A godly man...

A godly man shows his love to the Word written:

(a) By diligently reading it. The noble Bereans "searched the Scriptures daily" (Acts 17:11). Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:12). The Word is our Magna Carta for heaven; we should be daily reading over this charter. The Word shows what is truth and what is error. It is the field where the pearl of price is hidden. How we should dig for this pearl! A godly man's heart is the library to hold the Word of God; it dwells richly in him (Col. 3:16). It is reported of Melanchthon that when he was young, he always carried the Bible with him and read it greedily. The Word has a double work: to teach us and to judge us. Those who will not be taught by the Word shall be judged by the Word. Oh, let us make ourselves familiar with the Scripture! What if it should be as in the times of Diocletian, who commanded by proclamation that the Bible be burned? Or as in Queen Mary's days, when it spelled death to have a Bible in English? By diligent conversing with Scripture, we may carry a Bible in our heads.

--Thomas Watson, from "The Godly Man's Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil"

Do we Love the Word written?

Do we love the Word written? What sums of money the martyrs gave for a few pages of the Bible! Do we make the Word our bosom friend? As Moses often had 'the rod of God' in his hand, so we should have 'the Book of God' in our hand. When we want direction, do we consult this sacred oracle? When we find corruptions strong, do we make use of this "sword of the Spirit" to hew them down? When we are disconsolate, do we go to this bottle of the water of life for comfort? Then we are lovers of the Word! But alas, how can they who are seldom conversant with the Scriptures say they love them? Their eyes begin to be sore when they look at a Bible. The two testaments are hung up like rusty armour which is seldom or never made use of. The Lord wrote the law with his own finger, but though God took pains to write, men will not take pains to read. They would rather look at a deck of cards than at a Bible.

--Thomas Watson, from "The Godly Man's Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil"

Golfing in Kabul

Golf is fun, but I don't think I love it this much! I'll stick with the local 18 down the street...

Psalm 103

What an outstanding section of Holy Writ to meditate on...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Psalms 103:1-22 ESV

Of David.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, (3) who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, (4) who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, (5) who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (6) The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. (7) He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. (8) The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (9) He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. (10) He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; (12) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (13) As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. (14) For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (15) As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; (16) for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (17) But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, (18) to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. (19) The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (20) Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! (21) Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! (22) Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

A Reformed Baptist Manifesto--Chapter Two

Matt Pearson continues his project to publish A Reformed Baptist Manifesto on his blog. This entry is chapter two, dealing with the New Covenant and Antinomianism.

Please take the time to read this, and if you feel the urge, get the book, it is well worth the money.

In Christ,
Joe

Open season on open theism

Here is a solid critique of Open Theism by Steve Hays (via Monergism). I think this view of God is repugnant and is completely foreign to the Bible. Avoid it like the plague.

SDG,
Joe

Open season on open theism by Steve Hays

God's Word

"He sends forth his commandment upon earth:
His word runs very swiftly" (Psalm 147:15).

No language ever stirs the deeps of my nature like the Word of
God, and none produces such a profound calm within my spirit.

As no other voice can,
it melts me to tears,
it humbles me in the dust,
it fires me with enthusiasm,
it fills me with pleasure,
it elevates me to holiness.

Every faculty of my being owns the power of the sacred Word.

It sweetens my memory,
it brightens my hope,
it stimulates my imagination,
it directs my judgment,
it commands my will, and
it cheers my heart.

The word of man charms me for the time,
but I outlive and outgrow its power.

It is altogether the reverse with the Word of the King of kings;
it rules me more sovereignly, more practically, more habitually,
more completely every day. Its power is for all seasons--for
sickness and for health, for solitude and for company, for
personal emergencies and for public assemblies.

I had sooner have the Word of God at my back than all the
armies and navies of all the great powers, aye, than all the
forces of nature; for the Word of the Lord is the source of
all the power in the universe, and within it there is an infinite
supply in reserve.

--C. H. Spurgeon

A Reformed Baptist Manifesto--Chapter One

My good friend Matt Pearson has started a wonderful project on his blog. He is publishing A Reformed Baptist Manifesto, one chapter at a time. I have read this work and highly recommend reading it. If you can get a copy, do so, it will be worth the money. Here is Chapter One

More to come!

Soli Deo Gloria!

We Believe...

"We believe in the five great points commonly known as Calvinistic; but we do not regard these five points as being barbed shafts which we are to thrust between the ribs of our fellow Christians. We look upon them as being five great lamps which help to irradiate the cross; or, rather, five bright emanations springing from the glorious covenant of our Triune God, and illustrating the great doctrine of Jesus crucified."
-- C. H. Spurgeon

Preaching

I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified unless we preach what is nowadays called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the Gospel and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the Gospel... unless we preach the sovereignty of God in his dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah. Nor do I think we can preach the Gospel unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of his elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend the Gospel which allows saints to fall away after they are called.
-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Worth the read

This blog entry by James White is worth the time to read, regarding Roman Catholicism.

SDG,
Joe

Alpha & Omega Ministries on Roman Catholicism

Over at AOMin, James White has been commenting on the recent death of the Pope, and the fallout from it. I appreciate White's perspective on Roman Catholicism. The gospel that Rome promulgates does not save, and the differences between Rome and Protestantism must remain. Unfortuantely, most "evangelicals" just don't get it this point, and they continue to laud the Pope as a great ambassador for the Gospel. Really? Does the Gospel include ardent worship of the Virgin Mary (read: idol worship)? Does the Gospel include pulling Christ off his throne each time the Mass is performed, in effect sacrificing Him all over again? More could be said for sure. As for me, I want nothing to do with Rome, they can have their idols...

For more, check out AOMin's material on Roman Catholicism here

SDG,
Joe

Diet of Bookworms

Tim Challies has launched a great new website containing book reviews. I love books, therefore I was excited to see this site. :-)

SDG,
Joe

Give no glory to this rubbish!

Alas! alas! It makes a Christian's blood boil to see
glory given to a pack of scamps who call themselves
priests!

Does it not make a man feel, when you see pictures
of 'his holiness' and the cardinals, and so on, scattering
their benedictions at the Vatican, or at St. Peter's, while
admiring crowds fall down and worship them, that it were
infinitely better to bow to the devil himself?

We give glory unto God, but not a particle of glory to
anything in the shape of a man, or an angel either.

Have I not stood and seen the crowds by hundreds fall
down and worship images and dressed up dolls? I have
seen them worship bones and old teeth; I have seen
them worship a skeleton, dressed out in modern costume
said to be the skeleton of a saint.

I have marveled to see people so infatuated as to think
that such idolatry was pleasing to the most high God.

We, brethren, the people of God, who know Christ, can give
no glory to this rubbish, but turn away from it with horror!

Our glory must be given to Christ, and to Christ alone!

Christ and Christ only must be the grand object of the
Christian; the promotion of His glory must be that for
which he is willing to live, and for which, if needs be,
he would be prepared to die.

Oh! down, down, down, with everything else--but up,
up, up, with the cross of Christ!

Down with your baptism, and your masses, and your
sacraments! Down with your priest-craft, and your rituals,
and your liturgies! Down with your fine music, and your
pomp, and your robes, and your garments, and all your
ceremonials!

But up, up, up, with the doctrine of the naked cross,
and the expiring Savior!

--Charles Spurgeon

At the Cross of Christ

By the death Jesus, all our horrible filth and defilement, however black, monstrous, aggravated and abominable, however deep and dreadful, was thoroughly and forever . . .

put away,
cast behind God's back,
blotted out as a thick cloud, and
drowned in the depths of the sea!

In the pierced hands, and feet and side of Immanuel, a fountain was opened for all sin and uncleanness!

At the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ . . .
justice and mercy met together,
righteousness and peace kissed each other,
mercy rejoiced over judgment,
grace abounded over sin!

Justice, with all its inflexible requisitions, was thoroughly satisfied; the law, with all its holy, unbending demands fully magnified; every perfection of God eternally glorified; every apparently barring attribute entirely harmonized; so that Jehovah, in all the blaze of ineffable purity, majesty, power, and holiness--can now be just, infinitely just--and yet the justifier of those who believe in Jesus.

Here, then, at the foot of the cross, is pardon and peace for guilty criminals! Here is thorough justification for the self-condemned and self-abhorred! Here is salvation, complete and everlasting, for all the redeemed family of God! Here is a fountain, ever open, full and free! Here is a robe, in which the spouse of Jesus stands without blemish and without spot before the throne of God! Here mercy is magnified forever! Here dying love displays itself in all its breadth, and length, and depth, and height! Here grace, all-glorious, all-triumphant grace, reigns unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord!

--J. C. Philpot