A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)

The Knowledge of the Holy

When Christian theology declares that God is wise, it means vastly more than it says or can say, for it tries to make a comparatively weak word bear an incomprehensible plenitude of meaning that threatens to tear it apart and crush it under the sheer weight of the idea….

There is indeed a secondary, created wisdom which God has given in measure to His creatures as their highest good require; but the wisdom of any creature or of all creatures, when set against the boundless wisdom of God, is pathetically small.

Abraham Kuyper
(1837-1920)

John Chrysostom

"Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this expression, 'we have found,' is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural friendship, is all about, when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters."

The Gospel of Grace (2)

Charles H. Spurgeon (c. 1834-1892)

"But there are some who say, 'It is hard for God to choose some and leave others.' Now I will ask you one question. Is there any one of you who wishes to be holy, who wishes to be regenerate, to leave off sin and walk in holiness? 'Yes, there is,' says someone, 'I do.' Then God has elected you. But another says, 'No; I don't want to be holy; I don't want to give up my lusts and my vices.' Why should you grumble, then, that God has not elected you to it? For if you were elected you would not like it, according to your own confession"

The first installment in this series, The Gospel of Grace, addressed the Biblical teaching concerning the extent of human sin. We saw that our nature is so filled with sin as to prevent us from seeking God or the things of God. Because of this the question becomes, How can a person find eternal salvation for his soul? How can a he be saved? Scripture tells us salvation is the sovereign decision and action of God and God alone. He made His choices before the beginning of time, based solely on His good and perfect will. This has led many to misunderstand the doctrine of election and to draw false assumptions concerning it. This week we will try to correct our understanding and put to rest some of the more pervasive false arguments against God’s calling of His elect.

Tozer, A.W. (1897-1963) The Knowledge of the Holy [i]

The concept of God held by the psalmists and prophets of Israel was that of an all-powerful ruler, high and lifted up, reigning in equity…. Of the long awaited Messiah it was prophesied that when He came He should judge the people with righteousness and the poor with judgment. Holy men of tender compassion, outraged by the inequity of the world’s rulers, prayed, “O Lord God … how long shall the wicked triumph?” And this is to be understood not as a plea for personal vengeance but as a longing to see moral equity prevail in human society….

Monday: Psalm 50:16-21; Psalm 52:1-4; Psalm 94:3-7
God’s Word does not hesitate to call some people “wicked.” What characterizes such people? What is their attitude toward God? The poor? Their foes? What characterizes their speech? Their actions toward the powerless? Tozer mentions “holy men” who are “outraged by the inequity of the world’s rulers.” Do you ever feel this way? What specific situations have caused you such grief?

Total Depravity

John Gerstner (c. 1914-1996)

“Speaking of god’s providence, we noticed sin incidentally. We now bring it into focus. One cannot think of God’s holy ways without thinking of our unholy ones. We cannot think of ourselves without thinking of our sin. Sin is the most important conviction any man can have. It is a bad theology which thinks man good. Any good theology must start with man as bad.”