"Pathetic Pietistic Backwater"

In his blog, The Oversight of Souls, Ray Van Neste quotes the Scottish preacher and theologian James Stewart who wrote:

“no church is anything more than a pathetic pietistic backwater unless it is first and fundamentally and all the time a world missionary church.”

It might be overstated. It might be too harsh. But at least in part, it's probably true. And it stings.

Puritan Profundity

You've got to read the puritans! Find them here.

Until then, meditate on this one question:

"Is he not a fool who minds his recreation more than his salvation?"

Thomas Watson wrote that sentence in 1668 (The Doctrine of Repentance). How many of us in Western culture need to take his words to heart today? We are fools. May we "mind" our salvation as the utmost priority.

A Call To Commitment

Andrew Murray confronts us in his book, The Believer's Call to Commitment. He writes,

"In any judgment we pronounce, everything will depend upon the standard we use. Those who are content with the level of ordinary Christianity, though they may admit that their own commitment is lacking, will not be deeply convicted of its sinfulness or of the need and the possibility of any higher attainment. But, when we begin to see what the standard of the New Testament is, and its universal obligation, we see how far we come short of it. We become convicted of the great sin of unbelief in the power of Jesus to keep us from sin and to enable us to live a life pleasing to God. We find in God’s Word that no matter how impossible the standard is with men, it is not impossible to the God who works in us to will and to do by the power of His Holy Spirit. (17)"

May God call us to and enable us for deeper commitment to Him.