Hello all,
This post will be a three part post which I will post throughout today (May 17, 2011). The reason for this is that I see this as an issue that will insight much discussion (or anger) and therefore I have broken it into pieces to make for easier commenting/citing. It is my sincere hope that you read all of the posts before going back and commenting on individual posts. Additionally, understand that I mean for this to inspire awe in you, the reader, for it has done much awe-inspiring within my own heart and has been an area of great joy and giving of thankful praise to God.
May the God who brought to life again our Lord Jesus give us minds to comprehend, discernment to see and wisdom to be humble. May he, and he alone, receive all praise and honor.
Fight the good fight of faith,
Sam Morris
Romans 7:24-25
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(As you read be mindful of the fact we do not nor cannot comprehensively know our sovereign God and therefore we must cling all the more tightly to Scripture for in it we have the revelation of who He is as He has revealed himself.)
The sprinkler spun lazily around. The smoke wisps lingered in the air. The birds chirped in the honeysuckle, which wafted through the cool air. A good book and my feet perched on a table. The sun warming the breeze cooling me, while squirrels did acrobatics to get the birdseed. This was the scene a few hours ago.
Sounds good, right, like a completely underserved gift? This is something I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. Something many Christians have heard in various terms, whether they are ‘special grace, common grace’ or ‘unlimited limited atonement’ they’re the same things. But here’s the thought – and it will be one a lot of people don’t like – there is no such thing as common grace or unlimited atonement.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
This will be Controversial
I'm aware that this post will probably not be too popular for two reason: 1)Because the subject matter seems rather heartless, and 2) because of the difficulty of the language.
Romans 9:22-23
“Here it is evident the last verse comes in, in connection with the foregoing [Isaiah 43:3-4; Psalm 136:10; 10,15,17-20], as giving another reason of the destruction of the wicked, viz. showing the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy: higher degrees of their glory and happiness, in a relish of their own enjoyments, and a greater sense of their value and of God’s free grace in bestowing them”
“I am convinced that hell torments will be eternal from one great good the wisdom of God proposes by them, which is by the sight of them to exalt the happiness, the love, and joyful thanksgiving of the angels and men that are saved; which it tends exceedingly to do. I am ready to think that beholding the sight of the great miseries of those of their species that are damned will double the ardor of their love, and the fullness of the joy of the elect angels and men. It will do it in many ways. The sight of the wonderful power, great and dreadful majesty and authority and the awful justice and holiness of God manifested in their punishment will make them prize his favor and love exceedingly the more; and will excite a most exquisite love and thankfulness to him, that he chose them out from the rest to make them thus happy, that God did not make them such vessels of wrath, according to Romans 9:22-23”
~Jonathan Edwards “The End for which God Created the World” pg 226-227, footnote 85
Now, as to my first point of the unpopularity of this post I have this to say: This is not heartless, this is how Scripture presents the issue. In the beholding of the torments of the damned the redeemed will be all the more happy, thankful and joyful for, though nothing made them any better than those damned, God redeemed them from their just damnation for his own glory.
Romans 9:22-23
“Here it is evident the last verse comes in, in connection with the foregoing [Isaiah 43:3-4; Psalm 136:10; 10,15,17-20], as giving another reason of the destruction of the wicked, viz. showing the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy: higher degrees of their glory and happiness, in a relish of their own enjoyments, and a greater sense of their value and of God’s free grace in bestowing them”
“I am convinced that hell torments will be eternal from one great good the wisdom of God proposes by them, which is by the sight of them to exalt the happiness, the love, and joyful thanksgiving of the angels and men that are saved; which it tends exceedingly to do. I am ready to think that beholding the sight of the great miseries of those of their species that are damned will double the ardor of their love, and the fullness of the joy of the elect angels and men. It will do it in many ways. The sight of the wonderful power, great and dreadful majesty and authority and the awful justice and holiness of God manifested in their punishment will make them prize his favor and love exceedingly the more; and will excite a most exquisite love and thankfulness to him, that he chose them out from the rest to make them thus happy, that God did not make them such vessels of wrath, according to Romans 9:22-23”
~Jonathan Edwards “The End for which God Created the World” pg 226-227, footnote 85
Now, as to my first point of the unpopularity of this post I have this to say: This is not heartless, this is how Scripture presents the issue. In the beholding of the torments of the damned the redeemed will be all the more happy, thankful and joyful for, though nothing made them any better than those damned, God redeemed them from their just damnation for his own glory.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Remember
Often we forget the reason for which we are apart of something. Often seeing the occurrences around us as more important than the grand picture. Becoming overwhelmed by the smallest happenings with a band, a girl or a boy and now during finals, our grades.
But the difficulty is not realizing your eyes are staring at your feet in the mud rather than the glorious face of Jesus; the difficulty is moving the muscles in your neck to turn your gaze from the mire to the Redeemer. Seeing him as glorious as opposed to your state as overwhelming.
“But this is just a shifting of your focus away from the problem,” you might say. And I would agree, there is an element of this, however the purpose for shifting focus is not for forgetting, but for reminding. Looking to Jesus to be reminded that your biggest problem is taken care of, looking to Jesus to remember this world is not your home that though the flood comes and the valley is scary Jesus has fought our decisive battle and won.
Thus, the present situation becomes a light and momentary affliction for you are not looking for a solution your looking at the Redeemer. And it is here that the grace of God is felt most, for it is here that your heart sings and your eyes weep for joy, because the present task is simply a tool to be used in the same employment as the rest of creation, to glorify God.
But the difficulty is not realizing your eyes are staring at your feet in the mud rather than the glorious face of Jesus; the difficulty is moving the muscles in your neck to turn your gaze from the mire to the Redeemer. Seeing him as glorious as opposed to your state as overwhelming.
“But this is just a shifting of your focus away from the problem,” you might say. And I would agree, there is an element of this, however the purpose for shifting focus is not for forgetting, but for reminding. Looking to Jesus to be reminded that your biggest problem is taken care of, looking to Jesus to remember this world is not your home that though the flood comes and the valley is scary Jesus has fought our decisive battle and won.
Thus, the present situation becomes a light and momentary affliction for you are not looking for a solution your looking at the Redeemer. And it is here that the grace of God is felt most, for it is here that your heart sings and your eyes weep for joy, because the present task is simply a tool to be used in the same employment as the rest of creation, to glorify God.
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