A Biblical View of What's Really Real

"This trinitarian ontology [i.e., the fundamental background theory of what's real], in which the unseen things of the Spirit are as real, and in fact more powerfully and enduringly real, than temporal, material objects like sticks and stones, implies a spirit-empowered epistemology of the Word, Spirit and faith that opens the eyes of the believer to the unseen realities of heaven.

"Thus, worship in 'Spirit and in truth' implies and requires a new vision of the real, and new cognitive habits and practices that give access to heavenly realities in worship."

-- John Jefferson Davis, "Worship and the Reality of God: An Evangelical Theology of Real Presence" (IVP Academic)

"...Do not go down to hell..."

“Meet me in heaven! Do not go down to hell. There is no coming back again from that abode of misery. Why do you wish to enter the way of death when heaven’s gate is open before you? Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust him. Do not hesitate and delay. You have had enough of resolving, come to action. Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision. Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day. Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you. Let it be now; it would be horrible that it should be never. Farewell. Again I charge you, meet me in heaven.”

C. H. Spurgeon, All of Grace (London, 1897), page 128.

HT: Ray Ortlund, Jr.

Christian: Christ is praying for you...

It doesn’t matter how complicated, how desperate, perhaps even hopeless your life has become. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel by your problems, if your trust is in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that he is praying for you now and through that prayer he will provide for you the resources to bring you relief or enable you to carry on.

The most important thing that you and I need to learn about prayer is this: first of all and ultimately, prayer is not something we do but what Jesus does for us.

— Richard B. Gaffin
"Christ, Our High Priest in Heaven"

Kevin DeYoung's review of "Love Wins"

Kevin DeYoung provides a comprehensive, compelling and careful summary and review of Rob Bell's latest book, inaccurately titled, "Love Wins." Kevin's review re-affirms crucial teachings of orthodox Christianity that are severely distorted in Bell's book.

The End of the Self-centered Life

"...Narcissus is drowned in the baptismal waters."

-- Russell Moore (from his excellent book, "Tempted and Tried")

"Tempted and Tried...."

Go to this post by Justin Taylor for a good introduction to an excellent book by Russell Moore, dealing with temptation to sin (in light of the triumph of Christ).

Excellent booklets from the Gospel Coalition

For more information on these booklets on key Biblical themes, go here.

The emotional life of the apostle Paul

D.A. Carson provides a characteristically insightful exposition from 2 Corinthians 7 that gives us a glimpse into the emotional life of the apostle Paul..

Do We Really Care About the Lost?

We know but little of true Christianity, if we do not feel a deep concern about the souls of unconverted people. A lazy indifference about the spiritual state of others, may doubtless save us much trouble. To care nothing whether our neighbors are going to heaven or hell, is no doubt the way of the world. But a person of this spirit is very unlike David, who said, “rivers of waters run down my eyes, because men keep not your law” [Psalm 119:136]. He is very unlike Paul, who said, “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart for my brethren” [Rom. 9:2]. Above all, he is very unlike Christ. If Christ felt tenderly about wicked people, the disciples of Christ ought to feel likewise.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke volume 2 , [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 314. {Luke 19:41-48}

The Exultant Joy of the Repentant Sinner

B. B. Warfield on the incomparable joy of “appeased remorse”:

The attitude of the “miserable sinner” is not only not one of despair; it is not even one of depression; and not even one of hesitation or doubt; hope is too weak a word to apply to it.

It is an attitude of exultant joy.

Only this joy has its ground not in ourselves but in our Savior.

We are sinners and we know ourselves to be sinners, lost and helpless in ourselves. But we are saved sinners; and it is our salvation which gives tone to our lives, a tone of joy which swells in exact proportion to the sense we have of our ill deserts; for it is to he to whom much is forgiven who loves much, and who, loving, rejoices much.

Adolph Harnack declares that this mood was brought into Christianity by Augustine. Before Augustine the characteristic frame of mind of Christians was the racking unrest of alternating hopes and fears. Augustine, the first of the Evangelicals, created a new piety of assured rest in God our Savior, and the psychological form of this piety was, as Harnack phrases it, “solaced contrition.”—affliction for sin, yes, the deepest and most poignant remorse for sin, but not unrelieved remorse, but appeased remorse.

There is no other joy on earth like that of appeased remorse: it is not only in heaven but on earth also that the joy over one sinner that repents surpasses that over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.

—“’Miserable-Sinner Christianity’ in the Hands of the Rationalists,” in The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield, vol. 7, pp. 113-114.

HT: Justin Taylor

Ambassadors of the Coming King

Through the gospel, we command people to submit to Jesus. Through the gospel, judgment is passed on those who reject him. We are ambassadors of the coming King, going ahead to warn of his coming. If people acknowledge his lordship, they will experience his coming rule as blessing, life, and salvation. If they reject him, they will experience his coming as conquest and judgment.

— Tim Chester and Steve Timmis
Total Church
(Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2008), 29

What faith in God can do...

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible." -- Corrie ten Boom

Church and Parachurch

The latest 9Marks eJournal is on the relationship between church and parachurch, the dangers and benefits of the parachurch, and related issues. Justin Taylor provides a list (with links) of the articles and contributors....

An extremely insightful sermon....

One of the most insightful and edifying sermons I've ever come across is from a Puritan pastor, Thomas Chalmers, entitled "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection." It's not exactly easy reading, but it's well worth the effort!

The Difficult Doctrine of Hell

It's inevitable that the Bible's teaching on Hell would be difficult for us, but it is part of the truth that God has communicated to us, and so it is important that we grapple with its significance and applications. Tim Keller has written a helpful summary of this teaching.