Recalibrating Tractoes, Cursillo-ists, Alpha-ites, Schleiermachians, Costalists, and more. The ACNA represses Reformation theology. (See: (http://www.virtueonline.org/
For those visiting, we say with Mr. Ursinus, "Friend, entering here, be short or go… or stay but assist us in our work."
http://www.seeking4truth.com/
And now, recalibrations from Mr. Usinus and the Heidelberg Catechism below.
II. OF HOW MANY PARTS DOES THIS COMFORT CONSIST?
This comfort consists of six parts:
1. Our reconciliation with God through Christ, so that we are no longer the enemies, but the sons of God; neither are we our own, but we belong to Christ. (1. Cor. 7:23.)
2. The manner of our reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ, that is, through his passion, death, and satisfaction for our sins. (1 Peter 1:18 . 1 John 1:7 .)
3. Deliverance from the miseries of sin and death. Christ does not only reconcile us to God, but he also delivers us from the power of the devil; so that sin, death, and satan have no power over us. (Heb. 2:14 . 1 John 3:8 .)
4. The constant presentation of our reconciliation, deliverance, and whatever other benefits Christ has once purchased for us. We are his property; therefore, he watches over us as his own, so that not so much as a hair can fall from our heads without the will of our heavenly Father. Our safety does not lie in our own hands, or strength; for if it did, we should lose it a thousand times every moment.
5. The turning of all our evils into good. The righteous are, indeed, afflicted in this life, yea they are put to death, and are as sheep for the slaughter; yet these things do not injure them, but rather contribute to their salvation, because God turns all things to their advantage, as it is said: "All things work together for good to them that love God." (Rom. 8:27 .)
6. Our full persuasion and assurance of all these great benefits, and of eternal life. This assurance is obtained, in the first place, from the testimony of the Holy Spirit working in us true faith, and conversion, bearing witness with our spirits that we are the sons of God, and that these blessings truly pertain to us; because "he is the earnest of our inheritance ;" and secondly, from the effects of true faith, which we perceive to be in us; such as true penitence, and a firm purpose to believe God and obey all his commandments; for we are assured of having true faith when we have an earnest desire of obeying God; and by faith we are persuaded of the love of God and eternal salvation. This is the foundation of all the other parts of this consolation which we have specified, and without which every other comfort is transient and unsatisfying amid the temptations of life. The substance of our comfort therefore is briefly this--That we are Christ's, and through him reconciled to the Father, that we may be beloved of him and saved, the Holy Ghost and eternal life being given unto us.
III. WHY IS THIS COMFORT ALONE SOLID?
That this comfort alone is solid, is evident, first, because it alone never fails--no, not in death; for "whether we live, or die, we are the Lord's ;" and "who shall separate us from the love of Christ ?" (Rom. 14:8 ; 8:35 .) And, secondly, because it alone remains unshaken, and sustains us under all the temptations of Satan, who often thus assails the Christian:
1. Thou art a sinner. To this, comfort replies--Christ has satisfied for my sins, and redeemed me with his own precious blood, so that I am no longer my own, but belong to him.
2. But thou art a child of wrath and an enemy of God. Answer--I am, indeed, such by nature, and before my reconciliation; but I have been reconciled to God, and received into his favor through Christ.
3. But thou shalt surely die. Ans. Christ has redeemed me from the power of death, and I know that through him I shall come forth from death unto eternal life.
4. But many evils, in the mean time, befall the righteous. Ans. But Our Lord defends and preserves us under them, and makes them work together for our good.
5. But what if thou fall from the grace of Christ? For thou mayest sin, and faint, for it is a long and difficult road to Heaven. Ans. Christ has not only merited and conferred his benefits upon me, but he also continually preserves me in them, and grants me perseverance, that I may neither faint nor fall from his grace.
6. But what if his grace does not extend to thee, and thou art not of the number of those who are the Lord's? Ans. But I know that grace does extend to me, and that I am Christ's; because the Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God; and because I have true faith, for the promise is general, extending to all them that believe.
7. But what if thou hast not true faith? Ans. I know that I have true faith from the effects thereof; because I have a conscience at peace with God, and an earnest desire and will to believe and obey the Lord.
8. But thy faith is weak, and thy conversion imperfect. Ans. Yet it is nevertheless true and unfeigned, and I have the blessed assurance that "to him that hath shall be given." "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." (Luke 19:26 . Mark 9:24 .)
In this most severe and dangerous conflict, which all the children of God experience, christian consolation remains immoveable, and at length concludes: therefore Christ, with all his benefits, pertains even to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment