Spritual Recovery

Sometimes our guilt hurts so much that we madly want to do something extraordinary to make the pain stop. But what does God require of us for our spiritual recovery? Simple: renewed obedience in his means of killing the flesh. His means are those outlined throughout his Word and they're familiar: constantly reading his Word, hearing it preached, and reflecting on it; fervent prayer; careful watching against temptation; and fixing the mind always on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Kris Lundgaard, Through the Looking Glass.

Calvin on Psalm 32 part 3

Psalm 32:5-7
5. I have acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess
against myself to Jehovah my wickedness; and thou didst remit the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6.
Therefore shall every one that is meek pray unto thee in the time of finding thee; so that in a flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh unto him. 7. Thou art my hiding-place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

I have acknowledged my sin unto thee. The prophet now describes the issue of his misery,
in order to show to all the ready way of obtaining the happiness of which he makes mention. When his feeling of divine wrath sorely vexed and tormented him, his only relief was unfeignedly to condemn himself before God, and humbly to flee to him to crave his forgiveness. ...

The phrase, "upon myself," or "against myself," intimates that David put away from him all the excuses and pretences by which men are accustomed to unburden themselves, transferring their fault, or tracing it to other people. David, therefore, determined to submit himself entirely to God’s judgment, and to make known his own guilt, that being self-condemned, he might as a suppliant obtain pardon.

"And thou didst remit the guilt of my sin." This clause is set in opposition to the grievous and
direful agitations by which he says he was harassed before he approached by faith the grace of God. But the words also teach, that as often as the sinner presents himself at the throne of mercy, with ingenuous confession, he will find reconciliation with God awaiting him. ...

In the flood of many waters. This expression agrees with that prophecy of Joel, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be delivered.” (Joel 2:32) The meaning is, that although the deep whirlpools of death may compass us round on every side, we ought not to fear that they shall swallow us up; but rather believe that we shall be safe and unhurt, if we only betake ourselves to the mercy of God. We are thus emphatically taught that the godly shall have certain salvation even in death, provided they betake themselves to the sanctuary
of God’s grace. Under the term flood are denoted all those dangers from which there appears no means of escape.

At last the Psalmist gives himself to thanksgiving, and although he uses but few words to
celebrate the divine favor, there is, notwithstanding, much force in his brevity. In the first place, he denies that there is any other haven of safety but in God himself. Secondly, he assures himself that God will be his faithful keeper hereafter; for I willingly retain the future tense of the verb, though some, without any reason, translate it into the past. He is not, however, to be understood as meaning that he conceived himself safe from future tribulations, but he sets God’s guardianship over against them. Lastly, whatever adversity may befall him, he is persuaded that God will be his deliverer. By the word compass, he means manifold and various kinds of deliverance; as if he had said, that he should be under obligation to God in innumerable ways, and that he should, on every side, have most abundant matter for praising him. We may observe in the meantime, how he offers his service of gratitude to God, according to his usual method, putting songs of deliverance instead of help.

Calvin's summing up here is simply great as he explicates the Psalmist situation. Do we also recognize God's guardianship over future trials and embrace the fact that He is our Deliverer?
Let us pause today as we start our week in this sinful world to remember these gracious promises.

Calvin on Psalm 32 part 2

Calvin's commentary on Psalm 32 is most thoughtful and refreshing. Below is another encouraging portion:

Psalm 32:3-4
3. When I kept silence, my bones wasted away, and when I cried out all the day. 4. For day
and night thy hand was heavy upon me; and my greenness was turned into the drought of summer.

"When I kept silence, my bones wasted away." Here David confirms, by his own experience,
the doctrine which he had laid down; namely, that when humbled under the hand of God, he felt that nothing was so miserable as to be deprived of his favor: by which he intimates, that this truth cannot be rightly understood until God has tried us with a feeling of his anger. Nor does he speak of a mere ordinary trial, but declares that he was entirely subdued with the extremest rigour. And certainly, the sluggishness of our flesh, in this matter, is no less wonderful than its hardihood. If we are not drawn by forcible means, we will never hasten to seek reconciliation to God so earnestly as we ought. In fine, the inspired writer teaches us by his own example, that we never perceive how great a happiness it is to enjoy the favor of God, until we have thoroughly felt from grievous conflicts with inward temptations, how terrible the anger of God is. ...

"For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me." In this verse he explains more fully whence
such heavy grief arose; namely, because he felt the hand of God to be sore against him. The greatest of all afflictions is to be so heavily pressed with the hand of God, that the sinner feels he has to do with a Judge whose indignation and severity involve in them many deaths, besides eternal death....

The Psalmist, moreover, tells us, that it was no common chastisement by which he had been
taught truly to fear the divine wrath; for the hand of the Lord ceased not to be heavy upon him both day and night. From a child, indeed, he had been inspired with the fear of God, by the secret influence of the Holy Spirit, and had been taught in true religion and godliness by sound doctrine and instruction. And yet so insufficient was this instruction for his attainment of this wisdom, that he had to be taught again like a new beginner in the very midst of his course. Yea, although he had now been long accustomed to mourn over his sins, he was every day anew reduced to this exercise, which teaches us, how long it is ere men recover themselves when once they have fallen; and also how slow they are to obey until God, from time to time, redouble their stripes, and increase them from day to day. Should any one ask concerning David, whether he had become callous under the stripes which he well knew were inflicted on him by the hand of God, the context furnishes the answer; namely, that he was kept down and fettered by perplexing griefs, and distracted with lingering torments, until he was well subdued and made meek, which is the first sign of seeking a remedy. And this again teaches us, that it is not without cause that the chastisements by which God seems to deal cruelly with us are repeated, and his hand made heavy against us, until our fierce pride, which we know to be un-tameable, unless subdued with the heaviest stripes, is humbled.

For those of us who struggle with the humbleness that Calvin speaks of here, we should take note. God works in us to bring about the person, who though mired in sin, that He wants us to be. May our Lord be praised that He does not leave us in our awful condition but rather, has supplied the means for our salvation.

Calvin on Psalm 32

John Calvin's exposition on the Psalms cannot be outclassed. One must read and absorb as he brings out the truths in the writings. One enlightening portion is his commentary on Psalm 32. Below is an excerpt:

Psalm 32:1-2
1. Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose transgression is covered. 2. Blessed
is the man to whom Jehovah imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven. This exclamation springs from the fervent affection of the Psalmist’s heart as well as from serious consideration. Since almost the whole world turning away their thoughts from God’s judgment, bring upon themselves a fatal forgetfulness, and intoxicate themselves with deceitful pleasures; David, as if he had been stricken with the fear of God’s wrath, that he might betake himself to Divine mercy, awakens others also to the same exercise, by declaring distinctly and loudly that those only are blessed to whom God is reconciled, so as to acknowledge those for his children whom he might justly treat as his enemies. Some are so blinded with hypocrisy and pride, and some with such gross contempt of God, that they are not at all anxious in seeking forgiveness, but all acknowledge that they need forgiveness; nor is there a man in existence whose conscience does not accuse him at God’s judgment-seat, and gall him with many stings. This confession, accordingly, that all need forgiveness, because no man is perfect, and that then only is it well with us when God pardons our sins, nature herself extorts even from wicked men. ...

It is now proper to weigh the particular force of the expressions here employed. Certainly the remission which is here treated of does not agree with satisfactions. God, in lifting off or taking away sins, and likewise in covering and not imputing them, freely pardons them. On this account the Papists, by thrusting in their satisfactions and works of supererogation as they call them, bereave themselves of this blessedness. Besides, David applies these words to complete forgiveness. The distinction, therefore, which the Papists here make between the remission of the punishment and of the fault, by which they make only half a pardon, is not at all to the purpose. Now, it is necessary to consider to whom this happiness belongs, which may be easily gathered from the circumstance of the time. When David was taught that he was blessed through the mercy of God alone, he was not an alien from the church of God; on the contrary, he had profited above many in the fear and service of God, and in holiness of life, and had exercised himself in all the duties of godliness. And even after making these advances in religion, God so exercised him, that he placed the alpha and omega of his salvation in his gratuitous reconciliation to God. Nor is it without reason that Zacharias, in his song, represents “the knowledge of salvation” as consisting in knowing “the remission of sins,” (Luke 1:77.) The more eminently that any one excels in holiness, the farther he feels himself from perfect righteousness, and the more clearly he perceives that he can trust in nothing but the mercy of God alone. Hence it appears, that those are grossly mistaken who conceive that the pardon of sin is necessary only to the beginning of righteousness. As believers are every day involved in many faults, it will profit them nothing that they have once entered the way of righteousness, unless the same grace which brought them into it accompany them to the last step of their life. Does any one object, that they are elsewhere said to be blessed “who fear the Lord,” “who walk in his ways,” “who are upright in heart,” etc., the answer is easy, namely, that as the perfect fear of the Lord, the perfect observance of his law, and perfect uprightness of heart, are nowhere to be found, all that the Scripture anywhere says, concerning blessedness, is founded upon the free favor of God, by which he reconciles us to himself.

The Five Solas part 5

Today we conclude our mini study of the fives solas of the Reformation which are still very applicable to the church in the 21st century. We have looked at sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus and sola scriptura. But each of these has its culmination in soli Deo gloria: glory to God alone.

Purity of worship was a major theme for the Reformers and rightfully so. If we agree that salvation must be by faith alone (sola fide) and by grace alone (sola gratia) and on account of Christ's finished work alone (solus Christus) then we must render to God alone the glory due him. God's glory is displayed through all time by defeating his enemies and saving his people (Isaiah 43:6-7). The Reformers, as it should be no less today, took this very seriously and had a high view of God for we read in Romans 1:18-32:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Sinful men can make an idol out of anything. Idols made of wood and depictions carved in stone are very foolish and dismissed today as such. But some idols are put on a pedestal and men bow their knee to them every day. Idols such as human reason, prosperity and government are routinely worshiped in the hearts of men. But anytime we substitute something else for the God of the Bible, we attempt to have him share his glory with another. For anytime we deny one of his attributes, we conceive of him as less than the sovereign Lord of all (Tabletalk, August 2009, pg. 50).

The Five Solas part 4

The issue of authority was the other great controversy during the Reformation. Besides justification by faith, the authority of Scripture came to the forefront and rightfully so. Today this is known as sola scriptura, one of the five solas.

This issue became so prominent for Martin Luther and others as the traditions of the Roman Catholic church at the time (and now) for justification were rooted in penance and merit and works. Scripture teaches none of the methods as a way to salvation, only justification by faith. Rome set these traditions as equal to Scriptural authority.

Mark 7:9 tells us that we are not to observe the traditions of men should they make us disobey Scripture. And so, Protestantism, the Reformed, holds to sola scriptura. Yes, we embrace creeds and confessions but the bible will always take precedence in any conflict especially in conflicts with traditions of men. Scripture is and always will be our highest authority.

An outstanding explication of sola scriptura can be found in the video below by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.

The Five Solas part 3

Moving into our third study of the "solas" we come to solus Christus. If justification comes to us by faith alone and from God’s grace alone it cannot be forgotten that it is all through the work of Christ alone. Here we see it all come together through the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is the gospel story, plain and simple.

Adam, being the first man was required to keep the law but he did not and fell into sin. He and all of his descendants came under the curse of God’s wrath (Genesis 2:15-17; Romans 5:12-21). God intervened with a covenant of grace with the people of his choosing. God reckons these as righteous based on the work of Christ who came and lived a perfect, sinless life, died on the cross and rose again in three days and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. God made him to be sin who knew no sin (Corinthians 5:21). His righteousness is imputed to his children and they are reckoned as sinless. God did not, of course have to provide this covenant and yet he did so because of his great love for his people.

In the closing of his sermon, The Sufficiency of Christ Alone, John MacArthur stated, You come to Christ, you receive the forgiveness of sins. You come to Christ, you receive a new nature, a new disposition, a new heart that loves righteousness. You come to Christ and you die to the past and you rise to new life. You come to Christ and you’re delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. You come to Christ and you literally come to the truth that transcends, the truth you’ll never find anywhere except in the Word of God and even this truth you’ll never understand until the Spirit of God takes up residence and becomes your teacher, and then you know the deep things of God. It’s all in Christ. All truth, all wisdom, all knowledge, all understanding, all peace, all joy, all value, all fulfillment, all satisfaction, all purpose, all deliverance, all strength, all comfort, and all eternal hope is in Christ. To have Him is to have everything. Not to have Him is to have nothing. What a powerful proclamation. Read the whole sermon here.

"The Sower" Sermon on Mark 4:1-20

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In the Care of the Good Shephard

I'm always on the lookout for good, Reformed, devotional material and so I was happy to see that Iain Campbell has just publishhed his latest work, In the Care of the Good Shephard.

Learn more about it here.

Piper on God's Sovereignty

As we ready ourselves for worship tomorrow, let us meditate on God's sovereignty described by John Piper in this post:

The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is an anchor for the troubled soul, a hope for the praying heart, a stability for fragile faith, a confidence in pursuing the lost, a guarantee of Christ’s atonement, a high mystery to keep us humble, and a solid ground for all praise. And oh so much more. O Lord, turn this truth for the triumph of your saving and sanctifying grace.