Ceremonies

John Calvin:

“With respect to ceremonies, there is some appearance of a change having taken place; but it was only the use of them that was abolished, for their meaning was more fully confirmed. The coming of Christ has taken nothing away even from ceremonies, but, on the contrary, confirms them by exhibiting the truth of shadow.” (Calvin’s Commentaries)

The New Atheists

Sean McDowell:

We may disagree with the content and approach of the New Atheists, but we should be grateful for the chance to engage these issues with a culture that is paying closer attention than any time in recent history.

One Bitter Cup!

Charles H. Spurgeon:

When Christ died, he took all the sins of all his people, past, present, and to come, and when the whole mass was condensed into one bitter cup, he drank it all up.

“At one tremendous draught of love,” leaving not so much as a single drop of wormwood or gall for any of his people to drink.

The whole of the tremendous debt! The whole of the tremendous debt was put upon his shoulders. The whole weight of the sins of all his people was placed upon him.

Once he seemed to stagger under it – “Father, if it is possible…”

But then he stood upright – “Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done.”

The whole of the punishment of his people was distilled into one cup – no mortal lip might give it so much as a solitary sip.

When he put it to his own lips, it was so bitter, that he well nigh spurned it – “Let this cup pass from me…”

But his love for his people was so strong, that he took the cup in both his hands, and “At one tremendous draught of love he drank damnation dry,” for all of his people.

He drank it all, he endured it all, he suffered it all; so that now forever there are no flames of hell; no racks of torment; and no eternal woes for them.

Jesus has suffered all that they ought to have suffered, and they must, they shall go free!