
Thomas Cook
- Sermons
- Bio
Blameless, Not Faultless
01SA 16:7PSA 19:12PRO 16:2MAT 5:481CO 13:42CO 12:9PHP 1:61TH 5:23HEB 10:141JN 1:8Thomas Cook delves into the concept of holiness, emphasizing that it involves being blameless but not faultless, as grace does not make individuals infallible. He explains that while we may have experienced the grace of God, we will still have human weaknesses and imperfections until we are made faultless in the presence of God's glory. Cook highlights the importance of intentions over results, stating that God values the purity of our motives and intentions, even when our actions may be flawed. He stresses that perfect love is not about flawless achievement but about sincere efforts to please God, likening it to a blind child's imperfect but cherished attempt to write a letter to their father.
Holiness and Temptation
0MAT 26:411CO 10:13EPH 6:12JAS 1:121PE 5:8Thomas Cook preaches about the inevitability of facing temptations as Christians, emphasizing that even in a state of grace, believers will be tested by solicitations to sin as long as they are on probation. The Christian life is depicted as a continuous battle against external spiritual enemies, requiring constant vigilance and reliance on God's strength. Temptations are permitted for a purpose, to strengthen believers and increase their moral power through overcoming them. Cook highlights the importance of discerning between evil thoughts and thoughts about evil, urging believers to instantly reject temptations to avoid any taint on the spirit.
Sin Not a Necessity
0MAT 19:26ROM 6:11CO 10:12PHP 4:131JN 2:1Thomas Cook preaches about the possibility of holy souls, even those entirely cleansed, to still be capable of sinning, emphasizing the need for constant vigilance, self-distrust, and carefulness to avoid falling into acts of sin. While holiness provides the safest condition on earth, absolute security is not attainable in this world. The sermon highlights that Christians have the capacity not to sin, although the capability to sin remains, and that salvation provided by Jesus includes grace to live without sinning. The ultimate goal is to achieve uninterrupted victory over sin through continuous trust in God, as He empowers believers to overcome sin and live in triumph.
The Double Need and the Double Cure
0PSA 51:10PSA 139:23ROM 6:6ROM 7:24HEB 9:141JN 1:9Thomas Cook preaches about the importance of understanding the true nature of sin in order to fully comprehend the salvation of Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that defective views of sin lead to incorrect views of privilege, and that our perception of the Atonement is greatly influenced by our understanding of the evil that made it necessary. Cook highlights the distinction between guilt and depravity, explaining that sin is not just wrong-doing but also an inherited state of sinfulness that requires cleansing. He delves into the concept that the purpose of Christ's death was not only to save us from the consequences of sin but to save us from sin itself, addressing both the forgiveness of guilt and the cleansing of depravity.
The New Birth and Entire Sanctification
0JHN 3:3ROM 6:4ROM 6:62CO 5:171TH 5:23Thomas Cook preaches about the inseparable connection between divine forgiveness and the new birth, emphasizing that receiving a new name as a child of God also brings a new nature and participation in Divine holiness. Regeneration is described as a new creation, being 'born again,' and passing 'from death unto life,' signifying a profound change by the Holy Spirit towards loyalty and love for God. While regeneration initiates sanctification, it does not eradicate depravity completely; rather, it introduces a power that restrains sin but does not eliminate it entirely, leading to a continuous need for sanctification.
Purity and Maturity
0PRO 4:182CO 7:1PHP 3:13HEB 10:10JAS 4:8Thomas Cook preaches about the importance of purity of heart and maturity in Christian character. He distinguishes between purity of heart, which is an instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit cleansing us from sin, and maturity, which involves a gradual process of growth in virtues. Cook emphasizes that purity is the removal of anything adverse to God, while maturity refers to the ripeness and fullness of Christian virtues. He highlights the need for believers to seek both a clean heart and spiritual growth in order to experience the fullness of God's grace and to continually progress in knowledge, love, and conformity to Christ.
The Present Tense of Cleansing
0PSA 51:10ROM 6:222CO 7:1EPH 5:261TH 5:23HEB 12:14JAS 4:81PE 1:151JN 1:71JN 3:3Thomas Cook preaches about the possibility of experiencing deliverance from sin in the present moment through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes that sin must be wholly destroyed in us before we can enter heaven, and that waiting until death for this deliverance is unnecessary. Cook refutes the idea of sin residing in the body and teaches that spirits alone are capable of sin. He explains that holiness is both a crisis and a process, requiring continual faith and obedience to maintain a state of purity.
A God-Possessed Soul
0JHN 15:4ROM 8:101CO 6:19GAL 2:20EPH 3:17PHP 4:13COL 1:27COL 3:31JN 4:4Thomas Cook preaches about the importance of having a God-possessed soul, emphasizing the need for both the negative aspect of purging sin and the positive aspect of being filled with the life of God. He explains that Christ must dwell within us to cleanse us from indwelling sin and enable us to live a victorious life. Cook highlights that holiness is the outshining of the Divine life within us, transforming us to reflect Jesus Christ. He stresses the necessity of fully surrendering to Christ, allowing Him to possess and control every aspect of our lives for true holiness and sanctification.
Perfect Love
0JHN 15:13ROM 5:5GAL 5:131JN 3:11JN 4:71JN 4:121JN 4:161JN 4:18Thomas Cook delves into the two types of love mentioned in the New Testament: philos, representing natural human affection, and agape, symbolizing Divine affection imparted by the Holy Ghost. He emphasizes that Divine love is a gift from God, transforming us into His children and enabling us to love others. Cook explores the profound truth of God's love being bestowed upon us, leading to a love that mirrors Christ's sacrificial love. He highlights the importance of serving others as a demonstration of our love for Christ, emphasizing that love service is a joyful offering of a grateful heart.
Evangelical Perfection
0GEN 17:1DEU 30:6MAT 5:48MRK 1:17EPH 4:13PHP 3:12PHP 3:152TI 3:17HEB 13:201JN 4:18Thomas Cook preaches on the Scriptural terms 'holiness,' 'perfect love,' and 'perfection,' explaining that they all refer to the same state of grace. He emphasizes that perfect love represents the moral atmosphere in which a sanctified Christian lives, while perfection signifies spiritual completeness achieved when all internal struggles are overcome. Cook discusses the importance of understanding the term 'perfect' in a spiritual context, as it is frequently used in the Bible to describe human character under the influence of grace. He clarifies that while absolute perfection belongs only to God, evangelical perfection is attainable in the present life through continuous growth and development in love and service to God.
The Fullness of the Spirit
0LUK 11:13JHN 7:38JHN 14:16JHN 20:22ACT 2:38ACT 8:17ACT 19:2ROM 8:9EPH 5:18Thomas Cook preaches on the significance of receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, emphasizing that it includes entire cleansing from sin and is synonymous with entire sanctification. The Holy Spirit is the indispensable agent in producing spiritual life and renewal, filling believers with Divine love and excluding evil. While all Christians possess the Holy Spirit, being filled with the Spirit is a distinct experience that brings light, power, and love. The Apostolic Church's fullness of the Spirit serves as a model for Christians today, encouraging them to seek and expect the Spirit's fullness as a present experience.
A Living Sacrifice
0MAT 16:25JHN 12:24ROM 6:41CO 10:312CO 4:10GAL 2:20PHP 2:17Thomas Cook preaches about the two kinds of sacrifice in the Levitical economy - of atonement and of acknowledgement. While the former found fulfillment in the Lamb of Calvary, the sacrifice of acknowledgement is perpetual in the Church, requiring a living sacrifice of service and noblest life. Practical holiness is built upon doctrinal truths, with the apostle emphasizing that morality is rooted in theology. The essence of sacrifice is highlighted, showing that to save others, one must be willing to sacrifice oneself, echoing Christ's teaching of dying to live.
Walking With God
0GEN 5:24PSA 119:105PRO 4:18ISA 35:8AMO 3:3MIC 6:82CO 3:18GAL 5:25PHP 3:131JN 1:7Thomas Cook preaches on the concept that holiness is not just a state but a way, a highway where believers walk with Christ by consecration, faith, surrender, and trust, growing more like Him each day. Walking with God involves companionship, fellowship, and progress, where believers experience the real presence of Christ, engage in intimate friendship with Him, and steadily progress in their spiritual journey, never going back but always moving forward towards becoming more like Christ.
Beulah Land
0JOS 3:17PSA 16:11JHN 14:23EPH 1:3PHP 3:20COL 3:1HEB 3:18HEB 4:9HEB 4:11Thomas Cook preaches about the Christian experience on earth resembling heaven, where believers can live in a state of 'heavenlies' in Christ Jesus, surrounded by a higher, purer world while still on earth. He emphasizes the concept of 'Beulah Land' as a serene inheritance for all pilgrims, a promised land where believers can experience a taste of heavenly glory and joy in communion with Christ. Cook highlights the importance of entering into God's perfect rest, akin to the rest found in Canaan, which is a present state of spiritual peace and delight in Jesus, the ultimate source of rest and fulfillment.
Soul Rest
0HEB 4:1Thomas Cook preaches about the soul's undisturbed rest when harmonized with God, emphasizing the feeling of rest in the spirit-filled life on earth, not just in heaven. Soul rest involves ceasing from our own works and efforts to live the Christian life, relying on Christ's works and control. It also entails freedom from worry and fear of the future, trusting in God's providence and care. Additionally, rest from internal conflict signifies deliverance from indwelling sin, where Christ reigns without rivalry and believers experience tranquility, peace, and victory over sin.
Christ's Legacy to the Church
0ISA 26:3JHN 14:27ROM 15:13PHP 4:7COL 3:15Thomas Cook preaches about the peace that Christ offers to His disciples, a peace that surpasses all understanding and originates from God Himself. This peace is described as the tranquility and serenity that Christ had with the Father, unaffected by the troubles of the world. It is a deep calm implanted in the believing soul, not dependent on outward circumstances but on a soul resting wholly upon God. This perfect peace is a gift from Jesus, promising an abiding and ever-increasing reality that the world cannot give or take away.
Joy in the Holy Ghost
0NEH 8:10JHN 16:24ROM 14:17GAL 5:22PHP 4:4Thomas Cook preaches about the surpassing joy and music in God that must conquer all worldly pleasures, emphasizing the need for Christians to have a joy in their souls sweeter than any delusive worldly song. He highlights the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit to experience a fountain of lasting joy that extinguishes desires for base delights, leading to a life filled with the celestial joy of Heaven. Cook encourages believers to seek the fullness of the Spirit, which contrasts with temporary happiness, offering a permanent and abiding joy that comes from being in harmony with the Divine will.
Power for Service
0ZEC 4:6LUK 24:49JHN 14:26ACT 1:8ACT 2:4ACT 4:31ACT 10:38ROM 15:131CO 2:4EPH 5:18Thomas Cook preaches about the indispensable qualification of spiritual power for effective spiritual work, emphasizing the need for absolute reliance on the Holy Ghost rather than human abilities or external aids. He highlights the importance of the Holy Spirit in applying and enforcing the Gospel for the conversion of sinners and the blessing of believers, pointing out that the early Church's victories were won in the power of the Holy Ghost. Cook stresses that the baptism of the Holy Ghost brings out individuality and prepares believers for their unique life's work, making them all bright stars in the service of God.
Vessels Unto Honour
0ISA 6:8JHN 15:21TH 5:232TI 2:20JAS 1:4Thomas Cook preaches about the distinction between two orders of Christians - those who live a harmless life but do not actively promote Christ's Kingdom, and those who are zealous for good works and strive to emulate Christ. He emphasizes the importance of being vessels unto honor in the Church of Christ, sanctified and prepared for the Master's use. Cook delves into the characteristics of being sanctified, meeting for the Master's use, and prepared for every good work, highlighting the necessity of personal holiness, fitness for God's service, and readiness for various forms of service.
Consecration
0PRO 3:5MAT 16:24ROM 12:1GAL 2:20JAS 4:7Thomas Cook preaches on the importance of full surrender and consecration to God, emphasizing that perfect trust cannot exist without complete surrender, and that faith is the condition of blessing. He highlights the need for an entire willingness to be, do, and suffer according to God's will, drawing parallels between repentance and consecration. Cook stresses that purity of heart requires abandoning sinful practices and fully accepting God's will, with the ultimate goal of aligning our will with God's will while maintaining our individuality. He explains that the surrender of our will to God does not make it inactive but rather unites it with God's will, leading to a transformation where Christ reigns supreme in our lives.
Sanctifying Faith
0MRK 11:24ACT 26:18ROM 4:20HEB 10:14HEB 11:1HEB 11:6JAS 1:62PE 1:41JN 5:14Thomas Cook preaches on the distinction between consecration and entire sanctification, emphasizing that consecration is our voluntary act of giving our all to God, while entire sanctification is a work of the Holy Ghost within us. He highlights the importance of faith in both forgiveness and sanctification, stressing that God's power transforms us instantly when we believe and receive His promises. Cook encourages believers to trust in God's ability to cleanse their hearts from all sin and to boldly claim the blessing of sanctification through unwavering faith in God's promises.
Address to Seekers
0EZK 36:22EZK 36:25JHN 17:17ROM 6:11EPH 3:201TH 5:23HEB 7:25Thomas Cook preaches on the pursuit of entire sanctification, emphasizing the importance of having a clear understanding of the goal to reach it as a definite point of attainment. He highlights that holiness is revealed by the Holy Spirit, who shows us our sin and provides the remedy, guiding us to aim at a specific point. Cook stresses that while we may not fully comprehend the doctrine, we must know what we seek and pursue it with unwavering determination, focusing on the distinct characteristics of entire sanctification.
How to Retain the Blessing
0PSA 119:105PHP 2:12PHP 3:131TH 5:172TI 2:15HEB 10:23JAS 1:271PE 1:52PE 3:18JUD 1:21Thomas Cook preaches on the collaborative effort between God and man in the Christian life, emphasizing the importance of both Divine intervention and human action in the work of salvation. While salvation is a gift from God, it requires our compliance with certain conditions to receive His gifts and graces. The sermon highlights the need for believers to persevere in order to be preserved, to work out their salvation while availing themselves of the means of grace, and to stay within the boundaries of strict obedience to God's will. It stresses the continuous act of consecration, the life of simple trust in God, the importance of prayerful meditation on the Word of God, and active engagement in Christian work for spiritual growth and joy.
The Arbiter of the Heart
0ROM 14:22ROM 15:131CO 8:7PHP 4:7COL 3:151TI 1:5Thomas Cook preaches on the importance of maintaining a good conscience towards God daily, emphasizing the necessity of conscientiousness and the duty to obey one's conscience. He warns about the dangers of relying solely on conscience without knowledge and sound judgment, using John Newton's transformation from a slave-trader to a hymn writer as an example. Cook highlights the significance of the peace of God as an arbiter in guiding Christians to discern between good and evil, urging believers to prioritize this deep spiritual peace above all else to avoid moral pitfalls and maintain a close relationship with Christ.
Testimony
0ROM 12:22CO 5:17PHP 1:61TH 5:231JN 1:7Thomas Cook preaches on the importance of testifying to the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ and the experience of entire sanctification through the work of the Holy Ghost. Early Methodists made humble confessions of heart purity, leading to spiritual revival. Mr. Wesley emphasized the duty of confessing heart purity and urged ministers and believers to openly declare God's work in their lives. The sermon highlights the journey from initial conversion to the pursuit of full sanctification, emphasizing the need for complete surrender and faith in receiving the fullness of God's grace.