True Love to the Unseen Christ?

[C. Matthew McMahon]

If it is our duty to love Christ because He commands it, and it is a priveldge that we may love Christ because He allows us to do it, and loving Him is to set and order our affections aright, and we sin not to love Him as we should, then why do you think topics such as "Christ's Glory", "Meditations of Christ", "Christ's Offices" or other such topics are not regularly discussed on this board?

We should be much in contemplation of Christ.

 

[cupotea]

Hey, that's a good point!

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

The forums are directed toward helping each other in fighting the fight of faith. We are seeking truth in areas where truth is attacked on everyside and darkness covers the face of the earth. I believe God's glory and love are revealed on this forum. His power of Salvation is discussed in soteriology and in the prayer and praise forum. The Unity of his word is discovered in the questions and answers given. In this the darkness is overcome.

At the same time we have all eclipsed the Glory of God in its brilliance by our behavior toward one another, and in some of the answers and questions we have posted. Of Course I am not accusing anyone specifically even though I could. I am specifically accusing myself. We are all wrestling with this world, the devil, and ourselves. I believe we wrestle so much because we want to see this love and glory. We are just trying to work our way through the mud to see the Son.

I tend to see the beauty of Christ in Creation. So I spend most of my reading time outside. Even in the Winter time I leave the house in my car and go to a park and read. That kind of beauty is not discovered in words. I have to have that time or I would sink down in despair only seeing mans decay. There is nothing like a good godly book, my pipe, and the heavens and earth declaring the Glory of God. All of Creation declares the Glory of God. The problem is that we are not inclined toward hearing or seeing it. Even in regeneration indwelling sin eclipses the Glory and Majesty of God.

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[LarryCook]

Dr. McMahon,

I'd say that CHS agrees with you! This from today's Morning & Evening:

As Sweet Flowers by C. H. Spurgeon

"His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers."
--Song of Solomon 5:13

Lo, the flowery month is come! March winds and April showers have done their work, and the earth is all bedecked with beauty. Come my soul, put on thine holiday attire and go forth to gather garlands of heavenly thoughts. Thou knowest whither to betake thyself, for to thee "the beds of spices" are well known, and thou hast so often smelt the perfume of "the sweet flowers," that thou wilt go at once to thy well-beloved and find all loveliness, all joy in Him. That cheek once so rudely smitten with a rod, oft bedewed with tears of sympathy and then defiled with spittle--that cheek as it smiles with mercy is as fragrant aromatic to my heart. Thou didst not hide Thy face from shame and spitting, O Lord Jesus, and therefore I will find my dearest delight in praising Thee. Those cheeks were furrowed by the plough of grief, and crimsoned with red lines of blood from Thy thorn-crowned temples; such marks of love unbounded cannot but charm my soul far more than "pillars of perfume."

If I may not see the whole of His face I would behold His cheeks, for the least glimpse of Him is exceedingly refreshing to my spiritual sense and yields a variety of delights. In Jesus I find not only fragrance, but a bed of spices; not one flower, but all manner of sweet flowers. He is to me my rose and my lily, my heart's-ease and my cluster of camphire. When He is with me it is May all the year round, and my soul goes forth to wash her happy face in the morning-dew of His grace, and to solace herself with the singing of the birds of His promises. Precious Lord Jesus, let me in very deed know the blessedness which dwells in abiding, unbroken fellowship with Thee. I am a poor worthless one, whose cheek Thou hast deigned to kiss! O let me kiss Thee in return with the kisses of my lips.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by webmaster
If it is our duty to love Christ because He commands it, and it is a priveldge that we may love Christ because He allows us to do it, and loving Him is to set and order our affections aright, and we sin not to love Him as we should, then why do you think topics such as "Christ's Glory", "Meditations of Christ", "Christ's Offices" or other such topics are not regularly discussed on this board?

We should be much in contemplation of Christ.

There could be many reasons why this is so. Perhaps some are turned off by the term "meditation." Perhaps some are more caught up in refining and defending the doctrines of Christ from error that they lose sight (by faith) of the Person of Christ. Perhaps some are aware that Thomas a Kempis, who wrote The Imitation of Christ, was a monk and therefore avoid such literature. Perhaps some have not read John Owen's Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ. Perhaps some ministers preach too little on the Song of Solomon because it is challenging. Perhaps some don't have eyes to see the Person of Christ in the Psalms. Perhaps the distinctions between Christ's offices as Prophet, Priest and King, though addressed in the Westminster Catechisms, are easier said than comprehended. Understanding Christ as both humbled servant and exalted King is, frankly, mind-blowing. Much like we avoid speaking publically about the intimate relationship of a husband and wife, it is often easier to talk about the religion of Christianity rather than the Person of Christ and the love that we have for him as our Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley.

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[blhowes]

Originally posted by webmaster
If it is our duty to love Christ because He commands it, and it is a priveldge that we may love Christ because He allows us to do it, and loving Him is to set and order our affections aright, and we sin not to love Him as we should, then why do you think topics such as "Christ's Glory", "Meditations of Christ", "Christ's Offices" or other such topics are not regularly discussed on this board?

Its not for lack of interest, for sure, but I think generally speaking the board lends itself much more readily to debating things we disagree about, rather than discussing things we agree on. Its seems harder at times to discuss things we agree on, simply because when somebody "makes a point' about Christ's glory, etc., there's usually nothing more to say beyond or .

Having said that, I think it'd definitely be good to have such discussions. Perhaps we could try something similar to what was attempted when I first joined the board. As a group, we started reading through Jonathan Edward's book Religious Affections, one chapter at a time. The moderator would give us a week or so to read a chapter, then he'd ask questions to get the discussion rolling. Due to other commitments, the moderator wasn't able to continue with it, but what we did read and discuss as very edifying.

Perhaps a moderator could choose a well-known puritan work about Jesus' glory or his offices or whatever (preferably one you can find online, so as not to limit those who can participate), and do something along the lines of what was done with Religious Affections.

Just a thought,
Bob

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Great idea Bob. We use to have a group here in Indy called Reformed Dogmatics which read books and discussed them. It was very edifying when I attended. Mark Herzer use to lead it. I only know of one person in this area that was a part of this group. We have been scattered abroad.

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

and to Bob!

 

[blhowes]

If something like this were attempted, which puritan books about Jesus stand out as the best candidates?

 

[Peter]

Good idea Bob. I recommend Flavel's the Fountain of Life.

 

[Peter]

Another idea is to just take Matt's simple suggestion and discuss the topics of the books directly and not the books themselves.

 

[blhowes]

Originally posted by Peter
Good idea Bob. I recommend Flavel's the Fountain of Life.

Just looking through the table of contents, that looks like an excellent choice. Have you read this work already?

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

How about this book. Altogether Lovely

 

[Puritan Sailor]

If I may recommend the book which Matt's thread title here alludes too, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ by Thomas Vincent is an outstanding book on this subject. It's one of my favorite Puritan works!

 

[crhoades]

Originally posted by puritansailor
If I may recommend the book which Matt's thread title here alludes too, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ by Thomas Vincent is an outstanding book on this subject. It's one of my favorite Puritan works!

 

[Peter]

Originally posted by blhowes

Originally posted by Peter
Good idea Bob. I recommend Flavel's the Fountain of Life.

Just looking through the table of contents, that looks like an excellent choice. Have you read this work already?

Yes, well most. I read to the end of the discussion of Christ's offices. It is very good. Basically a systematic Christology and at the end of each chapter Flavel has several "inferences", very experimental.

 

[just_grace]

Originally posted by webmaster
If it is our duty to love Christ because He commands it, and it is a priveldge that we may love Christ because He allows us to do it, and loving Him is to set and order our affections aright, and we sin not to love Him as we should, then why do you think topics such as "Christ's Glory", "Meditations of Christ", "Christ's Offices" or other such topics are not regularly discussed on this board?

We should be much in contemplation of Christ.

We Love Him because He first loved us, not because he commands us...

Grace does that, the Law commands us.