Many stumble at the fact that Law and Grace operated at the same season

In what has just been pointed out—to which other examples might be added (the person of Christ, for instance, with His two distinct yet conjoined natures, so that though He was omniscient yet He “grew in wisdom”; was omnipotent, yet wearied and slept; was eternal, yet died)— why should so many stumble at the phenomenon of Divine law and Divine grace being in exercise side by side, operating at the same season? Do law and grace present any greater contrast than the fathomless love of God unto His children, and His everlasting wrath upon His enemies? No indeed, not so great. Grace must not be regarded as an attribute of God which eclipses all His other perfections. As Romans 5:21 so plainly tells us,

 

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness,”

 

and not at the expense of or to the exclusion of it. Divine grace and Divine righteousness, Divine love and Divine holiness, are as inseparable as light and heat from the sun. In bestowing grace, God never rescinds His claims upon us, but rather enables us to meet them. Was the prodigal son, after his penitential return and forgiveness, less obliged to conform to the laws of his Father’s house than before he left it? No indeed, but more so.

Arthur W. Pink The Application of Scriptures-A Study of Dispensationalism

Confession statement 29

Published in 1646

The Text used: There has been some updating of Old English words but otherwise no changes have been made to the original texts.

CONFESSION OF FAITH of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London. which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

XXIX ALL believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new covenant, and an effect of the love of God manifested in the soul, whereby the believer presseth after a heavenly and evangelical obedience to all the commands, which Christ as head and king in His new covenant hath prescribed to them.

1 Cor.12; 1 Pet.2:9; Eph.l:4; 1 John 4:16; Matt.28:20.

The First London Baptist Confession 1644/46

Law and Grace are complementary, instead of contradictory

Instead of law and grace being contradictory, they are complementary. Both of them appeared in Eden before the Fall. What was it but grace which made a grant unto our first parents: “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat”? And it was law which said, “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.” Both of them are seen at the time of the great deluge, for we are told that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8), as His subsequent dealings with him clearly demonstrated; while His righteousness brought in a flood upon the world of the ungodly. Both of them operated side by side at Sinai, for while the majesty and righteousness of Jehovah were expressed in the Decalogue, His mercy and grace were plainly evinced in the provisions He made in the whole Levitical system (with its priesthood and sacrifices) for the putting away of their sins. Both shone forth in their meridian glory at Calvary, for whereas on the one hand the abounding grace of God appeared in giving His own dear Son to be the Saviour of sinners, His justice called for the curse of the Law to be inflicted upon Him while bearing their guilt.

Arthur W. Pink The Application of Scriptures-A Study of Dispensationalism

Confession statement 26

Published in 1646

The Text used: There has been some updating of Old English words but otherwise no changes have been made to the original texts.

CONFESSION OF FAITH of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London. which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

XXVI THE same power that converts to faith in Christ, carrieth on the soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings; and whatsoever a believer is, he is by grace, and is carried on in all obedience and temptations by the same.

1 Pet. l:5; 2 Cor. 12:9; 1 Cor.l5:10; Phi1.2:12,13; John 15:5; Gal. 2:19.20.

The First London Baptist Confession 1644/46

Confession statement 25

Published in 1646

The Text used: There has been some updating of Old English words but otherwise no changes have been made to the original texts.

CONFESSION OF FAITH of seven congregations or churches of Christ in London. which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists; published for the vindication of the truth and information of the ignorant; likewise for the taking off those aspersions which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them. Printed in London, Anno 1646.

XXV THE preaching of the gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free; no way requiring as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, or terrors of the law, or preceding ministry of the law, but only and alone the naked soul, a sinner and ungodly, to receive Christ crucified, dead and buried, and risen again; who is made a prince and a Saviour for such sinners as through the gospel shall be brought to believe on Him.

John 3:14.15.1:12; Isa.55:1; John 7:37; 1 Tim.1:15; Rom.4:5.5:8; Acts 5:30.31,2:36; 1 Cor.1:22,24.

The First London Baptist Confession 1644/46

Announcements of Mercy

The Wednesday Word:  Announcements of Mercy

 

Have you ever asked yourself why is it that God’s people believe the truth of the gospel? The answer is simple. We believe because God persuades us that He is to be trusted (Numbers 23:19). Faith, real faith, has a divine foundation.

As believers, God Himself is our teacher and we learn from Him primarily by reading, listening to and meditating on His word. He is the God who does not lie. His word teaches us, for example, what His mercy is (Psalm 119:41). When trying to discover what mercy is we should let God speak for Himself.

Here then are some announcements from heaven that inform us of God’s stunning mercy towards us.

 

“The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy” (Numbers 14:18).

“His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 118:1).

“Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Psalm 86:5).

“Thou art a God full of compassion and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15).

“Thy mercy is great unto the heavens” (Psalm 57:10).

“His tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9).

” He retains not his anger forever, because he delights in mercy” (Micah 7:18).

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6).

“God, — is rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith he hath loved us, even when we were dead in sins” (Ephesians 2:4).

“According to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

 

These are but a few announcements concerning mercy from the One who cannot lie and each of these announcements are faithful and true. Each of them is fresh and life giving! Beware of saying, “I know these verses! What use is it to read and meditate on them?” When I hear words like that, I catch the sound of alarm bells! This is the thinking of someone who has become too familiar with the gospel and his familiarity is blocking the life of the Word from reaching his soul. This kind of familiarity with the things of God is a spiritual death sentence!

The announcements listed above are declarations of the riches of God’s mercy! Through the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit, we read them as if it were the first time we have heard them. The mind of God towards us is wrapped up in these faithful announcements, and it is out of words like these that the Spirit ministers grace and peace to us. These verses are God’s personal messengers to us. If they don’t minister peace to you, read them again. If you still can’t find peace through them, read them again. If you still find nothing, meditate on them again for, “The word of God is quick and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).

John Newton, the writer of the classic hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’ was a man who lived in the life of the scriptures. He knew a thing or two about mercy! Right before he died, he said to a friend, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour.”

Newton was a man who had listened to and believed the Divine Announcements. He never forgot that he owed his redemption entirely to the mercy of God. He made this clear in the following epitaph he wrote for himself and had written on his tomb.

 

‘John Newton

Once an Infidel and Libertine,

A Servant of Slaves in Africa,

Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

Preserved, restored and pardoned,

And appointed to preach the faith

He had long laboured to destroy.’

 

And that’s the Gospel Truth

Miles McKee,

Minister of the Gospel

www.milesmckee.com

Classical Dispensationalists claim that the Gospels are not for the Church

SOME DISPENSATIONALISTS do not go quite so far as others in arbitrarily erecting notice-boards over large sections of Scripture, warning Christians not to tread on ground which belongs to others, yet there is general agreement among them that the Gospel of Matthew—though it stands at the beginning of the New Testament and not at the close of the Old!— pertains not to those who are members of the mystical body of Christ, but is “entirely Jewish,” that the sermon on the mount is “legalistic” and not evangelistic, and that its searching and flesh-withering precepts are not binding upon Christians. Some go so far as to insist that the great commission with which it closes is not designed for us today, but is meant for “a godly Jewish remnant” after the present era is ended. In support of this wild and wicked theory, appeal is made to and great stress laid upon the fact that Christ is represented, most prominently, as “the son of David” or King of the Jews; but they ignore another conspicuous fact, namely that in its opening verse the Lord Jesus is set forth as “the son of Abraham,” and he was a Gentile! What is still more against this untenable hypothesis—and as though the Holy Spirit designedly anticipated and refuted it—is the fact that Matthew’s is the only one of the four Gospels where the Church is actually mentioned twice (Matthew 16:18; 18:17)!—though in John’s Gospel its members are portrayed as branches of the Vine, members of Christ’s flock, which are designations of saints which have no dispensational limitations.

Arthur W. Pink The Application of Scriptures-A Study of Dispensationalism

RICH IN MERCY

The Wednesday Word: RICH IN MERCY

 

When we think of God, does the truth that He is wonderfully merciful immediately spring to mind? Probably not!

More than likely, we conjure up a picture of a God who is harsh, critical and judgmental……someone not to run to, but to run from. This kind of faulty thinking about the character of the Almighty can have dire consequences. In fact, unless we get our thoughts about God straight our walk with Him will be crooked.

The scripture declares boldly in Ephesians 2:4 that God is rich in mercy. It is of interest to note that the Greek word translated ‘rich’, is the same word from which we get our English word ‘plush’. Just think of it……our God is plush in mercy. That means, He’s not stingy when it comes to mercy. It means that He doesn’t dispense mercy with eye drops. No!!! On the contrary, He is rich, plush, extravagant, and liberal when it comes to giving out mercy.

In all my years as a believer, I have not yet encountered a single person who didn’t need mercy. Believers and unbelievers alike continually need daily mercy. Every day, as Christians, we sin and fail God. I think you’ll agree, we followers of Christ don’t pray, love God or love each other the way we should do. We need mercy! But God is rich in mercy. He is wealthy in and generous with that mercy. So whatever your situation today, bring it to the One who is plush with mercy.

We may feel like complete failures in our Christian lives … but God is rich in mercy. Because He is rich in mercy, He gave His Son to be slaughtered at the cross for all our sinful fallings and failings. Because He is rich in mercy, He set forth and publicly displayed Christ as a propitiation (a wrath offering) for us. Because He is rich in mercy, Christ has become the very Mercy Seat for the fallen believer. So don’t run from Him ………run to Him! He is rich in mercy!

Regardless of how much we have failed Him, we can come to Him today, right now, for mercy. Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “I don’t deserve mercy.” Well, truer words were never spoken! Think of it, if any of us deserved it, it wouldn’t be mercy.

His mercy is great. His grace is free. He is rich in mercy. May we never, ever let shame trick us into staying away from Him. Staying away will only lead to straying away.

Spurgeon tells of how the gospel preacher, Rowland Hill, was given a large sum of money to dispense to a certain minister who was extremely poor. In his wisdom, Mr Hill realised that if he were to give him the entire sum of money all at once, the poor minister would be overwhelmed. So he decided to send the money in instalments every few days and with each instalment he wrote a note to the minister which simply said, “There’s more to Follow.”

This is so like the blessings of God. Every blessing we receive from God has the same note joined to it. It says, “There’s more to follow.”

He chose us, but there’s more to follow.

He called us, but there’s more to follow.

He regenerated us, but there’s more to follow.

He justified us, but there’s more to follow.

He acquitted us, but there’s more to follow.

He declared us righteous, but there’s more to follow.

He set us apart to Himself, but there’s more to follow.

He adopted us, but there’s more to follow.

He gave us eternal life, but there’s more to follow. Why? Because, “God is Rich in Mercy.”

 

And that’s the Gospel Truth

Miles McKee,

Minister of the Gospel

www.milesmckee.com

Free E-Book on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

I ran across a new book entitled:

“Raised? Doubting the Resurrection” By Jonathan K. Dodson & Brad Watson

I have not yet read the book, but it seems to be centered in the gospel and therefore I recommend it to my followers. It can be downloaded for free in either Kindle, (.mobi), iBooks, (.epub), or PDF format at GospelCenteredDiscipleship.

Here is a glance at  GospelCenteredDiscipleship’s page promoting the book:

 “At first glance, the death of Jesus is easy enough to embrace. It is well documented and the Roman authorities crucified people regularly. The god-sized claim beneath his self-sacrifice is what ruffles feathers. The claim that his sacrifice was on behalf of all humanity troubles both our pride and our intellect. Jesus, represented all of us? What gives him the right? Who says we need a representative or sacrifice anyway? The gospel gets crazier. The bull’s eye of the gospel is the death and resurrection of Jesus. We don’t have to dive deep to surface doubt with the resurrection. Its surface value is, well, incredible. The notion that a first century Jewish man, crucified between two common thieves, was actually God and rose from the dead is unbelievable. To the modern mind, resurrection is utterly implausible. People don’t beat death, especially after being in the grave three days. In light of recent horror trends, we might be more inclined to believe in a zombie emerging from the dead than a resurrected and fully restored person. Yet, at the center of historic Christian faith is the belief that a Jewish man named Jesus was “raised.”

If you doubt the resurrection, I’m glad. Anything worth believing has to be worth questioning, but don’t let your questions slip away unanswered. Don’t reduce your doubts to a state of unsettled cynicism. Wrestle with your doubts. Find answers.”

John Piper retracts the term ‘Heresy’ in his stance on Roman Catholicism

Well it seems that Piper can’t be consistent and stand upon what the Reformed faith teaches. When I first heard of Piper he was on the radio. It wasn’t long thereafter that he switched strictly Internet for his broadcast each week. When I first heard of him, he was preaching through Romans. His sermons were some of the best that I have ever heard.

Since then I have lost confidence in Piper. He has embraced some odd teachings, including the charismatic doctrines. On top of this he has held conferences with some of the odd balls and down right erroneous teachers who profess the Christian faith in modern Christianity. Now he makes a statement, a few years ago, that Roman Catholicism is heretical; yet when the Roman Catholic Church elects a new Pope, Piper shrinks from his original position. Go figure.

I want to state that I stand with the Reformers. The Reformers declared that the Roman Catholic Church is an apostate Church. I see no reason to not affirm the same view today. Have they retracted their doctrines of:

 

Faith + Works

Grace + Merit

Christ + Myself?

 

If not, then they are still an apostate church.

Here is a portion of the article as reported by Christianpost:

“As Pope Francis began his first full day as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, Desiring God founder, John Piper, attempted to clarify a controversial statement he made in 2009 about heresy in Roman Catholic theology.

During the reign of Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, Piper was asked on video if he had two minutes to question the Pope on an issue, what would he ask, and he chose the subject of justification.

“I think Rome and Protestantism are not yet ready – I don’t think the Reformation is over. I don’t think that enough change has happened in Roman understanding of justification, and a bunch of other things,” he said in the video.

He then proceeded to detail the question he would ask the Pope. “‘Do you teach that we should rely entirely on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by faith alone as the ground of God being 100 percent for us, after which necessary sanctification comes? Do you teach that?’” he said in the clip.

“And if he said, ‘No, we don’t,’ then I’d say, ‘I think that right at the core of Roman Catholic theology is a heresy,’ or something like that,” he added.

In a new post on Thursday, however, Piper conceded that ‘heresy’ is a strong word and attempted a more nuanced explanation of what he meant by his comments.”

 

Read the entire article here.