A Marked Church!

"Why do we willfully act like madmen in searching out the church when Christ has marked it with an unmistakable sign, which, wherever it is seen, cannot fail to show the church there; while where it is absent, nothing remains that can give the true meaning of the church? Paul reminds us that the church was founded not upon men's judgments, not upon priesthoods, but upon the teaching of apostles and prophets [Eph. 2:20]. 'Nay, Jerusalem is to be distinguished from Babylon, Christ's church from Satan's cabal, by the very difference with which Christ distinguishes between them. He says: 'He who is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.' [John 8:47.]" - Calvins Institues, 4.2.4

Dylan & Christmas!

Bob Dylan’s Christmas album, entitled Christmas In the Heart, is to be released on October 13th. All of Bob Dylan’s American royalties on the album, “in perpetuity”, are to go to Feeding America, a charity which provides food to the needy. All of Dylan’s international royalties, in perpetuity, are to go to similar international charities.

More details at BobDylan.com, including this:

Bob Dylan commented, “It’s a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone — 12 million of those children – often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from. I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season.”

Christmas In The Heart will be the 47th album from Bob Dylan, and follows his worldwide chart-topping Together Through Life, released earlier this year. Songs performed by Dylan on this new album include, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “Must Be Santa.”

Of course the phrase “Christmas in the heart” can’t help but bring to mind the words of the reformed Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ famous story, when he promises, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

And another famous quotation on the subject of Christmas with mention of the heart is that of George Matthew Adams, “Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years… Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.”

With Christ in my heart, I remain

Book Four!

Well I’ve made it to the fourth book of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. He is expounding upon church, sacraments and civil order in this book. Its official title is as follows: “The External Means or Aims by Which God Invites Us Into the Society of Christ and Holds Us Therein”.

In chapter 1, section 9 speaking of the marks of the church, Calvin points out that the invisible church “becomes visible to our eyes” my the following means of grace. “Where we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists (cf. Ephesians 2:20). For his promise cannot fail, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20).”

Enjoy!

Access & Assurance!

Let us draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22). For through Jesus we … have access by one Spirit unto the Father (Eph. 2:18). In deed we have boldness and access with confidence trough faith in Jesus (Eph. 3:12). So let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).

Enjoy!

Chamber's thought!

When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28–42).

Get you behind me!

The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Rev. 12:10). They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony (Rev. 12:11).

So who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:33, 34). Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly (Col. 2:15). That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb. 2:14, 15).

Now in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us (Rom. 8:37). So put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:11, 17).

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57).

Enjoy!

Many Called!

“Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:1-14) …may be freely paraphrased as follows. Many are called, but there will only be few who in following the call will prove worthy of, and act in accordance with, the fact that as the called of God they are His elect, predestined from all eternity for life with Him and for His service. There will only be few who in the words of 2 Pet. 1:10 are obedient to their calling and make sure, i.e., validate and confirm, their election. There will only be few who really are what they are as called, namely, elect or Christians. - K. Barth, Church Dogmatics IV, 3, p. 485.

Election!

Calvin 09 - Read The Institutes:

10. The elect before their call. There is no 'seed of election'

"The elect are gathered into Christ's flock by a call not immediately at birth, and not all at the same time, but according as it pleases God to dispense his grace to them. But before they are gathered unto that supreme Shepherd, they wander scattered in the wilderness common to all; and they do not differ at all from others except that they are protected by God's especial mercy from rushing headlong into the final ruin of death. If you look upon them, you will see Adam's offspring, who savor of the common corruption of the mass. The fact that they are not carried to utter and even desperate impiety is not due to any innate goodness of theirs but because the eye of God watches over their safety and his hand is outstretched to them!" - The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.24.10

Sabbath Healings!

… of healings on the sabbath (Mark 1:21f.; Mark 3:1f.; Luke 13:10f.; Luke 14:1f.; John 5:9; John 9:14f.).

His (Jesus’) own (first) coming meant that the seventh and last day, the great day of Yahweh, had dawned, and healing was the specific Word of God that He had come to accomplish on this day ... Thus He not only did not break the sabbath with this work but genuinely sanctified and kept it. He was free also, and particularly, to do good and not evil on the sabbath, i.e., to save life and not to destroy it (Mk. 3:4). - Barth, K., Church dogmatics, Volume V: Index, with Aids for the Preacher (p. 497).