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7 The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law (1/2)
As I mentioned in the previous study, there are several ways the precepts of the Gospel Law could be catalogued. I have chosen to select the threefold category of Gospel precepts given by James in the first chapter of his epistle, the twenty-seventh verse: James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” This text arranges the Gospel precepts under the following categories: 1. The God-ward Precepts of the Gospel Law—“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father…” 2. The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” 3. The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To keep…
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8 The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law (2/2)
If the believer is to keep himself unspotted from the world (Js 1:27), then he must learn how to govern his own soul. Otherwise, he will be like a city that is broken down, and without walls (Prov 25:28). If the believer lacks the personal discipline to keep his own heart with all diligence (Prov 4:23), then he will experience spiritual declension and suffer a backslidden condition. It is for this reason we have been looking into the two natures that reside in the believer’s soul. Thus far, we have considered (1) the names given to the two natures; (2) the leading characteristics of the two natures; (3) the dividing lines between the two natures. In this study, I wish to open up (4) the…
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9 The God-ward Precepts of the Gospel Law
James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” In a single statement, James reduces the precepts of the Gospel Law under three headings: 1. The God-ward Precepts of the Gospel Law—“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father…” 2. The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” 3. The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To keep himself unspotted from the world.” Having looked more closely at the personal precepts of the Gospel Law, we now turn our attention to the God-ward precepts. When the precepts of the Gospel Law were introduced (see the seventh study),…
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10 The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law
James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” In a single statement, James reduces the precepts of the Gospel Law under three headings: 1. The God-ward Precepts of the Gospel Law—“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father…” 2. The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” 3. The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To keep himself unspotted from the world.” Having looked at the God-ward and personal precepts of the Gospel Law, we now turn to the relational precepts. As pointed in the introduction to the Gospel precepts (seventh study), James appears to be…
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On Sanctification
By John Gill (1697-1771) To which of the Divine Persons is the sanctification of the believer attributed? (1) God the Father, by electing love. There is a sanctification which is more peculiarly ascribed to God the Father; and which is no other than his eternal election of men to it: under the law, persons and things separated and devoted to holy uses, are said to be "sanctified"; hence those who are set apart by God for his use and service, and are chosen by him to holiness here and hereafter, are said "to be sanctified by God the Father" (Jude 1:1). (2) God the Son, by justifying grace. There is a sanctification also that is more peculiar to Christ the Son of God; not only…
