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The Potter's Clay

Scripture, Theology, the Christian worldview, and other ramblings.

29 May 2006

On Charity & Doctrinal Disputes

There are many ministers, nowadays, who think that they must shift their doctrinal landmarks, and there are others who have no landmarks at all. They believe something, or everything, or nothing--it is difficult to tell which; and their common cry is, 'We must be charitable.' I have known many people who were willing to be charitable with other people's money, and I have known others who are charitable with doctrines that are not theirs to give away, for they are Christ's doctrines; but these supposed custodians of them care so little for them that they offer to give them away in any quantity. But a faithful steward of Christ's gospel will not do so; he who loves Christ, and wishes to honour him, keeps Christ's words, and treasures them up.

--Spurgeon

24 May 2006

Orange on Monergism

If anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10). If anyone affirms that we can form any right opinion or make any right choice which relates to the salvation of eternal life, or that we can be saved by assent to the preaching of the gospel through our natural powers without the effectual work of the Holy Spirit, who makes all whom He calls gladly and willingly assent to and believe in the truth, he is led astray from the plain teaching of Scripture by exalting the natural ability of man, and does not understand the voice of God who says in the Gospel, "For apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5), and the word of the Apostle, "Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God" (2 Cor. 3:5). - The Council of Orange (529 AD)

21 May 2006

Regeneration

When a man is converted to God, it is done in a moment.

Regeneration is an instantaneous work.

Conversion to God, the fruit of regeneration, occupies all
our life, but regeneration itself is effected in an instant.

A man hates God-- the Holy Spirit makes him love God.

A man is opposed to Christ, he hates his gospel, does not
understand it and will not receive it-- the Holy Spirit comes,
puts light into his darkened understanding, takes the chain
from his bondaged will, gives liberty to his conscience, gives
life to his dead soul, so that the voice of conscience is heard,
and the man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.

And all this is done, mark you, by the instantaneous
supernatural influence of God the Holy Spirit working
as he wills among the sons of men.

--Spurgeon

12 May 2006

Our sins!

By Spurgeon, "The Putting Away of Sin"

"He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to
do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Hebrews 9:26

Our sins trail their horrid length athwart many years.

Our sins are aggravated, they are 'piled up' sins.

Our sins are against light and knowledge, against
conscience, against vows and resolution.

Our sins are sins repeated after we had tasted of
their bitterness.

Our sins are foul sins, sins it may be of the sort
which bring the blush to the cheek.

Our sins made us toss on our beds as we remembered
them with dread, and yet sins that we returned to as
the dog returns to its vomit.

Oh! our monster sins, our horrible sins, our damnable sins!

Hell itself cannot put our sins away! There
are the devil and his angels for whom hell
was made, for whom the fire was first kindled,
and its pit first digged; but they are as great
sinners after these six thousand years as they
were when first they were cast down from heaven!

And so those lost ones whose spirits have
been in hell since the time of Noah's flood,
they are still sinners, and after all the ages
of suffering they have endured, not a sin less
is upon them now than there was at first!

Ah, dreadful thought!

If you are ever cast into hell, though ages
on ages may lapse, and the wrath of God be
poured out upon you to the uttermost, there
will never be the destruction of a single sin
or particle of a sin by it all.

Sin cannot be put away until the penalty is borne
to the end, and that can never be by finite man.

What a work was here, then, for the only begotten
Son of God to do! Speak of the labors of Hercules!
they were nothing compared with the labors of Emmanuel.
Speak of miracles! to tread the sea, to hush the billows,
to heal the sick, to raise the dead, these are all bright
stars, but their light is hidden when compared with this
miracle of miracles, when the Sun of Christ's righteousness
arises with healing beneath his wings, and thick clouds
of our sins are put away by him!

All the sins of His people were made to meet in one
tremendous mass. On the cross, Jesus endured the
penalty due for all the sin of His people! He put away
our sins, the whole mass, the whole mountainous mass
of the sin of all those for whom He stood as a substitute,
and for whom He suffered the penalty. Our sins were
completely put away, everlastingly put away!

All of our sins, of every size, shape, form, hue, degree,
or fashion, are altogether gone! Crimson sins, black sins,
crying sins, every sort of iniquity from your childhood until
now, and right on till you enter into the rest of the Beloved,
they were all taken and laid upon Christ, and he made an
end of them all when he offered up His great expiatory
sacrifice! He has put away sin as a whole for His chosen ones!

"All praise to Him who loves us and has freed us from our
sins by shedding His blood for us. He has made us His kingdom
and His priests who serve before God His Father. Give to Him
everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen!" Rev. 1:5-6

02 May 2006

The Curse Removed!

by Spurgeon, "The Curse Removed"

The curse of God is not easily taken away. In fact, there
was but one method whereby it could be removed.

The lightnings were in God's hand; they must be launched-
he said they must. The sword was unsheathed; it must be
satisfied- God vowed it must.

How, then, was the sinner to be saved?

The only answer was this--
The Son of God appears; and he says,
"Father! launch your thunderbolts at me!
Here is my breast- plunge that sword in here!
Here are my shoulders- let the lash of vengeance
fall on them!"

And Christ, the Substitute, came forth and stood for us,
"the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."