On Guard!

I have been sitting on a gratis copy of Come to the Waters: Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment for about a year now which deserves a recommendation.  This daily devotional guide is a selection from the writings of James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000), late senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, and is published by Baker Books.  I am not in the habit of using devotional guides, although I own my fair share, but having read a few selections over the past couple of months I decided to take this one to work to keep it within reach on my desk with the hope of making better use of it.

This plan has proven to be a great help to me, and I'd like to note a portion of this morning's reading (September 20).  The title of this selection is "On Guard", and the text under consideration is Acts 5:3 (ESV) - "Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?"

Here is the part that stood out to me:

If we go through periods of special blessing, as these early Christians has, personally or in our church, we can expect Satan or one of his demons to attack us.  It is because Satan does not want the church of Jesus Christ to thrive.  If you are only going through the motions for serving Jesus, Satan will not worry about you very much. If you are not attempting anything important for God, if you are not breaking new ground, not witnessing, not serving in any particularly effective way, Satan will probably leave you alone.  On the other hand, if you really are trying to do something for God--if your church is effective, if you have a strong missions program, if you have people out witnessing, if you are trying to embody the gospel in social programs that minister to the needs of real people and demonstrate the real love of Jesus Christ--Satan will attack you.  You will have to be on your guard against him.

I've been thinking about this most of the day and the Holy Spirit is convicting my heart.  Here are a few of my thoughts.

Boice lays out two options: either Satan is leaving me alone, or he is attacking me.  

But what does it mean that Satan "is leaving me alone"?  I must confess that I'd much rather him leave me alone.  But if he is leaving me alone, what does that say of my relationship to God?  The words of the Son of God spoken in Revelation 3 to the church of Laodicea came to mind:

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.’”
(Revelation 3:15-18 ESV)

So, being tolerable to Satan leaves me in a position of being intolerable to my Lord and Savior.  Cast in this light, I would prefer the pleasure of God.  And although this means that I must face the attacks of the Evil One, I find fresh encouragement in the concluding words of the Son of God:

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
(Revelation 3:19-22 ESV)

On Guard!

What Remains into Eternity

I've been reading through D.A. Carson's book, Showing the Spirit, as part of my preparation for a Sunday School series I'm teaching on 1 Corinthians 12-14. Carson is very helpful in this passage of Scripture, as he is in other passages he has addressed. The section at the end of his comments on 1 Corinthians 13:13 caught my eye, and I thought I'd share it.

Two centuries ago, Jonathan Edwards probed the question as to what makes the church like heaven. His answer: it is love. The church's manifestation in time of the glories that are yet to come is not accomplished in the gift of tongues, nor even in prophecy, giving, teaching. It is accomplished in love. One day all the charismatics who know the Lord and all the noncharismatics who know the Lord will have nothing to fight over; for the so-called charismatic gifts will have forever passed. At that point, both of these groups of believers will look back and thoughtfully contemplate the fact that what connects them with the world they have left behind is not the gift of tongues, nor animosity toward the gift of tongues, but the love they sometimes managed to display toward each other despite the gift of tongues. The greatest evidence that heaven has invaded our sphere, that the Spirit has been poured out upon us, that we are citizens of a kingdom not yet consummated, is Christian love.

(pp. 75-76)

This reminds me of what our Lord said in John 13:35—"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." It's easy to allow our gifts or learning to take center stage in our ministries, but the sine qua non is love. Without love we are nothing and our best efforts are meaningless noise. With love we can be a visible connection to eternity.

D.A. Carson. Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1987)

What Remains into Eternity

Calvin Glorifies God for His Mercy

Today is the 500th birthday of one of the most loved and most hated men in the history of Christianity—John Calvin. Much misunderstanding and misrepresentation of his character and teaching persist to this day despite abundant evidence that he truly was a man whose heart God had touched. In the hope of shedding some light on Calvin's Christian character, I'd like to offer this excerpt from his Last Will and Testament, quoted in Thine Is My Heart as the devotion for December 30:

In the first place, I render thanks to God, not only because he has had compassion on me, his poor creature, to draw me out of the abyss of idolatry in which I was plunged, in order to bring me to the light of his gospel and make me a partaker of the doctrine of salvation, of which I was altogether unworthy, and continuing his mercy he has supported me amid so many sins and shortcomings, which were such that I well deserved to be rejected by him a hundred thousand times—but what is more, he has so far extended his mercy towards me as to make use of me and of my labor, to convey and announce the truth of his gospel; protesting that it is my wish to live and die in this faith which he has bestowed on me, having no other hope for refuge except in his gratuitous adoption, upon which all my salvation is founded; embracing the grace which he has given me in our Lord Jesus Christ, and accepting the merits of his death and passion, in order that by this means all my sins may be buried; and praying him so to wash and cleanse me by the blood of this great Redeemer, which has been shed for us poor sinners, that I may appear before his face, bearing as it were his image.

I protest also that I have endeavored, according to the measure of grace he has given me, to teach his word in purity, both in my sermons and in my writings, and to expound faithfully the Holy Scriptures; and moreover, that in all the disputes I have had with the enemies of the truth, I have never made use of subtle craft nor sophistry, but have gone to work straightforwardly in maintaining his quarrel. But alas! the desire which I have had, and the zeal, if so it must be called, has been so cold and so sluggish that I feel myself a debtor in everything and everywhere, and that, were it not for his excellent goodness, all the affection I have would be but as smoke, nay, that even the favors which he has accorded me would render me so much the more guilty; so that my only recourse is this, that being the Father of mercies, he will show himself the Father of so miserable a sinner.

Though Calvin was aware of his redemption by God, his affection for God, and his usefulness to God, he knew himself to be a sinner and dared not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly leaned on Jesus' Name. Sounds like a brother to me!

Calvin Glorifies God for His Mercy

When There's Little Time to Meditate

It's late afternoon of Good Friday, and I'm tempted to be discouraged. Work and other affairs have conspired to take up much of my time and energy lately, leaving little for meditating, much less writing, on the sufferings of our Savior. However, I've received some comfort from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, where he ends his brief meditation for morning, March 31 with these words:

We would fain go to our chambers and weep: but since our business calls us away, we will first pray our Beloved to print the image of his bleeding self upon the tablets of our hearts all the day, and at nightfall we will return to commune with him, and sorrow that our sin should have cost him so dear.

What do we do when we have little time to meditate on the goodness of our Lord to us? We do the things He has appointed for us to do, trusting Him to be with us during the day and intending to devote ourselves especially to Him when He permits.

If you feel let down at certain seasons because you're too busy to spend the time you want in worship or to take part in special traditions, take courage! The Lord, who appoints our daily business, knows our heart. He knows it if we desire to spend time with Him. Here our worship is encumbered with the distractions of life and the corruption remaining in our heart. In Heaven we will see Him as He is and love Him with unsinning and undistracted heart!

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6).

When There's Little Time to Meditate

John Baillie's A Diary of Private Prayer

John Baillie, a Scottish theologian, was born on March 26, 1886. I am still learning about his life and ministry, but in the meantime I have been waiting for an opportunity to introduce to you his little book titled A Diary of Private Prayer (1936). It is regarded as a devotional classic and has been a tremendous blessing to me as I have used it over the past year.

Many of you are familiar with The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions which is also an excellent devotional tool. I have turned to Baillie's book far more often for its readability, adaptability to your own praying, and clarity. I have found three or four copies at yard sales and flea markets for very cheap. You can also purchase and inexpensive paperback edition online.

This book is designed to guide the worshiper in developing a regular pattern of offering morning and evening prayers. Here is this morning's prayer:

O Thou to whom I owe the gift of this day's life, give to me also, I beseech Thee, the spirit to use it as I ought. Forbid that I should stain the brightness of the morning with any evil thought or darken the noontide with any shameful deed. Let Thy Holy Spirit breathe into my heart to-day all pure and heavenly desires. Let Thy truth inform my mind. Let Thy justice and righteousness make a throne within me and rule my errant will. Let Christ be formed in me, and let me learn of Him all lowliness of heart, all gentleness of bearing, all modesty of speech, all helpfulness of action, and promptness in the doing of my Father's will.

O Thou who compassest the whole earth with Thy most merciful favour and willest not that any of Thy children should perish, I would call down Thy blessing to-day upon all who are striving towards the making of a better world. I pray, O God, especially--

for all who are working for purer and juster laws:
for all who are working for peace between the nations:
for all who are engaged in healing disease:
for all who are engaged in the relief of poverty:
for all who are engaged in the rescue of the fallen:
for all who are working towards the restoration of the broken unity of the Holy Church:
for all who preach the gospel:
for all who bear witness to Christ in foreign lands.

Cast down, O Lord, all the forces of cruelty and wrong. Defeat all selfish and worldly-minded schemes, and prosper all that is conceived among us in the spirit of Christ and carried out to the honour of His blessed name.
Amen.

For more biographical information about Baillie, I would direct you to begin with The Baillie Project.

John Baillie's A Diary of Private Prayer

Courage in Light of History

“To know the limbs and leaps of history is hardly worth a cent. The only thing which counts is that you become more certain of your God as you contemplate the past, and that you then show more courage in the face of present needs!”
--Ulrich Zwingli, Swiss Reformer and contemporary of Martin Luther and John Calvin, born January 1, 1484

For information on the life and ministry of Ulrich Zwingli see Jason's article on Zwingli and take note of his biographical sources.

Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! . . . He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. (Psalm 112: 1, 7)

Courage in Light of History

A Worthy New Year's Resolution

Many New Year's resolutions don't last past the fireworks. Most of mine seem to go up in smoke. But lately I've been thinking on a Scripture passage that convicts me to not admit defeat but to try yet again: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Tim. 4:7-8).

From the Greek word translated discipline we get our word gymnasium. We might make resolutions to eat healthier foods and work out more, but how much sweat do we put into our pursuit of godliness? I recognize this as a serious shortcoming of mine. So, resolved, by God's grace to apply myself more deliberately to pursuing godliness. That might mean getting up earlier so I can read and pray over Scripture before the day's business demands my attention. So the early morning darkness may find me in a corner with a little pool of light.

I need to discipline myself to prepare and leave earlier for appointments (church, officers' meetings, etc.) instead of arriving last minute or late. I need to be more cheerful and trusting under stress. I need to speak for Christ more consistently and fervently as I have opportunity. Whatever God gives me to do, I need to do it with all my heart instead of with a divided heart.

One reason for making a resolution like this is to show me where my heart is. Do I thirst for God or merely hunger for the things of this life? I like the way Steven J. Lawson puts it in his book, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards (pp. 63-64):

Every great Christian leader has a master passion, an overruling ambition that dominates his life and drives his soul. It is that in which he most believes, that which most captures his mind and enflames his heart. Such a chief aim controls him and defines his very reason for being. This supreme sense of purpose becomes a motivation so strong that it empowers him to overcome all obstacles and override all adversity. For Jonathan Edwards, this passion was the summum bonum set forth in Scripture, the highest good in the universe--the glory of God. Edwards believed that God's ultimate end in all things is the manifestation of His glory. In his theological masterpiece, Dissertation on the End for Which God Created the World, penned near the end of his life (1755), he argued that God made the world for His own glory. "For it appears that all that is ever spoken of in the Scripture as an ultimate end of God's works," Edwards stated, "is included in that one phrase, the glory of God." That being the case, Edwards concluded that bringing glory to God must be his preeminent purpose. This pursuit was firmly established in him from the very beginning of his Christian walk.

May God help all His people in their resolve to glorify Him in 2009. If our discipline weakens and our resolve crumbles, may we realize that God put the resolve in us to begin with: "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). He has called us to Himself, having predestined us to be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:28-39). He will not fail--and neither will we, because God is for us!

A Worthy New Year's Resolution

A Blessed Christmas Memory

My favorite Christmas memory comes from 1982. My wife and I were a young married couple hoping for our first child. My bother and sister had recently graduated high school. Our dad suffered a massive heart attack early in December and nearly died. He was recovering from bypass surgery and was well enough to come home for a few hours on Christmas morning, so Mom and I brought him home from the hospital. On the way home Dad kept looking around at our old neighborhood as though seeing it for the first time.

Shortly after arriving home my grandmother came in to join us for breakfast (Dad's mother-in-law; his mother had recently passed away). Without a word my grandmother went over to my dad, hugged him and started crying, Dad joining her. When Dad composed himself he asked me to lead in giving thanks for the food since he didn't think he could make it through. Dad lived to see all three of his children married with families of their own. He lived to see all five of his grandchildren, two of them completely grown up.

My grandmother died in 1987. Dad passed away two years ago. I think back on that Christmas morning in 1982 and begin to realize how wonderful it will be when someday we have our grand reunion in Heaven. It really will be life from the dead. All thanks to our wonderful Lord, whose coming into the world we celebrate, and whose second coming we anticipate!

I submitted this Christmas memory in the comments section at Bible Geek Gone Wild on the first day of their 12 Days of Christmas contest. Many thanks to Shaun Tabatt for running this contest and to the publishers for making good books available.

Dad was 52 at the time this memory was made. I'm now 50 and beginning to feel the brevity of life (James 4:13-15). Things change, including our health and our fortunes. The one thing that does not change is the truth of Malachi 3:6 - "I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Jesus, whose advent we observe at Christmas, is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). And He has said to His trusting ones, "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19).

I look back on memories like this and thank God for these loved ones and miss them. But I rejoice because Jesus is still alive! Our Redeemer and our coming King! However pleasant are my memories of "Christmases long, long ago," I'm not disheartened about today. I feel anticipation because, for the believer in Christ and His sufficient atonement, the best is yet to come.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

A Blessed Christmas Memory

Thankful for God’s Providence

As we reflect on God’s goodness to us over the past year, let’s take a longer look back to the Mayflower Pilgrims that we may be able to look ahead. The Pilgrims left England, spent time in Holland, and then came to the New World in pursuit of freedom to worship God according to Scripture and conscience. Arriving late in the year put them at a disadvantage; winter was upon them. The winter of 1620-21 saw the deaths of half their number from starvation and disease. The survivors buried their dead in unmarked graves to conceal their losses from the Indians.

At winter’s end sprung signs of hope. David Beale gives an interesting account in his book, The Mayflower Pilgrims (Greenville, SC: Ambassador-Emerald International, 2000).

Those who were fortunate enough to have garden seed proceeded to plant it on March 17. There was a desperate need for green vegetables, the lack of which probably caused most of the sickness, which was a type of scurvy. Captain [Miles] Standish called another meting on March 26 to discuss military strategy. Suddenly, Chief Samoset walked right into Plymouth, speaking English. He was an Algonquin and had learned English from various fishing captains. The story he told gave the Pilgrims cause to thank God once again for His Providence. According to Samoset, this area had been the territory of the Patuxets, a large hostile tribe that killed every white man who landed on these shores. Less than four years prior to the Pilgrims’ landing, a mysterious plague had devastated the tribe. Convinced that some great spirit had destroyed the Patuxets, neighboring tribes had shunned the entire area. So the cleared land on which the Pilgrims had settled apparently belonged to no one. Their nearest neighbors, explained Samoset, were the Wampanoags, some fifty miles to the southwest. These Indians numbered about sixty warriors and Massasoit, their chief, also ruled over several other tribes. (p. 139)

God provided the Pilgrims another blessing through neighboring Indians. On his next visit Samoset brought a Patuxet named Squanto, an English-speaking Indian who was to become “a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation” (Beale, p. 140). Having escaped the plague that destroyed his tribe, Squanto had lived with the Wampanoags until coming to Plymouth Colony, where he spent the rest of his days teaching the colonists how to hunt, fish, and plant. “Without Squanto’s help, the Pilgrims would have suffered even more severely over the next year” (Beale, p. 140). Through the mediation of Squanto and Samoset a peace treaty was struck between the Pilgrims and chief Massasoit. In October or November of 1621 the Pilgrims hosted the Indians in the first ever American Thanksgiving, three days of feasting, playing games, and thanking God.

In spite of heavy losses the first year the colony survived and grew to about three hundred after a decade in the New World. Looking back, Governor William Bradford observed, “Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone to many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise” (quoted in Eerdmans’ Handbook to Christianity in America, p. 29).

These people suffered severely because they had a conscience for God and acted on their convictions. Out of 103 persons that survived the voyage, half died the first winter. How could they be thankful instead of bitter or at least disappointed? Answer: They saw God’s hand in all that happened to them. They were students of two books, the Word of God (Scripture) and the work of God (providence). They looked back and took note of mercies along the way. They looked around and saw evidence of their growing influence on others. They believed God would not abandon His work in the future. What kept the Pilgrims grounded during difficult times? Their perspective and priorities were right. Their aim—the glory of God. Their outlook—“here by thy great help I’ve come.”

God’s pilgrims progress the same way in the 21^st Century. Instead of looking for their best life now they expect hardships. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). They know that suffering isn’t inconsistent with the teaching of the Bible.

God’s pilgrims also know that suffering isn’t permanent. The hard times are only temporary, like school days, and “we know that we at the end, shall life inherit.”

In the meantime we can count on God to honor His Word and prosper His work, supplying our needs and gladdening our hearts as we humbly trust in Him and submit ourselves to Him.

We still hear and tell the story of that first Thanksgiving. Who knows? Maybe someday people will talk about the faith we once displayed against all odds. Maybe they will glorify God through us.

God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the LORD by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence,

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flow'r.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain;

GOD is his own interpreter,

And he will make it plain.

~William Cowper

from Olney Hymns

Thankful for God’s Providence

Trusting Christ or Trusting Our Faith?

"With a weak faith and a fearful heart many a sinner stands before the altar. But it is not the strength of his faith, but the perfection of the sacrifice, that saves; and no feebleness of faith, no dimness of eye, no trembling of hand, can change the efficacy of our burnt-offering. The vigour of our faith can add nothing to it, nor can the poverty of it take anything from it. Faith, in all its degrees, still reads the inscription, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin;' and if at times the eye is so dim that it cannot read these words, through blinding tears or bewildering mist, faith rests itself on the certain knowledge of the fact that the inscription is still there, or at least that the blood itself (of which these words remind us) remains, in all its power and suitableness, upon the altar unchanged and uneffaced. God says that the believing man is justified [Acts 13:39]: who are we, then, that we should say, "We believe, but we do not know whether we are justified?' What God has joined together, let not man put asunder."

~Horatius Bonar (The Everlasting Righteousness, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1993 reprint. pp. 23-24)

Trusting Christ or Trusting Our Faith?

Shouting in the Church (Psalm100:2) by John H. Hill

This article is a chapter excerpted with permission from the author. John has been a good friend to my family (a second pastor in some ways), and I applaud him for his courage to write and publish his devotional thoughts for the church. We no longer live nearby each other, but I can hear his energetic, kind, and loving voice in every phrase I read in this book. John loves the Word of God: he speaks it, prays it, preaches it, and lives it. The title of this book ought not to cause you to think that you will find a radical perspective on simple verses. Rather, John is presenting here a view of passages that are often overlooked. Although we often disagree on minor interpretive matters, we ought to never be discouraged from searching out the Scriptures. More so, we ought not skip over difficult or even common passages. This is a very fun book. John's love for the Word is contagious.

John H. Hill, Uncommon Views of Common Verses. Xulon Press, 2007. Paperback, 212 pages.

Shouting in the Church, Psalm100.2

Different churches exhibit vastly different styles of worship. I am often amused by the attitudes of those who take the opposite sides form each other on the issue of style.

I grew up in a small, rural Baptist church in North Carolina that was subdued in its worship. Once during a morning service a visitor hailed with a hearty "Amen!" and several of the regular attendees turned to see who had broken the sanctity of the moment. Several on the back row giggled because we had never heard anyone show such an animated display of enthusiasm. I believe a couple of sleepers actually opened their eyes for a moment.

Not long ago, I had the opportunity to jam (sing spontaneously) with some dear friends who were not Baptists. On the first evening of this particular conference, my three friends and I began singing some of the old songs during an intermission between services. There were four of us then, but it became a choir by the end of the week; and just the other day a lady who had joined us in singing called to tell me she was looking forward to next year. (None of the conference officials asked us to sing a special and even turned down our offer to do so. Maybe they are just not quite as enthusiastic in their spiritual life as we are.)

Although I suppose my personal preference for services is somewhere on the conservative side of the middle, there is something special about the spontaneous praise that comes from someone who is in love with his Lord and Savior.

Many churches have become so "dignified" that they expect the Holy Spirit to come in, sit down, and not stir things up - after all, what would the visitors think if someone began weeping over their sinfulness or the sinfulness of others. It would be quite difficult to explain how someone could be so full of the love of Christ that they should come to the altar and weep over God's goodness (at least not on Sunday morning - during "worship"). On Sunday mornings we should all ease in quietly, take our place, and begin our meditation so as to not disturb God's Spirit.

It is necessary to maintain order, but there should always be room for God's Spirit to work. I suppose that worked up emotions, in an attempt to give the appearance that the Spirit is involved, is just as distasteful as having no spirit at all. The Bible says "For as many as are led be the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8.14)

The church service should be a time to which we give much consideration and prayer. Anytime there is no room for change, the Holy Spirit's work is hindered. That applies to loud, energetic services as well as quiet, subdued ones.

Every act of worship, however, should express what is in the heart. Psalm 100.1 gives the standard for approach used by the Israelites as they presented themselves to God. They should "make a joyful noise." Many times we suggest that if people cannot carry a tune, they should at least make a joyful noise. The word form which "make a joyful noise" is translated is rua. It is a verb meaning to "shout, or sound a blast." The term occurs thirty-three times in the Old Testament and was used fundamentally to convey the action of shouting or of making a loud noise.

Prior to most services at our church, people gather around greeting each other and often are laughing. They are making a joyful noise unto the Lord. During the worship service each person should engage in enthusiastic singing. This singing refers to a cry of delight over a marvelous event - that of salvation and of being in God's presence. Paul exhorts believers to "Speak to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5.19) The singing, then, should be from a sated heart and spirit and not used to get people "fired up" for the service.

Psalm 100.2 gives two imperatives for approaching God. The second concerns singing and the first service. Part of our service toward God involves giving. Again, Paul exhorts believers to give cheerfully because the Lord loves a cheerful giver (II Corinthians 9.7). Although the Greek word (hilaros) resembles the English word "hilarious" it does not carry the same connotation. The word denotes a happy, glad, or cheerful state of mind and not one overcome with laughter and mirth. It does not indicate someone affected by humor.

The point is that whether you are animated or subdued in your worship, it should be a matter of the heart. When you sing, it should not be for others to see but from a heart of praise. When you attend church, it should not be for what you received but from a heart of praise.

As we enter into our fellowship of praise with God, we should already have a heart filled with praise and singing before the first announcement is made or the first note of a song is played. We should come before His presence with singing - not hoping that something will bless us. The blessing should already be in our hearts and on our lips.

John H. Hill is the pastor of First Emmanuel Baptist Church. He is also the author of Foundations: A Commentary on Genesis 1 - 10. John lives in Summerville, SC with his wife Nancy and two daughters: Lindy and Kaylee.

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Shouting in the Church (Psalm100:2) by John H. Hill

Abide With Me

Dr. John Currid, pastor of Ballantyne Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, gives an interesting account of Scottish pastor Henry F. Lyte. Lyte ministered in the first half of the 19th Century and died in 1847. Plagued by health problems, he was barely able to preach his last sermon. He later died on his way to Italy to try to recover. Shortly before that last service at his church he wrote the words to one of my favorite hymns, “Abide with Me.” Lyte may have known that his time was approaching.

Regardless of how much theological education the Lord in His grace allows us to obtain, or how much success He allows us to see, we never get away from the simple, yet profound good news of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. In fact I have found that the Gospel “ripens” with age (my age, that is). While I don’t consider myself old, I’m definitely older and closer to my salvation than when I first believed (Romans 13:11). And the good news seems more real and precious to me now than when I was younger. Then I looked forward to all the opportunities I might have to serve the Lord and daydreamed about how all that would turn out. Having seen so much of myself through the years, I now have come to treasure Christ more and to cling to His finished work and His promises.

If the circumstances of my departure allow me to suspect that the time is drawing near, I hope my attitude will be like that exemplified by Lyte in his wonderful hymn. I especially like the third and last verses. May we all be edified by his expression of faith.

Abide with Me
Henry F. Lyte

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see:
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness:
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

[To listen to the tune for "Abide with Me" and to read a brief account of the writing of this tune and hymn, visit The Cyber Hymnal.]

Abide With Me

30 Years in Christ

Tonight marks a milestone in my life. On the night of July 1-2, 1978 I yielded myself to Jesus Christ. It was a Sunday evening, and our youth director had taken our group to a special youth program at another church in our area. I didn’t call upon the Lord at this meeting, nor did I do it at our own church services. I had held on to the back of the pew in front of me until my knuckles turned white. But on the way home that night I rode the church van as Charlie, our youth director, took everyone home. I could have gotten off sooner, but I wanted to talk in private.

When we pulled into the church parking lot it was just him and me in the van. I started confessing the kind of life I had been living, and he assured me of the Lord’s mercy in Christ. Around 12:30 or 1:00 I called upon the name of the Lord, and His joy and peace flooded my soul. I really felt forgiven and accepted by God for the sake of His Son, who died in the sinner’s place and rose again for our justification.

I didn’t know much at that time about the Bible and Christian living. But I picked up my old Bible, which had lain mostly untouched since my parents gave it to me years earlier, and began reading. I soon found that someone had circled two verses in my Bible, Proverbs 3:5-6—“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (KJV, what I grew up on). To this day I don’t know who drew my attention to that passage, but it has been one of my favorite passages for three decades.

The Lord has brought me along in my knowledge of Him since that time, but I find that He frequently has to bring me back to that simple, child-like faith. Sometimes when my life seems so complicated, and I feel disappointed and frustrated, the Lord somehow reminds me that I should trust Him rather than my own faulty reasoning. How I wish I were quicker to listen!

Our circumstances may change because we live in a world that isn’t our home (Hebrews 13:14), but the one constant we can count on is God, who loves us and sent His Son to reconcile us to Himself. Adversity doesn’t truly indicate God’s feelings toward us. We need Scripture to tell us that these things are from the hand of our loving Heavenly Father and that they work together with all other things for our good, to make us more like Christ (Romans 8:28-30). The death of His Son in our stead is the ultimate expression and proof of His undying love for believers.

I meditate on these things tonight because, thirty years later, I’m not where I should be in my walk with the Lord, and I’m disappointed. I’ve failed Him terribly and frequently. If I look at myself and my inconsistency, I’ll get discouraged. But if I come back to the place where He first drew me, and I trust in Him anew, I find strength to get back in the race. I agree with John Newton, who said, “I’m not what I ought to be; I’m not what I’m going to be; but, thank God, by His grace, I’m not what I once was!” There has been progress, as I’ve focused my attention on Him and His invincible grace.

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
“Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4 NASB)

30 Years in Christ

The Holy War—Provision for Mansoul’s Continued Blessing

The town of Mansoul has undergone a massive transformation. Diabolus had conquered the town, strengthened his position, and prepared the townspeople to resist King Shaddai. Now Shaddai’s Son Emmanuel has conquered and expelled Diabolus, strengthened His own position in the town, and is preparing the townspeople to resist Diabolus and his followers in their expected attempts to bring the people back under the enemy’s control.

A fundamental difference in method and motive surfaces between Diabolus and Emmanuel. Each one had taken over Mansoul and set up a certain order in the town. But Diabolus did everything by deceit and for his own gratification because he hated Shaddai and wanted revenge. Emmanuel defeated Diabolus and now establishes His own order in Mansoul for the glory of His Father Shaddai and for the benefit of the town.

Emmanuel appoints new leaders in Mansoul and renews the town’s charter. This new order is to provide for the maintenance of Mansoul that the town might continue to flourish. The Prince promoted Mr. Experience, a young gentleman of Mansoul, as captain over a thousand men. After announcing a new covenant with the happy town, Emmanuel establishes a regular ministry to teach the people the will of His Father. The town gladly agrees to this.

The teaching ministry was to be carried out by two instructors, one from Shaddai’s court and one from Mansoul. The teacher from the King’s court is the Lord High Secretary, “a person of no less quality and dignity” than the Father and the Son and who is one with them in nature. He is to be the chief teacher, without whom the people cannot know the will and ways of Shaddai. The people should submit to His teaching and do nothing to grieve Him. Obedience in this will ensure that the Secretary will shed abroad Shaddai’s love in their hearts and make them wise.

Emmanuel then promoted old Mr. Conscience, the former town recorder, as the teacher from Mansoul. He must submit himself to the teaching of the Secretary and not presume to be a revealer of those mysteries that Shaddai has not seen fit to disclose. Following the teaching of the Lord High Secretary, Mr. Conscience and all the townspeople will know the things that Shaddai has revealed about Himself, and they can revel in His teaching.

Next, the people of Mansoul are to guard against certain dangers. They should not neglect or resist Emmanuel’s captains, who had fought for them against Diabolus, but should nourish and encourage them. The captains cannot continue to perform their duties without the people’s support. Then Emmanuel warns them to remain vigilant in their fight against the Diabolonians hiding in the city. They are loyal to their old master and will seek the town’s harm. They will continue to be a threat as long as the city’s walls remain standing. So the Prince warns the people to familiarize themselves with the King’s laws so they can recognize, apprehend, and execute these villains whenever they are found.

The Prince then gives Mansoul a badge of honor to distinguish them as His people. He clothes each one of them with a shining white robe, which they are to keep clean for Emmanuel’s honor. He also makes Himself accessible to everyone in the town, visiting them and allowing them to come see Him in the castle. If any townspeople didn’t see Him for a while, He would knock at their door and visit them. If He found any sick, He laid hands on them and healed them.

Emmanuel finally appointed a new governor in the town, not a native of Mansoul, but one from Shaddai’s court, Mr. God’s-Peace. He was to rule over the whole town, especially the castle. As long as the people followed Emmanuel’s new order, the whole town was peaceful and happy. In fact, they had never known such harmony and peace and joy before. This happy condition lasted the whole summer.

In this section of The Holy War, John Bunyan is still showing the believer in his first love. The feeling of God’s forgiveness is fresh upon his heart. But there must be regular maintenance in the Christian life to keep things pure, peaceful, and joyful. So the Lord has established His order in the life of His people, the Church.

A Scripture passage showing this order and the results it produces is Ephesians 4:11-16 (NASB)—

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Bunyan pictures the regular ministry of the gospel, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, giving us knowledge of God and His ways and strengthening us to live holy lives unto the Lord. The minister is an undershepherd, submissive to the teachings of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the meaning of God’s Word. The Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son, and God’s people must follow His teaching and be careful not to grieve Him through disobedience. The gospel minister must be careful to speak only what the Spirit has spoken in the Word and not try to be a revealer of those mysteries that God has kept closed to us. The minister must carefully and faithfully apply the words of God to himself and the people that we may truly know God and be pleasing to Him.

God’s people may revel in the teachings of the Word and speak of these things among themselves. It is for equipping the saints for the work of service that God has given these gifts to the church. And this glad service builds up the whole Body of Christ until we reach full maturity.

In this day of “Jesus, yes; the church, no,” when everyone is doing what’s right in his own eyes, we need to see this order of worship as established by God for our benefit. Before Mansoul experiences trouble from the remaining Diabolonians, Emmanuel gives the town ministers and services that will enable them to maintain their devotion and joy. We face wilting opposition from the unbelieving world and even from within ourselves. Without God’s provision for our continued maintenance and blessing, we stand no chance of pleasing Him and distinguishing ourselves as His people. But all these gifts the Lord will use to help us keep our robes clean and white and maintain that first love, that joy in the Lord, along with His peace that passes understanding.

The Holy War—Provision for Mansoul’s Continued Blessing

The Holy War—Mansoul Mortifies Wicked Influences

The adult Sunday School classes at my church are halfway through our series of studies based on John Bunyan’s Christian allegory, The Holy War. We are getting a theological education from Bunyan as we read his book and search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so. Bunyan presents a reformed, biblical soteriology, and I hope to put the main teachings of his story together into a separate post sometime in the near future. Though he had but little formal education, Bunyan was able to combine a thorough knowledge of the Bible with a fertile imagination to produce in story-form a comprehensive doctrine of salvation.

In our reading for today Bunyan portrays the redeemed town of Mansoul, under the direction of Emmanuel, as executing its enemies, the followers of Diabolus, because of their crimes against the town and because of their continued corrupting influence. This clearly refers to the scriptural teaching of mortifying the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13), or, putting off the old man with his deeds (Ephesians 4:17-32). According to Bunyan (and the Bible) obedience in this pursuit shows our love for our Savior and advances our growth in holiness.

In this part of the story Emmanuel continues His remaking of Mansoul into something that will glorify His Father, King Shaddai, and benefit the town itself. Diabolus had introduced so many ungodly, harmful things that Emmanuel has to pull down these strongholds of His enemy. The next order of business in Mansoul’s cleansing from sin is to arrest, try, and execute the remaining followers of Diabolus, known as Diabolonians. Emmanuel orders the arrest of the three greatest troublemakers: Mr. Unbelief (Mr. Incredulity in Bunyan’s original text), Mr. Lustings, and Mr. Forget-Good. These had exercised the most leadership and had caused the greatest harm when Diabolus ruled the city. In the round-up Lord Willbewill also arrested other influential Diabolonians: Mr. Atheism, Mr. Hard-heart, Mr. False-peace, and several others. All these renegades were brought to trial.

The trial was conducted with utmost righteousness, consistent with the nature of Emmanuel and King Shaddai. One by one, the prisoners answered the charges against them. With every one of them the plea was “not guilty.” The witnesses testified against them truthfully; thus the Diabolonians were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to execution. Bunyan spends time with each of the defendants, but especially with Mr. False-peace, because during Diabolus’ sinful reign he had lulled the town into a false sense of security so that they thought they would suffer no penalty for their sins against Shaddai, their rightful king.

Emmanuel commanded that the people of Mansoul execute the Diabolonians. In this way they would show their love for Him and the sincerity of their commitment. This would please Him, and He would bless them.

A twist in the story comes here. When the prisoners were returned to the jail to await execution the next morning, Unbelief escaped. He fled the city and met his old master Diabolus on Hell-gate Hill. Unbelief informed Diabolus of the things that had happened in the city under Emmanuel. This sent the monster into a rage, and he swore to get vengeance on Mansoul.

But for now, no Unbelief was to be found anywhere in Mansoul.

The city brought the condemned to be executed. Much to the surprise of the people, they were hard pressed to put these criminals to death. The Diabolonians struggled so hard that Mansoul had to appeal to the captains and men of war for help. Shaddai’s secretary, who was in town and who loved Mansoul, came forward and put His hands on the people to strengthen them for the work. Thus Mansoul crucified these Diabolonians, much to the joy of the city.

Bunyan, here, is teaching that the redeemed follower of Jesus Christ must “put off concerning the former [lifestyle] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22). This is done through mortifying the deeds of the flesh. It involves a struggle since mortification goes against our nature. But the Christian must show his love for Christ by his obedience to Him (John 14:23-24). The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson put it this way: “The exercises of the worship of God are contrary to nature; therefore there must be a provoking of ourselves to them. The movement of the soul towards sin is natural, but its movement towards heaven is violent” (Heaven Taken by Storm, Soli Deo Gloria Publications, p. 11).

There were still Diabolonians lurking within Mansoul, who would cause trouble again. We may get victory over some evil one day only to have another appear afterward. Or we may have to deal with the same evil again. This is the process known as sanctification. When we feel discouraged over our apparent lack of progress in mortifying our lusts, we can take a long look back at ourselves and see that, though we are not what we ought to be, by the grace of God we are not what we once were. There has been some progress. Though we must struggle against our inner traitor for life, the Lord is honored if we stay in the fight, trusting in Him for power.

Just as Mr. Unbelief avoided execution by escaping, so we will never be permanently rid of unbelief in our hearts until the Lord takes His people home. God gives us blessed seasons when no unbelief can be found in us and we enjoy communion with Christ. But “the troubler makes his appearance again quite soon enough” (George Offor, ed., The Works of John Bunyan vol. 3. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1991. p. 316). When that besetting sin returns and we feel doubt gripping us, we don’t have to despair; “where is the believer who is at all times wholly free from the assaults of this arch-rebel? Where is the Christian who has not occasion to say, and that with tears, ‘Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief’?” (The Holy War, Illustrated with notes by George Burder. Swengel, PA: Reiner Publications, 1976. p. 252).

Take courage, Christian! “If by the Spirit [we] are putting to death the deeds of the body, [we] will live” (Romans 8:13). May the Lord enable His believing people to exercise “holy violence” in prosecuting those enemies within that seek to undo us. May the Holy Spirit enable us to put these harmful lusts to death. And may God grant us mercy when we fail, and grace for future battles, as He has done so with many other “holy warriors” before us.

The Holy War—Mansoul Mortifies Wicked Influences

The Holy War—All Things Becoming New for Mansoul

In his allegory of the Christian life The Holy War, John Bunyan portrays the happy changes that take place in the soul of the sinner who turns to Jesus Christ in true faith. Having openly defeated His enemy Diabolus and completely won Mansoul’s surrender, King Shaddai’s Son Emmanuel makes His peace and pardon known to all the people of the town. The townspeople, who had prepared to accept Emmanuel’s wrath, rejoice to see their imprisoned leaders returning from the Prince’s camp as restored free men and to hear the proclamation of the Prince’s pardon. There is so much joy over the good news of divine pardon that no one in the town can talk about anything else…or even go to sleep! It was a grand celebration, the captains and soldiers of Emmanuel joining in the celebration with a parade through town featuring precision demonstrations of their military skills.

When all this was over, the town came together to Emmanuel’s camp to thank the Prince for His favor and to humbly plead that He would take up His residence with them in Mansoul. They desire the Prince and all His men to dwell with them so that He might receive their praise and protect them from the Diabolonians lurking in the city. To this the Prince agrees, provided that the people join with Him in prosecuting His enemies that remain in Mansoul. The town agrees wholeheartedly and promises their complete submission to Him, requesting that He lead them by the hand and keep them from sinning.

It was a grand day when Prince Emmanuel made His triumphant entrance into Mansoul with His army. This time no battering rams were needed. The people opened to Him willingly and lined the streets with boughs and flowers to show how glad they were of His arrival to take up His residence with them. The whole town turned out to welcome their glorious Prince with music and dancing. So Emmanuel moved into Heart Castle, and His captains and soldiers were housed in judicious places throughout the happy town.

Upon a certain day Emmanuel made a feast for Mansoul. The town came to the banquet and enjoyed food that they had never tasted before, food that didn’t grow in Mansoul but came from King Shaddai’s court. The meal was accompanied by music and singing, also from Shaddai’s court. After the meal, Emmanuel entertained the people with some riddles drawn up by His Father’s Secretary (The Holy Spirit). These riddles were things the people could not have figured out by themselves apart from the teaching of Emmanuel. In this way the Prince taught the people about Shaddai and about Himself. Mansoul was amazed; they saw things they had never seen or even thought of before. The town was so taken with Him that they went back to their houses filled with wonder and talking of Emmanuel, even in their sleep!

Despite the rapturous joy of Mansoul, there was much work to do to make the town more pleasing to the Prince and more secure from its enemies. So a great remodeling was in order. First, Emmanuel ordered His catapults to be mounted at strategic points around the city. Then He introduced a new weapon, which He invented, that could throw great stones from the castle out at Mouth-gate, a weapon that would not miss and could not be resisted.

The remodeling included jobs for the city’s leaders. Emmanuel put Lord Willbewill in charge of the city’s gates, walls, towers, and militia, with orders to arrest any Diabolonians he found. He reinstated Lord Understanding as mayor for life and made Mr. Knowledge the new recorder. Mr. Conscience, the old recorder, was to have a new job of which he would be told later.

Last, but certainly not least in the remodeling of Mansoul, Emmanuel commanded that the image of Diabolus be destroyed, ground to powder, and cast to the wind outside the city’s walls. Then the image of Shaddai was set up again more beautifully than before, since He and Emmanuel have come to Mansoul with more grace and mercy than before. Emmanuel’s name engraved in gold and placed at the front of the town rounds out the remodeling. Mansoul has experienced a merciful and radical makeover from the inside out.

As I read this section of The Holy War I repeatedly thought of the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17—“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (NASB). The people have a completely different attitude toward Emmanuel. Gone is the old animosity and rebellion; they are completely open to Him and His ministry, and they love Him with all their heart. They want Him close to them, so He dwells in Heart Castle, which is held by Captain Credence (belief, faith—Ephesians 3:17).

This is exactly what happens when a soul turns to the Lord. The heart becomes a habitation of Christ through faith, and He renews and redirects the happy, obedient believer. Bunyan is depicting a new believer in his or her first love. Everything is becoming new. The Christian responds with faith and obedience to the Lord where before there was only unbelief and rebellion. The Christian experiences joy and peace in place of the darker emotions associated with our natural rebellion to God. The Christian is ready to read God’s Word and cooperate with Christ in putting to death the things that remain in us that will dishonor Him and be harmful to the soul.

If you’re reading The Holy War using my church’s reading schedule, you’ll notice that we have reached a climax of sorts, but we are only halfway through the book. To our way of thinking it would be great if the story ended right after this point with all the Mansoulians taken straight to Heaven. But God has willed that His people glorify Him by remaining and serving Him faithfully until summoned. Bunyan recognizes this and gives us the second half of the book to illustrate the duties, dangers, and defenses of believers in a fallen world.

With the unbridled joy in this section of the book Bunyan gives us a subtle warning of approaching dangers. Where Bunyan tells of the people’s request for Emmanuel and His men to move into the space they’ve prepared, Bunyan writes a marginal note: “Say, and hold to it, Mansoul.” He means to exhort Christians to keep the same mindset of “first love” toward Christ always and not ever leave their first love (see Revelation 2:1-5). “Happy are they who continue in this good mind all their days. But the sequel of the story will show how changeable a creature is man” (The Holy War, Illustrated with notes by George Burder, Swengel, PA: Reiner Publications, 1976, p. 218).

Another indication of danger ahead is the fact that Diabolonians are referred to as still lurking in the city. These hidden followers of Diabolus represent the sometimes subtle sins of the flesh that remain in the Christian and hinder his walk with the Lord (Romans 8:7). These must be dealt with. To that end we have spiritual weapons given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We have His Word, the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, the public ministry of the Church, and prayer (probably the unnamed, irresistible weapon in the story). We should also keep firmly in mind that by God’s grace we have His image restored in us through Christ.

So, may His blessed people continue on in first love, enjoying the newness of life in Christ, confident of ultimate victory because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

The Holy War—All Things Becoming New for Mansoul

The Holy War—Joy Over Emmanuel’s Perfect Victory

John Bunyan vividly portrays the conversion of a soul in this week’s reading of The Holy War. Mansoul, under siege for months, is finally breached. Diabolus retreats to Heart Castle, and now Emmanuel sits in Ear-gate while His soldiers work to break open the Castle gate and force Diabolus out. With the news that the castle gate has been breached, Emmanuel marches to the center of town and commands His enemy to show himself. Diabolus reluctantly comes out and surrenders to the Prince, who chains him, takes him to the marketplace, and strips him of his vaunted armor in sight of the whole city. Emmanuel then binds the giant to the wheels of His chariot and leads him out of the city to a desert place, where the Prince charges him to go and never attempt another takeover of Mansoul.

When Emmanuel’s soldiers in the camp see their enemy in chains being led away, they give a great shout and sing melodious songs so that even the angels in Heaven take notice. However, all was not joyful among the townspeople at first. They were afraid for their lives because they had taken sides with Emmanuel’s enemy and had tried to shut out the Prince. Now they fervently wanted Emmanuel to be their Lord. But they could not tell from His countenance or His words what it was he was thinking about them. He seemed distant to them, and to top it off He didn’t stay in the town with them, but returned to His camp outside the city.

The feelings of Mansoul ran the gamut from hopefulness to cold fear. The Prince was so majestic they couldn’t help but admire Him and want Him to stay. They even dared to hope for a pardon. After all, hadn’t He delivered Mansoul from the tyrant? But when the Prince ordered the arrest of Lord Understanding, Mr. Conscience, and Lord Willbewill, their worst fears were confirmed. Or so they thought.

Before Diabolus was evicted from the castle, the leaders of Mansoul had begun to petition Emmanuel to spare their lives, but He didn’t answer that petition. Now with their leaders in prison, the town petitions Emmanuel again and sends the letter by the hand of Mr. Would-live. The petition acknowledges the peoples’ sins, requests mercy, and promises the peoples’ service. Emmanuel reads the petition and sends Mr. Would-live away in silence.

Though the town is worried they send another petition, not knowing what else to do. But they send it by Mr. Desires-awake, a humble man. Mr. Desires-awake prostrated himself before Emmanuel and presented the petition. When He read it, the Prince turned away and wept. Having composed Himself, Emmanuel sent Mr. Desires-awake back with a promise to consider his request. The town’s leaders in prison, along with the people, couldn’t agree as to Emmanuel’s probable meaning, so the rumors were flying. The answer didn’t seem too bad. Yes, it is bad. The prisoners will be put to death, as will the rest of the town. The prevailing mood was gloomy.

When Mansoul had calmed down and taken new courage, they decided to send another petition. Mr. Desires-awake was again chosen for the job. This time he took with him his neighbor, Mr. Wet-eyes, a man of broken and contrite spirit. This petition was the most humble of all. It acknowledged the greatness of the Prince and His Father, the heinousness of the town’s sins, and the rightness of His actions should Emmanuel choose to condemn them. They forsake all notions of self-righteousness and plead only for His mercy and to be freed from their transgressions.

Emmanuel responded as before, turning away and weeping when he read the petition and saw the humility and repentance of the messengers. Having reminded the messengers of the town’s rebellion and collaboration with Diabolus, He commanded them to bring the prisoners to Him the next day. Mansoul believes this is it for their leaders…and for them, too.

The next morning, Captains Boanerges and Conviction escort Lord Understanding, Mr. Conscience, and Lord Willbewill to the Prince. The people, dressed in sackcloth, watch from the city wall. Upon interrogation Emmanuel finds that these trembling men are completely humbled and ready for execution if that is His will. The whole town feels the same way. Then the Prince does something unexpected; He forgives them according to the authority received from His Father, Shaddai.

Music from heaven and great rejoicing accompanied the announcement of Emmanuel’s perfect victory and free pardon of Mansoul. Only the joy didn’t extend to the townspeople, who didn’t know about the Prince’s decision yet. Emmanuel then took the mourning clothes from the former prisoners and gave them beauty for ashes. He kissed each one and spoke kindly to them. They could hardly believe it!

The Prince told Understanding, Conscience, and Willbewill to proclaim pardon throughout Mansoul by morning and sent Captain Credence with some officers to accompany the noble leaders. When the proclamation was read to the town, Captain Credence was to take possession of the castle from Captains Judgment and Execution, whom Emmanuel had left in charge of the stronghold until being recalled to the camp. “In this way the town of Mansoul was to be delivered from the terror of the King’s first four captains and their men” (The Holy War, Whitaker House edition, p. 141).

One thing Bunyan does in this section of The Holy War is to show Christ’s complete victory over His enemy, Satan. It may seem ironic, but this victory was accomplished on the Cross. Just before He died, the Lord Jesus shouted, “It is finished!” This sounded the death-knell for Satan and his kingdom. This is the Bible’s proclamation of pardon to the believer in Christ:

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

—Colossians 2:13-15 NASB

This is such good news that it causes rejoicing in Heaven. Satan is defeated. Christ is risen, victorious, and glorified! God’s people are freed from sin’s bondage. But the rejoicing may be delayed for a while for the sinner just coming out of darkness. He has been in sin and rebellion to God. It might take time for godly sorrow to mature into real repentance. He may need to continue humbling himself and beseeching the Lord before experiencing assurance.

Bunyan isn’t saying that everyone who experiences conversion to Christ will have the same degree of struggle. But the feelings of guilt and uncertainty are biblical. Scripture knows nothing of casually accepting Christ with no acknowledgement of real need. The one coming to Christ must learn to put no confidence in himself and trust only in Christ and His mercy.

Believer, has Christ worked His way into your heart and conquered you? Has He evicted the devil from his former stronghold? Then take courage. Whether or not you are experiencing the joy of the Lord at this moment, Heaven is singing!

The Holy War—Joy Over Emmanuel’s Perfect Victory

The Distinct Emphasis of the Four Gospels

The four Gospel accounts serve a specific purpose in presenting the life of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do not write biography in the usual sense of the word. Not one of them attempts to present a complete account of His life and ministry. That is not their purpose. What they give us is selective biography.

While each Evangelist has a particular aspect of our Lord’s earthly life and ministry to emphasize, they all have one overriding theme to which they give the most attention—the events of the Passion Week. The Gospel records devote a “disproportionate” amount of space to this one week, each account beginning at or near the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Perhaps a simple chart will help us visualize this distinct emphasis.

Gospel Account	Number of Chapters	# of Chapters on Passion Week	Amount of Each Writer’s Material
Matthew	28	8 (chapters 21-28)	1/3 of Matthew
Mark	16	6 (chapters 11-16)	1/3 of Mark
Luke	24	6 (chapters 19-24)	1/4 of Luke
John	21	9 (chapters 12-20)	Nearly 1/2 of John

Also, John devotes 7 chapters (1/3 of his material) to just one 24-hour period within that week (John 13-19).

It’s easy to see which theme receives the most attention in the Gospels. Out of 89 total chapters the Gospels devote 29 to this one week in the 33-year life and 3-year ministry of our Lord. “It is no wonder that in a famous phrase M. Kahler described a Gospel as a passion narrative with an extended introduction” (I. Howard Marshall, “Jesus in the Gospels,” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 518).

Biographies don’t usually give so much space to so short a period of time. But there is an obvious theological purpose in the Gospels: to underscore Christ’s redemptive work—to give a pointed account of what He came to do, which was “to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). That explains His crucifixion. It was not the tragic end to a good life; it was God’s plan from the beginning. The Scriptural response to this Good News is faith—faith that results in worship.

And they sang a new song, saying,

"Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation."

(Revelation 5:9 ESV)

The Distinct Emphasis of the Four Gospels