_thomas watson
I took this from a post on Of First Importance (http://firstimportance.org/). you would not regret subscribing to this blog. one Gospel truth quote posted each day. brilliant. :)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
_thomas watson
I took this from a post on Of First Importance (http://firstimportance.org/). you would not regret subscribing to this blog. one Gospel truth quote posted each day. brilliant. :)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Precious Blood
Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before Thy cross I kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse',
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by
the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood,
tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.
|The Valley of Vision
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Five Solas - Basic Reformed Theology
There was a point in church history where it seemed that the true faith had been swallowed up by the abuse and distorted teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. But such was not always the case. A few centuries after the resurrection of Christ, history records the Roman Catholic Church defending truth against heretics and false teachers. Athanasius bravely and boldly defended the truth that Christ was God. He defeated Arius with sound reasoning from the Scripture and the church continued on in the faith.
Not too long after that, St. Augustine rose up to defeat the heretic and false teacher Pelagius. Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, which teaches us that since Adam’s sin we are all born with a sin nature and prove it by sinning. Pelagius believed that we were born innocent and in the same state that Adam and Eve were created in. Thus, he believed that we could attain salvation by our perfect works. Of course, if that were true then we wouldn’t need a Savior. St. Augustine contended for the doctrine of original sin and man’s total depravity and showed just how sinful we are and why we need a Savior. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic and the church continued on in the faith.
But something changed over time. Some of the doctrines that the church once condemned as heresy, or false teaching, began to find their way into the minds, vocabulary and teaching of its leaders. Compromises were made. The church turned from the truth ever so slowly to the point that it soon became a false church. It came in the name of Christ but was completely anti-Christ, which is why many Christians have believed that the seat of the pope is the seat of the anti-Christ. Whether that is true or not is debatable. I mention this as historical information only.
As the Roman Catholic Church turned from the truth, here is what happened: Scripture was no longer the only rule of doctrine and practice for God’s people—what the pope said, what tradition said and what councils said were also binding on the people. Salvation was no longer by God’s grace alone—you also had to contribute some effort and works like keeping the commandments and being baptized. Justification was no longer a declaration from God that through faith in Christ you are righteous because you are clothed with His perfect works—rather justification, or being pronounced righteous, was something that you earned by actually being a good person. Thus, Christ alone was no longer the Savior--we end up being contributors to our salvation and therefore have reason to boast and receive glory. Thus, we cannot say, “To God alone be the glory for our salvation,” because we had something to do with it.
These five major departures from truth are the things that a few bold and faithful Christians sought to reform from the 1300’s to the 1600’s. Today these heresies still abound in many forms. These faithful men of God wanted the Roman Catholic Church to reform her ways. They loved the church. They loved the people. But they could not stand by and watch false teaching lead people away from God and to hell. So they protested—which is why Christians are called protestants. Eventually, their protests led to some of their deaths and banishment from the church. But it was God--working through their effort--that revitalized the church and brought many people to salvation.
Sadly, if you understand the conflict during these centuries, you will see that the Christian Church at large is on a slippery slope that leads right back to where the Roman Catholic Church has been for all these centuries. As a side note, one of the reasons we call ourselves a Reformed Church is because we want to see the Christian church called back to the same truths that the Reformers sought to re-instill in the Roman Catholic Church. Our love for the church should be expressed in calling them back to believe the truth so that God is glorified.
Now, if you had to summarize the teachings that the Reformers wanted to see take place, you would define them like this: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria. They are five Latin phrases that simply mean: Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, God’s Glory Alone. What’s interesting about these five doctrines is that most churches acknowledge these things to be true. But when you examine their practices and theology, you find that it’s only lip service that is given to these doctrines. There is a massive disconnect between what they say they believe and what they actually teach and practice.
Over the next five posts, I will try to explain each one in a little more detail. I also hope to give personal illustrations and examples from my life of what it looks like to deny the “Five Solas.” About six years ago, I would have agreed with these five statements, but when I actually examined what I was teaching and what I was living, I saw a contradiction between my creeds and my deeds--my beliefs and my practices. And one thing is for sure: what you practice is really what you believe. I discovered that I really didn’t believe in the “Five Solas.” That alarmed me and sent me on a radical pursuit to get back to the heart of what Christians truly believe. I hope to share more of that with you as God allows us all to mature in the faith together.
Not too long after that, St. Augustine rose up to defeat the heretic and false teacher Pelagius. Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, which teaches us that since Adam’s sin we are all born with a sin nature and prove it by sinning. Pelagius believed that we were born innocent and in the same state that Adam and Eve were created in. Thus, he believed that we could attain salvation by our perfect works. Of course, if that were true then we wouldn’t need a Savior. St. Augustine contended for the doctrine of original sin and man’s total depravity and showed just how sinful we are and why we need a Savior. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic and the church continued on in the faith.
But something changed over time. Some of the doctrines that the church once condemned as heresy, or false teaching, began to find their way into the minds, vocabulary and teaching of its leaders. Compromises were made. The church turned from the truth ever so slowly to the point that it soon became a false church. It came in the name of Christ but was completely anti-Christ, which is why many Christians have believed that the seat of the pope is the seat of the anti-Christ. Whether that is true or not is debatable. I mention this as historical information only.
As the Roman Catholic Church turned from the truth, here is what happened: Scripture was no longer the only rule of doctrine and practice for God’s people—what the pope said, what tradition said and what councils said were also binding on the people. Salvation was no longer by God’s grace alone—you also had to contribute some effort and works like keeping the commandments and being baptized. Justification was no longer a declaration from God that through faith in Christ you are righteous because you are clothed with His perfect works—rather justification, or being pronounced righteous, was something that you earned by actually being a good person. Thus, Christ alone was no longer the Savior--we end up being contributors to our salvation and therefore have reason to boast and receive glory. Thus, we cannot say, “To God alone be the glory for our salvation,” because we had something to do with it.
These five major departures from truth are the things that a few bold and faithful Christians sought to reform from the 1300’s to the 1600’s. Today these heresies still abound in many forms. These faithful men of God wanted the Roman Catholic Church to reform her ways. They loved the church. They loved the people. But they could not stand by and watch false teaching lead people away from God and to hell. So they protested—which is why Christians are called protestants. Eventually, their protests led to some of their deaths and banishment from the church. But it was God--working through their effort--that revitalized the church and brought many people to salvation.
Sadly, if you understand the conflict during these centuries, you will see that the Christian Church at large is on a slippery slope that leads right back to where the Roman Catholic Church has been for all these centuries. As a side note, one of the reasons we call ourselves a Reformed Church is because we want to see the Christian church called back to the same truths that the Reformers sought to re-instill in the Roman Catholic Church. Our love for the church should be expressed in calling them back to believe the truth so that God is glorified.
Now, if you had to summarize the teachings that the Reformers wanted to see take place, you would define them like this: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria. They are five Latin phrases that simply mean: Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, God’s Glory Alone. What’s interesting about these five doctrines is that most churches acknowledge these things to be true. But when you examine their practices and theology, you find that it’s only lip service that is given to these doctrines. There is a massive disconnect between what they say they believe and what they actually teach and practice.
Over the next five posts, I will try to explain each one in a little more detail. I also hope to give personal illustrations and examples from my life of what it looks like to deny the “Five Solas.” About six years ago, I would have agreed with these five statements, but when I actually examined what I was teaching and what I was living, I saw a contradiction between my creeds and my deeds--my beliefs and my practices. And one thing is for sure: what you practice is really what you believe. I discovered that I really didn’t believe in the “Five Solas.” That alarmed me and sent me on a radical pursuit to get back to the heart of what Christians truly believe. I hope to share more of that with you as God allows us all to mature in the faith together.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Righteousness Of God - Upheld
"God does not compromise his righteousness by grading on a curve - rather he punctuates his righteousness by crushing his son on the cross."
-erik raymond (via twitter)
photo credit: Josh Sczebel
Thursday, November 5, 2009
He prayed for them.
As our Lord was being crucified, the unspeakable pain did not distract his attention from others, including those who were causing his pain. Even his enemies, those who were abusing him and cursing him, were not outside the orbit of his love. How did Jesus love his enemies? He prayed for them. 'And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"' (Luke23.34). J.C. Ryle remarks, 'The fruits of this wonderful prayer will never be fully seen until the day when the books are opened, and the secrets of all our hearts are revealed.'
|brian.borgman.Feelings and Faith.p160
Oh, Father, help us love like Jesus.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Wisdom from John Bunyan
"What a fool," quoth he, "am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise; that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle." -Christian, Pilgrim's Progress
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Celebrities Vs. Refuse
My friend Erik Raymond (The Irish Calvinist) tweeted this:"True gospel ministry does NOT produce celebrities 4 the world, rather men who are seen as useless & offensive, refuse"
1 Corinthians 4:13
"when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things."
photo credit: carissa gallo
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