A Goodly Heritage

What is a "Christian"? One who holds membership in some earthly church? No! One who believes an orthodox creed? No! One who adopts a certain mode of conduct? No! What, then, is a Christian? He is one who has renounced self and received Christ Jesus as Lord (Col 2:6). He is one who takes Christ's yoke upon him and learns of Him who is "meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). He is one who has been "called unto the fellowship of God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor 1:9). That is, fellowship in His  obedience  and  suffering  now, in His  reward  and  glory  in the endless future! There is no such thing as belonging to Christ—and living to please self. Make no mistake on that point— "Whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple," (Luke 14:27) said Christ. And again He declared, "But whoever shall [instead of denying himself] deny Me before men [not "unto" men: it is conduct, the walk whic...

It is sad indeed, to find so many professing Christians who appear to regard the  wrath of God  as something for which they need to make an apology—or who at least wish there were no such thing. While some who would not go so far as to openly admit that they consider it a  blemish  on the divine character, yet they are far from regarding it with  delight . They do not like to think about it, and they rarely hear it mentioned, without a secret resentment rising up in their hearts against it. Even with those who are more sober in their judgment, not a few seem to imagine that there is a  severity  about the divine wrath, which makes it too terrifying to form a theme for profitable contemplation. Others harbor the delusion that God's wrath is not consistent with His goodness, and so seek to banish it from their thoughts! Yes, many there are who turn away from a vision of God's wrath, as though they were called to look upon some...

Then said Jesus unto His disciples—If any will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24 Before developing the theme of this verse, let us comment on its terms. "If any": the duty enjoined is for  all  who would join Christ's followers and enlist under His banner. "If any will": the Greek is very emphatic, signifying not only the consent of the will—but full purpose of heart, a determined resolution. "Come after Me": as a servant subject to his Master, a scholar his Teacher, a soldier his Captain. "Deny": the Greek means "deny utterly." Deny himself—his sinful and corrupt nature. "And take up": not passively bear or endure—but voluntarily assume, actively adopt. "His cross": which is scorned by the world, hated by the flesh—but is the distinguishing mark of a real Christian. "And follow Me": live as Christ lived—to the glory of God. ...

“I am a companion of all that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” —Psalm 119:63 In the above verse we have a description of God’s people according to the course of their lives and conduct. They are a people marked by two things: fear and submission, the latter being the fruit of the former. Regenerated souls obey God conscientiously out of reverence to His majesty and goodness, and from a due regard of His will as made known in His Word. The same description is given of them in Acts 10:35, “In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him.” It is a filial fear which is awed by God’s greatness and is careful not to offend Him, which is constrained by His love and is anxious to please Him. Such are the only ones fit to be a Christian’s “companions.” A “companion” is, properly speaking, one whom I choose to walk and converse with in a way of friendship. Inasmuch as the companions we select is an optional matter, it is largely true that a pers...

For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 14This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 15I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 17I have ordained a lamp for mine annointed.—Psalm 132:17 The first part of this Psalm records a series of prayer-petitions; from verse 11 to the close are a number of great and precious promises relating to David and his family in the type, but mainly and ultimately to Christ and His New Testament church in the antitype. Let the reader constantly bear in mind this important principle and fact, namely, that everything in the Old Testament Scriptures typified or represented Gospel or Eternal realities. First, God here promises to fix His residence in the church (vv. 13-14). Then, to bless the provision He makes for her (v. 15), [and] to give her faithful and successful ministers (v. ...

In treating of the Will of God some theologians have differentiated between His decretive will and His permissive will, insisting that there are certain things which God has positively fore-ordained, but other things which He merely suffers to exist or happen. But such a distinction is really no distinction at all, inasmuch as God only permits that which is according to His will. No such distinction would have been invented had these theologians discerned that God could have decreed the existence and activities of sin without Himself being the Author of sin. Personally, we much prefer to adopt the distinction made by the older Calvinists between God’s secret and revealed will, or, to state it in another way, His disposing and His preceptive will. God’s revealed will is made known in His Word, but His secret will is His own hidden counsels. God’s revealed will is the definer of our duty and the standard of our responsibility. The primary and basic reason why I should follow a certai...