Good Stuff from Three Dead Guys

Three books that Uncle Donnie has been into recently are:
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall,
God the Father, God the Son by Martyyn LLoyd-Jones,
and The Christian In Complete Armour by William Gurnall.
These are three excellent books by authors who have passed on into Glory; you see Uncle Donnie doesn't really trust (and rarely even likes) authors who aren't already dead, and whose works haven't withstood the test of time. It's just a thing with me!
Marshall, in his book, talks about our fellowship with Christ by our being in Christ, and having Christ, Himself, in us forming a mystical union. This union with us leads us to holiness and sanctification (what he calls a mystery) and likens it to two other mystical unions found in the Bible:the union of the Trinity of persons in one Godhead, and the union of the divine and human natures in one person-Jesus Christ. God and man. Good stuff!
Lloyd-Jones in his book, talking about God creating the world, describes three groups
of evolutionists:deistic, theistic, and atheistic. Obviously, the atheistic group
excludes God altogether. The deists saw God as a sort of cosmic clock-maker, if you will. They saw Him as creating the Universe and all within it, and then, upon completion, deciding to sit back and let the Universe, I.e, the clock, tick on its own mechanisms. They say that all the "great changes leading up to man" have happened automatically out of this empowered matter, or, clock.

The theistic group are believers, Christians if you will, who hold to evolutionary concepts. They say that the development of types and species has gone on, but God has guided it and sometimes has had to intervene in the process from time to time. They are theistic only in their believing in and emphasizing the activity of God. Not so good stuff.

Uncle Donnie believes that in the beginning was God, and in six 24 hr. days God created everything...capisci?

Gurnall in his book, delineates four types of faith, only one of which can "quench the fiery darts of Satan". These four types of faith are: historical, temporary, miraculous and justifying.
Historical faith cannot accomplish the goal, for even the Devil himself possesses this very faith{James 2:19}. Temporary faith can't do it either. It displays a goodly blaze of profession and endures for awhile but soon, it disappears{Matt.13:21). Miraculous faith is lacking as well. Judas I. used this kind of faith as he worked with the the other disciples casting out demons and other feats. However, he fell prey to coveteousness and hypocrisy and fell headlong into despair and, ultimately, perdition. Whaddya gonna do?
Even a simple assent to the truths of the gospel does not suffice. Judas I. possessed that kind of faith.
Only justifying faith can quench the attacks of the Evil One. ('Ye have overcome the wicked one'. 1 John 2:13).

"Justifying faith is that act of the soul by which it rests on Christ crucified for pardon and life, and trusts the guarantee of that promise. The language of this faith is I believe on Christ for the pardon of my sins. The word of God directs our faith to Christ and terminates it upon Him. It is called therefore a 'coming to Christ' (Matt.11:28),a'receiving of him'(JN.1;12), a 'believing on him' (JN17;20)" (Volume 3, pg 20, The Christian in Complete Armour. William Gurnell).




Uncle Donnie is thankful for the peace he has in Jesus Christ our Lord(Rom.5:1)
Did I tell you I like "ing" words? Reading...Jesus likes "ing" words. Go and read!
Ciao,
Donnie