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The Christian Commonwealth, Part 2

  The Christian Commonwealth, Part 2 I have never been one, much, to follow trends; and to "stay up" on a lot of the things that the world (even the religious world) gets engrossed in. . . . But I did read an NPR article about an interview they did with D. Wilson; and I thought I should give a response, and make my own position as clear as possible. . . .   Bottom line: I do not concur with what D. Wilson says.  I think the idea of depriving women of the vote, in society or in the church, is anti-scriptural and completely wrong-headed.  Also, anyone who condones slavery (if indeed he does) should probably have their head examined.   . . . But, the most important thing I wish to say--and this is in harmony with what I wrote earlier--is that, should the United States become "Christianized," we are going to have to "earn" it.  (And I am one who does not like words like, "earn," or "merit"--when it comes to religious conversations.)  Wh...
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The Greatest Glory To Which God Could Ever Attain

  The Greatest Glory To Which God Could Ever Attain Have we ever considered the question,  "What is the greatest glory to which the True and Only God could ever conceivably attain?"  . . . If we are inclined to think that it is  preposterous  for measly creatures like ourselves to even  ask  (or  think  about) a query/issue like this--we may be relieved of this concern, since God Himself has  already  revealed the answer to us; and He makes it clear that He takes great  pleasure  in our contemplating it (the question at hand). . . .   Let us start out by looking at some "options," that would have certainly been "available" to the Great Triune God.  One "option" would have been  not  to have  ever created anything,  (no universe, nothing).  In Themselves, the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity were (and are) perfectly fulfilled and "happy," again,  in  Themselves. ...
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An Independence Day Prayer

  An Independence Day Prayer Dears, this will probably be the shortest "treatise" ever. . . . Being of a predominately-Puritan bent, I am not in the habit of "writing-out" prayers.  I could probably count on one hand (maybe two, to be safe) how many times I have ever done that.  Still, yesterday, America's Independence Day, the Fourth of July, found me penning such a prayer.  I did offer it heartily to God, just prior to the enjoyment of good food by family and friends, in celebration of the day and its significance.   I would not be publishing this prayer, except that I was asked to do so, by a beloved fellow-elder in Christ's true and faithful church.  Without further ado, here it is. . . .   Heavenly Father, on this our nation's 250th birthday, we give You thanks for Jesus Christ Your Son; and we thank You that You, with our Risen and Crowned Jesus, have sent Your Holy Spirit to Your true Church--in Full Measure.  We th...
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" . . . To Forgive Is Divine"

  " . . . To Forgive Is Divine" A man named Alexander Pope (1688-1744 AD), apparently penned the famous phrase,  "To err is human, to forgive is divine,"  in a poem he wrote in 1711.   Both parts of his statement are true and profound.  We fallen sinners are  thoroughly  characterized by "error"; and  God  alone, in  Christ  alone, established the splendor of forgiveness.   Nothing  in this sin-wrecked world is more  glorious  than forgiveness (all based in Christ); and  no one  on this fallen sod of the earth is more  beautiful  than a forgiving human being (all in Christ).   Forgiveness is so serenely-gorgeous, stunning, lovely, and attractive, that the angels themselves marvel at it, (cf. 1 Pet. 1:12).  Though the elect angels have no personal experience  with  or  of  it (forgiveness)--they realize that mercy emanates from the very  being -...
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The Christian Commonwealth

  The Christian Commonwealth With all the talk these days (in the United States, in particular), with regard to whether our nation should be capitalist or communist, socialist or Muslim--along with the discussion (especially in theological circles) concerning something called "Christian Nationalism"--I thought I would add to the equation a dimension that could be the practical solution to it all.   . . . As we prepare to celebrate our country's 250th birthday (on July 4), it may be good for us to  back up  another 155 and a half years or so, to 1620.  In December of that year, the Pilgrims arrived on these shores (at Plymouth [now Massachusetts]); and they established their "City On a Hill," their "Christian Commonwealth."   Someone might say, "Yes, but that ideal is impossible to replicate today"; but my answer would be, "Not so fast. This may indeed be possible." . . . But, before we pursue that issue, let us consider some of the ...
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How Do we Know That we Are Not Deceived?

  How Do we Know That we Are Not Deceived? By  "we"  in the question (above), I specifically and exclusively mean those people on earth who believe themselves to be the blessed recipients of God's regenerating grace, in that they sincerely trust in Jesus Christ and His sole righteousness to be their own; and, these people are members in good standing in faithful, creedal Christian churches.  So, the query is,  "How do these people know that they are not deceived in their belief system; and how are they assured that what they believe about themselves, relative to their faith in Christ, is true?"   Someone might say, "Well, Pastor Mark, that is an easy one: the  Bible  teaches that those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit are indeed children of God; and that they know the Truth."  This statement is correct; and it may be verified by numerous texts, such as 1 Pet. 1:3 and 1 Jn. 2:21.   Someone else might say, "Well, Pastor Mar...
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Covenantal Perfection

  Covenantal Perfection I believe that the faithful, Christ-loving, regenerate members of the true church of our Lord Jesus may enjoy, even in  this  life, something the Holy Scriptures allude to, as "covenantal perfection."  (Please note all the qualifiers above, before we go any further.)  By "covenantal perfection," I mean, that with regard to their outward expressions of their faith--particularly with respect to their church baptisms, vows, and memberships--they are "blameless" in their execution of "keeping" their covenant with God.  (Of course, all of this is because of God's grace in them.)   . . . Before we are tempted to get "big heads," it is probably good for us to remind ourselves, right now, that in our fallen condition in Adam we are hopelessly lost, infinitely gross and guilty sinners--who deserve nothing but hell and condemnation.  As objects of God's specifically electing grace in Christ, we who have received t...
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