Teodor Constantinescu's shared items

John Murray:

If there is still sin to any degree in one who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, then there is tension, yes, contradiction, within the heart of that person.

Indeed, the more sanctified the person is, the more conformed he is to the image of his Saviour, the more he must recoil against every lack of conformity to the holiness of God.

The deeper his apprehension of the Majesty of God, the greater the intensity of his love to God, the more persistent his yearning for the attainment of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, the more cautious will he be of the gravity of the sin which remains and the more poignant will be his detestation of it.

Redemption Accomplished and Applied, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955), 145, paragraphing mine.

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Recent posts from "They Still Speak" —

• The Dynamics of Faith and Receiving from God (Jeremiah Burroughs)
• Do You Know This Confidence? (John Newton)
• Puritan Advice on Discovering God's Will (John Flavel)

The Bible is full of references to disease and disability — more than 350 verses in 40 of the 66 books. 

Some references to disability are metaphors for something else. For example, Paul writes to the Corinthians:

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

“Blinded the minds” is obviously pointing to something other than a lack of physical sight. This is a devastating blindness. Are we stunned by this? Paul is not just playing with words to get people’s attention. He is talking about a literal blindness far worse than not being able to see in this physical world.

Pastor John writes:

The glory of God is the beautiful brightness of God. There is no greater brightness. Nothing in the universe, nor in the imagination of any man or angel, is brighter than the brightness of God. This makes the blindness of 2 Corinthians 4:4 shocking in its effect. 

Calvin says it with the kind of amazement it deserves: “They do not see the midday sun.” That is how plain the glory of God is in the gospel.

When God declares the omnipotent word of creation and “[shines] in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” the curtains are pulled back in the window of our Alpine chalet, and the morning sun, reflected off the Alps of Christ, fills the room with glory. (God Is the Gospel, 74, paragraphing mine)

And we were blind to this glory. Many are still blind like this. Nothing could be worse. 

If you see the glory of Christ, you have been given the best sight of all — regardless of whether your physical eyes work or not. Praise him. This is amazing. And if you have not seen him yet, look to him today. Look to Jesus and behold all that God is for you in him.

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Recent posts from "The Works of God" —

• Hitler Killed Disabled Children and So Do We
• Don't Let Your Cause Eclipse God's Glory
• Children Are a Blessing from God — All Children

Thomas Watson:

When a Christian is weak, and can hardly pray for himself, Jesus Christ is praying for him; and he pray for three things.

First, that the saints may be kept from sin (John 17:15). "I pray that thou shouldest keep them from evil." We live in the world as in a pest-house; Christ prays that his saints may not be infected with the contagious evil of the times.

Second, for his people's progress in holiness. "Sanctify them" (John 17:17). Let them have constant supplies of the Spirit, and be anointed with fresh oil.

Third, for their glorification: "Father, I will that those which thou hast given me, be with me where I am" (John 17:24). Christ is not content till the saints are in his arms. This prayer, which he made on earth, is the copy and pattern of his prayer in heaven. What a comfort is this; when Satan is tempting, Christ is praying! This works for good.

All Things for Good, 1663, (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2008), 23, paragraphing mine.

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Recent posts from "They Still Speak" —

• What the World Needs to Be Told (Charles Spurgeon)
• Confession of Sin Endears Christ to the Soul (Thomas Watson)
• 9/11 — The Day Death Became Real (C. S. Lewis)

John Piper from 1995:

Test yourself. What is your mindset? Do you begin with God and his rights and goals? Or do you begin with yourself and your rights and wishes?

And when you look at the death of Christ, what happens? Does your joy really come from translating this awesome divine work into a boost for self-esteem? Or are you drawn up out of yourself and filled with wonder and reverence and worship that here in the death of Jesus is the deepest, clearest declaration of the infinite esteem of God for his glory and for his Son?

Here is a great objective foundation for the full assurance of hope: the forgiveness of sins is grounded, finally, not in my finite worth or work, but in the infinite worth of the righteousness of God — God's unswerving allegiance to uphold and vindicate the glory of his name.

I appeal to you with all my heart, take your stand on this. Base your life on this. Ground your hope in this. You will be free from the futile mindset of the world. And you will never fall. When God's exaltation of God in Christ is your joy, it can never fail.

Excerpted from Did Christ Die for Us or for God? 

Two-minute video from John Piper on why he wrote Bloodlines —

. . . I've come to the conclusion that for all the good things that could be done, the gospel has in it not only the keys to reconciliation, but also the keys to all the sins that keep us from pursuing reconciliation. It's really important that we tackle this continually. I have resolved that this is an issue I will tackle until I'm dead. It will not go away.

Watch the trailer to the documentary by Crossway and get a free download of the Introduction [PDF]. You can also pre-order the book from Amazon, or directly from Desiring God by calling us at 888.346.4700 between 9:00 and 5:00 (CDT), Monday to Friday.

Thomas Watson:

Confession of sin endears Christ to the soul. If I say I am a sinner, how precious will Christ's blood be to me! After Paul has confessed a body of sin, he breaks forth into a gratulatory triumph for Christ: "I thank God through Jesus Christ" (Romans 7:25).

If a debtor confesses a judgment but the creditor will not exact the debt, instead appointing his own son to pay it, will not the debtor be very thankful? So when he confesses the debt, and that even though we should forever lie in hell we cannot pay it, but that God should appoint his own Son to lay down his blood for the payment of our debt, how is free grace magnified and Jesus Christ eternally loved and admired!

The Doctrine of Repentance, 1668, (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2009), 35.

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Recent posts from "They Still Speak" —

• 9/11 — The Day Death Became Real (C. S. Lewis)
• Know Your Heart and Don't Believe It (John Owen)
• Don't Loiter in That Ditch (Henry Scougal)