Regeneration is the profoundest change

Continuing the thought from yesterday’s sermon of Paul’s presupposition that salvation will always produce transformation, Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote this: …regeneration is the profoundest change in the world, and that therefore we must always keep this in the forefront of our minds. A Christian is not just a man who has decided to be a little […]

Faith and works

Yesterday I interacted with two stories relating to the nature of saving faith. When a man is genuinely saved, the fruit of that salvation will be evidenced in his life. That is, empowered by the Holy Spirit, he will be changed so that while prior to salvation he could do nothing good, now after salvation […]

Religious theists and saving faith

Faith in God is not enough to save a man. Two related stories that came across my computer screen this morning authenticate that statement. The USA Today references this morning a survey by Lifeway Christian Resources about the so-called faith of young adults (age 18-29). In this study, among those who identified themselves as “Christian:” […]

Saved from what?

The word “salvation” means “rescue.” And in this rescue the believer is rescued from two different objects. He is rescued from the wrath of God — in a very real sense, salvation is not just to God, but also from God — from His wrath. But the believer is also rescued from the ongoing effect […]

No merit of our own

While putting together my thoughts for yesterday’s leftovers, I received an email blog post from Desiring God where John Piper revealed, “My happy confession of having no merit.” A short piece, it reinforces what we’ve been saying all the way through these first chapters of Ephesians — the merit of our salvation is only Christ. […]

Sunday Leftovers (8/16/09)

The truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone has been a part of the church now for almost 500 years. You would think we would understand it with clarity. It’s been repeated and explained over and over in church after church. Countless sermons have been preached about it. Innumerable books […]

Saved by grace through – how much? – faith

We are saved by grace. We are undeserving of it, yet recipients of God’s benevolent love all the same. In Ephesians, Paul also includes the prepositional phrase, “by faith” as a component to the process of salvation. That is, faith is not the cause of our salvation — grace through the work of Christ is […]

Today’s Quote – Salvation (Pink)

A. W. Pink: The nature of Christ’s salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day evangelist. He announces a Savior from hell rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered […]

Today’s Quote – Salvation (Anyabwile)

Thabiti Anyabwile, What is a Healthy Church Member?: Conversion is the radical turn from an enslaved life of pursuing sin to a free life of pursuing and worshipping God. Conversion is a change of life, not merely a decision. This change is not a matter of moral rectitude, self help or merely behavior modification. It […]

Today’s Quote – Redemption (Edwards)

Jonathan Edwards (The End for Which God Created the World; in God’s Passion for His Glory): …the glory of God is the ultimate end of the work of redemption, which is the chief work of providence towards the moral world, as is abundantly manifest from Scripture. For the whole universe is put in subjection to […]

Sunday Leftovers (5/24/09)

Preaching from Ephesians 1:7, John Calvin said, God puts our sins out of his remembrance and drowns them in the depths of the sea, and, moreover, receives the payment that was offered him in the person of his only Son. This is the gift of redemption that comes from God through the God-Man Jesus Christ. […]

Does God hate?

What does it mean when the Bible says, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Rom. 9:13)? Can God really hate people? (We know it is righteous to hate sin.) If so, how is that hatred righteous (as it must be for God to be God)? And what specifically did it mean when Paul quoted […]

Sunday Leftovers (5/3/09)

For all the questions that may be raised about the doctrine of divine, unconditional election, what is particularly striking about Ephesians 1:4 is its clarity and simplicity. That God was the one doing the choosing is unmistakable. That man is incapable of offering anything meritorious for his salvation, is also clear. God chose before the […]

Sunday Leftovers (4/26/09)

In preparation for yesterday’s message on Ephesians 1:4 (and the one or two that will follow it), I have not only done a fair bit of reading, but have also listened to a number of sermons that have benefited me. The ones I have linked below have been the greatest help to me. [Aside: I […]

Today’s Quote – God’s Wrath (Mahaney)

C. J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life: Not only will He leave nothing in that cup of wrath for us to drink…but today you and I find ourselves with another cup in our hands. It’s the cup of salvation. From this precious new cup we find ourselves drinking and drinking — drinking consistently, drinking […]