"Questions Most Pastors Don't Want You To Ask Them"

Questions most pastors don't want you to ask them:

What is Arminianism and why is it unbiblical? Where in the Bible did Jesus tell people they got saved by reading a pamphlet called "four spiritual laws" or saying a "sinner's prayer" or walking forward at a Crusade or Altar Call? Why do pastors tell people to close their eyes and bow their heads when sinners are being told to seek the Lord? Did Jesus tell his followers to make sure they didn't embarrass people who needed salvation? Why do people meet on Sundays in large special purpose buildings when the early church met in homes on a much smaller scale and in a much more interactive and intimate setting? If the Apostle Paul was self-employed (as a tent maker) and tried so hard to avoid being a financial burden to the churches he was involved in, why do most pastors today get a salary and expect one?  And if it is because being a pastor is their full time job, then why don't they delegate some of their responsibilities to others?

"Those Who Will Suffer the Eternal Torments of Hell" by Richard Baxter

THE MISERY OF THOSE WHO, BESIDES LOSING THE SAINTS' REST, LOSE THE ENJOYMENTS OF TIME, AND SUFFER THE TORMENTS OF HELL.

1.The enjoyments of time which the damned lose: 1. Their presumptuous belief of their interest in God and Christ: 2. All their hopes; 3. All their peace of conscience; 4. All their carnal mirth; 5. All their sensual delights. II. The torments of the damned are exceedingly great: 1. The principal Author of them is God himself. 2. The place or state of torment. 3. These torments are the effects of divine vengeance. 4. God will take pleasure in executing them. 5. Satan and sinners themselves will be God's executioners. 6. These torments will be universal; 7. Without any mitigation; 8. And eternal. The obstinate sinner convinced of his folly in venturing on these torments; and entreated to fly for safety to Christ.

As "godliness hath a promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come;" and if we "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," then all meaner "things shall be added unto us;" so also are the ungodly threatened with the loss both of spiritual and temporal blessings; and because they sought not first God's kingdom and righteousness, therefore shall they lose both it and that which they did seek, and there "shall be taken from them that little which they have." If they could but have kept their present enjoyments, they would not have much cared for the loss of heaven. If they had "lost and forsaken all for Christ," they would have found all again in him; for he would have been all in all to them. But, now they have forsaken Christ for other things, they shall lose Christ, and that also for which they forsook him, even the enjoyments of time, besides suffering the torments of hell.

1. They shall lose their presumptuous belief of their interest in the favor of God and the merits of Christ. This false belief now supports their spirits, and defends them from the terrors that would otherwise seize upon them. But what will ease their trouble when they can believe no longer, nor rejoice any longer? If a man be near to the greatest mischief, and yet strongly conceit that he is in safety, he may be as cheerful as if all were well. If there were no more to make a man happy but to believe that he is so, or shall be so, happiness would be far more common than it is like to be. As true faith is the leading grace in the regenerate, so is false faith the leading vice in the unregenerate. Why do such multitudes sit still when they might have pardon, but that they verily think they are pardoned already? If you could ask thousands in hell, what madness brought them thither? they would most of them answer, "We thought we were sure of being saved till we found ourselves damned. We would have been more earnest seekers of regeneration and the power of godliness, but we verily thought we were Christians already. We have flattered ourselves into these torments, and now there is no remedy." Reader, I must in faithfulness tell thee that the confident belief of their good state, which the careless, unholy, unhumbled multitude so commonly boast of; will prove in the end but a soul-damning delusion. There is none of this believing in hell. It was Satan's stratagem, that being blindfold, they might follow him the more boldly; but then he will uncover their eyes, and they shall see where they are.

"The Sower" By Thomas Chalmers Oct. 1841

When my Saviour speaks let me ever be attentive to hear Him - Save me, O God, from the withdrawing process.and give me fully to share in the advancing process which obtains under the economy of grace. Let me give earnest heed to the things that are spoken—that, having this, more may be granted to me, and so as that I may increase in the knowledge of God, and be more and more instructed in the mysteries of His kingdom. Enable me, O God, so as to apply as to find my own place in the parable of the sower, and read there what my infirmities and wants are. How often then have I reason to fear that I occupy a stage even behind the first class of hearers—reading so mechanically, or hearing so listlessly that the word does not light upon me at all, or become the object of recognition so much as for an instant. But even when it does, how often is it on the understanding only, whence it slips from the memory, in a moment dispossessed or taken away. Or when it does make an impression on the heart or conscience, how marvellously soon is that impression dissipated among the vanities of the world, and the sympathies of social life with those before whom I deny Christ by my silence— because the shame of a godly profession operates upon me with all the influence which persecution had in former ages.

But the place to which I most gravitate, and against which I most need to guard myself, is that of the third class of hearers—in whom the word is choked by weeds and thorns; because there is a depth of soil in me for the abiding and the practical—for a fixed ruling passion which might supplant every other, or at least subordinate every other. But that soil is pre-occupied with thorns, so as to stint the room and growth of a principle of grace in me. If not a love for the riches of this world, it is at least the care of this world in some one of its varieties—sometimes a diseased and anxious feeling of insecurity for my property—sometimes a brooding sense of irritation at the injustice which I either feel or fancy— sometimes a taste for occupations distinct from those which subserve the furtherance of the spiritual life, and at all times a general overhanging and overweening carnality. These are the several vexations of the vain show in which I walk, and which would cheat me of my eternity.

"How Shall I Go To God" By Horatius Bonar

"How Shall I Go to God?" It is with our sins that we go to God—for we have nothing else to go with that we can call our own. This is one of the lessons that we are so slow to learn; yet without learning this—we cannot take one right step in that which we call a Christian life.

To look up some good thing in our past life, or to get some good thing now, if we find that our past does not contain any such thing—is our first thought when we begin to inquire after God, that we may get the great question settled between Him and us, as to the forgiveness of our sins.

"In His favor is life"; and to be without this favor is to be unhappy here, and to be shut out from joy hereafter. There is no life worthy of the name of life except that which flows from His assured friendship. Without that friendship, our life here is a burden and a weariness; but with that friendship we fear no evil, and all sorrow is turned into joy.

"How shall I be happy?" was the question of a weary soul who had tried a hundred different ways of happiness, and had always failed.

"Secure the favor of God," was the prompt answer, by one who had himself tasted that the "Lord is gracious."

"Is there no other way of being happy?"

"None, none," was the quick and decided reply. "Man has been trying other ways for six thousand years, and has utterly failed—and are you likely to succeed?"

"No, not likely; and I don't want to go on trying. But this favor of God seems such a shadowy thing, and God Himself so far off—that I know not which way to turn."

Are You A Good Person?

"The Great Commission Given" From "The Fourfold Gospel" by J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton

8-9. THE GREAT COMMISSION GIVEN.
(Time and place same as last section.)
^a MATT. 28:18-20; ^b MARK 16:15-18; ^c LUKE 24:46, 47.

---

      ^a 18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.

  ^b 15 And he said unto them, Go ye ^a therefore, ^b into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. ^a and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

  20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you:

  ^b 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.

^c Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day;

  47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [The verses from Luke are taken from a later conversation, which will be handled in our next section. They are inserted here because they are an indicative statement of the commission which Matthew and Mark give in the imperative, and a section professing to embrace the commission would be imperfect without them. The first word of the commission is significant, and should be remembered. We have no right to wait for sinners to come and hear the gospel; we must carry it to them. The "therefore" with which it opens shows that Jesus rests this command nor the word "authority" adequately translated Christ's word. It means all the right of absolute authority, and all the force of absolute power. It is a most transcendent claim which Jesus utters here. All authority in heaven! Paul's qualification of these words, or their counterpart in ICorxv 1:1 Psalms 8:6 (ICor. xv. 27, 28) Psalms 27,28 , magnifies instead of detracting from their wonderful import, for he deems its necessary to state that the Father himself is not subject to the Son. Surely in connection with this marvelous celestial power, his dominion over out tiny earth would not need to be mentioned if it were not that we, its inhabitants, are very limited in our conception of things, and require exceedingly plain statements. The command calls for the Christianizing of all nations. If we realized better that authority with which Christ prefaces his commission, the conquest of the nations in his name would seem to us a small matter indeed, and we should set about it expecting to witness its speedy accomplishment. The structure of the sentence in the original Greek shows that it is the disciples and not the nations who are to be baptized; according to the commission, therefore, one must be made a disciple before he can be baptized. Baptism brings us into divine relation to God. Being a part of the process of adoption, it is called a birth ( John 3:5 ). The baptized Christian bears the name into which he is baptized (Romans 2:24 ; James 2:7 ). Luke sums up the whole commission by recording the words of Christ, wherein he states that he suffered that it might be preached to all nations that if men would repent, God could now forgive ( Romans 3:26 ). From Luke's record we also learn that the preaching of these glad tidings was to begin at Jerusalem.]

  ^b 17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;

  18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [The Book of Acts gives examples of each one of these except the fourth, and though we have no there is little doubt that in the many persecutions such cases did occur.] ^a and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. [This is a promise not of bare companionship, but of full sympathy and support ( Isaiah 43:2 ; Exodus 33:15 ; Joshua 1:5 ). The duration of this promise shows that it is intended for all disciples.]

Written in 1914 and published by Standard Publishing Company in Cincinnati, Oh (my neck of the woods) this book is a complete chronology of the life of Christ, divided into titled sections and sub-divisions, with comments injected in the text.  Well worth the read if you can find it in book form, if not here is a site you can read it online.  Be Blessed Brothers and Sisters, Be Blessed!   http://www.ccel.org/m/mcgarvey/ffg/FFG000A.HTM

The Fourfold Gospel in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.

"What is a Covenant?" By Meredith G. Kline

Because the subject of biblical covenants and ancient treaties has been under intensive investigation and lively dispute, some introductory observations are in order here about the nature of those biblical arrangements we call "covenants." Our chief interest in these comments is in those covenantal arrangements in which God was one party.

Of the biblical words usually rendered "covenant" the primary one in the Old Testament is the Hebrew berith, for which the Greek diathekewas the translation choice of the New Testament writers. What is it that constitutes the peculiar berith-character of that which is so denominated?

Repeatedly we read of a berith being "made." The berith-making is accomplished through a solemn process of ratification. Characteristically this transaction centers in the swearing of an oath, with its sanctioning curse. Clearly a berith is a legal kind of arrangement, a formal disposition of a binding nature. At the heart of a berith is an act of commitment and the customary oath-form of this commitment reveals the religious nature of the transaction. The berith arrangement is no mere secular contract but rather belongs to the sacred sphere of divine witness and enforcement.

"Calvinism in America" By Loraine Boettner

Chapter Seven: Calvinism in America, Taken From "Calvinism in History"

When we come to study the influence of Calvinism as a political force in the history of the United States we come to one of the brightest pages of all Calvinistic history. Calvinism came to America in the Mayflower, and Bancroft, the greatest of American historians, pronounces the Pilgrim Fathers "Calvinists in their faith according to the straightest system."¹ John Endicott, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; John Winthrop, the second governor of that Colony; Thomas Hooker, the founder of Connecticut; John Davenport, the founder of the New Haven Colony; and Roger Williams, the founder of the Rhode Island Colony, were all Calvinists. William Penn was a disciple of the Huguenots. It is estimated that of the 3,000,000 Americans at the time of the American Revolution, 900,000 were of Scotch or Scotch-Irish origin, 600,000 were Puritan English, and 400,000 were German or Dutch Reformed. In addition to this the Episcopalians had a Calvinistic confession in their Thirty-nine Articles; and many French Huguenots also had come to this western world. Thus we see that about two-thirds of the colonial population had been trained in the school of Calvin. Never in the world's history had a nation been founded by such people as these. Furthermore these people came to America not primarily for commercial gain or advantage, but because of deep religious convictions. It seems that the religious persecutions in various European countries had been providentially used to select out the most progressive and enlightened people for the colonization of America. At any rate it is quite generally admitted that the English, Scotch, Germans, and Dutch have been the most masterful people of Europe. Let it be especially remembered that the Puritans, who formed the great bulk of the settlers in New England, brought with them a Calvinistic Protestantism, that they were truly devoted to the doctrines of the great Reformers, that they had an aversion for formalism and oppression whether in the Church or in the State, and that in New England Calvinism remained the ruling theology throughout the entire Colonial period.

"ENDURING PERSECUTION FOR CHRIST" By John Calvin

"Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach." Hebrews xiii., 13. 

All the exhortations which can be given us to suffer patiently for the name of Jesus Christ, and in defense of the gospel, will have no effect if we do not feel assured of the cause for which we fight. For when we are called to part with life, it is absolutely necessary to know on what grounds. The firmness necessary we can not possess, unless it be founded on certainty of faith. 

It is true that persons may be found who will foolishly expose themselves to death in maintaining some absurd opinions and dreams conceived by their own brain, but such impetuosity is more to be regarded as frenzy than as Christian zeal; and, in fact, there is neither firmness nor sound sense in those who thus, at a kind of haphazard, cast themselves away. But, however this may be, it is in a good cause only that God can acknowledge us as His martyrs. Death is common to all, and the children of God are condemned to ignominy and tortures as criminals are; but God makes the distinction between them, inasmuch as He can not deny His truth. On our part, then, it is requisite that we have sure and infallible evidence of the doctrine which we maintain; and hence, as I have said, we can not be rationally imprest by any exhortations which we receive to suffer persecution for the gospel, if no true certainty of faith has been imprinted in our hearts. For to hazard our life upon a peradventure is not natural, and tho we were to do it, it would only be rashness, not Christian courage. In a word, nothing that we do will be approved of God if we are not thoroughly persuaded that it is for Him and His cause we suffer persecution, and the world is our enemy. 

"Exhortation to Prayer" by William Cowper

What various hindrances we meet 

In coming to a mercy-seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of pray'r,
But wishes to be often there?

Pray'r makes the dark'ned cloud withdraw,
Pray'r climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings ev'ry blessing from above.

Restraining pray'r, we cease to fight;
Pray'r makes the Christian's armour bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side;
But when thro' weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.

Have you no words! Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heav'n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft'ner be,
"Hear what the LORD has done for me!"

Cry Out America Prayer Rally!

"All Kinds of Strange Teachings" By J.C. Ryle

 "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings! It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them." Hebrews 13:9

      The text which heads this paper is an apostolic caution against false doctrine. It forms part of a warning which Paul addressed to Hebrew Christians. It is a caution just as much needed now--as it was eighteen hundred years ago. Never, I think, was it so important for Christian ministers to cry aloud continually, "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings!"

      That old enemy of mankind, the devil, has no more subtle instrument for ruining souls, than that of spreading false doctrine. "A murderer and a liar from the beginning!" "Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour!"

      Outside the Church, he is ever persuading men to maintain sinful lives, and destructive superstitions. Human sacrifice to idols, gross revolting, cruel, worship of disgusting and abominable false deities, persecution, slavery, cannibalism, child murder, devastating religious wars--all these are a part of Satan's handiwork, and the fruit of his suggestions! Like a pirate, his object is to "sink, burn, and destroy!"

      Inside the Church he is ever laboring to sow heresies, to propagate errors, to foster departures from the faith. If he cannot prevent the waters flowing from the Fountain of Life, he tries hard to poison them. If he cannot destroy the remedy of the Gospel, he strives to adulterate and corrupt it. No wonder that he is called "Apollyon, the destroyer."

"The god of Arminianism" By Augustus Toplady- 1740-1778

I dare say, that, in such an auditory as this, a number of Arminians are present. I fear that all our public assemblies have too many of them. Perhaps, however, even these people, idolaters as they are, may be apt to blame, and, indeed, with justice, the absurdity of those who worship idols of silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. But let me ask: If it be so very absurd, to worship the work of other men’s hands what must it be, to worship the works of our own hands? Perhaps, you may say, "God forbid that I should do so.". Nevertheless, let me tell you, that trust, confidence, reliance, and dependence, for salvation, are all acts and very solemn ones too, of divine worship: and upon whatsoever you depend, whether in whole or in part, for your acceptance with God, and for your justification in his sight, whatsoever, you rely upon, and trust in, for the attainment of grace or glory; if it be any thing short of God in Christ, you are an idolater for all intents and purposes.

Very different is the idea which Scripture gives us, of the ever-blessed God, from that of those false gods worshipped by the heathens; and from that degrading representation of the true God, which Arminianism would palm upon mankind. Our God (says this Psalm, verse the third) is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he pleased. This is not the Arminian idea of God: for our free-willers and our chance-mongers tell us, that God does not do whatsoever he pleases; that there are a great number of things, which God wishes to do, and rags and strives to do, and yet cannot bring to pass . . . Is their god the Bible God? Certainly not. Their god "submits" to difficulties which he "cannot help" himself out of, and endeavors to make himself "easy" under millions and millions of inextricable embarrassments, uncomfortable disappointments, and mortifying defeats. . . .This said scheme ascends, on the ladder of blasphemy, to the mountain top of atheism; and then hurls itself from that precipice, into the gulf of blind, adamantine necessity, in order to prove mankind free agents!

. . .One great contest, between the religion of Arminianism, and the religion of Christ, is, who shall stand entitled to the praise and glory of a sinner’s salvation? Conversion decides this point at once; for I think that, without any imputation of uncharitableness, I may venture to say, that every truly awakened person, at least when he is under the shine of God’s countenance upon his soul, will fall down upon his knees, with this hymn of praise ascending from his heart, ‘Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name, give the glory’: I am saved not for my righteousness, but for thy mercy and thy truth’s sake.

"For Who Did Christ Die?" By John Owen

The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent

punishment for, either:

1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so,
none are saved.

2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all
the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.

3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the
punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, "Because of unbelief."

I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ
suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did,
why must that hinder them more than their other sins for
which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their
sins!"

"The twofold error of despising the true, and submitting to a false Church" By John Calvin (ICR IV. 1-10,11)

Section 10. We must on no account forsake the Church distinguished by such marks. Those who act otherwise are apostates, deserters of the truth and of the household of God, deniers of God and Christ, violators of the mystical marriage.

We have said that the symbols by which the Church is discerned are the preaching of the word and the observance of the sacraments, for these cannot any where exist without producing fruit and prospering by the blessing of God. I say not that wherever the word is preached fruit immediately appears; but that in every place where it is received, and has a fixed abode, it uniformly displays its efficacy. Be this as it may, when the preaching of the gospel is reverently heard, and the sacraments are not neglected, there for the time the face of the Church appears without deception or ambiguity; and no man may with impunity spurn her authority, or reject her admonitions, or resist her counsels, or make sport of her censures, far less revolt from her, and violate her unity, (see2.1.10, and 4.3.12).

"Freedom and Authority" By J.I. Packer

"Authority" is a word that makes most people think of law and order, direction and restraint, command and control, dominance and submission, respect and obedience. How, I wonder, do you react to such ideas? Have they any place in your vision of the life that is good and sweet? If so, you are unusual. One tragedy of our time is that, having these associations, "authority" has become almost a dirty word in the Western world, while opposition to authority in schools, families and society generally is cheerfully accepted as something that is at least harmless and perhaps rather fine.

How is it that so many today will tolerate expressions of defiance and disorder in society which a century ago would have been thought intolerable? Whence came the passionate permissiveness that has made a shambles of so many homes, schools and individual lives? What goes on here? What is happening to us?

 THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM

The answer to these questions is pinpointed by the fact that "freedom" is today almost a magic word. Since World War 2, when those who fought the dictators defined their war aims in terms of Four Freedoms — freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of speech and freedom of religion—freedom in one form or another has been a worldwide passion, encouraged and catered to at every level. Therapists labor to include freedom from inhibitions. Playboy carries the torch for sexual freedom ("free love" as it was once called, though there is little enough real love in Playboy sex). Campaigning politicians promise freedom from this or that social evil. Young nations seek freedom from the domination of overbearing neighbors. Artists pursue freedom from conventions of form and style which bound their predecessors.

The Continental Journal Newspaper, March 11, 1779

If all things succeed as already agreed,
And immutable impulses rule us;
To preach and to pray, is but time thrown away,
And our teachers do nothing but fool us.


 If we're driven by fate, either this way or that, 
As the carman whips us his horses,
Then no man can stray-all go the right way,
As the stars that are fix'd in their courses.


But if by free will, we can go or stand still,
As best suits the present occasion;
Then fill up the galls, and confirm him and ass
That depends upon Predestination.


This answer appeared two weeks later in the same newspaper.

If an all perfect mind rules over mankind,
With infinite wisdom and power;
Sure he may decree, and yet the will be free,
The deeds and events of each hour.


If Scripture affirms in the plainest of terms,
The doctrine of Predestination'
We ought to believe it, and humbly receive it, 
As a truth of divine revelation.


If all things advance with the force of mere chance,
Or by human free will are directed'
To preach and to pray, will be time thrown away,
Our teachers may be well rejected.


If men are deprav'd, and to vice so enslav'd'
That the heart chuses nothing but evil;
Then who goes on still by his own corrupt will, 
Is driving post haste to the devil.


Then let human pride and vain cavil subside,
It is plain to a full demonstration,
That he's a wild ass, who over his glass,
dare ridicule Predestination.

"Branded for Christ" By Leonard Ravenhill

In a certain sense, all men are strangers to one another. Even friends do not really know each other. To know a man, one must know all the influences of heredity and environment, as well as his countless moral choices that have fashioned him into what he is.

Though we do not really know one another, tracing the course of a man’s life sometimes offers rich reward, particularly when we see the great driving forces which have motivated him.

For instance, how greatly your life and mine would be benefited if we could experience the same surge of Christ-life that moved Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul) and plumb even a little the hidden depths of the meaning in his words, "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" (Gal. 6:17).

One thing is sure about these words: they were an acknowledgment of Christ’s ownership. Paul belonged to the Lord Jesus -- spirit, soul, and body. He was branded for Christ.

When Paul claimed to bear in his body the wounds of the Lord, he was claiming no "stigmata," as did Saint Francis of Assisi in 1224 A.D. It is not a bodily identification by outward crucifixion. He had been "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20).

THE ‘WORLD’ OF JOHN 3:16 DOES NOT MEAN ‘ALL MEN WITHOUT EXCEPTION’ by Rev. David J. Engelsma

It is now common among Reformed people that, when one confesses God’s election of some persons to salvation, God’s particular love for the elect, and God’s exclusive desire to save the elect, his confession is immediately contested by an appeal to John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Indeed, this is almost the rule. The one who thus appeals to John 3:16 intends to assert that God loves all men without exception and that God desires to save all men without exception. The basic assumption underlying this appeal to John 3:16, as an argument against election, is that the word, world, in John 3:16 means ‘all men without exception.

"The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner" by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

"For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful." [Psalm 36:2]

In the foregoing verse, David says, that the transgression of the wicked said within his heart, "that there is no fear of God before his eyes;" that is, when he saw that the wicked went on in sin, in an allowed way of wickedness, it convinced him, that he was not afraid of those terrible judgments, and of that wrath with which God hath threatened sinners If he were afraid of these he could never go on so securely in sin, as he doth.
In our text he gives the reason why the wicked did not fear. It was a strange thing that men, who enjoyed such light as they did in the land of Israel, who read and heard those many awful threatenings which were written in the book of the law, should not be afraid to go on in sin. But saith the Psalmist, They flatter themseIves in their own eyes: They have something or other which they make a foundation of encouragement, whereby they persuade themselves that they shall escape those judgments; and that makes them put far away the evil day.

"The Art of Preaching" By J.C. Philpot

We are overrun with a shallow, superficial ministry,  which is destitute of all life, savor, and power. A dry,  dead-letter scheme of doctrine, as mathematically 
correct as the squares of a chess-board, prevails, where what is called "truth" is preached. And to move Bible texts on the squares as pawns, is called  "the art of preaching".
How simple is truth!  Man's misery--God's mercy.

The aboundings of sin--the super-aboundings of grace.

"Steps to Personal Reformation" By Dr. Peter Hammond

Thanks to Dr. Peter Hammond, for more please visit.
www.reformationsa.org   A great site dedicated to Restoring the Reformation in South Africa.  Not a bad idea for the rest of the world as well!

Steps to Personal Reformation “Will You not revive us again, that our people may rejoice in You?” Psalm 85:6 1. Schedule time with God in your diary. If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. If something (or someone) is important then you need to schedule time in your diary. And just as you would not miss an appointment with anyone else, be sure to honour your appointment with God.

"Christian Training of Children"- A Book for Parents and Teachers by Charles Spurgeon

"Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:11

FEED MY LAMBS

The best of the church are none too good for this work. Do not think because you have other service to do that therefore you should take no interest in this form of holy work, but kindly, according to your opportunities, stand ready to help the little ones, and to cheer those whose chief calling is to attend to them. To us all this message comes: "Feed My lambs!" To the minister, and to all who have any knowledge of the things of God, the commission is given. See to it that you look after the children that are in Christ Jesus. Peter was a leader among believers, yet he must feed the lambs.

"The Super-Excellent Law OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY" By John Calvin

And Moſes called all Iſrael and ſaid vnto them. Heare O Iſrael the ordinances and Lawes which I ſet before you this day, that ye may learne them and keepe them in deede.

2  The Lord our God made a couenant with vs in Horeb.

3  The Lorde our God made not this couenant with our fathers, but with vs which are all here aliue at this day.

FOr as much as it is hard to keep men in ſubiectió to GOD: therefore after he had chosen him a people, he vouchsafed to rule them, not for once and away, {176:B} but even so long time till they ought to have been well inured [used, accustomed] to his yoke. And after the same manner doth he deal daily with his Church. One word ought to be enough to make us understand the truth of our God. But forasmuch as we believe not so speedily as were requisite: & when we have begun, we start away again: and finally forget the things that he had taught us: therefore he thinketh it not enough to have told us once what is needful for our salvation, but he doth also put us oft in mind of it, & printeth it in our hearts as much as is possible.

"The School of Suffering" By John Newton

I suppose you are still in the 'school of the cross', learning the happy are of extracting 'real good' out of 'seeming evil', and to grow tall by stooping. The flesh is a sad untoward dunce in this school; but grace makes the spirit willing to learn by suffering; yes, it cares not what it endures, so that sin may be mortified, and a conformity to the image of Jesus be increased. Surely, when we see the most and the best of the Lord's children so often in heaviness, and when we consider how much He loves them, and what He has done and prepared for them, we may take it for granted that there is a need-be for their sufferings. For it would be easy to His power, and not a thousandth part of what His love intends to do for them should He make their whole life here, from the hour of their conversion to their death, a continued course of satisfaction and comfort, without anything to distress them from within or without. But were it so, would we not miss many advantages?

"Common Grace Revisited" By Shane C. Montgomery

Concerning the on-going debate on Common Grace, I think it would be safe to say that yes it is more than a theory, that God does offer blessings to the unregenerate (Reprobate) as well as to the regenerate (Elect).  But the amount of these blessings as well as the extent of God's sovereign control over the believers and non-believers daily lives is often taken to extreme, some might claim God is sovereign and He is, and in His sovereignty He is sovereign over every single aspect of every single living thing in the universe, to a point or extreme as to say He decides when a fly will fly into your window and onto a crumb of food under your kitchen table and all this while you are three thousand miles away on vacation.  This as well as every other action and thought happening every second of every day is decided and manipulated by Sovereign God.  While I agree God is in fact truly sovereign over all things, I believe we sometimes go to extremes concerning His involvement.

"How to Spend the Day With God" By Richard Baxter (115-16910

 The following has been updated for modern day.  It would appear anyway......

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A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties - with everything falling into its proper place. Therefore, I shall give some brief directions for spending the day in a holy manner.

Sleep

Measure the time of your sleep appropriately so that you do not waste your precious morning hours sluggishly in your bed. Let the time of your sleep be matched to your health and labour, and not to slothful pleasure.

First Thoughts

"The Finger of God" A sermon by J.C. Ryle (1865)

Preface:  When England experienced a major outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 1865, the Suffolk vicar J. C. Ryle (later Bishop of Liverpool) drew attention to a factor which most of his contemporaries had overlooked. The Egyptians in the time of Moses acknowledged 'the finger of God' in their plagues. Ryle called Englishmen to consider their national disaster in the same light.  His address here reprinted, establishes the principle that national calamities might be the judgements of God and examines the causes of such a chastisement. Readers may judge for themselves how far his words apply to more recent outbreaks.

"A vision of unchangeable, free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserving sinners" by John Owen

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“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”

Acts xvi. 9.

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The kingdom of Jesus Christ is frequently in the Scripture compared to growing things, — small in the beginning and first appearance, but increasing by degrees unto glory and perfection. The shapeless stone cut out without hands, having neither form nor desirable beauty given unto it, becomes a great mountain, filling the whole earth, Dan. ii. 35. The small vine brought out of Egypt quickly covers the hills with her shadow, — her boughs reach unto the sea, and her branches unto the river, Ps. lxxx. 8. The tender plant becomes as the cedars of God; and the grain of mustard-seed to be a tree for the fowls of the air to make their nests in the branches thereof. Mountains are made plains before it, every valley is filled, and the crooked paths made straight, that it may have a passage to its appointed period; — and all this, not only not supported by outward advantages, but in direct opposition to the combined power of this whole creation, as fallen and in subjection to the “god of this world,” the head thereof. As Christ was “a tender plant,” seemingly easy to be broken; and “a root out of a dry ground,” not easily flourishing, yet liveth for ever; so his people and kingdom, — though as a “lily among thorns,” as “sheep among wolves,” as a “turtledove” among a multitude of devourers, — yet stands unshaken, at least unshivered.

"A Right Understanding of Sin" by J.C. Ryle

  If we had to pick one subject or doctrine that our modern church neglects the most, it would be sin.  Preaching on sin and it's effects on the believers life has fallen out of fashion as of late and this is very unfortunate, it is also unfortunate that to find any works of the true dangers of sin, at least anything edifying, we need to look to the past, that is where we find the Anglican preacher J.C. Ryle, along with A.W. Pink these two wrote on sin and holiness like no others so it is a great benefit for us modern day believers to have access to the works of Ryle and Pink.  The following is one of the better writings on sin I have ever read, hope you enjoy it and you are blessed to holiness by it.
Be Holy!
Shane


 “Sin is the transgression of the law.”—1 John 3:4

"The Beaten Path That Leads to The Cross of Christ" By Shane C. Montgomery

  "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."   Luke 18:13 (KJV)


  Have you ever been there?  For me it seems even after all these years of following Christ, I still end each day in the position of the Publican.  Every day I want so much to be holy and to be pleasing to God in how I live my life.  But everyday is the same, everyday I stumble in sin, I let temptation speak too long or I speak without thinking or out of anger.  I might fail to show proper love and support for others or I might find myself being prideful or self-centered in my thinking or actions.  I could go on and on listing sins that still reside all too much inside of me, a man who is suppose to be growing in grace, a man who is suppose to be conforming to a image of Christ.  Yet everyday I still do battle with my old self, the old man in me refuses to lie down in defeat, he just keeps on coming on!

"The Children of the Reformation" Prof. Homer C. Hoeksema

 

Beloved Children of the Reformation!


 In this pamphlet I wish to write not only to you, but about you. This you may have gathered from my subject already. It is not my chief purpose to deal with the Reformation and the Reformers, however necessary and instructive that may be. It is rather my purpose to write about the children, the spiritual children, of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, in the historical line of which all Protestant churches, to one degree or another, stand. And all that I have to say may really be summed up under the one main question: who and what are the Children of the Reformation?

"The Threefold Overthrow of Self" By J.C. Philpot

  "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it to him." – Ezekiel 21:27

Before we enter into the spiritual and experimental meaning of this passage of Holy Writ, it may be desirable to advert for a few minutes to its literal signification, and to the circumstances under which these words were spoken by the Lord through his prophet Ezekiel.

These words were uttered, then, with reference to King Zedekiah, who at that time sat upon the throne of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar had elevated him to the position which he then occupied; he had made him king, and, in making him king, he had exacted of him a solemn oath in the name of Jehovah, that he would be faithful to Nebuchadnezzar 2Ch 36:13.

"We Must Be Holy!" By J. C. Ryle

Reader,

We must be holy on earth before we die—if we desire to go to heaven after death! If we hope to dwell with God forever in the life to come—we must endeavor to be like Him in the life that now is. We must not only admire holiness, and wish for holiness—we must beholy.

Holiness cannot justify and save us. Holiness cannot cover our iniquities, make satisfaction for transgressions, pay our debts to God. Our best works are no better than filthy rags, when tried by the light of God's law. The righteousness which Jesus Christ brought in, must be our only confidence—and the blood of His atonement, our only hope. All this is perfectly true, and yet we must be holy.

"The Hidden Life" Secrets of Contentment By J.R. Miller 1895

"I am glad to think I am not bound to make the world go right, But only to discover, and to do with cheerful heart, The work which God appoints." Someone has said, that if men were to be saved by contentment, instead of faith in Christ, most people would be lost. Yet contentment is a duty. It is also possible.

"The Tract Distributor"

 On a rare Saturday visit to Swansea, which is the second largest city in Wales with a population of 150,000, I had another opportunity to visit Des Roberts at his workplace. Forty years ago he began his lifetime vocation of distributing tracts once a week in the main street. At first he stood outside a shop which sold electrical appliances and on one occasion the annoyed manager told him to move away as he was driving trade from him. Des is not easily intimidated, and told him to produce some figures from his financial accounts to prove that he was suffering because of Des's presence. The policewoman who had been called to the scene by the manager would do nothing as Des had broken no laws. So for years more he stayed there unconcerned with the manager's glares. Then the pattern of trade in Swansea began to change and a new Quadrant of shops and arcades opened up and Des moved to a new pitch under the shelter of the entrance to the famous Swansea market.

"The Blessed Man" By Arthur Pink (1938)

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" (Psalm 1:1). We have been much impressed by the fact that the wondrous and precious Psalter opens with the word "Blessed," and yet a little reflection shows it could scarcely begin with any other. As most of our readers are doubtless aware, "Psalms" means "Praises," and the key note is here struck at the very outset, for it is only the "Blessed man" who can truly praise God, as it is his praises which are alone acceptable to Him. The word "Blessed" has here, as in so many places in Scripture (like Matt. 5:3-11), a double force: First and primarily, it signifies that the Divine benediction—in contrast from God's curse, rests upon this man. Second and consequently, it denotes that he is a happy man.

"When Greed Replaces Mission" by Shane C. Montgomery

  This blog will no longer endorse, encourage or link to Living Waters ministry.  I will be removing anything related to them.  I do this because they continue to align with Trinity Broadcasting Network (TB) which is a "Pay For Pray" scam and not a legitimate God fearing, Christ serving ministry, they promote their own financial gain over in place of promoting the life giving message of the Gospel.  So, in continuing to promote Living Waters I would be promoting TBN and I cannot in good conscience live with that.

"A New Reformed Idolatry" by Shane C. Montgomery

 The idolatry of the Charismatics has found its way into the Reformed faith.  It sickens me to hear of the rash of Reformed Cruises that have popped up over the last year, bringing this sick TBN type idolatry to our churches.  Is this something that serves a purpose?  Is it a necessity?  Does it edify the believer?  What about the cost? From $599 a person up to $3,218 a person, is this making good use of God's money?  Is this type of frivolous spending, this pampering of the saint in the name of education, is this right?   Could we be putting this money to better use? Say by spreading the Gospel, or feeding the poor.  This is nothing but self-centered adults who have become complacent and spoiled indulgencing their materialistic lusts and all in the name of Jesus Christ.