Christian Encouragement from All over the World – Tim Challies

When this daily email from pastor and author Tim Challies came into my box yesterday, I knew it could serve as my next post, since it follows nicely on the heels of the previous one – a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s goodness.

In Challies’ post are Christian responses to the question he raised last Saturday when he said he needed encouragement as a pastor in the midst of the present crisis, and so asked people to answer this question: “What are some of the surprising ways you have witnessed or experienced God’s goodness in this difficult time?”

The response was overwhelming – in his own words, “Hundreds of answers came pouring in from all over the world. There were far too many to share them all, so I picked at least some and am now sharing them here so you, too, can be encouraged. Here are how Christians around the world are seeing God be true to his promises in this difficult time.”

In this post, I include a few of them, urging you to visit the link below and read through these testimonies to God’s goodness in this dark hour of history. It will encourage your heart, as it did his.

And may I remind you that our pastors, who are so busy encouraging us at this time, also need our encouragement. Why not send yours a note in the next day or so, perhaps giving your witness to God’s goodness during these lockdown days. I heard that one of our pastors is doing this very thing with his congregation. A great idea.

Here, then, are some of those responses from Christians all over the world:

The slowdown of social life during this pandemic has not been easy. Even with video chat and other ways of keeping in touch, there’s much to miss about face to face interactions. My children have missed their friends and extended family. Not long ago my 4-year old-son walked in the room smiling. The following conversation ensued: Me: Are you happy? Son: (Smiling even more) YES! Me: Why are you so happy? Son: Because God is taking good care of me! May we remember God’s loving care even when we are in the valleys. (Lincoln, Kenya)

We live in Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world. It is said that 30 percent of our children face lung related problems. But we praise God for the time of renewal that he has sent upon the environment. Air Quality Index has moved from ‘hazardous’ to good’. We feel closer to nature than before: the sound of birds chirping, trees and plants looking greener and fresher without all the dust and pollution. We will praise God till it lasts, and we will praise Him beyond that. Indeed, he works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose. (Navin, India)

I’ve experienced God’s goodness by enjoying the little things with my family. We’re all Christians but our own activities at school or work have made it harder for us to spend time with each other and just talk, cook a meal together or clean the house together. I thank God for this quarantine because it’s brought us closer together, I’ve had long and meaningful talks with my parents that I don’t we’d have had otherwise and it makes me very happy to see how we’re growing together and learning more and more about our loving God. We’ll continue praying for our brothers all around the world that might be discouraged in this difficult time. God bless you. (Daniel, Mexico)

I gave birth to our second child on Monday, April 13. Leading up to the birth My husband and I were nervous about being in the hospital given the current pandemic. I also began exhibiting signs of preeclampsia. I don’t think a day went by that someone from our church family or friend or family member didn’t call or text to tell us they were praying for us. We had an army interceding for us. God has shown His faithfulness to us over and over again through His people. (Brooke, USA)

God has shown his goodness by reminding me that he is the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient shepherd who cares and looks after his people. It’s been fantastic to have more opportunities to get in touch with church members, pray, meditate on God’s word on a daily basis and depend on him as we feel so fragile. This lockdown has been a fantastic opportunity to train church members to read their Bibles and learn to run a family service at home. As a parent of three children, we have had more time to read God’s word on a daily basis. Our two boys have loved listening to Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings during the lockdown. (Maxime, France)

Ok, now go read some more and let your heart and soul be lifted up to praise the God and Father who loves us and cares for us in perfect wisdom!

Source: Here Is Christian Encouragement From All Over the World – Tim Challies

April 15, 2020 Issue of the Standard Bearer Now Available!

Yes, this post does serve notice that the April 15, 2020 issue of the Standard Bearer is available. What makes this notice special, however, is the fact that this issue is only available in digital form (pdf) due to COVID-19 printing restrictions. The RFPA, publisher of this Reformed magazine, explains:

Due to printing restrictions related to COVID-19, the RFPA is temporarily unable to print and distribute hard copies of The Standard Bearer. Once these restrictions have been lifted, the RFPA will print and mail out all postponed hard copy issues of the magazine. In the meantime, these issues will be available for free online as they are produced.

And in that notice you will see the “silver lining” in this cloud that has descended over the SB. Yes, the RFPA is generously making the magazine available FREE for the time being. That means subscriber and non-subscriber have access to the entire magazine! Of course, we hope that those of you who are not presently subscribers will be come such after reading and profiting from this unique Reformed periodical.

So, by all means click on the link above and download your free copy. Then read it, digest it, and share it with others. And then, support the magazine and the ministry of the RFPA by becoming a regular subscriber. Then, when the free digital copies end, you can still receive the print copy – and digital access!

Now, let’s notice the contents of this issue. From the cover image above above you will see some of it: a special Easter meditation; Prof. R. Dykstra’s closing article on the Canons and the covenant (how the doctrines of grace are woven into the fabric of God’s covenant of grace); an “All Around Us” update from Rev. McGeown on free speech in England, Prof. D. Kuiper’s next installment on the Council of Nicea; Prof. R. Cammenga’s treatment of the next article in the Second Helvetic (Swiss) Confession; and then, a special section of articles relating to the coronavirus pandemic – you won’t want to miss that!

Here’s a sample to get whet your appetite:

The vision of the Lamb may initially leave us with the question, where is the power necessary to unfold God’s plan? He is a Lamb, and not only that, He had been killed. Where is the lion-like power that would allow Him to open the seals? Along with John, we behold the beautiful mystery of the gospel here. The Christ is a Lion precisely because He is a Lamb. The fact that He is a Lamb that had been slain, but is not slain anymore, means He is a Lamb with Lion power. He has resurrection power over sin, death, grave, and hell. He has “prevailed” over these by dying a
powerful death upon the cross, and by rising into new exalted life. He is a Lamb with seven horns (v. 6). He has complete power to bring about the covenantal purposes of God.

But more than that, the Lamb has the right to do so. To take this book and carry out its purposes one must not only have the power, but also the right. This too is what is means to be “worthy.” This Lamb has prevailed over sin, death, grave, and hell, on behalf of all those who are to be redeemed in this New Testament age and who are to be taken into the fullness of that covenant in the new heavens and new earth. This gives Him the right to carry out God’s plan and purpose. There is a ground for the plan’s accomplishment! “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (v. 9).

In verse 7 the Lion/Lamb takes the book. That moment is the crowning of the King. It is when the ascended Lord appeared in heaven, was enthroned with God, and was given the power to rule over all things unto the carrying out of the purposes of God.

Your Christ, who has taken the nails for you and your hell along with them, is right now unfolding what is in that book. Right now, in March of 2020 He is doing this. In great things, little things, hairs that fall from heads, heads of state that fall from thrones. In microscopic viruses and their movements across the world. Did you know that in that scroll was written, “Winter/spring of 2020, spread of coronavirus,” and every last detail about how it would accomplish the building up the kingdom of Jesus Christ?

From an edited version of the sermon “Coronavirus and the King,” preached by Rev. C. Griess in First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI in March of 2020.

Christian Meets Two Children: Passion and Patience (The Pilgrim’s Progress)

I saw moreover in my dream, that the Interpreter took him by the hand, and had him into a little room, where sat two little children, each one in his chair. The name of the eldest was Passion, and the name of the other Patience. Passion seemed to be much discontented, but Patience was very quiet. Then Christian asked, “What is the reason of the discontent of Passion?” The Interpreter answered, “The governor of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year, but he will have all now; but Patience is willing to wait.”

Then I saw that one came to Passion, and brought him a bag of treasure, and poured it down at his feet: the which he took up, and rejoiced therein, and withal laughed Patience to scorn. But I beheld but a while, and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left him but rags.

Christian: Then said Christian to the Interpreter, Expound this matter more fully to me.

Interpreter: So he said, These two lads are figures; Passion of the men of this world, and Patience of the men of that which is to come; for, as here thou seest, passion will have all now, this year, that is to say, in this world; so are the men of this world: They must have all their good things now; they cannot stay till the next year, that is, until the next world, for their portion of good. That proverb, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” is of more authority with them than are all the divine testimonies of the good of the world to come. But as thou sawest that he had quickly lavished all away, and had presently left him nothing but rags, so will it be with all such men at the end of this world.

Christian: Then said Christian, Now I see that Patience has the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts. 1. Because he stays for the best things. 2. And also because he will have the glory of his, when the other has nothing but rags.

Interpreter: Nay, you may add another, to wit, the glory of the next world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience because he had his good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion because he had his best things last; for first must give place to last, because last must have his time to come: but last gives place to nothing, for there is not another to succeed. He, therefore, that hath his portion first, must needs have a time to spend it; but he that hath his portion last, must have it lastingly: therefore it is said of Dives, “In thy lifetime thou receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Luke 16:25.

Christian: Then I perceive it is not best to covet things that are now, but to wait for things to come.

Interpreter: You say truth: for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:18. But though this be so, yet since things present and our fleshly appetite are such near neighbors one to another; and again, because things to come and carnal sense are such strangers one to another; therefore it is, that the first of these so suddenly fall into amity, and that distance is so continued between the second.

Taken from “The Second Stage” of The Pilgrim’s Progress, the classic work by John Bunyan.

In the midst of our present tribulation it is good to read (and re-read) this wonderful work that helps us see our true journey as pilgrims and strangers through this present world. Let the difficult but steady progress of Christian be an encouragement to you in these times. Having fled the City of Destruction, we press on for the City of Zion that lies ahead. Let Patience be our model as we await its glory.

 

The Reality of Fear, the Power of Faith

With foresight known only fully to God, the editors of this month’s Tabletalk magazine chose as its theme “Fear.” Yes, fear – with article titles such as “The Reality of Fear,” Fear of a Changing World,” Fear of Financial Loss,” “Fear of Being Alone,” “Fear of Disease and Disability,” and “Fear of Dying” – all fitting especially now.

So, on this last night of March, we pull some words of comfort and peace from two articles in this issue. At the same time, I encourage you to look up and read any of these other articles too. They are all profitable, especially in these days and times.

First, we hear Ed Welch as he speaks of “The Reality of Fear,” but also ends with what God says to us in our fears.

When the Spirit takes you into passages about fear and anxiety, you will hear three persistent refrains. First, God speaks beautiful and attractive words to His fearful people. Don’t be quick to expect rebuke, though there is room for confession and repentance in all of life. Instead, expect compassion. Expect comfort.

Second, the Lord promises that He is with us, and He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). This is the promise that includes all others. Jesus Christ died for sins “that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Fearful people are the ones who are in a position to cherish the gospel.

Third, since the Lord is present and He is the God who is sovereign over tomorrow, we can give our full attention to our God-given mission today (Matt. 6:33–34). Today we have all the grace we need. Today we have the Spirit of power who gives us courage for small steps of obedience even when tomorrow seems quite bleak. When tomorrow comes, the Spirit will again give us the power and courage that we need. Grace is new every morning.

Fears and anxieties are everywhere in life and in Scripture. Since they are such constants, these three refrains are not merely a way to stand against our fears, but they summarize the pattern of Christian growth.

The second article we choose to reference is that of pastor Eric Watkins, “Fear Not, for I Am With You.”

What God expected of His people was faith in His promise and presence. The opposite of being “frightened and dismayed” is to be “strong and courageous.” There was only one problem: the people were sinfully afraid. Their courage waned more than it waxed, and eventually God would have to do even more for His covenant people. And He did. Many years and episodes later, against the backdrop of an even gloomier stage, God raised up another deliverer—the Prophet more faithful than Moses and the Captain more successful than Joshua. Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world to transform this stage of foreboding darkness into one of radiant hope. He came to do battle with all that threatens us, and He overcame our greatest fear—death itself—by His own life, death, and resurrection.

Is it any surprise that in the resurrection narrative in Matthew 28, God’s people were told not to fear? First, the angels told the women at the tomb not to be afraid (v. 5); next, Jesus, having risen from the dead, told the women to say the same thing to the disciples (v. 10); and finally, Jesus gave us the Great Commission with the singular promise that banishes our fear: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (v. 20).

Israel’s tendency was to be “frightened and dismayed.” So is ours. At times, fear grips the heart and boggles the mind, causing us to do the wrong thing at times and hindering us from doing what we ought to do. But we must remember that we are accompanied by One who is far stronger than anything that threatens us—and He is not afraid. There are still many giants in the land. But the One who is with us is greater. He has already defeated His and our enemies. He is victoriously subduing hearts just as He promised. He is working faith in us just as He promised. And the greatest comfort any of us can have—no matter how frightening or dismaying this world may be—is that Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, is with us always, even to the end of the age.

Source: The Reality of Fear | Tabletalk

“Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague” by Martin Luther

These pearls of wisdom from the pen of Martin Luther shed marvelous light on our own response to the situation with COVID-19 in our world at present. Biblical principles pervade Luther’s counsel to people facing the Black Plague in his day, including the two chief ones: love for God and love for the neighbor.
May his words give us guidance in these dark and difficult days.

Tolle Lege

“Others sin on the right hand. They are much too rash and reckless, tempting God and disregarding everything which might counteract death and the plague. They disdain the use of medicines; they do not avoid places and persons infected by the plague, but lightheartedly make sport of it and wish to prove how independent they are.

They say that it is God’s punishment; if He wants to protect them He can do so without medicines or our carefulness. This is not trusting God but tempting Him. God has created medicines and provided us with intelligence to guard and take good care of the body so that we can live in good health.

If one makes no use of intelligence or medicine when he could do so without detriment to his neighbor, such a person injures his body and must beware lest he become a suicide in God’s eyes. By the…

View original post 503 more words

Knowing and Finding God’s Will – January 2020 “Tabletalk”

On this last Sunday of the month I finally get to posting something about the first issue of Tabletalk for this new year. The January 2020 issue has the theme of “Finding the Will of God,” always a relevant topic for the believer.

While editor Burk Parsons introduces the issue with his article “Knowing God’s Will,” other main articles cover the subject well:

• “The Struggle to Find God’s Will” by Thomas Brewer
• “Defining the Will of God” by John W. Tweeddale
• “Defining the Call of God” by Joe Holland
• Examples of Calling in Scripture by Scott Redd
• Discerning and Stewarding God’s Call for My Life” by Fred Greco

For our purposes tonight, let’s reference a couple of the articles to have some idea of the value of this issue and its treatment of finding God’s will. First, Parsons shows us where we find God’s will and what that means in general:

…The reality is that we cannot figure out the mind of God, and we cannot know God’s hidden or decretive will (will of decree), which is His sovereignly established eternal plan for all creation. On the other hand, we can know God’s revealed or preceptive will (will of precept), which is what God has sovereignly revealed to us in Scripture regarding Himself, His ways, and His law for us. The preceptive will of God tells us what God finds pleasing according to His holy character.

Knowing what we can and can’t know of God’s will frees us to make decisions according to God’s Word. When we look to God’s Word to help us make decisions, we learn to ask the Lord for wisdom and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit; to walk by the Spirit in humility and holiness; to seek wisdom from trusted, wise counselors and elders; to listen to and honor our fathers and mothers; to consider our gifts, priorities, and means; not to walk through a door merely because it is open and sometimes to knock down a door when it seems closed; to sometimes just do something, and to sometimes wait on the Lord until our path becomes clear. For, as Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

Then, second, we find some good thoughts at the end of Holland’s article “Defining the Call of God.” Pointing to God’s sovereign, saving call in our lives, he brings out these applications:

The effectual call of God through Jesus that converts us also begins the work of conforming us into His image (Rom. 8:29). That doesn’t mean that we are all becoming more like Nazarene carpenters-turned-­itinerant preachers. It means that God’s work of sanctification in us operates within the guard rails of the creation callings that are already operational in our lives. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, we now fight against sin and pursue holiness. We receive our call to vocation, and we work as unto the Lord with all our might. The husband embraces his call to marriage and loves his wife as Christ loved the church. The wife embraces her call to marriage and submits to her husband as the church does to Christ. The godly child obeys her parents as unto the Lord. The Christian embraces his call to holiness, pursuing holiness in grateful response to God’s grace. The Christian in authority does not lord his authority over others. The Christian under authority joyfully submits to and obeys authority, knowing that God is behind it all. In this way, the major calls of God on our lives—the call to vocation, the call to marriage, the call to morality, the call to submit to authority, the external call of the gospel, and the internal effectual gospel call—work together from creation and through redemption to accomplish God’s purpose in the world, His own glory through the worship of Jesus Christ in the church.

To find the other articles as well as the other rubrics, visit the Tabletalk link provided here.

Believing in Jesus: “Always believe! Never do anything else than believe!”

Last month we quoted from the first part of this meditation of Abraham Kuyper (“Doing God’s Work”), pointing out that he also had some good thoughts on the nature of faith and specifically on the relation between believing and working that are worth considering. So in this post I quote the next part of the meditation, where Kuyper describes how true, saving faith always acts. In a future post, we will return to the final part where he speaks to the relation between believing and working.

And if someone asks whether Jesus hasn’t expressly said: ‘God’s work is all about believing in Jesus!’ then we give the following answer. ‘Definitely, as long as you’re convinced of that and do so in the way he has prescribed.’

Believing …when it comes to knowing the truth. This means that I regard myself as a complete fool in order to honor Jesus as ‘the wisdom of God.’

Believing …with respect to atonement. This means that I cannot bring or offer as much as a grain of sand in payment of my debt, but that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega where the work of atonement is concerned.

Believing …in finding my way forward. This means that I don’t dare to put one foot in front of the other based on my own insight, but that I follow Jesus my faithful Shepherd closely, step by step.

Believing …when the seas are raging and the waves are crashing over my lifeboat. It means knowing with absolute certainty that I’m going to die and sink into oblivion if I have to depend on my own rowing and navigating. It also means depending only on Jesus, who calmly clamps his divine hand on the tiller.

Believing …where life’s struggles are involved. Then it means being convinced that I will fall and be totally defeated before I even know it if the outcome depends on me. It also means being absolutely persuaded that no arrow will pierce me and no spear strike me as long as my Defender leads me and his shield covers me.

So believing always has a different sense depending on the matter at hand, on what you happen to be facing, on what the issue is, and on what the discussion is all about.

Every situation in life poses the same question: ‘What now?’ To it there is always one and the same answer: ‘Believe in Jesus!’ Always believe! Never do anything else than believe!

Taken from the new translation by James A. De Jong of Abraham Kuyper’s Honey from the Rock (Lexham Press, 2018), pp.237-238.

This particular meditation (#74 of Volume 1) is titled “Doing God’s Work” and is based on John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

More on Hearing the Word of God Preached: “Always listening is an act of worship.”

The following excerpt from a Standard Bearer article was published this past Sunday in the bulletin of Covenant PRC in Ballymena, N. Ireland. I realized as soon as I read it that it would make a great addition to the series I had been doing on listening to the preaching of God’s Word.

In this article from the rubric “My Sheep Hear My Voice” Prof. H. Hanko has some profitable thoughts for us on the nature of listening as an act of worship, and it is from that part of the article that I quote in this post. May it lead us to worshipful hearing of the Word today.

Letter to Timothy

by Prof. Herman Hanko
(an article in the Standard Bearer, vol. 58, #6 – Dec.15, 1981)

In the last letter to you I mentioned, somewhat in passing, that our attitude towards the preacher and our attitude towards the preaching were inseparably related to each other. I want to say a bit more about that in this letter, especially from the viewpoint of what is involved in listening to a sermon. I wonder sometimes whether we have lost the art of listening. Or, if I may repeat that passage from Ecclesiastes which I quoted last time, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” Do we really know how to do this?

…Always listening is an act of worship. The whole of the church service on the Lord’s day is worship, of course. Fundamentally, worship, according to the Scriptural idea, is “bowing the knee towards” God, for that is the most basic meaning of the word which is consistently translated as worship. Worship is, therefore, an act of adoration and praise. It is an acknowledgement of God as the sovereign Lord and as the One who alone is worthy of all honor and glory. All worship basically involves this. Whether we sing or pray, whether we confess our faith or bring our offerings, this is the essence of worship. But listening to God’s Word is also worship. It is an act of adoration and praise at bottom and an acknowledgement of the absolute lordship of Almighty God.

Listening to the sermon is an act of worship, however, in its own unique way. Listening is worship because our listening must be an inward confession that the Almighty God of heaven and earth, our Jehovah who saves us, has the sovereign right to speak to us and require of us that we listen to what He has to say. There is an element here of listening as acknowledgement of God’s absolute sovereignty over us. We must listen because God has authority over us. Listening is acknowledgement of that. But there is also the aspect of praise and adoration because we listen to Him who tells us what great things He has done for us.

There are illustrations which help make this clear. If a parent is giving his child instruction in a certain matter and is using that instruction as a basis to admonish the child, the parent expects the child to pay attention. If the child does not pay attention, lets his mind wander while the parent is talking and assumes an attitude of indifference, then the child, by such conduct, refuses to acknowledge the authority of the parent in his life and the parent has the right to say, “Listen to me; I am your father.” The other aspect can also be illustrated. Supposing that I am a very poor beggar who has nothing in the world and who can survive only by eating out of garbage cans, fighting with wild dogs for a place to sleep, and struggling to keep warm in cold weather by lying near doors of locked buildings where a bit of heat may seep under the door; supposing further that the king of the land, for some reason known only to himself, calls me into the palace and begins to tell me that he intends to give me a very important place in his kingdom where I will have riches and influence, and opportunity to join in policy discussions and decisions, and the rule over others; supposing that while the king is talking about all this I am so unmoved by what he says and so indifferent to what he is talking about that I simply pay no attention and do not even hear what is being said—such conduct is an insult to the king and brands me as the crassest of fools.

To listen with thankfulness and joy, with adoration and praise to what God tells us of the salvation He has graciously given in Christ is the worship of listening. To listen with humble submission to the authority of our heavenly King is to worship in listening.

Paul tells us in II Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. But He tells us too why God gave the Scriptures: they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. If we listen to the preaching of the Scriptures we will be profited. We will learn doctrine, we will be reproved and corrected, we will be instructed in righteousness. And, according to II Timothy 3:17, this is all that we need that we, as men of God, may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

All of this requires that our listening be spiritual. But I think it best to discuss this with you in a subsequent letter.

And perhaps we can return to that article in a future post.

Saved by Grace: Faith as God’s Gracious Gift and Work – H. Hoeksema

… and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.– Ephesians 2:8

We are saved by grace and through faith. Another way than that of faith in Jesus Christ, the Christ of the Scriptures, Who was delivered for our transgressions and raised for our justification, there is not.

…It is an important question, therefore: what is this faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what does it mean to believe in Him?

…Secondly, we must observe that this saving faith is faith in or into Jesus Christ as the revelation of the God of our salvation. This is often emphasized in Scripture. We do read sometimes of believing on Jesus, and then the idea of faith as confidence appears to have the emphasis. But the true character of saving faith is expressed in the phrase: faith in Christ. He who has the true faith believes into Christ.

What does this signify?

It means that faith is that altogether mysterious and wonderful spiritual power whereby the soul strikes its roots into Christ, to cling to Him, appropriate Him, and draw out of Him all the glorious blessings of salvation which are in Him – the forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and life. The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is not unlike that between a living young tree and a dead fence post. You can plant that fence post deep into the ground, but you do not expect that it will show signs of life and develop branches and fruit. On the contrary, it will rot in the soil in which it is planted. But plant a young sapling in the same soil, and it will strike its roots into the ground, draw nourishment from it, grow and bear fruit. The same is true of a living, saving faith in relation to Christ. Bring the unbelieving, dead sinner into contact with Christ as He is revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and there will be no saving reaction. On the contrary, there is a reaction of unbelief unto damnation. But if the believer is led to Christ through the preaching of the Word, he will take hold of Him, cling to Him, strike the roots of his entire soul into Him, and draw out of Him all the spiritual nourishment necessary unto eternal life. What the roots are for the young tree, saving faith is for the believer in Christ: by faith the believer is rooted in Him. And since Christ is revealed to us in the Scriptures, true faith always turns to them, has its delight in the Word of God, is called into activity through the Word preached, and constantly grows according as it increases in the knowledge and understanding of all that God has revealed to us in His Word.

The activity of a true and conscious faith, therefore, engages the entire soul, with mind and will and all our desires and inclinations. Through faith the whole soul fastens itself upon Christ.

…From all that we have said about the nature and activity of saving faith it also should have become evident what is the relation between faith and salvation. He that believeth shall be saved, have everlasting life. But why? What is the relation between salvation and faith?

The impression is often left by preachers who present the matter of faith as something that depends on the sinner’s own will and choice, as if faith were a condition unto salvation. God is willing to save us on condition that we believe. But there are no conditions to salvation. We are not saved on condition of faith, or on the ground of, or because of our faith. The only ground of our salvation is Jesus, crucified and raised. Nor are we saved through faith because faith is regarded as a good work, or because through faith we are able to do good works and obtain righteousness before God. For we are saved by grace; and if it is of works, it is no more of grace. It cannot even be said that faith is the hand whereby we take hold of the salvation that is offered us. Salvation is not an offer, but a wonder work of God; and the sinner has no hand to accept it. But faith is the means, and that, too, God’s means, whereby we are implanted into Christ. It is the spiritual power whereby we cling to the God of our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord, our righteousness and perfect redemption forever! By grace are ye saved, not on condition of, nor because of, but through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Yes, faith is by grace. It is the gift of God! This, too, should be perfectly evident from all that has been said about its nature and activity; but it is not superfluous to accentuate this truth. How often this truth is distorted in our day! How many there are who, even though they do not literally preach that faith is the work of man, leave the impression by their way of preaching, their pleading and begging, that it is in the power of any sinner to believe in Christ whenever he pleases, and to reject Him as he pleases! 0, the matter is so simple and easy, say they. Just say that you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, and the thing is settled! And so they change the wonder work of God into an arbitrary whim of the sinner’s will. But it is not so. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. (Romans 9:16) Only when the Holy Spirit accomplishes the wonder work of faith in the heart can the sinner accept Christ. And he in whom the Spirit has wrought the marvelous work of faith neither can nor will ever reject Him. And through that faith he is surely saved. Saved he is now: for he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And saved he shall be in the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ: for he shall then be made like Him in resurrection glory.

By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God!

Taken from chapter 7, “Believing Through Grace,” in The Wonder of Grace by Herman Hoeksema (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1944), pp.58-65. This work has now been republished by the Reformed Free Publishing Association.

No Yeast with the Bread of Life!

And God also directed  that his people, including every one of his children among them, had to begin to wash away every bit of their yeast with all of its stimulus, excitement, excessive agitation, and sense of amounting to something. Then by God’s design, emptied, deflated, and humbled, they would have to eat the bread of their own misery for a very long time. After that, he would bring the Bread of Life to their lips. This is the bread from heaven that needs no added, unholy, or artificial ingredient.

Now do you understand what the apostle means when he says, ‘Our Passover has been sacrificed for us, so wash away the old yeast and celebrate the feast with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’?

Do you understand this? Will you act accordingly?

For the Lord our God will not allow his holy Christian faith to be abused by a kind of yeast that is really good for nothing but continues to work and ferment in the dough when it only gives the appearance of being good. God regards Christ as too sacred for anything like that! No, in you that dough needs to be better dough that rises on its own, without outside agitation, and produces bread that can truly feed you.

That’s how it has to be in your life. Every morning and evening your soul has to have a healthy slice of the Bread of Life, properly prepared and without any deceptive ingredients. What you pick up with your hands and what crosses your lips has to be prepared and made with complete integrity and absolute truth. It has to be bread like it’s supposed to be!

But this can’t happen with and for you as long as your soul only wants to go halfway. Not if one time you have a piece of Christ’s bread of life, baked with healthy wheat, and the next time you take a slice of leavened bread baked according to your own recipe.

It’s all about him as the Bread of Life. Nothing else!

The soul that it’s intended to nourish can never tolerate as much as a single grain of such yeast mixed in with what it eats. Only such bread can feed you. Otherwise all of its nourishing power will be of no benefit to you.

For the Bread of Life to nourish your soul, the last bit of bad yeast has to be washed out of it.

Taken from the new translation by James A. De Jong of Abraham Kuyper’s Honey from the Rock (Lexham Press, 2018), pp.219-221.

This particular meditation (#69 of Volume 1) is titled “Wash Away the Old Yeast” and is based on 1 Corinthians 5:7 (cf. above).