“[A Christian] does not make election his opiate and say, I am safe, I may sleep or wake as I please. He says, I am safe but this only makes me doubly vigilant that I may not dishonor Him who has saved me; and even though I may not finally fall away, I know not how much I may lose by one day’s slothfulness or how much I may gain by maintaining that watchful attitude to which, as the expectant of an absent Lord, I am called. ‘Blessed is he that watches,’ and even though I could not see the reason for this, I will act upon it that I may realize the promised blessedness. He who has called me to vigilance can make me partaker of its joy. He can make my watchtower, lonely and dark as it may seem, none other than the house of God and the very gate of Heaven.”
- Horatius Bonar from The Everlasting Righteousness
“For the cross saves completely, or not at all. Our faith does not divide the work of salvation between itself and the cross. It is the acknowledgement that the cross alone saves, and it saves alone. Faith adds nothing to the cross nor to its healing virtue. It owns the fullness and the sufficiency and the suitableness of the work done there and bids the toiling spirit cease from its labours and enter into rest. Faith does not come to Calvary to do anything. It comes to see the glorious spectacle of all things done and to accept this completion without misgiving as to its efficacy. It listens to the “It is finished” of the sin-bearer and says “Amen!” Where faith begins, there labour ends–labour, I mean, for life and for pardon. Faith is rest, not toil. It is the giving up of all the former weary efforts.”
- Horatius Bonar from The Everlasting Righteousness
Q. How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us?
A. First, He pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of His Father (1). Second, we have our own flesh in heaven – a guarantee that christ our head will take us, His members, to Himself in heaven (2). Third, He sends His Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee (3). By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand (4).
(1) Rom. 3:34; 1 John 2:1; Heb. 7:25
(2) John 14:2; 17;24; Eph. 2:4-6
(3) John 14:16; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5
(4) Col. 3:1-4
Shai Linne, a Christian rapper, offers more in a three minute rap song than the majority of preachers behind the pulpits of churches today. I’ll admit I am not a fan of rap music but the lyrics this man puts together in his music is outstanding. In this rap song, Shai Linne gives us an excellent theology lesson on definite atonement and election…
I firmly believe that Scriptures and the Gospel instructs those who desire to teach God’s Word must understand that they must always herald “done” before they can encourage “do”. I have seen and heard too many teachers today that are legalistic in their preaching of the commands of Scripture without first heralding the glorious doctrines of Christ’s cross-work so that Christians may rest on what has and is accomplished solely by Christ in order to be able to do what Scripture commands in respect to the sanctification of believers. We are all prone to legalism and therefore the teacher of God’s Word (who will be held more accountable) must be ever vigilant to guard against a proclamation of “do” without first proclaiming the glorious “done”!
As we move through this Advent season may we meditate on the glorious truth of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3)
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
As we move through this Advent season may we meditate on the glorious truth of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
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