Good Words, Bad Words, and Big Words

I mentioned several posts ago a Desiring God conference that is coming up...here are two wonderful words of wisdom, some of which may surprise you, from Paul Tripp and Sinclair Ferguson.

Paul Tripp describes the heart behind "bad" words and "good" ones (offensive language follows):



Sinclair Ferguson describes how a big term like "imputation" defines the Gospel and calls one to live according to the Gospel:

Sinclair Ferguson Series 2

“I have a picture in my mind of an abortion clinic and a line of evangelical people on the one side, a line of secularists on the other both shouting abuse at one another, and I see that the greatest temptation for us as strong believers in Jesus Christ is that in responding to the agenda the world sets for us we respond to that agenda in the very tones that the world uses. Now listen to this the man of God, 1 Timothy 3:3, is not quarrelsome...the thing that makes the difference is the difference."

The Sinclair Ferguson Series 1

One of my favorite preachers is Sinclair Ferguson. In his preaching, he has one of the rarest combination's of deep insight, wonderful articulation, extensive biblical and theological knowledge paired with humility, sensitivity, and sober warmth.

I figured I'd do a series of great quotes from Sinclair. They will come from the series he gave at, Bethlehem Baptist Church Conference for Pastors in 2003. The three teachings he gave there are priceless for any Christian leader, but target pastor's specifically. I think I have listened to those more than any other series of teachings in the last 5 years.

Here is today's quote:

“As evangelicals we have sometimes, indeed all too frequently, been far clearer about what we are against then what we are for…”

It's easy to be against things. The real question is what are you for? This can be a life re-directing quote.

Again: What are you for?

Jesus Restores the Inheritance

Sinclair Ferguson on the restoration of all things in Jesus:

"The Father is the Creator and Lord of all. But in His generous love, the wealth of the universe was to be the inheritance of Adam as God's image and son...But Adam tried to steal what was not his; as a result, he forfeited his entire inheritance through his sin...But the Father was determined that the inheritance should be restored. Indeed, He already had drawn up plans for its restoration...Slowly, an outline of the strategy became visible through divine revelation: the Seed of the woman, a descendant of Abraham, a son of David, a messianic Prophet, Priest, and King, and a Suffering Servant--one Man who was also the Son of God--would fulfill all the promises of God. He would be a second Man, making a new beginning. He would also be the last Adam. He would do all that Adam had failed to accomplish in order to enter into a full inheritance. But He wold forfeit His own life in order to bear the divine punishment for Adamic sin. He, unlike Adam, would be meek and inherit the earth. In Him the right of inheritance would be restored. He would be 'appointed heir of all things'..." (p. 121, 122).

In Christ Alone.

Sinclair Ferguson - Emotional Jesus

"'Jesus wept'...Those tears reveal an earthquake of emotions in Jesus's heart. 'He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled' (Jn. 11:33 NIV) is a correct but scarcely adequate translation of words that express the deep inner disturbance and anger of our Lord in the face of Satan's reign in sin and death.

Jesus's sinlessness should not be equated with emotionlessness. The opposite is nearer the truth. His holy humanity experienced heights and depths of emotion unknown by sinful humanity. Seeing human need with perfect clarity, Jesus felt it with unparalleled intensity. Our senses, by comparison our numbered. Thus, the crisis of the death of Lazarus--whom Jesus loved--became the occasion for a yet fuller revelation of the sensitivity of our Lord's holy humanity (Heb. 2:10-11, 14-18, 4:14-16)." (p. 70)

Ferguson, Sinclair. In Christ Alone.

Our Tiny Temptations

"[Jesus] tasted our temptations with a sensitivity none of us has known precisely because He resisted them. Whatever your experience of temptation or suffering, Christ's was deeper because His humanity was sinless." (p. 27-28, In Christ Alone)

This is a great reminder from Sinclair Ferguson. Jesus temptations were so great not because He gave in, but precisely because he resisted. It is amazing how we self-deceive ourselves into thinking that because our temptations are so strong we give in to sin, yet the strongest temptations are the one's not given into. Our temptations are tiny in comparison to the temptation that the perfect Son of God faced.

May we follow Jesus' in resisting great temptation--not giving into tiny temptations. And when we sin, may we trust Him as a faithful High Priest who never sinned and died in our place for our sins.

"Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Hebrews 2:17-18