). Father God convicts His people to have faith in His Son alone, a faith that is a living faith and not just a said faith.
But it is not the level of a genuine living faith a Christian has that determines if God will accept them or not. Jesus points this out in (Luke 17:6), what even a small faith can bring about. More important than the quantity of faith is the object of faith, a great and powerful God. So whether the level of a Christian’s faith is small and immature or great and mature doesn’t matter when it comes to salvation because God is the focus, and He is the only One who can and will transform His people by cleansing and moving the mountain of imperfection and sin out and away from them thus ultimately making them holy, pure, and perfect in every way.
Salvation is not based upon being perfect. Despite our depravity we are by God’s grace justified and saved by the righteous blood of our faith object, Jesus Christ. We as imperfect beings are reconciled and sealed in personal relationship with God, blessed with the gift of eternal security, and gradually over a lifetime made holy. Once saved our immature faith, trust, and obedience continues to increase and mature and eventually we lose the desire to sin and our willingness to fully surrender our life to God becomes genuinely evident and sincere.
God bless
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
MY REDEEMER LIVES MINISTRIES
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Holy Scripture
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Holy Scripture
Our God is a Triune God
Our Father in Heaven
In deity, Father is the first person of the Triune Godhead, our "Abba! Father!" (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). He in Trinity is coequal and co-eternal with the Son and Holy Spirit. He is pure spirit and Light who with infinite wisdom glorifies His Son over all of creation. We believe the mystery of His sovereign purpose and plan is His mercy to unite all things in Him through and in Christ (Ephesians 1:9,10), by grace redeeming some (Ephesians 1:5,6; 2:7), and by a display of justice punishing others to an everlasting death (Proverbs 16:4). Father God has a personal relationship with His people and has forgiven, reconciled and adopted them through His Son alone by the Holy Spirit (John 6:37-65). We believe He sent His Son to earth incarnate, to atone for the sins of his people (Romans 6:23). The Father gave His Son as a gift so that His chosen elect (Romans 8:28-30), may be saved for eternal life to honor, worship, and glorify Him forever. We believe that by worshiping the Son the Father is exalted.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ
Jesus asked, "Who Do You Say That I AM?" We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and that He is of the same substance and spiritual essence of the Father and Holy Spirit (Isaiah 6:9; 48:16; Romans 1:4 Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13). His Name is above all names in the universe (Philippians 2:9). He is the only begotten Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, 100% Divine, and by incarnation 100% human (John 1:1,14). He is no less God than He is man. Jesus is the author of God’s Word and all His teachings are absolute truth (John 1:1; 14:6). In order that he might glorify God the Father by Divine purpose he was sent to earth as Savior and Lord to gift a merciful salvation to His depraved people (Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:8). Jesus descended from heaven and was conceived by the Holy Spirit through the virgin birth of Mary (Luke 1:31-35). Jesus dwelt on earth and lived a perfect, sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). He came to earth to shed His Blood and die at the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the world so that by grace through faith all those who believe in and worship Him are eternally forgiven and reconciled with Father God (John 3:16-18;Romans 8:32-34). We believe that Jesus, on the third Day, resurrected from the dead and that this fact witnessed by over 500 people proves His deity and proves Christianity is founded on absolute evidence and truth (John 10:17,18; Acts 1:3; 2:24-35;Romans 1:4; Philippians 3:21). Forty days after resurrecting He ascended to the third highest heaven in His metaphysical glorified body and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Jesus is His peoples Lord God, Savior, High Priest, and King (Psalms 102). We believe no one comes to Father except through Jesus and that He is the only Way a person can be saved (John 14:6). He alone is the mediator and intercessor between God the Father and His people (Acts 4:12; 1Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit who is a distinct divine person being the third person of the Godhead. He is co-eternal and coequal with the Father and Son in glory (John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14). He is the "Helper" the Father and Son sent to teach God's people all things and to bring to our remembrance all that Jesus said (Hebrews 10:15). The work of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ (John 16:7-15. He enlightens (Ephesians 1:17-18), regenerates (John 3:5-8), and transforms (2 Corinthians 3:18), making God's people holy over a lifetime of sanctification (Galatians 5:16-18). God baptizes all believers into His family and they are born again and united to the risen Christ through the Spirit who seals their salvation by whom the Father guarantees eternal redemption (Ephesians 4:30). Through this baptism by the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8), we believe that the gifts of life service of the Christian are given (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). We also believe that the miraculous gifts empowered by the Spirit no longer function to the same degree they did in the early church.
Concerning Satan
Satan the Devil is the fallen angel Lucifer who is the accuser of God's people (Revelation 12:9). He is real, our adversary (Zechariah 3:1,2), destroyer (Revelation 9:11), tempter (Matthew 4:3), wicked one (1John 5:18,19), Ruler of this world (John 12:31), god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), father of lies and deceits (John 8:44), angel of light, disguising evil as good (1 Corinthians 11:14) and serpent ( Revelation 12:9; 20:2).
Fallen Angels
We believe fallen angels are invisible, supernatural angelic spirit creatures created by God during the time of Creation (2 Peter 2:4). They were cast out of heaven because of wrong doing against God. They have real but limited power and freedom of movement (2 Thessalonians 2:6). Demons have both knowledge and strength (Mark 1:24; 9:17-27). Fallen angels are named and referred to in the Bible as devils, demons, evil, and unclean spirits. Demons comprise one-third of all angels God created and their number in population is considered innumerable. There could easily be more fallen angels on and around earth than there are living people. We believe Satan is the god of fallen angels. We believe fallen angels spend their time all over the planet earth tempting, taunting, teasing, deceiving, and causing sickness and disease and accusing people [especially those who know the Lord], of wrongdoing (Ephesians 6:10,11). We believe demons have the ability to possess a person that is not protected by God causing them to do sinful and evil things. Their strategy for war is spiritual mind control and they are active in God’s churches attempting to draw people away from the truth. Their goal is to separate as many people away from God as possible taking them to eternal hell with them.
Humanity
Humanity
We believe that humanity both in body and in spirit came into existence by direct creation of God (Genesis 2:7). Man (Adam), and woman (Eve), were made in the spirit image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26)-that is, with a personal and self conscious, with a God like capacity for knowledge, thought, and action. We believe God made humans morally righteous (Genesis 1:31), but because of free will they choose to sin making themselves amoral (Romans 3:10, 23). We believe the amoral fall of man was caused by Adam and Eve and that they are responsible for diminishing God's image in humanity which caused all humans to have a sinful nature (Genesis 3:17; 6:5;Romans 3:9-20; 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:22). We believe humans retain God's image but because of a depraved body and soul it does not function righteously thus humans are not capable of being moral beings (Romans 3:23). Humanity is utterly unable to remedy this fallen state. We believe however, that once a person is saved they are then "born again" and are progressively restored in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We believe that humanity does not deserve salvation nor can they earn it.
Salvation of Humanity
Salvation of Humanity
We believe salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9). We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 1:12; Romans 6:23). Christ’s death fully accomplished justification through faith and redemption from sin (Romans 4:1-7; 8:30). Christ died in our place and bore our sins in His own body (Romans 5:19; 1 Peter 2:24). Due to the greatness, sufficiency, and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice at the Cross, all those who have been baptized by the Spirit (regenerated/born again), and have truly received Christ as Savior are eternally secure in salvation, kept by God’s power, secured and sealed in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; Ephesians 1:30,4:30) . Just as salvation cannot be earned by good works, neither does it need good works to be maintained or sustained (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). Good works and changed lives are the inevitable results of salvation (Matthew 7:20). Even though it is not necessary to be baptized by ritual ceremony to be saved.
The Universal Church of Jesus Christ
The Universal Church of Jesus Christ
The universal Church body is made up of all those who have died and worship God in the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22-24), and those who are still on earth worshiping in God’s presence in local congregations (1 Corinthians 12:12-12-27; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 3:6; 4:4; Revelation 2:1). We believe there is but one church known perfectly to God and known imperfectly on earth. We believe the church is founded on the teachings of the apostles (Ephesians 2:20), and that Christians are to share the Gospel message to a lost world (Matthew 28:19). And those who refuse to share and join with other believers in worship and evangelism disobey God (Hebrews 10:25). We also believe in the two ordinances of baptism by water as a testimony to one’s faith, and the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s death and shed blood.
The Last Things
The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ with His heavenly saints to rapture His saints on earth. We believe He will fulfill His promise to restore Paradise lost on earth and to fully establish His Kingdom. We believe in the physical body resurrection of the dead for Christ’s final judgment. All those whose spirits went to heaven when they died were made holy and righteous and will live in everlasting joy with God in the new heaven and earth, and the spirits of all those who remained wicked were cast out away from heaven when they died will appear at the great White Throne Judgment and cast into eternal darkness where their endless suffering will last forever (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:1-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46).
MY Redeemer Lives Ministries-Confession of Faith 5/23/2009
MY Redeemer Lives Ministries-Confession of Faith 5/23/2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Holiness of God by A.W. Pink
The Attributes of God - The Holiness of God by Arthur Pink
'Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy' (Rev 15:4). He only is independently, infinitely, immutably holy. In Scripture He is frequently styled 'The Holy ONE': He is so because the sum of all moral excellency is found in Him. He is absolute Purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin. 'God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all' (1 John 1:5). Holiness is the very excellency of the divine nature: the great God is 'glorious in holiness' (Exo 15:11). Therefore do we read, 'Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity' (Hab 1:13). As God's power is the opposite of the native weakness of the creature, as His wisdom is in complete contrast from the least defect of understanding or folly, so His holiness is the very antithesis of all moral blemish or defilement. Of old God appointed singers in Israel 'that should praise the beauty of holiness' (2 Chron 20:21). 'Power is God's hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy, His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty' (S. Charnock). It is this, supremely, which renders Him lovely to those who are delivered from sin's dominion.
A chief emphasis is placed upon this perfection of God:
'God is oftener styled Holy than Almighty, and set forth by this part of His dignity more than by any other. This is more fixed on as an epithet to His name than any other. You never find it expressed 'His mighty name' or 'His wise name' but His great name, and most of all, His holy name. This is the greatest title of honor; in this latter doth the majesty and venerableness of His name appear' (S. Charnock).
This perfection, as none other, is solemnly celebrated before the Throne of Heaven, the seraphim crying, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts' (Isa 6:3). God Himself singles out this perfection, 'Once have I sworn by My holiness' (Psa 89:35). God swears by His 'holiness' because that is a fuller expression of Himself than any thing else. Therefore we are exhorted, 'Sing unto the LORD, 0 yea saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness' (Psa 30:4). 'This may be said to be a transcendental attribute, that, as it were, runs through the rest, and casts luster upon them. It is an attribute of attributes' (J. Howe, 1670). Thus we read: 'the beauty of the LORD' (Psa 27:4), which is none other than 'the beauty of holiness' (Psa 110:3).
'As it seems to challenge an excellency above all His other perfection’s, so it is the glory of all the rest: as it is the glory of the Godhead, so it is the glory of every perfection in the Godhead; as His power is the strength of them, so His holiness is the beauty of them; as all would be weak without almightiness to back them, so all would be uncommonly without holiness to adorn them. Should this be sullied, all the rest would lose their honor; as at the same instant the sun should lose its light, it would lose its heat, its strength, its generative and quickening virtue. As sincerity is the luster of every grace in a Christian, so is purity the splendor of every attribute in the Godhead. His justice is a holy justice, His wisdom a holy wisdom, His power a 'holy arm' (Psa 98:1). His truth or promise a 'holy promise' (Psa 105:42). His name, which signifies all His attributes in conjunction is 'holy'' (Psa 103:1) (S. Charnock).
God's holiness is manifested in His works. 'The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works' (Psa 145:17). Nothing but that which is excellent can proceed from Him. Holiness is the rule of all His actions. At the beginning He pronounced all that He made 'very good' (Gen 1:31), which He could not have done had there been anything imperfect or unholy in them. Man was made 'upright' (Eccl 7:29), in the image and likeness of his Creator. The angels that fell were created holy, for we are told that they 'kept not their first estate [habitation]' (Jude 6). Of Satan it is written, 'Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that the wast created, till iniquity was found in thee' (Eze 28:15).
God's holiness is manifested in His law. That law forbids sin in all of its modifications: in its most refined as well as its grossest forms, the intent of the mind as well as the pollution of the body, the secret desire as well as the overt act. Therefore do we read, 'The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good' (Rom 7:12). Yes, 'the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether' (Psa 19:8,9).
God's holiness is manifested at the cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the atonement display God's infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin. How hateful sin must be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!
'Not all the vials of judgment that have or shall be poured out upon the wicked world, nor the flaming furnace of a sinner's conscience, nor the irreversible sentence pronounced against the rebellious demons, nor the groans of the damned creatures, give such a demonstration of God's hatred of sin, as the wrath of God let loose upon His Son. Never did divine holiness appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Savior’s countenance was most marred in the midst of His dying groans. This He Himself acknowledges in Psalm 22. When God had turned His smiling face from Him, and thrust His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' He adores this perfection--'Thou art holy'' (v.3) (S. Charnock).
Because God is holy He hates all sin. He loves everything which is in conformity to His laws, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. His Word plainly declares, 'The forward is abomination to the LORD' (Prov 3:32). And again, 'The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD' (Prov 15:26). It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment than without requiring His hatred of it. God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having born his punishment: for 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb 9:22). Therefore we are told 'The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies' (Nahum 1:2). For one sin God banished our first parents from Eden. For one sin all the posterity of Canaan, a son of Ham, fell under a curse which remains over them to this day (Gen 9:21). For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan, Elisha's servant smitten with leprosy, Ananias and Sapphira cut off out of the land of the living.
Herein we find proof for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. The unregenerate do not really believe in the holiness of God. Their conception of His character is altogether one-sided. They fondly hope that His mercy will override everything else. 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself' (Psa 50:21) is God's charge against them. They think only of a 'god' patterned after their own evil hearts. Hence their continuance in a course of mad folly. Such is the holiness ascribed to the divine nature and character in Scripture that it clearly demonstrates their superhuman origin. The character attributed to the 'gods' of the ancients and of modern heathendom is the very reverse of that immaculate purity which pertains to the true God. An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of all sin, was never invented by any of Adam’s fallen descendants! The fact is that nothing makes more manifest the terrible depravity of man's heart and his emnity against the living God than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy. His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls 'crime.' Anything short of that, man palliates as 'defects,' 'mistakes,' 'infirmities,' etc. And even where sin is owned at all, excuses and extenuations are made for it.
The 'god' which the vast majority of professing Christians 'love' is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the 'indiscretions' of youth. But the Word says, 'Thou hatest all workers of iniquity' (Psa 5:5). And again, 'God is angry with the wicked every day' (Psa 7:11). But men refuse to believe in this God, and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention. No, sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God than to create the Lake of Fire in which he will be tormented for ever and ever.
Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of creature doings is utterly impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity. Can darkness dwell with Light? Can the Immaculate One take pleasure in 'filthy rags' (Isa 64:6)? The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit. God would deny Himself, vilify His perfections, were He to account as righteous and holy that which is not so in itself; and nothing is so which has the least stain upon it contrary to the nature of God. But blessed be His name, that which His holiness demanded, His grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to Him for refuge stands 'accepted in the Beloved' (Eph 1:6). Hallelujah!
Because God is holy the utmost reverence becomes our approaches unto Him. 'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him' (Psa 89:7). Then 'Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool; He is holy' (Psa 99:5). Yes, 'at His footstool,' in the lowest posture of humility, prostrate before Him. When Moses would approach unto the burning bush, God said, 'Take off thy shoes from off thy feet' (Exo 3:5). He is to be served 'with fear' (Psa 2:1 1). Of Israel His demand was, 'I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified' (Lev 10:3). The more our hearts are awed by His ineffable holiness, the more acceptable will be our approaches unto Him.
Because God is holy we should desire to be conformed to Him. His commandment is, 'Be ye holy, for I am holy' (1 Peter 1:16). We are not bidden to be omnipotent or omniscient as God is, but we are to be holy, and that 'in all manner of conversation [deportment]' (1 Peter 1:15).
'This is the prime way of honouring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admirations, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services for Him as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and live to Him in living like Him' (S. Charnock).
Then as God alone is the Source and Fount of holiness, let us earnestly seek holiness from Him; let our daily prayer be that He may 'sanctify us wholly; and our whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Thess 5:23).
'Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy' (Rev 15:4). He only is independently, infinitely, immutably holy. In Scripture He is frequently styled 'The Holy ONE': He is so because the sum of all moral excellency is found in Him. He is absolute Purity, unsullied even by the shadow of sin. 'God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all' (1 John 1:5). Holiness is the very excellency of the divine nature: the great God is 'glorious in holiness' (Exo 15:11). Therefore do we read, 'Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity' (Hab 1:13). As God's power is the opposite of the native weakness of the creature, as His wisdom is in complete contrast from the least defect of understanding or folly, so His holiness is the very antithesis of all moral blemish or defilement. Of old God appointed singers in Israel 'that should praise the beauty of holiness' (2 Chron 20:21). 'Power is God's hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy, His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty' (S. Charnock). It is this, supremely, which renders Him lovely to those who are delivered from sin's dominion.
A chief emphasis is placed upon this perfection of God:
'God is oftener styled Holy than Almighty, and set forth by this part of His dignity more than by any other. This is more fixed on as an epithet to His name than any other. You never find it expressed 'His mighty name' or 'His wise name' but His great name, and most of all, His holy name. This is the greatest title of honor; in this latter doth the majesty and venerableness of His name appear' (S. Charnock).
This perfection, as none other, is solemnly celebrated before the Throne of Heaven, the seraphim crying, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts' (Isa 6:3). God Himself singles out this perfection, 'Once have I sworn by My holiness' (Psa 89:35). God swears by His 'holiness' because that is a fuller expression of Himself than any thing else. Therefore we are exhorted, 'Sing unto the LORD, 0 yea saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness' (Psa 30:4). 'This may be said to be a transcendental attribute, that, as it were, runs through the rest, and casts luster upon them. It is an attribute of attributes' (J. Howe, 1670). Thus we read: 'the beauty of the LORD' (Psa 27:4), which is none other than 'the beauty of holiness' (Psa 110:3).
'As it seems to challenge an excellency above all His other perfection’s, so it is the glory of all the rest: as it is the glory of the Godhead, so it is the glory of every perfection in the Godhead; as His power is the strength of them, so His holiness is the beauty of them; as all would be weak without almightiness to back them, so all would be uncommonly without holiness to adorn them. Should this be sullied, all the rest would lose their honor; as at the same instant the sun should lose its light, it would lose its heat, its strength, its generative and quickening virtue. As sincerity is the luster of every grace in a Christian, so is purity the splendor of every attribute in the Godhead. His justice is a holy justice, His wisdom a holy wisdom, His power a 'holy arm' (Psa 98:1). His truth or promise a 'holy promise' (Psa 105:42). His name, which signifies all His attributes in conjunction is 'holy'' (Psa 103:1) (S. Charnock).
God's holiness is manifested in His works. 'The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works' (Psa 145:17). Nothing but that which is excellent can proceed from Him. Holiness is the rule of all His actions. At the beginning He pronounced all that He made 'very good' (Gen 1:31), which He could not have done had there been anything imperfect or unholy in them. Man was made 'upright' (Eccl 7:29), in the image and likeness of his Creator. The angels that fell were created holy, for we are told that they 'kept not their first estate [habitation]' (Jude 6). Of Satan it is written, 'Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that the wast created, till iniquity was found in thee' (Eze 28:15).
God's holiness is manifested in His law. That law forbids sin in all of its modifications: in its most refined as well as its grossest forms, the intent of the mind as well as the pollution of the body, the secret desire as well as the overt act. Therefore do we read, 'The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good' (Rom 7:12). Yes, 'the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether' (Psa 19:8,9).
God's holiness is manifested at the cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the atonement display God's infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin. How hateful sin must be to God for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!
'Not all the vials of judgment that have or shall be poured out upon the wicked world, nor the flaming furnace of a sinner's conscience, nor the irreversible sentence pronounced against the rebellious demons, nor the groans of the damned creatures, give such a demonstration of God's hatred of sin, as the wrath of God let loose upon His Son. Never did divine holiness appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Savior’s countenance was most marred in the midst of His dying groans. This He Himself acknowledges in Psalm 22. When God had turned His smiling face from Him, and thrust His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' He adores this perfection--'Thou art holy'' (v.3) (S. Charnock).
Because God is holy He hates all sin. He loves everything which is in conformity to His laws, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. His Word plainly declares, 'The forward is abomination to the LORD' (Prov 3:32). And again, 'The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD' (Prov 15:26). It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment than without requiring His hatred of it. God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having born his punishment: for 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb 9:22). Therefore we are told 'The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies' (Nahum 1:2). For one sin God banished our first parents from Eden. For one sin all the posterity of Canaan, a son of Ham, fell under a curse which remains over them to this day (Gen 9:21). For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan, Elisha's servant smitten with leprosy, Ananias and Sapphira cut off out of the land of the living.
Herein we find proof for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. The unregenerate do not really believe in the holiness of God. Their conception of His character is altogether one-sided. They fondly hope that His mercy will override everything else. 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself' (Psa 50:21) is God's charge against them. They think only of a 'god' patterned after their own evil hearts. Hence their continuance in a course of mad folly. Such is the holiness ascribed to the divine nature and character in Scripture that it clearly demonstrates their superhuman origin. The character attributed to the 'gods' of the ancients and of modern heathendom is the very reverse of that immaculate purity which pertains to the true God. An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of all sin, was never invented by any of Adam’s fallen descendants! The fact is that nothing makes more manifest the terrible depravity of man's heart and his emnity against the living God than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy. His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls 'crime.' Anything short of that, man palliates as 'defects,' 'mistakes,' 'infirmities,' etc. And even where sin is owned at all, excuses and extenuations are made for it.
The 'god' which the vast majority of professing Christians 'love' is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the 'indiscretions' of youth. But the Word says, 'Thou hatest all workers of iniquity' (Psa 5:5). And again, 'God is angry with the wicked every day' (Psa 7:11). But men refuse to believe in this God, and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention. No, sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God than to create the Lake of Fire in which he will be tormented for ever and ever.
Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of creature doings is utterly impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity. Can darkness dwell with Light? Can the Immaculate One take pleasure in 'filthy rags' (Isa 64:6)? The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit. God would deny Himself, vilify His perfections, were He to account as righteous and holy that which is not so in itself; and nothing is so which has the least stain upon it contrary to the nature of God. But blessed be His name, that which His holiness demanded, His grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to Him for refuge stands 'accepted in the Beloved' (Eph 1:6). Hallelujah!
Because God is holy the utmost reverence becomes our approaches unto Him. 'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him' (Psa 89:7). Then 'Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool; He is holy' (Psa 99:5). Yes, 'at His footstool,' in the lowest posture of humility, prostrate before Him. When Moses would approach unto the burning bush, God said, 'Take off thy shoes from off thy feet' (Exo 3:5). He is to be served 'with fear' (Psa 2:1 1). Of Israel His demand was, 'I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified' (Lev 10:3). The more our hearts are awed by His ineffable holiness, the more acceptable will be our approaches unto Him.
Because God is holy we should desire to be conformed to Him. His commandment is, 'Be ye holy, for I am holy' (1 Peter 1:16). We are not bidden to be omnipotent or omniscient as God is, but we are to be holy, and that 'in all manner of conversation [deportment]' (1 Peter 1:15).
'This is the prime way of honouring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admirations, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services for Him as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and live to Him in living like Him' (S. Charnock).
Then as God alone is the Source and Fount of holiness, let us earnestly seek holiness from Him; let our daily prayer be that He may 'sanctify us wholly; and our whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Thess 5:23).
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The love of God's holiness, an excerpt from Religious Affections, by Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections, Part III, Section III
And therefore it must needs be, that a sight of God's loveliness must begin here. A true love to God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this, and no otherwise than as (according to our way of conceiving of God) it derives its loveliness from this; and therefore it is impossible that other attributes should appear lovely, in their true loveliness, till this is seen; and it is impossible that any perfection of the divine nature should be loved with true love, till this is loved. If the true loveliness of all God's perfections, arises from the loveliness of his holiness; then the true love of all his perfections, arises from the love of his holiness. They that don't see the glory of God's holiness, can't see anything of the true glory of his mercy and grace: they see nothing of the glory of those attributes, as any excellency of God's nature, as it is in itself; though they may be affected with them, and love them, as they concern their interest: for these attributes are no part of the excellency of God's nature, as that is excellent in itself, any otherwise than as they are included in his holiness, more largely taken; or as they are a part of his moral perfection.... And therefore it is primarily an account of this kind of excellency, that the saints do love all these things. Thus they love the Word of God, because it is very pure. 'Tis on this account they love the saints; and on this account chiefly it is, that heaven is lovely to them, and those holy tabernacles of God amiable in their eyes: 'tis on this account that they love God; and on this account primarily it is, that they love Christ, and that their hearts delight in the doctrines of the gospel, and sweetly acquiesce in the way of salvation therein revealed. Under the head of the first distinguishing characteristic of gracious affection, I observed that there is given to those that are regenerated, a new supernatural sense, that is as it were a certain divine spiritual taste, which is in its whole nature diverse from any former kinds of sensation of the mind, as tasting is diverse from any of the other five senses, and that something is perceived by a true saint in the exercise of this new sense of mind, in spiritual and divine things, as entirely different from anything that is perceived in them by natural men, as the sweet taste of honey is diverse from the ideas men get of honey by looking on it or feeling of it; now this that I have been speaking, viz. the beauty of holiness is that thing in spiritual and divine things, which is perceived by this spiritual sense, that is so diverse from all that natural men perceive in them: this kind of beauty is the quality that is the immediate object of this spiritual sense: this is the sweetness that is the proper object of this spiritual taste. The Scripture often represents the beauty and sweetness of holiness as the grand object of a spiritual taste, and spiritual appetite. This was the sweet food of the holy soul of Jesus Christ, "I have meat to eat, that ye know not of…. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:32, John 4:34). I know of no part of the Holy Scriptures, where the nature and evidences of true and sincere godliness, are so much of set purpose, and so fully and largely insisted on and delineated, as the 119th Psalm; the Psalmist declares his design in the first verses of the psalm, and he keeps his eye on this design all along, and pursues it to the end: but in this psalm the excellency of holiness is represented as the immediate object of a spiritual taste, relish, appetite and delight, God's law, that grand expression and emanation of the holiness of God's nature, and prescription of holiness to the creature, is all along represented as the food and entertainment, and as the great object of the love, the appetite, the complacence and rejoicing of the gracious nature, which prizes God's commandments above gold, yea, the finest gold, and to which they are sweeter than the honey, and honeycomb; and that upon account of their holiness, as I observed before. The same Psalmist declares, that this is the sweetness that a spiritual taste relishes in God's law, "The law of the Lord is perfect…. The commandment of the Lord is pure…. The fear of the Lord is clean…. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart…. The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether: more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalms 19:7–10). A holy love has a holy object: the holiness of love consists especially in this that it is the love of that which is holy, as holy, or for its holiness; so that 'tis the holiness of the object, which is the quality whereon it fixes and terminates. An holy nature must needs love that in holy things chiefly, which is most agreeable to itself; but surely that in divine things, which above all others is agreeable to holy nature, is holiness; because holiness must be above all other things agreeable to holiness; for nothing can be more agreeable to any nature than itself; holy nature must be above all things agreeable to holy nature; and so the holy nature of God and Christ, and the Word of God, and other divine things, must be above all other things, agreeable to the holy nature that is in the saints. And again, an holy nature doubtless loves holy things, especially on the account of that, for which sinful nature has enmity against them: but that for which chiefly sinful nature is at enmity against holy things, is their holiness; it is for this, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and against the law of God, and the people of God. Now 'tis just arguing from contraries; from contrary causes, to contrary effects; from opposite natures, to opposite tendencies. We know that holiness is of a directly contrary nature to wickedness: as therefore 'tis the nature of wickedness chiefly to oppose and hate holiness; so it must be the nature of holiness chiefly to tend to, and delight in holiness. The holy nature in the saints and angels in heaven (where the true tendency of it best appears) is principally engaged by the holiness of divine things. This is the divine beauty which chiefly engages the attention, admiration and praise of the bright and burning seraphim; "One cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3). And: "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8). So the glorified saints, "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy." (ch. Revelation 15:4). And the Scriptures represent the saints on earth as adoring God primarily on this account, and admiring and extolling all God's attributes, either as deriving loveliness from his holiness, or as being a part of it. Thus when they praise God for his power, his holiness is the beauty that engages them: "O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory" (Psalms 98:1). So when they praise him for his justice and terrible majesty; "The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high above all people: let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy" (Psalms 99:2–3). "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, for he is holy" (ver. Psalms 99:5). "Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy" (verses Psalms 99:8–9). So when they praise God for his mercy and faithfulness; "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness" (Psalms 97:11–12). "There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2). By this therefore all may try their affections, and particularly their love and joy. Various kinds of creatures show the difference of their natures, very much, in the different things they relish as their proper good, one delighting in that which another abhors. Such a difference is there between true saints, and natural men: natural men have no sense of the goodness and excellency of holy things; at least for their holiness; they have no taste of that kind of good; and so may be said not to know that divine good, or not to see it; it is wholly hid from them: but the saints, by the mighty power of God, have it discovered to them: they have that supernatural, most noble and divine sense given them, by which they perceive it: and it is this that captivates their hearts, and delights them above all things; 'tis the most amiable and sweet thing to the heart of a true saint, that is to be found in heaven or earth; that which above all others attracts and engages his soul; and that wherein, above all things, he places his happiness, and which he lots upon for solace and entertainment to his mind, in this world, and full satisfaction and blessedness in another. By this you may examine your love to God, and to Jesus Christ, and to the Word of God, and your joy in them, and also your love to the people of God, and your desires after heaven; whether they be from a supreme delight in this sort of beauty, without being primarily moved from your imagined interest in them, or expectations from 'em. There are many high affections, great seeming love and rapturous joys, which have nothing of this holy relish belonging to 'em. Particularly, by what has been said you may try your discoveries of the glory of God's grace and love, and your affections arising from them. The grace of God may appear lovely two ways; either as bonum utile, a profitable good to me, that which greatly serves my interest, and so suits my self-love; or as bonum formosum, a beautiful good in itself, and part of the moral and spiritual excellency of the divine nature. In this latter respect it is that the true saints have their hearts affected, and love captivated by the free grace of God in the first place. From the things that have been said, it appears, that if persons have a great sense of the natural perfections of God, and are greatly affected with them, or have any other sight or sense of God, than that which consists in, or implies a sense of the beauty of his moral perfections, it is no certain sign of grace: as particularly, men's having a great sense of the awful greatness, and terrible majesty of God; for this is only God's natural perfection, and what men may see, and yet be entirely blind to the beauty of his moral perfection, and have nothing of that spiritual taste which relishes this divine sweetness.
And therefore it must needs be, that a sight of God's loveliness must begin here. A true love to God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this, and no otherwise than as (according to our way of conceiving of God) it derives its loveliness from this; and therefore it is impossible that other attributes should appear lovely, in their true loveliness, till this is seen; and it is impossible that any perfection of the divine nature should be loved with true love, till this is loved. If the true loveliness of all God's perfections, arises from the loveliness of his holiness; then the true love of all his perfections, arises from the love of his holiness. They that don't see the glory of God's holiness, can't see anything of the true glory of his mercy and grace: they see nothing of the glory of those attributes, as any excellency of God's nature, as it is in itself; though they may be affected with them, and love them, as they concern their interest: for these attributes are no part of the excellency of God's nature, as that is excellent in itself, any otherwise than as they are included in his holiness, more largely taken; or as they are a part of his moral perfection.... And therefore it is primarily an account of this kind of excellency, that the saints do love all these things. Thus they love the Word of God, because it is very pure. 'Tis on this account they love the saints; and on this account chiefly it is, that heaven is lovely to them, and those holy tabernacles of God amiable in their eyes: 'tis on this account that they love God; and on this account primarily it is, that they love Christ, and that their hearts delight in the doctrines of the gospel, and sweetly acquiesce in the way of salvation therein revealed. Under the head of the first distinguishing characteristic of gracious affection, I observed that there is given to those that are regenerated, a new supernatural sense, that is as it were a certain divine spiritual taste, which is in its whole nature diverse from any former kinds of sensation of the mind, as tasting is diverse from any of the other five senses, and that something is perceived by a true saint in the exercise of this new sense of mind, in spiritual and divine things, as entirely different from anything that is perceived in them by natural men, as the sweet taste of honey is diverse from the ideas men get of honey by looking on it or feeling of it; now this that I have been speaking, viz. the beauty of holiness is that thing in spiritual and divine things, which is perceived by this spiritual sense, that is so diverse from all that natural men perceive in them: this kind of beauty is the quality that is the immediate object of this spiritual sense: this is the sweetness that is the proper object of this spiritual taste. The Scripture often represents the beauty and sweetness of holiness as the grand object of a spiritual taste, and spiritual appetite. This was the sweet food of the holy soul of Jesus Christ, "I have meat to eat, that ye know not of…. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:32, John 4:34). I know of no part of the Holy Scriptures, where the nature and evidences of true and sincere godliness, are so much of set purpose, and so fully and largely insisted on and delineated, as the 119th Psalm; the Psalmist declares his design in the first verses of the psalm, and he keeps his eye on this design all along, and pursues it to the end: but in this psalm the excellency of holiness is represented as the immediate object of a spiritual taste, relish, appetite and delight, God's law, that grand expression and emanation of the holiness of God's nature, and prescription of holiness to the creature, is all along represented as the food and entertainment, and as the great object of the love, the appetite, the complacence and rejoicing of the gracious nature, which prizes God's commandments above gold, yea, the finest gold, and to which they are sweeter than the honey, and honeycomb; and that upon account of their holiness, as I observed before. The same Psalmist declares, that this is the sweetness that a spiritual taste relishes in God's law, "The law of the Lord is perfect…. The commandment of the Lord is pure…. The fear of the Lord is clean…. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart…. The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether: more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalms 19:7–10). A holy love has a holy object: the holiness of love consists especially in this that it is the love of that which is holy, as holy, or for its holiness; so that 'tis the holiness of the object, which is the quality whereon it fixes and terminates. An holy nature must needs love that in holy things chiefly, which is most agreeable to itself; but surely that in divine things, which above all others is agreeable to holy nature, is holiness; because holiness must be above all other things agreeable to holiness; for nothing can be more agreeable to any nature than itself; holy nature must be above all things agreeable to holy nature; and so the holy nature of God and Christ, and the Word of God, and other divine things, must be above all other things, agreeable to the holy nature that is in the saints. And again, an holy nature doubtless loves holy things, especially on the account of that, for which sinful nature has enmity against them: but that for which chiefly sinful nature is at enmity against holy things, is their holiness; it is for this, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and against the law of God, and the people of God. Now 'tis just arguing from contraries; from contrary causes, to contrary effects; from opposite natures, to opposite tendencies. We know that holiness is of a directly contrary nature to wickedness: as therefore 'tis the nature of wickedness chiefly to oppose and hate holiness; so it must be the nature of holiness chiefly to tend to, and delight in holiness. The holy nature in the saints and angels in heaven (where the true tendency of it best appears) is principally engaged by the holiness of divine things. This is the divine beauty which chiefly engages the attention, admiration and praise of the bright and burning seraphim; "One cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3). And: "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8). So the glorified saints, "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy." (ch. Revelation 15:4). And the Scriptures represent the saints on earth as adoring God primarily on this account, and admiring and extolling all God's attributes, either as deriving loveliness from his holiness, or as being a part of it. Thus when they praise God for his power, his holiness is the beauty that engages them: "O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory" (Psalms 98:1). So when they praise him for his justice and terrible majesty; "The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high above all people: let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy" (Psalms 99:2–3). "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool, for he is holy" (ver. Psalms 99:5). "Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy" (verses Psalms 99:8–9). So when they praise God for his mercy and faithfulness; "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness" (Psalms 97:11–12). "There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2). By this therefore all may try their affections, and particularly their love and joy. Various kinds of creatures show the difference of their natures, very much, in the different things they relish as their proper good, one delighting in that which another abhors. Such a difference is there between true saints, and natural men: natural men have no sense of the goodness and excellency of holy things; at least for their holiness; they have no taste of that kind of good; and so may be said not to know that divine good, or not to see it; it is wholly hid from them: but the saints, by the mighty power of God, have it discovered to them: they have that supernatural, most noble and divine sense given them, by which they perceive it: and it is this that captivates their hearts, and delights them above all things; 'tis the most amiable and sweet thing to the heart of a true saint, that is to be found in heaven or earth; that which above all others attracts and engages his soul; and that wherein, above all things, he places his happiness, and which he lots upon for solace and entertainment to his mind, in this world, and full satisfaction and blessedness in another. By this you may examine your love to God, and to Jesus Christ, and to the Word of God, and your joy in them, and also your love to the people of God, and your desires after heaven; whether they be from a supreme delight in this sort of beauty, without being primarily moved from your imagined interest in them, or expectations from 'em. There are many high affections, great seeming love and rapturous joys, which have nothing of this holy relish belonging to 'em. Particularly, by what has been said you may try your discoveries of the glory of God's grace and love, and your affections arising from them. The grace of God may appear lovely two ways; either as bonum utile, a profitable good to me, that which greatly serves my interest, and so suits my self-love; or as bonum formosum, a beautiful good in itself, and part of the moral and spiritual excellency of the divine nature. In this latter respect it is that the true saints have their hearts affected, and love captivated by the free grace of God in the first place. From the things that have been said, it appears, that if persons have a great sense of the natural perfections of God, and are greatly affected with them, or have any other sight or sense of God, than that which consists in, or implies a sense of the beauty of his moral perfections, it is no certain sign of grace: as particularly, men's having a great sense of the awful greatness, and terrible majesty of God; for this is only God's natural perfection, and what men may see, and yet be entirely blind to the beauty of his moral perfection, and have nothing of that spiritual taste which relishes this divine sweetness.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Jonathan Edwards Article/Sermon
You Will Know Them By Their Fruits
Hi sis, Great article/sermon by Rev. Edwards. Thanks for sharing.
Message is clear that a said faith is not a saving faith. Just because a person says or thinks they are a Christian doesn't mean that they are. The expression of love and fruit of the Spirit must be present in their life. Then how will people know who Christ's disciples are?... they love one another.
Concerning Rev. Edwards verse references ...
1 John 2:3,4...It is impossible to be a Christian and practice sin at the same time... (so true)
2 Peter 1:4...discipline is for our good so that we may share in the Lord's Holiness... (awesome!!!)
2Thess 2:17... He references this verse but I do not see how it fits with the context of his sentence. I am wondering if he meant (v 6 and 7)? God restrains all people so that they will not be as bad and wicked as the demon angels. However, Satan and demons are restrained by God, too (Job 1:12), so God protects all people... we haven't seen the worst which is yet to come.
In Christ
Hi sis, Great article/sermon by Rev. Edwards. Thanks for sharing.
Message is clear that a said faith is not a saving faith. Just because a person says or thinks they are a Christian doesn't mean that they are. The expression of love and fruit of the Spirit must be present in their life. Then how will people know who Christ's disciples are?... they love one another.
Concerning Rev. Edwards verse references ...
1 John 2:3,4...It is impossible to be a Christian and practice sin at the same time... (so true)
2 Peter 1:4...discipline is for our good so that we may share in the Lord's Holiness... (awesome!!!)
2Thess 2:17... He references this verse but I do not see how it fits with the context of his sentence. I am wondering if he meant (v 6 and 7)? God restrains all people so that they will not be as bad and wicked as the demon angels. However, Satan and demons are restrained by God, too (Job 1:12), so God protects all people... we haven't seen the worst which is yet to come.
In Christ
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