Friday, October 11, 2013
The Reasonable Man and the Unreasonable Man
Paul Little's - How to give away your faith (Book Review)
Little, Paul E. How to Give Away Your Faith. Madison: InterVarsity Press.
“The Great Commission,” wrote Hudson Taylor, “is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” Evangelism is the art and science of communicating the good news of Jesus Christ in a clear, cogent, and Christ-like manner. It is a science because Christians must first be knowledgeable about what they believe, why they believe, and who they believe. It is an art because the more they actively engage with people in evangelism, the more conversant they will become.
Summary
In How to Give Away Your Faith, Paul Little offers practical principles and insights from Scripture and equips the reader to apply those principles in evangelism. In the first chapter, Little points out that Christians are not only responsible to share their faith with other people but they also need to be authentic in their commitment. In Chapter 2, he offers seven principles from Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman. In the third chapter, the author argues that Christians should be in the world but not of the world. He further states that we must be conversant with the essential doctrines of the Christian faith. The fundamental doctrines that are clearly taught in Scripture should be the content of evangelism. It is not enough to know what (content) we believe but also why (intent) we believe it. The sixth chapter deals with the solution, namely Christ, who is the answer to the dilapidated human condition of emptiness, purposelessness, and alienation. Those who engage with others in evangelism should be mindful of not being judgmental, or self righteous, but God-centered. The essence and extent of saving faith is the message of the eighth chapter and the last chapter deals with developing our character through the spiritual discipline of prayer and Bible study.
Critical Evaluation
In Chapter 1, Little states that those who are intentional about evangelism should be realistic in their approach. Our society is marked by improved communication, technological innovation, and rapid transportation. Political, economic, and social revolutions are commonplace in every major continent but the essential human condition is the same. The trend today is geared more towards science and scientism (10). It would have been helpful if the author explained the difference between scientism and science. First, scientism is self refuting because it is a statement of philosophy about science and it is not a statement of science itself. As a philosophical statement, it claims that there are no true or rational philosophical statements because they are not scientifically tested. So if scientism is true, no non-scientific statements can be true or rational including the propositions of scientism. Second, science relies on the necessary assumptions that must be made if science itself is going to be practiced. Some of these philosophical assumptions include the rationality of the universe, the reliability of sense perception, and the laws of logic. Third, scientism fails to account for the numerous examples of rational debate and truth in disciplines outside of the hard sciences like ethics, political science, history, etc. Therefore, Christians who engage the culture should realize that scientism is not the same as science.
In Chapter 2, Little delves into the topic of witnessing. The question is not will we witness but rather how do we witness? How do we get Christians to share their faith when they are not particularly passionate about evangelism? How do we speak with unbelievers who are turned off by religion? When unbelievers see no evidence of the redemptive power of the gospel, it may seem like that it is less real. The challenge for those who witness is that we constantly hear the promises and claims of Christ but never observe any change in the life of those who profess to be saved (24). The high calling of the Christian life is that (1) a genuine personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a prerequisite to being a Christian witness; (2) the Christian witness involves the whole life and; (3) evangelism is an essential element for a growing experience with the Lord (25). The best example of evangelism is found in our Lord’s conversation with the Samaritan woman at a well near Sychar (John 4:1-26). We learn from Jesus that he was exquisitely tender in dealing with people who had failed on some level. The Samaritan woman had been divorced five times and was living with yet another man and Jesus was able to engage her in a conversation that had eternal ramifications. Jesus brilliantly connected her physical thirst – parched-throat thirst and also the thirst for intimacy – with a thirst for transcendence that only He could satisfy. “Everyone who drinks this water,” said Jesus, “will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4: 13-14).
In Chapter 3, the author deals with hurdling social barriers. Christians should be winsome and approachable in their interaction with the unregenerate world. Evangelism is irreducibly linked with orthopraxy – how we live out the Christian life. But we must never fail to realize that the human heart is ultimately changed by the Holy Spirit. As Little points out, we are privileged ambassadors of Jesus Christ who are called to communicate a verbal message and demonstrate through our personality and life what the grace of Jesus Christ can accomplish (53). This means that we should not go around chalking up scalps, taking credit for the Holy Spirit’s work and saying “I’ve got seven! You’ve only got three.” In all our evangelistic endeavors, God should always get the glory. No one can say “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Christians should be conversant with the basic facts about their faith and where these facts are documented in the New Testament. Some of these facts are: (1) the deity and humanity of Christ (John 5:18; John 11:35); (2) Human beings are sinful and sin is the basic disease of rebellion against God, of going our way rather than His (Romans 3:10-18); (3) the fact and meaning of His Crucifixion (1 Peter 3:18); (4) the fact and meaning of His Resurrection (Luke 24: 36-48); (5) In becoming a Christian, there is something to be believed and Someone to be received (John 1:12). Saving faith is not mere intellectual assent to a set of facts but trusting Christ as Savior and Lord. As Little points out intellectual assent to a set of doctrines does not make a person Christian any more than mere intellectual assent to facts makes a person married (59). Knowing our message and communicating that message clearly is crucial to effective witnessing.
It is not only necessary to know what we believe but also why we believe what we believe. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15, 16). As John Stott put it, “We cannot pander to a man’s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his intellectual integrity” (65). Brian Auten states that there are four elements or principles of Christian witness found in 1 Peter 3: 15 and 16: the core, the content, the conduct, and the conscience. “Revering Jesus as Lord” can be understood as the core of our message. “Be prepared” and “give an answer” can be understood as the content of our message. “Gentleness and respect” has to do with our conduct. The conscience is the true character and integrity of the Christian. It is integrity that shames those who speak maliciously against our good behavior.
The author, then, carefully deals with questions and objections that are often posed by skeptics and unbelievers. What about the person who has never heard about Jesus Christ? He points out that these questions are more often than not intellectual smoke screens that skeptics hide behind to evade moral responsibility. Jesus asked the most important question: “But what about you? Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). Another question often posed by the unbeliever is how can Christ be the only way to God? Why can’t the sincere Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu be saved? The author correctly explains neither sincerity nor intensity can create or determine truth. Faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed (70). We must realize that all religions claim exclusivity and it is incumbent on us to determine which worldview is correct. Moreover, truth by nature is exclusive. In the moral realm, as in the physical there are laws that are not based on social convention (71). The problem of evil and suffering is one of the most daunting dilemmas that humans face. Little responds to this question by stating that humans were created by God with the freedom to obey God or disobey (71). Evil came as a result of man’s disobedience and because of the pattern of the universe his actions are not limited to himself but also involves other people. God addressed the problem of evil when He sent His Son into the world. His death on the cross was the penalty for our sins and evil.
How can miracles be possible in an age of science and technology? As Little explains, the real issue is whether or not God exists. If God exists, then miracles are not only possible they pose no intellectual contradictions (72). How do we know that God exists? One is the teleological argument: Every design points to designer. The universe is complex in its design. Therefore, the universe has a designer. Just as a wrist watch, which is relatively uncomplicated does not come into existence by chance, the universe which is infinitely far more complex than a wrist watch could not have come into existence by chance. Another argument is the cosmological argument: Everything that began to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore, the universe has a cause. The author explains that these arguments should not serve as conclusive proofs but rather as hints that point to a Creator (72). How does one reconcile one’s faith with the fact that the Bible is full of contradictions? This question is often posed by people who have little or no knowledge of the content of the Bible. But this should not lead Christians to ridicule their opponents. The author explains that the Bible does contain some “apparent” contradictions but they have been vindicated by the discoveries of modern archeology. As archeologist Nelson Glueck states, “No archeological discovery has ever [contradicted] a biblical reference” (76).
Some skeptics have facetiously stated that the Christian faith is a psychological crutch for the weak. They suggest that some people have faith only because they have been conditioned since early childhood to this way of thinking (77). The author quickly explains that Christianity differs from wish fulfillment and psychological phenomena because the Christian’s subjective experience is securely bound to an objective reality, namely the resurrection of Jesus Christ (78). If the resurrection is true, then it makes all the difference in the world. Another objection that is often posed by the unbeliever is, “Isn’t living a good moral life sufficient for a person to go to heaven?” According to the Bible, God demands perfection (Matthew 5:48). God’s nature and character blazes with purity and holiness and if we are to abide in His presence, we would be consumed because of the corruption in our lives (Hebrews 12:29). Christ’s perfect righteousness is the only basis by which we can come into fellowship with God. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (1 Corinthians 5:21).
Is the message of the Gospel still relevant today? Does it have any relevance to the purposelessness, hopelessness, emptiness, and loneliness that humans face today? In John 6:35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” When Jesus invades a person’s life, He fills the spiritual vacuum with eternal purpose and significance and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit we can find ultimate fulfillment. In John 8:12, Jesus states, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” After a person becomes a child of God, the person no longer fumbles in the darkness of spiritual confusion and uncertainty because of the transforming power of Christ. In John 11:25, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus alone can address the fear of death because He conquered it be rising from the grave. He does not stand in a line of peers with Abraham, Buddha, or Confucius because He has the power to lay down his life, and to take it up again.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). As a shepherd looks after and cares for the sheep, Jesus cared so much that He laid down life his for the sheep. This means that He will never leave nor forsake His sheep. But what makes the Christian message so special? Why could it not be one of the many ways to God? In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As Os Guinness explains, “Christianity is not true because it works (pragmatism); it is not true because it feels right (subjectivism); it is not true because it is my truth (relativism). It is true because it is anchored in the person of Christ.”
It is not true because it works; it works because it is true. It is not true because we experience it; we experience it – deeply and gloriously – because it is true. It is not simply ‘true for us’; it is true for any who seek in order to find, because truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity – it is simply true and that is the end of it.
The truth claims of the Christian faith rest on the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Chapter 7, the author tackles the subject of worldliness. What does it mean to be “spiritual” and “worldly?” Is it merely a checklist of do’s and don’ts? The author draws principles from Romans 14 to better understand the issue of worldliness. First, we should not pass judgment merely based on externals (Romans 14: 3-4). Second, a personal conviction and not social pressure should mold our behavior (Romans 14:5). Third, the totality of our life belongs to God. “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:8). As Abraham Kuyper once said, “…there is not square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’”
What is the essence of saving faith? How is it different from credulity? The author explains that faith is only as valid as the object (person or thing) in which it is placed (106). Believing is something or someone sincerely does not make it valid nor can faith’s validity be increased by intensity. Belief does not create truth any more than failure to believe destroys truth (107). Faith placed on something non-existent is mere superstition. The Christian faith is built on the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. So the Christian faith can be strengthened not by having faith in faith but resting and trusting on the Faithful One (112).
Does it matter how the Christian leads his or her life? Does character matter? The private and public life of the believer should be consistent. We see the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). It is through submitting every aspect of our lives to His Lordship and trusting in Him in our personal fellowship with God that we attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). How does a person ultimately grow in Christ? It is through the discipline of prayer and Bible study. It is through the diligent study of Scripture (SPECS Bible Study Method) that we learn: (1) Summary of the text; (2) Promises to claim; (3) Examples to follow; (4) Commands to Obey; (5) Stumbling Blocks or sins to avoid.
Conclusion
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10: 14-15). Preaching the gospel applies to all believers not just a select few. Paul Little’s How to Give Away Your Faith is an excellent resource for both new and seasoned believers on sharing Christ with others. He encourages, exhorts, instructs, and challenges the believer to be proactive and prudent in personal evangelism. Christians should seek to be authentic both in speech and conduct. As Little aptly states, “to witness effectively we must be realistic: genuine in our knowledge of people in today’s world and genuine in our total commitment to Jesus Christ” (20).
Monday, July 16, 2012
J.I. Packer's - Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (A Book Review)
In Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer attempts to clarify the relationship between three realities: (1) God’s sovereignty; (2) human responsibility and; (3) the Christian’s evangelistic duty. Divine sovereignty is a topic so vast that it encompasses everything that comes into the biblical picture of God as Lord and the One who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1: 11) and directs every process and orders every event for the fulfillment of His own eternal plan (9). Does that mean that the doctrines of divine sovereignty and human responsibility mutually exclusive? Why should Christians engage in evangelism if God is going to save His elect anyway? What should be the motive, method, and means of evangelism? These are some of the questions that the author attempts to answer.
Summary
In Chapter 1, Packer states that all Christians affirm the sovereignty of God. Those who have freely received the gift of salvation thank God for their conversion (12). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Christians who acknowledge that God is sovereign over their salvation also pray for the salvation of others. Through prayer, they recognize that God alone can bring the unconverted people to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 2, Packer explains that the topics of divine sovereignty and human responsibility are both taught in Scripture. This means that we must deal with an antinomy in God’s revelation of Himself in His Word. The author defines antinomy as an “appearance of contradiction” and in theological terms it is not a real contradiction but an “apparent” one (18). He states that modern physics faces an antinomy in its study of light. There is evidence to show that light consists of waves and there is equally cogent evidence that it consists of particles. It is apparent that light can be both waves and particles but neither rules out in favor of the other. How should Christians deal with this antinomy of divine sovereignty and human responsibility? They should accept it and learn to live with it. They should refuse to regard the apparent inconsistency as real and “put down the semblance of contradiction to the deficiency of their own understanding” (21). Christians must come to the conclusion that a God whom we could exhaustively understand and whose self-revelation confronts us with no mysteries would be a God made in our own image (24). A comprehensible God is no God at all. Packer points out that the temptation for many is to assert human responsibility in a way that excludes God’s sovereignty or to affirm God’s sovereignty in a way that it destroys human responsibility. Christians must guard against both extremes. It is our responsibility to proclaim the message of salvation but we must never forget that it is God who saves (27). Packer warns that it is never right to regard ourselves as responsible for securing converts and look to our own enterprise and techniques to accomplish what only God can accomplish (29). This would be tantamount of intruding ourselves into the office of the Holy Spirit and to exalt ourselves as agents of new birth (29). Christ’s command for us is to engage ourselves and devote our resources to the task of making the gospel known in every way to every person. Hence, unconcern and inaction regarding the task of evangelism is inexcusable (34).
In Chapter 3, Packer attempts to answer from Scripture four questions concerning the Christian’s evangelistic responsibility: (1) what is evangelism? (2) What is the evangelistic message? (3) What should be our motive for evangelism? (4) Which means and methods should be implemented in evangelism? According to the Archbishop’s Committee, evangelism is defined as presenting “Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His Church” (38). In other words, it is a work of communication in which Christians make themselves mouthpieces for God’s message of mercy to sinners and anyone who faithfully delivers that message under whatever circumstances in a large meeting, or a small meeting, a pulpit, or in a private conversation, is evangelizing (41). The message that Paul preached was the good news about Jesus of Nazareth - “It was the news of the incarnation, the atonement, and the kingdom – the cradle, the cross, and the crown – of the Son of God” (47). Paul’s ultimate aim in evangelism was to convert his listeners to faith in Christ (49). The second question that Packer attempts to answer is the content of the evangelistic message. According to Packer, “the evangelistic message is the gospel of Christ, and Him crucified; the message of man’s sin and God’s grace, of human guilt and divine forgiveness, of new birth and new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit” (57). What are the signs of true conviction of sin? First, conviction of sin is an awareness of a wrong relationship with God. Second, conviction of sin is a sense of guilt for particular wrongs done in the sight of God from which one needs to turn and be rid of them. Third, it is the conviction of one’s own sinfulness – a sense of one’s complete corruption and perversity in God’s sight and one’s need for a new heart (63). The New Testament calls for placing our trust in Christ and His finished work on the cross – faith in (en) or into (eis) or upon (epi) Christ (66). Faith is not a mere optimistic feeling any more that repentance is a mere regretful or remorseful feeling. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Faith is casting and resting of oneself on the promises of mercy which Christ has given to sinners and repentance is having a change of mind and heart by denying oneself and following the Savior. The third question that Packer attempts to answer is the motive for evangelism. The two motives that should spur all Christians for evangelism are (1) the love of God and the concern for His glory and; (2) the love of man and concern for his welfare (73). The glory of God should be the foundational principle of our evangelism. The task of evangelism allows us to tell the world the great things God has done for the salvation of sinners and God is glorified when His mighty works of grace are made known (75). The second motive for our evangelism is the love to our neighbor and the desire to see them saved. The sincere desire to win the lost for Christ should spontaneously outflow from the heart of everyone who has been born again (75). The fourth question that Packer attempts to answer in this chapter is the legitimate means and methods that Christians should employ in their evangelistic endeavors. Packer is critical of the mass evangelistic meetings that are known more for their “entertainment value” and less for “God’s majesty” (83). He states that the glamorizing of the Christian experience in these crusades gives a false and romanticized impression of what being a Christian is like. The deliberate use of sentimental music to stir the emotion of people tends to produce ‘conversions’ which are simply psychological and emotional upheavals and not the fruit of spiritual conviction and renewal (83). It is important to understand that Christ through the Holy Spirit enables His servants to explain the gospel truly and apply it powerfully and effectively (85). In the final analysis, there is only one method of evangelism and that is the faithful explanation and application of the gospel message. “It is a gross insult to God,” says Packer, “and a real disservice to men, to cheapen and trivialize the gospel by one’s presentation of it. Not that we should put on an affected solemnity when speaking of spiritual things; there is nothing more essentially frivolous than a mock seriousness and nothing more likely to make hypocrites out of our hearers” (90).
In Chapter 4, Packer states that evangelism is a task appointed to all God’s people everywhere and it is the task of communicating the message from the Creator to His creation (92). Packer makes an important distinction between God’s will of precept and His will of purpose. His will of precept is His declaration of what people ought to do and His will of purpose is what He Himself will do (94). The distinction is closely linked with God’s law and His plan. God’s law tells us what we should be and God’s plan tells us what we will be (94). How does one rise above the disillusionment in evangelism? First, we must acknowledge that our evangelistic methods, however creative, could yield results only by the Spirit of God. Second, we must realize that our evangelism can and may fail because of the condition of the human heart. Third, we should realize that we are called to be faithful and not successful. Fourth, we must always rest our labor on the sovereign grace of God. It is also important to realize that patience is indispensable to evangelism. This means that we must be willing to be patient and only then will God bestow His favor by enabling us to win souls (121). Furthermore, God will make us pray before He blesses our labors so that we learn to depend on God for everything (122).
Critical Evaluation
In Chapter 2, Packer states that God is both King and Judge. As King, “He orders and controls all things including human actions in accordance with His own eternal purpose” (22). As Judge, “He holds every man responsible for the choices he makes and the courses of action he pursues” (22). It would have been helpful if he explained the dilemma about God controlling all things including all human actions and holding them responsible for those actions. If God controls all actions what was the extent of God’s role in the Fall? Packer further states that the hearers of the gospel are responsible for their reaction and if they reject the good news, they are guilty of unbelief (22). What about those who have never been given the opportunity to hear the gospel? How does that compare with those who have heard and rejected? How does one respond to the seeming disparity of Adam’s sin being unconditionally imputed to all of mankind but salvation is not necessarily imputed to all mankind but only those who repent and believe?
In Chapter 3, Packer briefly touches on the topic of limited atonement. But it is not clear as to the meaning of limited atonement? Did Christ die for all people or only for the elect? He states that preaching the gospel means inviting sinners to come to Jesus Christ who through His atoning death is able to forgive and save all those who put their trust in Him (68). It is important to realize that Christ’s death is the ground on which Christ’s forgiveness is offered and the question of the extent of the atonement does not come into the story at all. Furthermore, we are commanded to be obedient and faithful in our proclamation of the gospel and not to surmise who the elect actually are.
Packer points out that Christians who engage in personal evangelism should first seek to establish a genuine relationship before they start proclaiming the gospel. This means that they must be willing to be vulnerable and authentic as they cultivate their friendship with unbelievers. Hence, Christians are called to shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). Packer makes an excellent point that the right to talk about the gospel must be earned and one earns that right by developing a real and authentic friendship (81).
In Chapter 4, Packer states that sinners will miss heaven not because they are not the elect but because they neglect the salvation and because they will not repent and believe. It would have been helpful if Packer expounded on whether regeneration precedes faith or faith precedes regeneration. If regeneration precedes faith then how does one account for two people who hear the gospel at the same time and one responds while the other rejects? If faith precedes regeneration then why don’t more people respond to the gospel? If human beings are “dead” in their transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1), how can they respond to the gospel by their own volition?
Conclusion
“How can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10: 14-15). The task of evangelism is for all believers and not just a select few. J.I. Packer’s Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God is an excellent resource for both new and seasoned believers in understanding how God’s sovereign grace undergirds evangelism and upholds the evangelist. God ordains the “ends” as well as the “means” and it His sovereign grace that binds together our proclamation and prayer. On one hand, it makes us bold and confident before the unregenerate world and on the other it makes us humble and earnest before God (125). The Bible teaches both truths: (1) God is sovereign and; (2) human beings are responsible before God for their actions. As D.A. Carson points out, “the [divine] sovereignty - [human] responsibility tension is not a problem to be solved; rather a framework to be explored.”
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Bible
It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand object, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life and will be opened at the judgment and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
Anonymous
The Word of God
To quench our heat of sin;
Here is the tree where truth does grow
To lead our lives therein;
Here is the judge that stints the strife
When men's devices fail:
Here is the bread that feeds the life
Which death cannot assail.
The tidings of salvation dear
Comes to our ears from hence;
The fortress of our faith is here;
The shield of our defense.
Then be not like the swine that has
A pearl at his desire,
And takes more pleasure in the trough
And wallowing in the mire.
Read not this book in any case
But with a single eye:
Read not, but first desire God's grace,
To understand thereby.
Pray still in faith with this respect
To bear good fruit therein;
That knowledge may bring this effect,
To mortify thy sin.
Then happy you shall be in all your life,
What so to you befalls;
Yes, double happy you shall be
When GOD by death you calls.
-- From the first Bible printed in Scotland - 1576
Prayer
undiminished, a mine which is never exhausted, a sky
unobscured by the clouds, a heaven unruffled by the
storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a
thousand blessings. . . . The potency of prayer hath
subdued the strength of fire, it hath bridled the rage
of lions, hushed anarchy to rest; extinguished wars,
appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains
of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged
diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from
destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested
the progress of the thunderbolt."
--John Chrysostom
Mercy and Grace
Grace provides a ram in the thicket
--Genesis 22:11-14
Mercy runs to forgive the prodigal.
Grace throws a party with a robe, a ring, and a fatted calf.
--Luke 15:20-24
Mercy hears the cry of the thief on the cross.
Grace promises paradise that very day.
--Luke 23:39-43
Mercy converts Paul on the road to Damascus.
Grace calls him to be the great apostle.
Acts 9:1-6, 17
Mercy closes the door to hell.
Grace opens the door to heaven.
--Ephesians 2:8-9
...and the difference between mercy and grace is this
Mercy withholds from us what we deserve (punishment).
Grace gives us what we do not deserve (eternal life).
--Romans 5:20
Source: David Jeremiah
