Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: God, the second title in The Good Portion series.
The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 12:53PM 
Although all are not to be permitted to read the word publicly to the congregation,[1] yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves,[2] and with their families:[3] to which end, the holy scriptures are to be translated out of the original into vulgar languages.[4]
Monday, March 30, 2009 at 4:22PM 
We’re taking a small detour from the terms dealing with with the work of the Spirit in salvation.
election
God’s choice in eternity of certain persons to fulfill his purposes; most often used specifically to refer to his choice of some persons out of fallen humanity “whom he would redeem, bring to faith, justify, and glorify in and through Jesus Christ.”1
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NASB)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 ESV)
GOD HAS ELECTED US OUT OF GRACE. From eternity God has freely, and of his mere grace, without any respect to men, predestinated or elected the saints whom he wills to save in Christ, according to the saying of the apostle, “God chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). And again: “Who saved us and called an with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 1:9 f.).
WE ARE ELECTED OR PREDESTINATED IN CHRIST. Therefore, although not on account of any merit of ours, God has elected us, not directly, but in Christ, and on account of Christ, in order that those who are now engrafted into Christ by faith might also be elected. But those who were outside Christ were rejected, according to the word of the apostle, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (II Cor. 13:5).
WE ARE ELECTED FOR A DEFINITE PURPOSE. Finally, the saints are chosen in Christ by God for a definite purpose, which the apostle himself explains when he says, “He chose us in him for adoption that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption to be his sons through Jesus Christ that they should be to the praise of the glory of his grace” (Eph. 1:4 ff.).
From Election by B. B. Warfield.
[M]editation on our eternal election produces such blessed fruits in our hearts and lives. That God has saved me, even me, sunk in my sin and misery, by the marvels of his grace, can only fill me with adoring praise. That he has set upon me from all eternity to save me, wretched sinner that I am—how can I express the holy joy that fills my heart at every remembrance of it! This is the foundation of all my comfort, the assurance of all my hope. “Sure I am,” says John Arrowsmith movingly, just to the point, “Sure I am that our blessed Savior once said to his disciples, ‘In this rejoice, that your names are written in heaven’; and that nothing cloth more inflame a Christian’s love than a firm belief of his personal election from eternity, after he has been able to evidence the writing of his name in heaven by the experience he hath had of an heavenly calling and an heavenly conversation. When the Spirit of God hath written the law of life in a Christian’s heart, and therewith enabled him to know assuredly that his name is written in the book of life, he cannot then but melt with flames of holy affection, according to the most emphatic speech of Bernard—‘God deserveth love from such as he hath loved long before they could deserve it’; and, ‘his love to God will be without end, who knoweth that God’s love to him was without any beginning.’” For this is the beginning and middle and end of the whole matter: that the election of God is but the beginning of God’s manifestation of love to lost sinners, a beginning which must go before all other manifestations of his love because the purpose must precede the execution, and which carries all other manifestations with it because God never repents of his purposes but executes them.
Learn more:
Related terms:
1J. I. Packer in Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs
This week’s term was suggested by Kim of The Upward Call.
Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.
I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. Credit will be given for any of these suggestions I use, too.
Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.
Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 1:21PM 
I’ve been posting lesser-known hymns written by well-known hymnographers. Here’s another hymn from Charles Wesley, one that seems appropriate to this season, when we remember and celebrate Christ’s work.
Jesu, show us Thy salvation,
In Thy strength we strive with Thee,
By Thy mystic incarnation,
By Thy pure nativity;
Save us Thou, our New-Creator,
Into all our souls impart,
Thy divine, unsinning nature,
Form Thyself within our heart.
By Thy first blood-shedding heal us;
Cut us off from every sin,
By Thy circumcision seal us,
Write Thy law of love within;
By Thy Spirit circumcise us,
Kindle in our hearts a flame;
By Thy baptism baptize us
Into Thy all glorious Name.
By Thy fasting and temptation
Mortify our vain desires,
Take away what sense, or passion,
Appetite, or flesh requires:
Arm us with Thy self denial,
Every tempted soul defend,
Save us in the fiery trial,
Make us faithful to the end.
By Thy sorer sufferings save us,
Save us when conformed to Thee,
By Thy miseries receive us,
By Thy painful agony;
When beneath Thy frown we languish,
When we feel Thine anger’s weight,
Save us by Thine unknown anguish,
Save us by Thy bloody sweat.
By that highest point of passion,
By Thy sufferings on the tree,
Save us from the indignation
Due to all mankind, and me;
Hanging, bleeding, panting, dying,
Gasping out Thy latest breath,
By Thy precious death’s applying
Save us from eternal death.
From the world of care release us,
By Thy decent burial save,
Crucified with Thee, O Jesus,
Hide us in Thy quiet grave:
By Thy power divinely glorious,
By Thy resurrection’s power
Raise us up, o’er sin victorious,
Raise us up to fall no more.
By the pomp of Thine ascending,
Live we here to Heaven restored,
Live in pleasures never ending,
Share the portion of our Lord:
Let us have our conversation
With the blessed spirits above,
Saved with all Thy great salvation,
Perfectly renewed in love.
Glorious Head, triumphant Savior,
High enthroned above all height,
We have now through Thee found favor,
Righteous in Thy Father’s sight:
Hears He not Thy prayer unceasing?
Can He turn away Thy face:
Send us down the purchased blessing,
Fulness of the Gospel-Grace.
By the coming of Thy Spirit,
As a mighty rushing wind,
Save us into all Thy merit,
Into all Thy sinless mind;
Let the perfect gift be given,
Let Thy will in us be seen,
Done on earth as ’tis in Heaven,
Lord, Thy spirit cries Amen!
Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:
Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.