In the then Invincible Ignorance…

8 02 2010

The following comes from C. S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy (p181):

“Up till now each visitation of Joy had left the common world momentarily a desert – “The first touch of the earth went nigh to kill.”  Even when real clouds or trees had been the material of the vision, they had been so only by reminding me of another world; and I did not like the return to ours.  But now I saw the bright shadow coming out of the book into the real world and resting there, transforming all common things and yet itself unchanged.  Or, more accurately, I saw the common things drawn into the bright shadow.  Unde hoc mihi?  In the depth of my disgraces, in the then invincible ignorance of my intellect, all this was given me without asking, even without consent.  That night my imagination was, in a certain sense, baptized; the rest of me, not unnaturally, took longer.  I had not the faintest notion what I had let myself in for by buying Phantastes.”


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Categories : Books, C.S. Lewis

The Lord Our Righteousness

4 02 2010

The following quote comes from Of First Importance:

“It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ.

There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are perfect in Christ Jesus. It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that Christ is made unto us righteousness, we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all.”

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening, January 31


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Categories : Charles Spurgeon, Justification, Sanctification, Uncategorized

Beggar Thief —> Beloved Son

3 02 2010

The following comes from McKay Caston’s blog:

The gospel is news, declaration and invitation; not instruction.

As Tim Keller says, “I am more sinful than I could dare to admit, but at the same time, because of my substitute Jesus, I am more forgiven, loved and accepted than I could ever dare to dream.”

The gospel is not religion. Religion says that I am blessed because of my work and sacrifice for God.  The gospel says that I am blessed because of Jesus’ work and sacrifice for me.  Yes, I am saved by works, but not myworks. I am saved by his works… the works of Jesus.

Jesus received the justice for my sin so that I could receive the mercy of God.

The gospel tells me that I am reconciled to God not because of what I do for God, but because of what God has done for me in Jesus.

Reconciliation with God is not something that I achieve. It is something that I receive (through faith alone). Seriously. I receive it like a beggar must accept a gift, with no hope of repayment.

It is a beggar thief being told he is now a beloved son


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Categories : Adoption, Sanctification, Tim Keller

Knowing About Honey vs. Tasting Honey

31 01 2010
The following quote comes from Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon, “A Divine and Supernatural Light.”  I came across this in Redeemer Presbyterian’s Prayer Bible Study.
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There is a twofold knowledge of good of which God has made the mind of man capable. The first, that which is merely notional … And the other is, that which consists in the sense of the heart; as when the heart is sensible of pleasure and delight in the presence of the idea of it.  In the former is exercised merely…the understanding, in distinction from the… disposition of the soul …Thus there is a difference between having an opinion, that God is holy and gracious, and having a sense of the loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace.  There is a difference between having a rational judgment that honey is sweet and having a sense of its sweetness.  A man may have the former that knows not how honey tastes; but a man cannot have the latter unless he has an idea of the taste of honey in his mind.

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Categories : Jonathan Edwards, Prayer, Tim Keller

My Biggest Sin

26 01 2010

The following comes from McKay Caston’s Blog.  I love this blog.  Check it out.

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You couldn’t help it, could you? This is gonna be juicy, right?  Could be. Okay, let’s get to it. What is my biggest sin? Of course, most of us probably think of the Top 10 list in Exodus. “Thou Shall Not…”  But we’ve all broken every one of those. No surprise there. So what is my biggest sin? Here goes: Not believing that I have been fully forgiven, totally accepted, and am dearly loved by the Father. Sorry to disappoint you, but when I DON’T believe this, I get religious and become a Pharisee of sorts, who were the biggest sinners in Jesus’ day (because of their prideful, “I can do it if you just show me the rule” hearts). To look upon the work of Jesus on the cross as my judicial substitute and to NOT believe that I am fully forgiven, totally accepted, and am dearly loved is to cheapen the gospel. To think that I can add anything of my own merit is to severely diminish God’s glorious grace. It is an insult to the blood of Jesus. “So Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”


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Categories : Sin

The Gospel Requires 100% Not Doing! The Gospel Requires Believing!

18 01 2010

The following quote comes from Walter Marshall’s book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. Marshall was a 17th century pastor.  This book was first published in 1692 and this edition arrived in 2005.  Per the introduction, Dr. John Murray, late professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, said this was the most important book on sanctification that had ever been written.  I recommend this book to anyone who is wrestling with how sanctification and justification work together.

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Remember the basic difference between the law and the gospel.  It is not that the law requires perfect obedience, and the gospel just requires sincere obedience.  Rather, the difference is this: the law requires doing, and the gospel requires not doing. The gospel requires believing for life and salvation.  The “terms of the deal” are totally different.  They are not just different in degree:  ”The law requires 100% obedience for your salvation whereas the gospel only requires 51% obedience for your salvation.”  No!  The terms are different in their very nature!  The law requires 100% doing.  The gospel requires 100% not doing!  The gospel requires believing!


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Categories : Books, Justification, Sanctification

Born In Her… The Most High Himself Will Establish Her

18 01 2010

Psalm 87

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;

behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush – “This one was born there,” they say.

And of Zion it shall be said,

“This one and that one were born in her”; for the Most High himself will establish her.

The Lord records as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.”

Singers and dancers alike say,

“All my springs are in you.”


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Categories : Psalms, Scripture

Inestimable Peace and Happiness

14 01 2010

The following comes from Ray Ortlund’s Blog, Christ is Deeper Still:

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“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”  Galatians 3:13

What is the curse of the law?  It is the or-else-ness of the law: “Do this, or else.”  Christ took the or-else-ness of the law onto himself at the cross, so that there is no more or-else for anyone in Christ, as God looks upon us now.  Or-else is gone forever from your relationship with God.

“We, being delivered from these everlasting terrors and anguish through Christ, shall enjoy an everlasting and inestimable peace and happiness.”

Martin Luther, commentary on Galatians 3:13.


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Categories : Galatians, Martin Luther, Ray Ortlund, Scripture

Pete Maravich Testimony 1987 (Billy Graham Crusade)

6 01 2010

The following video is 9 minutes long, but definitely worth your time.  In his closing thoughts, Pistol Pete says, “I wouldn’t trade 1000 NBA Championships, 1000 Hall of Fame Rings, or 100,000,000 dollars for the joy I have in Christ.”

If I ever coach basketball, I will show his teaching video (where he displays his skills) before every practice.  I would then have the team practice what they saw and we would conclude by watching the video below.  Hopefully the team would feel the joy that is expressed by Pistol Pete regarding the gospel in contrast to the enslaving life he lived to basketball.


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Categories : Idolatry, Testimonies, Videos

Killing the Addiction

4 01 2010

The following quote comes from Counterfeit Gods:  The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters, by Tim Keller (p.93-4):

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The idol of success (or any other idol) cannot be just expelled (by will-power or determination), it must be replaced.  The human heart’s desire for a particular valuable object may be conquered, but its need to have some such object is unconquerable.  How can we break our heart’s fixation on doing “some great thing” in order to heal ourselves of our sense of inadequacy, in order to give our lives meaning?  Only when we see what Jesus, our great Suffering Servant, has done for us will we finally understand why God’s salvation does not require us to do “some great thing.”  We don’t have to do it, because Jesus has.  That’s why we can “just wash.”  Jesus did it all for us, and he loves us-that is how we know our existence is justified.  When we believe in what he accomplished for us with our minds, and when we are moved by what he did for us in our hearts, it begins to kill off the addiction, the need for success at all costs.


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Categories : Books, Idolatry, Tim Keller

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