Luther Clung to Christ Alone

Luther Clung to Christ Aloneby Charles Fry /

OVERVIEW

Here in the second post in this series, we pause to look ahead, summarizing the content yet to come.   

When Lightning Struck: A Brief Life of Martin Luther (Posts 3-8)

These posts will present a brief biography of Luther. To understand Luther’s beliefs, it is important to know the context in which he lived and the religion he knew from first-hand experience. Accordingly, these posts focus on Luther’s life in relationship to the gospel and the religion of merit that was pervasive in his day. Because of this focus, many events of Luther’s life are omitted, such as his marriage to Katherine and their six children (one of whom died as an infant and another who died in her teens). While these events are important to study, for the sake of brevity and focus, such aspects of Luther’s story are not found in this narrative.

Timeline (Post 9)

A simplified timeline will be presented of the main events and writings of Luther’s life as discussed in these posts. This will help the reader more clearly understand how the details of Luther’s life fit into his overarching story and that of the Reformation.

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We Are All Beggars

We Are All BeggarsBy Charles Fry /

WE ARE ALL BEGGARS

Shortly before Martin Luther died, a piece of paper containing his handwriting was found in his pocket. Among other words on the paper were these: “This is true. We are all beggars.”[i]

During his lifetime, Luther had come to see the holiness and justice of God. He realized he had no righteousness whatsoever to declare him acceptable to God. Luther only had Christ. Yet, in having Christ, he had everything: assurance of heaven, peace with God, and a calm heart before the Law of God. Simply clinging to Christ alone, Martin Luther inadvertently turned 1500s Europe upside down.

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Anchored in Grace: In Conclusion

Anchored in Grace: In Conclusionby Jeremy Walker /

Read all the posts in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE REMAIN IN CHRIST TO THE END? Part 4

We come now to the final installment in this series. When all is said and done, how ought we believers in Christ to think and feel and act? Having once been fallen, we have by grace been chosen, redeemed, and called, and we will each endure to the end by God’s unwavering mercy and protection. This is a great and glorious arc, with eternal ramifications. Here, then, the conclusion of Jeremy Walker’s Anchored in Grace.

Thankfulness. How these things should stir us to thankfulness for divine grace and faithfulness! The God who planned this work from before the foundation of the world, and who has begun this good work in us, will complete it. He himself has said that he will never leave us or forsake us. If God is for us, who can be against us? All these sweet truths ought to stir the heart to thankful joy.

Encouragement. But how much encouragement is also found here? Perhaps some readers have never come to Christ because they are afraid they cannot keep with Christ. That is like a drowning man refusing to trust the lifeguard because the drowning man cannot swim. But that is the whole point! Finding nothing in ourselves, no strength or wisdom by means of which to obtain or maintain our salvation, we come to Christ to save us and to keep us, providing all required by every one of his people. He will save us, and he will keep us saved to the end by all necessary means and giving all needful grace.

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The Perseverance of the Saints

The Perseverance of the Saintsby Jeremy Walker /

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE REMAIN IN CHRIST TO THE END? Part 3

In the present sub-series, this is our third post on persevering—remaining in Christ to the end. Two weeks ago we asked: Having been born fallen and lost in Adam, then redeemed and saved in Christ, can a Christian be lost again? Last week we briefly explored God’s providences, provisions, and precepts. Today we wrap up this discussion of enduring, positioning ourselves for next week and the final post in this series.

The Perseverance of the Saints

The apostle Peter’s words in 1 Peter 1:5 (NKJV) carry us to a final truth that we must consider, for we are kept by the power of God through faith. The certainty and security of God’s people should never breed passivity or carelessness in true saints. Again, listen to William O’Neill’s sweet but searching words: “that doctrine [of the security of the saints] was never designed to comfort any man who is not living a life of faith in the Son of God, intensely anxious to please God in all things—to be the holy and happy subject of that mind which was in Christ Jesus.”i

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God’s Providences, Provisions, and Precepts

God's Providences, Provisions, and Preceptsby Jeremy Walker /

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE REMAIN IN CHRIST TO THE END? Part 2

Last week we began to explore the Bible’s answer to the question of how anyone manages to remain in Christ to the end. Having been born fallen and lost in Adam, then redeemed and saved in Christ, can a Christian then be lost again? Introducing that all-important topic, we focused on the need for believers to embrace God’s purposes and rest on his promises. 

Accept God’s Providences

Move on with me to the providences of God. The divine government of the entire world is conducted with the end in view of the final salvation of the people of God. So Joseph can assure his brothers, giving us a window into the wise and sure designs of the Lord, that even the things that they meant for evil, God intended for good (Genesis 50:20 NKJV). The same kind of assurance is offered on the broadest scale by the apostle Paul when writing to the church in Rome: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:28–29 NKJV).

When God calls for the purpose of conforming to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ—not just a gradual increase in likeness, but working toward a final and complete transformation—then he orders all things to work together for that good and holy and sure purpose.

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Endure: The Fifth Anchor Point of Faith

Endure: The Fifth Anchor Point of Faithby Jeremy Walker/

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE REMAIN IN CHRIST TO THE END? Part 1

Enduring

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV).

Neither Christ nor any of his faithful followers ever described the Christian life as a stroll in the park. It always was and always will be a battle to the end. When Paul and Barnabas strengthened the souls of the disciples in various places, they urged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22 NKJV). This is the experience of true saints.

There are struggles within and storms without. There may be times when we wonder, “Shall I stand? Will I at last enter the heavenly kingdom?” In terms of the brief studies in these posts, we have been tracing some of the prominent anchor points of the Christian faith. From the pages of God’s book we have seen that Christians are fallen, chosen, redeemed, and called. But, having fallen once in Adam and having been lost, can we fall again and be lost again? Having stumbled so often ourselves, might we so stumble as to fall away entirely and be damned at last? One old preacher called William O’Neill put the question in this way: “Is it possible for sincere Christians, truly regenerated persons, to be finally separated from Jesus, to lose the favor of God their Father, and be eternally shut out from his smile and home?”i That is a massive question. Its answer is of enormous weight and eternal significance.

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Cruciform Press partners with Desiring God

Cruciform Press partners with Desiring Godby Kevin /

Something very exciting has been stirring behind-the-scenes here at Cruciform Press. Today we are humbled and thrilled to announce that we have begun distributing books from Desiring God that were previously available only through Amazon.

What will stay the same? Pretty much everything.

Theological focus

Desiring God shares the theological focus of Cruciform Press, so that will remain a constant in all the titles we offer.

Clear, accessible writing

Desiring God has the same commitment to producing clear, readable, accessible books that are typically fairly short.

Automatic discounts

The automatic discounts that apply when you buy multiple copies of Cruciform books will apply to Desiring God books as well.

Print subscription pricing

Most of the Desiring God books we offer, and possibly all, will become part of the Cruciform Press subscription program, under the same low pricing plans. And most subscriber plans, as is the case now, will still allow you to defer a particular title if you’re not interested. In sum, a Cruciform Press subscription will become a better value than ever before.

What will be different? Very little.

Frequency

Between Desiring God books and Cruciform Press books, we expect to be offering more titles per year than has typically been the case.

Book length and non-subscription pricing

Some Desiring God books are longer than typical Cruciform Press books (although probably not by much), and therefore the non-subscription prices may be a little higher.

What will be the first Desiring God books?

The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in SufferingThe first title, available now, is The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering, by Vaneetha Rendall Risner. The book includes a Foreword from Joni Eareckson Tada, and has been endorsed by Paul Tripp, Nancy Guthrie, Gloria Furman, and more. While it has been available for a few months on Amazon only, we are now offering this title for sale here, as well as to book distributors. Subscribers will be sent the book in early February.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER: Finding Grace in the Messes of MarriageIn March, we plan to make available Happily Ever After: Finding Grace in the Messes of Marriage, 30 devotions for couples featuring John Piper, Francis Chan, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, and more.

Again, we are deeply grateful to God to have this new opportunity before us. We look forward to providing all our readers with even greater access to books that position your heart, mind, and spirit to better live a consistently Christian life in a consistently challenging world.

Resellers and Distributors: please make inquiries below.

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The Fruit of God’s Call

The Fruit of God's Callby Jeremy Walker/

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE COME TO POSSESS THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION? Part 3

Recently in this series we have been exploring the gospel call. Two weeks ago, we learned of the necessity and nature of the call, which is both universal and effectual. Last week, we read about the power, effect, and experience of God’s call. Today we take a moment to extol these truths and dwell briefly on their appropriate application: what fruit ought they to bear in our lives?

Because of the Call

Certainty. For believers all of this should give rise, first of all, to certainty—the certainty that all of God’s chosen people shall be brought into his kingdom. The Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom he personally calls to Jesus. The redemption that has been accomplished through the atoning blood of our Savior, the Lord Jesus, shall be definitely and effectively applied to all for whom it was accomplished.

Prayer. Furthermore, and on that basis, it should give rise to prayer for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those who hear the gospel. The fact that God will save does not for one moment preclude earnest and believing prayer for the Lord to save. We must pray that the Spirit would convince sinners of their sin and misery, enlighten their minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renew their wills, thereby persuading and enabling them to embrace Christ Jesus, freely offered to all men in the gospel. Do we sufficiently believe in the power and the grace of God to make this a more constant and more earnest plea?

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The Power, Effect, and Experience of God’s Call

The Power, Effect, and Experience of God's Callby Jeremy Walker/

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE COME TO POSSESS THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION? Part 2

Last week we began to examine the question, “if there are those in utter lostness and misery who are appointed for mercy, and if this blessing of life has been secured for them, their ransom paid by Christ, how does anyone enter into possession of those blessings?” We saw that the answer is that we must be called by God, and we reviewed the necessity and nature of that call. We continue now to learn more about this all-important summons. 

The Power of the god’s Call

The reason for the power of the call lies in its author and its agent. As the Word of God is preached or read or discussed, the call comes from God the Father by God the Holy Spirit. In the declaration of the good news, the Holy Spirit comes into personal and purposeful contact with the dead soul of a sinner and he—who previously could neither know nor discern spiritual things—begins to see things accurately, feel things truly, and respond accordingly.

This is a divine act, a sovereign act: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:18 NKJV). It does not in any way depend for success on the man who is being called, anything he is, or anything that is in him. The one being effectually called is a dead man being made alive. He is not operating at this point but being operated upon. The Word of God comes, but it comes now in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance (1 Thessalonians 1:5 NKJV). It accomplishes God’s purpose.

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Called: The Fourth Anchor Point of Faith

Called: The Fourth Anchor Point of Faithby Jeremy Walker/

Read all the posts published to date in this 16-part series on the essential truths of the Christian faith. 

HOW DO WE COME TO POSSESS THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION? Part 1

Called

We have so far considered three anchor points of the Bible’s teaching about the grace of God, truths to which we must hold fast in the present generation and pass on to coming generations. In the preceding pages we have seen that we are by nature fallen, facing our rebellion and our utter spiritual deadness and hopelessness in ourselves as lost sinners. Then we saw that Christians are chosen, the Lord God—in the face of our hell-deserving sinfulness—freely and sovereignly setting his love upon us, saving whom he will. Next, we traced how we are redeemed, the Lord Christ Jesus laying down his life to save all those whom the Father had given him.

All this carries us on to another question: if there are those in utter lostness and misery who are appointed for mercy, and if this blessing of life has been secured for them, their ransom paid by Christ, how does anyone enter into possession of those blessings?

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