Spurgeon on Sin

“That henceforth we should not serve sin.” – Romans 6:6

Christian, what hast thou to do with sin? Hath it not cost thee enough already? Burnt child, wilt thou play with the fire? What! when thou hast already been between the jaws of the lion, wilt thou step a second time into his den? Hast thou not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all thy veins once, and wilt thou play upon the hole of the asp, and put thy hand upon the cockatrice’s den a second time? Oh, be not so mad! so foolish! Did sin ever yield thee real pleasure? Didst thou find solid satisfaction in it? If so, go back to thine old drudgery, and wear the chain again, if it delight thee. But inasmuch as sin did never give thee what it promised to bestow, but deluded thee with lies, be not a second time snared by the old fowler- be free, and let the remembrance of thy ancient bondage forbid thee to enter the net again! It is contrary to the designs of eternal love, which all have an eye to thy purity and holiness; therefore run not counter to the purposes of thy Lord. Another thought should restrain thee from sin. Christians can never sin cheaply; they pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind, obscures fellowship with Jesus, hinders prayer, brings darkness over the soul; therefore be not the serf and bondman of sin. There is yet a higher argument: each time you “serve sin” you have “Crucified the Lord afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Can you bear that thought? Oh! if you have fallen into any special sin during this day, it may be my Master has sent this admonition this evening, to bring you back before you have backslidden very far. Turn thee to Jesus anew; he has not forgotten his love to thee; his grace is still the same. With weeping and repentance, come thou to his footstool, and thou shalt be once more received into his heart; thou shalt be set upon a rock again, and thy goings shall be established.

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, May 30 Evening

Paul on Church Growth

Courtesy of Mark Dever:

How many times did Paul write to Timothy to ask how many people were coming to the church at Ephesus? Let me see (counts on his fingers)… none.

HT: Michael McKinley

Ryken on “Your Kingdom Come”

How can we come to a better understanding of God’s kingdom? One of the best ways is by learning how to pray, “Your kingdom come.” These three simple words from the Lord’s Prayer explain the plan, the purpose, and the progress of God’s kingdom.

This petition first helps us understand God’s plan for ushering in his kingdom. The very fact that we are to pray for the kingdom proves that it is not the kind of thing we establish through our own efforts. It is something we must ask God to do because only he can do it.

God’s plan was to establish his kingdom through his Son. Jesus Christ lived the perfect life we ought to have lived. He died the painful death we deserved to die. And when he had fully paid for all our sins, God raised him from the dead and exalted him to his kingly throne. Now that Christ is King, God does not tell us to go out and establish his kingdom, he invites us to enter it. This is why God’s kingdom comes through the announcement that Christ, who was crucified, is now King. The kingdom comes mainly through proclamation.

Philip Graham Ryken, When You Pray: Making the Lord’s Prayer Your Own

Spurgeon on Sanctification

Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs-the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate-experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations.

But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing…

Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to “be filled with the Spirit,” that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.

from Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon (emphasis/formatting added)

Hebrews 12:1-2 and Scottish Hymns

Last night, our small group studied through Hebrews 12:1-2:

Hebrews 12:1-2

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

CCEL has a new hymns database site, and I found the following hymn which fits in well with the study. Enjoy!

Scottish Psalter and Paraphrases, R59
“Behold what witnesses unseen”

Behold what witnesses unseen
encompass us around;
Men, once like us, with suff’ring tried,
but now with glory crowned.

Let us, with zeal like theirs inspired,
begin the Christian race,
And, freed from each encumb’ring weight,
their holy footsteps trace.

Behold a witness nobler still,
who trod affliction’s path,
Jesus, at once the finisher
and author of our faith.

He for the joy before him set,
so gen’rous was his love,
Endured the cross, despised the shame,
and now he reigns above.

(Full hymn here. And just to show that you can find anything with Google, Gaelic version here.)

The Only Post I’ll Do on the Presidential Race

(Probably.)

I used to be quite interested in politics. When I first started my college education, I was double-majoring in History and Political Science.

In fact, in High School, I participated in and won a mock Presidential Debate. This was while the actual 1988 presidential race was going on, and I debated as Pierre “Pete” DuPont IV. This makes me one of very few people who remember Pete DuPont running for president in 1988.

As time goes on, however, I find myself less and less interested in politics. Why? Because truth be told, none of it really matters in the grand scheme of eternity.

Oh, I know, there are those out there who will disagree, that it is terribly important. But, from a biblical worldview, it really doesn’t matter.

Psalm 118:8-9

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes. (ESV)

Psalm 146:3-4

3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish. (ESV)

You see, it is not a “son of man” who is our salvation, but rather, the Son of Man.

Daniel 7:13-14

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed. (ESV)

Regardless of who you vote for this election season, please remember that the Bible is very clear about how we are to view our leaders. We are to respect and honor them, even if we disagree with them. We are to pray for them. They are appointed by God ruling in heaven over us.

And lest you think that I am advocating “religious rule” – this is true even if the President of the United States were to be a pagan or atheist. Remember, Paul was living under the godless Roman Empire, under Nero, when he wrote these words (c. AD 56):

Romans 13:1-7

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV)

as well as these (c. AD 64):

1 Timothy 2:1-4

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

So prayerfully consider the men and women running for office. And whoever prevails in the elections, pray for them to guide our nation effectively.