Self-examination regarding one’s faith, repentance, and obedience toward God is crucial for the Christian life. Here are ten signs to assess your sincerity, including a genuine desire for holiness, love for God and others, prioritization of heavenly treasures, and a commitment to godly living over worldly pursuits, while trusting in Christ for righteousness.… Read More Signs of Sincere Faith: A Heart Examination Guide
Richard Baxter’s guidance emphasizes the importance of thoughtful meditation for spiritual growth. He advises selecting meaningful subjects, seeking clarity, and understanding the purpose of each meditation. Engaging with significant truths, connecting smaller matters to greater ones, and bringing doctrine into action are essential for fostering a vibrant and obedient faith unto the glory of God.… Read More Guidelines for Meaningful Christian Meditation
Richard Baxter emphasizes the importance of not overvaluing one’s initial spiritual knowledge or holiness, but instead recognizing the need for growth and maturity in faith. He cautions against the dangers of pride, presumption, and neglecting further learning and humility. These errors can lead to rebellion, contentiousness, hypocrisy, and a distorted understanding of true Christianity.… Read More Avoiding Spiritual Pride: A Guide to Balanced Perception
Let a man but deal plainly with his own heart, and he shall find, that, notwithstanding he hath many things, yet there is ever one thing wanting. For indeed man’s soul cannot be satisfied with any creature, no, not with a world of creatures. And the reason is because the desires of man’s soul are infinite, according to that infinite goodness which it once lost in losing God. Yea, and man’s soul is a spirit, and therefore cannot communicate with any corporal thing. So that all creatures, not being that infinite and spiritual fullness which our hearts have lost, and towards the which they do still re-aspire, they cannot give it full contentment. We shall never find a heart’s happiness, and true soul’s rest, until we find it here in the gospel of Jesus Christ alone.… Read More Christ Is The Only True Rest For The Soul
The minister discusses the soul’s search for rest and happiness, emphasizing that true rest can only be found in God through Christ. It highlights how both sensual and rational pursuits can hinder the soul’s rest in God. The minister urges a deep communion with God, surpassing mere rational knowledge and sensual delights. And warns against complacency in religious duties alone, advocating for a deep inner communion with God, beyond mere outward exercises of religion or theological intellectualism. … Read More No Rest For The Soul Apart From Christ
The sovereignty of God is displayed in the diverse effects of the application of the gospel, showing His absolute freedom and control. The gospel’s impact varies, with some immediately responding, others taking longer, and still only hardening others. This demonstrates God’s dominion in guiding and determining the outcomes—highlighting the need for our humble acceptance, gratitude, and reliance on Christ for His sovereignty and grace.… Read More God’s Sovereignty & the Means of Grace
Man’s practical atheism is evidenced in our corrupt matter or ends of prayer and praise. When we are importunate for those things that we know not whether the righteousness, holiness, and wisdom of God can grant, because he hath not discovered his will in any promise to bestow them, we would then impose such conditions on God, which he never obliged himself to grant. When we pray for things not so much to glorify God, which ought to be the end of prayer, as to gratify ourselves.… Read More Practical Atheism: Corrupt Prayer & Praise
Demons retreat in exorcism, not because it is of divine efficacy, but because they want to further entrench men in superstition. That demons would feign to be defeated by the use of mere formulas of words, crucifixes, holy water, prayers to Mary, or any other carnal means should be no surprise to us. Scripture teaches that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and that he presents himself as “an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) in order to deceive us into error and sin. False teachers likewise appear to us “in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Mat. 7:15; cf. 2 Cor. 11:13). Demons love to harden men in their superstitions by pretending that carnal means are inherently efficacious, so that men will be turned away from true remedies and sound doctrine.… Read More Satan’s Feigned Retreat
In the light of Scripture we are compelled to reject the view that the Holy Spirit and an evil spirit can co-exist in the same person. Attempts to prove the contrary on the basis of observations are valueless. Human judgment is always fallible and must never be given priority over the teaching of the Word of God. When missionaries provide “examples” of “believers” being possessed, two questions immediately arise: Were the victims regenerate? Were they actually possessed? The Biblical doctrines of regeneration and the permanent indwelling of the believer by the Holy Spirit make demon-possession of a believer utterly impossible. We are not asking if a professing Christian can be demon-possessed, but if a regenerate person can be possessed. The answer to this question is firmly in the negative.… Read More Can A Christian Be Demon-Possessed?
What is demon possession? What is exorcism? What methods does God give us in the Bible for delivering people from demonic attacks? The question is not whether praeternatural or miraculous things happen, neither is it whether people may be demonized today, nor that people may be delivered from demonization. The question is: Should Christians today seek to practice exorcism? Does God deliver demonized people through prayer, fasting, preaching the Word, and conversion. Or does he deliver them through a Christian directly confronting and rebuking demons?… Read More Demon Possession & Exorcism
Purely Presbyterian 