Nahomi at Courage to Tremble has an interesting series on religious affections (link to example). I was particularly drawn to the example because it quotes from my favorite author, Turretin - but there are many jewels to be found there.
-TurretinFan
Sunday, September 21, 2008
2 comments:
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10. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; and abstain from doing to others what you would not wish upon yourself.
TF,
ReplyDeletea couple of things.
First, is it a mispelling, "delutions" in the last paragraph? Is it suppose to be "dilutions"?
Second, wow, this goes way into areas of one's rational soul I believe "angels" fear to tred! :0)
Having observed that, several things come to my mind quickly.
I was struck by something yesterday when reading some verses. I cannot say I have ever gotten that deep into these verses as I did yesterday though I have been reading and rereading Scripture since I was 4 years old. I am turning 55 this year.
Jesus in John 10 clearly says He does and speaks nothing outside of the "given" authority of another.
In John 16, Jesus notes the same thing about the Holy Ghost, that He can do nothing outside of the "given" authority of another.
As I am coming "into" the Light of the Reformation thinkers, i.e. our dearly departed brother Turretin, too, I am now more convinced I am such a loose cannon its a wonder I am not taken out by that Authority! He is indeed "rich" in mercy towards His Elect!
Now, when we read these words of Paul, one comes away with such "hope" for ones "flesh" not derailing us off course, one wonders why we give such deference to it?
Paul wrote this about our "spirit, soul and body" and made no mention of the sanctification of the "flesh" when writing this admonition:
1Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Greek words are pnuema/spirit, psuche/soul and soma/body. The Greek word for flesh is "sarx".
When you consider that in light of this "authority/exousia" made referenced to here by Jesus Himself, you begin to see how God "elects" the Elect using His Sovereign Ways, the Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ, Our Risen Lord:
Joh 17:2 since you have given him authority/"exousia" over all flesh/"sarx", to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
As I have said before, I am from a cultural background that is heavy into the "spirit" world, coming out of a Native California Indian Tribe.
I believe God goes the distance with us, "His Elect", "foreknown" before the foundation of the world, as He brings us little by little out of the depths that "spirit" world brought us into by the Sanctification Work of the Holy Ghost and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, without which there would be no deliverance from that spirit world controlled by the devil.
Jesus says this and for me, it gives me very "strong" consolation that I would never know His Faith and so believe what He was predestined to do to save us, His Elect, well before we were on the scene, born into this present world full of good and evil forces arrayed towards and against us during our lifetime,:::>
Joh 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Joh 6:36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
Joh 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
What am I saying?
No one comes to Christ unless the Holy Ghost draws them by the Word heard and when "hearing", His Faith comes into our depths of being, our spirit, soul and body. The flesh profits nothing from this Salvation act of God upon our spirit, soul and body!
God speaks with Authority and directs the Holy Ghost, who comes under authority, to do that certain sanctification work in our "spirit, soul and body". He does not come to profit our "flesh" one bit but rather He comes to reveal Christ to our "spirit" man, our soul and our body so that by this thing we call "discipleship" we can put to death the deeds of the flesh, hence, by that obedience to the Faith once delivered to the Saints, we are sanctified, spirit, soul and body by the God of Peace!
Anyway, that's my story after reading the post and I am sticking to it!
thanks for posting again thought inspiring writings!!
Regarding the misspelling, I suspect "delusions" was the intended word.
ReplyDeleteNAL wrote: "I believe God goes the distance with us, "
That is key. God is both the author and finisher of our faith.
-TurretinFan