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This is our final study in response to a request from one of our readers to set down the Bible’s teaching on HOLINESS.

I will attach to this article a PDF file of a wonderful book on ‘Holiness’, written by JC Ryle. I thoroughly commend it to you all.

Holiness, by J. C. Ryle

I have been using the Shorter Catechism’s definition of SANCTIFICATION or holiness. Let me quote the answer to question 35.

“Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.”

In this our final study, I would like to consider how that:

SANCTIFICATION ENTAILS A ‘DYING’!

1. THAT IS WHAT DETERS MANY CHRISTIANS FROM FULLY YIELDING TO THE MIND AND WILL OF GOD IN THIS MATTER.

I recall that in the days following my conversion, our pulpits seemed to all echo with a call to ‘go through with God’. That was a phrase denoting a total surrender and a total yielding unto the Lord and the entering upon that blessing of the infilling of the Holy Spirit which awaited those who did thus yield.

The widow woman in 1 Kings 4:1-7, was supplied of God in her poverty by obeying the instructions of Elisha, which resulted in her meagre supply of oil being wonderfully made to fill many vessels, so that she was able to sell it off and provide for herself and her two sons. But before that could happen she had to gather ‘empty vessels’ that could be miraculously filled with the oil. There must be an emptying before there can be a filling!

Oh how that was preached back in the 60s! How commonly were the words of the old hymn, written by Ulsterman, Noel Grant,  brokenly sung in prayer meetings! (more…)

Here is another milestone on the road to hell that the Church of England has chosen to tread!

Blessing for gay priest couple as Church of England starts new chapter

‘Two reverends will be among the first LGBT couples blessed in a church service on Sunday’

This article from ‘The Times’ newspaper, of 9th December, was sent to me by a friend. It includes a photograph of the two perverts, the caption of which reads: ‘The Reverends Jane Pearse, left, and Catherine Bond will be among the first gay couples to have a priest “ask for God’s blessing” on their relationship’.

They ask in vain, instead God’s curse will rest upon them for their blatant act of defiance of God and His Law.

Part of the article reads: ‘They have asked their colleague, the Rev Andrew Dotchin, the priest-in-charge, to ask for God’s blessing upon them as a couple at the start of the Sunday morning Eucharist tomorrow.

“We’re very excited about it. It’s something we’ve wanted to happen for years,” Bond said.

It marks the first time that the Church of England has formally permitted the acknowledgement of gay relationships in church. No priest will be obliged to offer the blessings, with many traditionalist parishes planning not to opt in.

For many gay rights campaigners, the move does not go far enough as gay people remain barred from marrying in church. Gay couples may only request a blessing if it takes place during a regular service of worship, with standalone ceremonies still forbidden.

For many traditionalists, the move goes too far, and some bishops argue it violates the church’s teaching that sex and marriage should be reserved for heterosexual couples.’

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That these two deluded and evil women, and the many like them, think that God sanctions and will bless what they do shows the gross ignorance of God and His Word they are in. The Church of England has been running round in circles debating this issue and stoutly refusing to acknowledge what the Bible has to say on this matter.

WHAT THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ONCE BELIEVED!

Article 6 of ‘The Articles of Religion’, states: “Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.” (more…)

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory,” Colossians 3:4.

‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’, Gaelic phrase, is translated as ‘Our Day Will Come’! It has often fallen from the lips of the likes of Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein for many years and alleged instigator of many of the IRA’s foulest acts of terrorism, murder and intimidation.

The phrase is pronounced in a mocking, supercilious and gloating tone, indicating the Irish Republicans’ confident expectation that they will reap a rich harvest from the sowing of years of Satanic crimes. They proudly expect to enter into a glorious triumph over all things Protestant and British!

In truth, there is only one people that ever have had the right to claim in triumphant expectancy that ‘Our Day Will Come’.

That people have ever been at the centre of Irish Republican hatred and loathing and of all of their ilk throughout the ages.

I am referring to those “that are Christ’s” who “live in the Spirit” and who “also walk in the Spirit,” Galatians 5:24-25.

Our text teaches most plainly that there is a glorious day coming for the true Christian, the one born again of the Holy Spirit and who have given proof of their new birth by obeying the Word of God and keep His commandments.

1. LET ME FIRST OF ALL INDICATE THAT SUCH A HOPE IS NOT ‘PIE IN THE SKY’!

Gerry Adams and his like have been fondly repeating this ‘catch phrase’ for many years. Many of those who repeated it on Irish Republican platforms are dead. They have gone out into eternity to reap the consequences of their engaging in the politics of terror. They may well have been buried in ‘the sure and certain hope’ of heaven by false prophets but that is not where unrepentant murderers go! Why? Because the Bible says so!

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death,” Revelation 21:8.

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie,” Revelation 22:14-15. Here is where murderers go and here is where they do not go! (more…)