A table of truth in the wilderness for hungry pilgrims.
In Mt 26.41 the Lord tells His disciples–and us to “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Yet, how many go about careless of the snares about their feet, careless of the lying beauties before their eyes at every turn, careless of the lusts and lies of their own hearts so ready to lead them astray!
Continue reading “Watch and pray against temptation”
In yesterday’s post I explained from Rom 7 that in regeneration believers are freed from the dominion of sin as a law over them. They are now placed under the law of the Spirit of life, by which they delight in good (6.17-18) and desire to do good (7.18, 21). And the discovery of the opposition and resistance of sin in them when they would do good (7.21-23) is actually an encouraging sign of grace. Continue reading “No longer a slave to sin, Part 2”
I want to explain what Paul means in Rom 7.21-23 by the believer finding sin to be a law within him. Many Christians struggle with the entire passage of Romans 7.7-25, and we can’t take time to deal with it as a whole. But if we can understand what Paul means by the law of sin, it’ll illuminate not only this passage but every letter Paul wrote. If this gets a little foggy at times, just keep reading. It will get clearer, and the payoff is gloriously liberating. Continue reading “No longer a slave to sin”
I’ll assume you’re familiar with the story of the rich young ruler in Mk 10.17ff. A young man of means come to Jesus asking “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” That sounds all well and good until Jesus responds, “You know the commandments…” “Did Jesus just tell this man he could get to heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments!?” Continue reading “Don’t try to keep the Law of God!”
What is the greatest business of the Christian life? According to Prov 4.23 it is to keep the heart. It is the Christian’s chief concern to keep his heart from sin–since this disorders it from godly conduct, and in turn to keep his heart in a godly and gracious frame–since this alone fits it for a life of communion with God and for the doing of all his deeds to the approval and glory of God. Several points can be offered in support of this. Continue reading “Keeping the heart”
We cannot be said to be true Christians until the religion of Christ becomes our animating motive and our predominating principle and pursuit as much as worldly things are the predominating motive, principle, and pursuit of worldly men. Thus no man ought to flatter himself that he is in the favor of God whose life is not consecrated to the service of God. Continue reading “Christianity in practice”
Man persists to do life without God, to press on with life and leave Christianity out of the equation. One denies that God exists and takes life by the horns while another denies the God that is–the God of the Bible–the God of Christianity–and adopts a religion that offers a god more palatable to his liking. Either way, the determination is the same: to do life without God. But how does this work out? It doesn’t. It can’t. Continue reading “The wrong fuel”
I’m sure you’ve read Romans 8.1-3 countless times. It’s one of those passages in Scripture that we never tire of reading. “…no condemnation…set you free…from the law…he condemned sin in the flesh…” It’s rich from start to finish, full of soul-gladdening truth.
But it’s one thing to know the truth and it’s another to be comforted by it. I want to encourage you to look briefly at this text and to walk away from it with the comfort God intends you to have by it. Let’s walk through it together. Continue reading “No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”
One of the greatest struggles Christians have is against their own legalistic tendency to see our loving and merciful Father as a wrathful Judge when we’ve sinned against Him.
It is of course true that we Christians do sin. We sin everyday–to our grief and shame. But we no longer sin as a criminal in Adam before a Judge in God. Instead, being in Christ (Col 1.13-14), we sin as a child of God before a God in Christ. Continue reading “Confessing our sins to our loving Father”
Welcome! My name is James La Belle. I’m glad you visited my blog and hope you’ll find a few things here to help you enjoy life, grow in the grace of Christ, give thanks to God, and bring glory to the Lord.
I’m the pastor of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church on Cape Cod and live here with my lovely wife and seven wonderful children. I enjoy reading Puritan and Reformed literature and use this blog to share some of the thoughts of my study with you. If you find something here that edifies you, please leave a comment to let me know; and if you’d like a regular diet of what you read here, then be sure to Subscribe!
Thank you and God bless you,
Dr. J
