Preaching the Gospel to Yourself Everyday

Bunyan gives an excellent example of "Preaching the Gospel to oursevles everyday" as he finds liberty and joy in the IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"One day, as I was passing in the field, and that too with some dashes of my conscience, fearing lest yet all was not right, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, Thy righteousness is in heaven; and methought withal, I saw, with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, as my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was adoing, God could not say of me, He wants my righteousness, for that was just before Him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, to-day and for ever. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed, I was loosened from my afflictions and irons . . . now went I also home rejoicing, for the grace and love of God."

If you have never read I would suggest you find a copy of the book, "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners" Bunyans own autobiograhpy from which this quote is taken.  I'm due for another reading myself, and it is one of the few books I think my own dear wife has read multiple times.  

Online vesion: click here 

Kindle Version: click here  free from Amazon

 ht: Reformation21, Rob Ventura

Pilgrims Progress: Christian's reponse to the Ignornant Confession

Christian and Hopeful traveling through the Enchanted Ground have joined up with Ignorance. Through a time of questions and answers which have culminated in Ignorance's own ignorant confession, we now come to Christians response.

Christian: How dost thou believe?

Ignorance: I believe that Christ died for sinners; and that I shall be justified before God from the curse, through his gracious acceptance of my obedience to his laws. Or thus, Christ makes my duties, that are religious, acceptable to his Father by virtue of his merits, and so shall I be justified.

Christian: Let me give an answer to this confession of thy faith.

1. Thou believest with a fantastical faith; for this faith is nowhere described in the word.

2. Thou believest with a false faith; because it taketh justification from the personal righteousness of Christ, and applies it to thy own.

3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy person, but of thy actions; and of thy person for thy action’s sake, which is false.

4. Therefore this faith is deceitful, even such as will leave thee under wrath in the day of God Almighty: for true justifying faith puts the soul, as sensible of its lost condition by the law, upon flying for refuge unto Christ’s righteousness; (which righteousness of his is not an act of grace by which he maketh, for justification, thy obedience accepted with God, but his personal obedience to the law, in doing and suffering for us what that required at our hands;) this righteousness, I say, true faith accepteth; under the skirt of which the soul being shrouded, and by it presented as spotless before God, it is accepted, and acquitted from condemnation.

I would like to point out something I noticed reading this time through the Pilgrim's Progress. WE are now Almost at the end of the book. For from the Enchanted Ground we enter Beulah Land, and from Beulah Land we cross the river and enter the Celestial City. WE ARE ALMOST THERE! Only a few pages remain, only a short distance to go. Yet, I note, John Bunyan, our dreaming allegorist, has at the end of his book taken several occassions now to plainly assert the gospel of Jesus Christ who is himself our righteousness. Plainly and repeatedly in these last pages have we read of the Representative Office of Jesus Christ, of Jesus's own Righteousness imputed to us who believe. -- DOES THIS UNDERLINE FOR YOU, as it does for me, that we NEVER out grow the gospel. We never move beyond it. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation at the beginning of our walk and ongoing and even up to the very end as we cross the river to the Celestial City.

And so we should learn to, Preach the Gospel to ourselves everyday.

SOUL FEEDING - SOUL INSTRUCTING SONG V9-11

Continuing in our look at Psalm 42

Psalm 42:9-11

Psa 42:9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
Psa 42:10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
Psa 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

The despair expressed here is so painful. God is my rock, I will pray to my rock, my God and ask, "why have you forgotten me, why go I on mourning? My enemy continues to oppress me, my sins overwhelm me, my grief over them is so great, I am distressed and pained because of it. My bones hurt, my body aches, my stomach is sick. These things are speaking to me over and over again doubt and unbelief, mocking me, "where is thy God? Where is he? why do you continue in this doubt if your God is here - he is not here - where is your GOD? He is gone from you."

Again we are reminded, THE PROBLEM IS YOU ARE LISTENING TO YOURSELF. YOU LET YOURSELF TALK TO YOU. But verse eleven once again demonstrates the proper soul healing procedure. Take your soul by the hand and no longer listening to it - talk to it - talk to yourself in this manner, preaching the gospel to yourself everyday.

Why are you cast down, Soul?
Why are you disquieted, clamoring and noisy-complaining, Soul?

HOPE IN GOD, SOUL. Soul, Hope thou in GOD.

I will YET after this praise GOD. There will be praise after this darkness. God is my help. His countenance, his presence, his SMILE and favor which is MINE in Christ who bought me. He will make MY own countenance SHINE IN HEALTH. Glow with Rosy robust health. He is the health of my countenance. My face will shine in joy for my God. For my saviour, his lovingkindness is ever towards me, for I belong to Christ. HE has given me to his son, and I belong to Jesus. I am his and he will never cast me away. He is able and willing to receive me, who am given to himself from the Father. It's a matter for GOD and he will bring health to my face, joy to my body. My bones will hurt no more. Soul, Hope thou in God.

SPURGEON:
Thus faith closes the struggle, a victor in fact by anticipation, and in heart by firm reliance. The saddest countenance shall yet be made to shine, if there be a taking of God at his word and an expectation of his salvation.
“For yet I know I shall him praise
Who graciously to me,
The health is of my countenance,
Yea, mine own God is he.”

A SOUL FEEDING - SOUL INSTRUCTING SONG V5

Continuing in our look at Psalm 42

Psalm 42:5

Psa 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Q. What is it to be cast down? How sad, how low, how despairing are you my soul and why are you thus?

Q. What is it to be disquieted? The soul is not quiet, it cries, it weeps and complains, there is an uproar within, a clamour of despair and noisy tumult of soul-upsettedness. Your whole body sometimes feels the pain of it. The bones hurt, the stomach hurts, the soul cries and the body aches.

Why Soul are you cast down - why are you in such a loud tumult?

Q. TO WHOM IS DAVID TALKING NOW?

A. He is talking to his own soul, talking to HIMSELF. D.M. Lloyd Jones' book, Spiritual Depression, is to my hearing becoming more and more well known for his great exposition of this psalm. I hear Lloyd-Jones here saying: "Preach the gospel to yourself every day." Before Jerry Bridges helped us with this concept, Lloyd-Jones did and before that THE WORD OF GOD has taught us this wisdom.

David is talking to himself. As Lloyd-Jones wrote, the problem is we are always listening to ourselves. Stop listening to yourself and take yourself in hand and counsel your own soul, "Hope thou in GOD. " Preach the gospel to yourself - quiet your soul with such words - not listening to the clamorous, depressed, downcast soul, but speaking to it the GOSPEL. HOPE THOU SOUL IN GOD.

God's countenance is a HELP TO US. His near presence is a HELP to US. HIS sending his son FOR US is a HELP to us. His smile of electing Love is our HELP. WE believe in Christ he has smiled upon us and Christ is for us. Who can be against us? God who spared not his own son but delivered him up for us -- how shall he not with HIM freely give us all things. He has already given the greatest in CHRIST HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN, all else is less, and all else is ours in CHRIST. His countenance is our help.

Spurgeon writes on this:
Salvations come from the propitious face of God, and he will yet lift up his countenance upon us. Note well that the main hope and chief desire of David rest in the smile of God. His face is what he seeks and hopes to see, and this will recover his low spirits, this will put to scorn his laughing enemies, this will restore to him all the joys of those holy and happy days around which memory lingers. This is grand cheer. This verse, like the singing of Paul and Silas, looses chains and shakes prison walls. He who can use such heroic language in his gloomy hours will surely conquer. In the garden of hope grow the laurels for future victories, the roses of coming joy, the lilies of approaching peace.

HELPS or SALVATIONS:
Albert Barnes in his Notes points out that the word "Help" as found in the original Hebrew is in the plural and wonderfully explains as follows:

"For the help of his countenance - literally, “the salvations of his face,” or his presence. The original word rendered help is in the plural number, meaning salvations; and the idea in the use of the plural is, that his deliverance would be completed or entire - as if double or manifold. The meaning of the phrase “help of his countenance” or “face,” is that God would look favorably or benignly upon him. Favor is expressed in the Scriptures by lifting up the light of the countenance on one. See the notes at Psa 4:6; compare Psa 11:7; Psa 21:6; Psa 44:3; Psa 89:15. This closes the first part of the psalm, expressing the confident belief of the psalmist that God would yet interpose, and that his troubles would have an end; reposing entire confidence in God as the only ground of hope; and expressing the feeling that when that confidence exists the soul should not be dejected or cast down."

What is the Gospel? D.M. Lloyd-Jones

Found this wonderful quote by D. M. Lloyd-Jones over on Monergism.com. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Rom 1:16

• FULL MESSAGE
• DYING MEN
• FULL ORBED DOCTRINE OF THE GRACE OF GOD
• NOT ONLY ADDRESSING THE HEART BUT BEGIN WITH THE HEAD PRESENTING TRUTH TO IT

Enjoy:

"We must have the full message. . . 'deliver the whole counsel of God'. . . . It starts with the Law. The Law of God ... the demands of a righteous God, the wrath of God. That is the way to bring men and women to conviction; not by modifying the Truth.... We must confront them with the fact that they are men and that they are fallible men, that they are dying men, that they are sinful men, and that they will all have to stand before God at the Bar of Eternal Judgement....And then we must present to them the full-orbed doctrine of the Grace of God in Salvation in Jesus Christ. We must show that no man is saved 'by the deeds of the Law', by his own goodness or righteousness, or church membership or anything else, but solely, utterly, entirely by the free gift of God in Jesus Christ His Son. . . . We must preach the full-orbed doctrine leaving nothing out-conviction of sin, the reality of Judgement and Hell, free grace, justification, sanctification, glorification. We must also show that there is a world view in the Bible ... that here alone you can understand history-past history, present history, future history. Let us show this great world view, and God's Eternal purpose.... Let us at the same time be very careful that we are giving it to the whole man ... the gospel is not only for a man's heart, that you start with his head and present Truth to it ... Let us show that it is a great message given by God which we in turn pass on to the mind, to the heart, to the will. There is ever this danger of leaving out some part or other of man's personality... Let us be certain that we address the whole man-his mind, his emotions and his will."
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones The Weapons of our Warfare pg. 21-22

What is the Gospel? Jeremiah Burroughs

Found this wonderful quote by Jeremiah Burroughs over on Monergism.com:

"The gospel of Christ in general is this: It is the good tidings that God has revealed concerning Christ. More largely it is this: As all mankind was lost in Adam and became the children of wrath, put under the sentence of death, God, though He left His fallen angels and has reserved them in the chains of eternal darkness, yet He has thought upon the children of men and has provided a way of atonement to reconcile them to Himself again...Namely, the second person of the Trinity takes man's nature upon Himself, and becomes the Head of a second covenant, standing charged with sin. He answers for it by suffering what the law and divine justice required, and by making satisfaction by keeping the law perfectly, which satisfaction and righteousness He tenders up to the Father as a sweet savor of rest for the souls that are given to Him...And now this mediation of Christ is, by the appointment of the Father, preached to the children of men, of whatever nation or rank, freely offering this atonement unto sinners for atonement, requiring them to believe in Him and, upon believing, promising not only a discharge of all their former sins, but that they shall not enter into condemnation, that none of their sins or unworthiness shall ever hinder the peace of God with them, but that they shall through Him be received into the number of those who shall have the image of God again to be renewed unto them, and they they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."
Jeremiah Burroughs

Romans 4 - Justification and Sanctification

As we have studied Romans Four, I have tried to stress the importance of understanding and living in that knowledge of the distinction between Righteousness Imparted and Righteousness Imputed - or really Justification and Sanctification. Especially that we not find our merit of acceptance before God as a result of that inward work done IN us, but rather that perfect work of Christ done FOR us. With this in mind, my good friend, Mark, sent me this wonderful excerpt from J. C. Ryles Book, Holiness, as a further aid to us as we consider these truths.

You can find a PDF here: http://www.mountzion.org/PDFs/ Holiness Part 1. This excerpt starting on page 20.

Or Read Online Here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ryle/holiness.iii.ii.html, taken, It is from the section titled Sanctification, next to the marker [30].

A quote from Ryle at the end of this article highlights the importance we should give to this understanding, "I am persuaded that one great cause of the darkness and uncomfortable feelings of many well-meaning people in the matter of religion, is their habit of confounding, and not distinguishing, justification and sanctification."

In addition, the confounding of these two truths diminishes the glory of Christ in our minds. While we are robbed of our peace he is robbed of his Glory. But the pondering of these two truths their similarities and their distinctions, exalts Christ in our hearts, is a true preaching of the gospel to ourselves, and satisfies the conscience, and brings peace.

HOLINESS by J C RYLE, II. SANCTIFICATION
(approx beginning at the 38th paragraph)

III. The Distinction Between Justification and Sanctification

"I now propose to consider, in the last place, the distinction between justification and sanctification. Wherein do they agree, and wherein do they differ? This branch of our subject is one of great importance, though I fear it will not seem so to all my readers. I shall handle it briefly, but I dare not pass it over altogether. Too many are apt to look at nothing but the surface of things in religion, and regard nice distinctions in theology as questions of "words and names," which are of little real value. But I warn all who are in earnest about their souls, that the discomfort which arises from not "distinguishing things that differ" in Christian doctrine is very great indeed; and I especially advise them, if they love peace, to seek clear views about the matter before us. Justification and sanctification are two distinct things we must always remember. Yet there are points in which they agree and points in which they differ. Let us try to find out what they are.

In what, then, are justification and sanctification alike?

(a) Both proceed originally from the free grace of God. It is of His gift alone that believers are justified or sanctified at all.

(b) Both are part of that great work of salvation which Christ, in the eternal covenant, has undertaken on behalf of His people. Christ is the fountain of life, from which pardon and holiness both flow. The root of each is Christ.

(c) Both are to be found in the same persons. Those who are justified are always sanctified, and those who are sanctified are always justified. God has joined them together, and they cannot be put asunder.

(d) Both begin at the same time. The moment a person begins to be a justified person, he also begins to be a sanctified person. He may not feel it, but it is a fact.

(e) Both are alike necessary to salvation. No one ever reached heaven without a renewed heart as well as forgiveness, without the Spirit's grace as well as the blood of Christ, without a meetness for eternal glory as well as a title. The one is just as necessary as the other.

Such are the points on which justification and sanctification agree. Let us now reverse the picture, and see wherein they differ.

(a) Justification is the reckoning and counting a man to be righteous for the sake of another, even Jesus Christ the Lord. Sanctification is the actual making a man inwardly righteous, though it may be in a very feeble degree.

(b) The righteousness we have by our justification is not our own, but the everlasting perfect righteousness of our great Mediator Christ, imputed to us, and made our own by faith. The righteousness we have by sanctification is our own righteousness, imparted, inherent, and wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, but mingled with much infirmity and imperfection.

(c) In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful. In sanctification our own works are of vast importance and God bids us fight, and watch, and pray, and strive, and take pains, and labour.

(d) Justification is a finished and complete work, and a man is perfectly justified the moment he believes. Sanctification is an imperfect work, comparatively, and will never be perfected until we reach heaven.

(e) Justification admits of no growth or increase: a man is as much justified the hour he first comes to Christ by faith as he will be to all eternity. Sanctification is eminently a progressive work, and admits of continual growth and enlargement so long as a man lives.

(f) Justification has special reference to our persons, our standing in God's sight, and our deliverance from guilt. Sanctification has special reference to our natures, and the moral renewal of our hearts.

(g) Justification gives us our title to heaven, and boldness to enter in. Sanctification gives us our meetness for heaven, and prepares us to enjoy it when we dwell there.

(h) Justification is the act of God about us, and is not easily discerned by others. Sanctification is the work of God within us, and cannot be hid in its outward manifestation from the eyes of men.

I commend these distinctions to the attention of all my readers, and I ask them to ponder them well. I am persuaded that one great cause of the darkness and uncomfortable feelings of many well-meaning people in the matter of religion, is their habit of confounding, and not distinguishing, justification and sanctification. It can never be too strongly impressed on our minds that they are two separate things. No doubt they cannot be divided, and everyone that is a partaker of either is a partaker of both. But never, never ought they to be confounded, and never ought the distinction between them to be forgotten."

JC Ryle

Pilgrim's Progress - Preaching the Gospel to Yourself Everyday

Again and Again I am struck by the sound practical insight and advice offered up by John Bunyan in his wonderful book. For the last three weeks my three little girls and I stayed on but TWO simple sentences. Which are actually presented as one question and a four-fold answer. My desire for my girls was to see these two sentences through to a full understanding on the one hand, but on the other especially to remember the message here which I believe will prove so useful to myself and my little girls as we grow older in Christ towards the goal of preaching the gospel to ourselves every day with sanctifying results.

The setting at this point in our reading, is this: Christian has arrived at Palace Beautiful, a picture of the local church. He has been questioned by Watchful the Porter, a picture of the Pastor. He has been interviewed first by Discretion, then Piety and now Prudence. All three young ladies of great virtue, wisdom and purity; representing not specific individuals within the local church but the qualities and graces of those who might be able to undertake both examining for admission and assisting along the way, the new believer. Referred to as "virgins of the place" because of the pure and holy faith embraced by this local assembly.

Barry Horner in his online commentary describes the virgins like this:
"What is intended, it seems, is the portrayal of the Palace Beautiful, and therefore a biblical local church, as a fellowship of holy and pure faith that is illustrated by means of virginal purity and undefiled feminine virtue (11 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:27; Col. 3:12)."

HERE IS THE PASSAGE IN PILGRIM's PROGRESS WHICH KEPT OUR ATTENTION THESE THREE WEEKS:

To Set the context the passage begins with this interrogation:

Prudence: Do you not yet bear away with you some of the things that then you were conversant withal?

Christian: Yes, but greatly against my will; especially my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my countrymen, as well as myself, were delighted. But now all those things are my grief; and might I but choose mine own things, I would choose never to think of those things more: but when I would be a doing that which is best, that which is worst is with me. Rom. 7:15, 21.

She is asking, "so as a believer now - what about those former sins you knew so well? Do they still have a hold upon you? Do you ever see them rising up? They once were your daily life - what about now?"

Which Christian answers: "Yes -- I still know these sins, but I know them against my will, and the worst of my enemies are those in my inward parts, in my thoughts, in my musings, I used to delight in those inward thoughts (cogitations) with everyone else - NOW THEY ARE MY GRIEF. If I could choose -- I would choose never to think on them."

Now, I'm thinking, "Oh, I can identify with that - may they be MORE GRIEVOUS to me than they are. " And it is a good sign in Christian, 1) that he recognizes the present continued battle with such sins as he knew before as opposed to someone who thinks, "ah, now that I'm saved I can sin no more, so whatever these things are that I'm thinking - that's not sin - maybe it's liberty - or a mistake." and 2) Their presence in him yet is a GRIEF to HIM. Both observations are a very good sign.

Prudence: Do you not find sometimes as if those things were vanquished, which at other times are your perplexity?

Christian: Yes, but that is but seldom; but they are to me golden hours in which such things happen to me.

But Prudence didn't leave it there. She digs deeper,"but is it not that sometimes those things are defeated - that you do rise victorious over them - even though as you describe at other times they win the day?"

And Christian answers humbly: "YES .... but seldom .... but when it is the case THEY ARE TO ME GOLDEN HOURS."

SO that brings us to the point of this article, and the two sentences that captivated my three little girls and I for the last three weeks.

FIRST PRUDENCE FURTHER QUESTIONS:

Prudence: Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances at times as if they were vanquished?

It's like Prudence has noted and underlined back to Christian, "Christian you said that sometimes even though seldom yet at times these sins are defeated. BUT HOW? How is it that this is sometimes done? What method or means did you use that this end was accomplished? If you can identify that perhaps the 'Yes, but seldom' will increase and become 'Yes, though not always.'"

AND WHAT MEANS WERE GOOD FOR CHRISTIAN MAY ALSO BE GOOD FOR US. Chrisitian identifies to Prudence four means or methods that work, "that will do it:"

Christian: Yes: when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it; and when I look upon my broidered coat, that will do it; and when I look into the roll that I carry in my bosom, that will do it; and when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it."


Thinking...Looking...Looking and Thinking again ---- THAT WILL DO IT. That's Christian's four-fold answer and Bunyan's four-fold solution to defeating those sins I knew only too well in my former life.
When I THINK what I saw at the CROSS ....... that will do it. click here for Christian at the cross

From Taste-That-Which-Is-Good

Thinking upon what he saw is a considering of all that was done there? Who is Jesus that there died? Why did he die there? How is he there in my place? How is it that my sins were imputed to him there? He who loves me, who knew no sin, there as my Head and representative counted sinful with the stain and guilt of my own sins laid upon him there to suffer and die and make an atonement. When I think upon that cross there - that will do it. There is sanctifying power in embracing this truth and much in meditating upon the imputation of my sins upon Christ and the His purchase of my forgiveness. Col 1:20


When I LOOK upon my broidered Coat ... that will do it.
This coat was given to Christian at the cross where it says:
"the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment..."

Bunyan here citing the biblical reference to Zec 3:4
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Looking upon that Righteousness of Christ my Head which righteousness is counted as mine ... THAT WILL DO IT, the imputation of righteousness rather than being an encouragement to sin - was the very means cited by which sins are defeated. Oh, Christ my righteousness, cover me! This is gospel truth, precious truth and sanctifying truth. Barry Horner in his commentary quotes from Bunyan's treatise, "A Desire of the Rightoues Granted," as follows:

So then, the righteousness of Christ covereth his, as a man's garments cover the members of his body, for we are 'the body of Christ, and members in particular' (1 Cor 12:27). The righteousness therefore is Christ's; resideth still in him, and covereth us, as the child is lapped up in its father's skirt, or as the chicken is covered with the feathers of the hen. I make use of all these similitudes thereby to inform you of my meaning; for by all these things are set forth the way of our being made righteous to justification of life (Matt 23:37; Eze 16:8; Psa 36:7).
(click here for the entire treatise)

So in the first two parts, Christian has already noted the sanctfying benefit of meditating upon both the imputation of my sins to Christ for forgiveness and the imputation of his righteousness upon me by faith.

When I LOOK into the roll that I carry in my bosom...that will do it.


(click here for more on "What is the Roll?")

Assurance, the witness of the Spirit, the Earnest of my Inheritance, Christian states: "When I look into these things those former sins are vanquished?" Eph 1:13-14
Looking into the Holy Spirit spoken assurance that I do belong to Christ, that I have been purchased by his blood and chosen unto adoption is here cited as a sanctifying method. Though Matthew Henry rightly spoke that a holy fear of falling short is a good means of perseverance so also is a Spirit-wrought assurance of salvation a good means of killing sin.

when my thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that will do it.

So my thoughts go heavenward. There to be with Jesus, there to be in the presence of the savior, there where death will hold me no more. To realize this world is not my home, it's pleasures are not my pleasures, I am going heavenward and as my thought grow hotter and hotter thinking upon my future place... that will do it.

1Pet 1:3-4
Phil 3:20-21

As illustrated by Passion and Patience: (click here)
"Things to come and carnal sense are such strangers one to another"

Let your thoughts WAX WARM about whither you are going and because things-to-come is such a stranger to carnal sense, meditating there will discover new sanctifying strength. As Christian did, I should do likewise, thinking upon where I am going... THAT WILL DO IT.

I will leave us with an extract from Bunyan's, "Heavenly Footman," one that I often refer to myself, and one which is in accord to this Preaching-The-Gospel-To-Yourself-Everyday illustration:

HEAVENLY FOOTMAN:

The Second Direction. As thou shouldst get into the way so thou shouldst also be much in studying and musing on the way. You know men that would be expert in any thing, they are usually much in studying of that thing, and so likewise is it with those that quickly grow expert in any way. This therefore thou shouldst do; let thy study be much exercised about Christ, which is the way; what he is, what he hath done, and why he is what he is, and why he hath done what is done; as, why 'He took upon him the form of a servant,' why he 'was made in the likeness of men' (Phil 2:7). Why he cried; why he died; why he bear the sin of the world; why he was made sin, and why he was made righteousness; why he is in heaven in the nature of man, and what he doth there? (2 Cor 5:21). Be much in musing and considering of these things; click here for full text

THINK - LOOK - LOOK and THINK some more --- upon these things and THAT WILL DO IT.

Gospel for Real Life

A few years ago I had the privilege a long with a few others friends to have lunch with Jerry Bridges. During our dining time together I asked him of all the books you have written, which is your favorite. His response: "The Gospel for Real Life." Finally, I have a copy in my hands as my 13 year old is about to begin reading and studying this book with a few other young ladies in a study led by our Pastor's daughter. I'm excited for my daughter and I'm excited for myself as I plan to be reading along with her.

The Preface has already got me excited. Jerry Bridges writes:

...preaching the gospel to yourself every day is what this book is about. It is intended to answer three questions:

• What is the gospel we should preach to ourselves?
• Why do we, who are already believers, need to preach it to ourselves?
• How do we do it?

And like Jerry who wrote in his preface: "Some years ago I heard someone say that we should 'preach the gospel to ourselves every day.' though I had already been doing that to some degree, that statement brought clarity and focus to my own practice..." When I first heard this phrase "Preach the Gospel to Yourself everyday," for me also that statement brought clarity and focus to my own practice. Excitedly I look forward to discover if that focus will become even sharper as I read together with my daughter, "The Gospel for Real Life."

Pilgrim's Progress - Hill Difficulty

Running, then walking, and finally clambering upon hands and knees

Leaving Simple, Sloth and Presumption, Christian is soon joined by two more rogues, two who thought they could get in the Way by climbing over the wall. Christian, though still young, wisely counsels and warns them that the only proper way to go to the celestial city is to enter in through the gate. But they thinking that they have over a 1000 years of tradition behind them are certain that for them there is no need to enter in through the gate.

Jesus is that Gate. John 10:10
No one can come but by him. John 14:6
There is no other name under heaven but his whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
If you come by any other way than Christ you are but a thief and robber. John 10:1

Bunyan lays out his dialog so that Formalist and Hypocrisy, interestingly, speak as one man. Their discourse is always headed with a "Formalist and Hypocrisy:" A study guide we are referring to said simply that Hypocrisy is Formalist full grown.

They said the following in order to justify themselves and their way which seemed right unto themselves:

If we are in, we are in: thou art but in the way, who, as we perceive, came in at the gate; and we also are in the way, that came tumbling over the wall: wherein now is thy condition better than ours?

I've had this exact conversation before with one who thought himself quite religious. He knew some things but Christ he did not claim to know. He persuaded himself by custom, tradition and good works that he was in same as I was in. "How is my state any different than yours?" I was young, like Christian, and not nearly so well equipped as him. I remember responding something like: "You seek to enter heaven by the good works you do, I know I can never do enough good works and seek to enter heaven by Christ alone who has already done the work."

I asked my girls: "How can someone appear to be in the Way as Formalist and Hypocrisy now appear so, and yet they entered not in at the gate?"

Some of their answers were:

Good works
Going to Church
By keeping up their religious tradition noting that they appealed much to "our custom...our custom... our custom.

Note there was a great deal of difference between Christian and these two:

Christian had a coat: clothed in the righteousness of Christ himself, a coat which brings him great comfort knowing that at the gates to the Celestial City..."will know me for good, since I have his coat on my back."

Mark on His Forehead: marking him as one of God's elect. Eze 9:1-7

Roll Sealed: The Holy Spirit of Promise, an earnest of our inheritance. Eph 1:13-14
(I'm still thinking on what and how to apply this symbol.)

BUT THEY LAUGHED AT THESE THINGS.

Now as the trio approaches Hill Difficulty we read:

To these things they gave him no answer; only they looked upon each other, and laughed. Then I saw that they went all on, save that Christian kept before, who had no more talk but with himself, and that sometimes sighingly, and sometimes comfortably: also he would be often reading in the roll that one of the Shining Ones gave him, by which he was refreshed.

I beheld then, that they all went on till they came to the foot of the hill Difficulty, at the bottom of which there was a spring. There were also in the same place two other ways besides that which came straight from the gate: one turned to the left hand, and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way lay right up the hill, and the name of the going up the side of the hill is called Difficulty. Christian now went to the spring, Isa. 49:10, and drank thereof to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill, saying,

Christian did not keep company with these two rogues. He warned them at first but now he must walk alone. Their company not suitable finally for one truly heading for the celestial city lest they also corrupt him.

Christ had "talk...with himself." This reminded me so much of "Preach the Gospel to Yourself Everyday." and also D. M. Lloyd Jones' book, Spiritual Depression, where we learn not to listen to ourselves but to talk to ourselves - to take our soul in hand and speak gospel truths and gospel promises, not to listen and dwell in despair but to speak God's word to our own soul as David in Psa 42:5 and Psa 42:11.

And so Christian drinks and refreshes himself and then begins up the hill. While Formalist and Hypocrisy each determining "That's too difficult," and going around in opposite directions to their own doom.

And as he starts up the hill he encourages himself with this:

“The hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend;
For I perceive the way to life lies here:
Come, pluck up heart, let’s neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.”

I love this little poem which upon reflection thought of the following:

The Hill difficult may presently lie before me but this is the way of Life.

How high or how difficult does not matter.

To follow around the hill will in the end be of far worse consequence than climbing now what righteousness requires.

So "COME, PLUCK UP HEART." Drink from the streams of grace, read from the roll which comforts, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. A difficult, difficult hill lies before me but thanks be to God, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Search the great and precious promises for by these I shall be a partaker of his divine nature.

Better to follow RIGHTEOUSNESS though HARD.

THAN to go the Wrong way where the end is WOE!

And to God be all the Glory.

You may enjoy reading further from a Commentary on Pilgrim's Progress by clicking here.

Romans 1:1-8

Study in Romans

This post is part of a study in Romans, whereby we identify keywords and phrases for each chapter with the goal of having a handle on the subject matter and flow of thought within Romans whereby we can preach the gospel to ourselves and others every day. See here for a introduction and description of our study in Romans.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of Paul being an apostle to the doctrine of Divine Inspiration, or Verbal Plenary Inspiration of Scripture. (Note: Verbal meaning the words themselves, Plenary meaning all of them, Inspiration meaning God-breathed and God's words. Not just inspired men but inspired words. )

Continuing on then.......

Paul is Separated Unto the GOSPEL -- which we learn in the next verse is not an altogether new thing. NO PLAN B.
Rom 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures,)

The gospel is no plan B. But promised from Long Ago by God through his Prophets - which promises have already been written and preserved for us in the Holy Scriptures.

Gal 3:8 ... preached before the gospel to Abraham


So Jesus could begin with Moses and through all the prophets show all those things CONCERNING HIMSELF.
Luk 24:7

Luk 24:44-46 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

I especially like that phrase then that says "and thus it behooved Christ..." see it was necessary ... the scriptures all testify to it from Moses, the prophets and the Psalms... this MUST be that Jesus Christ our Lord would suffer and rise from the dead the third day.

Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Concerning: love this word. The greek word here being, peri, from which we get the word perimeter which makes good picture reminding me that the gospel that Paul was separated unto is all about Jesus. Reminding me that just like the perimeter of an object is all around the object, the gospel is ALL ABOUT Jesus.

Made of the seed of David according to the flesh: I don't think anyone speaks of themselves in this way. (any mere man.) "I was made of my father according to the flesh," for example. But this is proper to speak of the God who was manifest in the flesh. 1Ti 3:16. Jesus who was truly man, Jesus who was in the royal line of David according to the flesh was also.....

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

DECLARED to be the SON OF GOD with POWER. Hallelujah. Jesus truly God, Jesus Truly man. We could study and joy and marvel for weeks at this amazing, mystery and precious truth. see John 1:1 and John 1:14

Then precious truth upon precious truth for it touches the Roman believers also, and us who are in Christ for .... ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Rom 1:5-6 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name; 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Rom 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The greek word for saints though plural in this instance is the same word also used for "HOLY" as in "holy scriptures," "holy prophets", "Holy Spirit."

John Gill writes:
"...called to be saints; not born so, nor become so through their own power, but were so by calling grace, as a fruit of everlasting love; men are first beloved of the Lord, and then called to be his saints. "

Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Two things from this verse:

First: Paul does not say, "Wow you guys are great, you should be commended and thanked for your great faith." But instead says "I thank my God through Jesus Christ." The Roman believers had some kind of faith that wherever you went people were there making note of the faith of believers in Rome. Perhaps something like: "Did you hear about the Romans? They believe in Christ and look at what they endure because of it? Look at their joy? Something has happened in them and is happening through them? " so GOD BE THANKED. Faith is a precious gift.

Found this in Keach's Catechism which was published in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. click here for Keach's online

Q. 93. What is faith in Jesus Christ?

A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the Gospel.

(Heb. 10:39; John 1:12; Phil 3-9; Gal. 2:15,16)

Second: Another use of this passage, which was pointed out by a dear sister in Christ as the class worked through this verse together, is that this verse should encourage us to seek God that we as a body of believers at MBC would have such a faith that it would be spoken of throughout the whole world, or at least beginning with our whole neighborhood, then our whole city and even then the whole world. Not that we are anything but that the God we trust is everything.

Faith is gift, we ought to seek then our God whom we love, whom we trust for every good and perfect gift, that we might as brothers and sisters together walk in grace and in more grace yet.

REMINDER:
We plan to spend about two weeks per chapter. We covered the first half of Roman chap 1 last Sunday (actually Rom 1:1-16) and will, Lord willing, cover the 2nd half next time we meet. (Especially Rom 1:17-21)

Suggested Memory Verses for Romans Chapter One:
Rom 1:1
Rom 1:16
Rom 1:20 (if you are really ambitions you may want to memorize instead Rom 1:16-21)

Note - we will especially concentrate on verse 20 - so if you are hoping to limit yourself to memorizing only one verse, verse 20 will fit very well into our final goal of establishing keywords and phrases for each chapter.