If they tell you that in some other place,
one can find solace
And true salvation, other than in one God,
They mean to destroy your soul;
Take a firm stand.
Marguerite De Navarre (1492-1549)
“Reformation Women” by Rebecca VanDoodewaard p.33
The Spirit of God
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is from God,
but every spirit that does not acknowledge
Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of
the antichrist, which you have heard is coming
and even now is already in the world.
1 John 4:2,3
Modern Man
Man has increased in scientific, medical, historical, educational, psychological, and technological knowledge to an astounding degree. But he has not changed his own basic nature and he has not improved society.
Man’s knowledge has greatly improved, but his morals have progressively degenerated. His confidence has increased, but his peace of mind has diminished. His accomplishments have increased, but his sense of purpose and meaning have all but disappeared.
Instead of improving the moral and spiritual quality of his life, man’s discoveries and accomplishments have simply provided ways for him to express and promote his depravity faster and more destructively.
Modern man has simply invented more ways to corrupt and destroy himself.
Man’s knowledge is increasing by quantum leaps, but his increased knowledge is mechanical knowledge, inanimate knowledge, lifeless knowledge, knowledge that has no bearing on the inner man (cf. 2Tim. 3:7). His knowledge does not retard his corruption but rather is used to intensify and defend it.
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur
Matthew 1-7 Page 238
As God’s children and as the temples of His Holy Spirit, Christians represent God’s presence in the earth. We are the salt that prevents the entire earth from degenerating even faster than it is.
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur
Matthew 1-7 Page 243
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”
Matthew 5:13
From The Shadows
In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: ” Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? ” The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. Psalm 11: 1-4
All men may acknowledge that the world is governed by the providence of God, but when there comes some sad confusion of things, which disturbs their ease, and involves them in difficulty, there are few who retain in their minds the firm persuasion of this truth.
But from the example of David, we ought to make such account of the providence of God as to hope for a remedy from his judgment, even when matters are in the most desperate condition. When in the world all justice lies trodden under foot, and faithfulness has perished,
David reflects that God sits in heaven perfect and unchanged, from whom it became him to look for the restoration of order from this state of miserable confusion.
He does not simply say that God dwells in heaven; but that he reigns there, as it were, in a royal place, and has his throne of judgment there. Nor do we indeed render to him the honour which is his due, unless we are fully persuaded that his judgment- seat is a sacred sanctuary for all who are in affliction and unrighteously oppressed.
When, therefore, deceit, craft, treachery, cruelty, violence, and extortion reign in the world; in short, when all things are thrown into disorder and darkness by injustice and wickedness,
let faith serve as a lamp
to enable us to behold God’s heavenly throne,
and let that sight suffice to make us wait in patience for the restoration of things to a better state.
John Calvin (1509-1564)