Archive | Quotes RSS feed for this section

John Calvin – Christ’s Sacrifice as Substitution

13 Dec

What, I ask you, would Christ have bestowed upon us if the penalty for our sins were still required? For when we say that he bore all our sins in his body upon the tree [1 Peter 2:24], we mean only that he bore the punishment and vengeance due for our sins. Isaiah has stated this more meaningfully when he says: “The chastisement (or correction) of our peace was upon him” [Isa. 53:5]. What is this “correction of our peace” but the penalty due sins that we would have had to pay before we could become reconciled to God–if he had not taken our place? Lo, you see plainly that Christ bore the penalty of sins to deliver his own people from them… This is why Paul writes that Christ gave himself as a ransom for us [1 Tim. 2:6]. “What is propitiation before the Lord,” asks Augustine, “but sacrifice? What is the sacrifice, but what has been offered for us in the death of Christ?”

~John Calvin~



The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, Kentucky; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) p. 657.

Books by John Calvin

Biography of John Calvin

Online Books Available

Other Calvin Quotes

Tags: ,

Herman Bavinck – Approaching Scripture

12 Dec

While objections–e.g., from historical criticism–should not be ignored, we must not overlook the spiritual-ethical hostility to Scripture from the forces of unbelief. While not all questioning of Scripture reveals hostile unbelief, it is important to underscore the duty of every person to be humble before Scripture. Holy Scripture must judge us, not the reverse. The Holy Spirit opens our heart to trust, believe, and obey God’s Word in Scripture. Submission remains a struggle, also an intellectual one. We must acknowledge our limitations, the reality of mystery, our weakness of faith, without despairing of all knowledge and truth. Our hope is in Christ, the true man in whom human nature is restored. That is the purpose of Scripture: to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15)

~Herman Bavinck~




Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 1: Prolegomena (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Academic; 2003) p. 389.

Books by Herman Bavinck

Biography of Herman Bavinck

More Bavinck Quotes

Tags: ,

Old Guy Hymns: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

11 Dec

Hark, the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King,
“Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.”

Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Veil’d in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to appear,
Jesus Our Immanuel here.

Mild He lays His glory by;
Born, that men no more might die;
Born to raise the sons of earth;
Born, to give them second birth.

Come, Desire of Nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s promised Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.

Glory to the new-born King!
Let us all the anthem sing,
“Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled.”

 


~Charles Wesley~


Our Own Hymn-Book (Pasadena, TX; Pilgrim Publications; 2002) p.256.

Tags: ,

Martyn Lloyd-Jones – Avoiding Becoming Slaves to Our Own Theories

10 Dec

Well, I would lay it down as a principle at this point — and it is applicable not only to this question of prayer but to many other problems as well — that the one thing we have to do in a situation like this is to avoid becoming slaves to our own theories and ideas and to our own understanding of the truth. In avoiding that danger we should go to the Scriptures, and look at the Bible’s plain and obvious teaching with as dispassionate and open a mind as we are capable of. We should do that, I say, not only with regard to this problem of prayer, but with regard to any other problem that may arise in our spiritual experience. There are certain doctrines taught in Scripture quite clearly, but then we come up against something that we cannot quite fit into our doctrinal pattern, and the danger at that point is to stand on our own doctrine and to try to explain away the Scripture. If ever we find a point that seems to conflict with our clear grasp of doctrine, it seems to me that, for the time being, the essence of wisdom is to leave our doctrine where it is. It is not that we deny it, we just leave it for the moment, we come back to Scripture and we note what Scripture has to say everywhere about this particular matter. Then having done that, we again attempt to relate this obvious and clear teaching of Scripture with the doctrine of which we are equally sure.

~Martyn Lloyd-Jones~


The Assurance of Our Salvation (Wheaton, IL; Crossway Books; 2000) p. 27-28

Books by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Other Lloyd-Jones Quotes

Tags: ,

Jonathan Edwards – The Sweetest Joys

9 Dec

The sweetest joys and delights I have experienced, have not been those that have arisen from a hope of my own good estate; but in a direct view of the glorious things of the gospel. When I enjoy this sweetness, it seems to carry me above the thoughts of my own estate; it seems, at such times, a loss that I cannot bear, to take off my eye from the glorious, pleasant object I behold without me, to turn my eye in upon myself, and my own good estate.

~Jonathan Edwards~






The Works of Jonathan Edwards Vol. 1 (Peabody, MA; Hendrickson Publishers, Inc; 2007) p. lxxxix. Memoirs of Jonathan Edwards

Books by Jonathan Edwards

Biography of Jonathan Edwards

Online Books Available

Other Edwards Quotes

Tags: ,

Jeremiah Burroughs – The Danger of Wanting More

8 Dec

So when we are content with our conditions and what God disposes of us to be in, there is a blessing in it, then it is sweet to us, but if we must needs have more, and keep it longer than God would have us to have it, then there will be worms in it and it will be no good at all.

~Jeremiah Burroughs~






The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (Edinburgh, Scotland; The Banner of Truth Trust; 2009) p. 160.

Books by Jeremiah Burroughs

Biography of Jeremiah Burroughs

Other Burroughs Quotes

Tags: ,

Martyn Lloyd-Jones – God’s Gracious Promises

7 Dec

The Lord Jesus Christ has manifested his Father, and has manifested these names [the names of God in the Old Testament] in a way that transcends everything that I have been saying. Go back to the Old Testament, look at those names, study them, read them – we are meant to do so, for they are absolutely true today. What Christ has done, in a sense, is to let the floodlight in, to open them out, and to enable us to grasp them, because he has done it in his person. Study them, and remember that what God has said is this: he is ‘The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty’ (Ex 34:6-7). Remember that his name is ultimately Love, that he has loved us with an everlasting love and knowing him thus, we can appropriate unto ourselves all the gracious promises. He will provide, he will heal, he will lead, he will enable us to conquer, but above all, and thank his great and holy name for this, he will never leave us nor forsake us, he will always be with us.

~Martyn Lloyd-Jones~


The Assurance of Our Salvation (Wheaton, IL; Crossway Books; 2000) p. 240-241

Books by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Other Lloyd-Jones Quotes

Tags: ,

Jonathan Edwards – Delighting in Christ

6 Dec

It has often appeared to me delightful, to be united to Christ; to have him for my Head, and to be a member of his body; also to have Christ for my Teacher and Prophet. I very often think with sweetness, and longings, and pantings of soul, of being a little child, taking hold of Christ, to be led by him through the wilderness of this world. That text, Matt. xviii. 3. has often been sweet to me, ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children,’ &c. I love to think of coming to Christ, to receive salvation of him, poor in spirit, and quite empty of self, humbly exalting him alone; cut off entirely from my own root, in order to grow into and out of Christ: to have God in Christ to be all in all; and to live, by faith on the Son of God, a life of humble, unfeigned confidence in him. That scripture has often been sweet to me, Ps. cxv. 1. ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.’ And those words of Christ, Luke x. 21.. ‘In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.’ That sovereignty of God, which Christ rejoiced in, seemed to me worth of such joy; and that rejoicing seemed to show the excellency of Christ, and of what spirit he was.

~Jonathan Edwards~






The Works of Jonathan Edwards Vol. 1 (Peabody, MA; Hendrickson Publishers, Inc; 2007) p. lxxxix. Memoirs of Jonathan Edwards

Books by Jonathan Edwards

Biography of Jonathan Edwards

Online Books Available

Other Edwards Quotes

Tags: ,

Charles Spurgeon – The Sight of Mercy

5 Dec

1. “Have mercy upon me, O God.” He appeals at once to the mercy of God, even before he mentions his sin. The sight of mercy is good for eyes that are sore with penitential weeping. Pardon of sin must ever be an act of pure mercy and therefore to that attribute the awakened sinner flies.


~Charles Spurgeon~


The Treasury of David Vol. 1 (Peabody, MA; Hendrickson Publishers, 1988) p. 402. Commentary on Psalm 51:1

Books by Charles Spurgeon

Biography of Charles Spurgeon

Other Spurgeon Quotes

Tags: ,

Old Guy Hymns: Now Let Us Join With Hearts and Tongues

4 Dec

Now let us join with hearts and tongues,
And emulate the angels’ songs;
Yea, sinners may address their King
In songs that angels cannot sing.

They praise the Lamb who once was slain;
But we can add a higher strain;
Not only say, “He suffer’d thus,
“But that he suffer’d all for us.”

When angels by transgression fell,
Justice consign’d them all to hell;
But Mercy form’d a wondrous plan,
To save and honour fallen man.

Jesus, who pass’d the angels by,
Assum’d our flesh to bleed and die;
And still he makes it his abode;
As man he fills the throne of God.

Our next of kin, our Brother now,
Is he to whom the angels bow;
They join with us to praise his name,
But we the nearest int’rest claim.

But, ah! how faint our praises rise!
Sure, ’tis the wonder of the skies,
That we, who share his richest love,
So cold and unconcern’d should prove.

Oh, glorious hour, it comes with speed!
When we, from sin and darkness freed,
Shall see the God who died for man,
And praise him more than angels can.


~John Newton~


Our Own Hymn-Book (Pasadena, TX; Pilgrim Publications; 2002) p.66.

Tags: ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →