A few little things to note:
I added some new things to What I’m listening to for your auditory pleasure and/or edification. I particularly enjoyed (for the third time or so) Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story story about Mrs. Bullfrog, which is perhaps more relevant and culturally fitting in our day than we may care to admit. And while in my shop I was enraptured in the vision of God Sinclair Ferguson presented so beautifully, I also ignored the strain I was putting my table saw through until the motor burnt out. Still, I can scarcely recommend this sermon highly enough.
Don’t forget to register for our upcoming Spring Conference with Dr. Peter Jones. Registration is both free and required. If the registration process frightens you (entering an email address that “they” will have), contact Eric or me and we’ll register you under the name of some notorious heretic. I think the next name to be used is Marcion, unless Andy Stanley has reserved it for himself.
JC Ryle texted me from my Dad’s phone this week:
When an eagle is happy in an iron cage,
when a sheep is happy in the water,
when an owl is happy in the blasé of noonday sun,
when a fish is happy on the dry land –
then, and not until then will I admit
that the unsanctified man could be happy in Heaven.
My birthday was this week. Spent much time thinking about last year’s birthday – Alice on my lap laughing opening my presents and blowing out my candles (picture of that here), the first little signs of her tumor’s recurrence were showing up making it somewhat miserable for me as I tried to soak up all the good and properly ignore the bad I couldn’t do anything about. I think much of eternity, and in a way, yesterday I turned 40 but kinda wish I’d turned 70. I’d look good for a 70yr. old. Anyway, itching to see her again, itching to get on with the business of eternal life. God give me patience to endure to the end.
March 27, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Hi Joe! Here’s a thought I’ve been pondering for some time: If God elects His people from eternity past, and irresistibly calls them to saving faith, then do they not have eternal life already? Is not conversion, when we become aware and active participants with God by the Word and the Spirit through faith, in His election of us, not the announcement of some future eternal life but the commenment of our intelligent continuation in what is already true? Which is the true Grantor of eternal life: election as a result of God’s mercy or death as a result of man’s sin? Do we gain eternal life when we die (as destiny) or when we believe (as a sovereign work of God temporally subsequent to election)?
The point of the question is whether I live in longing for someday or if I live in unshakeable joy that I have today in essence what my heart longs for in tomorrow.
What do you think?
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 27, 2019 at 1:38 pm
Point well taken, my dear brother! And I appreciate the perspective and agree with you wholeheartedly, even if it does cast some shade on my attempt to sanctify my nihilistic tendencies.
I think you’re correct: eternal life really is a present possession, taken hold of when Jesus, who can distribute life to whomever he wishes, grants faith and new life. A veritable case of the already/not yet, and admittedly I yearn for the “not yet” perhaps to the detriment of being faithful to the “already.”
It seems to me that perhaps in retrospect, we will discover that the present life in this world and the future life in the next are far more closely connected than the old chorus “this world is not my home…” has suggested. I don’t know that it’ll be a perfectly seamless transition, but likely not as disjointed as going from sitting down to a heaping plate of bacon (how I’d like to go) to that of being clad in a toga plucking a harp while sitting on a cloud. And I’m glad of that.
Much love to you, my dear brother. Warmest greetings to your dear wife.
jr
LikeLike
March 27, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Oh how I hear you in the anxiousness to be home with the Lord and loved ones so dearly missed. I cannot wait to meet Alice in the Palace, She has already taught me so much in her short life on earth. I am nearly twenty years older than you, but I to wish I were even older so I can go home sooner… Happy belated birthday dear brother… love and prayer
LikeLike
March 27, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Bless you and thank you! Bring on the King, bring on His Palace 🙂
LikeLike
March 28, 2019 at 6:04 am
Happy birthday Joe. I love when you write about Alice.
LikeLike
March 28, 2019 at 10:19 am
Thanks G! For what it’s worth, I love writing about her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 28, 2019 at 11:09 am
🙏
LikeLike