Old Directions for New Life

The following directions from the Puritan writer John Flavel  hold true for the new convert or struggling believer as well as the seasoned saint:

Do these, or any other considerations, put you upon this enquiry- how shall I get my desires kindled and enflamed towards Christ? Alas! my heart is cold and dead, not a serious desire is stirring in it after Christ. To you I shall offer the following directions:
Direction 1. Redeem some time every day for meditation; get out of the noise and clamour of the world, Psa 4:4, and seriously consider how the present state of your soul stands, and how it is likely to go with you in eternity: here all sound conversion begins, Psa 69:29.

Direction 2. Consider seriously that lamentable state in which you came into the world. You are a child of wrath by nature, under the curse and condemnation of the law: so that either your state must be changed, or you will inevitably be damned, John 3:3.

Direction 3. Consider the way and course you have taken since you came into the world, proceeding from iniquity to iniquity. What command of God have you not violated a thousand times over? What sin is committed in the world, that you are not one way or other guilty of before God? How many secret sins are upon your score, unknown to the most intimate friend you have in the world? Either this guilt must be separated from your souls, or your souls from God for all eternity.

Direction 4. Think upon the severe wrath of God reserved for every sin; "The wages of sin is death," Rom. 6:23. And how intolerable the fulness of that wrath must be when a few drops sprinkled upon the conscience in this world are so insupportable, that has made some to choose suicide rather than life. Yet this wrath must abide for ever upon you, if you do not get an interest in Jesus Christ, John 3:36.

Direction 5. Ponder well the happy state and condition they are in who have obtained pardon and peace by Jesus Christ, Psa 32:1,2. And seeing the grace of God is free, and you are set under the means of it; why may not you be as likely to find it as others?

Direction 6. Seriously consider the great uncertainty of your time and the preciousness of the opportunities of salvation, never to be recovered when they are once past, John 9:4. Let this arouse you to lay hold upon those golden seasons while they are yet with you; that you may not bewail your folly and madness, when they are out of your reach.

Direction 7. Associate yourselves with serious Christians; get into their acquaintance, and beg their assistance; beseech them to pray for you; and see that you rest not here, but be frequently upon your knees, begging of the Lord a new heart and a new state.
In conclusion of the whole, let me beseech and beg all the people of God, as upon my knees, to take heed, and beware, lest by the carelessness and scandal of their lives they quench the weak desires beginning to kindle in the hearts of others. You know what the law of God demands for striking a woman with child, so that her fruit go from her, Exod. 21:22,23. O shed not soul-blood, by stifling the hopeful desires of any after Christ.


How well are you doing? Is there room for improvement? 

Nothing New Under the Sun

They would very desirously have evangelical joy, peace, and assurance, to countenance them in their evil frames and careless walking And some have attempted to reconcile these things, unto the ruin of their souls. But it will not be. Without the diligent exercise of the grace of obedience, we shall never enjoy the grace of consolation. John Owen, 1616-1683, English Puritan minister and writer

Unfortunately, the situation that Owen refers to is all too common today. Far too many people attend churches looking for some sort of “Christian experience” to assuage guilty consciences and provide a “feel good about myself” attitude, never intending to learn about how their Creator sees them and what He expects from them. What is worse is that in many instances, these things are rarely mentioned much less taught.
Let us turn to 1 John 2:3-6 for some instruction- “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” John, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, teaches us that the Christian life is marked by obedience to His commandments. One might ask, “What commandments?” (hint- there are ten of them). No, the true convert cannot accomplish this perfectly, even with the aid of the Holy Spirit, which indwells every true believer, sins are committed. However, throughout the process of sanctification, measurable and tangible growth in putting away sinfulness and living a life of increasing obedience is the path that leads to rest for the soul.
Jesus had a serious warning for those who would think otherwise as we read in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

The Old Path to Sound Doctrine

By entertaining of strange persons, men sometimes entertain angels unawares: but by entertaining of strange doctrines, many have entertained devils unawares.
- John Flavel

We are inundated daily with various views and opinions concerning virtually every aspect of our lives. There always seems to be someone or something around every corner trying to influence what we should buy, how to act, and yes, even think or believe. Nothing is more important than how we think about and believe the teaching of the Scriptures, as Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Matt. 7:15-16; and Paul further exhorts, “lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.” Col. 2:4. Paul goes on to say, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Col. 2:8. It is from this, and other Scriptures, that we learn the “fruit” of a false teacher is characterized by teaching that is contrary to that which is in the Bible.
So then, what is one to do to keep from following unsound teaching? Paul gives us instruction, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15. Luke tells of the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” Acts 17:11. But one may ask how to go about rightly dividing the Word of Truth to find out if what is taught agrees with the Scriptures. The Bible is not written like an ordinary instruction book, and at times all can be like the Ethiopian eunuch who, when asked if he understood what he was reading replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” Acts 8:31.
There is an old way of learning sound doctrine that is rarely used anymore that can be of good use to help us from being deceived. A good catechism, used like a road map, can lead and guide us through the Scriptures ensuring that we do not stay off into accepting false teaching. Through the years “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” Eph. 4:11-12. Let us not forget the marvelous work of the godly men who walked before us! There is a good catechism by C.H. Spurgeon at the top of this page for the reader to examine, if you wish. Give it a try for when you “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

The Old Truth

“Whatever religion or doctrine condones or makes allowances for sin is not of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ everywhere teaches self-denial and mortification of worldliness and sin. The whole stream of the gospel runs against those things. Scripture emphasizes the ‘holy’ and the ‘heavenly’ (not the sinful and the worldly). The true gospel has not even the slightest tendency to extol corrupt nature, or feed its pride by magnifying its freedom and power. And it rejects everything that undermines or obscures the merit of Christ, or tries to give any credit to man, in any way. And it certainly never makes the death of Christ a cloak to cover sin, but rather it always speaks of it as an instrument that destroys it!”- John Flavel

There are many “pathways” that would lead us astray should they be followed, such as doctrines of men – Mt 15: 8-9 “‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” We also need to be wary of the philosophies of men – Col 2:8 “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Against which we are warned, Eph. 5: 6-7 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
Often packaged as “new!” and “improved!”, such doctrines and
philosophies fail to deliver what only the Lord truly offers, “rest for your souls” (Matt. 11-29). The Scriptures have further instruction for us:
Mark 8:34 – 38 “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’”
Romans 6:5 – 11 “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”