Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

John Owen: The Glory of Christ<open>
John Owen

Posted on 06/23/2008 6:10:37 PM PDT by Gamecock

In this way Roman Catholics are deceived. They delight outwardly in images of Christ depicting his sufferings, resurrection and glory. By these images they think their love for him grows more and more strong. But no man-made image can truly represent the person of Christ and his glory. Only the gospel can do that.

John writes not only of himself but of his fellow apostles also, 'We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth' (John 1:14). Now what was his glory of Christ which they saw, and how did they see it?

It was not the glory of Christ's outward condition for he had no earthly glory or grandeur. He kept no court, nor did he entertain people to parties in a great house. He had nowhere to lay his head, even though he created all things. There was nothing about his outward appearance that would attract the eys of the world (Isa. 53:14; 53:2-3). He appeared to others as a 'man or sorrows'.

Neither was it the eternal essential glory of his divine nature that is meant, for this no man can see while in this world. What we shall see in heaven we cannot conceive.

What the apostles witnessed was the glory of 'grace and truth'. They saw the glory of Christ's person and office in the administration of grace and truth. And how did they see this glory? It was by faith and in no other way, for this privilege was given only to those who 'received him' and believe on his name (John 1:12). This was the glory which the Baptist saw when he pointed to Christ and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' (John 1:29).

So, let no one decieve himself. He that has no sight of Christ's glory here shall never see it hereafter. The beholding of Christ's glory is too high, glorious and marvellous for us in our present condition. The splendour of Christ's glory is too much for our physical eyes just as is the sun shining in all its strength. So while we are here on earth we can behold his glory only by faith.

/cut/

No man ought to look for anything in heaven if he has not by faith first had some experience of it in this life. If men were convinced of this, they would spend more time in the exercise of faith and love about heavenly things than they usually do. At present they do not know what they enjoy, so they do not know what to expect. This is why men who are complete strangers to seeing the person and glory of Christ by faith have turned to images, pictures and music to help them in their worship.


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; General Discusssion; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: johnowen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

1 posted on 06/23/2008 6:10:37 PM PDT by Gamecock
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg; HarleyD; Quix; Forest Keeper; Manfred the Wonder Dawg; Terriergal

Ping

I found this small snippet very inspiring. Hope you do the same.


2 posted on 06/23/2008 6:12:19 PM PDT by Gamecock (The question is not, Am I good enough to be a Christian? rather Am I good enough not to be?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Many thanks for posting this. We walk by faith, not by sight - IF we keep His commandments and obey His revelation to us (that which we call the Bible).


3 posted on 06/23/2008 6:18:47 PM PDT by Manfred the Wonder Dawg (Test ALL things, hold to that which is True.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Amen to that. It has long been my complaint that people seek worship experiences (though images, music, whatever) as opposed to worshipping because the Glorious, Almighty God deserves it.


4 posted on 06/23/2008 6:26:53 PM PDT by raynearhood ("Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world... and she walks into mine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

...’in this way Roman Catholics are decieved’.... (stretch)... hahahaha.... (yawn)... hahaha... ah, why bother...


5 posted on 06/23/2008 6:27:51 PM PDT by Cap'n Crunch (Rush Limbaugh, the Winston Churchill of our time)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

The obligatory Catholic-bashing by self-righteous fundamentalist evangelical FReepers shall commence in 5... 4... 3...

Whoops, it already started...


6 posted on 06/23/2008 6:29:03 PM PDT by Old Sarge (CTHULHU '08 - I won't settle for a lesser evil any longer!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Thank you. It is a wonderful and inspiring reminder of not letting what we see get in the way of what we know.


7 posted on 06/23/2008 6:30:33 PM PDT by skr (I serve a risen Savior!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

“No man ought to look for anything in heaven if he has not by faith first had some experience of it in this life”

We do not take time to be holy because we do not think we have the time or it is time well spent. We will settle for a mess of porridge to soothe our momentary hunger for the holy and erect artificial times, places and things in place of waiting on Him and His Word and then doing it.

ena


8 posted on 06/23/2008 6:40:54 PM PDT by enat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raynearhood

How do you eat his Body and Dink his Blood if you don’t reenact the Last Supper and replenish yourself with the Eucharist! It is done through the Mass..which follows scripture..New and Old Testement!


9 posted on 06/23/2008 6:43:59 PM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Kuwait where the Weather is over a 120 F and we don't sweat it!! It's the sand we are afraid off!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

The first blind man said, “It is red.” The second blind man said,”no it is blue!”


10 posted on 06/23/2008 6:48:26 PM PDT by Soliton (Investigate, study, learn, then express an opinion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raynearhood

“Amen to that. It has long been my complaint that people seek worship experiences (though images, music, whatever) as opposed to worshiping because the Glorious, Almighty God deserves it.”

Amen to ALL that!


11 posted on 06/23/2008 7:31:59 PM PDT by bperiwinkle7 ( In the beginning was the WORD................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: philly-d-kidder

I’ve come to the conclusion that arguments between Catholics and Protestants on FreeRepublic start and end with “uh-huh,” “nuh-uh,” “uh-huh!,” “nuh-uh!” As a result, I’ve decided to stay out of it. My discussions about Catholicism happen one-on-one, face-to-face.

Sufficed to say, though, you and I interpret the Bible differently. You believe I have an incomplete or bastard faith, I believe that your faith is replete with mysticism and wrought with extra Biblical Dogma. I have Scripture (from an incomplete Bible you would say) to back my faith and you have Scripture and teachings (from extra Biblical writings I would say) to back yours.

Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m not agreeing to disagree. I believe your faith is about as wrong as you believe mine.

To answer your question though, I take communion in remembrance of the sacrifice that Christ made for me. Through the bread, I remember His body, broken for me. Through the wine, I remember his blood, spilled as an atoning sacrifice for me. It is a time of reflection, all focus is on Christ, none on my replenishing. As a matter of fact, all of my renewing is done through Christ, by the Holy Holy Spirit:

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
-Titus 3:5-7

I don’t believe in transubstantiation, if that is what was meant to be implied.


12 posted on 06/23/2008 7:53:49 PM PDT by raynearhood ("Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world... and she walks into mine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Actually the bible is very clear about not to worship graven images, but many Christians especially the people of the catholic faith, where the cross with Jesus our Savior, still on the cross! It is sad, due to the fact they are into there, “traditions of man”. I learned this just by reading the bible, and inquiring about what different faith practice, and what the bible teaches us not to do.


13 posted on 06/23/2008 8:08:31 PM PDT by ibtheman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raynearhood

I believe that the Bible everyone is using today was the result of the caretaker Catholic Church. Protestant Churches were Man led schism from the Church Founded. Self Sacrifive is essential To Salvation.. FYI Great article on Purgatory by St Francis DeSales http://www.spiritdaily.com/consolingpurgatorythoughts.htm
Cheers


14 posted on 06/23/2008 8:30:26 PM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Kuwait where the Weather is over a 120 F and we don't sweat it!! It's the sand we are afraid off!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: philly-d-kidder

Only Jesus Christ’s paying the price is essential to salvation. It is through His work, not mine, that salvation is possible.


15 posted on 06/23/2008 8:58:29 PM PDT by MonicaG (Help Wanted: Conservative leadership '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Great post, thank you. The animals (especially my pets), trees, clouds, seasons, ocean, lightning, Lake Tahoe... all make me praise God in wonder and amazement!


16 posted on 06/23/2008 9:01:57 PM PDT by MonicaG (Help Wanted: Conservative leadership '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MonicaG

So You can sin show no Remorse and be rewarded??

How do you really feel You know better than Christ who Found his church the Catholic Church..In the Catholic Catechism putting yourself above GOD is Sin... How Can people who decide for them selves or Followed Man made Religions not Put themselves above Gods Church as they Know Better? But To ignore the Eucharist is the Real Folly!Sadly!


17 posted on 06/23/2008 9:06:15 PM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Kuwait where the Weather is over a 120 F and we don't sweat it!! It's the sand we are afraid off!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: philly-d-kidder

You can’t literally eat Christ’s body and drink His blood. The references to eating Christ’s body and drinking His blood are symbolic.


18 posted on 06/23/2008 9:59:31 PM PDT by kevinw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kevinw

I Guess you have never experienced the Eucharist ... or Blieve Jesus words about it in the Bible..


19 posted on 06/23/2008 10:35:27 PM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Kuwait where the Weather is over a 120 F and we don't sweat it!! It's the sand we are afraid off!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: philly-d-kidder
The wafer doesn't redeem me; Christ does. He said, "do this in remembrance of Me," not "Do this to get the wafer that will save you!"

You have no knowledge of my remorse; neither do the men in the fabulous robes who fall down to worship 3-D images of Mary. Christ does.

Check out Isaiah 43:1-3 and notice the lack of the Eucharist, dude! Also, how in the world did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in Daniel 3:2-27, make it out of the furnace without the wafer?!? I notice Christ was there, though. Why was it anyway that King Nebuchadnezzar had'em thrown into that fire anyway, right? Because they didn't study catechism? No, here it is, in Daniel 3:4:

Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

Speaking of man-made religions, Pot. Kettle. Black.
20 posted on 06/23/2008 10:38:27 PM PDT by MonicaG (Help Wanted: Conservative leadership '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson