Coram Deo: In Christ, our final defeat of Satan is assured, for Christ has already dealt the crushing blow. Satan’s condition is terminal, and there is no chance that he will see victory. Yet just as the devil bruised Jesus on the cross, so he will endeavor to bruise us until he is cast into the lake of fire on that final day. Knowing this, we can prepare ourselves now to be faithful in suffering, looking to the Founder and Perfecter of our faith so that we will persevere when Satan attacks (Heb. 12:1–2).
Coram Deo: J. Gresham Machen argued that the denial of the virgin birth of Jesus is usually a precursor to denying the other supernatural elements of the faith. Though some try to deny the virgin birth and still affirm such supernatural events as the resurrection of Christ, in the vast majority of cases, those who deny the virgin birth deny much more. This is not surprising. Christian truth is a unified whole. We cannot deny one aspect of it and affirm another.
We all have a tendency to soft-pedal the biblical portrait of God. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: Scripture is clear that God created man “very good,” willing and able to love and serve Him (Gen. 1:31a). Scripture is also clear that since the fall, humanity does not exist in this very good state. Instead, our created goodness has been marred so that we are unwilling and unable to live faithfully unto the Lord apart from divine grace. Thanks be to God; without asking us, He changes our hearts so that we will love Him. Thanks be to God that He also strengthens our love for Him.
"Jesus cares deeply about the little things that His people do to bless others in His church. He takes note of them as precious acts of service. He uses the little things that His people do to carry on His work in the world through His church." —Nicholas Batzig from "It's the Little Things" in this month's Tabletalk Magazine bit.ly/1BYrp9Q
Coram Deo: When we are in a right relationship with the Lord, we see His law as a law of freedom. Having been freed from the burden of having to keep the law perfectly for our justification—for Christ has done that in our place—we are able to rejoice in the law as it establishes boundaries that help keep us safe from sin. We find freedom in being able to identify by the law what is truly sin and no longer feel false guilt when we do something that we once wrongly thought that God forbids.
The first act of redemption was God's stooping to cover the shame of His creatures. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: God answers the prayer of salvation, when sinners who are not yet part of His family trust in Christ. He does not answer this prayer based on the merits of those who pray it; rather, He answers it because He regenerates those who call on Him before they call on Him. He initiates the prayer and then responds to it. He answers the prayer based on His own righteousness, for that is the only way human beings, who are wicked by nature since the fall of Adam, can be saved.
The Holy Spirit gives the supreme gift by which a person is united to Christ: the gift of faith. —R.C. Sproul
"The beauty of the gospel message is that God really is for us in Christ Jesus. Despite what it may feel like at times in our lives, God is not against us. And, what is more, He will never be against us, either in this lifetime or in the next." —Guy Richard from the weekend devotional "God Is for Us" in this month's Tabletalk Magazine
Coram Deo: The manner in which God exercises His providential rule is a mystery, but we know that He never directs us in such a way that we cease to be morally responsible for our actions. Though the Lord ordains whatsoever comes to pass, those who do evil are still held accountable for it. This is comforting, for it reminds us that God is working even the worst things for our good. Yet it is also sobering, reminding us that we cannot take for granted His grace in restraining us from sinning with abandon.
"Sometimes the best way to love your neighbor is to challenge a false belief that is holding him in confusion, discouragement, or some worse state of spiritual bondage. The idea that it’s unloving to defend truth or confront lies is one of the arrogant opinions of this postmodern age that needs to be torn down." —Phil Johnson from "Speaking the Truth in Love" in this month's Tabletalk Magazine bit.ly/1CnYfm9
Coram Deo: For believers, the knowledge that there is a day of perfect judgment coming fills us with hope. We understand that on that day everything will be set right. Every injustice will be overturned, and people will receive their due. Believers will receive heaven because they are so closely united to Christ that His perfect obedience and its due reward is reckoned as theirs (2 Cor. 5:21). Unbelievers will be condemned for their sin, for they are not covered by Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
If left to ourselves, we would not only gravitate toward, but would be swept into idolatry. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: There is a point of contact between our knowledge and God’s knowledge. Both we and God, for example, know that the statement “two plus two equals four” is a true statement, that it corresponds to reality. However, the Lord understands perfectly how this truth fits into all other truths about the creation. This is possible only for an infinite being. God is infinitely greater than we are, so let us take care not to think of Him as being exactly like us.
Coram Deo: Our knowledge of God’s character not only encourages us to pray but it also helps keep us from sin. John Calvin writes, “One great reason of the carnal security into which we fall, is our not considering how singularly we were fashioned at first by our Divine Maker.” When we remember how we were singularly made by the Lord, we are more aware that we are His possession, and therefore we are bound to do what is necessary so that we are holy as He is holy (Matt. 5:48).
It's easy to be an educated fool. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: Individuals who are perpetually angry at the world set themselves up for destruction. Being unable to get along with anyone, they have no place to turn when they are in true need. They routinely lose job opportunities, bring disgrace upon their families, and cause all sorts of other problems. Those who walk by the Spirit will not be given over to such anger; however, that does not mean they will necessarily escape all of the trouble that those with a temper can cause.
"Christianity is 'not man’s gospel.' If it were, then our problems with our pluralistic world would be over. Every few years we could issue a new version: Gospelsoft ’08 (with apologies to Microsoft)." —Terry Johnson from "Not According to Man" in the January 2009 issue of Tabletalk Magazine bit.ly/1xFGnMh
"The center of God’s kingdom is not a building any longer, but a person, Jesus Christ. He is and ever will be the foundation of our faith and the object of our worship, as He has brought a new covenant into existence by the priestly shedding of His blood. As we remember His death, we find ourselves not unlike the old Levites: weeping for the cruel fate that befell Him, and yet rejoicing in the purchase of our redemption." —Owen Strachan from the weekend devotional "Shouting and Weeping" in this month's Tabletalk Magazine
Coram Deo: The good that we do will not save us; only the perfect righteousness of Christ can do that. However, the Lord is still pleased to reward His people for what they do in serving Jesus. Since God ponders our paths, we know that He sees all of the good that we do in Jesus’ name, so even if it is not recognized now, it will be recognized on the last day. We can be content to let much of our service remain secret because we know the One who sees in secret will reward us (Matt. 6:4).
Q: What is the most common misconception that modern protestants have about the Reformation?
W. Robert Godfrey: They would be shocked to see the way Reformation worship was driven by theology, not by entertainment and evangelism. They would perhaps be uncomfortable with the fact that ministers were selected more for their learning than for their personality.
Read the rest of Dr. Godfrey's answer and full interview in this month's Tabletalk Magazine bit.ly/1CheXBT
Coram Deo: In his sermon “Fine Pleading,” C.H. Spurgeon says, “Everything a sinner gets must come by favor. It cannot come anyway else, for if you get what you deserve, you will get no love, no mercy, no grace.” In and of ourselves, we deserve only condemnation. Blessing comes to us only because we are in Christ. As we remember that great truth, the Spirit will establish in us humility and we will find ourselves growing in thankfulness for the Lord and His work.
Coram Deo: We are a forgetful people who tend to view our record of faithfulness to the Lord as being much better than it actually is. Thus, it is helpful for us not to forget when we have transgressed His law. We do this not to plunge ourselves into despair but to remember the great mercy of God and to be encouraged to serve Him in gratitude for His amazing grace. This day, think on some of your recent sins, repent if you have not yet done so, and thank the Lord for His mercy.
The crucial prerequisite for salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit in us. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: Giving the first of what we have to our Creator is a tangible way of expressing our trust in Him to meet all our needs. If we take the first and best for ourselves and leave to God only what is left over, we are at least implying, if not outright declaring, that we are not sure whether the Lord can meet our needs. We have to take what we need first; otherwise, we might not be satisfied. It is not that the Lord needs our possessions in any absolute sense; rather, the call to tithe and to sacrifice unto Him is for our benefit.
We cannot change God. God is unchangeable. If changes are to be made, they must be made in us. —R.C. Sproul
Coram Deo: Knowing that we will die just like the beasts, when viewed in the proper context, frees us not to take ourselves too seriously. Death is the great leveler, bringing the end to influence of king and commoner alike. This does not negate the importance of our decisions for eternity, but it does help us gain perspective on our successes and failures. Our mistakes will not derail God’s plan, and our successes should be enjoyed as gifts of the Lord on this side of eternity.
"Great pianists may appear to play effortlessly, but behind this display of seeming spontaneity are years of painstaking practice and discipline. If we only pray when we feel like it, we will never attain the heights that God intends for us." —Derek Thomas from the weekend devotional "Nehemiah: A Man of Prayer" in this month's Tabletalk Magazine
Coram Deo: Romans 2:5 indicates that the impenitent are storing up wrath for themselves, wrath that they will feel in its most intense form on that final day when God judges the living and the dead. Remembering this truth will help us to be patient as we see wicked people succeed and righteous people fail. Moreover, it will encourage us to share the gospel with those around us, knowing that if our loved ones do not turn to Christ, they will suffer eternal death.
Q: What would you say to Protestants who are starting to find other traditions such as Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodox attractive?
W. Robert Godfrey: I would want to respond pastorally and sensitively, but my basic message would be: Stop! Don’t! Rome and Orthodoxy are not just alternative “traditions” or “spiritualities.” They are fundamentally different understandings of Christianity.
Read the rest of Dr. Godfrey's answer and full interview in this month's Tabletalk Magazine bit.ly/1CheXBT
Coram Deo: James 1:5–8 contains the incredible promise that the Lord will give wisdom to all who sincerely ask Him for it in faith. Ultimately, Christ is our wisdom, and He will never cast out anyone who comes to Him by faith alone (1 Cor. 1:30–31). God has given us Christ, the wisdom of His salvation; however, He also gives us wisdom to deal with our daily successes and failures. As we study the Wisdom Literature and seek the Lord’s face, He will make us wise.
The presumptuous sin of Uzzah was that He assumed his hands were less polluted than the dirt. —R.C. Sproul
"We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own." —John Calvin
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