THE DEAD GUYS

One of the most peculiar chapters in the Bible is the last to the Romans. The insight which it gives into early Christian life—the light which it sheds, in hopes at least, upon the home scenes of the first Christians; the depth of affection which it displays; the unity of aim, of action, and of spirit which it manifests, and the prominence which it gives to female activity and zeal—all combine to render that portion of Scripture one of the fairest sights where all are green and goodly. He who would understand the spirit of apostolic life should often study it with care. It gives prominence, we say, to female exertion for Christ, and as there are many homes where the single reside and devote themselves to His cause, it may be well to glance for a moment at such abodes. They may be centers of influence for good such as only the religion of Jesus can produce. And it is not too much to say that from those homes, where the Spirit of wisdom dwells, there emanates much of what is fitte

When I wrote about the mainline denominations years ago, I  said that they had become largely secular institutions that were pursuing the world's wisdom, embracing the world's theology,  following the world's agenda, and employing the world's methods. But that is what many evangelicals are doing today, though not in the same precise ways.  Like the liberals before us, we too have fixed our eyes on a worldly kingdom and have made politics and money our weapons of choice for grasping it. Evangelicals are not heretics, at least not consciously. We  believe the Bible is the authoritative and inerrant Word of God. But many have abandoned this ancient wisdom of the Church because they do not think it is adequate for the challenges of our time.  We still use the Bible's vocabulary, but we give it new meaning, pouring bad secular content into spiritual terms. Sin becomes dysfunctional behavior.  Salvation is self-esteem or wholeness.  Jesus becomes an exam

It is flattering to be told that we can get up and go to God whenever we choose, and that nobody is going to pester us about it. It is flattering to be told that when we choose to go back to God we can command a handsome reception, and no questions asked. But is this the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is the whole teaching of Jesus Christ summed up in this: that the gates of heaven stand open and anybody can go in whenever he pleases? That is, however, what the entire body of modern Liberal theologians and their innumerable disciples and imitators tell us. "Innumerable" disciples and imitators, I say: for surely this teaching has overspread the world. The view of God which is involved, some one has not inaptly if a little bitingly called "the domestic animal conception of God." As you keep sheep to give you wool, and cows to give you milk, so you keep God to give you forgiveness. What is meant is grimly illustrated by the story of poor Heinrich Heine, writhing on his b

The anger and wrath of God are often used promiscuously in Scripture, to signify the same thing, and yet they sometimes seem to be distinct; and according to our notion of them, as in men, they may be distinguished: anger is a lower and lesser degree of wrath, and wrath is the height of anger; and accordingly I shall distinctly consider them, as in God. Anger belongs to God, or may be predicated of him. This is denied by some philosophers of the Cynic and Stoic sects, because it is a passion; they allow grace, good will, and beneficence in God to men, but not anger; this they suppose to be a weakness, and even a sort of madness, and what is unbecoming a wise and good man, and much more unbecoming Deity. The Epicureans deny that either is in God; neither favour and good will, nor anger and wrath; for they imagine he has no concern in the affairs of men, and neither regards their good actions, nor their bad ones; and so is neither pleased nor displeased with them; and is neither kind

"And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them." —   Ezekiel 37:8  The "breath" is manifestly the "life;" communicated by the Spirit of life. This life may have different stages; but wherever it is there is a true and complete man. The disciples had life before our Lord breathed on them, but then they attained more. They had life before Pentecost, but then they obtained more. It was life that God communicated when he created man; it is life (of a higher kind) that the Spirit of God communicates to the soul at conversion. The last Adam, as the possessor of the Holy Ghost, is thus a quickening Spirit. Thus a man may be very like a saint and yet not be one. A church or congregation may be very like a Christian one, with a fair appearance and compact organisation; all in excellent bustling order, numerous, liberal, united, earnest after a sort;—and yet lack one thing whic

"Can one who has been fully justified in Christ, whose sins have been all blotted out, irrespective of their heinousness, by the perfect and efficacious price paid by Jesus Christ, become again unjustified, and fall under condemnation without a dishonor done to Christ’s righteousness?"  Perseverance of the Saints Dr. R.L. Dabney ,  Union Theological Seminary, VA, Aug. 15th, 1878 Excerpts:      Scripture and experience concur in imputing to man, in his natural state, a deadness of heart, which would leave the preacher of the gospel to labor in despair, were it not for his dependence on the sovereign grace of God. But when he believes firmly in the eternal covenant of grace, whereby God has promised His Son a chosen seed, not for any merit which He sees in sinners, and to call and perfect this seed by His efficacious grace, there is ground laid for cheerful exertions. In this spirit the Apostle says that from the first day of their conversion till now, his p

It is very interesting to notice who they are in the Bible that speak about hell. Now, some think that speaking about hell is not preaching the gospel; and others think that simple men have no right to speak of it. Now, to them who think it is not gospel preaching, I say it is the truth — the Word of God; and to them who say it is not right to speak about it, I would have them to notice who it is that speaks most about it. Let us consider: (1) The persons in the Bible that speak most about hell. (2) Why these persons speak so plainly of hell. (3) The hell spoken of in the Bible is not annihilation. 1. Let us consider the persons in the Bible that speak about hell. And the first I would mention is David. He was a man after God's own heart, yet he speaks of hell. He who wrote many of the Psalms, the sweet Psalmist of Israel; he who was filled with love to men, and love to God; yet hear what he says about hell: 'The sorrows of hell compassed me about' ( Psalm 18:5 ). Aga