– From the Fall onward, human beings have sought to make gods of themselves, make idols of the good things in life, and domesticate the true and living God so that we can (ostensibly) enlist him in our schemes of enrichment and aggrandizement. – Jonathan Baer from The Soil of the Prosperity Gospel
– He humbled Himself, to exalt us; He made Himself a servant, to set us free; He became poor, to enrich us; He was sold, to buy us back; a Captive, to deliver us; Condemned, to procure our pardon; He was made a curse, that we might be blessed; the Oblation for sins, for our justification; His face was marred, to re-beautify ours; He Died, that we may have life. In such sort, that by Him, hardness is softened; wrath appeased; darkness made light; iniquity turned into righteousness; weakness is made strength; despair is consoled; sin is resisted; shame is despised; fear is emboldened; debt is paid; labor is lightened; Sorrow is turned into joy; Misfortune into blessing; Difficulties are made easy; Disorder made order; Division into union; Ignominy is ennobled; Rebellion subjected; Threat is threatened; Ambush is ambushed; Assault assailed; Striving is overpowered; War is warred against; Vengeance is avenged on; Torment tormented; Damnation damned; Destruction destroyed; Hell burned up; Death is killed; Mortality changed to immortality; In short, pity has swallowed up all misery; and Goodness all wretchedness; For all those things, which used to be the arms with which the Devil combated us, and the sting of death, are, to draw us forward, turned into instruments from which we can derive profit. – John Calvin from Christ the End of the Law (London: William Cegg and Co. pp. 29-3, 1850) pp. 29-30
– The wisdom of the age has it backwards. Declaring that a person is a sinner does not make one a hater, but a lover of that person … and of mankind. Do Christians point out sin to shame, bully or incite violence against someone? Absurd and a profound misapprehension of our intent. In calling someone a sinner do Christians think they are superior, more moral? May it never be! Most people’s sin pales in comparison to mine. Fact is, it would only be hate or discrimination if we refused the gospel to someone because we thought their sin makes them somehow unworthy of it. The gospel declares that anyone who, by the grace of God, comes to Christ will be forgiven, no matter how abominable their sin. And such are granted a new heart which loves God and his law. – John Hendryx from The Wisdom of the Age
– We are justified by faith alone, but not by the faith which is alone. Unless it be a heart-purifying, and a work-producing faith, it is spurious – it is not wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God.
We are justified by faith, and our faith is justified or evidenced by our works. This ancient doctrine is thus maintained by Bishop Horsley, in his first charge: “That man is justified by faith without works of the law, was the uniform doctrine of our first Reformers. It is a far more ancient doctrine – it was the doctrine of the whole college of Apostles: is is more ancient still – it was the doctrine of the prophets; it is older than the prophets – it was the religion of the patriarchs. And no one who has the least acquaintance with the writings of the first Reformers will impute to them, more than to the patriarchs, the prophets, or apostles, the absurd opinion, that any man leading an impenitent wicked life, will finally, upon the mere pretense of faith (and faith connected with an impenitent life, must always be a mere pretense, obtain admission to heaven!” – From The Gospel Magazine & Theological Review, Ser 5. Vol 3, no. 1 – July 1874
What does Jesus mean when he calls people not to judge others? Does he mean he wants us to be undiscriminating between what is right and wrong? Or does he mean to simply keep your comments about right and wrong to yourself? Or to live in such as way where we don’t care how other people live at all? Is he telling us to just leave others alone? Well, when we read the statement in context Jesus actually said something quite different than most people imagine. According to the remainder of the passage Jesus is saying that when we confront other people’s sin, we should always keep in mind our own … we then speak from a posture of humility, love and empathy. Jesus does not say, “forget about it” but says “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” So he clearly isn’t telling us to ignore the sins of others but to remind ourselves of our own condition before saying anything. So does taking the speck out of our own eye mean that we must first be sinless ourselves if we are to be qualified to help others our of their bondage? … no the Bible is indicating that we are to always approach other sinners on equal ground recognizing that we are likewise only saved by grace alone, by God’s good pleasure, and nothing more. We have nothing over anyone else … so remember that when we bring the good news of the gospel to others.
Rated R For Reformed 