Hypocrisy is the pretense of being religious without true devotion. It manifests in two types: gross hypocrites, who deceive others but not themselves, and close hypocrites, who are self-deceived. Various degrees exist, from general profession of faith to extraordinary displays of piety lacking sincerity. The following practical directions show how authenticity in heart and life is crucial for genuine faith.… Read More How To Avoid Hypocrisy
Are Christians obligated to forgive everyone who sins against us without exception? What about those who remain hostile and unrepentant towards us? Several scriptures seem to indicate that we ought to forgive those who sin against us unconditionally (Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:32). Other scriptures seem to indicate that we are only obligated to forgive those who express repentance or seem to be genuinely repentant (Luke 17:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:4). How do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory texts?… Read More Must We Forgive The Unrepentant?
The time of repentance is the time present, without any delay at all, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if ye will hear his voice” (Heb. 3:7), and, “Exhort one another daily, while it is called today: lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13).… Read More Six Reasons To Not Delay Repentance
Do with your hearts as men do with their wheat; they will not suffer their corn to lie long in the chaff lest the chaff hurt it, but they commit it to the fan so that the wind may separate them. So, the graces of God in our hearts are but corn, our sins and corruptions are chaff. Look well, and you shall find in yourself much chaff, and but little corn. Let not then the chaff lie too long mingled with the corn, lest it corrupt the corn. Let not your sins lie mingled with the grace of God in you. If you do, they will choke it in the end, and so deprive you of all grace. Therefore, rip up your heart, and look into your life, and when you have sinned, enter into yourself, ask your conscience what you have done, and be not quiet till you have found out your sin and the foulness of it. And never think that you know anything in religion till you know what is in your own heart and what are in your special and priviest corruptions. And look into your own faults, not with a partial eye, but with a censorious and strait judgment. Spare sin in no man, but especially condemn it in yourself.… Read More Genuine Repentance Requires Self-Examination
A godly man weeps for indwelling sin, the law in his members (Romans 7:23), the outbursts and first risings of sin [cf. WCF 6:5]. He weeps for clinging corruption. A child of God weeps that he is sometimes overcome by the prevalence of corruption. A godly heart grieves that he can be no more holy. A godly man sometimes weeps out of the sense of God’s love. A godly person weeps because the sins he commits are in some sense worse than the sins of other men. How far from being godly are those who scarcely ever shed a tear for sin! Let us strive for this divine characteristic. Be weepers!… Read More A Godly Man is an Evangelical Weeper
In the Nicene Creed (AD 381), the universal church confesses that we believe in “one baptism for the remission of sins.” This language comes directly from several Scripture texts: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins [εἰς ἄφεσιν… Read More Does Baptism Remit Sins?
Perilous Times By John Owen (1616-1683) Works, vol. 9, Sermon 26, pp. 320-334 Preached Nov. 3, 1676 A day set apart for solemn fasting and prayer “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” 2 Timothy 3:1 The words contain a warning of imminent dangers. And there are four things in… Read More Perilous Times Shall Come
Theodore Beza & Antoine de la Faye Theses Theologicae in Schola Genevensi Propositions and Principles of Divinity Propounded and Disputed in the University of Geneva by Students (1586) XL. Principles Concerning Repentance 1. Seeing the wickedness of man’s nature is such, that not only no man can perform the Law of God, but not so… Read More Principles Concerning Repentance
Samuel Rutherford, The Covenant of Life Opened, pp. 268-270. Question 4: To what things must we be crucified? Answer: Galatians 6:14, To all things created, to the world; we condemn and despise and hate the world, and the world does value us nothing. 1. Mortification to Self 1. There is a deadness to self which… Read More Mortification of Sin | Samuel Rutherford
John Colquhoun, Repentance, ch. 4. It is a truth clearly revealed and often inculcated in Scripture that without repentance a man cannot attain eternal life in heaven. The most of men, therefore, who read and hear the Gospel admit that repentance is necessary to their future safety and felicity. But while they believe that it… Read More The Difference Between True and Counterfeit Repentance
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