Watson on Contentment With the World
If God is an exceedingly great reward, let such as have hope in Him, long for the full possession of Him. Though it should not be irksome to us to stay here to do service—yet we should have a holy longing until our eternal portion comes into our hand. This is a temper befitting a Christian—content to live, and desirous to die! Philippians 1:23-25. Does not the bride desire her wedding day? Revelation 22:17. If we seriously considered our condition here on earth—that we are compassed with a body of sin; that we cannot pray without wandering; that we cannot believe without doubting—would not this make us desire to depart, to be gone to heaven? Let us think how happy those saints above are, who are solacing themselves in God. While we live far from court—they are always beholding the smiling face of God! While we drink wormwood—they swim in honey! While we are perplexed and troubled—they know their names are enrolled in the book of life. While we are tossed upon the unquiet waves—they have gotten to the eternal haven. If we but knew what a reward God is, and what the joy of our Lord means—we would need patience to be content to stay here on earth any longer!
Thomas Watson. God is His Peoples Great Reward.
Spurgeon on Parktaking in the Divine Nature
2 Peter 1:44 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (ESV)
While we rejoice in this, let us remember that those who are made partakers of the divine nature will manifest their high and holy relationship in their intercourse with others, and make it evident by their daily walk and conversation that they have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. O for more divine holiness of life!
From Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, September 16th, Morning.
Practical Doctine
I’m quoting Justin Taylor quoting Ligon Duncan quoting Donald MacLeod. Isn’t the internet wonderful?
Theology exists in order to be applied to the day-to-day problems of the Christian church. Every doctrine has its application. All scripture is profitable and all the doctrine is profitable. Similarly all the application must be based on doctrine. In both the Philippians example-passage and the Corinthian example-passage, Paul is dealing with what are surely comparative trivia, the problem of vain glory in a Christian congregation and the problem of failure of Christian liberality. As a Pastor one meets with these difficulties daily. They are standing problems. Yet Paul, as he wrestles with both of them, has recourse to the most massive theology. It’s not only that you have the emphasis on the unity between theology and practice but you have the emphasis on the applicability of the profoundest theology to the most mundane and most common-place problems. Who would ever imagine that the response to the glory of the incarnation might be to give to the collection for the poor? Who might imagine that the application of the glories of New Testament Christology might be to stop our quarreling and our divisiveness in the Christian ekklesia? That is what Paul is doing here. He is telling them: You have these practical problems; the answer is theological; remember your theology and place your behavior in the light of that theology. Place your little problems in the light of the most massive theology. We ourselves in our Christian callings are to be conscious of this. We must never leave our doctrine hanging in the air, nor hesitate to enforce the most elementary Christian obligations with the most sublime doctrines.
Gerstner, Theology for Everyman
Ligonier Ministries blog has been serializing John Gerstner’s Theology for Everyman, and is now complete. Check the link for details.
William How on Ideal Gospel Ministers
Derek Thomas quotes Bishop William Walsham How:
Bishop How once gave a striking description of the characteristics he believed should be found in an ideal minister of the Gospel. “Such a minister,” he said, “should be a man pure, holy, and spotless in his life; a man of much prayer; in character meek, lowly, and infinitely compassionate; of tenderest love to all; full of sympathy for every pain and sorrow, and devoting his days and nights to lightening the burdens of humanity; utterly patient of insult and enmity; utterly fearless in speaking’ the truth and rebuking sin; ever ready to answer every call, to go wherever bidden, in order to do good; wholly without thought of self; making himself the servant of all; patient, gentle, and untiring in dealing with the souls he would save; bearing with ignorance, wilfulness, slowness, cowardice, in those of whom he expects most; sacrificing all, even life itself, if need be, to save some.”
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