What Makes a Man Marriage Material?

We live in an era in which godly masculinity and femininity have been undermined so much that many people are left wondering what to look for in a potential spouse. More than that, maybe you have had bad examples of marriage in your life and these experiences have left scars. What does a godly marriage even look like anyway? All these issues can make choosing a marriage partner a rather daunting prospect.

When considering a potential partner there are so many things we think about – Are our personalities compatible? Do we have common interests? Do we have chemistry? Are our career paths compatible with each other? With so many factors to consider, it is easy to lose perspective of the most important considerations and we can end up making crucial decisions rather haphazardly. So if we have a healthy, godly marriage as an end goal, what are the most important characteristics to look for in a potential husband?

A passionate worshipper of God

There are many people who go by the title of “Christian” but a genuine God-worshipper is easy to spot. How can they be identified? Well, how do you tell when a man is passionate about rugby or surfing or anything else? They enjoy it, they talk about it, they prioritize it. They bubble over with their passion for it. When it comes to marriage, you want a guy who’s biggest passion is Christ and his kingdom. There could be nothing more painful, nothing more pathetic than being married to a guy who is constantly pursuing meaningless, trivial things, and going down one rabbit-trail after the next. Guys tend to get what they go after. If it’s God he’s after, he’s a keeper.

A good leader

Probably one of the most fundamentally important aspects implicit in the question 'What makes a man marriage material?' has to do with the role of a husband within marriage. If a man's responsibility is to bring a Christ-centered vision to his family and to lead his wife into that vision (and it is), then his ability to lead well is absolutely crucial. 

But how can you tell if he is a good leader? To answer that question ask another question, ‘Does he lead himself well?’ Does his life have direction and purpose, or does he always seem to be on another tangent? Does he pursue the things of Christ consistently or does he blow hot and cold? Does he make a lot of excuses for why he is not doing the things which he knows he really should be? Does he keep changing jobs? Does he have a job? Would you describe him as a man who takes responsibility for the things he cherishes most? If every person in your church walked out their faith like he did, would your church be a healthy church?

A man under authority

This relates to the previous point. If he is going to lead you, who is leading him? To be in authority but not accountable to any man is a very dangerous thing. One of God’s safety measures against abuse of authority is accountability to a higher authority. Men have a tendency toward independence and kicking against authority which they need to wrestle with and overcome. Don’t marry a maverick! There is safety in healthy community and genuine accountability. If these things are not being lived out in his life then he cannot be a safe place for you.

A teachable man

It takes a community to make a healthy marriage. If you both try and ‘figure marriage out” on your own you will have many painful years of banging heads. It is as we grow into the image of Christ as individuals that our marriage gets more and more healthy and peaceful. The minute we stop growing in maturity as individuals is the moment our marriage will stagnate. But in order to grow we need to be humble and willing to learn. We need to accept when people point out our faults and learn from our mistakes. Learning and growing requires that I be humble and teachable. An arrogant and obstinate husband will cause you untold heartache and pain. So, how does he respond when he gets corrected?

A kind man

This may seem like an arbitrary point but I make it because men don’t naturally tend toward kindness and gentleness the way that women often do. If he is gentle and kind he has probably been spending time with Jesus. This is doubly important because a man who is harsh and impatient can be very intimidating and destructive for a woman in a marriage relationship.

As a man myself I confess that I do not embody all of these qualities all of the time! But I strive to be this kind of man and I am growing in these qualities more and more. I’m not the man I want to be but I’m definitely not the man that I used to be! There are times when I fail and I do things and say things which are irresponsible, rebellious, prideful, selfish and unkind. Having said that, this is not the general pattern of my life. I think it is important to make this distinction. The most you can trust for in a marriage partner is someone who is growing in the right direction. Someone who is demonstrably committed to the process of being transformed into the image of Christ.  A man who is marriage material is not a man who never fails but a main who has properly surrendered to Christ in these areas and has proven himself to be trustworthy over time

Passionate Worship - Post 30

I’ll never forget the first time it happened... We were in the second song of the customary first set of “three quick ones” and I was mid-hop in that most exuberant of dance expressions – the Jolly Jump. All of a sudden my left calf muscle violently seized up and refused to worship God even one hop further. Despite my incessant rebuking, the unrepentant calf muscle refused to offer any further assistance. This was the first humiliating failure of this kind that I ever experienced in worship but I’m afraid it was not the last.

When faced with the embarrassing prospect of such post-thirty, mid-worship “failures to launch”, many of my age cohort retreat to the chairs in abject disillusionment. It is a migration which bears an uncanny parallel to the “migration to the suburbs” which this same age-cohort often undergoes (I moved to Milnerton). The suburbs are cheaper, they are safer, the roads are wider, the cars drive slower, the parks are bigger. The chairs in the church represent much of the same.

If you identify with the scenario I have just described, don’t give up hope. Your disillusionment need not necessitate an end to your extravagant display of worship. A few practical adjustments to your worship technique is all you need.

1. Timing your exuberance

When you were younger you may have sprung around with joyful abandon throughout the length of any (or every) song. In your hey-day your energy was “uncapped”, now your energy comes very much in “bundles”. This is why timing your exuberance could make all the difference. We have probably all undergone that humiliating fate when we got too exuberant too early in the song and got caught “flat-footed” when the chorus reached its crescendo. The moral of the story – don’t peak too soon.

2. Efficiency of movement

As you grow older you need to get wiser regarding the efficiency of one dance technique over against another. The Jolly Jump may be regarded as the peak of spiritual dance style but it is far from the most energy efficient! Try swaying your hips and swinging your arms as an alternative and you are guaranteed to improve your chances of going the distance.

3. Inconspicuous stretching

The importance of pre-worship warm-ups cannot be over-emphasized. We probably all know this but how do you stretch out all the muscles in church without looking like an idiot?! Here are a few techniques that may help you to loosen up without looking unspiritual:

• Offer to assist unpacking a few chairs for the visitors just before worship begins.
• Hug a brother enthusiastically to crack any misaligned vertebras back where they belong.
• Bend down and greet a toddler.
• While all eyes are closed during the opening prayer, give all those problematic muscles a sneaky stretch.

4. “Be still” and recuperate

Of the many forms that passionate worship can take, there are those moments to just be still and reflect. Never before have those moments of stillness been so vital to your longevity in worship. A few minutes of stillness can provide much needed rest to over-exerted muscles and an opportunity to catch your breath.

5. Kneel and shift

Kneeling can also provide desperate relief when you are completely out of breath but it comes with its own dangers. Most of us will know the agony that can follow after kneeling in the same position for too long and all the muscles begin to seize. To be found clutching your body and convulsed by muscle spasm when the congregation have already moved on to the next song must surely be the fulfilment of every post 30 adult’s worst fear. To avoid cramping, keep shifting your weight and adjusting your body position while kneeling.

If you master these worship techniques there is absolutely no reason why you cannot continue to worship with abandon and give those youngsters a role model to look up to. If you found this article helpful, be sure to look out for the next article in the series – Passionate worship with a child on your hip

Wesley - An Earnest Appeal (modernized)

There are some sermons, no matter how many hundred years old, that survive the retelling, indeed, need to be told! I believe this is one of them. This is not the whole work (it was a pamphlet originally) but rather the first part of the piece. I have also produced an audio rendition of my own for those who would prefer to hear the sermon spoken and attached that file at the end of this article.

An Earnest Appeal To Men of Reason and Religion

"Does our Law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?" John 7:51.

1. ALTHOUGH we “care very little if we are judged by you or by any human court” because we know that God will “make our righteous reward shine like the dawn, our vindication like the noonday sun.” yet we are ready to give a plain account to any who are willing to hear, both of our principles and of our actions; as those who have “renounced secret and shameful ways”, we desire nothing more “than by setting forth the truth plainly to commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.”

2. We see the countless follies and miseries of our fellow human beings. We see, on every side, either men of no religion at all, or men of a lifeless, formal religion. We are grieved at the sight of it; and we would greatly rejoice, if by any means we might convince some that there is a better religion to be had, — a religion which is worthy of the God who gave it. We are convinced that this religion is none other than love; the love of God and the love of all mankind. To love God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, as the God who has first loved us, as the fountain of all the good that we have received, and all we ever hope to enjoy. And secondly, it is loving every soul which God has made, every person on earth, as our very selves.

3. We believe this love to be the medicine of life, the never-failing remedy for all the evils of a chaotic world, for all the miseries and evils of men. Wherever this love is, will be righteousness and happiness going hand in hand. In this love there is humbleness of mind, gentleness, long-suffering, the whole image of God; and at the same time a peace that surpasses all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind;

Each prayer accepted, and each wish resign’d;

Desires composed, affections ever even,

Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to heaven.

4. We long to see this  religion established in the world, a religion of love, and joy, and peace, having its seat in the inmost soul, but forever revealing itself by its fruits, continually springing forth, not only in all innocence, but also in every kind of grace, spreading goodness and happiness all around it.

5. We have been seeking this religion for many years, as many know, if they would testify: But all this time, while seeking wisdom, we could not find it, we spent our energy in vain. But now that we have full conviction of this, we declare it to all mankind; for we don’t want others to wander out of the way, as we have done before them. But rather that they may go directly to the religion of love, by faith.

6. Now, if we suppose the Scriptures to be of God, we know that faith is, “the demonstrative evidence of things which are unseen,” it is the supernatural evidence of things which are invisible, the things which are not perceivable by eyes of flesh, or by any of our natural senses or faculties. Faith is that divine evidence by which the spiritual man discerns God, and the things of God. Faith is to the spiritual world, what our senses are in the natural world. Faith is the spiritual sensation of every soul that is born of God.

7. Perhaps you have not considered faith in this way. So let me explain it a bit more. According to the Scriptures, faith is the eye of the newborn soul. By this, every true believer in God “can see him who is invisible.” Since life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel, it is in this way that we “see the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ;” and we see “what kind of love it is which the Father has lavished on us that we,” who are born of the Spirit, “should be called the sons of God.” Faith is the ear of the soul, by which a sinner “hears the voice of the Son of God, and lives”. This is the same voice which alone can awaken the dead and say “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Faith is the palate of the soul; for by it a believer can “taste the Word of God, and the powers of the age to come;” and by it “he both tastes and sees that God is gracious,” yes, “and merciful to him a sinner.”

Faith is the feeling of the soul, by which a believer perceives, both the existence and the presence of God in whom “he lives and moves, and has his being”. In fact he perceives the whole invisible world, the entire system of things eternal. It is by this faith that he feels “the love of God shed abroad in his heart.”

8. By this faith we are saved from all anxiety, from the pain of a wounded spirit, from discontent, from fear and sadness of heart, and from that inexpressible apathy and weariness, both of the world and of ourselves, which we were trapped in for so many years. In this faith we can find that love of God, and the love of all mankind which we couldn’t find anywhere else. We know this and feel this so passionately that we cannot but declare that this faith saves every one who takes part in it. It saves us both from sin and misery, from every unhappy and every unholy state of mind.

Soft peace she brings, wherever she arrives;

She builds our quiet, as she forms our lives;

Lays the rough paths of peevish nature even,

And opens in each breast a little heaven.

9. If you ask, “Then why doesn’t everyone have this faith? At least everyone who believes it to be such a blessed thing? Why don’t they believe immediately?”

We will answer from the Scriptures, “Faith is the gift of God.” No man is able to find it in himself. It is a work of God’s power. It requires as much power to revive a dead soul, as it would to raise a body that lies dead in the grave. It is a new creation and no one can renew the soul of a person except God who created the heavens and the earth right in the beginning.

10. Doesn’t your own experience teach you this? Can you give yourself this faith? Is it now in your power to see, or hear, or taste, or feel God? Have you already, or can you raise in yourself, any perception of God, or of an invisible world? I suppose you do not deny that there is an invisible world?

Now, is there any power in your soul by which you discern either these, or God who created them? Or, can all your wisdom and strength open up communication between yourself and the world of spirits? Is it in your power to burst the veil that is on your heart, and let the light of eternity come in? You know it is not. You not only do not, but cannot, by your own strength, believe in this way. The more you work at it, the more you will be convinced that - “it is the gift of God.”

11. It is the free gift of God, which he gives, not to those who are worthy of his favour, not to those who were already holy, and because of their holiness are eligibly to be crowned with all the blessings of his goodness. Rather, he gives it to the ungodly and unholy; to those who up until that very hour were eligible only for everlasting destruction; those to whom had not a single good thing to their credit and whose only plea was, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” No merit, no goodness in man comes before the forgiving love of God. His forgiving mercy requires nothing of us but an awareness of our sin and misery. But to all who see, and feel, and acknowledge their failings, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the sake of Christ, in whom he is always “well pleased.”

John Wesley - The Righteousness That is by Faith (Modernized)

This article needs some introduction because, well, it is flagrant plagiarism. I have long been an avid fan of John Wesley. Truth be told, when I read his sermons I doubt that I have ever preached a sermon in my life. Oh well, I suppose we all need goals. I frequently read or listen to a recording of someone reading Wesley's sermons as a kind of morning devotional. This edifies me immensely but I have often found the outdated mode of language which Wesley uses to be a bit frustrating and tiring. In order to remove this obstacle I have attempted to modernize the language in this sermon of his and (with a flourish) present the resulting product to you here. I have also produced an audio rendition of my own for those who would prefer to hear the sermon spoken and attached those files at the end of this article. Enjoy! 

The Righteousness that is by Faith

“Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: (Romans 10:5-8) “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim." 

1. The Apostle is not setting the covenant given by Moses up against the covenant given by Christ. If we ever imagined this, it would be because we neglected to notice that the last as well as the first part of these words were both spoken by Moses to the people of Israel, and he was speaking about the covenant which they had at that time. (Deut. 30:11, 12, 14.) But it is the covenant of grace, which God, through Christ, has established with men in all ages, (both before and under the Jewish dispensation, and since God was manifest in the flesh,) which Paul here sets up against the covenant of works, made with Adam while in Paradise, but commonly thought to be the only covenant which God had made with man, particularly by those Jews who the Apostle writes about.

2. Of these Jews it was that he so affectionately speaks in the beginning of this chapter: "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness," (of the justification that flows from his pure grace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son whom he loves, through the redemption which is in Jesus,) "and seeking to establish their own righteousness," (their own holiness, coming before faith in "him that justifies the ungodly," as the foundation of their forgiveness and acceptance,) "have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God," and therefore seek death in the error of their life.

3. They were ignorant that "Christ is the end of the Law, in order to bring righteousness to everyone who believes." - that, by the sacrifice of himself offered once, he put an end to the first law or covenant, (which, indeed, was not given by God to Moses, but to Adam in his state of innocence,) the strict meaning was, without any reduction or removal, "Do this, and live;" and, at the same time, purchased for us that better covenant, "Believe, and live;" believe, and you will be saved; saved now, both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence, from the wages of it.

4. And so many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are called by the name of Christ! There are still many who now have a "zeal for God," yet do not have it "according to knowledge;" but are still seeking "to establish their own righteousness," as the foundation for their forgiveness and acceptance; and therefore, fervently refuse to "submit themselves to the righteousness of God!" Surely my heart's desire, and prayer to God for you, brothers, is, that you may be saved. And, in order to remove this big stumbling-block out of your way, I will try to show:

First, what "righteousness is, which is of the law;" and what "righteousness is which is of faith;"

Secondly, the foolishness of trusting in the righteousness of the law; and

Thirdly, the wisdom of submitting to that which is of faith.

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Part I.

1. And, First, "the righteousness which is of the law says, the person who does these things will live by them." Constantly and perfectly obey all these things to do them, and then you will live for ever. This law, or covenant, (usually called the Covenant of Works,) given by God to man in Paradise, required an obedience which is perfect in all its parts, entire and lacking nothing, as the condition for his eternal enjoyment of the holiness and happiness which he was created in.

2. It required that man should fulfil all righteousness, inward and outward, negative and positive: That he should not only keep himself from every idle word, and avoid every evil deed, but should keep every affection, every desire, every thought, in obedience to the will of God: That he should continue holy, as he who created him is holy, both in heart, and in all manner of conversation: That he should be pure in heart, even as God is pure; perfect as his Father in heaven is perfect: That he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength; that he should love every soul which God had made, even as God has loved him: That by this universal love and kindness, he should remain in God, (who is love,) and God in him: That he should serve the Lord his God with all his strength, and in all things only aim at his glory.

3. These were the things which the righteousness of the law required, that he who did them might live by it. But more than that, it required, that this entire obedience to God, this inward and outward holiness, this conformity both of heart and life to his will, should be perfect in degree. No reduction or removal, no allowance could possibly be made, for falling short in any degree, as to any jot or tittle, either of the outward or the inward law. If every commandment, relating to outward things, was obeyed, that would still not be sufficient unless every one was obeyed with all of your strength, in the highest measure, and most perfect manner. Nor would it meet the demand of this covenant, to love God with every power and faculty, unless he were loved with the full capacity of each, with the whole possibility of the soul.

4. One thing more was indispensably required by the righteousness of the law, namely, that this universal obedience, this perfect holiness both of heart and life, should be perfectly uninterrupted also, should continue without any intermission, from the moment when God created man, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, until the days of his trial are ended, and he should be confirmed in life everlasting.

5. The righteousness, then, which is of the law, speaks in this way: "You, O man of God, stand firm in love, in the image of God in which you are made. If you remain in life, keep the commandments, which are now written in your heart. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love, as yourself, every soul that he has made. Desire nothing but God. Aim at God in every thought, in every word and deed. Swerve not, in one motion of body or soul, from him, your mark, and the prize of your high calling; and let all that is in you praise his holy name, every power and faculty of your soul, in every kind, in every degree, and at every moment of your existence. `Do this, and you will live:' Your light will shine, your love will flame more and more, till you are received up into the house of God in the heavens, to reign with him for ever and ever."

6. "But the righteousness which is of faith speaks in this way: Say not in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down from above;" (as though it were some impossible task which God required of you to perform in order to be accepted;) or, "Who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ from the dead;" (as though that were still remaining to be done, so that you could be accepted;) "but what does it say? The word, "according to the meaning of which you may now be accepted as an heir of life eternal, "is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is the message concerning faith that we proclaim." - the new covenant which God has now established with sinful man, through Christ Jesus.

7. By "the righteousness which is of faith" is meant, that condition of justification, (and, in consequence, of present and final salvation, if we endure in it until the end,) which was given by God to fallen man, through the merits and mediation of his only-begotten Son. This was in part revealed to Adam, soon after his fall; being contained in the original promise, made to him and his seed, concerning the Seed of the Woman, who would "bruise the serpent's head." (Gen. 3:15.) It was a little more clearly revealed to Abraham, by the angel of God from heaven, saying, "By myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that in your seed shall all the nations of the world be blessed." (Gen. 12:15, 18.) It was yet more fully made known to Moses, to David, and to the Prophets that followed; and, through them, to many of the people of God in their respective generations. But still the bulk even of these were ignorant of it; and very few understood it clearly. Still "life and immortality" were not so "brought to light" to the Jews of old, as they are now to us "by the gospel."

8. Now, this covenant does not say to sinful man, "Perform obedience without sinning, and live." If these were the terms then we would have no more benefit from all which Christ has done and suffered for us, than if we were required to "ascend into heaven, and bring Christ down from above;" or to "descend into the deep," into the invisible world, and "bring Christ up from the dead." It does not require any impossibility to be done: (Although to mere man, what it requires would be impossible; but not to man assisted by the Spirit of God:) This would only mock our human weakness. Indeed, strictly speaking, the covenant of grace does not require us to do anything at all, as absolutely and indispensably necessary for our justification; but only, to believe in Him who, because of his Son, and the propitiation which he has made, "justifies the ungodly that do not work," and credits to them righteousness because of their faith. Even so Abraham "believed the LORD, and God counted it to him as righteousness." (Gen. 15:6.) "He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well." (Rom. 4:11.) "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it," i.e., faith, "was credited to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be credited," to whom righteousness shall be credited for faith, and it shall stand in the place of perfect obedience, in order for us to be accepted by God, "if we believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered" to death "because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." (Rom. 4:23-25:) For the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, and of a second life to come, for those who believe.

9. What does the covenant of forgiveness say then, of unmerited love, of pardoning mercy? "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." In the day that you believe, you will surely live. You will be restored to the favour of God; and in his pleasure is life. You will be saved from the curse, and from the wrath of God. You will be made alive, from the death of sin into the life of righteousness. And if you endure to the end, believing in Jesus, you will never taste the second death; but, having suffered with your Lord, will also live and reign with him for ever and ever.

10. Now, "this word is near you." This condition of life is plain, easy, always at hand. "it is in your mouth and in your heart," through the operation of the Spirit of God. The moment "you believe in your heart" in him whom God "has raised from the dead," and "confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus," as your Lord and your God, "you will be saved" from condemnation, from the guilt and punishment of your former sins, and will have power to serve God in true holiness all the remaining days of your life.

11. What is the difference then between the "righteousness which is of the law," and the "righteousness which is of faith? - between the first covenant, or the covenant of works, and the second, the covenant of grace? The essential, unchangeable difference is this: The one assumes that the person to whom it is given is already holy and happy, created in the image and enjoying the favour of God; and prescribes the requirements for which he may continue in this happy state, in love and joy, life and immortality: The other covenant assumes that the person to whom it is given is now unholy and unhappy, fallen short of the glorious image of God, having the wrath of God remaining on him, because of  sin, by which his soul is dead, to bodily death, and death everlasting; and to man in this state it prescribes the requirements by which he may regain the pearl he has lost, may recover the favour and image of God, may retrieve the life of God in his soul, and be restored to the knowledge and the love of God, which is the beginning of life eternal.

12. Again: The covenant of works, in order for people to remain in the favour of God, in his knowledge and love, in holiness and happiness, required of perfect man a perfect and uninterrupted obedience to every point of the law of God. Whereas, the covenant of grace, in order for people to recover the favour and the life of God, requires only faith; living faith in Him who, through God, justifies him who has not obeyed.

13. Yet, again: The covenant of works required of Adam and all of his children, to pay the price themselves, in which case they would receive all the future blessings of God. But, in the covenant of grace, seeing we have nothing to pay, God "simply forgives us all:" Provided only, that we believe in Him who has paid the price for us; who has given himself a "Propitiation for our sins, for the sins of the whole world."

14. Thus the first covenant required what is now afar off from all the children of men; namely, unsinning obedience, which is far from those who are "conceived and born in sin." Whereas, the second requires what is near at hand; as though it should say, "You are a sinner! God is love! You, because of sin have fallen short of the glory of God; yet there is mercy with him. Bring then all your sins to the forgiving God, and they shall vanish away like a cloud. If you were not ungodly, there would be no opportunity for him to justify you as ungodly. But now draw near, in full assurance of faith. He speaks, and it is done. Fear not, only believe; for even the God who is just justifies all that believe in Jesus."

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Part II.

1. These things considered, it would be easy to show, as I proposed to do in the Second place, the foolishness of trusting in the "righteousness which is of the law," and the wisdom of submitting to "the righteousness which is of faith."

The foolishness of those who still trust in the "righteousness which is of the law," which depended on the requirement, "Do this, and live," may become very obvious based on the fact that they set out wrong; their very first step is a fundamental mistake: For, before they can ever think of claiming any blessing on the terms of this covenant, they must think of themselves to be in the state of Adam, with whom this covenant was made. But how futile an assumption is this; since Adam was in a state of innocence! How weak, therefore, must that whole building be, which stands on such a foundation! And how foolish are they who build like this on the sand! Who seem never to have considered, that the covenant of works was not given to man when he was "dead in trespasses and sins," but when he was alive to God, when he knew no sin, but was holy as God is holy; who forget, that it was never designed for the recovery of the favour and life of God being lost, but only for the keeping and increase of it, till it should be complete in life everlasting.

2. Neither do they consider, who are in this way seeking to establish their "own righteousness, which is of the law," what kind of obedience or righteousness the law essentially requires. It must be perfect and complete in every point, or else it will not meet the demand of the law. But which of you is able to perform this kind of obedience; or, to live it out thereafter? Who among you fulfils every jot and tittle even of the outward commandments of God? Doing nothing, great or small, which God forbids? leaving nothing undone which he commands? Speaking no idle word? Having your conversation always "helpful to give grace to those who listen?" And, "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, doing all to the glory of God?" And how much less are you able to fulfil all the inward commandments of God! Those which require that every attitude and motion of your soul be holiness unto the Lord! Are you able to "love God with all your heart?" To love all mankind as your own soul? To "pray without ceasing? In every thing to give thanks?" To have God always before you? And to keep every affection, desire, and thought, in obedience to his law?

3. You should further consider, that the righteousness of the law requires you not only to obey every command of God, negative and positive, internal and external, but also in the perfect degree. In every single instance, the voice of the law is, "You shall serve the Lord your God with all your strength." It does not allow easing off of any kind: It excuses no defect: It condemns every short coming of the full measure of obedience, and immediately pronounces a curse on the offender: It regards only the unwavering rules of justice, and says, "I do not know to show any mercy."

4. Who then can appear before such a Judge, who is "extreme to note what is done wrong?" How weak are they who desire to be tried at the bar where "no flesh alive can be justified!" - none of the offspring of Adam. For, imagine we did now keep every commandment with all our strength; just a single breach, what ever it was, utterly destroys our whole claim to life. If we have ever offended in any one point, this righteousness is ended. For the law condemns everyone who does not perform uninterrupted as well as perfect obedience. According to this judgement, for the one who sins even once, in any degree, "there remains only a fearful expectation of fiery indignation, which will devour the enemies" of God.

5. Is it not then the very foolishness of folly, for fallen man to look for life by this righteousness? For man, who was "sinful at birth, sinful from the time his mother conceived him?" Man, who is, by nature, all "earthly, unspiritual, demonic;" altogether corrupt and detestable;" in whom, till he finds grace, "dwells no good thing;"  who cannot even think one good thing of himself; who is in fact all sin, a mere lump of ungodliness, and who commits sin in every breath he breathes; whose actual transgressions, in word and deed, are more in number than the hairs of his head? What stupidity, what irrationality must it be for such an unclean, guilty, helpless worm as this, to dream of seeking acceptance by his own righteousness, of living by "the righteousness which is of the law!"

6. Now, whatever considerations prove the foolishness of trusting in the "righteousness which is of the law," prove equally to show the wisdom of submitting to the "righteousness which is of God by faith." This was easy to show with regard to each of the considerations I have just made. But, even without these considerations, the wisdom of the first step in this, the denying of our own righteousness, plainly appears from this, that it is acting according to truth, to the real nature of things. For, what is it more, than to acknowledge, with our heart as well as lips, the true state which we are in? To acknowledge that we bring with us into the world a corrupt, sinful nature; more corrupt, indeed, than we can easily imagine, or find words to express? That because of this we are prone to all that is evil, and opposed to all that is good; that we are full of pride, self will, disobedient passions, foolish desires, despicable and excessive affections; lovers of the world, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? That our lives have been no better than our hearts, that they are in many ways ungodly and unholy. Truthfully, our actual sins, both in word and deed, have been as many as the stars of heaven. On all these accounts, we are displeasing to Him who is of purer eyes than to look on sin, and deserve nothing from him but indignation and wrath and death, the due wages of sin. We cannot, by any of our righteousness, (for indeed we have none at all,) nor by any of our works, (for they are as the tree upon which they grow,) appease the wrath of God, or turn away the punishment we have justly deserved; in fact, if we are left to ourselves, we shall only get worse and worse, sink deeper and deeper into sin, offend God more and more, both with our evil works, and with the evil state of our carnal mind, till we fill up the measure of our sins, and bring upon ourselves swift destruction. And is this not the very state which by nature we are in? To acknowledge this, then, both with our heart and lips, is to renounce our own righteousness, "the righteousness which is of the law." It is to act according to the real nature of things, and, consequently, it is an act of true wisdom.

7. The wisdom of submitting to "the righteousness of faith" can further be shown from this consideration, that it is the righteousness of God: I mean here, it is that method of reconciliation with God which has been chosen and established by God himself, not only as he is the God of wisdom, but as he is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, and of every creature which he has made. Now, as it is not appropriate for man to say to God, "What are you doing?" - as no one who is not utterly devoid of understanding, will challenge One that is mightier than him, especially the One whose kingdom rules over all. So it is true wisdom, it is a mark of sound understanding, to accept whatever he has chosen; to say in this, as in all things, "It is the Lord: Let him do what seems good to him."

8. A further consideration is that it was of sheer grace, of free love, of undeserved mercy, that God has granted to sinful man any way of reconciliation with himself, that we were not cut away from his hand, and utterly blotted out of his memory. Therefore, whatever method he is pleased to choose, of his tender mercy, of his unmerited goodness, by which his enemies, who have so deeply revolted from him, so long and obstinately rebelled against him, may still find favour in his sight, it is no doubt our wisdom to accept it with all thankfulness.

9. To mention just one more consideration. It is wisdom to aim at the best end by the best means. Now the best end which any creature can pursue is, happiness in God. And the best end a fallen creature can pursue is, the recovery of the favour and image of God. But the best, indeed the only, means under heaven given to a man, by which he may regain the favour of God, which is better than life itself, or the image of God, which is the true life of the soul, is by submitting to the "righteousness which is of faith," by believing in the only-begotten Son of God.

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Part III.

1. Therefore, whoever desires to be forgiven and reconciled to the favour of God, do not say in your heart, "I must first do this; I must first conquer every sin; break off every evil word and deed, and do every good to all men; or, I must first go to church, receive the Lord's Supper, hear more sermons, and say more prayers." Unfortunately, my brother you have already gone clean out of the way. You are still "ignorant of the righteousness of God," and you are "seeking to establish your own righteousness," as the foundation of your reconciliation. Don’t you know that you cannot do anything but sin, until you are reconciled with God? Why then do you say," I must first do this and this, and then I will believe?" No,  first believe! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Propitiation for your sins. Let this good foundation be laid first, and then you will do all things well.

2. Neither must you say in your heart, "I cannot be accepted yet, because I am not good enough." Who is good enough - who ever was - to have earned acceptance at God's hands? Was there ever any child of Adam good enough for this? Or will anyone before the consummation of all things? And as for you, you are not good at all: No good thing lives in you. And you never will be until you believe in Jesus. Instead, you will find yourself getting worse and worse. But is there any need of being worse, in order to be accepted? Aren’t you bad enough already? Indeed you are, and God knows. And you cannot deny it. So don’t delay. All things are ready now. "Get up and wash away your sins." The fountain is open. Now is the time to wash yourself white in the blood of the Lamb. Now he will "cleanse" you as "with hyssop," and you will "be clean:" He will "wash" you, and you will "be whiter than snow."

3. Do not say, "But I am not remorseful enough: I am not aware enough of my sins." I know it. I would to God that you were more aware of them, a thousand fold more repentant  than you are. But do not wait for this. It may be that God will make you so, not before you believe, but by believing. It may be that you will not weep much till you love much because you have had much forgiven. In the mean time, look to Jesus. Look, how he loves you! What more could he have done for you which he has not done?

Look steadily at him, until he looks on you, and breaks your hard heart. Then will your "head" be "a stream of waters," and your "eyes fountains of tears."

4. Neither should you say, "I must do something more before I come to Christ." I allow that, if your Lord should delay his coming, it would be appropriate and right for you to wait for his appearing, but you will wait by doing, so far as you have power, whatever he has commanded you. However, there is no cause for making such an assumption. How do you know that he will delay? Perhaps he will appear, as the dawn from on high, before the morning light. O do not set him a time! Expect him every hour. He is near! Even at the door!

5. And for what reason would you wait for more sincerity, before your sins are blotted out? To make you more worthy of the grace of God? You are still "establishing your own righteousness." He will have mercy, not because you are worthy of it, but because his compassion does not fail; not because you are righteous, but because Jesus Christ has atoned for your sins.

Again, if there be anything good in sincerity, why do you expect it before you have faith? - seeing that faith itself is the only root of whatever is really good and holy.

Above all, how long will you forget, that whatever you do, or whatever you have, it will get you nothing from God by way of forgiveness? Yes, and that it must all be thrown behind your back, trampled under foot, made of no account, or you will never find favour in God's sight; because, until then, you cannot ask for it, as a mere sinner, guilty, lost, undone, having nothing to plead, nothing to offer to God, but only the merits of his well-beloved Son, "who loved you, and gave himself for you!"

6. To conclude. Whoever you are, O man, who has the sentence of death in yourself, who feels yourself a condemned sinner, and the wrath of God hovering over you: The Lord does not say to you, "Do this," - perfectly obey all my commands, - "and live;" but, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." "The word of faith is near to you:" Now, at this instant, in the present moment, and in your present state, sinner as you are, just as you are, believe the gospel; and "He will forgive your wickedness and will remember your sins no more"
 

Surprised by Sin

Sin is such an unnatural and surprising thing that our first instinct is to explain our sins away, either by blaming our actions on other people or blaming them on our circumstances. This is a natural human response, but there must come a moment in our lives when we are utterly devastated and disturbed by the wickedness inside of our hearts. For David it happened when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband to hide his treachery. After the prophet Nathan confronted him on this he realized that it was his own wicked heart that was to blame and he cried out in prayer –

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12

A new heart and the Holy Spirit

In response to the heart felt prayer of David and all those who pray it after him, God responds with the promise of the New Covenant prophesied through the prophet Ezekiel,

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will be careful to observe my ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be my people, and I will be your God.” Ezek 36:26-28

This promise gives great hope to anyone that has prayed the desperate prayer of David; anyone who wants true change and not merely behaviour modification. In this single, powerful prophesy we are given the hope of:

1. a new heart,

2. the Holy Spirit,

3. a new home,

4. and a new people.

Please realize, this is the most radical identity change that a person can undergo!

To Nicodemas, a very sincere inquirer who was asking Jesus how he could inherit the kingdom of God, we may have expected Jesus to answer him something about the most important commandment, or something he needs to do, but instead Jesus said,

“no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again… unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:5,6

After the new heart and the Spirit is given

Both the new heart and the new Spirit are works and gifts of the Father which cannot be received by our own work or ability, this life can only be found in Christ. Our responsibility is to “guard our hearts” and take good care of them. Jesus spoke about our new hearts using a farming analogy (Mat 13). As we respond to the work of his grace - our hearts grow increasingly humble. Jesus calls this “soft soil”. The “seed” is the word of God and the Spirit makes the new life spring up.

Unfortunately, Satan also sows seeds in our hearts. These seeds take the shape of: lies, offence, bitterness, disappointment, misunderstanding, abuse, distractions and many other forms. This lead one man in scripture to exclaim in surprise: “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?” To which the Master replied, “An enemy has done this” (Mat 13:27-28).

I’m sure many of us can identify with the dismay which the servant expresses. If it was devastating to discover evil in my heart as an unbeliever, it is even more so as a born-again Christian! The “weeds” that spring up overnight in our lives should not cause us to doubt that we are regenerated children of our heavenly Father - they are sown by our enemy! It is vital to recognize these weeds early and pluck them out at the root through heart-felt repentance. As you do this you will once again experience God’s grace which empowers you in his holiness, you will feel intimacy with the Father once again, and you will be reminded that you are children of God and no longer orphans estranged from his love. This is one of the most crucial disciplines of the born-again believer.

We are now free to follow the Holy Spirit by obeying all the words of Christ and remaining sensitive to his quiet, moral promptings in our conscience. The more we give ourselves over to this obedience from the heart, the more of the life and holiness of God we will enjoy. 

Why is Jesus weeping?

“Yeah, he’s ice cool, he’s hardly a push-over. He’ll keep his pose come hell or high water.”

These words come from a poem I wrote quite a while back called Iceman. It was a poem about God and his master plan for this earth and my life. 

I think that the view I had of God is a widely held view. It’s a sad view, it’s a crushing, demoralizing, suffocating view of God which should be written down only so that it can be burned along with all its sentiments. It is the view that God has a heart made of solid ice and he makes cool, nay, cold, calculating decisions regarding our fate as humans, regardless of the human or emotional cost. 

Let me reference a story I have recently rediscovered in an attempt to dispel this unfortunate myth. It’s a story about Jesus and his friends whose names were Mary, Martha and Lazarus. As the story goes, Jesus was away on a missionary trip when all of a sudden his dear friend Lazarus took very ill. Seeing that his condition was serious, the sisters – Mary and Martha, sent for him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill”. In response to this sobering news Jesus does a very curious thing – he delays his trip to visit Lazarus for two more days knowing full well that Lazarus was knocking on death’s door!

When Jesus finally arrives at the place where these friends of his live, Lazarus is already dead. Mary voices the thoughts that many of us share in her situation, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” It’s an excruciating, pathetic cry of desperation. In other words, “Where the hell were you God?!” Jesus’ response to the whole situation is astounding,

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord come and see.’ Jesus wept. – John 11

Jesus wept! The person who was instrumental in this whole event and was well within his means to save Lazarus before he died now stands at his tomb and weeps. Absolutely remarkable! Jesus later raises Lazarus from the dead and causes massive celebrations and many more people to put their faith in him. The story thus does have a happy ending but there is a deeper issue which is brought to light here.

This question begs an answer – why did Jesus weep at the tomb of a man he was about to raise to life? I believe the answer is this, Jesus is not “Iceman”. Jesus is deeply compassionate. He cares about how we feel and he empathizes with us. Until the resurrection, whether it be far away or near, Jesus feels the same pain that we do and he weeps with us.

There is more to Jesus than just his “master plan”. He is a faithful friend who desperately tries to prove to us, as he did to his friends then, how faithful and trustworthy he is. It is true that he does know better than us in every situation and that he works out every situation according to his plan and he works it out for our good, but he doesn’t do it heartlessly. The way that he works will often leave us boggled, but one thing is for sure, he will always be a true, trustworthy God who is a faithful friend in good times and especially in times of need.

This knowledge of Jesus gives me some comfort in my times of sorrow and loss. I hope it does the same for you.

What Married People Neglect to Mention

I’ll bet as you begin to read this blog, if you are single you are expecting me to say something about how marriage is not as easy and as wonderful as many people think. Sorry about that. I would like to apologize to all the not-yet-marrieds who have had so many ‘warnings’ about what they should expect in marriage that you have begun to doubt whether its even worth all the bother. Don’t even doubt it, marriage is totally worth it.

Before I was married I was warned that I need to choose my wife wisely because marrying the ‘wrong un’ could ruin my whole life. I was warned that I need to go into marriage with my ‘eyes wide open’ and not be duped by the soppy sentiment that everything was going to be a ‘bed of roses’.

When I was married I was solemnly warned by some that if I could just vas-byt and make it through the first 10 years, the worst would be over and I would experience marital bliss. Others told me the first year is hell but after that it's plain sailing. Still others said that the first 2 years of marriage are the ‘honeymoon period’ and after the initial swoon has worn off then I would need to dig deep into the other kind of love, the self-sacrificial ‘agape’ love of Christ.

And so I chose my wife with meticulous care for fear that I would marry the wrong un. I went into marriage with my eyes wide open shirking off the sentimental sap that clutched at my ankles. I went into my first year with trepidation expecting explosions at every corner. I went into my second year a little perplexed that the first year had been so lovely, nay, the best year of my life! I refused to naively think that marriage could continue to be so blissful and braced myself for the tumult that must surely come. Into my third year I took due heed of the warning that the first two were just the ‘honeymoon phase’ and stoically resolved to put my agape on.

What a load of balderdash! Is that any way to live?! In other parts of the world that’s called ‘living in fear’. I refuse to live one more day in fear of other people’s horror stories, and I exhort you to do the same. After my first year of marriage I sat down with a friend who has been married awhile and asked him if it was normal for marriage to be so incredibly awesome! He said ‘yep, it’s pretty normal’. I asked him why nobody had mentioned this to me before I was married. He suggested that maybe it was because married couples didn’t want me to feel badly about still being single.

Now I respect the fact that married people don’t want singles to feel badly, but if we are going to all agree on that then perhaps we should also all agree to keep our marriage struggles to ourselves? It reminds me a bit of when I was a young believer and quite besotted with my savior – Jesus. I was such a zealous follower and I just wanted to share my faith with everyone. It wasn’t long before I got some sour comments from older believers about how I must enjoy the ‘honeymoon season’ of my faith and how they remember when they used to… Well I’m twelve years down the road on my journey of faith now and, what can I say? I must be having a record length of a honeymoon season with God because I’m still pretty infatuated with him!

Relationships sometimes get hard because they reveal to us that we love ourselves too much. This is true but that doesn’t make relationships bad! The same is true of marriage. What is bad about marriage is usually what is bad about me, but that doesn’t make marriage any less beautiful. Marriage is one of the most incredible gifts that God has given us and I think it reveals a depth of beauty and love in Him that is quite breath-taking. That he should think to invent such a thing! Wow! If this information makes you feel a bit sad that you are not yet married, sorry about that, but let us rather encourage you to make the most of the season that you’re in than devalue a beautiful gift called marriage that God has given to us. That would not be fair.