The apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, exhorts God’s people to “walk as children of light…and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:8b,10). This is not always easy, especially when our three great enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil—never cease in their attempts to lure us away from Christ and destroy our walk with God.
Just as in seeing the rainbow God will "remember" His covenant to never again send a flood to destroy all flesh, so in the covenant in Christ's blood God "remembers" not to treat believers as their sins justly deserve.
"When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh." Gen 9:14-15
“Purgatory is a deadly fiction of Satan, which nullifies the cross of Christ, inflicts unbearable contempt upon God’s mercy, and overturns and destroys our faith.” - John Calvin
At the end of His ministry on earth, before He goes to the cross for sinners, Jesus' utters his High Priestly prayer in John 17. He begins by praying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have GIVEN him.(John 17:1-2): In verse 9 Jesus uses the same phrase "GIVEN ME" when He says "I am praying for them.
by Horatius Bonar
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” —Romans 4:4.
Does Paul by this speech make light of good works?
by Jonathan Dickinson
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved. –Ephesians 2:4, 5
HAVING, understood from scripture, somewhat distinctly the considered the sad effects of our original apostasy…
…I am now led by the words before us, to take notice of the methods of our recovery from the misery, death, and ruin, which the fall has brought upon us. In the text we have,
In the decrees of the Council of Trent: Canons on Justification, Roman Catholics proclaim a curse (anathema) on anyone who affirms the loss of free will after the fall. In Canon 5, it declares:
"If anyone says that after the sin of Adam man's free will was lost and destroyed, or that it is a thing only in name, indeed a name without a reality, a fiction introduced into the Church by Satan, let him be anathema."
Thomas Brooks farewell address to his people is peculiarly adapted for usefulness. Brooks ends with giving his people some hints of advice, which he calls legacies, hoping they might be of use to them in the perusal when he had not the advantage of speaking to them in public.
1. Secure your saving interest in Christ. This is not a time for a man to be between hopes and fears. Take not up with an outward form, crying, "The Temple of the Lord."
2. Make Christ and Scripture the only foundation for your souls, and for faith to build upon.
