Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A HOLY LIFE 5

A HOLY LIFE: the Beauty of Christianity

a treatise by John Bunyan
edited in modern English by Jon Cardwell


FIRST, THE EXHORTATION:
THAT MEN DEPART FROM INIQUITY


In the exhortation there are several things to note because of the insinuations made by the apostle. The first is that iniquity is a very dangerous and harmful thing, as it pertains to the souls of sinners in general; so it is especially dangerous and harmful to them that proclaim the name of Christ.

First, Iniquity is a very dangerous and harmful thing to men in general; for it is that which captivated the world at the beginning, and that made it a bond-slave to the devil. It has also done great harm to mankind ever since. For instance, here are a few things:

1. Iniquity has rendered the power of men’s souls dull and stupid. It has even made them like irrational animals, like brutes in all supernatural, heavenly matters (2 Peter 2:12). Just as the beast cares for nothing but his lusts and its belly, likewise a man cares for nothing but earthly things, sensual and devilish things, by reason of iniquity.

2. Iniquity has blinded and darkened the powers of the soul, so that the soul can neither see where it is, nor see any way out of his ignorant condition (Ephesians 4:18).

3. Iniquity has hardened the heart against God, and against all warning and counsel in the things of the gospel of Christ (Romans 2:5).

4. Iniquity has alienated the will, the mind, and affections, from the choice of the things that should save it, and turned them over to a hearty delight in those things that naturally tend to drown it in perdition and destruction (Colossians 1:21).

5. Iniquity has made man stink in God’s eyes. It has provoked the justice of God against him. It has made him obnoxious to hellfire (Ezekiel 16:5).

6. Yes, iniquity so holds him, so binds him, so keeps him in its grip, that not he himself, nor even all the angels of heaven, can deliver him from this deplorable condition (Proverbs 5:22).

7. This is to say nothing of the pleasure and delight iniquity makes man take in it, and in the very way to hell in which he walks (Isaiah 66:3; Proverbs 7:22, 23). There has never been a fat ox that went toward destruction so playfully, nor a fool so merrily to begin his sentence of imprisonment, nor silly bird so recklessly to the hidden net, as iniquity makes men go down her steps to the pit of hell and damnation.

It’s amazing! It is just so astonishing to consider what harm sin has done to man, and into how many dangers it has brought him; but let these few hints be enough for us now. I’m going to say something about the next point, namely,

Second, That as iniquity is dangerous and harmful to the souls of men in general, so it is especially dangerous and harmful to them that name the name of Christ. Now, as for those who name Him, I’ll speak about that in due time, but now, we’ll just keep it at this: For those that religiously proclaim His name. I tell you, iniquity is harmful to them.

1. It removes many individuals from Christ and the religious profession of Him. I have even seen, that men who have devoutly and religiously professed Jesus Christ, have been overcome by iniquity. It caused for Christ to be rejected, as well as the profession of His name, and for those men to turn their backs upon Him. “Israel,” prophet says, “has spurned the good” (Hosea 8:3). But why? “With their silver and gold they made idols” (Hosea 8:4). The sin of idolatry threw their hearts from God; their love to that iniquity made them turn their backs upon Him. For this reason God complains, that from their eagerness to sin, and through its prevalence, they had cast Him behind their back (Ezekiel 23:35).

2. As it removes many who would profess faith from Christ, so it keeps many individuals from an effectual union with Him. How many are there that religiously profess faith and make mention of the name of Christ, yet in loving that iniquity, and by their passionate concern for that iniquity, are never united with him unto salvation. Instead, they are like those of whom you read in Paul’s letter to Timothy, that they are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:1-7).

3. And concerning those that have indeed come to Him, and that have effectually united with Him, and that proclaim His name to good purpose; yet how has iniquity harmed and abused many of them. (1.) It has prevailed with God to hide His face from them, a thing more bitter than death. (2.) It has prevailed with God to chastise, and to afflict them sorely, a thing in which He takes no pleasure (Lamentations 3:33). (3.) It has provoked God to give them over to the hand of the enemy, and to deliver them to the tormentors (Jeremiah 12:7; Matthew 18:34). (4.) It has brought them to question their interest in Christ, and whether they ever had grace in their souls (Psalms 31:22). (5.) And for those who believed that they were in His favor, this iniquity has driven them to fear that God would cast them away, and take all His good things from them (Psalms 51).

Yes, he that would know the harm that iniquity has done to them that proclaim the name of Christ, let him consider the cries, the sighs, the tears, the moans, the wailings, the lamentations, the sorrows, the confessions, the repentings and griefs with which they have been accompanied, while they have complained that they were cruelly confined, imprisoned, had their bones broken, suffered the terrors of God, been distressed almost to distraction, and have been fed with gravel, gall, wormwood, and with the water of astonishment, for days, even years together (Job 13:27; Psalms 6:6; 31:9, 10; 38:8; 60:3; 88:1-18; 116:3; Jeremiah 8:14; 23:15; 31:18; Lamentations 3:4, 16; Ezekiel 4:16; 2 Corinthians 12:21). By all which, and many more which might be mentioned, it appears that iniquity is a dangerous and harmful thing.


[“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”]

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A HOLY LIFE 4

A HOLY LIFE: the Beauty of Christianity

a treatise by John Bunyan
edited in modern English by Jon Cardwell

“…and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” 2 Timothy 2:19

TIMOTHY, unto whom this epistle was written, was an evangelist; that is, inferior to apostles and extra-ordinary prophets, and above ordinary pastors and teachers (2 Timothy 4:5; Ephesians 4:11). And he, with the rest of those under his circumstances, went with the apostles here and there, to be placed by them as they saw need, to further edify those who by the apostolic ministry were converted to the faith: and for this reason, Titus was left at Crete and Timothy was left at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). They were to do a work for Christ in the world, which the apostles were to begin, and leave upon their hands to finish. When the apostles departed from places, leaving these evangelists in their place, usually some bad spirits among those people arose. These were left, however, to continue the work and extend the faith. This is revealed by both epistles to Timothy, and also by that to Titus: that’s why Paul, upon whom these two evangelists waited for the fulfilling of their ministry, writes to them while they stayed where he left them, concerning those turbulent spirits which they met with, and to teach them how much further they ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. And to this purpose he gives them many various instructions, as the wise reader may easily understand, by which he encourages them in accomplishing that service for Christ, which they had to do for those people where Paul had left them. Paul also instructs them how to respond towards their agitators, which he finally does, not only doctrinally, but also by showing them, by his example and practice, what he would have them do.

This complete, he labors to comfort Timothy be reminding him of the faithfulness of God’s eternal decree of election, because based upon His foreknowledge; saying, though Hymeneus and Philetus have erred from the faith, and, by their fall, have overthrown the faith of some, “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His.’” Now that this last hint should not encourage some to be remiss and carnally secure, and foolish, as I suppose this doctrine abused, had encouraged them to be before; therefore the apostle immediately connects it to this exhortation; “and, ‘Let everyone that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” Two truths strangely, but necessarily joined together, because they are so inclined to be separated by the children of men; for many, under the pretense of their being elected, neglect to pursue holiness; and again, many of them that pretend to be for holiness, actually throw out the doctrine and motives that concern election. This is why the apostle joins these two truths together. He signifies that electing love instates a man in the blessings of eternal life so that he might set men’s notions concerning these things right; so holiness is its pathway; and, he that refuses to depart from iniquity shall be dammed; notwithstanding, he may think himself secured from hell by the act of God’s electing love. For election designs men not only for eternal glory, but for holiness of life, as the means toward eternal glory (Ephesians 1:4, 5). And the manner of this connection of truth is noted by us even more because the apostle seems to connect them, [i] in a holy heat of spirit, saying, “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” Who is it to say that God will be revenged upon them for all, or, notwithstanding, they claim for themselves the benefits of election.

In the text we have, FIRST, An exhortation. SECOND, The extension of that exhortation. The exhortation is this: That men depart from iniquity. The extension of it is this: To them, all of them, every one of them that name the name of Christ. “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

[i] This is a solemn truth, which ought ever to be recollected when studying the mysteries of electing love. Election is as much to a holy life as it is to eternal glory. [G. Offor’s original footnote]

[“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”]