“I have oftentimes noted, when women receive the doctrine of the gospel, they are far more fervent in faith, they hold to it more stiff and fast, than men do; as we see in the loving Magdalen, who was more hearty and bold than Peter.” – Martin Luther
William Hazlitt, Esq., trans., The Table Talk or Familiar Discourse of Martin Luther (London: Fleet Street, 1848), 367. Digitized by Google.
“Every warning God gives of judgement must be taken seriously, including those given to professing Christians. If we play with some secret sin we need to heed the warning of self-deception. ‘Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life’ (Gal. 6:7–8). The Lord Jesus himself warns professing Christians, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” ’ (Matt. 7:21–23).
Understanding that the Lord’s warnings of punishment are no idle threat gives a responsibility to share his warnings with others. God’s warnings are an essential part of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christians are called to be like watchmen on a city wall who warn inhabitants of the danger that is coming (see Ezek. 3:16–19). People need to know that God is right to be angry, that God is right to punish sin, and that the day of his wrath is coming. His warnings are themselves acts of kindness and patience, calling people to repentance. The Lord is slow to anger. His wrath does not come quickly. But it will come and those who believe his warnings must proclaim them.
Some may laugh at the suggestion that God will punish sin. Others, hearing his warnings, will think they apply to others, but not to them. The reaction of others must not stop those who take his warnings seriously from proclaiming them. Ruth 1:1 illustrates that the Lord’s warnings of punishment are no idle threat.”
Jonathan Prime, Opening up Ruth, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2007), 23–24.
“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house — she brought an alabaster jar of perfume” Luke 7:37
“It is wonderful how genuine goodness draws to itself the unfortunate, the troubled, the friendless, the outcast, the fallen. Wherever Jesus went — these classes always found Him out and gathered about Him. It was because He was the true, unselfish friend of all men. They found sympathy in Him. He would listen to their story. Though He was the sinless One, there was yet no air of “I am holier than you” about Him. He was just as gentle to an outcast sinner — as to a religious Nicodemus. No matter who reached out a hand for help — He was ready to grasp it. One of the truest things ever said of Jesus, was the prophetic word concerning him, “He shall not break a bruised reed!” He always dealt most gently with sore spirits and with bruised hearts!
Those who want to be useful in this world — must have the same qualities as Jesus. There is a kind of false “holiness” which draws nobody to itself — but rather repels. Genuine holiness, however, wins its way everywhere into men’s hearts. The secret of it all, is in living “not to be served — but to serve;” in considering one’s self not too good to serve the unworthiest of God’s creatures. If we live in this world to be served — we shall be of no use to anyone. But if we live to minister to others, yearning to be of service to everyone we meet — then our life will be of great worth. The hungry-hearted and the soul-needy will be drawn to us — and God will love to put work into our hands.
We need, too, to train ourselves to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual crises. Many earnest people, in the excess of their zeal — do incalculable harm to those whom they greatly desire to help. People with sore and bruised hearts — usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship — much more than they need a lecture in theology.” – J.R. Miller, 1890
Source: Grace Gems!
Finding Safety in the Church
And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God. Ezekiel 13:9
Suggested further reading: Hebrews 10:19–25
“The Holy Spirit admonishes us not to conclude that people are true members of the church because most of them seem to excel other people. For just as the chaff lies above the wheat and suffocates it, thus hypocrites bury the sons of God, whose number is small. Hypocrites also shine forth in their own splendor, and great numbers of them seem to make them exclusively worthy of the title of the church.
Hence let us examine ourselves, searching whether we have the living root of piety and faith, which are those interior marks by which God distinguishes his children from strangers, or hypocrites.
This passage also teaches that nothing is more formidable than to be separated from God’s flock. We cannot hope for safety unless God collects us into one body under one head. When we safely reside in Christ alone, we cannot be separated from Christ without falling away from all hope of safety. Christ will not and cannot be torn from his church that he is joined to by an indissoluble knot, as the head is to the body. Hence, unless we cultivate unity with the faithful, we are also cut off from Christ. Nothing, then, is more fearful than to be separated from God’s people, and therefore from Christ.
Psalm 106:4 says, “Remember me, O God, in thy good will towards thy people: visit me with thy salvation.” When the author of the psalm prays this way, he acknowledges that we will have true and solid happiness when the Lord embraces us along with the rest of the faithful. For God’s good will toward his people is that fatherly kindness by which he embraces his elect.
If God thinks us worthy of his fatherly favor, then we may be truly confident of safety.
For meditation: In a day when many Christians are focused only on their own individual relationship with God, this passage reminds us of the importance of the church. The church is not just a means to advance our own walk with God, but a divinely appointed institution. Connecting with the church is therefore not an option, but a requirement for true believers.”
John Calvin and Joel R. Beeke, 365 Days with Calvin (Leominster; Grand Rapids, MI: Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books, 2008), 142.