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Question 13-Puritan Catechism
13. Q. Did our first parents continue in the state wherein they were created?
A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the state wherein they were created, by sinning against God, (Ecclesiastes 7:29) by eating the forbidden fruit. (Genesis 3:6-8)
Charles Haddon Spurgeon-A Puritan Catechism
Question 10-Puritan Catechism
10. Q. How did God create man?
A. God created man, male and female, after his own image, (Genesis 1:27) in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24) with dominion over the creatures. (Genesis 1:28)
Charles Haddon Spurgeon-A Puritan Catechism
Gospel Righteousness
A word from my friend, Brother Miles Mckee:
The Wednesday Word,
Gospel Righteousness
The gospel truth of Justification means that every charge against the believer has been dropped. As the scripture declares, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies” (Romans 8:33). There are no accusations that can stand against the Lord’s sheep because they have been declared not guilty in the courtroom of God. But there’s more!
Justification goes far beyond being cleared of guilt. When we are justified, we are not only acquitted, but also declared righteous. This is a necessary truth for not only does the Law forbid sin, it also demands righteousness. But where do we find a righteousness that satisfies the Father? Some people reason that regeneration is the solution for this. However, vital as regeneration is, it can not provide perfect righteousness. The flesh still lusts against the spirit (Galatians 5:17).
In addition, the “not guilty” declaration, although essential, does not, and can not, clothe us with righteousness. It declares us innocent, but there is a significant difference between being innocent and being righteous! The truth is, the man who is declared not guilty is still unworthy in himself. Everything he does is flawed, imperfect and defiled by sin.
But here’s the good news, gospel justification not only declares us not guilty, but also declares us righteous. We are now accepted before God having, not only been washed in the blood of Christ, but also by having Christ’s righteousness reckoned as being ours. Martyn Lloyd Jones says,
“In justifying us, God tells us that He has taken our sins and our guilt and has “imputed” them to, “put them to the account of,” the Lord Jesus Christ and punished them in Him. He announces also that, having done that, He now puts to our account, or “imputes” to us, the perfect righteousness of His own dear Son. The Lord Jesus Christ obeyed the law perfectly; He never broke it in any respect; He gave a full and a perfect satisfaction to all its demands. That full obedience constitutes His righteousness. What God does is to put to our account, to put upon us, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. In declaring us to be justified, God proclaims that He now looks on us, not as we are, but as clothed with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Because of Justification, God looks at us and says that (1) we are not guilty, and (2) we are righteous in Christ. Our past has been legally and justly expunged, and we have been given a totally new identity. It’s like being in a witness protection program that is 100% secure!
“Christ is made unto us righteousness.” 1 Corinthians 1:30. This is the blessing of grace that belongs to every believer. The Fathers looks at us and see us as righteous in Christ. If a man, however, refuses to submit to this righteousness, he, in his folly, is declaring Christ’s righteousness to be superfluous and un-necessary. Furthermore, he is saying that man’s righteousness (his in particular) is sufficient for acceptance before God. Such a person is not in the gospel; he will perish.
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed
With joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am,
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
Some years ago an Irish Farmer stood up to testify at a gospel meeting. He said, “Brothers and Sisters look at me. I’m not a pretty sight. In fact, I’m just a big, old, ugly Irish farmer, but in God’s sight I’m altogether lovely for I’m all dressed up in the righteousness of Christ.”
This man understood something of the benefits of the gospel.
And that’s the Gospel Truth
Miles
Miles McKee,
Minister of the Gospel
The Doctrines of the Reformers were not new
1. First, in calling it new, they are exceedingly injurious to God, whose sacred word deserved not to be charged with novelty. To them, indeed, I very little doubt it is new, as Christ is new, and the Gospel new; but those who are acquainted with the old saying of Paul, that Christ Jesus “died for our sins, and rose again for our justification,” (Romans 4:25,) will not detect any novelty in us. That it long lay buried and unknown is the guilty consequence of man’s impiety; but now when, by the kindness of God, it is restored to us, it ought to resume its antiquity just as the returning citizen resumes his rights.
John Calvin-Prefatory Address to Francis King of the French-Institutes of the Christian Religion
The Only Way of Salvation
But whether you will bear, or whether you will forbear, I will declare unto you THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION. That which was addressed to the Philippian jailer, is addressed to you. “God has so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” He hath given him not only to teach us the good and the right way but to be made a sacrifice for sin, and as such to be himself the way. He suffered from the hands of wicked men; but this was not all; it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, and made his soul an offering for sin. He commanded his sword to awake against him, that through his death lie might turn his hand in mercy towards perishing sinners. He hath set him forth to be a propitiation to declare his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.
Rev. Andrew Fuller–The Great Question Answered
Fresh supplies of the Spirit bring new strength and comfort
“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” (Gal. 5:5). It is the stirrings of hope, however faint, which keeps the soul alive in seasons of disappointment and despondency. But for the renewings of the gracious Spirit, the believer would relinquish his hope and sink into abject despair. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isa. 35:5, 6): it is by fresh supplies of the Spirit (Phil. 1:19) that there comes not only further light, but new strength and comfort. Amid the perturbations caused by indwelling sin and the anguish from our repeated defeats, it is one of the Spirit’s greatest works to sustain the soul by the expectation of things to come.
Arthur W. Pink—Studies in the Scriptures April, 1937 The Spirit Preserving
Confession statement 6
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.
VI. ALL the elect being loved of God with an everlasting love, are redeemed, quickened, and saved, not by themselves, nor their own works, lest any any man should boast, but, only and wholly by God, of His own free grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ, who is made unto us by God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and all in all, that he that rejoiceth, might rejoice in the Lord.
Jer.31:2; Eph.1:3,7, 2:8,9; 1 Thess.5:9; Acts 13:38; 2 Cor.5:21; Jer.9:23.24; 1 Cor.1:30.31; Jer.23:6.
The First London Baptist Confession 1644/46
Chapter XXXII : Of the Last Judgement
1. God hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness, by (a) Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgement is given of the Father; in which Day not only the (b) Apostate Angels shall be judged; but likewise all persons that have lived upon the Earth, shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ; (c) to give an account of their Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
a Act. 17.31. Joh. 5.22. 27.
b 1 Cor. 6 3. Jud. 6.
c 2 Cor. 5.10. Eccles. 12 14. Mat. 12.36. Rom. 14.10.12. Mat_25:32. &c.
2. The end of Gods appointing this Day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his Mercy, in the Eternal Salvation of the Elect; (d) and of his Justice in the Eternal damnation of the Reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the Righteous go into Everlasting Life, and receive that fulness of Joy, and Glory, with everlasting reward, in the presence (e) of the Lord: but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into Eternal torments, and (f) punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
d Rom, 9.22,23.
e Mat. 25.21. 34. 2 Tim. 4.8.
f Mat. 25.46. Mar. 9 48. 2 Thes. 1.7,8,9,10.
3. As Christ would have us to be certainly perswaded that there shall be a Day of judgement, both (g) to deter all men from sin, and for the greater (h) consolation of the godly, in their adversity; so will he have that day unknown to Men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour, the (i) Lord will come; and may ever be prepared to say, (k) Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly, Amen.
g 2 Cor. 5.10,11.
h 2 Thes. 1.5,6,7.
i Mar. 13.35,36,37 Luk. 13.35,36. [It appears that the reference to Luk_13:35, Luk_13:36 in the original manuscript is an error (Luk_13:36 does not exist). Most modern editions have Luk_12:35-40.]
k Rev. 22 20.
The 1677/89 London Baptist Confession of Faith
Our Motives Must be Pure
The motive of our undertakings must be pure. God cannot possibly take pleasure in the labours of the sordid or the vain. Indeed, I do not perceive how, in the greater part of our labours, we can suspect ourselves, or be suspected, of acting from a regard to our worldly advantage. In attempting to carry the gospel among the Heathen we certainly can have no such motive; as every part of the work requires the sacrifice of interest, and that without the most distant prospect of its being restored. And even in carrying what we believe to be evangelical doctrine into the villages of our native country, it is commonly at the expense of both ease and interest. In those labours, however, that are within the vicinity of our respective congregations, in which success may contribute to our temporal advantage, it becomes us to watch over our own hearts. If such a motive should lie concealed among the springs of action, it may procure a blast upon our undertakings. The Lord will have no delight in such preaching; and without him we can do nothing. Or in avarice have no place in us, yet, should we be stimulated by the desire of applause, it will be equally offensive to a holy God. The idea of being a Missionary, abroad or at home may feed the vanity of some minds, and, indeed, there is no man that is proof against such temptations. We have all reason to watch and pray. There is a woe hangs over the idol shepherd; the sword will be upon his arm, and upon his right eye! I have no suspicion of any one, but merely wish everyone to suspect himself. If we secretly wish to appear great among our brethren, to magnify ourselves or our party, or to figure away in the religious world, as persons of extraordinary zeal, all is naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, and, depend upon it, he will have no delight in us. But if our eye be single, our whole body shall be full of light. Those that honour God shall be honoured of him; and however he may prove them for a time, they shall find, in the end, that their labour has not been in vain in the Lord.
Rev. Andrew Fuller-God’s Approbation of our Labours Necessary to the Hope of Success-Preached May 6, 1801
Geneva Bible
1677/89 London Baptist Confession
A Study of Dispensationalism by Arthur W. Pink
Reformedontheweb is on Youtube
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
Domain for Truth
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