T4G 2010 — Session 5 — John MacArthur from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Swallowed up in a worldly church!

(James Smith, “Man’s Treatment of Gods People” 1859)

“If the world hates you–keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world–it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world–but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you!” John 15:18-19

Such is the testimony of the Lord Jesus.

Real Christians have never been favorites of the world–and while it continues what it is, they never can be.

Nor can the pure and simple gospel be pleasant to the world, because it lays the sinner in the dust, and exalts God as supreme and sovereign. Let us not be surprised then, if we hear worldlings speak against the gospel, and traduce the Lord’s people; for what the Romans told Paul, is in a good measure true in the present day, “For concerning this ’sect’, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere!” Acts 28:22

This ’sect’ originated with Jesus, the hated Nazarene, who came into the world for its good, and to save His people from their sins. He gathered around Him many–but they were principally the poor and unlearned. There was nothing in them, or about them, to recommend them to the proud and sensual world.
They were begotten of God, and made new creatures in Christ.
They embraced the truth that He taught.
They observed the precepts that He gave.
They copied the example that He set.

Their creed consisted pretty much in these facts:
that man is a lost sinner,
that salvation by works is impossible, and therefore it must be all of grace–or not at all;
that the Lord Jesus came into the world to take the sinner’s place, fulfill the law in the sinner’s stead, and die as the sinner’s substitute.

By such hopes, they were animated,
by such rules, they walked, and
at such objects, they aimed.

And yet, they were spoken against and despised, because they poured contempt on the luxuries, pride, and honors of this world. They were treated as the offscouring of all things, unfit for society, unfit to live.

“Do not be surprised, my brothers–if the world hates you!” 1 John 3:13

And yet, like Israel in Egypt, the more they were persecuted, the more they multiplied and grew; until at length they spread not only over the Roman empire–but nearly over the world. And, had they retained . . .
the simplicity of their lives,
the spirituality of their minds, and
the correctness of their creed–
they would no doubt have encircled the globe!
But at length they were . . .
courted by royalty,
loaded with wealth,
became intoxicated with worldly honors,
and then their glory departed!
They drank into the spirit of the world,
conformed to its maxims and customs,
sought its approbation and applause–and
so fell from their exalted station, and lost their real dignity. The ’sect’ that had been spoken against everywhere, with the exception of a few–was swallowed up in a worldly church!

There are still some, who, like the ancient sect of the Nazarenes, are spoken against everywhere. They will not swim with the stream. They will not compromise their Master’s honor, or give up their Master’s truth. According to the light they have–they walk; and they rejoice to exalt the Savior, humble the sinner, and proclaim salvation, all of grace. They rejoice that they are counted worthy to suffer shame, for His dear name.

Reader! Do you belong to this sect? Is there anything in your religion that is distasteful to the world, anything that draws forth its opposition, or excites its contempt? The carnal mind is still enmity against God, and if we are godlike–that enmity will manifest itself against us!

If we copy Christ’s example, as set before us in the gospel; if we testify against the world, that its works ARE EVIL, and call upon it to REPENT, as Christ did–we shall soon be hated by the world!

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Be sure to read this insightful and challenging 3 page article by James Smith:

Man’s Treatment of Gods People

My Support

(James Smith, “My Support” 1859)

“They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress–but the Lord was my support!” Psalm 18:18

Aged believer, you and I can look back–and wonder how it is that we are where we are, and what we are: how we have held on, and held out until now. Here is the whole secret of the case–“But the Lord was my support!”

In the seasons of my greatest difficulty,
in all my times of sorrow and danger,
when I was filled with fears and doubts,
when in deep trouble and afflictions,
when all creature help failed me,
when my heart worried and vexed me,
when my enemies were just ready to overwhelm me,
when my feet were almost gone,
when my steps had well near slipped,
in my darkest nights,
in my dreariest days,
–then the Lord was my support!

My journey has been long,
my road has been peculiarly difficult,
my heart has been weak,
my enemies have been strong,
and long ago I must have perished in my afflictions–or been a prey to my foes–but the Lord was my support!

I would have fainted under my heavy burdens,
I would have yielded to my enchanting temptations,
I would have fled before my powerful foes
–but the Lord was my support!

Yes, the Lord has upheld, supported, and supplied me along the treacherous way. To His free grace, to His inviolable faithfulness, and to His unchangeable love–I must ascribe that “By the grace of God–I am what I am!” 1 Corinthians 15:10

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We have posted a superb 3 page articles by James Smith: “My Support“

Today’s Puritan Audio Devotional:

If you dare! by Samuel Davies
Play Audio! Download Audio

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Christ’s presence–and sin’s presence

(Arthur Pink, “Sin’s Presence” 1948)

There are two sides to a Christian’s life: a light side–and a dark one; an elevating side–and a depressing one. His experience is neither all joy–nor all grief; but a mingling of both. It was so with the apostle Paul: “As sorrowful–yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). When a person is regenerated, he is not immediately taken to heaven. Nor is sin then eradicated from his being, though its dominion over him is broken. It is indwelling corruption which casts its dark shadow over his joy!

The varied experiences of the believer, are occasioned by Christ’s presence–and sin’s presence. If, on the one hand, it is blessedly true that Christ is with him all his days, even unto the end; on the other hand, it is solemnly true that sin indwells him all his days, even unto the end of his earthly history! Said Paul, “evil is present with me”; and that, not only occasionally–but sin “dwells in me” (Romans 7:20-21). Thus, as God’s people feed upon the Lamb, it is “with bitter herbs that they eat it” (Exodus 12:8).

The Christian’s consciousness of indwelling sin,
his mourning over its defiling influence,
his sincere efforts to strive against its solicitations,
his penitent confessions to God of his failure to master this inveterate foe
–are among the unmistakable evidences that he is a regenerate person. For it is certain–that no one who is dead in trespasses and sins, realizes that there is a sea of iniquity within his heart, defiling his very thoughts and imagination; still less does he make conscience of the same and lament it!

It is cause for fervent praise–if your eyes have been opened to see “the sinfulness of sin,” and your heart to feel its obnoxiousness. Since it was not always thus, a great change has taken place–you have been made the subject of a miracle of grace!

But the continuance of indwelling sin presents a sore and perplexing problem to the Christian. He is fully assured that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Why then, is evil allowed to remain present with him?
Why is he not rid of this hideous thing–which he so much loathes and hates?
Why should this horrible depravity be allowed to disturb his peace and mar his joy?
Why does the God of all grace not rid him of this harassing tyrant?

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For the answers to these difficult questions, be sure to read the whole of Pink’s insightful and helpful 3 page article, “Sin’s Presence“.