Consideration of the Cause of and Response to Apostasy in Individuals

“The first general cause of all ignorance, error, and misunderstanding of the mind and will of God, as revealed in the Scripture, among all sorts of men, whatever their particular circumstances are, is the natural vanity and darkness with which the minds of all men are depraved.”

“Two things I shall only observe unto our present purpose, namely,

(1.) That hereby the mind is kept off from discerning the glory and beauty of spiritual, heavenly truth, and from being sensible of its power and efficacy, John 1:5.

(2.) That it is by the same means inclined unto all things that are vain, curious, superstitious, carnal, suited unto the interest of pride, lust, and all manner of corrupt affections. Hence, whatever other occasions of error and superstition may be given or taken, the ground of their reception and of all adherence unto them is the uncured vanity and darkness of the minds of men by nature.”

“And the consideration hereof will rectify our thoughts concerning those whom we see daily to wander from the truth, or to live in those misapprehensions of the mind of God which they have imbibed, notwithstanding the clear revelation of it unto the contrary. Some think it strange that it should be so, and marvel at them; some are angry with them; and some would persecute and destroy them. We may make a better use of this consideration; for we may learn from it the sad corruption and depravation of our minds in our estate of apostasy from God. Here lies the seed and spring of all the sin, evil and disorder, which we behold and suffer under in religious concerns in this world.”

“And if we consider it aright, it will serve,-

[1.] To impress a due sense of our own condition upon our minds, that we may be humbled. It was in the principles of our nature to adhere sacredly unto the first truth, to discern and abhor every false way. We were created with that light of truth in our minds as was every way able to guide us in all that we had to believe or do with respect unto God or our own blessedness for ever. But in the room thereof, through our wretched apostasy from God, our mind is become the seat and habitation of all vanity, disorder, and confusion. And no way doth this more discover itself than in the readiness and proneness of multitudes to embrace whatever is crooked, perverse, and false in religion, notwithstanding the clear revelation that God hath made of the whole truth concerning it in Scripture. A due reflection hereon may teach us humility and self-abasement; for we are “by nature children of wrath, even as others,” neither have we any good thing that we have not received. It is better therefore to be conversant with such thoughts on this occasion than to be filled with contempt of, or wrath against those whom we see yet suffering under those woeful effects of the general apostasy from God, wherein we are equally involved with them.”

[2.] It will teach us pity and compassion towards those whose minds do run out into the spiritual excesses mentioned. The merciful High priest of the whole church hath “compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way,” Hebrews 5:2; and it is conformity unto him in all things which ought to be our principal design, if we desire to be like unto him in glory. Want hereof is the ruin of religion, and the true cause of all the troubles that its profession is encumbered withal at this day.”

“It is true, for the most part, there is an interposition of corrupt affections seducing the minds of men from the truth; with these are they tossed up and down, and so driven with the winds of temptations that befall them; - but is it humanity to stand on the shore, and seeing men in a storm at sea, wherein they are ready every moment to be cast away and perish, to storm at them ourselves, or to shoot them to death, or to cast fire into their vessel, because they are in danger of being drowned? Yet no otherwise do we deal with them whom we persecute because they miss the knowledge of the truth; and, it may be, raise a worse storm in ourselves as to our own morals than they suffer under in their intellectuals. Concerning such persons the advice of the apostle is, “Of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,” Jude 22,23. Some are so given up in their apostasy as that they “sin unto death;” with such we are not to concern ourselves, 1 John 5:16. But it is very rare that we can safely make that judgment concerning any in this world. Sometimes, no doubt, we may, or this rule concerning them had not been given. As unto all others, the worst of them, those that are in the fire, the frame of our minds’ acting towards them is here presented unto us; compassion of their present status, and fear of their future ruin, we ought to be possessed with and acted by. But how few are they who are so framed and minded towards them, especially as such as by their enormous errors seem to be fallen into the fire of God’s displeasure! Anger, wrath, fury, contempt, towards such persons, men think to be their duty; more contrivances there are usually how they may be temporally destroyed than how they may be eternally saved. But such men profess the truth as it were by chance. They never knew what it is to learn it aright, nor whence the knowledge of it is to be received, nor were ever under its power or conduct. Our proper work is to save such persons, what lies in us, “pulling them out of the fire.” Duties of difficulty and danger unto ourselves may be required hereunto. It is easier, if we had secular power with us, to thrust men into temporal fire for their errors than to free them from eternal fire by the truth. But if we were governed my compassion for their souls and fear of their ruin, as it is our duty to be, we would not decline any office of love required thereunto.”

[3.] Hath God led us into the truth, hath he kept us from every false way? It is not, we see, of ourselves, that we either know the truth, or love it, or abide in the profession of it. We have nothing of this kind but what we have received. Humility in ourselves, usefulness towards others, and thankfulness unto God, ought to be the effects of this consideration.” ~ John Owen

God’s Preservation of the Saints in Temptation

“Consider what preventions the provident God useth against our sinnings.”


“By innumerable means doth the Lord stop our precipices, hedge up our ways to sin; that when temptation invites us, we may have hands manacled, and feet fettered with detentions; and we cozen the devil against our wills. He would have us come, and we would come, but (thanks be to God) we cannot come.”

“Let us meditate how we are blessed of God, and have reason to bless God, for these happy deliverances. As St. Augustine: I had time and place to commit sin, but then the tempter was away; thy doing, O Lord, it was that he was away. The tempter was present, but then time and place were wanting, thy doing it was that I wanted time and place. Time and place were convenient, and the tempter was there also, provoking me forward, all opportunities furthering; but then I had no stomach to it, lust was cool, my will had no will to consent: thy doing it was that I was unwilling, that the edge of my appetite was dull. Sometimes I had will, but then I wanted means; sometimes I had means, but then I wanted will; sometimes I had likewise will and means, but then I also wanted ability: another time, means, will, and ability were concurring; but then came in some other interruption; a messenger with sudden business, the distress of a friend, the invitation of a neighbor. Still, O Lord, that I was not led into temptation, nor captivated by suggestion, it was thy doing. Blessed be God, as for his furtherance in good, so for his hindrance in evil.”

“If we be godly, and find these things true, let us enter into our chambers, fall upon our knees, lift up our hearts, and say in humble thankfulness, Lord, thou hast delivered me, I find thy mercy, to thy name be the glory.” ~ Thomas Adams

Amen.

Imaginary Righteousness

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” ~ Luke 18:10-14

“The Pharisee prays not for supply of defects, nor acknowledgeth a defect of supplies; but tells his own fullness, and that great difference which his mistaken eyes saw between himself and the publican; swelling with his own wind till he burst.

They plough with the oxen of their own imaginary righteousness, and contemplate the farm which their own works have purchased, and marry themselves to merit as to wife; therefore in the pride of their preemptory stomachs they scorn the Lamb’s supper.

Therefore Christ refuseth them in his call, but seeks sinners; not sinners in perverseness, but sinners in sense and conscience, in plea, action, confession, and condemnation of themselves. It is a needy and acknowledged emptiness, that lies at his gate, who is rich in mercy.” ~ Thomas Adams

There is a City that Makes Glad the Heart of Man

“It is observable that to the two chief apostles, Paul and Peter, God did afford this privilege, in this mortal life to have a taste of heaven’s joys, that they might feelingly and effectually raise up our affections to that supernatural city.

Paul was rapt up to the third heaven, and so ravished with this joy, that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not: “Whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell,” 2 Corinthians 12:2. And, methinks, when he comes down again out of heaven, he writes so contemptibly of these worldly things, that he calls them very dross and dung. Such respect hath any man of all the things under the sun, that hath but tasted the sweetness of paradise.

So Peter, together with James and John, on Mount Tabor, saw a glimpse of heaven. They beheld it that they might preach it: preaching, lift up our hearts to it; and our hearts being lifted up to it, might be blessed in it. On purpose they were showed this glory, that they might inflame our affections with it.

Imagine that it were possible for the most worldly soul here, to be lifted up so high as was Paul; be admitted to look into paradise; to see that glorious society of saints and angels, and so much of that beatifical vision as their nature is capable of: and from thence to look down again upon this earth, hanging like a little clod in the midst of the world; and see so many millions of men busied about nothing, like ants on a molehill, or flies in a sun-beam: how basely would he esteem this world and contemn that which is now his glory, for which he is content to venture his soul.” ~ Thomas Adams


“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 12:16

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Revelation 21:23

How you Worship Matters

“Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.

For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.” ~ Micah 1:2-3

“We ought to note the meaning of these ‘high places,’ for they served as substitutes for worship. It wasn’t so much that the Jews intended openly to reject God or his services. Rather, not content with possessing the Temple alone, they set up numerous chapels and altars. There was scarcely a nook or cranny that did not house some religious paraphernalia. Everywhere one spoke of worshipping God.”

“But we know what Jeremiah thought of all this, ‘Did God command you to do these things? No! For God does not wish to be worshipped in accordance with human fancy’ (Jeremiah 6:19-20; 7:20-24). Hence, whenever approaching God in a manner we find good, we must not suppose that God is required to accept it. For anything that God has not commanded us to do, or put his stamp of approval upon, results in wages that can be collected only in hell.”

“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.” ~ Jeremiah 7:20-24

“God condemns anything of human invention that mankind introduce as means of worshipping God. As we have just seen in Jeremiah, if God has not required such a form or act; he will reject it as an abomination.”

“In truth, humanity abuses the name of God. For, while worshipping their idols mankind completely reject what the living God himself has ordained. For we cannot invent forms of worship, based on our fantasies, without at the same time inventing a new god.”

“Therefore, we should not be astonished to discover that God both rejects and condemns all forms of worship invented by mankind. For the only thing that pleases God is our obedience.”

“What does the Lord say? In the first place: ‘He will destroy the high places,’ that is, the temples. For though they were built with the intention of worshipping God, in appearance, promoted holiness an devotion, God rejected them as bordellos of disease and infamy.”

“Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.


To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.” ~ Jeremiah 6:19-20

“How today’s humanity confides in its own inventions! How they fashion arguments in their ignorance, claiming, ‘But my intentions were good!’ Our Lord, however, retracts nothing of his sentence against such. Therefore, it behooves us to endorse his condemnation. For unless we have honored God by holding to his pure doctrine, by accepting it as sound and trustworthy, without adding to it, not only will anything we do to the contrary be rejected by God as an abominable practice, but we ourselves will be severely punished for being so foolish and presumptuous as to have added anything to God’s Word.”

“If we sincerely want to adopt the true order of worship that pleases God, then we have to pay heed to what God has commanded us. For if we allow only what seems best to us, without basing it on God’s Word, it will result in nothing but vanity and will constitute a true abomination on our part.”

“One might argue that God is unfair to respond so sternly toward persons who act out of ignorance, or, in doing so, act with good intentions. It must be noted that, though we might find ignorance acceptable, God does not consider it acceptable. Therefore, it is wrong for us to claim: ‘O, I didn’t know that.’ Rather, let our knowing be based on what God says in Scripture. For we can feign ignorance only if we deliberately close our eyes.”

“Once God has graciously revealed his will and taught us what to do, we shall be all the more culpable if we fail to follow the path that we know pleases God. Whoever, thus, deliberately declines to follow that path can no longer feign ignorance. Our condemnation will be even greater, if we dismiss what God has already said: ‘This is how I want you to worship me,’ because we prefer to obey mortals rather than the living God.”

“Let us take heed, therefore, that, insofar as God has introduced us to his righteous path, we pursue it, and that we never allow ourselves to veer from it, regardless of what might happen to us.”
~ John Calvin (The above excerpts were taken from Calvin’s sermons on Micah, 1550)

Are we worshipping God according to man’s “inventions” or “fancies?”

As we go to our various places of worship this coming Lord’s Day, may we offer to God worship that is acceptable and pleasing to Him.

Doctrine of Reprobation

This is a very tough doctrine. I have been reading Robert Haldane’s commentary on Romans, and as you would surmise, I have gotten as far as the ninth chapter. Below are some excerpts from Haldane’s commentary:

“Reprobation includes two acts: the one is negative, which consists in what is called preterition, or the passing by of those who are not elected – that is, leaving them in their natural state of alienation or enmity against God; the other is positive, and is called condemnation, - the act of condemning on account of sin those who have been passed by.

That first act consists in God’s simply withholding His grace, to which no man can have any claim. For this, accordingly, the Scriptures give no reason but the sovereign pleasure of God, who has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and who might justly have left all men to perish in their sins.

In the second act, God considers man as guilty, a child of wrath; and as on this account He punishes him in time, so from all eternity He has ordained to punish Him.

In electing sinners, then, or in passing them by, God acts as a sovereign dispensing or withholding His favours, which are His own, as to Him seemeth good. In condemning, He exercises His justice in the punishment of the guilty. He may impart grace to whomsoever He pleases, without anyone having a right to find fault, since in regard to those whom He destines to salvation He has provided means to satisfy His justice.

On the other hand, those who are guilty have no right to complain if He hath appointed them to wrath, (1Thess. 5:9; 1 Peter 2:8; Jude 4 ;) for God was under no obligation to exercise mercy towards sinners. Both these doctrines of election and reprobation are exemplified in the case of Jacob and Esau, in which there is nothing peculiar. Jacob was loved and chosen before he was born, and Esau before he was born was an object of hatred and reprobation. Under one or the other of these descriptions, all who receive the above doctrines must be convinced that every individual of the human race is included.”

“Unless men reject the Bible, they must admit that all were condemned in Adam; and if they were justly condemned, there can be no injustice in leaving them in that state of condemnation, and punishing them as sinners. It is only from the sovereign good pleasure and love of God that any of the human race are saved. He had no such love to the fallen angels, and they all perished; nor has He such love to those of the human race that shall perish, for He says, ‘Depart from Me, ye cursed, I never knew you.’ Men had no more claim upon God for mercy than the angels.”



“The doctrine of the Sovereignty of God is derogatory to the pride of man; it lays all his high notions of independence in the dust, and reduces him, when acknowledged, to a sense of his utter helplessness and misery. Happy, nevertheless, are they who have learned this lesson, for it is one which flesh and blood cannot teach, but only our Father which is in heaven. In light of this chapter they see themselves as lying entirely in the hand of God, having nothing that distinguishes them from others, but His sovereign will and favour in their election.”

“Whatever difficulties are found in the doctrine of the sovereignty of God, and in the truth that He ordains for His own glory whatever comes to pass, yet this, it is clear, is the doctrine of Scripture from beginning to end. Every part of it represents God as ordering and directing all events, and without this, and were anything left to depend or be regulated by the will of His creatures, He would cease to be the Supreme Ruler.”

Haldane concludes his chapter on Romans nine with the following sentence:
“If we lose sight of sovereignty, we lose sight of God.”

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, not of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.” ~ Romans 9:13-23

God leads His children

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." ~ Romans 8:14

"In spiritual things we are as little children, who, on account of their weakness, have need to be led by the hand that they may not fall.

It is necessary, then, that believers be led by the Spirit of God.

The manner in which the Spirit leads them is not by violence against their inclination, but by bending and changing their will, in a manner consistent with its nature. When Jesus Christ says, ‘No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me, draw him,’ it is not meant that God forces against their will those whom He draws, but it shows us that we are naturally so indisposed to go to Jesus Christ, that it is necessary that God, by His Spirit, draw us to Him, and that by His secret but powerful influence He changes our resistance into consent.

This is what is meant by the Church in the Song of Solomon, when she says, ‘Draw me, we will run after Thee;’ for this shows that she is drawn in such a way that she runs, that is, that her will being changed, and her perversity removed, she with alacrity follows the Lord.

God gives His people to will and to do of His good pleasure, making them willing in the day of His power, and by His Spirit changes their hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

This leading of the Spirit consists, too, in enlightening our understandings, as Jesus Christ says, ‘When He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.’ It consists also in the sanctification of our will and affections; so that he who is led by the Spirit is transformed by the renewing of his mind, proving what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. He has the eyes of his understanding enlightened to know what is the hope of the calling of God, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

The Holy Spirit takes the glory of the person of Jesus, as God manifest in the flesh, and of His office, as the one Mediator between God and man, and discovers it to His people. Convincing them of their sinful condition, and of Christ’s righteousness, He leads them to renounce everything of their own, in the hope of acceptance with God. He teaches them as the Spirit of truth shining upon His own word, striving with them by it externally, and internally by His grace conducting, guiding, and bringing them onwards in the way of duty, and, as the promised Comforter, filling them with Divine consolation. Thus He leads them to Christ, to prayer as the spirit of grace and of supplication, to holiness, and to happiness.

This leading is enjoyed by none but Christians; for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” ~ Robert Haldane