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"THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST"
The Highway ^ | 11/04/2011 | Charles H. Spurgeon

Posted on 11/04/2011 12:06:23 PM PDT by RnMomof7

1. The precious blood of Christ has a REDEEMING POWER. It redeems from the law. We were all under the law which says, "This do, and live." We were slaves to it: Christ has paid the ransom price, and the law is no longer our tyrant master. We are entirely free from it. The law had a dreadful curse; it threatened that whosoever should violate one of its precepts, should die: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." By the fear of this curse, the law inflicted a continual dread on those who were under it; they knew they had disobeyed it, and they were all their lifetime subject to bondage, fearful lest death and destruction should come upon them at any moment: but we are not under the law, but under grace, and consequently "We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

We are not afraid of the law now; its worst thunders cannot affect us, for they are not hurled at us! Its most tremendous lightnings cannot touch us, for we are sheltered beneath the cross of Christ, where the thunder loses its terror and the lightning its fury. We read the law of God with pleasure now; we look upon it as in the ark covered with the mercy seat, and not thundering in tempests from Sinai’s fiery brow.

Happy is that man who knows his full redemption from the law, its curse, its penalty, its present dread. My brethren, the life of a Jew, happy as it was compared with that of a heathen, was perfect drudgery compared to yours and mine. He was hedged in with a thousand commands and prohibitions, his forms and ceremonies were abundant, and their details minutely arranged. He was always in danger of making himself unclean. If he sat upon a bed or upon a stool, he might be defiled; if he drank out of an earthen pitcher, or even touched the wall of a house, a leprous man might have put his hand there before him, and he would thus become defiled.

A thousand sins of ignorance were like so many hidden pits in his way; he must be perpetually in fear lest he should be cut off from the people of God. When he had done his best any one day, he knew he had not finished; no Jew could ever talk of a finished work. The bullock was offered, but he must bring another; the lamb was offered this morning, but another must be offered this evening, another tomorrow, and another the next day. The Passover is celebrated with holy rites; it must be kept in the same manner next year. The high priest has gone within the veil once, but he must go there again; the thing is never finished, it is always beginning. He never comes any nearer to the end. "The law could not make the comer thereunto perfect."

But see our position: we are redeemed from this. Our law is fulfilled, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness; our passover is slain, for Jesus died; our righteousness is finished, for we are complete in Him; our victim is slain, our priest has gone within the veil, the blood is sprinkled; we are clean, and clean beyond any fear of defilement, "For he hath perfected for ever those that were set apart." Value this precious blood, my beloved, because thus it has redeemed you from the thraldom and bondage which the law imposed upon its votaries.

Full sermon here

Spurgeon sermon


TOPICS: Apologetics; Moral Issues; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: faith; forgiveness; justification; spurgeon
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To: smvoice

II Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Catholics never know how to "rightly dividing the word of truth" they are ashamed of rightly dividing the word of truth.


181 posted on 11/05/2011 8:06:40 AM PDT by bibletruth
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To: bibletruth

Because if they ever learned what it meant, their house of deceit would collapse. Beginning with this argument over baptism.


182 posted on 11/05/2011 8:08:45 AM PDT by smvoice (Who the *#@! is Ivo of Chatre & why am I being accused of not linking to his quote?)
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To: Vegasrugrat; CynicalBear; boatbums; metmom

The Lutherans correctly believe in infant baptism, the Baptists do not. both claim to follow “sola scriptura”.
the Scriptures are silent on the issue, although the verses you post can be read to support infant baptism.

the only way we can know for sure whether infant baptism is correct or not is to follow the teaching authority of the Church.
the Church has been here for 2,000 years and it knows what doctrines it received from the Apostles. the Universal Church from the beginning has always practiced infant baptism and the ECF testify they received the practice from the Apostles.

can anyone imagine the great hue and cry that would ensue if a Baptist minister was to baptize a baby in front on his conregation??? he would be declared a heretic and fired on the spot!!
why do we think it would be any different in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd century?
search Church History far and wide, you will find no arguement or disagreement on infant baptism.
that is, until the 16th century.


183 posted on 11/05/2011 8:17:36 AM PDT by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
... because all the Church practiced it and all acknowledged its Apostolic source.

I have the Church Fathers and the Apostolic tradition that say otherwise.

Lets investigate your claim shall we ...

In time order ... who were the church fathers and their writings that occupied the church prior to 100 AD, the first century?

Answer:

1. Clement Episptle to the Corinthians
2. Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus
3. Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
4. Writings of Ignatius

As a Catholic, you may be totally shocked that the first three ... the earliest disciples of the apostles! ... DO NOT MENTION BAPTISM AT ALL !!

None, zero, nada ... no mention at all.

The forth father, Ignatius, who wrote many letters, and whom many letters were forged in his name ... out of the 20+ letters with his name ... He mentions baptism a few times, almost always merely quoting Eph. 4.5, but saying NOT ONE SINGLE THING about mode or about infant baptism ... nor is the concept of baptismal regeneration even hinted at.

I have personally searched through each of these writings myself and agree with the conclusion provided by BeVier:

It is most significant that in all the extant writings of Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp—the three outstanding subapostolic fathers—there is no mention whatsoever to water baptism in any form. This is not to say that they did not believe in or practice water baptism, but it is indicative that they did not lay the great stress on the ordinance that was present in the later fathers. This is clear evidence that these who were taught by the apostles themselves put no emphasis on any particular mode, but they did at the same time stress many other doctrines in their epistles. We undoubtedly should learn much from these early pupils of Peter, Paul and John and at the same time save ourselves and those about us a lot of time, effort, and ill feeling wasted on that which is not vital.

From: William A. BeVier, "Water Baptism in the Ancient Church, Part I," Bibliotheca Sacra 116: 462 (1959): 136-144.

Recall that by AD 95, the writing of the Revelation to John, Jesus Christ rebuked all but one of the seven churches! By 100 AD the church had already "lost its first love" ...

This romanticism that the RCC has with the early fathers has led to all manner of errors ...

I pray that the eyes of your understanding would be opened ...

184 posted on 11/05/2011 8:31:24 AM PDT by dartuser ("If you are ... what you were ... then you're not.")
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism; metmom; boatbums; smvoice
>> arrogance?<<

Yes, arrogance. You’re going to stand before Christ and tell Him that you “legally” performed a physical act and that makes you “legally” deserve heaven? It ain’t gonna happen.

>> Jesus said “ I AM the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.<<

You obviously disagree with the higher ups in the RCC.

“We often more quickly obtain what we ask by calling on the name of Mary than by invoking that of Jesus. She...is our Salvation, our Life, our Hope, our Counsel, our Refuge, our Help” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, pp. 254, 257).

Our gaze is directed toward you in great fear, to you do we turn with ever-more insistent faith in these times marked by many uncertainties and fears for the present and future of our planet. Together we lift our confident and sorrowful petition to you, the first fruit of humanity redeemed by Christ, finally freed from the slavery of evil and sin: hear the cry of the pain of victims of war and so many forms of violence that bloody the earth. Clear away the darkness of sorrow and worry, of hate and vengeance. Open up our minds and hearts to faith and forgiveness!” —Pope John Paul II Prays to Mary. Which he prayed publicly on December 8, 2003

Mary is given the power of Christ..... “All power is given to thee in Heaven and on earth, so that at the command of Mary all obey even God . . . and thus . . . God has placed the whole Church . . . under the dominion of Mary” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, pp. 254, 257).

Remember, if you don’t agree with the RCC you are declared anathema.

185 posted on 11/05/2011 8:38:52 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism; boatbums; smvoice; metmom
>>“My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink” [John 6:55]<<

Was that the flesh of His earthly body or His transfigured body?

>>Catholics accept the plain and literal meaning of the biblical texts.<<

Oh really?

The RCC says.

If anyone shall say that the ungodly man is justified by faith only so as to understand that nothing else is required that may cooperate to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is in no wise necessary for him to be prepared and disposed by the motion of his own will ... let him be accursed (Canon 9).

If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed (Canon 12).

Scripture says.

Rom. 3:28-30, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one."

Rom. 4:5, "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,"

Rom. 5:1, "therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Gal. 2:16, "nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."

Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

186 posted on 11/05/2011 8:50:23 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear

Gloria (an ancient hymn of praise):
All: Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

LOL! You kill me.

above is a prayer the “RCC” prays at every Mass, any mention of Mary there? note what is says about Jesus Christ:
for you alone are the holy one, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the most high, Jesus Christ.

got it???


187 posted on 11/05/2011 8:53:24 AM PDT by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: dartuser; metmom; CynicalBear; boatbums

are you Mormon?

you deny the Trinity and think the Church went apostate after 100ad, both hallmarks of Mormon theology.

see post #175 for what the early Church taught about baptism.


188 posted on 11/05/2011 8:56:05 AM PDT by one Lord one faith one baptism
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism; boatbums; metmom; dartuser
>>i’ll give you a hint, it doesn’t involve bricks and mortar.<<

I’ll give you a hint. I wasn’t talking about bricks and mortar. The definition of “apostle” is simply “one who is sent”. Ergo, Christ sent His disciples which simply meant they were apostles. Anyone who is sent out to spread the gospel is an apostle. The RCC trying to usurp Christ’s true church is blasphemy.

189 posted on 11/05/2011 8:57:31 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: RnMomof7

It´s odd that Jesus the Jew never mentioned himself when he taught ¨Our Father¨. Instead he promoted yet another Hebrew prayer.


190 posted on 11/05/2011 9:00:03 AM PDT by onedoug (lf)
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
>>is to follow the teaching authority of the Church.<<

Good luck with that Churchianity thing.

191 posted on 11/05/2011 9:00:26 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: Vegasrugrat; CynicalBear

You do know, don’t you, that circumcision never saved anyone either.


192 posted on 11/05/2011 9:02:51 AM PDT by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
Scriptures are silent on the issue, although the verses you post can be read to support infant baptism.

the only way we can know for sure whether infant baptism is correct or not is to follow the teaching authority of the Church.

If scripture supports infant baptism, why would I need the approval of the Catholic Church? It seems Gods' Word trumps all authority.

There is probably much that you and I would agree with, but we part on whose authority we follow, you give all authority to the church (Catholic), I give all authority to The Church, Jesus Christ and his believers.

God Bless

193 posted on 11/05/2011 9:04:38 AM PDT by Vegasrugrat
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To: dartuser
>>In time order ... who were the church fathers and their writings that occupied the church prior to 100 AD, the first century?<<

Interesting how that 200AD timetable keeps popping up showing a definitive change in the doctrine of the CC. Interesting how pagan influences started to creep in after that.

Interesting how “unanimous consent of the fathers” holds up also. Ooops.

194 posted on 11/05/2011 9:05:55 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
>> above is a prayer the “RCC” prays at every Mass, any mention of Mary there?<<

But God has to listen to Mary per the RCC.

Mary is given the power of Christ..... “All power is given to thee in Heaven and on earth, so that at the command of Mary all obey even God . . . and thus . . . God has placed the whole Church . . . under the dominion of Mary” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, pp. 180-181)

If you don’t subscribe to the edicts of the RCC on Mary you are anathema.

Got it?

195 posted on 11/05/2011 9:15:35 AM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: metmom

From the promises that are attached to baptism in the Bible, we know and believe that the Holy Spirit uses this sacrament to work faith in human hearts.

Baptism is not a free pass to heaven, many who have been baptized have rejected this gift.

Circumcision was a covenant between God and the nation of Israel in the OT.


196 posted on 11/05/2011 9:24:10 AM PDT by Vegasrugrat
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To: one Lord one faith one baptism
you deny the Trinity

No I do not deny the trinity ... I am using your logic in claiming that if the exact word is not in the NT then the doctrine does not exist.

And that, if you were consistent with your own logic, you must reject that list of items I mentioned.

197 posted on 11/05/2011 9:27:51 AM PDT by dartuser ("If you are ... what you were ... then you're not.")
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To: CynicalBear
Interesting how that 200AD timetable keeps popping up

Right around the time of Origen, the father of the allegorical method of Biblical interpretation.

198 posted on 11/05/2011 9:37:01 AM PDT by dartuser ("If you are ... what you were ... then you're not.")
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To: CynicalBear

Mary is given the power of Christ..... “All power is given to thee in Heaven and on earth, so that at the command of Mary all obey even God . . . and thus . . . God has placed the whole Church . . . under the dominion of Mary” (The Glories of Mary by Bishop Alphonse de Ligouri (Brooklyn: Redemptorist Fathers, pp. 254, 257).

that is why God allows them to believe in Hell (Purgatory) because they have made Mary out to be a deity. Blasphemy! They earned their judgment in Purgatory!!

All power is given Christ from God Almighty, not Mary, a former sinner who admitted her need for a savior:: Luke 1:46: AND MARY SAID, My soul doth magnify the Lord, Luke 1:47: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my SAVIOUR.


199 posted on 11/05/2011 9:38:39 AM PDT by bibletruth
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To: Vegasrugrat
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."

Baptism follows faith as an act of obedience and an outward declaration of the already completely work of the Holy Spirit in the believers heart. It's an outward sign of the inward work that already happened, that is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which already occurred.

Water baptism does not activate or produce faith or the baptism of the Holy Spirit..

200 posted on 11/05/2011 9:41:43 AM PDT by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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