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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : Why Read The Puritans Today?

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pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re:

Dear Sister,

You said:
Quote:

"The Church needs to be there for all that are hurting. The Church should be a Hospital for souls.

Break our hearts LORD for your creation, which You Loved enough to DIE for. You tolerated us this long Father --- bring us into the Image of Your Son and show us where we are so much not like Him. Give us Your heart. Give us your tears. Give us Your Love. Give us Your eyes.

If Christ was truly our "all in all", we would reflect His Image and not just come to a point that "we need no one".

IF we are not living for "others-always-only" as He did, then we are Not like Him and He is our only example, not some writers.

If we were 'like Christ', then others 'could' come to us with needs, because we were born-again with those works being predestined that we should be doing.

When someone has been in the actual presence of Him and transformed by this experiential knowledge of Him, it shows and not even with words --- just their presence alone will do what His did when here.

Those who only walk in the letter of the law and not the Spirit of the law, show this lack of experiential knowledge or having been in His presence and it is a very abrasive experience to encounter them for their lack of grasping what true "GOD-li-ness" is. Better phrased Christ-like-ness.

But instead of being transformed/conformed into 'HIS' Image, we have transformed HIM into ours.
There's a different view of what Jesus was and is like, from every person you'll ever ask.
How many Jesus's are there in "The Church" ? ... I would venture to say, millions.


Will He say in that day, Depart from Me, I Never "knew" you ?"
______________________________________________


Two wonderful post Annie, and truths we should all take to heart; it is not about us, but about
what we do with the love we have been given for others. I was going to write much about this until I found this:

“Fellow citizens with the saints.”
— Ephesians 2:19

What is meant by our being citizens in heaven? It means that we are under heaven’s government. Christ the king of heaven reigns in our hearts; our daily prayer is, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The proclamations issued from the throne of glory are freely received by us: the decrees of the Great King we cheerfully obey. Then as citizens of the New Jerusalem, we share heaven’s honours. The glory which belongs to beatified saints belongs to us, for we are already sons of God, already princes of the blood imperial; already we wear the spotless robe of Jesus’ righteousness; already we have angels for our servitors, saints for our companions, Christ for our Brother, God for our Father, and a crown of immortality for our reward. We share the honours of citizenship, for we have come to the general assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven. As citizens, we have common rights to all the property of heaven. Ours are its gates of pearl and walls of chrysolite; ours the azure light of the city that needs no candle nor light of the sun; ours the river of the water of life, and the twelve manner of fruits which grow on the trees planted on the banks thereof; there is nought in heaven that belongeth not to us. “Things present, or things to come,” all are ours. Also as citizens of heaven we enjoy its delights. Do they there rejoice over sinners that repent—prodigals that have returned? So do we. Do they chant the glories of triumphant grace? We do the same. Do they cast their crowns at Jesus’ feet? Such honours as we have we cast there too. Are they charmed with his smile? It is not less sweet to us who dwell below. Do they look forward, waiting for his second advent? We also look and long for his appearing. If, then, we are thus citizens of heaven, let our walk and actions be consistent with our high dignity.

Spurgeon, C. H.

I guess the big question is "If, then," much to be done if, then.

Good Job sister,

In His Love
pastorfrin


 2007/7/10 4:47Profile
Josiah777
Member



Joined: 2004/2/17
Posts: 99
Sterling, VA

 Re: Christ Altogether Lovely

I've really been blessed by Puritan author John Flavel's "Christ Altogether Lovely". It is a very rich gold mine of Christ-exalting insights that have caused my heart to stop in wide-eyed wonder of what a great and altogether lovely Redeemer we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. I got this off the beforementioned puritansermons.com site. Here's one excerpt from it I found especially satisfying:

Quote:
Let us consider this excellent expression, and particularly reflect on what is contained in it, and you shall find this expression "altogether lovely."

First, It excludes all unloveliness and disagreeableness from Jesus Christ. As a theologian long ago said, "There is nothing in him which is not loveable." The excellencies of Jesus Christ are perfectly exclusive of all their opposites; there is nothing of a contrary property or quality found in him to contaminate or devaluate his excellency. And in this respect Christ infinitely transcends the most excellent and loveliest of created things. Whatsoever loveliness is found in them, it is not without a bad aftertaste. The fairest pictures must have their shadows: The rarest and most brilliant gems must have dark backgrounds to set off their beauty; the best creature is but a bitter sweet at best: If there is something pleasing, there is also something sour. if a person has every ability, both innate and acquired, to delight us, yet there is also some natural corruption intermixed with it to put us off. But it is not so in our altogether lovely Christ, his excellencies are pure and unmixed. He is a sea of sweetness without one drop of gall.

Secondly, "Altogether lovely," i.e. There is nothing unlovely found in him, so all that is in him is wholly lovely. As every ray of God is precious, so every thing that is in Christ is precious: Who can weigh Christ in a pair of balances, and tell you what his worth is? "His price is above rubies, and all that thou canst desire is not to be compared with him," Prov. 8:11.

Thirdly "Altogether lovely," i.e. He embraces all things that are lovely: he seals up the sum of all loveliness. Things that shine as single stars with a particular glory, all meet in Christ as a glorious constellation. Col. 1:19, "It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Cast your eyes among all created beings, survey the universe: you will observe strength in one, beauty in a second, faithfulness in a third, wisdom in a fourth; but you shall find none excelling in them all as Christ does. Bread has one quality, water another, raiment another, medicine another; but none has them all in itself as Christ does. He is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded; and whatever a soul can desire is found in him, 1 Cor. 1:30.



"Yes, He is altogether lovely." Song of Songs 5:16

Ken


_________________
Ken Marino

 2007/7/11 9:01Profile





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