Walk in Love<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given\nhimself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour\n (Ephesians 5:2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is the key to all that is commanded, expected, and needed\nfor godliness and sanctification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1.) Walk in love to God our Father, who has given us all things\nin Christ (Eph. 1:3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.) Walk in love to Christ for the love He has for us, the\nrelationship we have with Him, and the things He has done for us (1 John\n4:19-21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.) Walk in love one to another (Eph. 4:32).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our example of love is Christ our Lord, who loved us and gave\nHimself for us. If Christ so loved us, we ought also to love one another. This\nprinciple of love is the gift of God and is sufficient motivation for mercy,\nforgiveness, kindness, and all godliness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Henry T. Mahan (1926-2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christ Crucified Is The Whole Counsel of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doctrine divorced from Christ is deadly philosophy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Duty divorced from Christ is self-righteous legalism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Devotion divorced from Christ is mere ritualism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christ is the Subject of all biblical truth, the Fulfilment of all\nbiblical prophecy, the End of all biblical law, the Motive of all biblical\nprecepts, the Example of all biblical standards, the Basis of all biblical\nhope, and the Reward of all biblical faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don Fortner<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Theological controversies and disputes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Letters of John Newton)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beware of engaging in theological disputes, without evident\nnecessity, and some probable hope of usefulness. They tend to eat out the life\nand savour of religion, and to make the soul lean and dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am not to expect others to see with my eyes! I am deeply\nconvinced of the truth of John the Baptist’s aphorism in John 3:27, “A man\ncan receive nothing\u2014except it be given him from Heaven.” I well know, that\nthe little measure of knowledge I have obtained in the things of God\u2014has not\nbeen owing to my own wisdom and teachableness, but to God’s goodness. Nor did I\nlearn everything all at once\u2014God has been pleased to exercise much patience\ntowards me, for the past twenty-seven years\u2014since He first gave me a desire of\nlearning from Himself. He has graciously accommodated Himself to my weakness,\nborne with my mistakes, and helped me through innumerable prejudices, which,\nbut for His mercy, would have been insuperable hindrances! I have therefore no\nright to be angry, impatient, or censorious to others, especially as I have\nstill much to learn, and am so poorly influenced by what I seem to know!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am weary of theological controversies and disputes, and desire\nto choose for myself, and to point out to others, Mary’s part\u2014to sit at Jesus’\nfeet, and to hear His words. I cannot, I must not, I dare not\u2014be contentious!\nOnly, as a witness for God, I am ready to bear my simple testimony to what I\nhave known of His truth, whenever I am properly called to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The longer I live, the more I see of the vanity and the\nsinfulness of our unchristian disputes! They eat up the very vitals of\nreligion! I allow that every branch of Gospel truth is precious, that errors\nare abounding, and that it is our duty to bear an honest testimony to what the\nLord has enabled us to find comfort in, and to instruct with meekness such as\nare willing to be instructed. But I cannot see that it is my duty; nay, I\nbelieve it would be my sin\u2014to attempt to beat my notions into other people’s\nheads!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wrought with divine power!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J.C. Philpot, “The Veil Taken Away” 1844)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n in power and,<\/p>\n\n\n\n in the Holy Ghost and<\/p>\n\n\n\n in much assurance.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Thessalonians 1:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most men’s religion is nothing else but ‘a round of forms’ . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n some have their ‘doings’,<\/p>\n\n\n\n some have their ‘doctrines’,<\/p>\n\n\n\n and others have their ‘duties’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And when the one has performed his doings, the other learned his\ndoctrines, and the third discharged his duties\u2014why, he is as good a Christian,\nhe thinks, as anybody. While all the time, the poor deceived creature is\nthoroughly ignorant of the kingdom of God, which stands not in simply in word,\nbut in power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But as the veil of ignorance is taken off the heart, we begin to\nsee and feel that there is a power in vital godliness, a reality in the\nteachings of the Spirit\u2014that religion is not to be put on and put off as a man\nputs on and off his Sunday clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where vital godliness is wrought with divine power in a man’s\nheart, and preached by the Holy Spirit into his conscience it . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n mingles, daily and often hourly with his thoughts;<\/p>\n\n\n\n entwines itself with his feelings; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n becomes the very food and drink of his soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now when a man comes to this spot: to see and feel what a\nreality there is in the things of God made manifest in the conscience by the\npower of the Holy Spirit\u2014it effectually takes him out of dead churches, cuts\nhim off from false ministers, winnows the chaff from the wheat, and brings him\ninto close communion with the broken-hearted family of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in\npower and, in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Thessalonians 1:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n A peculiar, indescribable, invincible power<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J.C. Philpot, “The Word of Men and the Word of God”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also . .\n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n with power,<\/p>\n\n\n\n with the Holy Spirit and<\/p>\n\n\n\n with deep conviction.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Thessalonians 1:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gospel comes to some in word only. They hear the word of the\ngospel, the sound of truth; but it reaches the outward ear only\u2014or if it\ntouches the inward feelings, it is merely as the word of men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But where the Holy Spirit begins and carries on His divine and\nsaving work, He attends the word with a peculiar, an indescribable, and yet an\ninvincible power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It falls as from God upon the heart. He is heard to speak in\nit\u2014and in it His glorious Majesty appears to . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n open the eyes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n unstop the ears, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n convey a message from His own mouth to the soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some hear the gospel as the mere word of men, perhaps for years\nbefore God speaks in it with a divine power to their conscience. They thought\nthey understood the gospel; they thought they felt it; they thought they loved\nit. But all this time they did not see any vital distinction between receiving\nit as the mere word of men, and as the word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The levity, the superficiality, the emptiness stamped upon all\nwho merely receive the gospel as the word of men\u2014is sufficient evidence that it\nnever sank deep into the heart, and never took any powerful grasp upon their\nsoul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It therefore . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n never brought with it any real separation from the world;<\/p>\n\n\n\n never gave strength to mortify the least sin;<\/p>\n\n\n\n never communicated power to escape the least snare of\nSatan;<\/p>\n\n\n\n was never attended with a spirit of grace and prayer;<\/p>\n\n\n\n never brought honesty, sincerity, and uprightness into the\nheart before God;<\/p>\n\n\n\n never bestowed any spirituality of mind, or any loving\naffection toward the Lord of life and glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was merely the reception of truth in the same way as we\nreceive scientific principles, or learn a language, a business, or a trade. It\nwas all . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n shallow,<\/p>\n\n\n\n superficial,<\/p>\n\n\n\n deceptive,<\/p>\n\n\n\n hypocritical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in some unexpected moment, when little looking for it, the\nword of God was brought into their conscience with a power never experienced\nbefore. A light shone in and through it which they never saw before . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n a majesty,<\/p>\n\n\n\n a glory,<\/p>\n\n\n\n an authority,<\/p>\n\n\n\n an evidence<\/p>\n\n\n\n accompanied it which they never knew before. And under this\nlight, life, and power\u2014they fell down with the word of God sent home to their\nheart!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When then Christ speaks the gospel to the heart;<\/p>\n\n\n\n when He reveals Himself to the soul;<\/p>\n\n\n\n when His word, dropping as the rain and distilling as the dew,\nis received in faith and love<\/p>\n\n\n\n He is embraced as the chief among ten thousand and the\naltogether lovely one, He takes His seat upon the affections and becomes\nenthroned in the heart as its Lord and God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there life in your bosom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Has God’s power attended the work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the grace of God really in your heart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Has God spoken to your soul?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you heard His voice, felt its power, and fallen under its\ninfluence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n “And we also thank God continually because, when you\nreceived the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the\nword of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is effectually at\nwork in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13<\/p>\n\n\n\n God saves sinners apart from the preaching of the gospel? No<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Don Fortner)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of\nGod.” Romans 10:17<\/p>\n\n\n\n No one is saved apart from the hearing of the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let no one deceive you in this matter. The issue is not whether\nor not God can save His people without the use of means. The issue is whether\nor not He will. We know that He will not, because He has revealed it plainly in\nHis Word. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”\nIt pleased God to save His elect by the foolishness of gospel preaching. All\nwho are begotten of God, are begotten of Him by the gospel. All who are born\nagain, are born again by the incorruptible seed of God’s Word, which is\npreached to them in the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These things are so plainly revealed in holy Scripture that\nthere is no excuse for error regarding them (1 Corinthians 1:21; James 1:18; 1\nPeter 1:23-25). Those who teach that God saves sinners apart from the preaching\nof the gospel, fly in the face of holy Scripture. It is therefore no surprise\nto see them favor emotionalism, experiences, dreams, custom, and religious\ntradition above the Word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The preaching of the gospel is God’s chosen, ordained means of\ngrace, by which He calls chosen, redeemed sinners to salvation in Christ by the\nirresistible power and grace of His Holy Spirit. The New Testament universally\ndeclares that the preaching of the gospel is vital to the salvation of God’s\nelect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our message is always the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We do not have one message for children, and another for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We do not have one message for one group, and another for\nanother group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The preaching of the gospel is a proclamation . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n of the unsearchable riches of Christ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of salvation by His grace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of peace with God,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of pardon of sin,<\/p>\n\n\n\n of righteousness, and life and salvation by Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scriptures plainly declare that no one will ever be saved\nwho does not . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n hear the gospel (Romans 10:17),<\/p>\n\n\n\n believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16),<\/p>\n\n\n\n acknowledge and confess his sin (1 John 1:9),<\/p>\n\n\n\n repent of his sins (Luke 13:5), and<\/p>\n\n\n\n persevere in the faith (Matthew 10:22).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus He will make the soul enamored with Jesus!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “When the Comforter is come . . . He shall testify of\nMe.” John 15:26<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shall testify to My person as self-existent Jehovah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shall bear witness to My work as the perfect sin-atoner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shall testify of My grace, how free it is, how full it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He shall enable the sinner, any poor wretch, however vile in his\nown eyes\u2014to trust his soul into the hands of Jesus. And having enabled the\nsinner to do this, then He will testify of Jesus, that He has received him,\nthat he is safe in the arms and may be happy in the enjoyment of Jesus’ love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus He will make the soul enamored with Jesus! There will\nappear such consummate beauty, such infinite loveliness in His precious person,\nas will eclipse the glory of all other lovers. There will appear such true\nhappiness in fellowship with Him, as will quite dethrone all former idols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And when the foolish heart would depart, the Comforter will not\nlet it. Then will He testify of Jesus, “To whom would you go? Who has\neternal life to give, but Him? Turn, turn again to your rest, oh my soul.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the soul is mourning; He will testify of the joy that is in\nJesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the soul is burdened; “Cast the burden,” He says,\n“on your Lord Jesus.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the soul has lost any creature comfort; “Let it\ngo,” He says, “Jesus is still your salvation and your great\nreward.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the soul is grieved with indwelling sin; “It is\npardoned,” He says, “you are free from the curse of sin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever the needs of the believer are, the Spirit’s office is\nto testify of Jesus: “Jesus is what you need\u2014and you have Him\nfreely.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Comforter will keep you by His almighty power, until He\nbrings you to the Heaven of heavens\u2014the sight and enjoyment of dear Jesus,\neternally dear and lovely Jesus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Toys and playthings of the religious babyhouse!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (J.C. Philpot, “The Good Shepherd and His Work”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I will feed My flock.” Ezekiel 34:15<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only real food of the soul\u2014must be of God’s own appointing,\npreparing and communicating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can never deceive a hungry child. You may give it a\nplaything to still its cries. It may serve for a few minutes; but the pains of\nhunger are not to be removed by a doll. A toy horse will not allay the cravings\nafter the mother’s milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So it is with babes in grace\u2014a hungry soul cannot feed upon\nplaythings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Altars,<\/p>\n\n\n\n robes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n ceremonies,<\/p>\n\n\n\n candlesticks,<\/p>\n\n\n\n bowings,<\/p>\n\n\n\n mutterings,<\/p>\n\n\n\n painted windows,<\/p>\n\n\n\n intoning priests, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n singing men and women\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n these dolls and wooden horses\u2014these toys and playthings of the\nreligious babyhouse, cannot feed the soul that, like David, cries out after the\nliving God. (Psalm 42:2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christ, the bread of life, the manna that came down from Heaven\u2014is\nthe only food of the believing soul!<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”\nJohn 6:51<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your Word was\nunto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart!” Jeremiah 15:16<\/p>\n\n\n\n “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word\u2014that\nyou may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Walk in Love And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Ephesians 5:2). Here is the key to all that is commanded, expected, and needed for godliness and sanctification. 1.) Walk in love to God our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6190"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6191,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190\/revisions\/6191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}