“Faith told Moses that affliction and suffering are not real evils. They are . . .
the school of God, in which He trains the children of grace for glory;
the medicines, which are needful to purify our corrupt hearts;
the furnace, which must burn away our dross;
the knife, which must cut the ties which bind us to the world.”
–J.C. Ryle, Faith’s Choice
1879
Continuing with Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones’ book Spiritual Depression Its Causes and Cures he provides these observations and principles concering “the cure”.
Observation #1. “Avoid making a premature claim that one’s ‘blindness’ is cured.
The man, in a sense, could see, but so far his sight was incomplete and imperfect, and it was most vital that he should not testify before he had seen clearly. It is fatal to do so.” pg 47
Observation #2. Opposite from the #1. This person “feels absolutely hopeless and there is no point going on. They stop reading their Bible, they stop praying.” pg 47
What is the cure? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones responds, “It is to be honest and answer our Lord’s question truthfully and honestly.” pg 47
Not a simple nor quick cure but comprehensive and complete. It requires intentional, honest, self-examination;
Mark 8:25b “and he {blind man } looked intently and was restored,”
The blind man looked. At himself.
It requires the intentional focus on Scripture. The life of Jesus Christ. The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The blind man looked. At Christ.
and was restored.
“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate.” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.”
2 Corinthians 6: 17-18
Spiritual Depression: It Causes and Cure
Martin Lloyd-Jones attributes this state of incompleteness/trouble to never fully accepting the teaching and authority of Scripture. They We mix our own ideas with spiritual truth, we begin to modify the Scriptures. We refuse to to accept it authoritatively in every repect, in preaching and living, in doctrine and world outlook.
Secondly, MLJ attributes this trouble to those not interested in doctrine.
“It is the doctrine that hurts, it is the doctrine that focuses things. It is the one thing to look at pictures and to be interested in words and shades of meaning. That does not distrub, that does not focus attention on sin, nor call for decision. We can sit back and enjoy that; but doctrine speaks to us and insists upon a decision. This is truth, and it examines us and tries us and forces us to examine oursleves.” {emphasis mine}
So if we object to doctrine, it is not surprising if we do not see things clearly, it is not surprising if we are unhappy and miserable. There is nothing that so clears a man’s spiritual sight as the apprehension and understanding of the doctrines of the Bible.
{emphasis mine}
Mark 8: 22-26
Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly, And He sent him to his home, saying, Do not not even enter the village.”
Myth: “Simultaneously Christian and not Christian.” I felt this way because when I heard preaching on Sunday mornings and if I read Scripture on my own . . . a rarity . . . it was just words, words, words . . . my head understood but my heart was not engaged. I could recite with conviction why I was a Christian and who Jesus was and even why you should be too.
However, I clearly recall wanting what I knew that I didn’t have, I was getting closer. In one moment {most likely hearing or singing in church} Psalm 42:1 articulated my heart’s need and I knew what to pray, “Lord give me the desire for You as the deer pants for water.” I live in southwester PA we have lots of deer.
and this I prayed for a season.
Martin Loyd-Jones doesn’t get into whether or not Stage 1 {my classification not his} Christians are really Christians. I just now know that I wasn’t.
Knowing Jesus as a Savior or even the Savior yet not knowing Him as the Lord of my life was incomplete. God’s Word was not my life’s authority. It is an all or nothing deal.
Pondering Mark’s account of Jesus’ healing the blind man; it is fascinating to make some observations.
Jesus could have healed/restored the blind man’s sight immediately and effortlessly but He didn’t. A lesson for the disciples and a lesson for God’s people.
How different the scene might have played if the miracle took place in the village among the people! When the blind man first admitted he could “see” the crowds would have been stunned, shaken, awed, and perhaps cheering the action before them. Encouraged by the crowd and pursuaded by the crowd’s enthusiasm the blind man may have thought Jesus was finished and rush away, celebrating his new sight. This was BIG! Immediate change. “A changed life.” {heard this a million times in ministries}
Not knowing he was incomplete, not knowing what he missed. As days, weeks, months, and years marched on he would become dissatisfied, disillusioned, confused, frustrated and maybe even angry; doubting this Jesus because it was evident that his sight was still not fully restored. Why would he search for this man to complete the job? It didn’t work the first time. The healing didn’t ‘take’.
Have you been there? . . . I have. For years.
. . . He asked him, “Do you see anything?”
{Jesus said to the blind man in Mark 8:23}
This miracle was different.
Jesus led the blind man out of town. The blind man submitted to the leading.
Jesus used his own saliva to deliver the healing.
It was a 2 stage healing. With a penetrating question in between, “Do you see anything?”
The blind man answered, honestly, “I see men, for I see them like trees.” In this passage the blind man can see but he must not be fully healed because Jesus laid His hands on the blind man’s eyes a second time! This time, Scripture tells us that the blind man is “restored, and began to see everything clearly.” {emphasis mine}
Stage 2 brought restoration and clarity . . .
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explores this unusual miracle in Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure. He asks the question, Who sees but does not see clearly? And what happens to produce the second stage of seeing clearly?
I was a 2 Stage Christian. So much makes sense, now . . .
Try to describe this man who received the {stage 1} miracle. Is he still a “blind man?” Is he healed? Not a simple answer. What is he?
Lloyd-Jones’ answer is intriguing and addresses the condition of myself a few years ago, a significant portion of people {active in their churches}, the population of preachers and ”ministries” profiting from diluted and false doctrine, along with addressing the current state of the church.
MLJ describes Stage 1: These people profess to be Christian but are often ’disquieted and unhappy’. “They know enough about Christianity to spoil their enjoyment of the world, and yet do not know enough to feel happy about themselves” They see yet they don’t see. A distressing condition.
Loyd-Jones asks, “What is it these people see?” The ‘blind man’ saw something. Possible scenarios:
Person A: They are unhappy with themselves, a sense of dissatisfaction with themselves as they are. At one time they were perfectly satisfied with life but not now. Lived life loving it but something happened which gives them a new view, a different perspective. Life is empty and hollow. Everything is wrong but Christianity is not right. Leads to cynicism and despair.
Person B: This person sees the excellencies of the Christian life as described in Scripture. If everyone only lived like that! This aspect is seen clearly. Additionally, they see that Jesus is their only hope. ‘Jesus Christ is somehow the Savior.’
Having dismissed Jesus earlier in their lives they realize that He is a Savior. He can make a difference. They are interested in the person, Jesus, and concerned about Him.
Additionally, Person B, as they observe and learn the true quality of the Christian life, they see that man cannot lift himself up to that position. They see that they cannot save themselves.
{Remember, the blind man when asked said, “I see men, . . .”}
Person A and Person B see something, but they only see men walking as trees. They see Christianity at work in the world, they attend church, serve the church, profess to be a Christian but they do not clearly see:
Simultaneously Christian and not Christian, Stage 1. Have you been there? . . . I have.
” Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and amonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16
(Charles Spurgeon, “Multitudinous Thoughts and Sacred Comforts” 1869)
HT: Grace Jems
If man were a mere animal–his joy and sorrow would depend entirely upon outward things. Let but the trough be full–and the swine are happy! Let the pasture be abundant–and the sheep are content! In the sunshine–every sparrow will be twittering on the trees; but let the heavens weep–and every wing is drooping. In long drought, or severe frost, or pinching famine–the animal creation languishes and pines.
You cannot, however, be sure of making a man happy–by surrounding him with abundance. Nor can you plunge a Christian into wretchedness–by any deprivations which you may cause him.
Man’s greatest joy or sorrow–must arise from inner springs. The mind itself is the lair of misery–or the nest of happiness. Thoughts are the flowers from which we must distill the essential flavorings of life. Paul and Silas sing in the stocks, because theft minds are at ease; while Herod frets on his throne, because of an accusing conscience.
It is very satisfying to find creative solutions to organizing/simplifying our home. Stay with me this is a bit involved . . .
1. My husband deposits the contents of his pockets, charges his phone, and stores “must do” items on our hutch in the kitchen. It is a bit of an eye sore. The solution, I proposed, was to store these items in one of the hutch drawers. He agreed (teasingly reminding him that he has been ‘drawer trained’ before).
2. Also have been trying to solve space issues in our kitchen. Better organized and functional. We do not have a pantry nor many cabinets so this hutch could provide additional useable storage instead of shelves of cookbooks and serving dishes.
3. I have been thinking of redoing this piece of furniture for some time and thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Began the transformation last monday which led to emptying and considering the contents and whether they should be replaced. Always through the lens . . . “How Much is Enough?” Specifically how many cookbooks is enough?
{this is where my craziness will be revealed}
There are many books that I keep just in case a.) I find myself living in a Farenheit 451 society b.) I find myself living ‘underground’ as a persecuted Christian or c.) Terrorists have disabled the internet and cannot access and reference material on-line {or in this case AllRecipes.com}
Since I have been down this road before and significantly reduced the number of cookbooks - separating these into 2 piles of definite keepers and those to consider giving away went quickly. Using “Have I even opened this cookbook in the last year?” question to make the cuts.
. . . and this is where I stalled and wasted so much time & energy . . . all week I have been mulling this dilemma over and over in the back of my mind. The culprits: 2 cookbooks: a gigando Italian Cookbook and an International Cookbook. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I thought about whether I should keep or eliminate these 2 items. I am ashamed.
Sometime on Saturday there was some clarity. Suddenly, I realized I am never going to be an italian chef! My family and I are quite satisfied with some italianish dishes that I have been preparing for years {and not from this cookbook} I also realized that I am not terribly interested in international cooking! Besides it reminds me too much of the current trend of being a ‘citizen of the world’ and therefore endtimes . . . {crazy me}.
The biggest ah-ha moment was realizing that if am living in a Farenheit 451 society, living ‘underground’, or terrorists have sabotaged the internet I won’t have any opportunity for cooking a fabulous, authentic italian meal or dazzling my family with Morocco’s finest cuisine. I think I laughed out loud when I reached this conclusion!
The 2 miserable cookbooks are gone along with a few others and some serving dishes because once I let go of my gourmet cooking dreams I was freer to answer “How much is enough?” and I honestly feel a huge burden lifted {pathetic}.
I love the cleanliness of the shelves in the hutch, husband’s items tucked into a drawer, other cabinets in the kitchen are neater and more efficient due to the freed space. I even have an empty drawer!
This whole process {which turned into a MUCH bigger project than originally anticipated — I was just fixing an eye sore and improving the functionality of my kitchen} was both amusing and disturbing as I considered the real issue of my attachment to the things of this world {remember I am talking about COOKBOOKS}. Humbled by the heart-work yet to be done, thankful for a gracious God who gently reveals the ways I cling {tightly} to this world, and rejoicing in the baby step away from the world and towards my most prized possession.
It was actually time & energy well spent . . . just not anticipated.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that {salvation} not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
It all initiates with the grace of God: He takes the initiative in providing it. Salvation is given to those who are utterly unworthy of it, on the basis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is given as a present possession. Those who are saved can know it. Writing to the Ephesians, Paul said, “you have been saved.”
He knew it, and they knew it.
The way we receive the gift of eternal life is “through faith.” Faith means that man takes his place as a lost, guilty sinner, and receives the Lord Jesus as his only hope of salvation. True saving faith is the commitment of a person to a Person.
Any idea that man can earn or deserve salvation is forever exploded by the word, “and that not of yourselves.” Dead people {lifeless toward God, dead in the sin of this corrupt world}can do nothing, and sinners deserve nothing but punishment.
“It is the gift of God.” A gift, of course, is a free and unconditional present. That is the only basis on which God offers salvation.
The gift of God is salvation {an eternity of life} by grace and through faith.
It is offered to all people everywhere.
It is “not of works,” that is, it is not something a person can earn through supposedly meritorious deeds. It cannot be earned, for instance, by:
1. Confirmation
2. Baptism
3. Church membership
4. Church attendance
5. Holy Communion
6. Trying to keep the 10 Commandments
7. Living by the Sermon on the Mount
8. Giving to charity
9. Being a good neighbor
10. Living a moral, respectable life.
People are not saved by works. And they are not saved by faith + works.
They are saved through faith alone.
The minute you add works of any kind or in any amount as a means of gaining eternal life, salvation is no longer by grace.
William MacDonald
Believer’s Bible Commentary
{. . .} are my thoughts
“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Galations 6:14
