According to Rome, only the church, i.e., the pope and bishops, are vested with the authority to interpret Scripture. For centuries, Rome denied the laity direct access to the Bible. In modern times, while granting the words of Scripture to the masses, Rome still monopolizes the meaning. More than four hundred years ago, William Whitaker addressed this abuse in his Disputations on the Holy Scriptures. Among the arguments he addressed was the claim that the church fathers favored the papist dogma on the issue. Against their use of Augustine, Whitaker wrote:

Augustine is next objected to us, who, in his first book against Cresconius the grammarian, cap. 33, says, “Let him who fears he may be deceived, consult the church.” I answer: This we allow, but under the condition which Augustine subjoins; namely, that that church is to be consulted “which the scripture points out.” For otherwise than by the scriptures it cannot certainly be known which is the true church. We say that the church should be consulted in every cause which concerns faith, and that the church ought to consult the scriptures. And truly they are justly deceived who do not consult the church, and obey her pious counsels and admonitions. But, although pious doctors are to be sought for and inquired of, and all proud and perilous temptations to be avoided, as Augustine hath reminded us in the Prologue to his books of Christian Doctrine; yet we should consider both what they answer, and how truly, lest our faith should rest upon human teaching rather than upon divine testimony. That is not really faith, which is founded upon the authority of men; and upon such authority is founded whatever depends not on the word and voice of God.

—William Whitaker, Disputations on the Holy Scriptures (Soli Deo Gloria, 2005), 442.

Stephen Charnock on God’s omniscience:

God is essentially everywhere present in heaven and earth. If God be, he must be somewhere; that which is nowhere, is nothing, since God is, he is in the world; not in one part of it; for then he would be circumscribed by it: if in the world, and only there, though it be a great space, he were also limited. Some therefore said, “God is everywhere, and nowhere” [Chrysostom]. Nowhere, i. e. not bounded by any place, nor receiving from any place anything for his preservation or sustainment. He is everywhere, because no creature, either body or spirit, can exclude the presence of his essence; for he is not only near, but in everything (Acts xvii. 28): “In him we live, and move, and have our being.” Not absent from anything, but so present with them, that they live and move in him, and move more in God, then in the air or earth wherein they are; nearer to us than our flesh to our bones, than the air to our breath; he cannot be far from them that live, and have every motion in him. The apostle doth not say, By him, but in him, to show the inwardness of his presence. As eternity is the perfection whereby he hath neither beginning nor end, immutability is the perfection whereby he hath neither increase nor diminution, so immensity of omnipresence is that whereby he hath neither bounds nor limitations. At he is in all time, yet so as to be above time; so is he in all places, yet so as to be above limitation by any place. It was a good expression by a heathen to illustrate this, “That God is a sphere or circle, whose center is everywhere and circumference is nowhere.” His meaning was, that the essence of God was indivisible; i. e. could not be divided. It cannot be said here and there the lines of it terminate; it is like a line drawn out in infinite spaces, that no point can be conceived where its length and breadth ends. The sea is a vast mass of waters; yet to that it is said, “Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further.” But in cannot be said of God’s essence, hitherto it reaches and no further; here it is, and there it is not. It is plain, that God is thus immense, because his is infinite; we have reason and scripture to assent to it, though we cannot conceive it. We know that God is eternal, though eternity is to great to be measured by the sort line of a created understanding. We cannot conceive that vastness and glory of the heavens, much less that which is so great, as to fill the heaven and the earth, yea (1 Kings viii. 27), “not to be contained in the heaven of Heavens.”

—Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Baker Books, 2005), 1:366–377

Sometimes I feel that, at my age, I should not struggle so much in my spiritual walk. I try really hard, but I know I should be doing better.

Someone is no doubt thinking, “Man, you don’t get it. You should know better . . .” I get it. I do know better. But sometimes I think those thoughts anyway. That’s why I can never read words like these often enough:

Ephesians 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
   18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit . . .

Notice, it’s “the strength of his might.” It’s “the armor of God.” Meditate on that as you begin another week.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

KEPT BY GOD

Jehovah God,

Thou Creator, Upholder, Proprietor of all
things,
I cannot escape from thy presence or control,
   nor do I desire to do so.
My privilege is to be under the agency of
   omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom,
   patience, mercy, grace.
Thou art love with more than parental affection;
I admire thy heart, adore thy wisdom,
   stand in awe of thy power, abase myself before
      thy purity.
It is the discovery of thy goodness alone that can
   banish my fear,
   allure me into thy presence,
   help me to bewail and confess my sins.
When I review my past guilt
   and am conscious of my present unworthiness
      I tremble to come to thee,
      I whose foundation is in the dust,
      I who have condemned thy goodness,
         defied thy power,
         trampled upon thy love,
         rendered myself worthy of eternal death.
But my recovery cannot spring from any cause
   in me,
   I can destroy but cannot save myself.
Yet thou hast laid help on One that is mighty,
   for there is mercy with thee,
   and exceeding riches in thy kindness
      through Jesus.
May I always feel my need of him.
Let thy restored joy be my strength;
May it keep me from lusting after the world,
   bear up heart and mind in loss of comforts,
   enliven me in the valley of death,
   work in me the image of the heavenly,
   and give me to enjoy the first fruits of spirituality,
      such as angels and departed saints know.

—from The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, editor (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002).

John 1:15–18
15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

The passage before us contains three great declarations about our Lord Jesus Christ. Each of the three is among the foundation principles of Christianity.
   We are taught, firstly, that it is Christ alone who supplies all the spiritual wants of all believers. It is written that “of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace.”
   There is an infinite fulness in Jesus Christ. As St. Paul says, “It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.”—“In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Coloss. i. 19; ii. 8.) There is laid up in Him, as in a treasury, a boundless supply of all that any sinner can need, either in time or eternity. The Spirit of Life is His special gift to the Church, and conveys from Him, as from a great root, sap and vigour to all the believing branches. He is rich in mercy, grace, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Out of Christ’s fulness, all believers in every age of the world, have been supplied. They did not clearly understand the fountain from which their supplies flowed, in Old Testament times. The Old Testament saints only saw Christ afar off, and not face to face. But from Abel downwards, all saved souls have received all they have had from Jesus Christ alone. Every saint in glory will at last acknowledge that he is Christ’s debtor for all he is. Jesus will prove to have been all in all.
   We are taught, secondly, the vast superiority of Christ to Moses, and of the Gospel to the Law. It is written that “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
   Moses was employed by God “as a servant,” to convey to Israel the moral and ceremonial law. (Heb. iii. 5.) As a servant, he was faithful to Him who appointed him, but he was only a servant. The moral law, which he brought down from Mount Sinai, was holy, and just, and good. But it could not justify. It had no healing power. It could wound, but it could not bind up. It “worked wrath.” (Rom. iv. 15.) It pronounced a curse against any imperfect obedience.—The ceremonial law, which he was commanded to impose on Israel, was full of deep meaning and typical instruction. Its ordinances and ceremonies made it an excellent schoolmaster to guide men toward Christ. (Gal. iii. 24.) But the ceremonial law was only a schoolmaster. It could not make him that kept it perfect, as pertaining to the conscience. (Heb. ix. 9.) It laid a grievous yoke on men’s hearts, which they were not able to bear. It wag a ministration of death and condemnation. (2 Cor. iii 7—9.) The light which men got from Moses and the law was at best only starlight compared to noon-day.
   Christ, on the other hand, came into the world “as a Son,” with the keys of God’s treasury of grace and truth entirely in His hands. (Heb. iii. 6.) Grace came by Him, when He made fully known God’s gracious plan of salvation, by faith in His own blood, and opened the fountain of mercy to all the world.—Truth came by Him, when He fulfilled in His own Person the types of the Old Testament, and revealed Himself as the true Sacrifice, the true mercy-seat, and the true Priest. No doubt there was much of “grace and truth” under the law of Moses. But the whole of God’s grace, and the whole truth about redemption, were never known until Jesus came into the world, and died for sinners.
   We are taught, thirdly, that it is Christ alone who has revealed God the father to man. It is written that “no man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
   The eye of mortal man has never beheld God the Father. No man could bear the right. Even to Moses it was said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” (Exod. xxxiii. 20.) Yet all that mortal man is capable of knowing about God the Father is fully revealed to us by God the Son. He, who was in the bosom of the Father from all eternity, has been pleased to take our nature upon Him, and to exhibit to us in the form of man, all that our minds can comprehend of the Father’s perfections. In Christ’s words, and deeds, and life, and death, we learn as much concerning God the Father as our feeble minds can at present bear. His perfect wisdom,—His almighty power,—His unspeakable love to sinners,—His incomparable holiness,— His hatred of sin, could never be represented to our eyes more clearly than we see them in Christ’s life and death. In truth, “God was manifest in the flesh,” when the Word took on Him a body. “He was the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of His person.” He says Himself, “I and my Father are one.” “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” “In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Coloss. ii. 9.) These are deep and mysterious things. But they are true. (1 Tim. iii. 16; Heb. i. 3; John x. 30; xiv. 9.)
   And now, after reading this passage, can we ever give too much honour to Christ? Can we ever think too highly of Him? Let us banish the unworthy thought from our minds for ever. Let us learn to exalt Him more in our hearts, and to rest more confidingly the whole weight of our souls in His hands. Men may easily fall into error about the three Persons in the holy Trinity if they do not carefully adhere to the teaching of Scripture. But no man ever errs on the side of giving too much honour to God the Son. Christ is the meeting-point between the Trinity and the sinner’s soul. “He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which sent Him.” (John v. 23.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007), 34–37

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We recently watched Cast Away starring Tom Hanks. It’s not a great movie, but a pretty good one. I like the ending. To be true to the spirit of Hollywood, and to the prevailing moral climate in general, it should have ended with an adulterous tryst, but it didn’t. My compliments to the screenwriter.

Anyway, as much as I liked the ending, it would have been even better had it ended like this.

Thabiti Anyabwile writes on Calvin’s view of the Holy Spirit in the corporate life of the church:

Calvin perceived the intertwining of Jesus’ person and work with that of the Holy Spirit and the local church. According to Calvin:

[Jesus] was anointed by the Spirit to be herald and witness of the Father’s grace. We must note this: he received anointing, not only for himself that he might carry out the office of teaching, but for his whole body that the power of the Spirit might be present in the continuing preaching of the gospel. [Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.15.2.]

   Calvin understood what some habitually forget—effective gospel preaching depends wholly on the power of the Spirit as Christ offers Himself in the gospel. If we neglect to proclaim the work of Christ or to beseech the work of the Spirit, all preaching is lifeless and impotent.
   But Calvin reminds us also that the Spirit is necessary for producing the unity fitting for renewed life. In His atonement, Christ becomes “our peace,” and purchases and makes for Himself “one new man” (Eph. 2:14–15). But the Spirit is the agent who applies this reality.
   Commenting on Ephesians 2:16–19, Calvin writes, “We must all participate in one Spirit.” That participation in the Spirit of God produces “such a union among us as might show that we are in very deed the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not enough for us to be piled up together like a heap of stones, but we must be joined together with cordial affection.” [Calvin, Sermons on Ephesians, 326.] Calvin unswervingly proclaimed that “when God’s Spirit governs us, He reforms our affections in such a way that our souls are joined together.” [Ibid.]
   What a beautiful picture of life together in the local church. But this was no preacher’s flourish for Calvin; he believed Scripture teaches that unity is a mark of the church of God. He writes:

We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For here he puts down the unity of the Spirit as a mark that is required in the church and flock of God, insomuch that if we are divided among ourselves, we are estranged from God. And with this, he shows us what we have seen briefly before, which is that if we are not at one among ourselves, God disclaims us and tells us we do not belong to Him. This unity therefore is something which ought to be valued nowadays seeing it is the way in respect of which we are acknowledged as God’s children. [Ibid., 323.]

   If this unity was to be prized in Calvin’s day, it is no less needed in our day. Unity in the truth and in God’s Spirit is essential. It must be among the ends for which gospel preachers and all Christians labor, remembering that our love and unity commend to a perishing world the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 17:20–21).
   The twenty-first-century church needs a number of things, including a deeper understanding of saving faith and conversion, a greater desire for sanctification and deliverance from worldliness, a resurgence of powerful gospel preaching, and a unwavering commitment to unity in the church. Five hundred years after his life and ministry, Calvin teaches us that essential to meeting all of these needs is daily reliance on God the Holy Spirit, “the chief key by which the gate of paradise is opened to us.” [Ibid., 207.]

—Thabiti Anyabwile, John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, ed. Burk Parsons (Reformation Trust, 2008), 105–107.