The duty that the Canons have in mind is the duty of preaching and the duty of listening and taking heed to the gospel with its admonitions (and never forget that the preaching comes also to the preacher; he not only preaches to the congregation, but he also preaches to himself). The word duty (officium) could be translated as office, but its meaning is wider than that.Read More
Last time I asked, “Is that the only thing—the call to believe, and possibly, repent—that God uses to preserve, continue, and perfect his work of grace in us (Canons 5.14)?” My answer is absolutely not! God uses the admonition of Matthew 5:24 to confer upon us the grace to reconcile with our brother, even though...
Read More
“And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace:otherwise work is no more work.” —Romans 11:6
What do you desire? To be saved by grace or by works?
That is the question. Shakespeare would say: To be or not to be, that is the question. And it fits here too. To be or not to be in the arms of God unto all eternity. Tremendous question.
Salvation is of grace because salvation is of the Lord. It is a thoroughly divine work!
From election to regeneration, and from good works to assurance,Wonder of Graceis a clear, beautiful explanation of each of the facets of grace in the lives of God’s people.
“The just shall live by faith.”—Romans 1:7 Righteous, or just, by faith! This is indeed the heart of the gospel. The apostle is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Imagine if this gospel were merely a general, well-meaning offer of salvation! Imagine if a sinner must contribute something to his salvation! Imagine if the love of God...
“And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” —Romans 11:6 What do you desire? To be saved by grace or by works? That is the question. Shakespeare would say: To be or not to be, that is the question. And it fits here too. To be or not to be in the arms of God unto...
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”— Ephesians 2:8 Mighty grace. For grace is also the power of God by which we are delivered from the dominion of sin and death. Reconciliation alone is no salvation, nor could it possibly lead to salvation if the operation of grace ceased at the cross. It must be applied, so that from darkness we are translated into life, from sin into righteousness, and...
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”— Ephesians 2:8 Blessed grace. For by grace are we reconciled unto God. The same grace that motivated the Most High to ordain us unto salvation, according to which it was his purpose to make us lovely even as he is lovely, explains why he reconciled us unto himself through the death of his Son. Saved we are by grace. This means that we...
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8 FOR! Let us not overlook this little but significant word. For by grace are ye saved. The conjunction presents the truth expressed as a reason for something else, an explanation of something that has been mentioned in the context. It informs us that this statement does not stand alone, that it is not an isolated...
