• About
  • Books

memoirandremains

memoirandremains

Tag Archives: Love of God

Richard Sibbes, Sermons on Canticles, 7.2

11 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by memoirandremains in Richard Sibbes, Song of Solomon, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Canticles, Christ's Love, Love of Christ, Love of God, Richard Sibbes, Song of Solomon

In the next section of the sermon, Sibbes notes the nature of the Savior’s love to his people. He takes this doctrine from the clause which contains the words “my love”, “Open my unto me, my love.” The appellation “my love” demonstrates the fact of love. Sibbes makes two observations about this love. First,

his love was settled upon her. It was in his own breast, but it rested not there, but seated itself upon, and in the heart of his spouse, so that she became Christ’s love.

Her status as being the beloved comes about because of the action of the lover. It is Christ’s love which makes the Church is beloved. This may seem obvious in human relationships: you are loved because you are loved. But when this comes to God, it demonstrates that the Church’s position is solely a matter of grace. It is one thing for a man to love a woman; it is quite another thing for the Creator to love the rebellious creature.

And since there is love, there is a “going out”:

We know the heart of a lover is more where it loves than where it lives, as we use to speak; and indeed, there is a kind of a going out, as it were, to the thing beloved, with a heedlessness of all other things. Where the affection is in any excess, it carries the whole soul with it.

The next observation of Sibbes concern manner in which this love finds expression in act. First this love is uniquely upon the Church

But, besides this, when Christ saith my love, he shews, that as his love goes, and plants, and seats itself in the church, so it is united to that, and is not scattered to other objects. There are beams of God’s general love scattered in the whole world; but this love, this exceeding love, is only fastened upon the church.

Next, this love is a quality which exceeds all other loves:

And, indeed, there is no love comparable to this love of Christ, which is above the love of women, of father, or mother, if we consider what course he takes to shew it.

The most that any lover could give would be himself. And thus God gives the greatest gift of all, by giving God:

For there could be nothing in the world so great to discover his love, as this gift, and gift of himself. And therefore he gave himself, the best thing in heaven or in earth withal, to shew his love. The Father gave him, when he was God equal with his Father. He loved his church, and gave himself for it.

This act of self giving is manifested in the Incarnation:

How could he discover his love better, than to take our nature to shew how he loved us? How could he come nearer to us, than by being incarnate, so to be bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh; and took our nature to shew how he loved it, Eph. 5:30.

Sibbes then details the chain of love in the Incarnation:

Love draws things nearer wheresoever it is.

It drew him out of heaven to the womb of the virgin, there to be incarnate;

and, after that, when he was born not only to be a man,

but a miserable man,

because we could not be his spouse unless he purchased us by his death.

We must be his spouse by a satisfaction made to divine justice.

God would not give us to him, but with salving [preserving] his justice.

Unlike other doctors, this doctor suffers the treatment and we are healed:

What sweet love is it to heal us not by searing, or lancing, but by making a plaster of his own blood, which he shed for those that shed his, in malice and hatred.

William Gurnall used a very similar image in The Christian in Complete Armor:

He lived and died for you; he will live and die with you; for mercy and tenderness to his soldiers, none like him. Trajan, it is said, rent his clothes to bind up his soldiers’ wounds; Christ poured out his blood as balm to heal his saints’ wounds; tears off his flesh to bind them up.

William Gurnall The Christian in Complete Armour

And this love ties the Church to Christ now with the promise of an eternity with him.

The Church as the Family of God

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Francis Schaeffer, John, Love, Sanctification

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

1 Peter 4:3-4, 1 Peter 4:8-11, Christopher W. Morgan, Display of God, Ephesians 4:1-6, Fellowship of Faith, Francis Schaeffer, images of the church, James W. Thompso, John 13:34-35, love, Love of God, Luke 12:51-53, Mark of a Christian, one-another, Sanctification, The Church According to Paul, The Community of Jesus, The Family of God, Tim Chester, Total Church, Unity

Some rough draft notes on a lecture on the image of the church as a family.

The Church as the Family of God has two elements:

  1. It displays God visibly – particularly the love of God.
  2. It effects of the love of God.

1.  The Display of the Love of God

The Church is a witnessing community.

The Church exists to display the glory of God.

In The Community of Jesus, “The Church and God’s Glory”, Christopher W. Morgan notes five ways in which the Church displays God’s glory:

  1. Our salvation glorifies God by displaying the inexhaustible nature of his grace throughout the age to come.
  2. The very existence as the church glorifies God by displaying his wisdom.
  3. Our unity glorifies God by displaying his oneness.
  4. Our love glorifies God by displaying his love.
  5. Our holiness glorifies God by displaying his holiness. (232-233).

Interestingly it is household of God, the family of God imagery which Scripture uses to underscore and display God’s glory.

Continue reading →

George Herbert, Prayer II (Annotated)

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in George Herbert, Literature, Prayer

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2 Corinthians 5:16–21, Atonement, Curse, Ephesians 2:13–18, Galatians 3:10–14, George Herbert, Hebrews 4:14–16, Isaiah 40:11, James 4:1-4, John 14:13–14, John 3:18, law, Love of God, Matthew 7:7–11, Mosaic Law, Moses, poem, Poetry, Prayer, Psalm 104:27–30, Psalm 121:1–2, Psalm 5, Psalm 5:1–2, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 90:3, reconciliation, Romans 5:1-2., Romans 5:6–11, Romans 6:1–4, Romans 7:4–6, Romans 8:1–4

This poem on prayer by George Herbert builds its case upon a dense theological argument and biblical allusion. Without rightly understanding the theological and biblical case being made by Herbert, one will misunderstand Herbert’s praise. Herbert’s access to God in prayer comes directly through the incarnation and atonement of Christ. 

¶    Prayer. (II)

       OF what an easie quick accesse[1],
My blessed Lord, art thou! how suddenly
       May our requests thine eare invade![2]
To shew that state dislikes not easinesse,
If I but lift mine eyes[3], my suit is made:
Thou canst no more not heare, then thou canst die[4].
       Of what supreme almightie power
Is thy great arm[5], which spans the east and west,
       And tacks the centre to the sphere!
By it do all things live their measur’d houre[6]:
We cannot ask the thing, which is not there,
Blaming the shallownesse of our request[7].
       Of what unmeasurable love[8]
Art thou possest, who, when thou couldst not die,
       Wert fain[9] to take our flesh[10] and curse,[11]
And for our sakes in person sinne reprove,[12]
That by destroying that which ty’d thy purse,
Thou mightst make way for liberalitie![13]
       Since then these three wait on thy throne[14],
Ease, Power, and Love; I value prayer so,
       That were I to leave all but one,
Wealth, fame, endowments, vertues, all should go;
I and deare prayer would together dwell,
And quickly gain, for each inch lost, an ell.[15]

For annotations,  Continue reading →

How the love of God purifies the heart

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in Church History, George Muller, John, Mortification, Submission

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Arthur Pierson, Church History, Faith, faith, Feeling, George Muller, John, love, Love, Love of God, Mortification, Mortification of Sin, Sanctification, saving faith, Self-denial, Submission

“Truly to grasp this fact is the beginning of a true and saving faith—what the Spirit calls ” laying hold.” He who believes and knows that God so loved him first, finds himself loving God in return, and faith works by love to purify the heart, transform the life, and overcome the world.

It was so with George Muller. He found in the word of God one great fact: the love of God in Christ. Upon that fact faith, not feeling, laid hold; and then the feeling came naturally without being waited for or sought after. The love of God in Christ constrained him to a love—infinitely unworthy, indeed, of that to which it responded, yet supplying a new impulse unknown before. What all his father’s injunctions, chastisements, entreaties, with all the urgent dictates of his own conscience, motives of expediency, and repeated resolves of amendment, utterly failed to effect, the love of God both impelled and enabled him to do—renounce a life of sinful self-indulgence. Thus early he learned that double truth, which he afterwards passionately loved to teach others, that in the blood of God’s atoning Lamb is the Fountain of both forgiveness and cleansing.”

Excerpt From: Arthur Tappan Pierson. “George Müller of Bristol.” James Nisbet. iBooks.

To Prepare for Suffering, Live in a “Posture Fit for Suffering”

28 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Edward Polhill, Puritan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A Preparation for Suffering in an Evil Day, Affliction, Biblical Counseling, Edward Polhill, Humility, love, Love, Love of God, Puritan

To prepare for suffering in this life, we must ready ourselves for the life to come.  Suffering, for the believer, can cause one to grow in grace, to be weaned from the world, to desire the world to come. Such things have shown themselves in the lives of many Christians to a matter for their good, rather than their ill.

However, that does not mean that suffering is per se good. By its very nature, suffering is suffering: it is a matter brought about by the introduction of sin into the world. Yet God through the alchemy of grace transforms evil to good and suffering to a means of hope.

However, such transformation requires preparation:

The greatest impediment to pious suffering is the love of the world and self; and the greatest preparative to it is the love of God and Christ.

Polhill then goes onto explain:

Love to God is a preparative to suffering: if we love him above all things, no outward object will draw us from him; if we love him with all the heart, no inward lust will make us fall from him.

Edward Polhill, The Works of Edward Polhill (London: Thomas Ward and Co., 1844), 344. Yet, to profit from this concept we must rightly understand what is meant by love to God. Polhill aims at something more profound than a bare fuzzy feeling which comes about when a song which provokes an emotion is played for the third time.  The love which seeks and savors God requires more than this.

The love which prepares the man for suffering is a love of absolute dedication to God.

First, it is a love which esteems God:

Love to him stands in a high valuation of him; it esteems him to be such an one as he is set forth in scripture: to be the only wise God, the only Potentate, the only One that is good; to be all these essentially, fontally, super eminently. He that hath such an estimate of him will be ready to suffer for him: to such an one it is folly to leave the only wise, weakness to leave the only potentate, misery to leave the only good; and how can he leave so excellent an object?

Second, it is a love which desires God so greatly that can follow God into sufferings:

Love to God stands in holy desires after him; it makes the soul pant after him, as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, and go out of itself in holy anhelations after union with him: such is the heavenly property of it, that it aspires to be one spirit with him, to have idem velle, and idem nolle, to will as he wills, and nill as he nills; and when once our wills are melted into his, everything that comes from him will be welcome to us. Though flesh and blood may cry out of suffering as a very hard thing, yet love will say that nothing can be wiser or better than that which our Father orders and lays out for us. If desire after God as the supreme good once put our souls into motion, we shall follow him not into ordinances only, but into sufferings also: his gracious presence is in both; in ordinances it is in a good measure, but in sufferings, which are the highest services on earth, it is in a more eminent manner.

Third, which finds profound peace in God:

Love to God stands in a holy complacence in him; it makes the soul rest upon him as Noah’s dove did upon the ark, and centre in him as in the supreme good. Holy desires end in inward satisfaction; David, thirsting after God, comes to have his soul satisfied as with marrow and fatness, (Ps. 63:5). And christians that breathe after him come to have sweet spiritual joys and delights, tastes of heaven, and drops from the pure rivers of pleasures that are above: these are able to sweeten the bitterest sufferings.

Finally, it is a love of surrender to God:

Love to God stands in a holy benevolence towards him; it delivers and surrenders up the whole man to him; it wills and endeavours, so far as a poor creature can to an infinite Creator, to bring all service and glory to him.

Edward Polhill, The Works of Edward Polhill (London: Thomas Ward and Co., 1844), 344: “A Preparation for Suffering in an Evil Day”.

Training of the Twelve 12.1c

10 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by memoirandremains in A.B. Bruce, Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Matthew

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A.B. Bruce, Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Great Commandment, Jesus, Love of God, Love of Neighbor, Matthew, Peter, Submission, The Training of the Twelve

 

Discipleship Requires Submission to the Lord

It cannot be said often enough:

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29–31 (ESV)

One element which should not be missed: Both commands require the subjection of self-interest for the interest of something greater. First, we are to love God more than we love ourselves. All of our effort, all of our self must flow in love to God. Second, we must not count ourselves as more valuable than others. If the disciple must observe what Christ has commanded, then the purpose of discipleship must be to train others and ourselves to subject our self-interest to the interest of love – love of God and love of neighbor.

This brings us to the Peter’s rebuke of the Lord. When the Lord had told Peter about the coming passion, Peter forbids the Lord and the Lord responds with a stinging rebuke:

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:21–23 (ESV)

Bruce explains that although the rebuke was harsh it was necessary. Peter’s attempt to dissuade the Lord did not stem from the desire to submit all to God, but from self-interest. To seek to prevent Jesus from submitting all to will of his Father was a terrible error which required a sharp blow to protect Jesus and train Peter:

This memorable rebuke seems mercilessly severe, and yet on consideration we feel it was nothing more than what was called for. Christ’s language on this occasion needs no apology, such as might be drawn from supposed excitement of feeling, or from a consciousness on the speaker’s part that the infirmity of His own sentient nature was whispering the same suggestion as that which came from Peter’s lips. Even the hard word Satan, which is the sting of the speech, is in its proper place. It describes exactly the character of the advice given by Simon. That advice was substantially this: “Save thyself at any rate; sacrifice duty to self-interest, the cause of God to personal convenience.” An advice truly Satanic in principle and tendency! For the whole aim of Satanic policy is to get self-interest recognized as the chief end of man. Satan’s temptations aim at nothing worse than this. Satan is called the Prince of this world, because self-interest rules the world; he is called the accuser of the brethren, because he does not believe that even the sons of God have any higher motive. He is a sceptic; and his scepticism consists in determined, scornful unbelief in the reality of any chief end other than that of personal advantage. “Doth Job, or even Jesus, serve God for naught? Self-sacrifice, suffering for righteousness’ sake, fidelity to truth even unto death: — it is all romance and youthful sentimentalism, or hypocrisy and hollow cant. There is absolutely no such thing as a surrender of the lower life for the higher; all men are selfish at heart, and have their price: some may hold out longer than others, but in the last extremity every man will prefer his own things to the things of God. All that a man hath will he give for his life, his moral integrity and his piety not excepted.” Such is Satan’s creed. …

The severe language uttered by Jesus on this occasion, when regarded as addressed to a dearly beloved disciple, shows in a striking manner His holy abhorrence of every thing savoring of self-seeking. “Save Thyself,” counsels Simon: “Get thee behind me, Satan,” replies Simon’s Lord. Truly Christ was not one who pleased Himself. Though He were a Son, yet would He learn obedience by the things which He had to suffer. And by this mind He proved Himself to be the Son, and won from His Father the approving voice: “Thou art my beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased,” — Heaven’s reply to the voice from hell counselling Him to pursue a course of self-pleasing. Persevering in this mind, Jesus was at length lifted up on the cross, and so became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. Blessed now and forevermore be His name, who so humbled Himself, and became obedient as far as death!

What practical lesson can we learn for discipleship?

First, the end – as always – is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. God’s glory – which is our good – must always be the end. God has specifically pointed us to exalt God in Jesus Christ:

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5–6 (ESV)

Second, even ignorant failings must be corrected. Peter would not have thought of himself as maliciously thwarting God. Without question he would have thought himself honoring the Lord. Yet, the Lord did not spare for him on that account. He knew that he needed to teach Peter the lesson thoroughly:  God’s glory is over all. We must never let self-interest override our devotion to God.

Third, the medicine must be fit to the disease. Peter fell on the point of self-interest. It was an abiding sin which needed strong medicine to cure. On both this occasion and in the matter of his denial of Christ, Peter was not taught that wrong of his self-interest.  When Peter denied the Lord, he denied the Lord to save his own skin. The subsequent pang of conscience was given to drive home the lesson: Your self-interest is rebellion against God. Your self-interest makes you unfit for service. You must give yourself over completely to the will of the Lord.

Peter needed to learn that discipleship means submission to the Lord.

Now we are not necessarily called upon to rebuke as sharply as the Lord. Indeed, we are more likely to rebuke sharply from a wrong motive. Yet that does not mean that rebuke should be wholly absent. There are times when rebuke is needed and the failure to give it would unloving.

We can also teach submission to the Lord by example. Consider yourself plainly: In what way are you living or not living in submission to the Lord? Where do you put confidence in government, or money, or status, or education? Where have you favored your-self or self-interest over the glory of God? Can you point to an instance in which you have deliberately sacrificed your own personal interest for the greater glory of God? If you cannot answer these questions rightly, then the rebuke of the Lord is leveled against you.

To be one who disciples another, it must be plain that you live a life in which your personal interest is subjected to the love of God and the love of neighbor. It must be plain that the reward you seek is the reward of the Father’s approval – not the glory of men or women.  This lesson of submission to the Lord in all things must be learned and taught continually within the Church if the Church is to follow Christ.

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

  • Study Guide: Thomas Boston, The Crook in the Lot.1
  • Should I Look for Signs to Know God’s Will?
  • What If It Works?
  • Upon a Sundial and a Clock
  • John Newton On the Three Witnesses 1 John 5:10 [Annotated]

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

  • Study Guide: Thomas Boston, The Crook in the Lot.1
  • Should I Look for Signs to Know God’s Will?
  • What If It Works?
  • Upon a Sundial and a Clock
  • John Newton On the Three Witnesses 1 John 5:10 [Annotated]

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • memoirandremains
    • Join 630 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • memoirandremains
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar