Ancient Paths

The Wisdom of God

michael_zilles@pfm.org (Diane Singer) — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:30:00 +0000

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A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)

The Knowledge of the Holy

When Christian theology declares that God is wise, it means vastly more than it says or can say, for it tries to make a comparatively weak word bear an incomprehensible plenitude of meaning that threatens to tear it apart and crush it under the sheer weight of the idea….

There is indeed a secondary, created wisdom which God has given in measure to His creatures as their highest good require; but the wisdom of any creature or of all creatures, when set against the boundless wisdom of God, is pathetically small.

The Mystical Task of Art

michael_zilles@pfm.org (Steven C. Wright) — Mon, 13 May 2013 05:27:00 +0000

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Abraham Kuyper
(1837-1920)

“[I]f you confess that the world once was beautiful, but by the curse has become undone, and by a final catastrophe is to pass to its full state of glory, excelling even the beautiful of paradise, then art has the mystical task of reminding us in its productions of the beautiful that was lost and of anticipating its perfect coming luster…. Standing by the ruins of this once so wonderfully beautiful creation, art points out … both the still visible lines of the original plan, and what is even more, the splendid restoration by which the Supreme Artist and Master-Builder will one day renew and enhance even the beauty of His original creation.”[i]

True Friendship

michael_zilles@pfm.org (T. M. Moore) — Mon, 06 May 2013 05:18:00 +0000

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John Chrysostom

"Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this expression, 'we have found,' is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural friendship, is all about, when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters."

God's Calling

michael_zilles@pfm.org (Greggrey C. Cudworth) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:41:00 +0000
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The Gospel of Grace (2)

Charles H. Spurgeon (c. 1834-1892)

"But there are some who say, 'It is hard for God to choose some and leave others.' Now I will ask you one question. Is there any one of you who wishes to be holy, who wishes to be regenerate, to leave off sin and walk in holiness? 'Yes, there is,' says someone, 'I do.' Then God has elected you. But another says, 'No; I don't want to be holy; I don't want to give up my lusts and my vices.' Why should you grumble, then, that God has not elected you to it? For if you were elected you would not like it, according to your own confession"

The first installment in this series, The Gospel of Grace, addressed the Biblical teaching concerning the extent of human sin. We saw that our nature is so filled with sin as to prevent us from seeking God or the things of God. Because of this the question becomes, How can a person find eternal salvation for his soul? How can a he be saved? Scripture tells us salvation is the sovereign decision and action of God and God alone. He made His choices before the beginning of time, based solely on His good and perfect will. This has led many to misunderstand the doctrine of election and to draw false assumptions concerning it. This week we will try to correct our understanding and put to rest some of the more pervasive false arguments against God’s calling of His elect.

How Long Shall the Wicked Triumph?

michael_zilles@pfm.org (Diane Singer) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:09:00 +0000
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Tozer, A.W. (1897-1963) The Knowledge of the Holy [i]

The concept of God held by the psalmists and prophets of Israel was that of an all-powerful ruler, high and lifted up, reigning in equity…. Of the long awaited Messiah it was prophesied that when He came He should judge the people with righteousness and the poor with judgment. Holy men of tender compassion, outraged by the inequity of the world’s rulers, prayed, “O Lord God … how long shall the wicked triumph?” And this is to be understood not as a plea for personal vengeance but as a longing to see moral equity prevail in human society….

Monday: Psalm 50:16-21; Psalm 52:1-4; Psalm 94:3-7
God’s Word does not hesitate to call some people “wicked.” What characterizes such people? What is their attitude toward God? The poor? Their foes? What characterizes their speech? Their actions toward the powerless? Tozer mentions “holy men” who are “outraged by the inequity of the world’s rulers.” Do you ever feel this way? What specific situations have caused you such grief?

Gospel of Grace (1)

kmoreland@wilberforce.org (Greggrey C. Cudworth) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:45:27 +0000
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Total Depravity

John Gerstner (c. 1914-1996)

“Speaking of god’s providence, we noticed sin incidentally. We now bring it into focus. One cannot think of God’s holy ways without thinking of our unholy ones. We cannot think of ourselves without thinking of our sin. Sin is the most important conviction any man can have. It is a bad theology which thinks man good. Any good theology must start with man as bad.”

The “Right Defence”

michael_zilles@pfm.org (T. M. Moore) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:13:00 +0000
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C. S. Lewis

“The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments.”[i]

Monday: Read Ephesians 2:1-10
Why has God graciously redeemed us? For what purpose? To what ends? How can we know what this entails?

On the Vanity of Externals

michael_zilles@pfm.org (T. M. Moore) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:26:00 +0000
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Clement of Alexandria

“If, then, He takes away anxious care for clothes and food, and superfluities in general, as unnecessary; what are we to imagine ought to be said of love of ornament, and dyeing of wool, and variety of colours, and fastidiousness about gems, and exquisite working of gold, and still more, of artificial hair and wreathed curls; and furthermore, of staining the eyes, and plucking out hairs, and painting with rouge and white lead, and dyeing of the hair, and the wicked arts that are employed in such deceptions?”[i]

Striving to Please Him

kmoreland@wilberforce.org (Diane Singer) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:32:40 +0000
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Columbanus (543-615 ad) “Sermons of Columbanus (Sermon 8)” [i]

And so, turning our back on all evil and laying aside all apathy, let us strive to please him who is everywhere, so that we may joyfully and with a good conscience pass over from the road of this world to the blessed and eternal home of our eternal Father, moving from present things to absent ones, from sad things to joyful ones, from passing things to eternal ones, from earthly things to heavenly ones, from the region of death to the sphere of the living, where we shall see heavenly things face-to-face, and the King of Kings, ruling his realms with an upright rule, our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory from age to age. Amen.

Free in Christ

michael_zilles@pfm.org (T. M. Moore) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:25:00 +0000
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Augustine

“Do not then let the Christian say: I am free; I have been called to freedom. I was a slave but I have been redeemed, and by my very redemption I have been made free. I shall do what I please. No one may deny my will if I am free. But if you commit sin with that kind of a will, you are the servant of sin. Do not then abuse your liberty for the purpose of sinning, but use it for the purpose of not sinning. For your will is only free if it is godly. You will be free if you are still a servant – free from sin and the servant of righteousness… Let us strive for everlasting life as we maintain holiness.”[i]

We are hearing a good bit of talk about “religious freedom” these days. It’s important for Christians to remember that the only thing that can take our freedom away from us is our own propensity to give in to sin. Government cannot take away our freedom in Christ. Men can’t either. But the fear of men and the love of sinning – that will do it every time.

Ancient Paths

The Wisdom of God

A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)

The Knowledge of the Holy

The Mystical Task of Art

Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)

True Friendship

John Chrysostom

God's Calling

The Gospel of Grace (2)

How Long Shall the Wicked Triumph?

Gospel of Grace (1)

Total Depravity

John Gerstner (c. 1914-1996)

The “Right Defence”

On the Vanity of Externals

Striving to Please Him

Free in Christ

Abraham Kuyper
(1837-1920)