'The mouth of the LORD has spoken it' is the criteria for that which is called 'the word of God.' The word of God was first spoken by Himself to His people, such as Adam and Noah and Abraham and Job, and in the New Testament, His Apostles and disciples; then His word was spoken to His prophets (Old Testament) and the Apostles (New Testament) by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which these men wrote down for the sake of future believers. These men were all eyewitnesses of God and recipients of His inspired word. All other future words are only the words of men and must be measured against God's word, the final rule. There are no more eyewitnesses or inspired men who speak or write infallible words. God's plan has been written down and all that remains is to delve into it with the Spirit's help as we wait for the promised return of Jesus Christ.
John 12:44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith
The three volume set, Holy Scripture: The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith, by David T. King and William Webster, was recommended to me as a good comprehensive resource on the doctrine of sola scriptura. The best price I found for the set was at aomin.org I'm hoping to get the set soon, maybe as a birthday present :)
Here is the description of the set on the store page:
The first volume by David King, a PCA minister and long time student of the sufficiency of Scripture, presents a biblical defense of sola scriptura. King interacts with the wide range of Roman claims concerning the nature of Scripture and the alleged need of an infallible interpreter. Included is a full and devastating critique of Not By Scripture Alone, edited by Robert Sungenis.
In the second volume of this series, author William Webster tackles the historical issues inherent in the debate over sola scriptura, including the ever-present battle over the canon of Scripture.
The third in this series comprises a 312-page compendium of patristic citations affirming the Reformation doctrine of sola scriptura. Every person who has gotten tired of seeing the same old out-of-context citations batted around on EWTN or in This Rock magazine will find this volume invaluable, as it contains a most thorough listing of relevant citations, some of which have never appeared in English before this edition. A must for all who are interested in this vital area.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Heaven and Hell: a sermon by Charles Spurgeon
My pastor quoted from this sermon by Charles Spurgeon today in his sermon, and I looked it up and thought it would be good to share it.
Following is the introduction to the sermon; please follow the link to read the entire sermon.
Following is the introduction to the sermon; please follow the link to read the entire sermon.
A Sermon
(No. 39-40)
Delivered on Tuesday Evening, September 4, 1855, by the
REV. C.H. SPURGEON
In a field, King Edward’s Road, Hackney.
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”—Matthew 8:11-12.
This is a land where plain speaking is allowed, and where the people are willing to afford a fair hearing to any one who can tell them that which is worth their attention. To-night I am quite certain of an attentive audience, for I know you too well to suppose otherwise. This field, as you are all aware, is private property; and I would just give a suggestion to those who go out in the open air to preach—that it is far better to get into a field, or a plot of unoccupied building-ground, than to block up the roads and stop business; it is moreover, far better to be somewhat under protection, so that we can at once prevent disturbance.
To-night, I shall, I hope, encourage you to seek the road to heaven. I shall also have to utter some very sharp things concerning the end of the lost in the pit of hell. Upon both these subjects I will try and speak, as God helps me. But, I beseech you, as you love your souls, weigh right and wrong this night; see whether what I say be the truth of God. If it be not, reject it utterly, and cast it away; but if it is, at your peril disregard it; for, as you shall answer before God, the great Judge of heaven and earth, it will go ill with you if the words of his servant and of his Scripture be despised.
My text has two parts. The first is very agreeable to my mind, and gives me pleasure; the second is terrible in the extreme; but, since they are both the truth, they must be preached. The first part of my text is, “I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” The sentence which I call the black, dark, and threatening part is this: “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
I. Let us take the first part. Here is a most glorious promise. I will read it again: “Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” I like that text, because it tells me what heaven is, and gives me a beautiful picture of it. It says, it is a place where I shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. O what a sweet thought that is for the working man! He often wipes the hot sweat from his face, and he wonders whether there is a land where he shall have to toil no longer. He scarcely ever eats a mouthful of bread that is not moistened with the sweat of his brow. Often he comes home weary, and flings himself upon his couch, perhaps too tired to sleep. He says, “Oh! is there no land where I can rest? Is there no place where I can sit, and for once let these weary limbs be still? Is there no land where I can be quiet? Yes, thou son of toil and labor,
“There is a happy land
Far, far away—“
where toil and labor are unknown. Beyond yon blue welkin there is a city fair and bright, its walls are jasper, and its light is brighter than the sun. There “the weary are at rest, and the wicked cease from troubling.” Immortal spirits are yonder, who never wipe sweat from their brow, for “they sow not, neither do they reap;” they have not to toil and labor.
“There, on a green and flowery mount,
Their weary souls shall sit;
And with transporting joys recount
The labors of their feet.”
To my mind, one of the best views of heaven is, that it is a land of rest—especially to the working man. Those who have not to work hard, think they will love heaven as a place of service. That is very true. But to the working man, to the man who toils with his brain or with his hands, it must ever be a sweet thought that there is a land where we shall rest. Soon, this voice will never be strained again; soon, these lungs will never have to exert themselves beyond their power; soon, this brain shall not be racked for thought; but I shall sit at the banquet-table of God; yea, I shall recline on the bosom of Abraham, and be at ease for ever. Oh! weary sons and daughters of Adam, you will not have to drive the ploughshare into the unthankful soil in heaven, you will not need to rise to daily toils before the sun hath risen, and labor still when the sun hath long ago gone to his rest; but ye shall be still, ye shall be quiet, ye shall rest yourselves, for all are rich in heaven, all are happy there, all are peaceful. Toil, trouble, travail, and labor, are words that cannot be spelled in heaven; they have no such things there, for they always rest.
And mark the good company they sit with. They are to “sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.” Some people think that in heaven we shall know nobody. But our text declares here, that we “shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.” Then I am sure that we shall be aware that they are Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. I have heard of a good woman, who asked her husband, when she was dying, “My dear, do you think you will know me when you and I get to heaven?” “Shall I know you?” he said, “why, I have always known you while I have been here, and do you think I shall be a greater fool when I get to heaven?” I think it was a very good answer. If we have known one another here, we shall know one another there. I have dear departed friends up there, and it is always a sweet thought to me, that when I shall put my foot, as I hope I may, upon the threshold of heaven, there will come my sisters and brothers to clasp me by the hand and say, “Yes, thou loved one, and thou art here.” Dear relatives that have been separated, you will meet again in heaven. One of you has lost a mother—she is gone above; and if you follow the track of Jesus, you shall meet her there. Methinks I see yet another coming to meet you at the door of Paradise; and though the ties of natural affection may be in a measure forgotten,—I may be allowed to use a figure—how blessed would she be as she turned to God, and said, “Here am I, and the children that thou hast given me.” We shall recognize our friends:—husband, you will know your wife again. Mother, you will know those dear babes of yours—you marked their features when they lay panting and gasping for breath. You know how ye hung over their graves when the cold sod was sprinkled over them, and it was said, “Earth to earth. Dust to dust, and ashes to ashes.” But ye shall hear those loved voices again: ye shall hear those sweet voices once more; ye shall yet know that those whom ye loved have been loved by God. Would not that be a dreary heaven for us to inhabit, where we should be alike unknowing and unknown? I would not care to go to such a heaven as that. I believe that heaven is a fellowship of the saints, and that we shall know one another there. I have often thought I should love to see Isaiah; and, as soon as I get to heaven, methinks, I would ask for him, because he spoke more of Jesus Christ than all the rest. I am sure I should want to find out good George Whitefield—he who so continually preached to the people, and wore himself out with a more than seraphic zeal. O yes! We shall have choice company in heaven when we get there. There will be no distinction of learned and unlearned, clergy and laity, but we shall walk freely one among another; we shall feel that we are brethren; we shall “sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.” I have heard of a lady who was visited by a minister on her deathbed, and she said to him, “I want to ask you one question, now I am about to die.” “Well,” said the minister, “what is it?” “Oh!” said she, in a very affected way, “I want to know if there are two places in heaven, because I could not bear that Betsy in the kitchen should be in heaven along with me, she is so unrefined?” The minister turned round and said, “O! don’t trouble yourself about that, madam. There is no fear of that; for, until you get rid of you accursed pride, you will never enter heaven at all.” We must all get rid of our pride. We must come down and stand on an equality in the sight of God, and see in every man a brother, before we can hope to be found in glory. Aye, we bless God, we thank him that there will be no separate table for one and for another. The Jew and the Gentile will sit down together. The great and the small shall feed in the same pasture, and we shall “sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.”
We Will Dance
We sang this song today at our church worship service; I have the video with the words and music below so you can enjoy it too.
We Will Dance
(David Ruis)
Sing a song of celebration
Lift up a shout of praise
For the Bridegroom will come
The glorious one
And oh, we will look on his face
We’ll go to a much better place
Dance with all your might
Lift up your hands and clap for joy
The time’s drawing near
When he will appear
And oh, we will stand by his side
A strong, pure, spotless bride
We will dance on the streets that are golden
The glorious bride and the great Son of man
From every tongue and tribe and nation
Will join in the song of the lamb
Sing aloud for the time of rejoicing is near
(Sing aloud for the time of rejoicing is near)
The risen King, our groom, is soon to appear
(The risen King, our groom, is soon to appear)
The wedding feast to come is now near at hand
(The wedding feast to come is now near at hand)
Lift up your voice, proclaim the coming Lamb
(Lift up your voice, proclaim the coming Lamb)
Copyright © 1993 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Charles Spurgeon: The Form and Spirit of Religion
Following is the introduction to a sermon by Charles Spurgeon. Please follow the link to read the whole sermon.
A Sermon
(No. 186)
Delivered on Sabbath Morning, April 4, 1858, by the
REV. C.H. SPURGEON
At the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
“Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.”—1 Samuel 4:3.
THESE MEN made a great mistake: what they wanted was the Lord in their midst; whereas they imagined that the symbol of God’s presence, the ark of the covenant, would be amply sufficient to bestow upon them the assistance which they required in the day of battle. As is man, such must his religion be. Now, man is a compound being. To speak correctly, man is a spiritual being: he hath within him a soul, a substance far beyond the bounds of matter. But man is also made up of a body as well as a soul. He is not pure spirit; his spirit is incarnate in flesh and blood. Now, such is our religion. The religion of God is, as to its vitality, purely spiritual—always so; but since man is made of flesh as well as of spirit, it seemed necessary that his religion should have something of the outward, external, and material, in which to embody the spiritual, or else man would not have been able to lay hold upon it. This was especially the case under the old dispensation. The religion of the Jew is really a heavenly and spiritual thing; a thing of thought, a thing that concerns the mind and spirit; but the Jew was untaught; he was but a babe, unable to understand spiritual things unless he saw them pictured out to him, or, (to repeat what I have just said) unless he saw them embodied in some outward type and symbol: and therefore God was pleased to give the Jew a great number of ceremonies, which were to his religion what the body is to man’s soul. The Jewish religion taught the doctrine of the atonement, but the Jew could not understand it, and therefore God gave him a lamb to be slain every morning and every evening, and he gave him a goat over which the sins of the people were to be confessed, and which was to be driven into the depths of the wilderness, to show the great doctrine of a substitute and atonement through him. The Jewish religion teaches, as one of its prominent doctrines, the unity of the Godhead; but the Jew was ever apt to forget that there was but one God; and God, to teach him that, would have but one temple, and but one altar upon which the sacrifice might rightly be offered. So that the idea of the one God was (as I have already said) made incarnate in the fact that there was but one temple, but one altar, and but one great high priest. And mark, this is true of our religion—Christianity: not true to so full an extent as of Judaism—for the religion of the Jew had a gross and heavy body—but our religion has a body transparent, and having but little of materialism in it. If you ask me what I would call the materialism of our religion, the embodiment of the spiritual part of that in which we trust and hope, I would point, first of all, to the two ordinances of the Lord, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. I would point you next to the services of God’s house, to the Sabbath day, to the outward ritual of our worship: I would point you to our solemn song, to our sacred service of prayer; and I would point you also—and I think I am right in so doing—to the form of sound words, which we ever desire to hold fast and firm, as containing that creed which it is necessary for men to believe if they would hold the truth as it is in Jesus. Our religion, then, has an outward form even to this day; for the Apostle Paul, when he spoke of professing Christians, spoke of some who had “a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof.” So that it is still true, though I confess not to the same extent as it was in the days of Moses, that religion must have a body, that the spiritual thing may come out palpably before our vision, and that we may see it.
A Sermon
(No. 186)
Delivered on Sabbath Morning, April 4, 1858, by the
REV. C.H. SPURGEON
At the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
“Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.”—1 Samuel 4:3.
THESE MEN made a great mistake: what they wanted was the Lord in their midst; whereas they imagined that the symbol of God’s presence, the ark of the covenant, would be amply sufficient to bestow upon them the assistance which they required in the day of battle. As is man, such must his religion be. Now, man is a compound being. To speak correctly, man is a spiritual being: he hath within him a soul, a substance far beyond the bounds of matter. But man is also made up of a body as well as a soul. He is not pure spirit; his spirit is incarnate in flesh and blood. Now, such is our religion. The religion of God is, as to its vitality, purely spiritual—always so; but since man is made of flesh as well as of spirit, it seemed necessary that his religion should have something of the outward, external, and material, in which to embody the spiritual, or else man would not have been able to lay hold upon it. This was especially the case under the old dispensation. The religion of the Jew is really a heavenly and spiritual thing; a thing of thought, a thing that concerns the mind and spirit; but the Jew was untaught; he was but a babe, unable to understand spiritual things unless he saw them pictured out to him, or, (to repeat what I have just said) unless he saw them embodied in some outward type and symbol: and therefore God was pleased to give the Jew a great number of ceremonies, which were to his religion what the body is to man’s soul. The Jewish religion taught the doctrine of the atonement, but the Jew could not understand it, and therefore God gave him a lamb to be slain every morning and every evening, and he gave him a goat over which the sins of the people were to be confessed, and which was to be driven into the depths of the wilderness, to show the great doctrine of a substitute and atonement through him. The Jewish religion teaches, as one of its prominent doctrines, the unity of the Godhead; but the Jew was ever apt to forget that there was but one God; and God, to teach him that, would have but one temple, and but one altar upon which the sacrifice might rightly be offered. So that the idea of the one God was (as I have already said) made incarnate in the fact that there was but one temple, but one altar, and but one great high priest. And mark, this is true of our religion—Christianity: not true to so full an extent as of Judaism—for the religion of the Jew had a gross and heavy body—but our religion has a body transparent, and having but little of materialism in it. If you ask me what I would call the materialism of our religion, the embodiment of the spiritual part of that in which we trust and hope, I would point, first of all, to the two ordinances of the Lord, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. I would point you next to the services of God’s house, to the Sabbath day, to the outward ritual of our worship: I would point you to our solemn song, to our sacred service of prayer; and I would point you also—and I think I am right in so doing—to the form of sound words, which we ever desire to hold fast and firm, as containing that creed which it is necessary for men to believe if they would hold the truth as it is in Jesus. Our religion, then, has an outward form even to this day; for the Apostle Paul, when he spoke of professing Christians, spoke of some who had “a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof.” So that it is still true, though I confess not to the same extent as it was in the days of Moses, that religion must have a body, that the spiritual thing may come out palpably before our vision, and that we may see it.
Sola Scriptura: Psalm 56
Psalm 56
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the LORD (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the LORD (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
And Can It Be, a hymn by Charles Wesley
Words: Charles Wesley, 1739 (Acts 16:26)
Music: Thomas Campbell, 1835
1.
And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
2.
'Tis mystery all: th' Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
let angel minds inquire no more.
3.
He left his Father's throne above
(so free, so infinite his grace!),
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
for O my God, it found out me!
4.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
5.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Harlot: Part Two: Mary as the Second Eve
Psalm 2:
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
We had been talking about the Assumption of Mary over at Elena's blog, and as I was thinking about this and looking up information, I found these two opposing sources exressing views on the place of Mary in the church: Mary's Praise on Every Tongue, by P. J. CHANDLERY, S.J. and Dogmas of the Papacy: Book II, Chapter XIX: The Worship of the Virgin Mary by Rev. J.A. Wylie LL.D.
From 'Mary's Praise on Every Tongue' by P. J. CHANDLERY, S.J.:
From Dogmas of the Papacy: Book II, Chapter XIX: The Worship of the Virgin Mary by Rev. J.A. Wylie LL.D.
Roman Catholics claim Mary as the Second Eve, who brings salvation instead of sin. They appropriate the verse that says 'by Adam all died, by Christ all are made alive' and give it to Mary. It becomes 'by Eve all died, and by Mary all are made alive'. See
Eve is not mentioned, because she is included in Adam, as his wife who is one flesh with him, submitted under him. Mary is not the second Eve; the Bride is, who is one flesh with Christ and is submitted to Him. Mary is a representative of the Bride and is a member of her, which includes both Israel and the gentile church, one body. God is no respecter of persons, and Mary is not exalted above the church, but is 'blessed among women', not above them.
The Roman Catholic Church has condemned themselves doubly by this. First because they have given to Mary what belongs to her Son. Secondly because they have now committed the sin of Eve again in their worship of Mary and truly made 'Mary' the second Eve who brought sin into the Church, the temple of God, making her to be like God as Eve was tempted to do by the serpent. History has repeated itself because the lesson was still not learned though God Himself came down to teach it. Giving Mary the office and glory of Jesus Christ is idolatry and blasphemy. The RCC is exalting the creature rather than the Creator, and adding to the gospel by placing Mary in a position which does not belong to her. In this the Roman Catholic Church shows herself to be a harlot church rather than a true church, because she lifts up her word above the word of God and teaches and practices idolatry.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
We had been talking about the Assumption of Mary over at Elena's blog, and as I was thinking about this and looking up information, I found these two opposing sources exressing views on the place of Mary in the church: Mary's Praise on Every Tongue, by P. J. CHANDLERY, S.J. and Dogmas of the Papacy: Book II, Chapter XIX: The Worship of the Virgin Mary by Rev. J.A. Wylie LL.D.
From 'Mary's Praise on Every Tongue' by P. J. CHANDLERY, S.J.:
ST. IRENAEUS, Bishop of Lyons (d. 202), speaks of
Mary as the Second Eve, as unfallen Eve, bearing a
part in man s Redemption similar to that which the first
Eve, by her transgression, had in his Fall. Livius, 37
seq., 43.
St. Ambrose of Milan (d. 397). " Evil came by the
woman (Eve), so good has come by a woman : for by Eve
we fell, by Mary we stand ; by Eve we were prostrated,
by Mary we are raised ; by Eve we were reduced to slavery,
by Mary we are made free (through her Divine Son). Eve
took from us length of days, Mary restored to us immor-
tality ; Eve caused us to be condemned by an apple of
the tree, Mary wrought our pardon by the gift of the
tree ; because Christ also hung upon the tree as fruit.
As therefore we died through a tree, so by a tree are we
brought to life. All (the evil) that was done by Adam
is washed out by Mary " (i.e. through the Blood of her
Divine Son). Livius, 52, 53.
From Dogmas of the Papacy: Book II, Chapter XIX: The Worship of the Virgin Mary by Rev. J.A. Wylie LL.D.
In the third place, the same works are ascribed to Mary as to Christ. She hears prayer, intercedes with God for sinners, guides, defends, and blesses them in life, succours them when dying, and receives their departing spirits into paradise. But passing over these things, the great work of Redemption, the peculiar glory of the Saviour, and the chief of God's ways, is now by Roman Catholics, plainly and without reserve, applied to Mary. The Father who devised, the Son who purchased, and the Spirit who applies, the salvation of the sinner, must all give place to the Virgin. It was her coming which prophets announced;[7] it is her victory which the Church celebrates. Angels and the redeemed of heaven ascribe unto her the glory and honour of saving men. She rose from the dead on the third day; she ascended to heaven; she has been re-united to her Son; and she now shares with Him power, glory, and dominion. "The eternal gates of heaven rolled back; the king's mother entered, and was conducted to the steps of his royal throne. Upon it sat her Son. . . . . 'A throne was set for the king's mother, and she sat upon his right hand.' And upon her brow he placed the crown of universal dominion; and the countless multitude of the heavenly hosts saluted her as the queen of heaven and earth."[8] All this Romanists ascribe to a poor fallen creature, whose bones have been mouldering in the dust for eighteen hundred years. We impute nothing to the Church of Rome, in this respect, which her living theologians do not teach. Instead of being ashamed of their Mariolatry, they glory in it, and boast that their Church is becoming every day more devoted to the service and adoration of the Virgin. The argument by which the work of redemption is ascribed to Mary we find briefly stated by Father Ventura, in a conversation with M. Roussel of Paris, then travelling in Italy.
"The Bible tells us but a few words about her" [the Virgin Mary], said M. Roussel to the Padre, "and those few words are not of a character to exalt her."
"Yes," replied Father Ventura, "but those few words express every thing! Admire this allusion: Christ on the cross addressed his mother as woman; God in Eden declared that the woman should crush the serpent's head; the woman designated in Genesis must therefore be the woman pointed out by Jesus Christ; and it is she who is the Church, in which the family of man is to be saved."
"But that is a mere agreement of words, and not of things," responded the Protestant minister.
"That is sufficient," said Father Ventura.[9]
Not less decisive is the testimony of Mr. Seymour, as regards the sentiments of the leading priests at Rome, and the predominating character of the worship of Italy. The following instructive conversation passed one day between him and one of the Jesuits, on the subject of the worship of the Virgin.
"My clerical friend," says Mr. Seymour, "resumed the conversation, and said, that the worship of the Virgin Mary was a growing worship in Rome,--that it was increasing in depth and intenseness of devotion,--and that there were now many of their divines--and he spoke of himself as agreeing with them in sentiment--who were teaching, that as a woman brought in death, so a woman was to bring in life,--that as a woman brought in sin, so a woman was to bring in holiness,--that as Eve brought in damnation, so Mary was to bring in salvation,--and that the effect of this opinion was largely to increase the reverence and worship given to the Virgin Mary."
"To prevent any mistake as to his views," says Mr. Seymour, "I asked whether I was to understand him as implying, that as we regard Eve as the first sinner, so we are to regard Mary as the first Saviour,--the one as the author of sin, and the other as the author of the remedy."
"He replied that such was precisely the view he wished to express; and he added, that it was taught by St. Alphonso de Liguori, and was a growing opinion."[10]
Roman Catholics claim Mary as the Second Eve, who brings salvation instead of sin. They appropriate the verse that says 'by Adam all died, by Christ all are made alive' and give it to Mary. It becomes 'by Eve all died, and by Mary all are made alive'. See
1 Cor. 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Eve is not mentioned, because she is included in Adam, as his wife who is one flesh with him, submitted under him. Mary is not the second Eve; the Bride is, who is one flesh with Christ and is submitted to Him. Mary is a representative of the Bride and is a member of her, which includes both Israel and the gentile church, one body. God is no respecter of persons, and Mary is not exalted above the church, but is 'blessed among women', not above them.
The Roman Catholic Church has condemned themselves doubly by this. First because they have given to Mary what belongs to her Son. Secondly because they have now committed the sin of Eve again in their worship of Mary and truly made 'Mary' the second Eve who brought sin into the Church, the temple of God, making her to be like God as Eve was tempted to do by the serpent. History has repeated itself because the lesson was still not learned though God Himself came down to teach it. Giving Mary the office and glory of Jesus Christ is idolatry and blasphemy. The RCC is exalting the creature rather than the Creator, and adding to the gospel by placing Mary in a position which does not belong to her. In this the Roman Catholic Church shows herself to be a harlot church rather than a true church, because she lifts up her word above the word of God and teaches and practices idolatry.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
The Harlot: Part One: The Woman
Proverbs 7 is commonly taken to be a literal warning to young men to avoid the harlot who would seduce them, and it certainly is that. However, I am not the first to see that it is more importantly a prophetic warning parallel to the passage in Revelation 17 in which the Apostle John sees a vision of Mystery Babylon the Great, the Harlot that sits upon many waters.
First read Proverbs 7:
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “ I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.
The first part of the proverb is a command and warning to 'keep my words, and treasure my commands within you' to 'keep my commands and live' and to 'write them on the tablet of your heart' so that they may 'keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.' Is this just a warning to a young man to listen to his father's words to keep away from a literal harlot? I believe it is much more than that.
The introduction to the proverb is a command to keep God's word and treasure it; to write it on our hearts and learn wisdom and understanding from it. If we do this it will keep us from being seduced by the immoral 'woman' who flatters with her words. If we do not treasure God's word and keep His commands within us, the rest of the proverb tells us how we will be seduced by the harlot. It says the young man went out 'in the evening...in the black and dark night.' He is not walking in the light of God's word, and will stumble in the darkness. He is not seeing that the night of tribulation has come and soon the Day of judgment will come, when the 'Husband' will return from His long journey. The harlot wife does not look forward to His return or know that it may be before she thinks.
She next says 'I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows.' She has made ritual peace offerings which she thinks will protect her and her intended victim. She flatters him saying 'So I have come out to meet you, diligently to seek your face' to draw him in.
She shows her ignorance of her Husband's word by saying:
"Come,
let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
But she forgets that her husband has said 'Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Matthew 24:42-44
Look next at Revelation 17, which reveals the identity of the harlot, the immoral woman:
Notice that this woman is in 'the wilderness' which prophetically shows that she is the 'church'. Not the faithful church, but an unfaithful church who has not kept her betrothed husband's word. The wilderness is a reference to the same foreshadowed wilderness in Exodus, in which the people of God wandered in unfaithfulness for 40 years. It has now been 40 'years' prophetically since the church began: It has been 40 jubilees or Sabbaths since Christ left 'to go on a long journey' warning us that He would come back to take His Bride to Himself. He also said 'when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith in the earth?' See also Song of Solomon 8:5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning upon her beloved?
This is the purified Bride, the faithful church.
Notice that for a while this harlot church will ride the beast who rules with the 10 kings of the earth, and will be 'drunk with the blood of the saints'. But the 10 kings will hate her and will burn her with fire. In Revelation 18 we see the judgment of the harlot, who is called Babylon, that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.
God warns His people, His church, His faithful Bride: “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." Listen to His warning, and don't trust in the peace offerings and vows of the harlot. Listen to His words and treasure them in your heart, 'that they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.'
In summary, the Proverbs 7 passage shows first a warning to treasure God's words in our hearts because they will keep us from being seduced by the false church. This is a direct statement of the doctrine of 'sola scriptura', the teaching that God's word is the supreme authority and is sufficient for all our needs. If we depart from this, we will be seduced by the false and deceitful 'woman' who diligently seeks for our souls. The Proverbs passage ends with these words:
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.
We must listen to our Father's words and not turn aside to her flattering ways, because many have been deceived before by her, including many 'strong men' who were or are great scholars with mighty intellects, as she herself boasts. Her judgment is shown in Revelation 18, and we are warned to 'come out of her' so that we will not be judged with her.
First read Proverbs 7:
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “ I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.
The first part of the proverb is a command and warning to 'keep my words, and treasure my commands within you' to 'keep my commands and live' and to 'write them on the tablet of your heart' so that they may 'keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.' Is this just a warning to a young man to listen to his father's words to keep away from a literal harlot? I believe it is much more than that.
The introduction to the proverb is a command to keep God's word and treasure it; to write it on our hearts and learn wisdom and understanding from it. If we do this it will keep us from being seduced by the immoral 'woman' who flatters with her words. If we do not treasure God's word and keep His commands within us, the rest of the proverb tells us how we will be seduced by the harlot. It says the young man went out 'in the evening...in the black and dark night.' He is not walking in the light of God's word, and will stumble in the darkness. He is not seeing that the night of tribulation has come and soon the Day of judgment will come, when the 'Husband' will return from His long journey. The harlot wife does not look forward to His return or know that it may be before she thinks.
She next says 'I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows.' She has made ritual peace offerings which she thinks will protect her and her intended victim. She flatters him saying 'So I have come out to meet you, diligently to seek your face' to draw him in.
She shows her ignorance of her Husband's word by saying:
"Come,
let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
But she forgets that her husband has said 'Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Matthew 24:42-44
Look next at Revelation 17, which reveals the identity of the harlot, the immoral woman:
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Notice that this woman is in 'the wilderness' which prophetically shows that she is the 'church'. Not the faithful church, but an unfaithful church who has not kept her betrothed husband's word. The wilderness is a reference to the same foreshadowed wilderness in Exodus, in which the people of God wandered in unfaithfulness for 40 years. It has now been 40 'years' prophetically since the church began: It has been 40 jubilees or Sabbaths since Christ left 'to go on a long journey' warning us that He would come back to take His Bride to Himself. He also said 'when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith in the earth?' See also Song of Solomon 8:5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness,
Leaning upon her beloved?
This is the purified Bride, the faithful church.
Notice that for a while this harlot church will ride the beast who rules with the 10 kings of the earth, and will be 'drunk with the blood of the saints'. But the 10 kings will hate her and will burn her with fire. In Revelation 18 we see the judgment of the harlot, who is called Babylon, that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
God warns His people, His church, His faithful Bride: “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." Listen to His warning, and don't trust in the peace offerings and vows of the harlot. Listen to His words and treasure them in your heart, 'that they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.'
In summary, the Proverbs 7 passage shows first a warning to treasure God's words in our hearts because they will keep us from being seduced by the false church. This is a direct statement of the doctrine of 'sola scriptura', the teaching that God's word is the supreme authority and is sufficient for all our needs. If we depart from this, we will be seduced by the false and deceitful 'woman' who diligently seeks for our souls. The Proverbs passage ends with these words:
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.
We must listen to our Father's words and not turn aside to her flattering ways, because many have been deceived before by her, including many 'strong men' who were or are great scholars with mighty intellects, as she herself boasts. Her judgment is shown in Revelation 18, and we are warned to 'come out of her' so that we will not be judged with her.
Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
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