Paul Baynes, Brief Directions Unto a Godly Life, Chapter Twenty

22 Thursday May 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Paul Baynes

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Amos 8:11-12, Biblical Counseling, Brief Directions Unto a Godly Life, Devil, Discipleship, godliness, Holiness, Job 13:15, John Owen, Luke 15:6, Matthew 24:12, Matthew 8:11-12, Paul Bayne, Paul Baynes, Psalm, Psalm 22:4-5, Psalm 27:1, Revelation 22;1, Revelation 2:2, Romans 5:1–5, Satan, Walk by Rule

The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/paul-baynes-brief-directions-unto-a-godly-life-chapter-nineteen/

CHAPTER TWENTY: HOW THE DEVIL HINDERS GODLINESS

The rules formally described, if they will be followed, to bring a Christian (though not to perfection in this life) yet to such an estate as he shall find rest for his soul daily, which others shall want.^[1] Yet because many dangers will be in the way that may hinder the weak, therefore it will be profitable to know the lets and hindrances which may hold us back from peace with God. By knowing such things, we may learn how to prevent them before they come and hurt us; or else how to rise from [from] them when we are fallen; or how to turn into the way when by occasion we are gone out of it.

Now the main and chief hindrance is the Devil, with all his force, subtlety, and malice, which combines with our evil hearts — so far if they are unreformed. And by means of both, all things in the world, though not in their own nature, but by them made occasions for our falling and offending God.

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Time is Going Somewhere

29 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 John, 2 Timothy, Revelation

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1 John, 1 John 3:1-2, 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:8–12, blind, Burnt Norton, Four Quartets, John 9:26, Poetry, Revelation, Revelation 22;1, T.S. Elliot, Time

If all time is eternally present

All time is unredeemable.

Burnt Norton, T.S. Elliot.

But all time is no eternally present. The curse is being undone. As the the man born blind said:

One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.

John 9:26.

Paul explains that the story has started before us and is proceeding forward:

⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ¹⁰ and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ¹² which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:8–12 (ESV)

And as John tells us, time will be redeemed, for that which is coming is not yet present:

¹ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1–2 (ESV)

Thus, all will be new:

¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Revelation 21:1 (ESV)

As Elliot writes later in the poem

Only through time time is conquered.

It will be conquered. Christ came into time and conquered. It is a curious question, the relationship of God to time and eternity to time. Time is a created thing, like space and matter. The only time and space and matter we can now know are fallen time and space and matter. “What we will be has not yet appeared.” I do not know a great many things, and I must be careful as to any speculation, but it is good to hope and pleasant to consider that whatever it may be, it will be better.