We are far too good at analyzing what is wrong with the culture and far too myopic at analyzing what is wrong in the church. Sinclair B. Ferguson More Quotes by Sinclair B. Ferguson More Quotes From Sinclair B. Ferguson How do we bring glory to God? The Bible’s short answer is: by growing more and more like Jesus Christ. Sinclair B. Ferguson christian god bible My security as a Christian does not reside in the strength of my faith but in the indestructibili ty of my Savior. Sinclair B. Ferguson religious christian faith When I know that Christ is the one real sacrifice for my sins, that His work on my behalf has been accepted by God, that He is my heavenly Intercessor - then His blood is the antidote to the poison in the voices that echo in my conscience, condemning me for my many failures. Indeed, Christ's shed blood chokes them into silence! Sinclair B. Ferguson sacrifice real blood It is only when we want to take our lives out of the Father’s hands and have them under our own control that we find ourselves gripped with anxiety. The secret of freedom from anxiety is freedom from ourselves and abandonment of our own plans. But that spirit emerges in our lives only when our minds are filled with the knowledge that our Father can be trusted implicitly to supply everything we need. Sinclair B. Ferguson anxiety father hands God is God; you are but one of His creatures. Your only joy is to be found in obeying Him, your true fulfillment is to be found in worshiping Him, your only wisdom is to be found in trusting and knowing Him. Sinclair B. Ferguson knowing worship joy Love is not maximum emotion. Love is maximum commitment. Sinclair B. Ferguson inspiring inspirational love Appearances can be deceptive. The fact that we cannot see what God is doing does not mean that He is doing nothing. The Lord has His own timetable. It is we who must learn to adjust to it, not vice versa. When God's time comes nothing will stand in His way. We can therefore wait for Him with this happy confidence: "As for God, His way is perfect" (2 Samuel 22:31). Sinclair B. Ferguson waiting perfect mean Thinking that I deserve heaven is a sure sign I have no understanding of the gospel. Sinclair B. Ferguson understanding heaven thinking Worship is not something we "work up," it is something that "comes down" to us, from the character of God. Sinclair B. Ferguson character-of-god worship character Humility is not simply feeling small and useless - like an inferiority complex. It is sensing how great and glorious God is, and seeing myself in that light. Sinclair B. Ferguson light humility feelings The holiness of God teaches us that there is only one way to deal with sin- radically, seriously, painfully, constantly. If you do not so live, you do not live in the presence of the Holy One of Israel. Sinclair B. Ferguson holiness israel way Spiritual growth depends on two things: first a willingness to live according to the Word of God; second, a willingness to take whatever consequences emerge as a result. Sinclair B. Ferguson growth spiritual two We best defend the Lord's glory by speaking first TO Him about unbelieving men rather than speaking first ABOUT Him to unbelieving men. Sinclair B. Ferguson glory men firsts True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best. Sinclair B. Ferguson indifferent essentials mean There is nothing more important to learn about Christian growth than this: Growing in grace means becoming like Christ. Sinclair B. Ferguson grace christian mean Christian contentment, therefore, is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord and to be totally at His disposal in the place He appoints, at the time He chooses, with the provision He is pleased to make. Sinclair B. Ferguson contentment ambition christian Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you Sinclair B. Ferguson obedience knows may This, then, is the foundation of sanctification in Reformed theology. It is rooted, not in humanity and their achievement of holiness or sanctification, but in what God has done in Christ, and for us in union with him. Rather than view Christians first and foremost in the microcosmic context of their own progress, the Reformed doctrine first of all sets them in the macrocosm of God's activity in redemptive history. It is seeing oneself in this context that enables the individual Christian to grow in true holiness. Sinclair B. Ferguson achievement christian views The foundation of worship in the heart is not emotional ("I feel full of worship" or "The atmosphere is so worshipful"). Actually, it is theological. Worship is not something we "work up," it is something that "comes down" to us, from the character of God. Sinclair B. Ferguson emotional heart character Jesus Christ is able to set us free because He has dealt with the sin that enslaves us. Sinclair B. Ferguson able sin jesus
