Romans 8: 28

Just started reading, today in fact, the puritan Thomas Watson's dissertation on the wonder of God's promise to us in Romans 8: 28 and the opening words alone accelerate the heart beat. A taster

"If the whole of scripture be the feast of the soul, as Ambrose said (Bishop of Milan in the 4th Century), then Romans 8 may be a dish at that feast, and with its sweet variety may very much refresh and animate the hearts of God's people. In the preceding verses the apostle had been wading through the great doctrines of justification and adoption, mysteries so arduous and profound, that without the help and the conduct of the Spirit, he might soon have waded beyond his depth. In this verse the apostle touches upon that pleasant string of consolation, 'We know that all things work together for Good to them that love God.' There is not one word that is not weighty; therefore I shall gather up every filing of this gold, that nothing be lost."

O the honour for scripture, the devotion to God's truth, the certainty of God's great affection for us.

We must trust that God is in all things lavishing grace upon us - it is who He is!

Simon

The Glory of Christ

John Owen was one of the most incisive writers of his generation. His generation was that of the Puritans so that is saying a lot. I love returning to his words when I am needing to be pushed deeper in my understanding of Christ and I did so today as part of some preparation. Here is some words he has to say regarding The Glory of Christ

"In Christ we behold the wisdom, goodness, love, grace, mercy and power of God all working together for the great work of our redemption and salvation. The wisdom and love of God are in themselves infinitely glorious. But we cannot see how glorious they are except in the redemptions and salvation of the church which is achieved only in and by Christ. Then the beams of their glory shine on us with unspeakable comfort and joy...
...We believe in God only in and through Christ. This is the life of our souls. God Himself, whose nature is infinitely perfect, is the highest object of our faith. But we cannot come directly to God by faith. We must come by the way and by the helps he has appointed for us. This is the way by which he has revealed His infinite perfections to us, which is Jesus Christ who said, 'I am the way... No one comes to the Father except through me.' By our faith in Christ we come to put our faith in God Himself. And we cannot do this in any other way but by beholding the glory of God in Christ..."

Deep stuff hey.

Simon

Acquaintance with God

I guess I quote the puritans a whole lot here, but there words are typically hugely more beneficial than my own, so that is probably the main reason why.
Any way here are some thoughts from a largely unknown Puritan- James Janeway speaking on the subject of 'Acquaintance with God' or what we would probably call today, 'Intimacy with God.' He has many brilliant thoughts, but here is a taster

"Another glorious effect of acquaintance with God is, that it makes a man like God... Company is of an assimilating nature. He that before was unholy, and like the devil, by conversion to God and converse with Him is made holy like God... A full and perfect conformity and likeness to God is the very glory of glory... Be acquainted with Him, and you shall be like Him. Keep much in His company by faith, secret prayer, and meditation, and you will be more holy, divine, and spiritual. The last effect of this acquaintance with God: It will make a man better, far more excellent in all states and relations. All his friends will have the better life with him, the whole family... will fare the better for him."

Is this true of our lives, has knowing and drawing near to Christ our Saviour had a transforming effect. If not I fear there may be a fundamental misunderstanding of what knowing God actually is.

Simon

Puritan Talk

Here are two of the real Spiritual Heavies who make me ache for God with all my heart:

"This perfection of God [omniscience] fits Him to be a special object of trust. If He were forgetful, what comfort could we have in any promise? How could we depend on Him if he were ignorant of our state? His compassion to pity us, His readiness to revive us, His power to protect and assist us, would be insignificant without His omniscience to inform His goodness and direct the arm of His power. This perfection is, as it were, God's office of intelligence... You may depend upon His mercy that has promised, and upon his truth to perform, upon His sufficiency to supply and His goodness to relieve, and His righteousness to reward you, because He has an infinite understanding of you and your needs."

- Stephen Charnock (1628-1680)

Prepare to be stunned...

"This Son [Jesus]... was a gift to us; for our sakes he descended from His throne, and dwelt on earth; for our sakes He was made flesh... made a curse, and scorched in the furnace of His Father's wrath... He gave Him to us, to suffer for us as a man, and redeem us as a God; to be a sacrifice to expiate our sin by translating the punishment upon Himself, which was merited by us. Thus he was made low to exalt us, and debased to advance us, made poor to enrich us (II Cor. 8.9)... He was ordered to taste the bitter cup of death, that we might drink the rivers of immortal life... Thus was the righteous given for sin, the innocent for criminals, the glory of Heaven for the dregs of death, and the immense riches of a Deity expended to restock man."

- Charnock