Filed under: Charismatic Chaos, Deceived, Exposition of The Gospel of John, Ignorance
“The sisters of Lazarus acquainted the Lord with the desperate condition of their brother, appealed to His love, and then left the case in His hands, to be dealt with as He saw best. They were not so irreverent as to tell Him what to do. In this they have left all praying souls a worthy example which we do well to follow. “Commit thy way unto the Lord”: that is our responsibility. “Trust also in him”; that is our happy privilege. “Trust also in him,” not dictate to Him, and not demand from Him. People talk of “claiming” from God. But grace cannot be “claimed,” and all is of grace. The very “throne” we approach is one of grace. How utterly incongruous then to talk of “claiming” anything from the Sitter on such a throne.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “An Exposition of the Gospel of John” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)
“The Christian is to have good will toward all with whom he comes in contact, desiring and seeking their best interests (Galatians 6:10), but he is not to be yoked to (2 Corinthians 6:14) nor have any fellowship with (Ephesians 5:11) those who are unbelievers, nor is he to delight in or have complacency toward those who despise his Master. “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?” (2 Chronicles 19:2).
Would you knowingly take a viper into your bosom? “The wicked is an abomination unto the righteous” (Proverbs 29:26).
So said David, “Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies” (Psalm 139:21,22).
That holy man could not be confederate with such.
Evil company is to be sedulously avoided by the Christian lest he become defiled by them. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).
Nor is it only the openly lawless and criminal who are to be shunned, but even, yea especially, those professing to be Christians yet who do not live the life of Christians. It is this latter class particularly against which the real child of God needs to be most on his guard: namely, those who say one thing and do another; those whose talk is pious, but whose walk differs little or nothing from the non-professor, The Word of God is plain and positive on this point: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5).
This is not merely good advice, but a Divine command which we disregard at our peril.
In selecting your “companions” let not a pleasing personality deceive you.
The Devil himself often poses as “an angel of light,” and sometimes his wolfish agents disguise themselves in “sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). Be most careful in seeing to it that what draws you toward and makes you desire the companionship of Christian friends is their love and likeness to Christ and not their love and likeness to you. Shun as you would a deadly plague those who are not awed by the fear of God, i.e., a trembling lest they offend Him. Let not the Devil persuade you that you are too well established in the faith to be injured by intimacy with worldly “Christians” (?). “Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Rather “follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
The Greek word here for “communications” properly means “a bringing together, companionships.” And evil companionships “corrupt.” All evil is contagious and association with evildoers, whether they be “church members” or open infidels, has a defiling and debasing effect upon the true child of God. Mark well how the Holy Spirit has prefaced His warning: “be not deceived.” Evidently there is a real danger of God’s people imagining that they can play with fire without getting burned. Not so: God has not promised to protect us when we fly in the face of his danger signals.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “Godly Companions” by A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
“Thus says the Lord—Do not learn the way of the heathen…for the customs of the people are vain.” Jeremiah 10:1-3
“Christmas is coming! Quite so—but what is “Christmas?” Does not the very term itself denote it’s source— “Christ-mass.” Thus it is of Roman origin, brought over from paganism. But, says someone, Christmas is the time when we commemorate the Savior’s birth. It is? And WHO authorized such commemoration? Certainly God did not. The Redeemer bade His disciples “remember” Him in His death, but there is not a word in scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, which tells us to celebrate His birth. Moreover, who knows when, in what month, He was born? The Bible is silent thereon. It is without reason that the only “birthday” commemorations mentioned in God’s Word are Pharaoh’s (Gen. 40:20) and Herod’s (Matt. 14:6)? Is this recorded “for our learning?” If so, have we prayerfully taken it to heart?
And WHO is it that celebrates “Christmas?” The whole “civilized world.” Millions who make no profession of faith in the blood of the Lamb, who “despise and reject Him,” and millions more who while claiming to be His followers yet in works deny Him—join in merrymaking under the pretense of honoring the birth of the Lord Jesus. Putting it on it’s lowest ground, we would ask, is it fitting that Christ’s friends should unite with His enemies in a worldly round of fleshly gratification? Does any true born-again soul really think that He whom the world cast out is either pleased or glorified by such participation in the world’s joys? Truly, the customs of the people are VAIN! It is written, “You shall not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exodus 23:2).
Some will argue for the “keeping of Christmas” on the ground of “giving the kiddies a good time.” But why do this under the cloak of honoring the Savior’s birth? Why is it necessary to drag in His holy name in connection with what takes place at that season of carnal jollification? Is this taking the little one with you—OUT of Egypt (Ex. 10:9-10) a type of the world—or is it not plainly a mingling with the present day Egyptians in their “pleasures of sin for a season?” (Heb. 11:25) Scripture says, “Train up a child in the way he should go—and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Scripture does command God’s people to bring up their children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4), but where does it stipulate that it is our duty to give the little one a “good time?” Do we ever give the children “a good time” when we engage in anything upon which we cannot fittingly ask THE LORD’S blessing?
There are those who DO abstain from some of the grosser carnalities of the “festive season,” yet are they nevertheless in cruel bondage to the prevailing custom of “Christmas”, namely that of exchanging “gifts.” We say “exchanging”, for that is what it really amounts to in many cases. A list is kept, either on paper or in memory, of those from whom gifts were received last year, and that for the purpose of returning the compliment this year. Nor is this all—great care has been taken that the “gift” made to the friend is worth as much in dollars and cents as the one they expect to receive from him or her. Thus, with many who can ill afford it, a considerable sum has to be set aside each year with which to purchase things simply to send them out in RETURN for others which are likely to be received. Thus a burden has been bound on them which not a few find hard to bear.
But what are we to do? If we fail to send out “gifts” our friends will think hard of us, probably deem us stingy and miserly. The honest course is to go to the trouble of notifying them—by letter if at a distance—that from now on you do not propose to send out any more “Christmas gifts” as such. Give your reasons. State plainly that you have been brought to see that “Christmas merrymaking” is entirely a thing OF THE WORLD, devoid of any Scriptural warrant; that it is a Romish institution, and now that you see this—you dare no longer have any fellowship with it (Eph. 5:11); that you are the Lord’s “free man” (1 Cor. 7:22), and therefore you refuse to be in bondage to a costly custom imposed by the world.
What about sending out “Christmas cards” with a text of Scripture on them? That also is an abomination in the sight of God. Why? Because His Word expressly forbids all unholy mixtures; Deut. 22:10-11 typified this. What do we mean by an “unholy mixture?” This—the linking together of the pure Word of God with the Romish “Christ-MASS.” By all means send cards (preferably at some other time of the year) to your ungodly friends, and Christians too, with a verse of Scripture—but NOT with “Christmas” on it. What would you think of a printed program of vaudeville, having Isaiah 53:5 at the foot of it? Why, that it was altogether OUT OF PLACE, and highly incongruous. But in the sight of God—the circus and the theater are far less obnoxious than the “Christmas celebration” of Romish and Protestant “churches.” Why? Because the latter are done under the cover of the holy name of Christ—the former are not.
“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18). Where there is a heart that really desires to please the Lord, He graciously grants increasing knowledge of His will. If He is pleased to use these lines in opening the eyes of some of His dear people to recognize what is a growing evil, and to show them that they have been dishonoring Christ by linking the name of the Man of Sorrows (and such He WAS, when on earth) with a “MERRY Christmas,” then join with the writer in a repentant confessing of this sin to God, seeking His grace for complete deliverance from it, and praise Him for the light which He has granted you concerning it.
Beloved fellow-Christian, “The coming of the Lord draws near” (Jas. 5:8). Do we really believe this? Believe it not because the Papacy is regaining its lost temporal power, but because GOD says so—”for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). If so, what effects does such believing have on our walk? This may be your last Christmas on earth. During it, the Lord may descend from heaven with a shout to gather His own to Himself. Would you like to be summoned from a “Christmas party”—to meet Him in the air? The call for the moment is “Go you OUT to meet Him” (Matt. 25:6) out from a Godless Christendom, out from the horrible burlesque of “religion” which now masquerades under His name.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). How solemn and searching! The Lord Jesus declared that “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36). If every “idle word” is going to be taken note of, then most assuredly will be every wasted energy, every wasted dollar, every wasted hour! Should we still be on earth when the closing days of this year arrive, let writer and reader earnestly seek grace to live and act with the judgment seat of Christ before us. HIS “well done” will be ample compensation for the sneers and taunts which we may now receive from Christless souls.
Does any Christian reader imagine for a moment that when he or she shall stand before their holy Lord, that they will regret having lived “too strictly” on earth? Is there the slightest danger of His reproving any of His own because they were “too extreme” in “abstaining from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11)? We may gain the good will and good works of worldly religionists today, by our compromising on “little points,” but shall we receive His smile and approval on that day? Oh to be more concerned about what HE thinks, and less concerned about what perishing mortals think.
“You shall not follow a multitude to do evil” (Ex. 23:2). Ah, it is an easy thing to float with the tide of popular opinion; but it takes much grace, diligently sought from God, to swim against it. Yet that is what the heir of heaven is called on to do—to “Be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2), to deny self, take up the cross, and follow a rejected Christ. How sorely does both writer and reader need to heed that word of the Savior, “Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast to that which you have, that no man take your crown” (Rev. 3:11). Oh that each of us may be able to truthfully say, “I have refrained my feet from EVERY evil way, that I might keep YOUR WORD” (Psalm 119:101).
Our final word is to the pastors. To you the Word of the Lord is, “You should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). Is it not true, that the most corrupt “churches” you know of, where almost every fundamental of the faith is denied, will have their “Christmas celebrations?” Will you imitate them? Are you consistent to protest against unscriptural methods of “raising money,” and then to sanction unscriptural “Christmas services?” Seek grace to firmly but lovingly set God’s truth on this subject before your people, and announce that you can have no part in following Pagan, Romish, and worldly customs!” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “Xmas” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952
“Different opinions on minor matters are to be expected, but that is no reason why those holding the same should not dwell together in amity and enjoy communion in the great fundamentals of the faith. If one is satisfied that certain “days” should be observed, that he has Divine warrant to solemnly celebrate “Christmas” or “Easter,” then let him do so. But if another is convinced that such “days” are of human invention and devoid of Divine authority, then let him ignore them. Let each one act from religious conviction and suffer not the fear of censure from or contempt of others to deter him; nor the desire to ingratiate himself in the esteem of his fellows induce him to act contrary to his conscience. Each Christian is responsible to believe and act according to the best light which he has from God and continue to examine His Word and pray for more light. The dictates of conscience are not to be trifled with, and the right of private judgment is ever to be exercised by me and respected in others. Thereby the Christian duty of mutual forbearance is alone maintained and a spirit of tolerance and charity exercised.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “Practical Christianity” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)
Filed under: Entertainment, Exposition of The Gospel of John, Hymns, Worldly
“Is a choir needed to ‘lead’ worship? What choir was needed to aid the Savior and His apostles as they sung that hymn in the upper room, ere going forth into the Garden? (Matthew 26:30). What choir was needed to assist the apostles, as with bleeding backs they sang praises to God in the Philippian dungeon? Singing to be acceptable to God must come from the heart. And to whom do the choirs sing — to God, or to the people?
The attractiveness of singing has been substituted for “the foolishness of preaching.” The place which music now holds in many of our public services is a solemn “sign of the times” to those who have eyes to see. But is music wrong? Has not God Himself bestowed the gift? Surely, but what we are now complaining about is church-singing that is professional and spectacular, that which is of the flesh, and rendered to please the ear of man. The only music which ever passes beyond the roof of the church in which it is rendered is that which issues from born again people, who “sing with grace in their hearts unto the Lord.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “An Exposition of the Gospel of John” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)
“Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown in their hearts” (Mark 4:15).
“That shows plainly that the primary and principal aim of the Devil is to prevent the Word of God finding a permanent abode in the human heart, and in the case of the vast majority of our fellows he is permitted to succeed. To a very large percentage of professing Christians the Lord says, as He did to the Jews, who had much head knowledge of the Scriptures. “Ye have not the Word of God abiding in you ” (John 5:38).
We are living in a day of such darkness that this generation is “ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Many of God’s own people seek to blame Satan for what originates with themselves. Note well the following statements: “From within, out of the heart of men, [not “from the Devil”] proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, murders… all these evils come from within. ” (Mark 7:21,23) “Now the works of the flesh [not “of the Devil”] are manifest, which, are these: adultery… envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (Galatians 5:19-21). “Every man is tempted when he is [not “assailed by the Evil one,” but] drawn away of his own lust” (James 1:14). But pride works, and we do not wish to think that we are so evil and vile, and so we attempt to escape the onus by attributing to Satan what we ourselves are responsible for. There is no need for Satan to tempt men to such things as those passages mention. He works far more subtly and insidiously than that.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “Spiritual Growth” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)
“It is well known to some of our readers that during the last generation many earnest souls have been deeply exercised by what is known as “the Pentecostal movement,” and the question is frequently raised as to whether or not the strange power displayed in their meetings, issuing in unintelligible sounds called “tongues,” is the genuine gift of the Spirit.
Those who have joined the movement—some of them godly souls, we believe—insist that not only is the gift genuine, but it is the duty of all Christians to seek the same. But surely such seem to overlook the fact that it was not any “unknown tongue” which was spoken by the Apostles: foreigners who heard them had no difficulty in understanding what was said (Acts 2:8).
If what has just been said be not sufficient, then let our appeal be unto 2 Timothy 3:16,17. God has now fully revealed His mind to us: all that we need to “thoroughly furnish” us “unto all good works” is already in our hands! Personally the writer would not take the trouble to walk into the next room to hear any person deliver a message which he claimed was inspired by the Holy Spirit; with the completed Scriptures in our possession, nothing more is required except for the Spirit to interpret and apply them. Let it also be duly observed that there is not a single exhortation in all the Epistles of the New Testament that the saints should seek “a fresh Pentecost,” no, not even to the carnal Corinthians or the legal Galatians.
As a sample of what was believed by the early “fathers” we quote the following: “Augustine saith, ‘Miracles were once necessary to make the world believe the Gospel, but he who now seeks a sign that he may believe is a wonder, yea a monster.’ Chrysostom concludeth upon the same grounds that, ‘There is now in the Church no necessity of working miracles,’ and calls him ‘a false prophet’ who now takes in hand to work them” (From W. Perkins, 1604)…”
More than a century ago, a certain Edward Irving, founder of the “Catholic Apostolic Church,” propounded the theory that the supernatural gifts which existed in the early Church had been lost through the unbelief and carnality of its members, and that if there was a return to primitive order and purity, they would again be available. Accordingly he appointed “apostles,” and “prophets” and “evangelists.” They claimed to speak in tongues, prophesy, interpret and work miracles. There is little doubt in our mind that this movement was inspired by Satan, and probably a certain amount of abnormal phenomena attended it, though much of it was explainable as issuing from a state of high nervous tension and hysteria. Irving’s theory, with some modifications and some additions has been popularized and promulgated by the more recent so-called ‘Pentecostal movement,” where a species of unintelligible jabbering and auto-suggestion cum mesmerism is styled “speaking in tongues,” and “faith healing.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “The Holy Spirit” and “Divine Healing” by A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
“The profession of the Gospel subjects the believer to peculiar hardships, for it requires him to deny self, take up his cross daily, and serve under the banner of One who is despised and rejected of men generally. To follow the example which Christ has left us involves having fellowship with His sufferings and enduring His reproach, and the more fully we be conformed to His holy image the more shall we be hated, ridiculed and opposed by the world—especially by its graceless professors.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “The Doctrine of Revelation” by A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
“In one of his letters to Erasmus, Luther said, “Your thoughts of God are too human.” The distinguished and educated scholar might have resented such a denunciation, especially coming from a mere miner’s son; nevertheless, it was thouroughly deserved. Likewise, although we have no standing among our contemporary religious leaders in this degenerate age, we level the same charge against the majority of our modern preachers, and against those who, rather than searching the Scriptures, lazily accept specious teachings from others.
The most dishonoring and degrading notions of the rule and reign of the Almighty are now held almost everywhere. To countless thousands, even among those professing to be Christians, the God of the Scriptures is quite unknown.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “The Attributes of God” by A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
“It is supposed that the Holy Spirit quickens only those who believe. But this is to put the cart before the horse. Faith is not the cause of the new birth, but the consequence of it.” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)
Taken from “The Sovereignty of God” by A. W. Pink (1886-1952)
Real Men Love Pink - A Collection of Quotes by A. W. Pink 