A Catechism for Girls and Boys

Part III: Questions about Salvation

98. Q. What hinders the completion of sanctification in this life?
       A. The Scripture says “The flesh lusts against the Spirit so that you cannot do the things you would”.

(Click through to read scriptural proof.)

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Sunday Hymn: To God Be the Glory

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

—Fanny Crosby

I made my youngest son listen to about 20 renditions of this hymn and he chose this one for you.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• From All That Dwells Below the Skies at Field Stone Cottage
• How Sweet, How Heavenly at By Grace Alone
• What Wondrous Love Is This at Hopeful Morning
• The Happy Change at Rosemary at Home
• Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted at Gospel Grace
• O Happy Day When We Shall Stand at The Happy Wonderer
• Lord’s Day 43 at Tried With Fire 
• Lord’s Day 43, 2012 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Faith Alone - October 21, 2012 at The Upward Call
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Our Wedding Day
• A Sunday Psalm: The Treasury of David - Psalm 9:15-17 at Theology for Girls

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Reading Classics Together: The Discipline of Grace, Chapter 11

The Discipline of Choices

This week’s reading for Tim Challies Reading Classics Together program was about the constant choices we make in developing Christlike habits of living. I’m going to quote my favorite bit of this chapter, a bit about the nature of genuine repentance and the truth that brings us to it.

Godly sorrow is developed when we focus on the true nature of sin as an offense against God rather than something that makes us feel guilty. Sin is an affront to God’s holiness, it grieves His Holy Spirit, and it wounds afresh the Lord Jesus Christ. It also gratifies Satan, the archenemy of God. Dwelling on the true nature of sin leads us to godly sorrow, which in turn leads us to repentance.

Having come to repentance, however, we must by faith lay hold of the cleansing blood of Christ, which alone can cleanse our consciences. In fact, it is faith in Christ and the assurance of the efficacy of His cleansing blood that leads us to repentance. 

Sometimes I find it hard to admit the extent of my sin to myself and to God, even though I know, deep down, that it’s there and it’s ugly. But the gospel is the key to true repentance. There’s no reason to hide sin when there is a sure way for me to be cleansed of it. This is another reason for me to constantly preach the gospel to myself. Knowing and believing the gospel with all my heart is what allows me to let myself see my sin as it is so I can seek God’s forgiveness.

Next week’s reading is chapter 12, The Discipline of Watching.