When I speak of growth in grace, I do not for a moment mean that a believer's interest in Christ can grow. I do not mean that he can grow in safety, acceptance with God, or security. I do not mean that he can ever be more justified, more pardoned, more forgiven, more at peace with God than he is the first moment that he believes. I hold firmly that the justification of a believer is a finished, perfect, and complete work and that the weakest saint (though he may not know and feel it) is as completely justified as the strongest. I hold firmly that our election, calling, and standing in Christ admit of no degrees, increase, or diminution. If any one dreams that by growth in grace I mean growth in justification, he is utterly mistaken about the whole point I am considering. I would go to the stake (God helping me) for the glorious truth that, in the matter of justification before God, every believer is complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10). Nothing can be added to his justification from the moment he believes and nothing taken away. When I speak of growth in grace, I only mean increase in the degree, size, strength, vigour, and power of the graces which the Holy Spirit plants in a believer's heart. I hold that every one of those graces admits of growth, progress and increase. I hold that repentance, faith, hope, love, humility, zeal, courage, and the like may be little or great, strong or weak, vigorous or feeble and may vary greatly in the same man at different periods of his life.
When I speak of a man growing in grace, I mean simply this: that his sense of sin is becoming deeper, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, his love more extensive, his spiritual mindedness more marked. He feels more of the power of godliness in his own heart; he manifests more of it in his life; he is going on from strength to strength, from faith to faith, and from grace to grace. I leave it to others to describe such a man's condition by any words they please. For myself, I think the truest and best account of him is this: he is growing in grace.
June 23, 2004
June 22, 2004
God's promises! By C.H. Spurgeon
"...He has given us His very great and precious promises..." 2 Peter 1:4
God's promises are precious because they tell of exceeding great and precious things. We have promises in the Bible which time would fail us to repeat, which for breadth and length are immeasurable. They deal with every great thing which the soul can need: promises of pardoned sin, promises of sanctification, promises of teaching, promises of guidance, promises of upholding, promises of ennobling, promises of progress, promises of consolation, and promises of perfection. In this blessed book you have.... promises of the daily bread of earth; promises of the bread of life from heaven; promises for time; promises for eternity.
You have so many promises, that all the conditions and positions of the believer are met. I sometimes liken the promises to the locksmith's great bunch of keys, which he brings when you have lost the key of your treasure chest, and cannot unlock it. He feels pretty sure that out of all the keys upon the ring some one or other will fit, and he tries them with patient industry. At last! yes! that is it, he has moved the bolt, and you can get at your treasures! There is always a promise in the volume of inspiration suitable to your present case. Make the Lord's promises your delight and your counselors, and they will befriend you at every turn.
Search the Scriptures, and you shall meet with a promise which will be so applicable to you as to appear to have been written after your trouble had occurred! So exactly will it apply, that you will be compelled to marvel at the wonderful tenderness and suitableness of it. As if the tailor had measured you from head to foot, so exactly shall the garment of the promise befit you. The promises are precious in themselves.... from their suitability to us, from their coming from God, from their being immutable, from their being sure of performance, and from their containing wrapped up within themselves all that the children of God can ever need.
God's promises are precious because they tell of exceeding great and precious things. We have promises in the Bible which time would fail us to repeat, which for breadth and length are immeasurable. They deal with every great thing which the soul can need: promises of pardoned sin, promises of sanctification, promises of teaching, promises of guidance, promises of upholding, promises of ennobling, promises of progress, promises of consolation, and promises of perfection. In this blessed book you have.... promises of the daily bread of earth; promises of the bread of life from heaven; promises for time; promises for eternity.
You have so many promises, that all the conditions and positions of the believer are met. I sometimes liken the promises to the locksmith's great bunch of keys, which he brings when you have lost the key of your treasure chest, and cannot unlock it. He feels pretty sure that out of all the keys upon the ring some one or other will fit, and he tries them with patient industry. At last! yes! that is it, he has moved the bolt, and you can get at your treasures! There is always a promise in the volume of inspiration suitable to your present case. Make the Lord's promises your delight and your counselors, and they will befriend you at every turn.
Search the Scriptures, and you shall meet with a promise which will be so applicable to you as to appear to have been written after your trouble had occurred! So exactly will it apply, that you will be compelled to marvel at the wonderful tenderness and suitableness of it. As if the tailor had measured you from head to foot, so exactly shall the garment of the promise befit you. The promises are precious in themselves.... from their suitability to us, from their coming from God, from their being immutable, from their being sure of performance, and from their containing wrapped up within themselves all that the children of God can ever need.
June 21, 2004
GOD FORBID!!! by M. Montgomery
"Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" says the apostle Paul.(Romans 6:2)
Sinners are justified before God through the imputed righteousness of God's appointed Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are justified by grace, through faith in Him, fully, freely and forever. Nothing can change nor alter their legal and just standing before God, nor separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:28-39). When God saves a sinner, that sinner has been saved, is being saved, and shall be brought, by the sovereign purpose, power and grace of God into everlasting glory, there to dwell with his Redeemer, world without end. Such is the clear teaching of the Word of God.
Thus we often hear preachers say, "Nothing we ever do can alter this blessed relationship with our God," and this is true. However, it must be clearly and continually stated that, what we do, as professors, is a pretty good indicator of what our relationship with God truly is; that is, whether we are truly justified and reconciled unto God or deceived by Satan and his preachers. Yes, my friends, how we talk, what we do, and how we live before men most certainly manifests who our master really is and who we really serve. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6). I am not talking about perfection but about direction.
"God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Being then made free from sin (dominion and servitude), ye became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:17,18). And "ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Romans 6:22). "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" "GOD FORBID!"
"Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay:
Mould me and make me, After Thy will,
While I am waiting, Yielded and still."?
Maurice Montgomery
Sinners are justified before God through the imputed righteousness of God's appointed Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are justified by grace, through faith in Him, fully, freely and forever. Nothing can change nor alter their legal and just standing before God, nor separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:28-39). When God saves a sinner, that sinner has been saved, is being saved, and shall be brought, by the sovereign purpose, power and grace of God into everlasting glory, there to dwell with his Redeemer, world without end. Such is the clear teaching of the Word of God.
Thus we often hear preachers say, "Nothing we ever do can alter this blessed relationship with our God," and this is true. However, it must be clearly and continually stated that, what we do, as professors, is a pretty good indicator of what our relationship with God truly is; that is, whether we are truly justified and reconciled unto God or deceived by Satan and his preachers. Yes, my friends, how we talk, what we do, and how we live before men most certainly manifests who our master really is and who we really serve. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6). I am not talking about perfection but about direction.
"God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Being then made free from sin (dominion and servitude), ye became the servants of righteousness" (Romans 6:17,18). And "ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Romans 6:22). "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" "GOD FORBID!"
"Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay:
Mould me and make me, After Thy will,
While I am waiting, Yielded and still."?
Maurice Montgomery
June 20, 2004
FORMALITY by J.C. Ryle
True religion must never expect to be popular. It will not have the praise of man, but of God. God's truth and scriptural Christianity are never really popular. They never have been. They never will be as long as the world stands. No one can calmly consider what human nature is, as described in the Bible, and reasonably expect anything else. As long as man is what man is, the majority of mankind will always like a religion of form better than a religion of heart.
Formal religion exactly suits an unenlightened conscience. Some religion a man will have. Atheism and downright infidelity, as a general rule, are never very popular. But a man must have a religion which does not require much, trouble his heart much, interfere with his sins much. Formal Christianity satisfies him. It seems the very thing that he wants.
Formal religion gratifies the secret self-righteousness of man. We are all of us more or less Pharisees. We all naturally cling to the idea that the way to be saved is to do so many things, go through so many religious observances, and at last we shall get to heaven. Formalism meets us here. It seems to show us a way by which we can make our own peace with God.
Formal religion pleases the natural indolence of man. It attaches an excessive importance to that which is the easiest part of Christianity-the shell and form. Man likes this. He hates trouble in religion. He wants something which will not meddle with his conscience and inner life. Only leave conscience alone and, like Herod, he will "do many things." Formalism seems to open a wider gate and a more easy way to heaven (Mark 6:20).
Can anyone deny that a mere outward religion, a religion of downright formality, is the religion which is popular at the present day? Only say your prayers, go to church with tolerable regularity, and receive the Lord's Table occasionally, and the vast majority will set you down as an excellent Christian. To require more of anyone is thought bigotry, illiberality, fanaticism, and enthusiasm.
Formal religion exactly suits an unenlightened conscience. Some religion a man will have. Atheism and downright infidelity, as a general rule, are never very popular. But a man must have a religion which does not require much, trouble his heart much, interfere with his sins much. Formal Christianity satisfies him. It seems the very thing that he wants.
Formal religion gratifies the secret self-righteousness of man. We are all of us more or less Pharisees. We all naturally cling to the idea that the way to be saved is to do so many things, go through so many religious observances, and at last we shall get to heaven. Formalism meets us here. It seems to show us a way by which we can make our own peace with God.
Formal religion pleases the natural indolence of man. It attaches an excessive importance to that which is the easiest part of Christianity-the shell and form. Man likes this. He hates trouble in religion. He wants something which will not meddle with his conscience and inner life. Only leave conscience alone and, like Herod, he will "do many things." Formalism seems to open a wider gate and a more easy way to heaven (Mark 6:20).
Can anyone deny that a mere outward religion, a religion of downright formality, is the religion which is popular at the present day? Only say your prayers, go to church with tolerable regularity, and receive the Lord's Table occasionally, and the vast majority will set you down as an excellent Christian. To require more of anyone is thought bigotry, illiberality, fanaticism, and enthusiasm.
June 13, 2004
ELECTION by Don Fortner
"Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God."– 1 Thessalonians 1:4
This blessed, glorious, doctrine of election is one of the most delightful doctrines of the gospel.
What does the Word of God teach about election?
Election is "in Christ."
Election is "unto salvation."
Election is an act of God's pure, absolute, sovereignty.
Election took place in eternity.
Election's source and cause is God's eternal lovefor his people.
Election is an act of free, unconditional grace.
Election is God's personal choice of specific sinnersto eternal life in Christ.
Election is irreversible.
Election is effectual.
Election is distinguishing (Isa. 43:1-4).
Election is the cause of all blessedness.
Who are the elect?
The elect are people who hear and receive the Gospel.
The elect are those who are called by the effectual,irresistible power and grace of the Holy Spirit.
The elect are those who follow Christ.Chosen sinners, when saved by the grace ofGod, are made disciples, followers of Christ,voluntary servants of King Jesus.
The elect are a people who are committed toChrist and the Gospel of his grace.
The elect experience repentance and conversionby the power of his grace.
They turn from theiridols to serve the living God.
This blessed, glorious, doctrine of election is one of the most delightful doctrines of the gospel.
What does the Word of God teach about election?
Election is "in Christ."
Election is "unto salvation."
Election is an act of God's pure, absolute, sovereignty.
Election took place in eternity.
Election's source and cause is God's eternal lovefor his people.
Election is an act of free, unconditional grace.
Election is God's personal choice of specific sinnersto eternal life in Christ.
Election is irreversible.
Election is effectual.
Election is distinguishing (Isa. 43:1-4).
Election is the cause of all blessedness.
Who are the elect?
The elect are people who hear and receive the Gospel.
The elect are those who are called by the effectual,irresistible power and grace of the Holy Spirit.
The elect are those who follow Christ.Chosen sinners, when saved by the grace ofGod, are made disciples, followers of Christ,voluntary servants of King Jesus.
The elect are a people who are committed toChrist and the Gospel of his grace.
The elect experience repentance and conversionby the power of his grace.
They turn from theiridols to serve the living God.
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