Walkington's Works

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Sovereignty Of God [ Not to be confused with his book of the same title --Rip ]

The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy . Infinitely elevated above the highest creature , He is the Most High , Lord of heaven and earth ; subject to none , influenced by none , absolutely independent . God does as He pleases , only as He pleases , always as He pleases . None can thwart Him ; none can hinder Him . So His own Word expressly declares : " My counsel shall stand , and I will do all my pleasure " ( Isaiah 46:10 ) ; " he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven , and among the inhabitants of the earth : and none can stay his hand " ( Daniel 4:35 ). Divine sovereignty means that God is God in fact as well as in name : that He is on the throne of the universe , directing all things , working all things " after the counsel of his own will " ( Ephesians 1:11 ) .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Sovereignty Of God

It was God in the exercise of His sovereignty who placed Satan and his angels , Adam , and Israel in their respective responsible positions . But so far from His sovereignty taking away responsbility from the creature , it was by the exercise of it that He placed them on this conditional footing , under such responsibilities as He thought proper . By virtue of this sovereignty , He is seen to be God over all . Thus , there is perfect harmony between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of the creature . Many have more foolishly said that it is quite impossible to show where divine sovereignty ends and creature accountability begins . Here is where creature responsibility begins : in the sovereign ordination of the Creator . As to His sovereignty , there is not , and never will be , any end to it !

 

[psalms109:31]

scripture

Luke 13:34"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'[Psalm 118:26]"

Matthew 12:37
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Hebrews 3:
Warning Against Unbelief
7So, as the Holy Spirit says:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
9where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
10That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.'
11So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.' "[Psalm 95:7-11]

12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15As has just been said:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion."[Psalm 95:7,8]

16Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed[Or disbelieved]? 19So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

A magician uses slight of hand. He keeps you focused on one thing so you will not see what is really happening

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Immutability Of God

First , God is immutable in His essence . His nature and being are infinite , and so , subject to no mutations . There never was a time when He was not ; there never will come a time when He shall cease to be . God has neither evolved , grown , nor improved . All that He is today , He has ever been , and ever will be ... He cannot change for the better , for He is already perfect , He cannot change for the worse . Altogether unaffected by anything outside Himself , improvement or deterioration is impossible . He is perpetually the same ... He is altogether uninfluenced by the flight of time . There is no wrinkle upon the brow of eternity . Therefore His power can never diminish , nor His glory ever fade .
Second , God is immutable in His attributes . Whatever the attributes of God were before the universe was called into existence , they are precisely the same now , and will remain so forever . Necessarily so ; for they are the very perfections , the essential qualities of His being . Semper idem ( always the same ) is written across every one of them . His power is unabated , His wisdom is undiminished , His holiness unsullied . The attributes of God can no more change than diety can cease to be ...
Third , God is immutable in His counsel . His will never varies . Perhaps some are ready to object when we read "It repented the LORD that he had made man " ( Gensis 6:6 ) . Our first reply is , Do the Scriptures contradict themselves ? No , that cannot be . Numbers 23:19 is plain enough : " God is not a man , that he should repent ." The explanation is simple . When speaking of Himself , God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities . He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members , as eyes , ears , hands ...

God's purpose never alters . One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans : want of foresight to anticipate everything , or lack of power to excute them . But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent , there is never any need for Him to revise His decrees . No : " The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever , the thoughts of his heart to all generations " ( Psalm 33:11 ) . Therefore we read of " the immutability of his counsel " ( Hebrews 6:17 ) .

 

[psalms109:31]

scripture

Romans 11:17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

But praise be to God

23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

 

[Rippon]

Are you trying to refute something AW said Mr.Ps. ? If so be specific . As far as I see it , your posts have nothing to do with the Pink quotes .

 

[psalms109:31]

# 74

Matthew 12:7
If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

Post number 74 need these scriptures badly

God can choose how He wants to save His people and He doesn't need your or pinks understanding to do so.

Those scripture clearly shows the natural branches Israel was cut out for unbelief, not because they were not chosen. They were chosen, elect

Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

They were cut out for unbelief, but if they do not continue in thier unbelief God will include them back in.

We are included with the believing Jews by faith. We are not to be aragant but afraid if God did not spare the natural branches He will not spare us either. If we do not continue in His Kindness we will to be cut out.

It is the tree that is going to be saved, the whole body.

This is what is promised before even the foundation of the world to be saved.

God in His sovreignty decided to save whosoever believes in His Son. Who is man to argue with God.

John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[The Greek for prunes also means cleans.] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

 

[Rippon]

Mr. Ps. , those are mighty fine Bible passages . They have nothing to do with anything that Pink is addressing though . Do you know the meaning of the word I-R-R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T ? Why not just start your own thread ( have you ever ?) and post to your heart's delight on what you believe on any given subject ?

 

[psalms109:31]

Relvelant

It is very relevant, because man can accept and reject as they please.

 

[npetreley]

It is very relevant, because man can accept and reject as they please.

Again, I love this quote, and it's so appropriate at times like this.

The god of this century no more resembles the Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a candle the glory of the midday sun. The god who is talked about in the average pulpit, spoken of in the ordinary Sunday school, mentioned in much of the religious literature of the day, and preached in most of the so-called Bible conferences, is a figment of human imagination, an invention of maudlin sentimentality. The heathen outside the pale of Christendom form gods of wood and stone, while millions of heathen inside Christendom manufacture a god out of their carnal minds. In reality, they are but atheists, for there is no other possible alternative between an absolutely supreme God and no God at all. A god whose will is resisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to diety and, far from being a fit object of worship, merits nothing but contempt.

- A.W. Pink

 

[psalms109:31]

Responsible

It isn't God's problem if you reject or accept His Son.

God just gives the consequenses for it.

He says whosoever believes shall be saved.

Your dead to God, Jesus is your only way out.

God is sovreign, if you reject His Son you will be condemned. If you believe in His Son you shall be saved.

God has provided you a sacrifice. If you want to place yourself on the sacrificing stone instead of what He has provided you, that is your problem.

It is pretty simple, but men are are always hearing, but never perceiving

The elect of God was cut out for unbelief. We are included by faith the faith that God is given to us through His word. What is this faith, it is simple that whosever believes shall be saved and we can be cut out if we do not continue in God's Kindness

Jesus tells us that it is those who endure to the end will be saved. They will persecute us, but keep the faith.

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Immutability Of God

Here is terror for the wicked . Those who defy Him , break His laws , have no concern for His glory , but live their lives as though He did not exist , must not suppose that , when at the last they shall cry to Him for mercy , He will alter His will , revoke His will, revoke His word , and rescind His awful threatenings . No , He has declared , " Therefore will I also deal in fury : mine eye shall not spare , neither will I have pity : and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice , yet will I not hear them " ( Ezeliel 8:18 ) . God will not deny Himself to gratify their lusts . God is holy , unchangingly so . Therefore God hates sin , eternally hates it . Hence the eternality of the punishment of all who die in their sins .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Holiness Of God

The character attributed to the gods of the ancients and of modern heathendom are the very reverse of that immaculate purity which pertains to the true God . An ineffably holy God , who has the utmost abhorrence of all sin , was never invented by any of Adam's fallen descendants ! The fact is that nothing reveals more of the terrible depravity of man's heart and his enmity against the living God than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy . His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls crime . Anything short of that , palliates as "defects," "mistakes," "infirmities." And even where sin is owned at all , man makes excuses and extenuations for it .
The god which the vast majority of professing Christians love is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man , who himself has no relish for folly , but leniently winks at the indiscretions of youth . But the Word says , " Thou hatest all workers of iniquity " ( Psalm 5:5) . And again , " God is angry with the wicked every day" ( Psalm 7:11 ) . But men refuse to believe in this God , and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention . No , sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God than to create the lake of fire in which he will be tormented forever and ever .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Power Of God

Well may all tremble before such a God . To treat with disrespect One who can crush us more easily than we can a moth is a suicidal policy . To openly defy Him who is clothed with omnipotence , who can rend in pieces or cast into hell any moment He pleases , is the very height of insanity . To put it on its lowest ground , it is but the part of wisdom to heed His command , "Kiss the Son , lest he be angry , and ye perish from the way , when His wrath is kindled but a little" ( Psalm 2:12 ) .
Well may the enlightened soul adore such a God ! The wonderous , infinite perfections of such a Being call for fervent worship . If men of might and renown claim the admiration of the world , how much more should the power of the Almighty fill us with wonderment and homage . " Who is like unto thee , O LORD , among the gods ? who is like thee , glorious in holiness , fearful in praises , doing wonders ?" ( Exodus 15:11 ) .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Faithfulness Of God

" I know , O LORD , that thy judgments are right , and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" ( Psalm 119:75 ) . Trouble and affliction are not only consistent with God's love pledged in the everlasting covenant , but also they are parts of the administration of the same . God is not only faithful , notwithstanding afflictions , but faithful in sending them . "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod , and their iniquity with stripes . Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him , nor suffer my faithfulness to fail" ( Psalm 89:52-33 ) . Chastening is not only reconciable with God's loving-kindness , but also it is the effect and expression of it . It would quiet the minds of God's people if they would remember that His covenant love binds Him to lay on them seasonable correction . Afflictions are necessary for us : "In their affliction they will seek me early" ( Hosea 5:15 ) .

Apprension of this blessed truth will preserve us from worry . To be full of care , to view our situation with dark forebodings , to anticipate the morrow with sad anxiety is to reflect upon the faithfulness of God . He who has cared for His child through all the years will not forsake him in old age . He who has heard your prayers in the past will not refuse to supply your need in the present emergency . Rest on Job 5:19 : " He shall deliver thee in six troubles : yea , in seven there shall no evil touch thee."
Apprension of this truth will check our murmurings . The Lord knows what is best for each of us . One effect of resting on this truth will be to silence our petulant complainings . God is greatly honered when , under trial and chastening , we have good thoughts of Him , vindicate His wisdom and justice , and recognize His love in His rebukes .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Loving-Kindness Of God

We propose to engage the reader with another of His excellencies -- of which every Christian receives innumerable proofs . We turn to a consideration of God's loving-kindness because our aim is to maintain a due proportion in treating of the divine perfections , for all of us are apt to entertain one-sided views of them . A balance must be preserved here ( as everywhere ) , as it appears in these two statements of the divine attributes : "God is light" ( 1 John 1:5 ) ; "God is love" ( 4:8 ) . The sterner, more awe-inspiring aspects of the divine character are offset by the gentler , more winsome ones . It is to our irreparable loss if we dwell exclusively on God's sovereignty and majesty , or His holiness and justice ; we need to meditate frequently , though not exclusively , on His goodness and mercy . Nothing short of a full-orbed view of the divine perfections -- as revealed in Holy Writ -- should satisfy us .

 

[J.D.]

amazon.com "recommended" The Attributes of God by Pink on their latest personalized newsletter to me. I think I'll buy it.

Pink says so many things that are perfect as extractible quotes. What a treasure!

 

[Rippon]

Yes , J.D. AW has many apt quotes ranging over the whole body of Scripture . Unlike how others have characterized him -- he maintained a " due proportion" when dealing with the attributes of God . Pink had balance and symmetry in his writings .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Goodness Of God

Nor can God's benignity be called into question because He has not made every sinful creature a subject of His redemptive grace . He did not do so with the fallen angels . Had God left all to perish it had been no reflection on his goodness . To any who challenge this statement we remind him of our Lord's sovereign prerogative : " Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own ? Is thy eye evil , because I am good ?" ( Matthew 20:15 ) .

The goodness of God is the life of the believer's trust . It is this excellency in God which most appeals to our hearts . Because His goodness endureth forever , we ought never to be discouraged : " The LORD is good , a strong hold in the day of trouble ; and he knoweth them that trust in him" ( Nahum 1:7 ) .

 

[Rippon]

Gleanings In The Godhead

The Loving-Kindness Of God

This loving-kindness of the Lord is never far removed from His children . To our reason it may appear to be so , yet it never is . Since the believer be in Christ , nothing can separate him from the love of God ( Romans 8:39 ) . God has solemnly engaged Himself by covenant , and our sins cannot make it void . God has sworn that if His children "keep not [His] commandments ," He will "visit their transgressions with the rod , and their iniquity with stripes" ( Psalm 89:31-32) . Yet He adds , "Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him , nor suffer my faithfulness to fail . My covenant will I not break" ( vv.33-34 ) . Observe the change of number from "their" and "them" to"him." The loving-kindness of God toward His people is centered in Christ . Because His exercise of loving-kindness is a covenant engagement , it is repeatedly linked to His "truth" ( 40:11 ; 138:2 ) , showing that it proceeds to us by promise . Therefore we should never despair .

"Be ye therefore followers [imitators] of God , as dear children ; and walk in love" ( Ephesians 5:5:1-2 ) ."put on therefore , as the elect of God , holy and beloved , bowels of mercies , kindness" ( Colossians 3:12 ) .Thus it was with David: "Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes : and I have walked in thy truth" ( Psalm 26:3 ) . He delighted to ponder it . It refreshed his soul to do so , and it molded his conduct . The more we are occupied with God's goodness , the more careful we will be about our obedience . The constraints of God's love and grace are more powerful to the regenerate than the terrors of His law . "How excellent is thy lovingkindness , O God ! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings" ( Psalm 36:7 ) . Second , a sense of this divine perfection strengthens our faith and promotes confidence in God .