He is the Mediator

May 23, 2011 · Posted in Bavinck, Christ, Salvation

Believers all call themselves by the name of Christ and in communion with this Christ they are themselves anointed as prophets, priests, and kings.

Christ is given many other names in Scripture. He is called the Son of God, the only-begotten, beloved Son of God, the Word, the image of God, the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, the firstborn of all creation, the true God and eternal life, God to be praised above all, Immanuel.

In addition, He is called the Son of Man, the son of Joseph and David, the Nazarene, the Galilean, the holy and righteous one, the second Adam, the Lord of heaven, the firstborn of all creatures, and the firstborn of the dead.

Finally, in terms of His office and work, He is called Prophet, Master, Teacher, Priest, the Great Priest, the High Priest, the Servant of the Lord, the Lamb of God, the King, the King of the Jews, the King of Israel, the King of kings, the Lord, the Lord of glory, the Lord of lords, the head of the church, the bridegroom of the church, the shepherd and guardian of souls, the pioneer and perfecter of the faith, the pioneer of salvation, the way, the truth, and the life, the bread of life, the prince of life, the resurrection and the life, the shepherd of the sheep, the door of the sheepfold, the light  of world, the shining morning star, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the judge of the living and the dead, the heir of all things by whom, in whom, and for whom all things have been created.

All these names sufficiently prove the incomparable dignity and entirely unique place that belong to Christ. He is the mediator of both creation and re-creation.

—Herman Bavinck
Reformed Dogmatics

Via: Tolle Lege

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Clothed in Righteousness

May 21, 2011 · Posted in Hymns, Imputation, Sproul

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

—Isaiah 1:18

Choir:
Come, let us reason together, says the Lord.
Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be white as snow.
Though they be like crimson,
they shall become like wool.

Choir and Congregation:
Fallen race in Eden fair,
Exposed and full of shame.
Fled we naked from Thy sight,
far from Thy holy name.

Chorus:
Clothe us in Your righteousness,
hide filthy rags of sin,
Dress us in your perfect garb,
both outside and within.

Sent from the garden to the east,
Outside of Eden’s gate,
Banished there from Thy pure light
were Adam and his mate.

Scarlet souls are now like snow
by Thy atoning grace.
Crimson hearts become like wool
for Adam’s fallen race.

No work of ours is good enough
for evil to atone.
Your merit, Lord, is all we have.
It saves and it alone.

—R.C. Sproul

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When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

May 19, 2011 · Posted in Hymns, Watts

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

—Isaac Watts

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Allowing For A Fallen Nature

May 19, 2011 · Posted in Owen, Theology

Since our subject is theology, the truths of almighty God and the worship and obedience which is his due, we must ever consider our mental faculties and the degrees to which we are able to understand such matters as these, allowing always for our fallen and finite nature, if we wish to avoid running into confusion and ambiguity.

—John Owen
Biblical Theology: The History of Theology from Adam to Christ

Via: The Essential Owen

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A Loving, Merciful Christ

May 19, 2011 · Posted in Christ, Salvation, Sibbes

Since Christ is thus comfortably set out to us, let us not believe Satan’s representations of him. When we are troubled in conscience for our sins, Satan’s manner is then to present Christ to the afflicted soul as a most severe judge armed with justice against us. But then let us present him to our souls as offered to our view by God himself, holding out a sceptre of mercy, and spreading his arms to receive us.

—Richard Sibbes

Via: A Puritan At Heart

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Old Paths

May 19, 2011 · Posted in Christ, Ryle, Salvation

Thousands and tens of thousands have sought for pardon at the mercy-seat of Christ, and not one has ever returned to say that he sought in vain. Sinners of every name and nation — sinners of every sort and description — have knocked at the door of the fold, and none have ever been refused admission.

If the way which the Gospel sets before us were a new and untraveled way — we might well feel faint-hearted. But it is not so. It is an old path. It is a path worn by the feet of many pilgrims, and a path in which the footsteps are all one way. The treasury of Christ’s mercies has never been found empty. The well of living waters has never proved dry.

—J.C. Ryle
Forgiveness

Via: Of First Importance

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The Sinner’s Opinion of Himself

May 1, 2011 · Posted in Faith, Salvation

In all unbelief there are these two things — a good opinion of one’s self and a bad opinion of God. Man’s good opinion of himself makes him think it quite possible to win God’s favor by his own religious performances; and his bad opinion of God makes him unwilling and afraid to put his case wholly into His hands. The object of the Holy Spirit’s work (in convincing of sin) is to alter the sinner’s opinion of himself, and so to reduce his estimate of his own character that he shall think of himself as God does, and so cease to suppose it possible that he can be justified by an excellency of his own. The Spirit then alters his evil opinion of God, so as to make him see that the God with whom he has to do is really the God of all grace.

But the inquirer denies that he has a good opinion of himself and owns himself a sinner. Now a man may SAY this, but really to KNOW it is something more than SAYING. Besides, he may be willing to take the name of sinner to himself, in common with his fellow-men, and yet not at all own himself such a sinner as God says he is—such a sinner as needs the cross, and blood, and righteousness of the Son of God. It takes a great deal to destroy a man’s good opinion of himself; how difficult it is to make a man think of himself as God does! What but the almightiness of the Divine Spirit can accomplish this?

Unbelief, then, is the belief of a lie and the rejection of the truth. Accept, then, the character of God as given in the gospel; the Holy Spirit will not give you peace irrespective of your views of God’s character. It is in connection with THE TRUTH concerning the true God, “the God of all grace,” that the Spirit gives peace. That which He shows us of ourselves is only evil; that which He shows us of God is only good!

—Horatius Bonar

Via: Tim Challies

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Crucifixion and Resurrection

April 24, 2011 · Posted in Easter, Prayer

O LORD,
I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate,
    be crucified, dead, and buried.
The sepulchre calls forth my adoring wonder,
    for it is empty and thou art risen;
    the four-fold gospel attests it,
    the living witnesses prove it,
    my heart’s experience knows it.
Give me to die with thee that I may rise to new life,
    for I wish to be as dead and buried
        to sin, to selfishness, to the world;
    that I may might not hear the voice of the charmer,
        and might be delivered from his lusts.
O Lord, there is much ill about me — crucify it,
            much flesh within me — mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation,
            the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
            the desire to be cultivated or modern.
Let me reckon my old life dead because of crucifixion,
    and never feed it as a living thing.
Grant me to stand with my dying Saviour,
        to be content to be rejected,
        to be willing to take up unpopular truths,
            and to hold fast despised teachings until death.
Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained.
Never let me wander from the path of obedience to thy will.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials, and grace for all the joys,
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
    free from every wrong desire,
            from everything contrary to thy mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
    may it rule me,
    may I walk in power, and be strengthened through its influence.

—The Valley of Vision
A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

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“It Is I” Says the Christ

April 24, 2011 · Posted in Christ, Easter

He who hung the earth is hanging.
He who fixed the heavens in place has been fixed in place.
He who laid the foundations of the universe has been laid on a tree.
The master has been profaned.
God has been murdered.

But He rose up from the dead
and mounted up to the heights of heaven.

When the Lord hath clothed Himself with humanity,
and had suffered for the sake of the sufferer,
and had been bound for the sake of the imprisoned,
and had been judged for the sake of the condemned,
and had been buried for the sake of the one who had been buried,

He rose up from the dead,
and cried with a loud voice,
“Who is it that contends with me?
Let him stand in opposition to me.
I set the condemned man free;
I gave the dead man life;
I raised up one who had been entombed.
Who is my opponent?
I am the Christ
I am the one who destroyed death,
and triumphed over the enemy,
and trampled Hades underfoot,
and bound the strong one,
and carried off humanity
to the heights of heaven.”

“It is I,” says the Christ.

—Melito of Sardis
Easter sermon (ca. A.D. 195)

Via: Trevin Wax

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Do Not Shrink from the Topic of Hell

April 17, 2011 · Posted in Christ, Hell, Ryle

In light of the recent controversy over Rob Bell’s book, here are some helpful and hopeful words written in 1857 from the pen of J.C. Ryle.

There is no mercy in keeping back from men the subject of hell. Fearful and tremendous as it is, it ought to be pressed on all, as one of the great truths of Christianity. Our loving Savior speaks frequently of it. The apostle John, in the book of Revelation, often describes it.

The servants of God in these days must not be ashamed of confessing their belief in it. Were there no boundless mercy in Christ for all that believe in Him, we might well shrink from the dreadful topic. Were there no precious blood of Christ able to cleanse away all sin, we might well keep silence about the wrath to come. But there is mercy for all who ask in Christ’s name. There is a fountain open for all sin.

Let us then boldly and unhesitatingly maintain that there is a hell, and beseech men to flee from it, before it be too late. “Knowing the terrors of the Lord,” the worm, and the fire, let us “persuade men.” (2 Corinthians 5:11) It is not possible to say too much about Christ. But it is quite possible to say too little about hell.

—J.C. Ryle
Expository Thoughts on Mark

Via: Erik Raymond – Ordinary Pastor

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