Help us Maintain the Angelus through the Lean Summer Months. Send
us a Gift of any Amount, and choose one of the following:
Thomas Boston --The Art of Man-Fishing
The Crook in the Lot
M. Carter ---Mary Jones and Her Bible
John Colquhoun--Repentance
P. Doddridge ---Rise and Progress
Houn Howe ----The Redeemer’s Tears
J. A. James --Being Born Again
Thomas A Kempis--Imitation Of Christ
Leigh Richmond--The Dairyman’s Daughter
E. Rogers---The Syrian Leper
J. C. Ryle----Sickness
O. Winslow----Personal Declension
Text: I Peter 1:13-16 (See: verses 1-16)
The people spoken of here are identified both as "the Elect of God" (verse 2), and "Strangers", and are Warned not to "fashion themselves" according to their "Former lusts." In "Former" times they were destitute of the Knowledge of God, and in this Natural Ignorance they walked in Rebellion to the way of Holiness. But to do so now, Peter declares, would evidence profound Spiritual Ignorance. Instead, the Redeemed of God are here admonished to put together their Reason.
They who have possession of their senses have set their minds aright, so that their lives are characterized by Sobriety, by Obedience to the Will of God, by a persevering Hope –by Holiness. Life is not a Lark to the Godly but is Serious. They set themselves to do the Will of God; and though they encounter many Sloughs of Despond and climb many Hills of Difficulty, they possessed with a Hope that is "steadfast and sure."
Since God is Holy, the life of the Godly is characterized by Holiness "in all manner of conversation; that is, in every facet of life. "Just how Holy should a person be? How far should he carry this idea of Godliness?" Answer: "in ALL things."
"But since no one is perfect, can we not excuse a little unholiness? Can we not stare a little while at the perversity of the age?" Answer: the Godly pursue Holiness "in everything." Many give chase to Holiness who have no desire of overtaking it: not so the Godly. Holiness governs what they read. It sets restraints upon the music to which they will listen. Song and stories about Drunkenness, Adultery, Brawling, and the like occasion Loathing to them. They are but the apple parings of Sodom and have become distasteful to them.
Holiness distinguishes the Godly from the Ungodly, the Holy from the Profane. It is their Honor. Therefore, they put away the "Former lusts" and "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no Provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof." The Holiness of God serves as
Example to them, and determines on what they will allow their minds to meditate, as it Regulates in what they will and in what they will not dress.
It was at great Expense the Godly were Ransomed out of the world, and were "called out" of it to walk uprightly upon the Earth. It is written, "Be ye Holy for I am Holy." Therefore they are to be Holy. Fourteen hundred years before the Apostle Peter, the people of God commanded to be Holy. It is the argument of Peter therefore, that the people of God are to exercise themselves unto Godliness on account of what Christ has done for us; secondly, on account of it being the command of God; third, because after this manner have the saints of God from antiquity understood the will of God; and fourthly, because of the authority of Scripture. They are to be Holy because "God is Holy."
It is the Carnal and the Profane who argue, "Can Perfection be attained?" The Godly examine themselves and ask, "Have I come as close as a sincere intention can carry me?" It is utterly abhorrent to them to ponder "What is tolerable? What can I get by with?" Instead, the Godly ponder, "What is the best thing to do? What is Commendable?"
While Worldlings justify themselves saying, "Well, no one is Perfect," and "I am no Saint" the Godly answer, "Because we cannot be what we would be, will we not be what we may be?"
CASSETTE TAPES AVAILABLE
Note: All tapes are free for the asking
Anthropology
Tape Sixteen --Perseverance and Preservation
of Saints
Tape Seventeen-Faith
Tape Eighteen--Liberalism
Ecclesiology
Tape One--The Institution and Offices
of the Church
Tape Two--Church Polity
Tape Three--The Plurality of Elders
Tape Four--The Ordinances
Tape Five ---The Charismatic Controversy
1, 1679 --Scottish Covenanters defeat Royalist forces in battle at Drumclog.
2, 1754 --Ebenezer Erskine dies.
3, 529 --The Synod of Orange repudiates Semi-Pelagianism.
4, 1768 --Three Baptist preachers are dragged before magistrates in Spotsylvania in Virginia as "disturbers of the peace."
5, 755 --Boniface is killed and eaten by Germans.
6, 455 ---Valentinian decrees the primacy of the Bishop of Rome.
7, 1891 --Charles Spurgeon preaches for the last time.
8, 1820 --Adoniram Judson is arrested in Burma for preaching.
9, 68 --Nero dies.
10, ll90 -Frederick Barbarossa, leading his men in the Third Crusade, drowns while crossing a river in Pisidia.
11, 1525 -Martin Luther marries Catherine Von Bora.
12, 1779 -Thomas Jefferson introduces his "Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom" to the Virginia House.
13, 1793 --William Carey sails for Burma.
14, 1954 --The United States Congress revises "In God We Trust" to read "One nation under God" for use in the Pledge of Allegiance.
15, 1215 --King John is forced to sign the Magna Carta.
16, 1940 --The Russian Army invades Latvia and forbids Religious instruction of children.
17, 1963 --The United States Supreme Court rules it unconstitutional to read the Bible or recite the Lord’s Prayer in a public school.
18, 1530--Augsburg, Germany prohibits all protestant preaching.
19, 325 --The Nicene Creed is issued.
20, 1782 --The American Seal containing the "Eye of God" is approved by Congress.
21, 1630 --Five hundred people are converted under the preaching of John Livingstone.
22, 431 --The Council of Ephesus opens and will condemn Pelagianism.
23, 1691 --The Exeter Assembly meets and will form the "Happy Union".
24,1579 --The Book of Common Prayer is first used in America.
25, 1962 --The United States Supreme Court rules it unconstitutional to pray in a public school.
26, 363 ---Julian "The Apostate" dies exclaiming, "Man of Galilee, You have won!"
27, 1819 --After laboring six years, Adoniram Judson baptizes the first Burmese convert.
28, 1631 --Urban VIII rejoices in a brief over the defeat of Protestant forces at Magdeburg
29, 1906 --The "Cruelty to Animals" Act is passed by Congress.
30, 1604 --The list of scholars to translate the "Authorized Version" of Scripture is submitted to the English king.