Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
nonconformity to God; and according to this evidence will God judge him. Here, then, is no respect of persons. God's judgment will be according to a man's work, and a man's work or conduct will be according to the moral state of his mind. No favouritism can prevail in the day of judgment; nothing will pass there but holiness of heart and life. A righteousness imputed, and not possessed and practised, will not avail where God judgeth according to every man's work. It would be well if those sinners and spurious believers, who fancy themselves safe and complete in the righteousness of Christ, while impure and unholy in themselves, would think of this testimony of the apostle. [7] As eternal life is given IN the Son of God, it follows it cannot be enjoyed WITHOUT him. No man can have it without having Christ; therefore "he that hath the Son hath life," and "he that hath not the Son hath not life." It is in vain to expect eternal glory if we have not Christ in our heart. The indwelling Christ gives both a title to it and a meetness for it. This is God's record. Let no man deceive himself here. An indwelling Christ and glory; no indwelling Christ, no glory. God's record must stand. Who are Christ's flock? All real penitents; all true believers; all who obediently follow his example, abstaining from every appearance of evil, and in a holy life and conversation show forth the virtue of Him who called them from darkness into his marvellous light. "My sheep hear my voice and follow me." But who are not his flock? Neither the backslider in heart, nor the vile Antinomian, who thinks the more he sins the more the grace of God shall be magnified in saving him; nor those who fondly suppose they are covered with the righteousness of Christ while living in sin; nor the crowd of the indifferent and the careless; nor the immense herd of Laodicean loiterers; nor the fiery bigots who would exclude all from heaven but themselves, and the party who believe as they do. These the Scripture resembles to swine, dogs, goats, wandering stars, foxes, lions, wells without water, &c., &c. Let not any of these come forward to eat of this pasture, or take of the children's bread. Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd; the Shepherd who, to save his flock, laid down his own life.
To forsake all, without following Christ, is the virtue of a philosopher. To follow Christ in profession, without forsaking all, is the state of the generality of Christians. But to follow Christ, and forsake all, is the perfection of a Christian. Talking about Christ, his righteousness, merits, and atonement, while the person is not conformed to his word and Spirit, is no other than solemn deception. The white robes of the saints cannot mean the righteousness of Christ, for this cannot be washed and made white in his own blood. This white linen is said to be the righteousness of the saints, Rev. xix, 8; and this is the righteousness in which they stand before the throne; therefore it is not Christ's righteousness, but it is a righteousness wrought in them by the merits of his blood and the power of his Spirit. We must beware of Antinomianism, that is, of supposing that, because Christ has been obedient unto death, there is no necessity for our obedience to his righteous commandments. If this were so, the grace of Christ would tend to the destruction of the law, and not to its establishment. He only is saved from his sins who has the law of God written in his heart, who lives an innocent, holy, and useful life. Wherever Christ lives he works; and his work of righteousness will appear to his servants, and its effect will be quietness and assurance for ever. The life of God in the soul of man is the principle which saves and preserves eternally. [8] ADOPTION. —Adoption signifies the act of receiving a stranger into a family, and conveying to him all the rights, privileges, and benefits belonging to a natural or legitimate child; the receiving a child of a stranger into a family where there was none. This did not exist in the Jewish law; it was properly a Roman custom, and among them was regulated by law: and it is to adoption, as practised
- Page 95 and 96: unfriendly to the continual support
- Page 97 and 98: "lieth in the wicked one," with an
- Page 99 and 100: in which we were created. 2. We are
- Page 101 and 102: were evil"—the very first embryo
- Page 103 and 104: sin has been denied by many, while
- Page 105 and 106: Men may amuse themselves by arguing
- Page 107 and 108: nature and dignity of that God agai
- Page 109 and 110: according to the plain construction
- Page 111 and 112: Moses and in the evangelists; there
- Page 113 and 114: THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST—We must
- Page 115 and 116: Christ alone was Prophet, Priest, a
- Page 117 and 118: Christ will never accommodate his m
- Page 119 and 120: Christ's agony and distress can rec
- Page 121 and 122: and if only many and not all have f
- Page 123 and 124: and the whole world is about to be
- Page 125 and 126: JESUS! be thou the centre to which
- Page 127 and 128: Christ's sake has forgiven him his
- Page 129 and 130: alone pardon his guilt: but no dish
- Page 131 and 132: necessary effect; and suffering can
- Page 133 and 134: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke VII
- Page 135 and 136: it may, and must, in many cases, be
- Page 137 and 138: as they list, but these truths of G
- Page 139 and 140: his word and his Spirit; and learn
- Page 141 and 142: himself and of his designs, either
- Page 143 and 144: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke IX.
- Page 145: offerings of eternal goodness, and
- Page 149 and 150: As a father might disinherit his so
- Page 151 and 152: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. Adam Clarke X.
- Page 153 and 154: or pardon of all past sin, through
- Page 155 and 156: highest possible evidence of the wo
- Page 157 and 158: man's reason, fancy, or imagination
- Page 159 and 160: those who had every advantage which
- Page 161 and 162: night of spiritual affliction, and
- Page 163 and 164: has it from its own direct witness.
- Page 165 and 166: mankind, with all the fruits of a h
- Page 167 and 168: When reconciled to God, and thus br
- Page 169 and 170: man cannot be operated on in this w
- Page 171 and 172: thought; together with every idea w
- Page 173 and 174: Love is the means of preserving all
- Page 175 and 176: ing it on the first day of the week
- Page 177 and 178: laws of nature, the principles of w
- Page 179 and 180: Nor does it cast out that fear whic
- Page 181 and 182: sanctity. I have known such persons
- Page 183 and 184: In examining this grand subject far
- Page 185 and 186: 3. LIVING HOPE.—The hope that liv
- Page 187 and 188: The presumptuous person imagines he
- Page 189 and 190: that image and likeness of God whic
- Page 191 and 192: elievers, under the name of Christi
- Page 193 and 194: frequently under a dense mask, and
- Page 195 and 196: above described. They were men of t
To forsake all, without following Christ, is the virtue of a philosopher.<br />
To follow Christ in profession, without forsaking all, is the state of the<br />
generality of <strong>Christian</strong>s. But to follow Christ, and forsake all, is the<br />
perfection of a <strong>Christian</strong>.<br />
Talking about Christ, his righteousness, merits, and atonement, while<br />
the person is not conformed to his word and Spirit, is no other than<br />
solemn deception.<br />
The white robes of the saints cannot mean the righteousness of Christ,<br />
for this cannot be washed and made white in his own blood. This white<br />
linen is said to be the righteousness of the saints, Rev. xix, 8; and this is<br />
the righteousness in which they stand before the throne; therefore it is not<br />
Christ's righteousness, but it is a righteousness wrought in them by the<br />
merits of his blood and the power of his Spirit.<br />
We must beware of Antinomianism, that is, of supposing that, because<br />
Christ has been obedient unto death, there is no necessity for our<br />
obedience to his righteous commandments. If this were so, the grace of<br />
Christ would tend to the destruction of the law, and not to its<br />
establishment. He only is saved from his sins who has the law of God<br />
written in his heart, who lives an innocent, holy, and useful life.<br />
Wherever Christ lives he works; and his work of righteousness will<br />
appear to his servants, and its effect will be quietness and assurance for<br />
ever. The life of God in the soul of man is the principle which saves and<br />
preserves eternally.<br />
[8]<br />
ADOPTION. —Adoption signifies the act of receiving a stranger into<br />
a family, and conveying to him all the rights, privileges, and benefits<br />
belonging to a natural or legitimate child; the receiving a child of a<br />
stranger into a family where there was none.<br />
This did not exist in the Jewish law; it was properly a Roman custom,<br />
and among them was regulated by law: and it is to adoption, as practised
Change language