Author: Silva

Reason #3: Why a Sinner Ought to Turn to God Without Delay

Silva

“He’s dead.”  Mercifully that kind of statement in the pre-dawn hour of the day doesn’t come too often.  Today, however, it came.  I’ve been wandering in and out of my senses ever since.  I’ve been dealing with matters of life and death for many years now – mostly, life, if I had to do an informal survey.  I mostly help people grapple with and handle the fast-balls and curve-balls and sliders that come in their lives.  Sometimes, I help others make sense of death.  Today, it’s been my turn.

Providentially, Baxter’s reason #3 for turning to God without delay has to do with recognizing from what we turn.  We turn from the devil, from the vain and fleeting hopes of this world and from the seductions inspired by our own flesh.  I’ll cite him in a moment but as the wave of death washes over me today, I am speechlessly thankful that though the salt of this wave stings the wound in my heart (and that of my family), I do not grieve without hope.  In fact, I know how this story ends.  It’s like re-watching a really sad movie and experiencing that acute sadness while knowing how it ends.  It doesn’t really lessen the sadness, it just gives it purpose.  The Bible tells us that to be one with Jesus Christ by faith means we will grieve for only a time and the grief caused by our enemies: death, the devil and our flesh, will give way to joy.  God promised.

Consider also from what you are called to turn; and then judge whether there be any reason of delay.  It is from the devil, your enemy; from the love of a deceitful world, from the seductions of corrupted brutish flesh; it is from sin the greatest evil.  What is there in sin that you should delay to part with it?  Is there any good in it?  Or what hath it ever done for you that you should love it?  Did it ever do you good?  Or did it ever do any man good?  It is the deadly enemy of Christ and you that caused his death and will cause yours and is working for your condemnation, if converting and pardoning grace prevent it not….It is cause of all the miseries of the world, of all the sorrows that ever did befall you and the cause of the damnation of them that perish; and do you delay to part with it?

Oh, heaven soon.

Pastor Gabe

Reason #2: Why a Sinner Ought to Turn To God Without Delay

Silva

Richard Baxter does us a great service by first reminding us that to turn is to turn to the Blessed God.  We trust in Jesus Christ to save us, govern us, and deliver us.  We do not turn to a system of self-help or self-salvation but to a Person and a Friend.  It is also true that to turn to God means that we are turning from lifestyles that the Puritans equated to the beasts of the field to a life of rational nobility.

Here’s reason #2:

Consider also to what it is that you must turn.  Not to uncleanness but to holiness; not to the sensual life of a beast but to the noble rational life of a man, and more noble heavenly life of a Christian; not to an unprofitable worldly toil but to the most gainful employment that ever the son of men were acquainted with; not to the deceitful drudgery of sin but to that godliness which is profitable to all things….Why a life of holiness is nothing but living unto God; to be conversant with him as the wicked are with the world and to be devoted to his service as sensualists are to the flesh.  It is to live in the love of God and of our Redeemer and in the foretaste of his everlasting glory and of his love and in the sweet forethoughts of that blessed life that shall never end and in the honest self-denying course that leads to that blessedness.

We are truly deceived if we believe that to live otherwise is in our best interests and the best interests of those around us.

Turn now to God and live.

Pastor Gabe

50 Reasons Why a Sinner Ought to Turn God Without Delay

Silva

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading the Puritans lately.  It has been so refreshing to learn more about them and learn more from them.  One of the things I learned is their tremendous heart for evangelism.  For them, gospel-sharing was what they did every time they mounted the pulpit to deliver God’s word.  They knew what we’ve perhaps forgotten: the gospel is the power of God for salvation and preaching was the main vehicle to deliver it.  Of course, now, we have so many delivery vehicles for sharing the redeeming love of Christ that we are richly blessed.  This blog serves as one of those venues (and the links to Facebook and Twitter…).

Richard Baxter

When I browsed Richard Baxter’s many works I came across one titled “Fifty Reasons Why a Sinner Ought to Turn to God.”  As expected, they are common sense, varied, rich, penetrating and useful.  I hope to share one each time I blog on this topic believing that as I do I’d be reminded of the greatness of being a son of God and that maybe a reader would find the same.

Reason 1:  “Consider to whom it is that you are commanded to turn; and then tell me whether there can be any reason for delay.  It is not to an empty deceitful creature, but to the faithful all-sufficient God; to Him that is the cause of all things; the strength of creation; the joy of angels; the felicity of the saints; the sun and shield of all the righteous; the refuge of the distressed; and the glory of the whole world….Why, man, you are every minute at his mercy.  And yet you do delay?  There are all things imaginable in him to draw you.  There is nothing that is good for you but it is perfectly in Him where you may have it certain and perpetual.  There is nothing in Him to give the least discouragement.”

Do not delay: turn to Christ.

Pastor Gabe