How Much Does Christ Love You?

Thomas Shepard's "The Parable of the Ten Virgins" is a favorite of mine.  I love the depth in his writings.  Here is one quote werein the gospel is very clear:

Wherein appears the love of the Lord to me, that so I may see how I manifest the like love to him?  He hath loved thee more than himself, more than his own honor--for 'he made himself of no reputation,' (Phil 2.7) more than his own comforts--he left the bosom of a Father, and bore the wrath of a Father for thee; more than is own life--he saw thy neck upon the block, and God's ax up to give the bloody and fatal stroke, and he came in thy room, and loved thy life more than his own, lost his own before one hair of thy head should perish, though he knew thee a traitor to God and an enemy to himself.  Rom. 5.10; Rev. 1.5,6  (p.88)

He Was Wounded for our Transgressions

Now we get to one of the main purposes for this blog:  i.e., the discussion of the sermon at Christ Community Church.  And what a sermon!  Is not Ben Ross full of the Holy Spirit!  And does he not speak with unction and power!  I am so glad that he is our pastor.  

As for the method of my discussion, let me make a few things clear:  it is not, I repeat, not my job or purpose or anything to critique the sermon.  The sermon is not up for analysis by me.  I will not be mentioning ways it could have been better or things he should have said.  I am and I think every christian should be strongly committed to hearing the word preached with reverence and with a trembling heart (see name of this blog and Burrough's book on it).  Ken Mellinger of Living Hope Church said in his sermon on James 1 text, "Everyone should be quick to listen" that it is not the hearer's job to evaluate the sermon or the preacher. (I do not know if his sermon is available.)  I remember this because I was the one who went up to Ken after the sermon and started critiquing him to his face and getting quite pointed and arrogant about it.  Sorry Brother!

Now to the discussion...I only want to mention three highlights:  (1) When Ben read the quote, to paraphrase, that a transgression is knowing what God demands and then willingly sinning against that command, (2) For those outside of Christ, they will be pierced for their transgressions and crushed for their iniquities, and (3) God uses the most violent word in the Hebrew language in 'wounded.'

(1) I think everyone of us could relate to Ben's example of the child who gives Daddy a little smile and then goes to commit a known act of rebellion.  My heart was pricked as he read this quote.  It reminded me of the words of Isaiah 48.8 "You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel."  What gets me is that we of all people have the least excuse to sin because we have the greatest light, sitting under the faithful preaching of the gospel, week in and week out.  I am without excuse, and if I were to turn to my sin away from Christ, I would be the most guilty and C.B. and Ben would stand up on that last day and say, 'Yes, we preached the gospel to M.D. and he would have none of it.'  Oh Jesus, thank you for saving me!

(2) That sinners outside of Christ will be pierced for their transgressions and crushed for their iniquities is a hard doctine indeed.  Tim Challies today has a related post on the subject of hell here.  To be pierced and crushed for all eternity is a horrid thought.  What mystery that these vessels fitted for destruction should glorify God's justice for all eternity.  These lost souls deserve our pity and compassion, for we once walked as they did and followed our own passions.

(3) That 'wounded' is the most violent word in the Hebrew language.  I am glad for this clarification because wounded is not the most violent word in English.  In fact, it actually means much less in many contexts.  That the gospels want us to see that Christ's death was a violent death is clear.  And they also want us to see that all the sacrificial system of the OT prophesied of this one great propitious act of God.  The violent shedding of blood should be in my mind when 'he was wounded' is read.  I pray that I will never think lightly of this.  As for 'crushed,' I think the semantic domains in English can carry the idea of 'pulverize' very well.  What a thought!  That it pleased the Lord to crush him!  What a mystery!

Thanks Ben for your faithful exposition of the word today.  We will have all eternity to dig into these depths...and you will have time to read Durham's 72 sermons, maybe even hear him preach a few more.

John Owen on Imputation

As one who often has attempted to smuggle in some good works and add them to the righteousness of Christ, I am constantly needed to remind myself of the nature of justification and His finished work.  It is a scary thing as well when teachers of the gospel would do the same and lead others astray.  There is a current thought from the New Perspective on Paul that says our future justification is based on our works done through the Spirit.  In this case, grace is no longer grace, but is based on works.  

I have been studying John Owen's work "The Doctrine of Justification by Faith" and would like to pass along his definition of imputation:

"This imputation is an act of God "ex mera gratia,"--of his mere love and grace; whereby, on the consideration of the mediation of Christ, he makes an effectual grant and donation of a true, real, perfect righteousness, even that of Christ himself, unto all that do believe; and accounting it as theirs, on his own gracious act, both absolves them from sin and granteth them right and title unto eternal life."  John Owen, Works Vol. 5, p. 173

By the way, if you have not these books, they may be downloaded free at www.puritanlibrary.com Almost every puritan is on the list.  My personal favorite is Thomas Boston and his work, the Crook in the Lot.  But that's for another time...

Meiser Move Update

We are often asked how it is going with our desire to move to Reading so that we may live with you all.  We are still waiting, but praise God! there have been recent developments that will help clear the way.  My father who is also my boss, is being relieved of debt through the sale of assets. What an answer to prayer!  My father says to thank you for your prayers for him.  He said that Spurgeon was a great help to him recently, and pointed to his copy of Beside Still Waters.  I love what God is doing in my father's heart through this testing.

We also received a prophetic word from Jaime's cousin Jud who lives in Maine.  Jud said that our move to Reading was the right thing to do, but God has just delayed it for the moment.  He used Ezra 4 as the illustration, where the Jews were rebuiding the temple.  They were ordered to stop the rebuilding and had to wait for years to begin again.  To rebuild the temple was the right thing to do, Jud said to us, but they had to wait for years until they could rebuild it.

Well this greatly encouraged our faith, for we often question God as to whether we are doing the right thing in attending church in Reading.  I am glad to say that these thoughts are much fewer, and unless God would make it clearer, we believe that we have been called to Reading and the people of Christ Community Church, even it that means it is 10 years before we can move there.  

How Much is a Soul Worth?

These next posts will be on the Cross, where we will tap into the depth of the Puritan's knowledge on the atonement.

"God showed us how much a soul is worth by the purchase price he paid.  It cost him dearly, and that which is so hard won will not be easily given up.  He spent his son's blood to purchase you, and he will spend his own power to keep you."

William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, Banner of Truth, Vol. 1 of the abridged set, p. 48

This truth has power to reach the most hopeless of souls, especially those of a disconsolate spirit, who are tempted to think God has no regard for them.  I also love the truth of God fighting for that which he has purchased.  He will not give up one (John 6.39) of his blood-bought church.

Dr. D. A. Carson on the New Pespective of Paul

I found the round-table by Tom Schreiner, Mark Seifrid and Brian Vickers on the Piper-Wright debate to be interesting.  Seifrid is one engaging scholar.  Along these lines I have been listening to 3 lectures by D. A. Carson on the New Perspective of Paul.  You can find them on iTunesU by searching 'Reformed Theological Seminary' and surfing for 'The New Perspective on Paul.'  

If you have a heart that trembles at the Word

The following quote to kick off this blog is from Jeremiah Burroughs, from the title of the book from which I draw this blog and affected my heart so much, encouraging and strengthening me in the faith:

"If you have a heart that trembles at the Word, know that all the threats that are in God's Word have the glory of them already upon your soul and, therefore, you do not need to fear any evil from them.  You need not, I say, fear the execution of any threats that are in God's Word.  Why? Because God has the glory that He would have from His threats already in and upon your heart.  Why is it that the Lord in His Word so threatens sinners?  It is that He might have glory, that sinners might fear Him."  Jeremiah Burroughs, Gospel Fear, Soli Deo Gloria Publications, p. 49