Seeking_Thy_Kingdom
Puritan Board Sophomore
Finally, according to the instructor, Christ accomplishes yet another work in His believers, consisting in this: He makes them sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him, for Christ not only has been made unto His believers the wisdom and righteousness of God, but also sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).
It is therefore Christ who also brings them increasingly to God through sanctification of the Spirit by the sprinkling of His blood upon their souls and by imprinting His law and image upon them. Believers thereby are increasingly transformed and renewed in their minds, so that it becomes their inward delight, pleasure, and enjoyment to live entirely to their God and Father, and their faithful Lord and savior, Christ Jesus, by keeping His commandments and intensely hating all sin. In this manner, the Lord Jesus causes all His believers wholeheartedly to “depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19) so that they “delight in the law of God after the inward man” (Rom. 7:22). This is the wholehearted desire of all believers, and this is their felicity and heaven upon earth.
Behold, beloved, all of this the Lord Jesus does and works without distinction in all His believers. All of this proves conclusively that they are entirely—in body and soul, in life and in death—His people and possession, and they will remain such forever, without ever being separated from His grace and love.
The Christian’s comfort in life and death thus consists in belonging to God in Christ and in being so wrought upon unto salvation and eternal glory. How blessed are the souls who enjoy this delightful comfort, and who cannot find any comfort or peace for their immortal souls apart from this comfort!
This is therefore the only and true comfort which yields comfort in both life and death. This is that comfort that refreshes, uplifts, strengthens, and sanctifies the soul in all things, and unites her most intimately with God in Christ. Oh, to enjoy this comfort inwardly in a frequent, lively, experiential, and steadfast manner leaves us “neither…barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8), but causes us to grow progressively in the grace and knowledge of Him!”
Excerpt From
The Christian's Only Comfort in Life and Death: An Exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism
Theodorus VanderGroe
This material may be protected by copyright.
https://www.heritagebooks.org/produ...he-heidelberg-catechism-ebook-vandergroe.html
It is therefore Christ who also brings them increasingly to God through sanctification of the Spirit by the sprinkling of His blood upon their souls and by imprinting His law and image upon them. Believers thereby are increasingly transformed and renewed in their minds, so that it becomes their inward delight, pleasure, and enjoyment to live entirely to their God and Father, and their faithful Lord and savior, Christ Jesus, by keeping His commandments and intensely hating all sin. In this manner, the Lord Jesus causes all His believers wholeheartedly to “depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19) so that they “delight in the law of God after the inward man” (Rom. 7:22). This is the wholehearted desire of all believers, and this is their felicity and heaven upon earth.
Behold, beloved, all of this the Lord Jesus does and works without distinction in all His believers. All of this proves conclusively that they are entirely—in body and soul, in life and in death—His people and possession, and they will remain such forever, without ever being separated from His grace and love.
The Christian’s comfort in life and death thus consists in belonging to God in Christ and in being so wrought upon unto salvation and eternal glory. How blessed are the souls who enjoy this delightful comfort, and who cannot find any comfort or peace for their immortal souls apart from this comfort!
This is therefore the only and true comfort which yields comfort in both life and death. This is that comfort that refreshes, uplifts, strengthens, and sanctifies the soul in all things, and unites her most intimately with God in Christ. Oh, to enjoy this comfort inwardly in a frequent, lively, experiential, and steadfast manner leaves us “neither…barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8), but causes us to grow progressively in the grace and knowledge of Him!”
Excerpt From
The Christian's Only Comfort in Life and Death: An Exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism
Theodorus VanderGroe
This material may be protected by copyright.
https://www.heritagebooks.org/produ...he-heidelberg-catechism-ebook-vandergroe.html
