REFORMATION? I hear a lot about “reformation” in our day. There are reformed churches, reformed doctrine, reformed preachers and reformed believers, everything seems to be “reformed.” The word “reform” means to “improve” or to “make better.” If “reformation” means to improve myself or make myself better, then, I don’t need reformation! What I need is […]
Contrary Not Complicated The gospel does not remain a mystery to the natural man because it is complicated. The gospel remains a mystery because it is contrary to everything he believes to be true. It is contrary to his view of God. He will honour God with his lips but believe in his heart in […]
“LOVE…REJOICETH IN THE TRUTH” I Corinthians 13:6 As believers, we are bound to love our neighbours and even our enemies. But the special bond of brotherly love which we hold for our fellow-believers is the truth. The truth of the gospel is the foundation of reciprocal Christian love. We do not love each other because […]
Human guidance (Octavius Winslow, “The Fragrance of Christ’s Name” We have need to be on our watch against the powerful influence of spiritual mentors—lest, fascinated by the fame of some popular leader, we become the willing dupes of a childish superstition, or the blind followers of a fatal error. Do not take your views of Divine […]
True pilgrims!(from “Solitude Sweetened” by Octavius Winslow) Fellow pilgrims, the heavenly way we travelis more or less a lonely way. We have, atmost, but few companions. It is a “little flock,”and only here and there we meet a traveler, who,like ourselves, is journeying towards heaven. Because the way is narrow, difficult, andhumiliating to the flesh, […]
Self Promoting Preachers “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” (John 7:18) Multitudes there are, like Diotrephes, who fill the pulpits of churches in every age. Craving the honour of men and loving to […]
The love of the truth (J. C. Philpot, “The Valley of Achor” 1861) “They perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thess. 2:10 There is a receiving of ‘the truth’, and a receiving of ‘the love of the truth’. These two things widely differ. To […]
What is it to preach the gospel? “Salvation is, in its entirety, the work of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ. Election, redemption, justification, sanctification, and preservation are all works of grace alone, in no way conditioned upon the will, works, or worth of the sinner.” What Is it to Preach the Gospel? To […]
s Our Message Offensive? Paul called his message “the offense of the cross” (Galatians 5:11). Again and again he warned that the true Gospel of God’s grace and glory would meet with great opposition from the religious world and the natural world. “The preaching of the cross is foolishness” (I Corinthians 1:18). “The natural […]
The most hideous blasphemy ever to be spewed from the pit of darkness! (Don Fortner) Universal atonement is the most hideous blasphemy ever to be spewed from the pit of darkness! No greater blasphemy ever spewed from the pit of Hell, than the blasphemous assertion that Christ died to redeem the multitudes who suffer the […]