Posts Tagged Gospel of Grace
Do we talk to much about the cross?
Chris Tomlinson wrote an article over at 'The Gospel Coalition' titled "Is it possible to talk too much about the cross?
He ask's Himself this Question due to the fact that some preachers/Teachers seem to talk about the cross all the time,
why is that? do they need to? The one thing to remember is that the evangelists spend a lot of time in the gospels talking about the cross, and it is to which Jesus kept referring to when he was talking about His ''Hour".
We can understand why they might carry on in this way because we know the primacy and weight of Calvary. But there are still times this thought crosses many of our minds: “Great, so I understand the cross is important. But can’t we move on to the next topic?”
Here’s why the cross matters: It is at the cross that we see God most clearly. If history were the vastness of space, the cross would be its brightest star. We see the fullness of God’s being most clearly at the cross. We see the fullness of His active purposes most clearly at the cross.
At the cross…
…We see God’s sovereignty—reigning with absolute control over humanity’s greatest sin.
…We see God’s purpose—making known the mystery of His will prepared before time.
…We see God’s plan—to unite all things, on heaven and on earth, in Him.
…We see God’s judgment—requiring recompense for guilt.
…We see God’s holiness—demanding the perfect sacrifice.
…We see God’s power—crushing the Son of God according to the purpose of His will.
…We see God’s wrath—punishing the wretchedness of sin.
…We see God’s sorrow—wailing as only a forsaken son can.
…We see God’s mystery—the Son, as God, separated from the Father, committing His Spirit to God.
…We see God’s compassion—pleading to the Father to forgive the ignorant.
…We see God’s gift—His one and only Son, bruised and broken on our behalf.
…We see God’s mercy—making unrighteous sinners righteous.
…We see God’s love—Christ dying for sinners.
…We see God’s rescue operation—delivering us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His Son.
…We see God’s proposal—pledging Himself to His bride forever.
…We see God’s revelation—the Word of God speaking His last so He might speak on behalf of many.
…We see God’s victory—disarming His enemies, putting them to shame, and triumphing over them.
…We see God’s glory—the name of the Father being magnified for the sake of all peoples.
But seeing God most clearly is not an end to itself. If it were, then the point of all history would be our own clarity of sight. But that is not history’s purpose. Everything exists for Jesus, so that in everything He might be preeminent. We study the Scriptures to know more of God. We look forward with great hope to the day we will see Him face to face. But in the here and now, we know God most fully when we look upon the person and work of Jesus on the cross.
There are many good Articles and blogs at the gospel coalition, have a look for yourself. This article can be found here
Human Inability
Posted by Phil in New Testament, Salvation on September 14, 2009
Below is a snippet from one of Spurgeons Sermons, March 7, 1858.
In Spurgeon’s ususal lucid and straight to the point manner, he show’s how man will never with his own will come to Christ.
Some Scripture on man’s disposition before reading Spurgeon’s sermon excerpt:
- Genesis 6:5
- Job 15:14-15
- Isaiah 64:7
- John 3:19
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
- Romans 3:9-12; 6:6
- Ephesians 2:1-3
- 2 Timothy 2:26
I. First, it lies in the obstinacy of the human will. “Oh!” saith the Arminian, “men may be saved if they will.” We reply, “My dear sir, we all believe that; but it is just the if they will that is the difficulty. We assert that no man will come to Christ unless he be drawn; nay, we do not assert it, but Christ himself declares it—”Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life;’ and as long as that “ye will not come’ stands on record in Holy Scripture, we shall not be brought to believe in any doctrine of the freedom of the human will.” It is strange how people, when talking about free-will, talk of things which they do not at all understand. “Now,” says one, “I believe men can be saved if they will.” My dear sir, that is not the question at all. The question is, are men ever found naturally willing to submit to the humbling terms of the gospel of Christ? We declare, upon Scriptural authority, that the human will is so desperately set on mischief, so depraved, and so inclined to everything that is evil, and so disinclined to everything that is good, that without the powerful. supernatural, irresistible influence of the Holy Spirit, no human will ever be constrained towards Christ. You reply, that men sometimes are willing, without the help of the Holy Spirit. I answer—Did you ever meet with any person who was? Scores and hundreds, nay, thousands of Christians have I conversed with, of different opinions, young and old, but it has never been my lot to meet with one who could affirm that he came to Christ of himself, without being drawn. The universal confession of all true believers is this—”I know that unless Jesus Christ had sought me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God, I would to this very hour have been wandering far from him, at a distance from him, and loving that distance well.” With common consent, all believers affirm the truth, that men will not come to Christ till the Father who hath sent Christ doth draw them.
the whole sermon can be read at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0182.htm
Related post – who-chose-who
The Gospel of Grace.
I got a txt from my bro about reformedpraise.org, so I checked it out and found this lovely Hymn.
The first few lines I particularly enjoyed, here we see grace in action, that God be glorified.
The gospel of grace: from before time began
God chose to redeem me and fashioned a plan
That holy and blameless and unto His praise
I might be adopted to show forth His grace.
Heres the full lyrics:
The gospel of grace: from before time began
God chose to redeem me and fashioned a plan
That holy and blameless and unto His praise
I might be adopted to show forth His grace.
The gospel of grace: in the fullness of time
God sent a redeemer who, doing no crime,
Would die for my sin and then conquer the grave
To purchase the ones He was given to save.
The gospel of grace came when dead in my sin,
It told me of Jesus and pointed to Him.
When faith and repentance invaded my heart
Forgiveness, full pardon, my God did impart.
The gospel of grace now reminds me each day
In sin and in failure His favor will stay
For not through self-loathing or deeds that I’ve done
But only in Jesus acceptance is won.
The gospel of grace when I take my last breath
Will be my one comfort to bear me through death;
And should I die peaceful or suffer great pain,
This gospel assures me that death will be gain.
The gospel of grace, for eternity long,
Will be my delight and the theme of my song;
With saints from all nations I’ll join to proclaim:
All glory to Jesus, the Lamb who was slain!
The gospel of grace, O how precious indeed,
Past, present, and future meets all of my needs;
So until the day when I look on Your face–
Lord, keep me believing the gospel of grace.
Don’t forget to visit the website, as you can hear a MP3 of the Hymn.