Required reading
Life and times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter Four.
My summary In Chapter Four we see Whitefield back in London. The Chapter tells us of his first attempts at open air preaching and more of the opposition he received from other ministers. Some opposed Whitefield for preaching in the open air, but Philip also shows us a little of the debate between Whitefield and other ministers over the doctrine of regeneration.
What grabbed me In Chapter Four an important link was made between Whitefield's success and prayer meetings: 'Private devotional meetings were thus the cradle of field preaching, as surely as field preaching was the morning star of England's second reformation! How often, in grace as in nature, God hangs the greatest weights on the smallest wires! I mean, on wires accounted the smallest by the wisdom of this world, and by the folly of the church: for social prayer-meetings are the strongest wires in all the machinery of the moral universe. God hung upon them all the weighty gifts, and all the weightier grace and glory, of PENTECOST! God hung upon them all that is great and good in the American revivals, and all that is amazing in the success of foreign missions. It was when the British churches were as the heart of one man in prayer, that African slavery was abolished throughout the British dominions. The spiritual destiny of American now hangs on her prayer-meetings.'
O that Christians today would unite in Whitefieldian prayer meetings and beg God for the revivals that only he can send!
Next week's reading Chapter Five.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Finally alive by John Piper (available from Amazon or free on the internet here) - Read Chapters Five and Six. My summary In Chapter Five Piper finishes answering the question, 'Why is the new birth so necessary?' To do so he looks at the necessity of the incarnation for our regeneration and how this enables our purification and justification.
Then in Chapter Six Piper begins a new section answering the question, 'How are we born again?' Three ways are given: (i) God ransomed us from sin and wrath by the blood of Christ and paid the debt for sinners to have eternal life; (ii) God raised Jesus from the dead so that union with Jesus gives eternal life that never fades away; (iii) God called us from darkness to light and from death to life through the gospel and gave us eyes to see and ears to hear.
What grabbed me Great quote: 'Our condition before the new birth is that we treasure sin and self-exaltation supremely. In other words, we are so rebellious at the root of our fallen human nature that we can't find it in ourselves to humbly see and savor Jesus Christ above all things. And we are guilty for this. This is real evil in us.'
It is not good enough to have a high view of Jesus. He must have the highest view, the supreme view.
Next week's reading Chapters Seven and Eight.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Holiness by J C Ryle (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 3, 'Holiness'.
My summary In the last chapter Ryle approached holiness 'from a doctrinal side' while in today's Chapter he tries to present it in 'a more plain and practical point of view'. First he looks at the nature of true practical holiness. A holy man will: (i) be in the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind in Scripture; (ii) endeavor to shun every known sin and to keep every known commandment; (iii) strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ; (iv) follow after meekness, patience, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of his tongue; (v) follow after temperance and self–denial; (vi) follow after charity and brotherly kindness; (vii) follow after a spirit of mercy and benevolence towards others; (viii) follow after purity of heart; (ix) follow after the fear of God; (x) follow after humility; (xi) follow after faithfulness in all the duties and relations in life; (xii) follow after spiritual–mindedness. Next Ryle looks at the importance of practical holiness. Ryle says that we must be holy because: (i) the voice of God in Scripture plainly commands it; (ii) this is the one grand end and purpose for which Christ came into the world; (iii) this is the only sound evidence that we have a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; (iv) this is the only proof that we love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; (v) this is the only sound evidence that we are true children of God; (vi) this is the most likely way to do good to others; (vii) our present comfort depends much upon it; (viii) without holiness on earth we will never be prepared to enjoy heaven.
Finally Ryle gives a few words by way of application: (i) The most pertinent question to ask is this: "Are you holy?" (ii) Do you think you feel the importance of holiness as much as you should? (iii) Would you be holy? Would you become a new creature? Then you must begin with Christ.
What grabbed me I liked the emphasis that Ryle placed on the importance of holiness as a gospel witness: 'Our lives will always be doing either good or harm to those who see them. They are a silent sermon which all can read. It is sad indeed when they are a sermon for the devil’s cause, and not for God’s. I believe that far more is done for Christ’s kingdom by the holy living of believers than we are at all aware of. There is a reality about such living which makes men feel and obliges them to think. It carries a weight and influence with it which nothing else can give. It makes religion beautiful and draws men to consider it, like a lighthouse seen afar off. The day of judgment will prove that many besides husbands have been won "without the Word" by a holy life (1 Pet. 3:1). You may talk to persons about the doctrines of the gospel, and few will listen, and still fewer understand. But your life is an argument that none can escape. There is a meaning about holiness which not even the most unlearned can help taking in. They may not understand justification, but they can understand charity.'
What an excellent reason to be holy - you can help save people from hell!
Next week's reading Chapter 4, 'The fight'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (available from Amazon) - Part 2, Chapter 8, 'Perseverance'. My summary Murray now examines the doctrine of perseverance.
Firstly Murray clarifies what the doctrine does not mean: 'It does not mean that every one who professes faith in Christ and who is accepted as a believer in the fellowship of the saints is secure for eternity'.
Coming out of this thought, Murray then looks at the meaning of apostasy and the lengths and heights to which a temporary faith may carry those who have it.
Thus Murray concludes that we cannot then say that a believer is secure whatever may be the extent of his addiction to sin. But what we can say is that the true saints will most definitely persevere to the end. Several solid proof texts are given to close the chapter.
What grabbed me One of Murray's strengths is his ability to finish chapters extraordinarily well. As I read each chapter I actually find myself anticipating the last paragraph. And today I was not disappointed: 'Have we not in this truth new reason to marvel at the grace of God and the immutability of his love. It is the indissolubility of the bond of the covenant of God's grace that undergirds this precious article of faith. "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (Isaiah 54:10).'
Ok, God wrote almost half that paragraph, but still it was Murray who chose to end the chapter with a top notch verse!
Required reading Christian ministry by Charles Bridges (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Finish reading Part 1, Chapter Seven, by reading Sections II (Study Scripture), III (Prayer) and IV (Employment). My summary Bridges continues looking at the preparation for the Christian ministry. Today we see that the minister must:
- Study the scriptures;
- Have habits of special prayer;
- Engage in the employment of the cure of souls.
Two nice summary statements are given in the last section concerning these three points:
'Study stores the mind, prayer infuses a divine influence, exercise carries out the resources into effective agency.'
'Study furnishes the materials - Prayer sanctifies them - Exercise makes a suitable distributive application of them to the several cases brought before us.'
What grabbed me A marvelous statement was given about the benefit of studying the Scriptures: 'Let the Theologian delight in these sacred oracles : let him exercise himself in them day and night ; let him meditate on them ; let him live in them ; let him derive all his wisdom from them ; let him compare all his thoughts with them ; let him embrace nothing in religion which he does not find here. Let him not bind his faith to a man — not to a Prophet — not to an Apostle — not even to an Angel himself, as if the dictum of either man or angel were to be the rule of faith. Let his whole ground of faith be in God alone. For it is a Divine, not a human faith, which we learn and teach; so pure that it can rest upon no ground but the authority of God, who is never false, and never can deceive. The attentive study of the Scriptures has a sort of constraining power. It fills the mind with the most splendid form of heavenly truth, which it teaches with purity, solidity, certainty, and without the least mixture of error. It soothes the mind with an inexpressible sweetness; it satisfies the sacred hunger and thirst for knowledge with flowing rivers of honey and butter; it penetrates into the innermost heart with irresistible influence; it imprints its own testimony so firmly upon the mind, that the believing soul rests upon it with the same security, as if it had been carried up into the third heaven, and heard it from God's own mouth; it touches all the affections, and breathes the sweetest fragrance of holiness upon the pious reader, even though he may not perhaps comprehend the full extent of his reading.'
Long quote but every word is worthy including here on the blog.
Next week's reading
Begin Part 2 by reading Chapters 1-5.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).Continue reading Section Two, Point 2, by reading all of the subpoint, 'In a moral sense'.
My summary Venning continues looking at sin's contrariety to man and today examines how sin is against man's present good in this life in a moral sense. He does this by showing that sin has: (i) degraded man; (ii) darkened man's understanding; (iii) made man a fool; (iv) made man a beast; (v) separated man from God.
What grabbed me To make the point that sin in man has made him a beast, Venning broke it up into three sections: (i) that man is made like a beast; (ii) like the worst of beasts; (iii) worse than beasts. I thought the last section, that man is worse than beasts, was very helpful: 'The beasts do not transgress the law of their nature, but man has done and does so over and over again. The instinct of these creatures is their law, and they constantly observe it. The characteristic of a beast, which is condemnable in man, is not condemnable in the beast: ignorance and stupidity is no crime in an ox or ass, but it is in man. It is no fault in a lion to be devouring, but it is sin in man to be like a devouring lion. The beasts fulfil the law of nature, but men transgress it when they act like beasts. So sinful man is worse than the beasts.'
To compare sinful man to beasts is not very kind to the poor creatures. A vicious dog is still lawful and good. But a vicious man is unlawful and therefore worse than a dog.
Next week's reading Read to the end of Section Two: the whole point that 'Sin is against the good of man in the life to come'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading Book 2 (Chapters 1-17). My summary Today Augustine continues answering the charge, "No rain! It's all the fault of the Christians', by looking at the lack of moral teaching in pagan religions, both Greek and Roman. He also touches on the interaction of pagan religions with Greek philosophy, primarily Plato. What grabbed me I liked Augustine's suggestion that we must eventually cease answering those who question us: 'And yet, will we ever come to end of discussion and talk if we think we must always reply to replies? For replies come from those who either cannot understand what is said to them, or are so stubborn and contentious that they refuse to give in even if they do understand. In fact as the Bible says, "Their conversation is unrighteousness, and they are indefatigable in folly." You can see how infinitely laborious and fruitless it would be to try to refute every objection they offer, when they have resolved never to think before they speak provided that somehow or other they contradict our arguments.'
While as Christians we are called to give an answer for the hope that we have, we are also called to not cast our pearls before swine and so there is a point where we have to call end to the conversation with some objectors to Christianity.
Next week's reading Finish Book 2 (Chapters 18-29)
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading
Life and times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read the Chapters Two and Three.
My summary
In Chapter Two we hear of Whitefield's work in London before he leaves for America. A nice summary of the chapter is given in the last paragraph: 'At length having preached in a good part of the London churches, collected about a thousand pounds for the charity schools, and got upwards of three hundred pounds for the poor in Georgia, I left London on Dec. 28th 1737, in the twenty-third year of my age, and went in the strength of God, as a poor pilgrim, on board the Whitaker.'
In Chapter Three we read of Whitefield's first journey to America and his work in Georgia. A summary is given of his work in Georgia at the end of the chapter: 'It had been his practice to read prayers and expound (besides visiting the sick) twice a day. On Sunday, he expounded at five in the morning; at ten, read prayers and preached; and at three in the afternoon; and at seven in the evening, he expounded the Church Catechism.'
What grabbed me
It is always sad to hear of attacks from inside the camp coming against ministers: 'Soon after this, two clergymen sent for me, and told me they would not let me preach in their pulpits any more, unless I renounced that part of the preface of my sermon on Regeneration, wherein I wished, that my brethren would entertain their auditories oftener with discourses on the new birth. This I had not freedom to do - and so they continued my opposers.'
Incredible to think a fellow minister would actually try and forbid another from speaking about the new birth. In doing so they really reveal themselves as wolves in sheep's clothing.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter Four.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Finally alive by John Piper (available from Amazon or free on the internet here) - Read Chapters Three and Four. My summary Piper now begins to answer the question, 'Why is the new birth so necessary?'
Today's reading gives the first half of the answer by looking back and asking what our condition is that makes the new birth necessary. Whereas next week's reading will look forward and ask what must happen for our future joy that only the new birth can bring about (although Piper does introduce this second part of the answer at the end of the Chapter Four he will really answer it in the following chapter).
So today we are taught that the new birth is necessary because apart from the new birth we are: (i) dead in trespasses and sins; (ii) by nature children of wrath; (iii) love darkness and hate the light; (iv) ones who have hearts that are hard like stone; (v) unable to submit to God or please God; (vi) unable to accept the gospel; (vii) unable to come to Christ or embrace him as Lord; (viii) slaves to sin; (ix) slaves of Satan; (x) no good thing dwells in us.
What grabbed me I liked the opening of Chapter Three where Piper says that man's problem is not only that we don't know God, but we don't know ourselves: 'What we may need reminding of in our day is not that the knowledge of God is difficult to comprehend and to embrace - that's more or less obvious - but that the knowledge of ourselves is just as difficult to comprehend and to embrace. Indeed, it may be more difficult, first, because a true knowledge of ourselves assumes a true knowledge of God, and second, because we tend to think we do know ourselves, when in fact, the depths of our condition are beyond our comprehension without the help of God.'
Earlier this week I was appreciating this truth when reading Psalm 19:12 'Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.' David knows that he can't comprehend all his sins and so asks God's forgiveness for his hidden faults as well as those known to him. Sometimes we're tempted to think we aren't all that bad, but what about all those sins that you have committed without even knowing about them. Piper is right, we really don't know ourselves.
Next week's reading Chapters Five and Six.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Holiness by J C Ryle (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 2, 'Sanctification'.
My summary Now Ryle looks at sanctification.
Firstly looks at the nature of sanctification: (i) Sanctification is the invariable result of that vital union with Christ which true faith gives to a Christian; (ii) Sanctification is the outcome and inseparable consequence of regeneration; (iii) Sanctification is the only certain evidence of that indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is essential to salvation; (iv) Sanctification is the only sure mark of God's election; (v) Sanctification is a thing that will always be seen; (vi) Sanctification is a thing for which every believer is responsible; (vii) Sanctification is a thing which admits of growth and degrees; (viii) Sanctification is a thing which depends greatly on a diligent use of scriptural means; (ix) Sanctification is a thing which does not prevent a man having a great deal of inward spiritual conflict; (x) Sanctification is a thing which cannot justify a man and yet it pleases God; (xi) Sanctification is a thing which will be found absolutely necessary as a witness to our character in the great day of judgement; (xii) Sanctification is absolutely necessary in order to train and prepare us for heaven.
Secondly, Ryle discusses visible evidence of sanctification: (i) True sanctification does not consist in talk about religion; (ii) True sanctification does not consist in temporary religious feelings; (iii) True sanctification does not consist in outward formalism and external devoutness; (iv) Sanctification does not consist in retirement from our place in life, and the renunciation of our social duties; (v) Sanctification does not consist in the occasional performance of right actions; (vi) Sanctification will show itself in habitual respect to God's law and habitual effort to live in obedience to it as the rule of life; (vii) Genuine sanctification will show itself in an habitual endeavour to do Christ's will and to live by his practical precepts; (viii) Genuine sanctification will show itself in an habitual desire to live up to the standard which St Paul sets before the churches in his writings; (ix) Genuine sanctification will show itself in habitual attention to the active graces which our Lord so beautifully exemplified, and especially to the grace of charity; (x) Genuine sanctification will show itself in habitual attention to the passive graces of Christianity.
Finally, Ryle looks at the distinctions between justification and sanctification.
What grabbed me I liked the point that sanctification makes us ready for heaven: 'Most men hope to go to heaven when they die, but few, it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if they got there. Heaven is essentially a holy place; its inhabitants are all holy; its occupations are all holy. To be really happy in heaven, it is clear and plain that we must be somewhat trained and made ready for heaven while we are on earth.'
Clear and simple message - if you don't want to be holy now, you're going to not enjoy heaven.
Next week's reading Chapter Three, 'Holiness'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (available from Amazon) - Part 2, Chapter 7, 'Sanctification'. My summary Murray now examines the doctrine of sanctification.
To begin with, Murray clarifies that holiness is not merely potential or positional: 'It is actual and practical as much as anything comprised in the application of redemption is actual and practical.'
Then Murray looks at three respects in which the concerns of sanctification must be viewed:
(i) All sin in the believer is the contradiction of God's holiness;
(ii) The presence of sin in the believer involves conflict in his heart and life;
(iii) There must be a constant and increasing appreciation that though sin still remains it does not have the mastery;
Then some observations are made about the agent of sanctification;
(i) The mode of the Spirit's operation in sanctification is encompassed with mystery;
(ii) It is imperative we realize our complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit;
(iii) It is as the Spirit of Christ and as the Spirit of him who raised up Christ from the dead that the Holy Spirit sanctifies.
To close, Murray discusses the means of sanctification. It by the Spirit but also includes the conscious life of the believer: 'God works in us and we also work'. What grabbed me Ok, I was a little disappointed with this chapter. Murray in other writings (such as essays like this one) has been so good in teaching about the differences between 'definitive' and 'progressive' sanctification. And this is an important clarification as I often read authors who only appear to know about progressive sanctification without definitive sanctification. For example, Grudem's definition in his popular systematic theology defines sanctification as 'a progressive work of God'. No mention of definitive sanctification. To be fair, Murray did touch on the subject at the beginning of the chapter but I was surprised he didn't argue his case more clearly or at greater length.
Don't get me wrong, the chapter was good. But knowing Murray's work elsewhere, it could have been exceptional.
Required reading Christian ministry by Charles Bridges (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin Chapter Seven by reading Section I, 'Habits of general study'. My summary Now Bridges begins looking at the preparation for the Christian ministry and today's reading involves the habits of general study.
Firstly, Bridges suggests that there should be a competent acquaintance with the history of the church and pastoral theology and recommends many authors, including many puritans.
Bridges then teaches about the different ways of studying.
What grabbed me So much good material in this chapter and not just from Bridges himself, but below the line he provides some truly marvellous quotes.
Just one of my favourite parts: 'There is too great haste in decision, and too little time for weighing, for storing, or for wisely working out the treasure. Hence arises that most injurious habit of skimming over books, rather than perusing them. The mind has only hovered upon the surface, and gained but a confused remembrance of passing matter, and an acquaintance with first principles far too imperfect for practical utility. The ore of knowledge is purchased in the lump but never separated, or applied to important objects.'
Great reminder. Slow down Joel, slow down.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter Seven by reading Section II, 'Special study of the Scriptures'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).Continue reading Section Two starting at Point 2, Sin's contrariety to man, and reading all of the subpoint, 'In a natural sense', but not beginning the subpoint, 'In a moral sense'.
My summary Today's reading was a bit short, next week's will be a bit long - sorry, but it is difficult to divide up this section of the book.
Now Venning begins showing us how sin is against the good of man's body and soul in this life in a natural sense.
Firstly, sin is against man's natural well being in this life. This is because: (i) sin is against man's rest and ease; (ii) sin is against man's comfort and joy; (iii) sin is against man's health; (iv) sin is against the quiet of a man's natural conscience; (v) sin is against the beauty of man; (vi) sin is against the loving and conjugal co-habitation of soul and body; (vii) sin is against man's relative good in this world.
Secondly, sin is against the very being of man.
What grabbed me The second point about sin being against the very existence of man was well made: 'Sin aims not only that man should not be well, but that man should not be at all. How many it strangles in the womb! How many miscarriages and abortions it causes! How many it sends from the cradle to the grave, who have run their race before they can go! Others die in their full strength, beside the havoc it makes by war and some always eat their bread in darkness (Job 21.23, 25). Man no sooner begins to live, but he begins to die; and after a few days, which are but as a span, and pass away more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle, sin lays all in the dust, princes as well as beggars.'
Sin isn't only wanting to maim you and cause you to suffer, it is out to destroy you!
Next week's reading Continue reading Section Two, Point 2, by reading all of the subpoint, 'In a moral sense'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
