2 Corinthians 5:20

We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: We implore you on Christ's behalf,
Be Reconciled To God

Thursday, February 4, 2010

God's Earnest Invitation, part 1

"Isa. 55:1, Ho, everyone that thirsts, come to the waters, and he that has no silver, come buy, and eat

As if the Lord were grieved, and said, 'Woe is me, Alas that thirsty souls should die in their thirst, and will not come to the water of life, Christ, and drink gratis, freely, and live.' For the interjection, 'Ho,' is a mark of sorrowing, as ah, or woe, everyone that thirsts. It expresses two things, 1. A vehemency and a serious and unfeigned ardency of desire that we do what is our duty, and the concatenation of these two, extremely desired of God: our coming to Christ and our salvation. This moral connection between faith and salvation is desired of God with his will of approbation, complacency, and moral liking, without all dissimulation, most unfeignedly; and whereas Arminians say, we make counterfeit, feigned, and hypocritical desires in God, they calumniate and cavil egregiously, as their custom is."


- Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), from Christ Dying and Drawing Sinners to Himself, pp. 443-45 (1647).

11 comments:

  1. I love how in Isaiah 55 God lays everything plain before us-- that He will satisfy us with true, everlasting life. He will give all to us; the only thing keeping man from God is his love of things that are worthless (v. 2). In earthly terms, that is an offer that none WOULD refuse. If you were hungry, or only had stale food to eat, you would accept whatever food one might offer if it were better than what you already had. If someone invited you to a feast, and provided you with the clothes to wear to it, you would be a fool to not accept, because the alternative is starvation and death. Yet, because man is so prideful he cannot allow himself to attend the feast which has been laid before him by God Himself, because that would require him to recognize and admit that he is already bereft, starved, and dying. It's no wonder that the prophet weeps for this people...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Our James Durham sermon yesterday (#10) was about this-- how the message is not heard, but that the preacher must keep preaching regardless of how it is received. I think you would like it :o) It stressed to me, specifically, the need to always have a heart and mind to hear, that God's admonitions to us spoken through the preacher be taken heed of-- also that I not be a discouragement to my pastor :o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I may like it too :o) I will read it Tuesday morning. I think maybe the best way to be an encouragement to a pastor (or at least to me anyway), is to receive what he says with joy and active interest, and chew on it thoroughly and grow in grace and bear fruit. It always means a lot to me to know what you are ruminating over (its kind of like kneading dough, I think). May the Lord give us such hearts and minds...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Do the little people go to worship with you? Do they get things out of it? Are you able to talk with them about the things the pastor was saying?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, they haven't this time... they went away for the weekend, and then came back on Monday-- and they are gone again (home this time)! I haven't been to church with them for a long time, but last time I did I don't think they listened very well... :o(

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, and... what were you doing up at 1 a.m....? :-O

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was writing. But I wanted to make sure I talked with you a little :o) I think I am sick today...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Uh oh... probably from staying up too late :-P Glad you were writing, though... whatever it was you were writing. Get better :o)

    ReplyDelete
  9. About what brings encouragement to a pastor, above:

    1 Thess. 2:8,13,19-20

    "So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us...

    For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe...

    For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy."

    ReplyDelete