Understanding Daniel (the Protestant interpretation)

This video contains some explain of the book of Daniel from the point of view of what has historically been called ‘the Protestant interpretation.’

May God bless you as you watch.

jm

Mark up your books!

 

(notice the coffee stain on the cover)

It should be clear by now I really, really like the theological works of John Gill. I read his works online, at the kitchen table, in the van while waiting for my wifey etc. I read Gill all the time…but I do not idolize him. To study theology is to think of God and His word and as I attempt this task I lean on Gill for help. His comments are almost always useful, experiential and accurate. Back in July of 2011 I was given a beat up copy of Gill’s doctrinal and practical works, I had it rebound and I cherish it. Shortly after I found the first volume of Gill’s work in paperback and thought it was worth the $2 or $3 bucks Gospel Mission was asking for it so I bought it. I use this copy to mark up and make notes in. I take it all over town with me and this practice of writing in the margins and underlying has been very helpful in gaining a good understanding for the Bible with the help of a tried and true Pastor, John Gill.

I guess I’m saying, MARK UP YOUR BOOKS!

 

Receiving and Walking

by JAMES BOURNE

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” (Colossians 2:6)

To walk in Christ as we received him is to retain the sense of our need of him, as when we felt the Day Spring from on high first visited us, and the terrors of the Lord made us afraid. O how plainly and feelingly did we then feel the need of a Saviour. Then we hastened, we fled from the wrath to come. Hell seemed close to us, and law and justice seemed ready to push us in. How sweet was the news of pardon then! How sweet a promise, when we could believe the Holy Spirit applied it to us personally. There was no halving it then, we felt we needed a whole Saviour, a Prophet to teach, a Priest to atone, and a King to reign. Christ Jesus was gladly received as such with all the heart.

How is it we walk not so with Christ now? Surely because we have lost our first love, and the powerful impression of our wants we once had; hence comes that indifference towards Christ and his appointed means. A spiritual appetite is wanting where the heavenly manna is loathed as light bread.

To walk with Christ is to be sensible of his worth with that same fervor of Spirit as when we first received him. O the love of our espousals, how precious was the dear Lord Jesus to us then! When we first viewed him bearing our sins, conquering our rebellion, opening the eyes of our understanding, healing our consciences. We felt our access to the Father was through him, and all our peace and joy was in him. At that time (if asked) we used to declare he was altogether lovely. “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord.” (Ps. 84:2) Watch this point, if you grow cool and indifferent in your attendance on the ministry, you may rest assured this springs from a back-sliding heart. If you walk with Christ, it must be manifest by keeping up communion with him, with the same feeling and desire as when you first received him, and often sought him with many tears. And [there was] seldom any attendance on the appointed means but his comforting presence was found. Creature comforts withered and none but Jesus, a loving God could refresh and satisfy your soul.

How is it now that we cannot find our way to a throne of grace, unless driven by affliction? We then could not live without his presence. And when we felt that, we could trust to him to supply all our temporal wants. Watch and be sober, and notice the very first beginning of declension. Let it at once be brought with much confession and prayer and [do] not suffer that which is lame to be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. labour to feed upon the truths you hear, to be established in the experimental knowledge of them. Religion lies not in talking of Christ, but in the walking in him, therefore be very watchful of inward decays, dread the universal, general profession of the day. Seek to keep your conscience blameless, by continually coming to the Fountain open for sin, and not resting without the sealing of the Spirit to you adoption. Seek to keep up much tenderness of the honour of God.

If these things are kept alive, the soul must be often refreshed with the water of life. Hold fast the pure Word, be very jealous of error of all sorts. Seek to maintain the character of a true church according to the Word of God, where it is called “the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15) Christ has left his truths as a trust to his people, and it is our mercy to keep them with faithfulness and prayer. A lukewarm spirit will make them too general, and this is the beginning of the ruin of all churches. First goes the zeal, simplicity and purity, and then goes their being.

Hold fast the truths of God, they are the treasure and glory of his people. Keep close to the Scriptures, and search them diligently with prayer, and seriously consider what is written in Revelation 2:2, “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.” Let us seek for clear work; Peter says we believe and are sure thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:69)

Mind that our fellowship brings about what Paul writes about to the Colossians. He speaks of being knit together in love, unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. (Col. 2:19) These sweet and heavenly truths will lead us to order our steps by his Word, and we shall find, while we walk in the tender enjoyment of these things, the discipline and good outward walk will also be observed as the real true fruits of such soul establishing truths. These will feed the household [of faith] and let your life recommend Christ as a Sanctuary for the afflicted; a Treasure that will enrich the poor in spirit; an Advocate to plead their cause however disheartened they may feel in coming to him; an inexhaustible Fountain of mercy and pardon, comfort and glory. “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35)

Suffer none to deny the sovereignty of God, in his eternal election of his people, and their final perseverance. In the experimental knowledge of these truths lies much of our stability. It is worthy [of] our attention, that which is worth having is worth owning, therefore let us always keep in mind the means which God has appointed for the nourishment and building up his people in saving knowledge. Remember carefully to maintain that doctrine that lays us low at the feet of the Saviour, and exalts his free grace. Strive for the faith once delivered to the saints that our souls may be fed, and not merely the head furnished with dry notions. Be sure your example be stronger than your words.

If we be of God’s family, we are often distressed with temptations of all sorts, and have need of exhortation, instruction, caution and consolation; let us be an example to one another; let us by much prayer guard against the fear of man and applause. If you feel your need of the presence of the Beloved, let that be seen by earnest cries, for where he is not, there is no sense of pardon. It will not do to say with the church in the Song [of Solomon]: “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.” (chap. 3:1) Such sort of seeking is not likely to find. It is as if she would wait till he came; but she found that would not do, therefore she says, “I will arise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth.” (chap. 3:2) This is making use of the means, and she found him and held him. She would not let him go.

Thus we see the necessity of diligence in the use of means as appointed of God, to convey the blessings God designs to give. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” (Ps. 62:5) Those who watch for the morning, do not only desire it, but expect it and know assuredly that it will come. None can set forth their walking with Christ more than they who stand upon the watchtower to see what the Lord will say unto them and what they shall answer when they are reproved. (Hab. 2:1) There may be much weakness felt, but the Lord has promised to strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees, and to say unto them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not, behold your God will come. (Isa. 35:3,4) Do not forget that your walking with Christ will be attended with much sensible weakness, but the Lord will counteract this with seasons of hope and expectation. “Your heart shall live that seek God.” (Ps. 69:32) Only let us always remember all our times are in God’s hands, our times of trouble; times of peace; of darkness; and of light, so that we must learn patiently to wait and quietly hope for his salvation.

This waiting often proves very painful in our walking with Christ. We meet with so much opposition, so many difficulties, perplexities, and much darkness by which we sometimes feel the heart become sick, and the spirit sinks and we are ready to faint. David says, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord,” (Ps. 27:13) therefore he adds, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Ps. 27:14) And the Apostle adds, “For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 6:9) The Apostle tells us to consider this, lest we be wearied and faint in our minds. They who walk with Christ, will never finally faint. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isa. 40:31)

Some will say they know many who have fainted. True! It was because they neither walked with Christ, nor waited for him. These are sure to lie down in disappointment. No soul ever miscarried who walked with Christ, and waited for him. Rest assured, they who walk with Christ here, shall have eternal happiness hereafter. Heart and flesh may fail, but David says, “God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” (Ps. 73:26) It is the continued and renewed tokens of this, which keeps the soul alive in all adversity, and in the worst of times it is said to be good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. (Lam. 3:26)

Even when sorely cast down and depressed, Jeremiah says, I will call to mind that there is forgiveness with God for distressed souls and therefore will I quietly wait and hope. But, alas, such is the degeneracy of professors of the gospel in this our day, they scarcely know the fundamental doctrines, the main pillars of our Reformation. The doctrine of God’s eternal election; the efficacy of free grace in the regeneration and conversion of sinners; (Titus 3:5) justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ; (Gal. 2:16) and the final perseverance of the saints. Our forefathers put no doubt upon these establishing truths.

Let us consider what our Lord says, he that is not walking with me, is contrary to me in all things. Let the whole of our profession and lives contend for the true faith, and remember in this contention, we not only contend for our own salvation, but also for the honour of God. God’s Holy Spirit does neither teach nor lead to uncertainties in matters of faith. The more he is pleased to enlighten us, the more we understand the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. There was a time when the children of God could redeem an hour in the week for either godly conversation or public worship, but now we scarcely can give the Lord the full time we profess to give him on the Lord’s Day. What can be said of families professing godliness to be prayerless? This denotes a sad weariness and cannot be called walking with Christ.

May the Lord cause us all to lay these dreadful backslidings to heart. And if we have ever known anything aright, call to mind the godly simplicity with which we first received Christ.

To him be all the glory. Amen.

an Army with Banners

“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Rev 4:5)

Durham comments, “We have the second thing whereby this stateliness is expressed, and out of the throne proceeded thunderings, and lightenings, and voices: It is like there is an illusion to God’s manner of giving Law, Exod. 19, whereby He appeared so terrible, that even Moses did exceedingly fear and quake; And, Deut. 33.2. it is said, that from His right hand went a fiery Law: the scope is, to show, that though God appear without great outward splendor and terror in His Ordinances, in the days of the Gospel; yet is there in His Church Power and Glory whereby the mightiest may be terrified and confounded: in which respect, the Church is terrible as an Army with Banners, Song 6.4, and 10. and the witnesses, Chap. 11. vers. 3 and 5. though prophesying in sackcloth, are said to have fire proceeding out of their mouths, and to bring on many other dreadful plagues. By this He would teach men to approach to Him with fear; for, He is a great God, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him, Psal. 89.7.”

“And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God: by these we understand the holy Ghost in His manifold and various operations, as we heard, Chap. 1. vers. 4, and by comparing Chap. 5. vers. 6. it is clear: for, these seven Spirits are the horns and eyes of the Lamb, that showeth both the Omnipotence and Omniscience of the same, and they are sent forth into all the earth, which could not be, if the Spirit were not infinite and Immense, and so cannot be understood but of the holy Ghost. Where, by the way, we may perceive the absurdity of the application of Doctor Hamond on this place formerly mentioned, who doth apply these seven spirits, as representing the seven Deacons of the Church of Jerusalem. These operations of the spirit, are compared to Lamps of fire burning, that it, to point out that the saving operations of the Spirit have heat, and a purifying efficacy with their light, to warm the heart with love to God, and to consume and eat up the dross of corruption that is in the same: therefore it is said of Christ, Matth. 3.11. that He should Baptize with the holy Ghost, and with fire: which last word expresseth the nature and efficacy of the former. They are called the seven lamps, or spirits, because though there be but one and the self-same spirit, yet there are diversities of gifts, and differences of administrations and operations, as it is, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, etc. of which we spoke, Chap. 1.

Lastly, These lamps are said to be before the throne, to show, that as Kings have their Thrones and Courts lighted with lamps and torches, so the Lord hath His Church lighted by His Spirit, and hath the operations thereof, as it were, so placed, as thereby light may be given to His Church and Elders that are round about Him; this is a special part of the Lord’s stateliness, and of the Churches Glory, that His spirit is there; and by Him it is Covenanted to His church for their good unto the end of the world, according as the word is, Isai. 59.21. As for me, this is my Covenant with them, saith the Lord, My spirit that is upon thee, and my word which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth, and for ever.” Commentary Upon The Book of the Revelation

get it now, or never

On Rev. 1.7-9 “Among them that shall see Him, these are added, They also who pierced Him: under which is comprehended His greatest Enemies; and it takes in both those, who had their hands hot in his blood, and killed him bodily; and those who crucified, and do crucify Him spiritually, as it’s said, Chap. 11.8. He was crucified in spiritual Sodom, they shall all, in that day, be called before His Bar, and be forced to look on Him.”

“Christ’s coming to Judgement, is a special part of His stateliness, and a main part of the Universalness of His Kingly Office as Mediator, when He shall come and sit as Judge, and give sentence on godly and wicked, and send away the one, and welcome the other. This will be one of His stateliest days, when He shall vindicate Himself from profane men, and bear Himself out to His people in His exceeding Glory. Believers, believe there is such a Day; and let it quiet your hearts in the mean time of all these confusions. (Obs. 3) Our Lord Jesus His coming to judgement, will be a doleful coming to the most part of the world: they also who pierced Him, and all kindred of the earth shall wail because of Him; they shall cry to the hills, Fall on us, and to the mountains, cover us; and would be glad to get into the clefts of the rocks, and to the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the Glory of His majesty, Isa. 2.12. Men would think the greatest hill or mountain a light burden in that Day, to get themselves hid from the piercing view of a slighted and provoked Mediator. Oh, but that will be bitter and sore to bide! Think upon it. There is a time coming, when many of you that hears this same word, if Grace prevent not, shall see and find the truth of it. It’s terrible, but experience will make it true: many of you now scares to hear tell of Christ’s coming to Judgement; but when that day cometh, it shall be bitter in another kind to you, when this bitter yelling noise, crying and howling, shall be among the carnal world that slighted Him, and ye shall find yourselves among them, and shall share with them; and every cry and yell about you, shall be a new wound. Therefore humble yourselves, and seek for mercy and reconciliation in time: for, either must you get it now, or never.” – James Durham, Commentary Upon The Book of the Revelation

Quotes from Wycliffe

“Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on his sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by his righteousness. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation.”

“God gives His grace to whomever He wishes, and has predestined each individual, an eternity before birth, to be lost or saved through all eternity. Good works do not win salvation, but they indicate that he who does them has received divine grace and is one of the elect. We act according to the disposition that God has allotted to us; to invert Hericlitus, our fare is our character.”

“God is sovereign lord of us all. The allegiance that we owe Him is direct, as is the oath of every Englishman to the king, not indirect through allegiance to a subordinate lord, as in feudal France. Hence the relationship of man to God is direct, and requires no intermediary; any claim of Church or priest to be a necessary medium must be repelled.”

“Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation, and that without faith it is impossible to please God; that the merit of Christ is able, by itself, to redeem all mankind from hell, and that this sufficiency is to be understood without any other cause concurring.”

Wiki:

John Wycliffe (pron.: /ˈwɪklɪf/; also spelled Wyclif, Wycliff, Wiclef, Wicliffe, Wickliffe; c. 1330 – 31 December 1384)^[1] was an English Scholastic philosopher, theologian, lay preacher,^[2] translator, reformer and university teacher at Oxford in England, who was known as an early dissident in the Roman Catholic Church during the 14th century. His followers were known as Lollards, a somewhat rebellious movement, which preached anticlerical and biblically-centred reforms. The Lollard movement^[2] was a precursor to the Protestant Reformation (for this reason, Wycliffe is sometimes called “The Morning Star of the Reformation”). He was one of the earliest opponents of papal authority influencing secular power.^[3]

J. Gresham Machen & Fundamentalism

Tonight I was moved to read a short online biography on the great 20th conservative leader J. Gresham Machen.  When the church was under the attack and influence of Modernism and Liberalism Machen was one who stood against the tide, this lead to him being called a Fundamentalist, but he was not.  According to an online biography posted on the Desiring God[1] website Machen rejected Fundamentalism for the following reasons:

1. the absence of historical perspective;
2. the lack of appreciation of scholarship;
3. the substitution of brief, skeletal creeds for the historic confessions;
4. the lack of concern with precise formulation of Christian doctrine;
5. the pietistic, perfectionist tendencies (for example, hang ups with smoking,²⁰ etc.);
6. one-sided other-worldliness (that is, a lack of effort to transform culture); and
7. a penchant for futuristic chiliasm (or: pre-millenialism).

It was very affirming to read the above list given by Dr. Piper.  I also reject Fundamentalism for all of the exact same reasons, and also agree with Machen when he wrote, “I have little time to be attacking my brethren who stand with me in defense of the Word of God.”  His work “Christianity and Liberalism” can be downloaded in audio form from ReformedAudio.com

On the importance of ideas:

“False ideas are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the gospel. We may preach with all the fervor of a reformer and yet succeed only in winning a straggler here and there, if we permit the whole collective thought of the nation to be controlled by ideas […] which prevent Christianity from being regarded as anything more than a harmless delusion.”

“The Christian cannot be satisfied so long as any human activity is either opposed to Christianity or out of connection with Christianity. Christianity must pervade not merely all nations but also all of human thought.”

His last recorded words:

“I’m so thankful for [the] active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.”

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[1] J. Gresham Machen’s Response to Modernism

A response to: Falling Away From the Faith by giannina

You can view the post here.

These statements are in conflict :

• Can you lose your salvation? The question is phrased incorrectly. The question should be “can you fall away from the faith?” The biblical answer is yes, you can fall away from the faith.

• Can we know we are going to heaven? The biblical answer to that questions is yes we can know we are going to heaven. The cross is an accomplished fact. Jesus died for our sins. It is finished.

If you can lose your salvation then Jesus didn’t finish anything.  We know from Hebrews 10 that the death of Christ ALWAYS results in the perfection of them for whom it was offered so if you lose your faith Jesus didn’t finish anything for you.

If you miss the point of justification you’ll miss the point of the “good news.”

“Far from being a merely speculative point, it spreads its influence through the whole body of divinity, runs through all Christian experience, and operates in every part of practical godliness. Such is its grand importance, that a mistake about it has a malignant efficacy, and is attended with a long train of dangerous consequences.” Abraham Booth, The Reign of Grace

A sinner will continue to fall into sin due to the old nature remaining (Rom. 7). To claim that we can fall back into sin and lose faith confuses justification with regeneration and sanctification, one of the key reasons for the Reformation. Jesus Christ is the perfect propitiation for our (believers) sins, that means the enmity between God and man has been removed and besides, propitiated sins cannot be punished.

The Bible teaches that a sinner is declared justified by God in a legal sense, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” (Gen. 44:16, Job 9:20, 32:2, Ps. 51:4, Rom. 8:33-34). Jesus Christ represents His people while God the Father pronounces a judgement on us in Christ. Our justifying is not a change being made in us but a declaration of our innocence based on the work of Christ on the cross. This is an objective change in our legal status before God as it relates to our transgression of the Law of God. A criminal can be forgiven or pardoned but only a righteous person can be justified, which is the whole point of Christ’s death in place of sinners, to impute (not infuse or impart) righteousness (Rom. 3:24, 8:30) to His people.

“Eternal security” or “once saved always saved” teachers will often ask the question “what particular sin can cause someone to “lose their salvation.” The biblical response to that question is that when faith fails and love grows cold a person will fall into their old sinful lifestyle. It’s not a matter of a believer stumbling, falling into sin, and then repenting. It’s a matter of falling away from the faith entirely and falling back into their old sinful lifestyle. There is no security in sin. Repentance is not a one time act.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus taught that there would be those who would believe only for awhile and endure only for a time. He said some would fall away.

There are different “kinds” of faith as Stephen Charnock points out, “Those who lay claim to a relation to God without imitation of him are not children but bastards. They may be of his family by instruction but not by descent. There is no implantation in Christ without an imitation both of the Creator and Redeemer.”

Not all faith is saving faith (Jam. 2:14) and the Gospel can produce a shallow, mental ascent to the good news presented. A profession does not necessarily mean one is saved for not everyone who “says Lord, Lord” is saved. (Matt. 7) Only those who are “accepted in the beloved” are saved, not all those who walk an aisle during an altar call can make that claim.

To say that Christ’s death doesn’t actually accomplish salvation destroys the biblical doctrine of the atonement and the unity of the Trinity for Christ’s death becomes a salvation AmWay program and God the Father refuses to hear the prayers of God the Son. (John 17)

Peace,

jm