Who can compare with GOD, our God, so majestically enthroned,
Surveying his magnificent heavens and earth?
He picks up the poor from out of the dirt, rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash,
Seats them among the honored guests, a place of honor among the brightest and best.
He gives childless couples a family, gives them joy as the parents of children.
Hallelujah!
"The amount is, that God's dwelling above the heavens, at such a distance from us, does not prevent him from showing himself to be near at hand, and plainly providing for our wellfare; and, in saying that God is exalted above the heavens, he magnifies his mercy towards men, whose condition is mean and despicable, and informs us that he might righteously hold even angels in contempt, were it not that, moved by paternal regard, he condescends to take them under his care."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"Essentials of Biblical Faith"
John 3:16
Reading from the English Standard Version
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
"Faith is the only means by which we lay hold of the righteousness of Christ (Gal. 2:15-16). Jesus' righteousness is the ground of our justification and is imputed to us when we trust in Him alone for salvation. The Father then declares us righteous in His sight, enabling us to inherit eternal life. This is accomplished entirely apart from any works we perform."
"Impute" means to attribute or ascribe; to ascribe as derived from another.
Hallelujah!
There are three aspects of faith. The first is "notitia--those things that we believe." In order to believe, we must know about something.
The second is "assensus, our conviction that the content of that faith is true."
The final aspect is "fiducia or personal trust and reliance." As we know, notitia and assensus are not enough. Even demons know and believe, yet they tremble in fear. "Faith is only effectual if, knowing the claims of Jesus and assenting to them, we personally trust in Him alone for salvation."
Deep stuff.
"A Dangerous Statement"
2 Corinthians 5:14
Reading from the English Standard Version
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
Over and over this author has insisted (and I agree with him) that "nothing you ever do or don't do will make God love you any more or any less, and that He accepts you strictly by His grace through the merit of Jesus Christ alone." However, this does not mean that God doesn't care if you sin or not.
How does this statement sound: "God loves you if you're obedient and doesn't love you if you're disobedient. Since God's love is conditioned on obedience, and you're never perfectly obedient, God never loves you perfectly or accepts you completely."
That may be the most terrifying statement I have ever read.
Paul's response to the idea that God doesn't care if we sin or not can be found in Romans 6:2. "By no means!" This flies in the face of biblical commands, as well as the relationship Jesus insisted on between love for Him and obedience.
"Our love for God, expressed through obedience to Him, is to be a response to His love, not a means of trying to earn it." According to Jesus, love for God and love for others sums up all of the law. However both our love for others and our love for God are made possible by his love for us. As my friend Kim said the other day...We love because he first loved us. Well, the Bible said that first...Kim just quoted it.
I pray for increasing faith in the knowledge that I have about you. I have known about you since I was able to know anything. As long as I remember, I have believed in you. As long as I can remember, I have loved Jesus. I pray that that fiducia, that faith and trust will increase more and more as I get older. Lord, if it is your plan, I'm probably only close to halfway through my life. But none of us knows how long our lives will be. Let me live the rest of my days in true faith, relying on your grace to live every day. Let your grace pour out on me so much that I overflow and everyone around me gets "wet" from the splashes of grace.
Blessing and honor and power and glory forever be unto the Lamb!!
Grace and peace, friends!