Zeal In Religion is No Proof of Grace (or Against it)

When someone truly has the Holy Spirit, he loves to exercise devotion in prayer by attending church, reading, etc. But there is a counterfeit conversion from Satan that he gives in order to bring discredit to the people of God and lead souls astray. This is a type of false religion, and also leads people to have a great zeal in religious things. So that seeing someone spending a lot of time in church, in prayer, and another religious duties is *not* proof for *or* against a genuine work of the Spirit of God. However, if someone is not interested in services and devotions to the Lord, that indicates a lack of influence of the Holy Spirit.

Edwards, The Religious Affections pp 91-93:

It is no certain sign that the religious affections which persons have are such as have in them the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they dispose persons to stere much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship.

This has, very unreasonably, of late been looked upon as an argument against the religious affections which some have had, that they spend so much time in reading, praying, singing, hear. ing sermons, and the like. It is plain from the Scripture that it the tendency of true grace to cause persons to delight in such religious exercises. True grace had this effect on Anna the pro. phetess: Luke ii. 37,

” She departed not from the temple, but

served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” And grace had this effect upon the primitive Christians in Jerusalem: Acts ii. 46. 47,

« And the continuing daily with one accord in the

temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God.” Grace made Daniel delight in the duty of prayer, and solemnly to attend it three times a day, as it also did David: Psal. Iv. 17,

“Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray.” Grace makes the saints delight in singing praises to God: Psal. cxxxv. 3,

“Sing

praises unto his name, for it is pleasant.” And exlvii. 1, ” Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.” It also causes them to delight to hear the word of God preached: it makes the gospel a joyful sound to them, Psal. Ixxxix. 15, and makes the feet of those who publish these good tidings to be beautiful: Isa. li. 7, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth ровите ” рос і во то посе ста сво. сол в ува

and the ingrave l destredof the Lord al tre day cod a 0, One dial in the house Lot, and to inqude. try is.

I masa dine beauty of die Kord. bid aro inguino in is tag.

Perloser My soul longeth, yea, vound are tho for the course. ot pord- Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the sna the Lores for herself, where she may lay her young. even think low a, O Lord of hosts, my King and my Grads Blessed are ting alar divel in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Blessey thale man in whose heart are the ways of them, who passing Through the valley of Baca- go from strength to strength, every throufthem in Zion appeareth before God.* Vor. 10, A day my thy courts is better than a thousand.”

This is the nature of true grace. But yet, on the other hand, that persons are disposed to abound and to be zealously engaged in the external exercises of religion, and to spend much time in them, is no sure evidence of grace; because such a disposition is found in many that have no grace. So it was with the Israelites of old, whose services were abominable to God; they attended the “new moons, and Sabbaths, and calling of assemblies, and spread forth their hands, and made many prayers,” Isa. i. 12-15.

So it was with the Pharisees; they ” made long prayers, and fasted (wice a weck.” False religion may cause persons to be loud and earnest in prayer: Isa. Ivili. 4,

“Ye shall not fast as ye do this

day, to cause your voice to be heard on high.” That religion which is not spiritual and saving may cause men to delight in regious duties and ordinances: Isa. Ivili. 2, ” Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righte ousnes, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask in re he ordinances of justice; they take delight in approach ing a God” It may cause them to take delight in hearing the word of God preached, as it was with Ezekiels hearers: Ezek. mith ay, at And they come unto thee as the people comei. but hiy win before thee as my people, and they hear thy word, love surilmordothem: for ith their a obey they show much are thur heir heatt goeth after their coveroushes. And la, thou at uno them as a very lovely song of etousnes hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” So it was with Herod; he heard John the Baptist gladly, Mark vi, 20. So it was with others of his hearers; “for a season they rejoiced in his light,” John v. 35.

So the stony ground hearers heard the word with joy.

Experience shows that persons from false religion may be inclined to be exceeding abundant in the external exercises of re-ligion; yea, to give themselves up to them, and devote almost their whole time to them. Formerly a sort of people were very numerous in the Romish church, called recluses, who forsook the world, and utterly abandoned the society of mankind, and shut themselves up close in a narrow cell, with a vow never to stir out of it, nor to see the face of any of mankind any more (unless that they might be visited in case of sickness), to spend all their days in the exercise of devotion and converse with God. There were also in old time great multitudes called Hermits and An-chorites, that left the world to spend all their days in lonesome deserts, to give themselves up to religious contemplations and exercises of devotion; some sorts of them having no dwellings but the caves and vaults of the mountains, and no food but the spontaneous productions of the earth. I once lived for many months next door to a Jew (the houses adjoining one to another), and had much opportunity daily to observe him; who appeared to me the devoutest person that ever I saw in my life; a great part of his time being spent in acts of devotion, at his eastern window, which opened next to mine, seeming to be most earnestly engaged, not only in the daytime, but sometimes whole nights.

True Religion Consists of both Heat and Light

For although to true religion there must indeed be something else besides affection, yet true religion consists so much in the affections that there can be no true religion without them.
He who has no religious affection is in a state of spiritual death, and is wholly destitute of the powerful, quickening, saving influences of the Spirit of God upon his heart. As there is no true religion where there is nothing else but affection, so there is no true religion where there is no religious affection. As, on the one hand, there must be light in the understanding as well as an affected fervent heart; where there is heat without light, there can be nothing divine or heavenly in that heart; so, on the other hand, where there is a kind of light without heat, a head stored with notions and speculations, with a cold and unaffected heart, there can be nothing divine in that light; that knowledge is no true spiritual knowledge of divine things. If the great things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart. The reason why men are not affected by such infinitely great, important, glorious, and wonderful things, as they often hear and read of in the Word of God, is undoubtedly because they are blind; if they were not so, it would be impossible, and utterly inconsistent with human nature, that their hearts should be otherwise than strongly impressed, and greatly moved by such things.

Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections, chap 1 pp 49-50

True revival is always accompanied by the counterfeit

It is no new thing, that much false religion should prevail, at a time of great reviving of true religion; and that at such a time multitudes of hypocrites of spring up among true Saints. It was so in the great reformation, and revival of religion, that was in Josiah’s time… so it was in the great outpouring of the Spirit that was in the apostles’ days… and so it was in the great reformation from Popery. It is by the mixture of counterfeit religion with true, not discerned and distinguished, that the devil has had his greatest advantage against the cause and Kingdom of Christ all along hitherto.

Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections, preface

Martin Luther (movie) 1953

For Reformation Sunday:

The Swiss Reformation

Monday, October 31, 2022 marks the 505th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 theses on the door of the cathedral church in Wittenberg, which is often referred to as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Click on the following link to listen to audio of a lecture that I gave on another Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli and “The Swiss Reformation” in Denver at Providence Orthodox Presbyterian Church five years ago to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18mfsgXEQGtlJdJk-_eOSCSToBoBwRWx-/view?usp=drivesdk

(Tap the down arrow “download” icon and it should play for you.)

Awakening Prayer Guide March week 2 NEIGHBORS, CHURCH, AND COWORKERS Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. — Rom. 12:11

Awakening Prayer Guide by Ligonier

March week 2

NEIGHBORS, CHURCH, AND COWORKERS

Pray that the members of your church would be full of zeal to serve Christ and bear witness to Him in your community.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. — Rom. 12:11

Prayer by highplainsparson

Gracious God and Father, we confess that we have been lazy in doing the work that you’ve given us to do. We have not taken advantage of opportunities to share the gospel with all those that you have laid in our way. We have spent more time napping or with trifling entertainments than we have in actively working to advance your kingdom. We have lounged and coddled our bodies instead of loving our neighbor enough to spend time sharing the good news about Christ has done for us, with them. Teach us to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone and proclaim Christ to a lost and dying world that is crumbling around us. Let this be a major focus of the ministry of your church where we gather. Give us fresh ideas on techniques and opportunities to share the message of reconciliation, God reconciling himself to sinful man through Christ the mediator. Give us a holy zeal according to knowledge, that we may study and work to show ourselves approved. And let this zeal be channeled by your holy Scriptures. Sanctify us, put away our laziness, and empower our work in your church by your Holy Spirit, that by your grace working in us many more souls might be gathered and added to the number. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ who is the Lord of the harvest. Amen.

On Women in the Office of Deacon

The following is an excerpt from a paper presented to the Candidates and Credentials Committee of the  Midwest Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) on October 27, 2014:

Deacons are officers in the church set apart by ordination to lead and manage the church’s ministries of love and material provision, and to exhort and stir up the congregation to love one another in practical ways. They have the same spiritual qualifications as elders.  They were first ordained as recorded in Acts 6:6, after a controversy had arisen from the Greek-speaking Christians in the Church at Jerusalem, who contended that their widows were neglected while the Aramaic-speaking widows were not.  It is notable that the seven first deacons, apart from being male, appear to also have Greek names.  The context indicates that they were to perform a portion of the same duties that the apostles were fulfilling, (yet perhaps providing for the Greek-speaking widows, with the apostles continuing to serve the Aramaic-speaking widows.)  (Examples of deacons preaching authoritatively, as Stephen in Acts 6:10 and Philip in Acts 8:4-6, also warrant further investigation.)  If we are to follow this original institution and apply it to the Church today, deacons are assistants to the spiritual leadership of the Church, helpers to the session in the context of a local church, performing functions that the session would otherwise do themselves if there were no deacons.  If elders must be male, then it follows logically that those office-bearers who assist them by performing some of the same duties that they themselves would perform as elders, it follows that deacons must also be male.  If it is not proper for elders to delegate these duties at all unless their particular assistants aka. deacons are available, and if they must otherwise perform the duties themselves as elders, then this same headship qualification of being a male must apply to deacons as it does for elders.

1 Tim 3:11-12 ^“11 γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν. ¹² διάκονοι ἔστωσαν μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρες, τέκνων καλῶς προϊστάμενοι καὶ τῶν ἰδίων οἴκων·”

The late Rev. Christian Adjemian took “γυναῖκας” in 1 Tim 3:11-12 as a reference to women deacons, arguing that it would make more sense that verse 11 would follow verse 12 instead of preceding it, if the reference were to the wives of deacons. He argues that it is unnatural to take “γυναῖκας” in verse 11 as “wives.”  I do not agree.  In the literary form of a letter, of which 1 Timothy is an exemplar, the structure is more extemporaneous and conversational than would be the case in a work that was edited and went through several redactions and revisions.  It seems quite natural that after referencing bishops or overseers earlier in the chapter, where the wives of the same are not given specific qualifications, but referenced in that the bishops are to be “husbands of one wife” and govern their families well, the wives of deacons would now also come to mind.  (The qualifications given for deacons’ wives are not specifically applied to bishops’ wives, but this should be inferred as an implication by good and necessary consequence from the chapter, i. e. that the same qualifications hold for the wives of the bishops.)  Now, having mentioned and given qualifications for the wives of deacons, the thoughts of the apostle writing this letter would naturally light upon the marriage and family life of the deacons with their wives.  There is nothing unnatural about this flow of consciousness.  It must be noted that a pastoral epistle is not written in the most precisely logical order possible, as if it were a doctoral thesis or a work of systematic theology.  It is a letter.

Dr. Leonard Coppes, in his book, “Who Will Lead Us”, notes that “γυναῖκας” in 1Tim3:11 is found in parallel contrast to “Διακόνους” in verse 8, suggesting that here a different group separate from the deacons is in view (p. 137.) This suggests the correct understanding is that it either refers to the wives of the deacons, or some other group of women who were not a part of the diaconate mentioned in verse 8.  Probably the former interpretation is likely, since this passage does not mention any other group of individuals in the church other than bishops, deacons, and the wives of both, (although Coppes prefers to understand them as an unordained class of women in the church who may have been used to tend widows and women who were ill.)  As noted by B. B. Warfield [(The Presbyterian Review, 10.38, pp. 283, 284.)] and others, Romans 16:1 and its reference to Phoebe is not a conclusive basis on which to build a definition of a distinct office in the Church, given the range of meaning of the term “διάκονον” variously rendered as deacon, minister, servant, etc.

The qualifications given for deacon in 1 Timothy 8:10 are the identical spiritual qualifications given for bishop in 8:2-7. If elders must be male, it follows that deacons must be male.  It is notable that the RPCNA itself did not ordain women deacons until the 1880s, a turbulent time when the early feminist movement was pushing for equal rights for women in many spheres of life, and that around the same time a measure to bring deaconesses into the [Presbyterian Church (USA)] was defeated, as noted by Rev. Brian Schwertley (“A Historical and Biblical Examination of Women Deacons”, p. 1).  This timeline suggests that perhaps the impulse to bring women deacons into the RPCNA was more political than exegetical.  It should also be noted that although now and then in church history an office of “widow” or “deaconess” arises, at no time in history, not in the early church, or any other age until the nineteenth century, were women admitted to an identical office with that of the deacon to rule with them over the administration of mercy ministry as members of the diaconate.  At least, in none of the sources that this author has examined, including those provided [by the committee], no such argument has been made.  All the various historical sources concur on this point.  The offices of the church are appointed by Christ the head for the good of the body (Ephesians 4:11-12), and based on the regulative principle, the church has no more right to innovate in the offices of the church than it does in the polity (presbyterial) or worship commanded in Scripture.

A reason for optimism about the future state of the Church

The winds of cultural change have amassed to a very hostile wind that seems to blow against the Church of Jesus Christ. She may very well shrink in numbers and in wealth over the coming decades, as the social cost of being a Christian rises, and there may come a point when she is taxed on donations and offerings. But make no mistake, there is plenty of reason for optimism. The trend of individual sexual self-determination, an anything goes “ethic” where people define themselves as their sinful flesh leads them to, will hurt a lot of people. They will be shackled to the ball and chain of their own lusts until they long for the liberty that is in Christ. Then we will be there to show them a better way. The sexual ethic of Christianity, which is now a justification for the world’s ire against us, will be the oasis of truth and light that beckons weary and wounded sinners from afar, showing that humans do indeed have value and dignity, and are not meant to be mere slaves to perverse sexual pleasures. The hypocrites and nominal Christians will be long gone by then, and new wheat will spring up to take their places, and then some.  Then, as in the Roman Empire of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th centuries A. D., many souls will be won to Christ because of and not in spite of the 7th commandment standard and the undefiled institution of holy matrimony. Like a dip in stock price that allows an investor to buy more shares more cheaply before the price rises again, this seeming ebb in the influence of the Church of Christ will turn into a tremendous gain of new converts to Christ not so very far down the road, as souls created by God are made new by the Holy Spirit, through the preaching of the law and gospel, showing them that they do not have to be slaves to sin any longer, and offering them the glorious liberty of the children of God.

The scandal that weakens the Church

The loose way in which many members wear their plain obligations to the church is a scandal which enormously weakens its influence.  Desultory church attendance, neglect of public worship, failure to identify oneself of the church’s work and mission in the world, niggardly gifts, lack of a personal interest and loyalty: these are ways in which the laity of today rob god of the honor to which he is entitled. Raymond Calkins on Malachi 3 in The modern message of the minor prophets, 140. Quoted in the Word Biblical Commentary, volume 32 by Ralph L Smith.

Zechariah Devotional, part 11, chapter 8:7-9, Strength from Heaven

God chastens his own as a loving father punishes his children.  He does it not to hurt us, but to help and heal us when we go astray.  If we keep focused on the salvation that God has promised us, the eternal life that we have to look forward to in him, this will spur us to achieve great things as his Church, with the help of the Holy Spirit, as the grace of God and our thankfulness to him spur us to good works.  The special promise remains with us, that God is our God, and we will be his people forever.

Zechariah 8:7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

⁸ And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

God has caused his people to be taken captive, the northern tribes by Assyria, and Judah by Babylon, and now Judah has been restored to the land.  Now God gives a more general promise to save his people wherever they might be, from the east to the west, from anywhere on earth.  At no time in the Bible’s history were the northern tribes of Israel restored to the land of Israel, or enabled to gather to Jerusalem for Passover and other feast days, but they were intermingled as an ethnic group with the Assyrians until they ceased to exist.  This promise, then, concerns something greater.  In the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which is the Church, Israel restored at Pentecost (Acts 1:6-8), all of God’s chosen ones of every nation from everywhere under heaven, that is, spiritual Israel, will be saved from all their enemies that oppress them: especially, death, sin and the devil.

Jerusalem was the place of God’s presence among his people Israel in Old Testament times.  This presence is now found in the New Jerusalem, the Church of Jesus Christ, where God indwells and communes with His own (Revelation 21:2).  It is in the Church of Jesus Christ that truth and righteousness are found, for in her his word is proclaimed and his law is kept.  We who gather to this Church enjoy a special relationship with God that the rest of the world does not, to have him not just as God, but to be his people and to have him for our God forever.

Though we walk through life as a valley of tears, struggling against indwelling sin, suffering from death and disease, and being tempted and buffeted by Satan, yet God has saved us from being slaves to these things.  The living hope that we have in him sustains us through all the difficulties of the Christian life.  Though all of the world may be against us, yet our happiness in God is secure, knowing that He is present among us, especially when we gather to worship every Lord’s Day as his people, and that He will be our God forever.  Though our enemies are stronger than we, we feel secure knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.

⁹ Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

“Building of Solomon’s Temple” Comestor’s Bible, 1450, Wikimedia Commons

God’s grace strengthens us for the work that he would have us to do together.  His peace enables and invigorates us to build his temple.  Although Christ is the builder of his Church, yet he gives us an important role in the work, that of proclaiming the free grace of God in Jesus Christ to sinners of every category and walk of life, and of growing up together in him by his word and Spirit, and walking in mutual discipline according to the law of love.  God’s salvation is assured.  With the outcome secured, we are free to work.  It is hard work, but worthwhile and refreshing.  There is no more important or worthy labor on earth than to work for the purity, peace, and prosperity of the Church.  It is vital, and wonderful.

Let our hands be strengthened and not slack off in this work.  If we allow our own prejudices and preferences to take hold, instead of adhering steadfastly to the word of truth, and the rule of righteousness that God has completely given in the Holy Scriptures, Christ’s Church will be structurally damaged and her construction stymied.  But with God’s grace in our hearts, obedience to his word as the only rule for everything we do in the Church, and love for one another in the unity that God’s truth brings, we will engage in this work with pure intentions and a singularity of purpose, that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will yield great blessing in the building project, as Christ’s own rule (contained in the Holy Scriptures) is gloriously kept and displayed in us as the Church to a watching world.