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Month: May 2011

Working out salvation

Q. Whence ariseth the imperfection of sanctification in believers?

A. The imperfection of sanctification in believers ariseth from the remnants of sin abiding in every part of them, and the perpetual lustings of the flesh against the spirit; whereby they are often foiled with temptations, and fall into many sins, are hindered in all their spiritual services, and their best works are imperfect and defiled in the sight of God.

Q. May not true believers, by reason of their imperfections, and the many temptations and sins they are overtaken with, fall away from the state of grace?

A. True believers, by reason of the unchangeable love of God, and his decree and covenant to give them perseverance, their inseparable union with Christ, his continual intercession for them, and the Spirit and seed of God abiding in them, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

(Questions LXXVIII and LXXIX of the Westminster Larger Catechism.)


Eye for an eye

This week’s phrase is from Exodus 21:24:

Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot

When this verse was given, punishment by the state for crime was usually excessive and so it was to ensure that the punishment fitted the crime – that justice was done.

Today it is generally used to state ones personal entitlement to revenge rather than justice!


Burning bush

This week’s phrase is from Exodus 3:2

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

In modern English, this phrase is used to indicate an epiphany.


Complete joy

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

1 John 1:1-4


Scapegoat

This week’s phrase comes from Leviticus 16:10:

But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Much like in the Old Testament where the sins of the people were symbolically placed upon an innocent goat, the phrase is used today to refer to someone, or something, which is blamed for something instead of the guilty party.