“A man is justified by faith” [Romans 3:28] This is Reformation Day, commemorating the day in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg. It is appropriate that today we should consider the foundational truth for which he contended, justification by faith alone or sola fide. In its [...]
"For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever”. 2 John 1:2 Once let the truth of God obtain an entrance into the human heart and subdue the whole man unto itself—no human or infernal power can dislodge it! We do not entertain it as a guest but as [...]
“That we might receive the adoption of sons.” Galatians 4:5 Adoption is a word that carries positive and negative connotations. On the one hand, there is the good news that a child has been legally brought into what is hopefully a caring family. On the other hand, there is the sad reality of the reason [...]
"Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." — Luke 22:46 When is the Christian most liable to sleep? Is it not when his temporal circumstances are prosperous? Have you not found it so? When you had daily troubles to take to the throne of grace, were you not more wakeful than [...]
“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them” Proverbs 20:12 The eye is most exquisitely and delicately constructed. This little organ has tens of millions of electrical connections and can handle one and a half million simultaneous messages. The retina alone, covering less than a square inch, [...]
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, . . . let us hold fast our profession.” Hebrews 4:14 One of the real conflicts the Lord's people have to experience is the constant pressure upon them to turn back from Christ. To counteract such pressure, the apostle Paul uses one emphasis the whole [...]
C.H. Spurgeon kept Isaiah 48:10 on his bedroom wall, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” He wrote: It is no mean thing to be chosen by God. Better to be the elect of God than the elect of a whole nation. So eminent is this privilege, that whatever may be joined [...]
"Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious." Psalm 66:2 It is not left to our own option whether we shall praise God or not. Praise is God's most righteous due, and every Christian, as the recipient of His grace, is bound to praise God from day to day. It is [...]
John’s cry, Behold the Lamb of God,” broke four hundred years of silence. Though God had been silent, He had not been inactive; divine providence was setting the stage for the world’s most significant hour. Kings rose and fell, and God used each for His purpose. The Persians financed the new temple. The Greeks [...]
"...this do in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11:24 It seems then that Christians may forget Christ! There could be no need for this loving exhortation if there were not a fearful supposition that our memories might prove treacherous. Nor is this a bare supposition: it is, alas! Too well confirmed in our experience, [...]
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” Proverbs 17:22 A Christian lady was always so bright and cheerful that everyone wondered at her joyous spirit. “But sister,” said a friend, you must have some clouds in your life.” “Clouds?” she replied, “Why, of course. If there were no clouds, where would the showers of [...]
"And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it." Numbers 11:1 The book of Numbers is replete with references to the complaints of the nation of Israel. On most of the occasions when this discontent arose, it was vented against the leaders of the people. Yet the solemn fact is [...]
