“Satisfaction is the act of Christ, God-man, presenting himself as our surety in obedience to God and love to us; to do and to suffer all that the law required of us: thereby freeing us from the wrath and curse due to us for sins.”
1. “It is the act of a God-man; no other was capable of giving satisfaction for an infinite wrong done to God. But by reason of the union of the two natures in his wonderful person, he could do it, and hath done it for us. The human nature did what was necessary in its kind; it gave the matter of the sacrifice: the divine nature stamped the dignity and value upon it, which made it an adequate compensation: so it was the act of God-man; yet so, that each nature retained its own properties, not withstanding their joint influence into the effect. “It was God that redeemed the church with his own blood,” Acts 20:18. If God redeems with his own blood, he redeems as God-man, without any dispute.”
2. “If he satisfy God for us, he must present himself before God, as our surety. In our stead, as well as for our good; else his obedience had signified nothing to us; to this end he was “made under the law” Galatians 4:4, comes under the same obligation with us, and that as a surety, for so he is called, Hebrews 7:22. Indeed his obedience and sufferings could be exacted from him upon no other account. It was not for anything he had done that he became a curse. It was prophesied of him Daniel 9:26 “The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself;” and being dead, the scriptures plainly assert it was for our sins, and upon our account: 1 Corinthians 15:3 “Christ died for our sins “According to the scriptures.”
“And indeed, the very consideration is that which supports the doctrine of imputation of our sins to Christ, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness unto us, Romans 5:19. For how could our sins be laid on him, but as he stood in our stead? Or his righteousness be imputed to us, but as he was our surety, performing it in our place; so that to deny Christ’s sufferings in our stead is to lose the cornerstone of our justification, and overthrow the very pillar which supports our faith, comfort and salvation. Indeed if this had not been, he would have been the righteous Lord, but not the Lord our righteousness, as he is stiled, Jeremiah 33:16. So it was but a vain discretion to say it was for our good, but not in our stead: for had he not been in our stead, we could not have the good of it.” ~ John Flavel
*Works of John Flavel, Volume 1, pages 178-180
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
By Word and Spirit
“A double misery lies upon a great part of mankind, viz, Impotency and Pride. They have not only lost the liberty and freedom of their wills, but with it have so far lost their understanding and humility as not to own it. But alas! Man is become a most impotent creature by the fall; so far from being able to open his own heart, that he cannot know the things of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:14, cannot believe, John 6:44, cannot obey, Romans 8:7, cannot speak one good word, Matthew 12:34, cannot think one good thought, Corinthians 3:, cannot do one good act, John 15:5.
“There are two principal ways, by which Christ opens the understanding and hearts of men, viz by his Word and Spirit.”
1. “By his Word; to this end was Paul commissioned and sent to preach the gospel, Acts 24:18, “To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.” The Lord can, if he pleases, accomplish this immediately; but though he can do it, he will not do it ordinarily without means, because he will honour his own institutions. God will keep his ordinances among men: and though he hath not tied himself, yet he hath tied us, to them.”
2. “But the ordinances in themselves cannot do it; and therefore Jesus Christ hath sent forth the Spirit, who is his vice-regent, to carry out this work upon the hearts of his elect. And when the Spirit comes down upon the souls in the administration of the ordinances, he effectually opens the heart to receive the Lord Jesus, by the hearing of faith. He breaks in upon the understanding and conscience by powerful convictions and compunctions so much that the word John 16:8 imports, “He shall convince the world of sin;” convince by clear demonstration, such as enforces assent, so that the soul cannot but yield it to be so; and yet the door of the heart is not opened, till he has also put forth his power upon the will, and, by a sweet and secret efficacy, overcome all its reluctions, and the soul be made willing in the day of his power. When this is done the heart is opened: saving light now shines in it; and this light set up, the Spirit in the soul is,”
*Taken from The Works of John Flavel, Volume 1 pages 136-138
“There are two principal ways, by which Christ opens the understanding and hearts of men, viz by his Word and Spirit.”
1. “By his Word; to this end was Paul commissioned and sent to preach the gospel, Acts 24:18, “To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.” The Lord can, if he pleases, accomplish this immediately; but though he can do it, he will not do it ordinarily without means, because he will honour his own institutions. God will keep his ordinances among men: and though he hath not tied himself, yet he hath tied us, to them.”
2. “But the ordinances in themselves cannot do it; and therefore Jesus Christ hath sent forth the Spirit, who is his vice-regent, to carry out this work upon the hearts of his elect. And when the Spirit comes down upon the souls in the administration of the ordinances, he effectually opens the heart to receive the Lord Jesus, by the hearing of faith. He breaks in upon the understanding and conscience by powerful convictions and compunctions so much that the word John 16:8 imports, “He shall convince the world of sin;” convince by clear demonstration, such as enforces assent, so that the soul cannot but yield it to be so; and yet the door of the heart is not opened, till he has also put forth his power upon the will, and, by a sweet and secret efficacy, overcome all its reluctions, and the soul be made willing in the day of his power. When this is done the heart is opened: saving light now shines in it; and this light set up, the Spirit in the soul is,”
1. “A new light, in which all things appear far otherwise than they did before. When he comes to read the same Scriptures, which possibly he had read a hundred times before, he wonders he should be so blind as he was, to overlook such great, weighty, and concerning things as he now beholds in them.”“And thus the Lord Jesus by his Spirit opens the understanding.” ~ John Flavel
2. “It is a very affecting light; a light that hath heat and powerful influences with it, which makes deep impressions on the heart. Hence they whose eyes the great Prophet opens, are said to be “brought out of darkness into his marvelous light,” 1 Peter 2:9. The soul is greatly affected with what it sees. The beams of light are contracted and twisted together in the mind; and being reflected on the heart and affections, soon cause them to smoke and burn. “Did not our hearts burn within us, whilst he talked with us, and opened to us the Scriptures?”
3. “And it is a growing light, like the light of the morning which “shines more and more unto the perfect day,” Proverbs 4:18. When the Spirit first opens the understanding, he doth not give it all at once a full insight of all truths, or a full sense of the power, sweetness and goodness of any truth; but the soul in the use of means grows up to a greater clearness day by day: its knowledge grows extensively in measure, and intensively in power and efficacy.”
*Taken from The Works of John Flavel, Volume 1 pages 136-138
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Light of Christ
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18
“The light of Christ is powerfully transformative of its subjects, changing the man, in whom it is, into the same image, from glory to glory. But common light leaves the heart as dead, as carnal and sensual, as if no light at all were in it.”
“In a word, All saving light endears Jesus Christ to the soul; and as it could not value him before it saw him, so when once he appears to the soul in his own light, he is appreciated and endeared unspeakably: then none but Christ; all is but dung, that he may win Christ: none in heaven but him, nor in earth desirable in comparison of him. But no such effect flows from natural common knowledge.” ~ John Flavel
*Taken from The Works of John Flavel, Volume 1
Saturday, December 25, 2010
God of All Grace
Below is an excerpt from A.W. Pink’s book, “Election and Justification.” Though quite lengthy, I am posting it because I found that there was no better way for me to spend this Christmas morn than in contemplating the God of all grace, who is “Emmanuel, God with us.” May you be blessed as you consider this Great and gracious God.
“When Paul was under temptation a messenger (or angel) from Satan being sent to buffet him, what was it that God did immediately set before him for relief? This: “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9) – the grace of God’s heart toward him and the grace working in his own heart, both to assist him effectually.”
“But there is something yet more precious here in 1 Peter 5:10 “the God of all grace,” which has reference first to the exceeding riches of grace that are in His nature, then to the benevolent designs which He has toward His own, and then to His gracious dealings with them. The grace in His nature is the fountain, the grace of His purpose or counsels is the wellhead, and the grace of His dispensations or dealings with us are the streams.”
“God is an all-gracious God in Himself, even as He is the Almighty, which is an essential attribute. There is a limitless ocean of grace in Himself to feed all streams in which His purposes and designs of grace are to issue forth. Our consolation from hence is, that all the grace which is in the nature of God is in the promise of His being “the God of all grace” to His church declared to be so engaged as to afford supplies to them, yea, to the utmost expenditure of these riches as their needs require.”
“For God to be the God of all grace unto His people is for Him to resolve to love them, and that forever; to be unchanging in His love and never to have his heart taken off them.”
“Now since there is a fullness, an ocean, all dispensatory grace to be given forth by God, what necessity follows? This, first, that there is no temptation that doth or can befall a saint that is under dominion of free grace, but God hath a grace prepared to be applied when His hour arrives. It clearly implies that God hath a grace fitted and suited as every need and occasion should arise. There is no sore in the heart but he hath a plaster ready for it, to be laid thereon in due season.”
“As God hath grace for all the manifold needs of His people, so He is the God of all grace in giving forth help as their occasions require, for such is the season for grace to be displayed. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).”
“God has in Himself sufficient grace to meet all the varied needs of His people, and actually does so. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The greatest and acutest need of the Christian springs out of his indwelling sin, yet ample provision is made here, too, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).”
“The superabounding of divine grace is gloriously displayed when God effectually calls His people. First, God then shows Himself to be the God of all grace in the pardon He bestows. Consider what an incalculable debt of sinning we have incurred! From the earliest infancy the carnal mind is enmity against God: “the wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking likes” (Psalms 58:3). Every thought from the first dawning of reason has been only evil continually. Our sins were more in number than the hairs of our head. Suppose, Christian reader, thou hadst lived for twenty or thirty years before God effectually called thee: during all that time thou hadst done no good – not a single act acceptable to the thrice holy God; instead, all thy ways were abominable to Him. Nor hadst thou any concern about God’s being so grievously dishonored, nor the fearfulness of thy estate. And then lo! – wonder of wonders- by one act, in a single moment, God blotted out all thy sins: “having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).”
“Second, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in bestowing on thee a righteousness which met every requirement of His holy Law: a perfect righteousness, even the righteousness of Christ, which contained in it all obedience. That infinitely meritorious righteousness was imputed to thy account wholly and at once: not piecemeal a bit at a time, but in one entire gift. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).
“Third, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in sanctifying thee. This includes first and foremost the bestowment of the Holy Spirit, who takes up His residence in the heart, so that thy body is the temple of God, whereby, thou art set apart and consecrated to Him. In consequence of this, mortifying grace was bestowed, so that every lust then received is death-wound: “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). Quickening grace was also imparted, whereby, the spirit is enabled to resist the flesh: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).”
“These inestimable blessings were the pledges and earnests of the preservation, for “He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). It is in no wise a question of thy worthiness, but solely a matter of divine grace: “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).”~ A.W. Pink
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:10“This verse sets forth the wondrous and mighty grace of God dispensed to His elect in effectually calling them, in preserving them from temptation and sin, in strengthening and enabling them to perseverance unto the end, and – not withstanding all the opposition of the flesh, the world, and the devil – bring them at last securely unto eternal glory; for as Romans 8:30 declares, “Whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
“When Paul was under temptation a messenger (or angel) from Satan being sent to buffet him, what was it that God did immediately set before him for relief? This: “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9) – the grace of God’s heart toward him and the grace working in his own heart, both to assist him effectually.”
“But there is something yet more precious here in 1 Peter 5:10 “the God of all grace,” which has reference first to the exceeding riches of grace that are in His nature, then to the benevolent designs which He has toward His own, and then to His gracious dealings with them. The grace in His nature is the fountain, the grace of His purpose or counsels is the wellhead, and the grace of His dispensations or dealings with us are the streams.”
“God is an all-gracious God in Himself, even as He is the Almighty, which is an essential attribute. There is a limitless ocean of grace in Himself to feed all streams in which His purposes and designs of grace are to issue forth. Our consolation from hence is, that all the grace which is in the nature of God is in the promise of His being “the God of all grace” to His church declared to be so engaged as to afford supplies to them, yea, to the utmost expenditure of these riches as their needs require.”
“For God to be the God of all grace unto His people is for Him to resolve to love them, and that forever; to be unchanging in His love and never to have his heart taken off them.”
“Now since there is a fullness, an ocean, all dispensatory grace to be given forth by God, what necessity follows? This, first, that there is no temptation that doth or can befall a saint that is under dominion of free grace, but God hath a grace prepared to be applied when His hour arrives. It clearly implies that God hath a grace fitted and suited as every need and occasion should arise. There is no sore in the heart but he hath a plaster ready for it, to be laid thereon in due season.”
“As God hath grace for all the manifold needs of His people, so He is the God of all grace in giving forth help as their occasions require, for such is the season for grace to be displayed. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).”
“God has in Himself sufficient grace to meet all the varied needs of His people, and actually does so. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The greatest and acutest need of the Christian springs out of his indwelling sin, yet ample provision is made here, too, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).”
“The superabounding of divine grace is gloriously displayed when God effectually calls His people. First, God then shows Himself to be the God of all grace in the pardon He bestows. Consider what an incalculable debt of sinning we have incurred! From the earliest infancy the carnal mind is enmity against God: “the wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking likes” (Psalms 58:3). Every thought from the first dawning of reason has been only evil continually. Our sins were more in number than the hairs of our head. Suppose, Christian reader, thou hadst lived for twenty or thirty years before God effectually called thee: during all that time thou hadst done no good – not a single act acceptable to the thrice holy God; instead, all thy ways were abominable to Him. Nor hadst thou any concern about God’s being so grievously dishonored, nor the fearfulness of thy estate. And then lo! – wonder of wonders- by one act, in a single moment, God blotted out all thy sins: “having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).”
“Second, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in bestowing on thee a righteousness which met every requirement of His holy Law: a perfect righteousness, even the righteousness of Christ, which contained in it all obedience. That infinitely meritorious righteousness was imputed to thy account wholly and at once: not piecemeal a bit at a time, but in one entire gift. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17).
“Third, God showed Himself to be the God of all grace in sanctifying thee. This includes first and foremost the bestowment of the Holy Spirit, who takes up His residence in the heart, so that thy body is the temple of God, whereby, thou art set apart and consecrated to Him. In consequence of this, mortifying grace was bestowed, so that every lust then received is death-wound: “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). Quickening grace was also imparted, whereby, the spirit is enabled to resist the flesh: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).”
“These inestimable blessings were the pledges and earnests of the preservation, for “He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). It is in no wise a question of thy worthiness, but solely a matter of divine grace: “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).”~ A.W. Pink
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Love of God Displayed in the Effectual Call
“The effectual call is not an invitation, but is the actual bestowment of light and life. It is the immediate fruit of God’s wondrous and infinite love to our persons when we are altogether unlovely, yea, the subjects of nothing but what renders us repulsive and hateful (see Ezekiel 16:4-8!). It is then that the Holy Spirit is given to the elect – given to make good in them what Christ wrought out for them. Let it be clearly recognized and thankfully owned that the gift of the Spirit to us is as great and grand a gift as the gift of Christ for us. By the Spirit’s inhabiting us we are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption.”
“As the love of the Father is chiefly spoken of under the act of election expressed by Him giving His only begotten Son to be our Head and Mediator, and as the love of God the Son shines forth brightest in His incarnation, obedience, and laying down His life for us, so the love of God the Spirit is displayed in His revealing in the Word the eternal transaction between the Father and the Son by enlightening our minds into a true, vital, and spiritual knowledge of the Father and Son.”
“It is at effectual calling that the Spirit is pleased to make an inward revelation and application of the salvation of Christ to the soul, which is indeed heaven dawning upon us, for by it dead sinners are quickened, hard hearts forgiven, and infinite mercy displayed and magnified. It is then that the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord and Giver of all spiritual life, enables great sinners to know that God is love.”
“By His Spirit Christ is pleased to shed abroad the love of God in the heart, and through the gospel He manifests the knowledge of the Father’s love to us. He gives the Spirit to make a revelation of this to our minds, and thus we are led to know and feel the love of God to be the foundation of all grace and everlasting consolation.” ~ AW Pink
“As the love of the Father is chiefly spoken of under the act of election expressed by Him giving His only begotten Son to be our Head and Mediator, and as the love of God the Son shines forth brightest in His incarnation, obedience, and laying down His life for us, so the love of God the Spirit is displayed in His revealing in the Word the eternal transaction between the Father and the Son by enlightening our minds into a true, vital, and spiritual knowledge of the Father and Son.”
“It is at effectual calling that the Spirit is pleased to make an inward revelation and application of the salvation of Christ to the soul, which is indeed heaven dawning upon us, for by it dead sinners are quickened, hard hearts forgiven, and infinite mercy displayed and magnified. It is then that the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord and Giver of all spiritual life, enables great sinners to know that God is love.”
“By His Spirit Christ is pleased to shed abroad the love of God in the heart, and through the gospel He manifests the knowledge of the Father’s love to us. He gives the Spirit to make a revelation of this to our minds, and thus we are led to know and feel the love of God to be the foundation of all grace and everlasting consolation.” ~ AW Pink
Sunday, December 19, 2010
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” ~ Romans 11:36
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” ~ Ephesians 1:3-6
The following link is to a lecture given by Prof. David Engelsma - Oct. 29, 2010 on the doctrines taught by the Federal Vision. Thanks goes to Southwest Protestant Reformed Church for making this lecture available.
You can listen to it here: http://talkfederalvision.c
Saturday, December 18, 2010
“The church is Reformed and always being reformed according to the Word of God.”
“It is not because the culture is always changing and we need to be up with the times, but because we are always in need of being re-orientated to the Word that stands over us, individually and corporately, that the church can never stand still. It must always be a listening church. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Personally and corporately, the church comes into being and is kept alive by hearing the gospel. The church is always on the receiving end of God’s good gifts as well as His correction. The Spirit does not lead us apart from the Word, but directs us back to Christ as He is revealed in Scripture, both the law and the gospel. We always need to return to the voice of our Shepherd. The same gospel that creates the church sustains and renews it. Our personal conformity to the Word that Paul commands in Romans 12 is never completed in this life. And the same is true of the church in this present age.”
“When we invoke the whole phrase – “the church Reformed and always in need of being reformed according to the Word of God” – we confess that we belong to a church and not simply to ourselves and that this church is always created and renewed by the Word of God rather than by the Spirit of the age. It is simply another way of saying that we are not our own (individually or collectively) but belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.” ~ Michael Horton
“When we invoke the whole phrase – “the church Reformed and always in need of being reformed according to the Word of God” – we confess that we belong to a church and not simply to ourselves and that this church is always created and renewed by the Word of God rather than by the Spirit of the age. It is simply another way of saying that we are not our own (individually or collectively) but belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.” ~ Michael Horton
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