reformed blogging.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it–that what my listlessness inclines me to do is best to be done, etc.

There is an earnestness in John Piper’s preaching that makes it very attractive to those of us tired of the shallower type of Christianity. John Piper presents a brand of Christianity that seems to be the sort that people die for. Listening to his messages, it’s not hard to see why a man will go halfway across the world to share the gospel and say “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” This is the sort of Christianity found in Scripture, in 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Corinthians 1:23 and the sort that seems consistent with what Paul says in Philippians 3:10.

However, many of us, myself included, tend to think that mere endorsement of John Piper’s preaching is enough. We, sometimes, subconsciously equate listening to a sermon with applying it to our lives–the more we listen, the better we are. That, however, is not the case. The man who built his house on sand was not the man who was ignorant of the word, but one who listened and did not act. I fear that many of us are in danger of being, or already are, that man. True Christianity consists of more than simply endorsing the right preachers, or having sound doctrine. We must never separate our own lives from that which we know, or claim to know. The book of James describes such a man as a “forgetful hearer.” We must examine ourselves to see whether what we have is a true and acting faith, or mere mental assent. Brothers, test yourselves and take to heart the words of Christ:

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Some Christian Hedonism for you:

“It is not a thing contrary to Christianity that a man should love himself, or, which is the same thing, should love his own happiness. If Christianity did indeed tend to destroy a man’s love to himself, and to his own happiness, it would therein tend to destroy the very spirit of humanity; but the very announcement of the gospel, as a system of peace on earth and good-will toward men (Luke 2:14), shews that it is not only not destructive of humanity, but in the highest degree promotive of its spirit. That a man should love his own happiness, is a as necessary to his nature as the faculty of the will is; and it is impossible that such a love should be destroyed in any other way than by destroying his being. The saints love their own happiness. Yea, those that are perfect in happiness, the saints and angels in heaven, love their own happiness; otherwise that happiness which God hath given them would be no happiness to them; for that which any one does not love he cannot enjoy any happiness in.” - Jonathan Edwards, Charity and its Fruits, p.159

Here is a two paragraph excerpt which pretty much summarizes Owen’s “Mediations and Discourses Concerning the Glory of Christ.” Can recovery from spiritual decay really be treated in two paragraphs (which could probably be reduced to just one)? The solution to spiritual decay is often very simple, just difficult to apply. Here it is:

A steady view of the glory of Christ, in his person, grace , and office, through faith,–or a constant, lively exercise of faith on him, according as he is revealed unto us in the Scripture,–is the only effectual way to obtain a revival from under our spiritual decays, and such supplies of grace as shall make us flourishing and fruitful even in old age. He that thus lives by faith in him shall by his spiritual thriving and growth, “Show that the Lord is upright, that he is our rock, and that there is no unrighteousness in him.” - John Owen, Meditations and Discourses Concerning the Glory of Christ, p.459

The most of our spiritual decays and barrnenness arise from an inordinate admission of other things into our minds; for these are they that weaken grace in all its operatoin. But when the mind is filled with thoughts of Christ and his glory, when the soul thereon cleaves unto him with intense affections, they will cast out, or not give admittance unto, those causes of spiritual weakness and indisposition. p.461

I recently finished Thomas Watson’s “A Body of Divinity,” and certain quotes, like the one below, stirred my heart. Sounds a lot like Christian Hedonism to me. The Puritans knew religion was not just a matter of knowing certain doctrines, or feelings certain emotions, their’s was a religion of the heart. Neither life nor doctrine can be neglected.

There is a fulness in God that satisfies, and yet so much sweetness, that the soul still desires. God is a delicious God. That which is the chief good must ravish the soul with pleasure; there must be in it rapturous delight and quintessence of joy. In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima immo rapitur [There is a certain sweetness about God's person which delights, nay, rather, ravishes the soul]: The love of God drops such infinite suavity into the soul as is unspeakable and full of glory. If there be so much delight in God, when we see him only by faith, I Pet i 8, what will the joy of vision be, when we shall see him face to face! p.23