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

Natural Knowledge of God

Man with all his shrewdness is as stupid about understanding by himself the mysteries of God, as an ass is incapable of understanding musical harmony.

Calvin on 1Co1:20.

 

Chastisement Conforms Us

Thou art beaten that thou mayest be better.

John Bunyan

 

The Gospel Made Plain

What is the Gospel? (Reblogged from Ligonier.org)

People think they’re preaching the Gospel to you when they tell you, ‘you can have a purpose to your life’, or that ‘you can have meaning to your life’, or that ‘you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.’ All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the Gospel.

My Commentary:

There are multitudes today who have no idea what the gospel is or isn’t. They believe that Christ came in order that we might have “our best life now.” Yet Christ came and lived and died in order that we might have our best life in eternity.

Therefore the good news of the gospel is that Christ fulfilled the law in my place. In other words, I am fallen and sinful. Since I am fallen and sinful, I cannot keep God’s commands. Since I have broken his commands, I have incurred a sin debt before God. Christ came and walked so perfectly in the law that he merited a righteousness that would be accepted in God’s sight. When I place my faith in Christ, that righteousness is imputed to my account by God, so that I stand completely just before him. My sin debt, of which I incurred before God, is also taken care of in Christ. Christ took the penalty for my sin, on himself, when he suffered the wrath of God in my place.

So the gospel has an objective aspect to it and a subjective aspect. The objective aspect of the gospel is that the gospel is about Christ life, death, and resurrection on my behalf. The gospel centers upon Christ and his work for his people. The subjective aspects of the gospel consist in the benefits in which I gain through Christ work. I gain righteousness and also have my sin debt paid for.

 This is certainly good news for those who have no hope of standing before a holy God.

Concerning Growing in Christ

Better be pruned to grow than cut up to burn.

John Trapp

Interpreting Revelation

Interpreting Revelation by Cornelis P. Venema

Reblogged from Ligonier Ministries

The interpretation of the book of Revelation has often proven difficult throughout the history of the Christian church. Though it is little more than a piece of scholarly gossip, some have even suggested that the Reformer John Calvin, one of the best interpreters of the Scriptures the church has known, shied away from writing a commentary on the book of Revelation for this very reason. There is no evidence to support this claim, and we do have Calvin’s commentary on the book of Daniel, which gives a fairly clear picture as to how Calvin would have interpreted the book of Revelation had he written a commentary on it. But the tenacious hold this Calvin legend has on the popular imagination bears witness to a broad consensus that the book of Revelation remains an impenetrable mystery even to the ablest of interpreters.

There is only one approach to Revelation that has strengths, but no weaknesses and this is the “Idealist” approach. It is the only view that sees the book as relevant to the whole church from Pentecost till Christ coming.

Concerning our Rejoicing before God

It is pleasing to God whenever thou rejoicest or laughest from the bottom of thy heart.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

 

Trinity Broadcasting Network board accused of diverting millions of dollars

Reblogged from Bene Diction Blogs

 In October, Paul Crouch Jr. abruptly left Trinity Broadcasting Corporation.

The explanation given was vague.This may have been the reason why; his daughter, Brittany Koper, former TBN CFO, is accusing the world’s largest religious broadcaster of diverting over 50 million dollars from charitable assets to the company’s directors.

I have tried to convince many a Charismatic that this network is full of wolves. Yet I guess the only way they will ever wake up, is for the Lord to regenerate them. For scripture is plain that many shall come trying to deceive the elect and will not be able to do it.

Eternal Life and the Wages of Sin

God’s wounds cure, sin’s kisses kill.

William Gurnall (1617-1679)

 

Chapter VI : Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof Point 5

5. The corruption of nature, during this Life, doth (n) remain in those that are regenerated: and although it be through Christ pardoned, and mortified, yet both it self, and the first motions thereof, are truely and properly (o) Sin.

n Rom. 7.18.23. Eccles. 7.20. 1 Joh. 1.8.

oRom. 7.24.25. Gal. 5.17