Sunday's Hymn: More Love to Thee, O Christ

More love to thee, O Christ,
More love to thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make
On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea,
More love, O Christ, to thee,
More love to thee,
More love to thee.

Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now thee alone I seek;
Give what is best:
This all my prayer shall be,
More love, O Christ, to thee,
More love to thee,
More love to thee.

Let sorrow do its work,
Send grief and pain;
Sweet are thy messengers,
Sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me,
More love, O Christ, to thee,
More love to thee,
More love to thee.

Then shall my latest breath
Whisper thy praise;
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise,
This still its prayer shall be,
More love, O Christ, to thee,
More love to thee,
More love to thee.

—Elizabeth P. Prentiss

 Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Keep Step With the Master at The Happy Wonderer
• Many Loves, But Only One Excels at The Outspoken Tulip
• All the promises of God at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 31, 2019 at The Thirsty Theologian

Selected Reading

I read or listened to these recently and recommend them to you.

Bible Interpetation

What Does ‘Born of Water and the Spirit’ Mean in John 3:5?
I’ve heard D. A. Carson answer this question, and maybe you have, too. But here his answer is spelled out in written form, so it’s easier to follow.

Practical Theology

Changing Tides and the Unchanging Savior
“There is one man who will never fail us, never let us down, never break his promises, never deceive us, never betray us and never give us false hopes. Jesus Christ is the unchanging God-man.” —Nicholas T. Batzig

What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ?
Sinclair Ferguson writes: “The exhortation to “abide” has been frequently misunderstood, as though it were a special, mystical, and indefinable experience. But Jesus makes clear that it actually involves a number of concrete realities.” 

The Devil You Know
Three actions to apply against your adverary the devil.

Church History

Elisabeth Elliot
A short biographical sketch: “It was largely through the sacrifice of her husband and her desire to return to those same people who took his life, that she is known and has a place in church history.” 

Theological Term of the Week: Ordinate Power (of God)

ordinate power (of God)
“That power whereby God doth that which he hath decreed to do, that is, which he hath ordained or appointed to be exercised;1 God’s ability to do what he has ordained, decreed, and willed to do.”2 God’s ordinate power is a subset of his absolute power. 

• From scripture:

Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.(Psalm 135:6 ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will … (Ephesians 1:11 ESV)

• From Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof: 

The potentia ordinata [ordinate power] can be defined as that perfection of God whereby He, through the mere exercise of His will, can realize whatsoever is present in His will or counsel. The power of God in actual exercise limits itself to that which is comprehended in His eternal decree.

Learn more:

1. Mark Jones: A Crucial Distinction
2. Louis Berkhof: The Sovereign Power of God

Related terms:

• omnipotence
• absolute power of God

Filed under God’s Nature and His Work

1From The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock.

2From None Greater by Matthew Barrett

---

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the previous theological terms.