BOOKS TO READ....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Ecclesiastes 12:12B  NKJV 

You can buy a book that will tell you how or give you information on many things.  The internet has made many of the most used books available to those who know how to use it.

The Christian book stores have shelves loaded with “how to” books written by experts on anything and everything.  If you have a problem, they have the answer.

But there are good Christian books available.  I would like to suggest twelve that you will profit greatly by reading.

1. First is Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.  Bunyan was a mid-seventeenth century author.  As an Independent he experienced almost continual governmental persecution.  This book is considered to be the greatest allegory ever written.  Up into the 1990’s it was second in sales only to the Bible.  It is considered the most popular Christian book ever and when you read it you will understand why.

2.  The Holy War by John Bunyan was said to be the second best allegory written, but only because Bunyan had earlier written Pilgrim’s Progress.

3.  Bible Characters by Alexander Whyte is without question the best that has ever been given to Christian readers about the familiar personalities in the Scriptures.  His description of Eli is worth the price of the whole set.

The books that follow are not in any order of importance.  The only real concern is their availability.

4. The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson.  This book is currently available and it is an excellent explanation of the person and work of God the Spirit.

5.  The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards.  This is the one book written by Edwards that Christians should read.  All that he wrote is good.  This is a must.

6.  God’s Way of Holiness by Horatius Bonar.  Bonar was Hymn Writer, Pastor, Theologian, and Author.  This small volume destroys the error of the “two men” teaching about the converted man’s personal walk.

7.  The Christian’s Saving Interest by William Guthrie.  This without a doubt is the greatest Christian book ever written.  An opinion of course but enough said.

8.  Holiness by J.C. Ryle.  Anything by Ryle is excellent.  If you can find it, get it.  Read the introduction.

9.  The Plan of Salvation by B.B. Warfield.  This is the one I re-read.  There is nothing in it that is superfluous.

10.  Darwin’s Black Box by Michael J. Behe.  I can assure you, you will not regret reading this book.  Follow up on Behe after he wrote the book.

11.  Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul.  Who can say which is the best Sproul has done?  But this is profitable for both the young the  old.  If you think I like it—you are right.

12.  A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith by Dr. Robert L. Reymond.  Reymond got his education from the Baccalaureate to his Doctorate at Bob Jones University.  Very early in his education he became Reformed.  The rest of his life (he died in 2013) he grew in his understanding and love for Reformed Theology.

Reymond was an able Hebrew and Greek teacher.  He taught both at the Seminary level.  He was an accomplished musician.  Many would say his greatest ability lay in his Pastoral gifts.  He was a gifted Preacher.   I personally consider him one of the most accomplished Bible Preachers I have ever heard.  And he was a very, very, very good classroom professor.

This Theology is current.  It was published in 1998.  In his descriptive annotations he simply says of himself “Presbyterian and Reformed”.  If you want to own a good dependable Systematic Theology, this will work for you.  Reymond wrote about Reformed and Presbyterian theology as the truth.

Books such as Reymond’s began to be written at least as early as Thomas Aquinas and they have continued to the present.  Then it can be asked, “Do we need another one?”  When it is this good we do.

INDESPENSABLE VALUE....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

John 8:32  NKJV

 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Christ puts a premium on truth.  He gives us assurance that truth is within our privileges.  And there is a result so desirable that if for no other reason our quest for truth should be unceasing.

Truth, honesty, integrity or being dependable is necessary for friendship to develop and love to grow.  These virtues are those which hold society together.  They are in the main assumed.  A treaty among nations, a partnership among individuals, and a marriage between a man and a woman are made on the back of an honest commitment.

It is a demand on the believer to hear the Psalmist as he describes the righteous worshipper as one who “speaks the truth in his heart…He swears to his own hurt and does not change” Psalm 15:2B, 4C.  This is an unchanging demand of Scripture.  The failure in honesty is described in Proverbs as that which the Lord hates.  Proverbs 6:17B, 19A
…A lying tongue,  Hands that shed innocent blood,

John Bunyan toward the end of the second part of Pilgrim’s Progress, as Christiana and her children and her companion draw near the end of their journey introduces a certain Mr. Valiant-for-the-truth.  Most of the companions with Christian and Christiana are names which we readily recognize – Evangelist, Honest, Steadfast, and others.  But where does he find this particular traveler.  To find him you have to go to Jeremiah 9:3.  There it is an accusation against Israel that it is easy enough for them to be as they should be, but instead of being as they should be they are not valiant for the truth.

Here was enough for Bunyan to find this delightful character.  Valiant joins this band of Christians on their way to the Celestial City and is a most welcome addition.

He enters the stage bloody and weary from the opposition he has faced.  But it must be added he is never cast down.  Along the way he became one of the principals in affording protection and encouragement.  But where the genius of Bunyan meets us is in Mr. Valiant’s departure into the Celestial City.  Listen to Bunyans’ story.

After this it was noised abroad that Mr. Valiant-for-truth was taken with a summons by the same Post as the other, and had this for a token that the summons was true, “That his pitcher was broken at the fountain.” (Eccl. Xii 6)  When he understood it, he called for his friends, and told them of it.  Then he said, I am going to my Father’s; and though with great difficulty I have got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am.  My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it.  My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles who now will be my rewarder.  When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the riverside, into which as he went he said, “Death, where is thy sting?”  And as he went down deeper, he said, “Grave where is thy victory?”  So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

The Complete Works of John Bunyan Vol. 1, pg 133.

“My marks and scars I carry with me.”  About these marks and scars they came as he was opposed three against one.  When asked about this, “But here were great odds three against one.”  He responds, “Tis true; little or more are nothing to him that has the truth on his side.”  Pg. 125

A sincere question to you, “Will you be Valiant-for-the-truth?”l

A LESSON FROM THE GARDEN....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

John 15:16  NKJV

  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Jesus’ statement is to the Apostles in particular and to the elect in general.  As to the elect, because they are the chosen ones the specifics of the demand remains the same.  We are to be fruitful.  This is a continuing demand of the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New, that has lately impressed me with its importance.

Working in my garden last year and this one, I have observed some lessons from plants there.  This year for some reason has not been a good year for me with anything other than cucumbers.

I began observing my cucumber plants last year and continued to do this in the present seasons.  Let me share some lessons I have learned.

1.  Though the seed may all be planted at the same time, they do not all “come up” at the same time.  Some may come out of the ground much quicker than others.

Lesson:  We do not all act the same way with the implanted Word. .  Some respond quicker, other slower.  But they are not to be judged by each other.

2. Some began producing much quicker.  It could be said, “Of course, the ones that ‘came up’ first”.  But that is not always so.  Sometimes a later plant will blossom and produce before a larger older plant.

Lesson:  The production of a plant is somewhat a mystery and it is not governed by external circumstances but by an internal impetus.  Even so Christians are fruitful in very odd ways, some faster, some slower.

3.  When production has begun in all the plants, some plants are far more productive than others.  This may have something to do with externals such as water and sunshine, but not completely.  It seems to be a particular ability of that plant.

Lesson:  All believers do not produce at the same level.  The fruit of believers varies, some 30, some 60, and some 100.

4.  All plants are productive.  They may vary in the amount they produce, but they will produce.

Lesson:  The purpose of a believer is to be productive.  Whatever else may occur, they all produce.

5.  Plants produce at different levels at different times.  Sometimes one plant will produce more than another does.  Again, the other that produced less will increase and the one that produced more will decrease.  This may be due more to internal influences than to external.

Lesson:  Christians are fruitful at different levels.  Internal forces can influence their production and can vary.  But it should be remembered that they are not in competition.  They are to do what they can do, not what their neighbor does.

6.  Plants get old.  As they get older, they produce less until they become unproductive.  Usually when this occurs, the plant appears close to being dead.

Lesson:  Christians, as they get older, become less productive.  Their infirmity can be more or less evident.  But age affects productivity.

7.  Plants at the end of their season die.

Lesson:  Psalm 116:15  Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.

A CUP HALF FULL....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Ecclesiastes 3:11A  NKJV

 He has made everything beautiful in its time.

The writer in the text above gives us both sides of the truth.  There is beauty in the world.  As there is a time for that beauty there is another time and that will not be beautiful.

We have a choice to either find beauty or always seek out ugliness.  In Psalm 8:3 the Psalmist is considering creation which God has made.  There seems to be a wonder in his voice.  Creation has such an effect that he can say in 8:1 that only God’s glory excels it in beauty.

We, Darlene and I, have a home out from town in what we will call the country.  We often, nearly daily, sit outside in the early morning quietness and watch the beauty unfold as the day begins.

A deer with two fawns crosses the meadow before us.  The hummingbirds fly in their unique way.  They feed and fight, flash their brilliant colors, and ignore everything around them.  All around us birds fly and sing.  Mockingbirds display in leaps and songs.  Cardinals in all their vivid color crowd our scenery. 

The flowers bloom in dramatic colors.  Roses, red, white, yellow, and pink are in healthy display.  There are both wild and domestic sunflowers which, along with lantanas, attract a number of different butterflies in their native beauty.

We hear the neighbor’s turkeys and another’s donkey braying.  Nothing is loud.  The singing of the birds is undisturbed.  And if this is an especially good day, we see the two red-tailed hawks which live in our area part-time.

I’m sure somewhere in this the cup is half empty.  A friend taught me in the recent past that I don’t have to look past the cup half full.  And now I exclaim with the Preacher, He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Amen!

I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

I Timothy 2:5 NKJV

  

“There is one; There is one mediator”.  The one God demands all our devotion and he alone is to be recognized as the only God, there is none other.  Whatever He is that He has revealed about Himself, is to complete our knowledge of God.

Any god so called which is not that which is revealed in Holy Scripture is a lie.  It is idolatry to recognize in any way this lie as God.  The fact that there are many gods is a great demand for every believer to know the true God and as surely to reject the lie.

There is some attention to be directed to what is known as the two other religious which are monotheist, Mulems and Jews.  But this is not so with respect to the true God.  The mere fact that they allow no idols does not mean they worship one God.  The One God of Scripture is the Triune God of our salvation.  Thus has He revealed Himself.  Thus He is.  Thus alone can He be worshipped.

Paul takes this revelation of God one step further.  There is a commonality in the One God and the One Mediator.  The One God includes the One Mediator and the One Mediator is included in the One God.  There seems to me a very close likeness between Paul’s statement here and John’s in John 1:18, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

There is an absolute to be recognized.  And this is; all the honor and distinction that the One God merits in His office, the One Mediator has in His uniqueness.

The Mediator has in Himself alone the responsibility, the authority, and the ability to be what He is.  As the Godhood is not shared with the creature so the mediation of this One belongs to no creature.

Both the Son and Spirit are intercessors.  Both the Son and the Spirit are advocates.  We as Saints share with the Son and the Spirit the responsibility of intercessions and advocacy.  But no one shares with the God-man the Mediatorial office.

I read the following.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

Christ’s mediatorship is thus exercised in all the phases of redemption from election in God’s eternal counsel to the consummation of salvation.  He is Mediator in humiliation and exaltation.  There is, therefore, multiformity attaching to his mediatorial activity, and it cannot be defined in terms of one idea or function.  His mediatorship has as many facets as his person, office and work.  And as there is diversity in the offices and tasks discharged and in the relations he sustains to men as Mediator, so there is diversity in the relations he sustains to the Father and the Holy Spirit in the economy of redemption.  The faith and worship of him require that we recognize this diversity.  And the unique glory that is his as Mediator demands that we accord to no other even the semblance of that prerogative that belongs to him as the Mediator between God and man.

New Bible Dictionary, “Mediator”, pg 757, John Murray.

PAUL’S SAVIOR....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

I Timothy 1:15 NKJV

Paul makes a simple plain statement and embellishes it with the requirement that it be accepted and believed.

The purpose of Christ in His mission is to “save sinners”.  The word “save” is in the aorist tense.  The importance of this is in the fact that aorist is completed action.  “Saved” as it is written is thus an accomplished fact.  He did not aid in saving—He did it.  He did not make it either available or possible.  He did it.  He did not come for some other purpose, fail in the purpose, and do this “saving thing” as a backup plan.  He came into the world for this purpose.

The interesting fact is the information John gives us in his Epistle as some of the ways this is accomplished.  It is worth our time to look there.  I John 1:2   the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.  The “life” was plainly made known.  John 1:4 In Him was life.  This was life without death.  This was life that enlightened all others.  This was life that revealed God  (John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.)  as no other ever had, now can, or ever will do.  It is the life that refused death in the grave and reveals all that our resurrected life will be.  He was manifested not only to reveal life but to be life.  The poet has well said, “There is life for look at the crucified one.”

I John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.  He was plainly made known as the “sin bearer” of Isaiah 53:4-6.

 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The scholars debate whether “take away” in this verse will bear the weight of “bear or carry away”, but we know that Isaiah 53 was ever near the mind of John and this leaves us with not doubt.

Again the verb “take away” is aorist.  It is not the past that is intended but completed action.  Here we find something that He accomplished.  He “took away” sin.  We can’t do this.  We can’t aid Christ in His atoning for the sins of His people.  This is done, completed, finished and it cannot be done again in any way.

And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain- For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Chorus:
Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Tis mystery all! Th’ Immortal dies: Who can explore his strange design?

In vain the firstborn seraph tries to sound The depths of love divine.

This mercy all! Let earth adore, let angel minds in quire no more.

He left His Father's throne above So free, so infinite His grace-
Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray-I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th' eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Charles Wesley, 1738

I John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.

What a great foe the Devil is.  This is understood by what was done to destroy Him.  The works of the Devil  is nothing less that the whole of his person and power.  We, the elect, are no longer under his control.  We are free.  Paul in Colossians 1:13 states this same truth in a different way.  By the new birth we have entered the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of His dear Son.  Here the Devil who takes men as he desires.  II Timothy 2:26

and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

The victory of Christ over Satan is a great favor of this age of Grace.  Satan’s purpose and power is to defeat God and if not to embarrass Him.  We find him attempting this in Job.  As Christians we live in a Kingdom of victory and we can always call to mind that we are more that conquerors through Him who loved us.

In the life that He is, in the atonement He accomplished, and in the victory He won, we are saved.  He came, He saw, and He did.  He left nothing undone.  In the final accounting in I Cor. 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched, Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity joined with pow'r:
He is able, He is able, He is able, He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance, Ev'ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money, Without money, Without money,  Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden, Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better, You will never come at all:
Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth Is to feel your need of him;
This he gives you, This he gives you, This he gives you; 'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! th'incarnate God, ascended, Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good.

Joseph Hart, 1759

A PERSONAL REFLECTION … Understanding important truths from the Bible….

I Timothy 4:16               NKJV

 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

  

There are questions which a Christian Pastor can ask that are troubling to say the least. 

1.       Is there Christianity without the knowledge of God?  In the light of John 17:3

 this seems impossible.  John seems to clearly inform us that the believer must know God.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

2.      As a Christian can a person know God other than by His revelation of Himself.  When we read Matthew 11:27 this also seems impossible.  Jesus in the Matthew passage makes the knowledge of God a revelation by Himself as He wills.  Surely He will not reveal a false God. 

3.       Doesn’t this make every believer to some degree a theologian?  Paul writing I Cor. 2:11-14 distinguishes the fact of salvation on this very issue.

 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.  ¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy^[a] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

4.      Now comes the discriminating question.  Should I have distinctive Christian fellowship with someone  whom I know does not believe the truth about God as Christians confess?  By this I mean pray with, worship with, converse with, and in general treat as fellow Christians those who are heterodox?

I do not find this is the practice of the believer in the Scriptures.  Daniel is an excellent example of this.  Though he had supporters in the court of the King, he was hated and found intolerable by the majority.

And I find men of the past hated by the majority for the same reason.  There are too many examples of Christian martyrs to bother giving a single example.

What brings me to these reflections is an occurrence of research on Rodman Williams who is dead now but was evidently a warm hearted Christian believer.  Williams was a brilliant Liberal Bible Scholar and Christian leader.  He was  at one time the President of and a professor at Austin Seminary, a Presbyterian Seminary in Austin, TX.  In the mid 60’s he experienced a charismatic conversion.  He began speaking in “tongues” and leading Evangelical Bible studies.  Williams became one of the foremost leaders of the Neo-Charasmatic Evangelical Renewal.  I was deeply moved as I read his testimony.

Now the rub comes.  Williams maintained his fellowship--by his admission--with the liberals who were his closest friends.  This included the “God Is Dead” men (he never agreed with them), to the leadership of the World Council of Churches.  He never left the liberal church in which he had his ordination.  And he remained popular in those circles.

Williams developed his association with the Neo-Charasmatic Movement and professed the fundamentals which were identified with that movement.  He did embrace the Scriptures.  He did confess Trinitarian Christianity.  He did profess salvation by faith through grace by Christ alone.  But he evidently required this of no one else.

What am I misunderstanding?

All Peter and John had to do was deny the resurrection.  All Gottschalk had to do was recant his belief in the Doctrines of Grace.  All Bunyan had to do was quit preaching.  All the 1600 ministers in England had to do was read the advertisement for Sunday sports contests from the pulpit.

A question I despise , “Was Rodman Williams a Christian?”  This I know, he lived and died with a credible profession of faith.  He lived with a resounding history of Christian service.  His devotion to Christ shames me.  That is my answer—anything more he will answer to his Master as each of us must.

Romans 14:4

Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.