Saving Faith

The first two elements of saving faith, notitia and assensus, are matters of the mind. That is, they are cognitive, involving awareness of information and intellectual assent to the truth of that information.

- R.C. Sproul, Faith Alone- The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification,p.82

Saving Faith

The element of fiducia includes a dramatic change in our values. It involves a radical shift in perceived value. …biblical concept of repentance is expressed by the word metanoieo, which literally means a “changing of the mind.”

For saving faith to occur there must be a real change in the person. The change is rooted in a transformation of one’s perception of Christ.

- R.C. Sproul, Faith Alone- The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification,p.87

Worship

The deepest and best corporate worship takes place when the forms are so familiar you never see them and can penetrate the reality. But try explaining that at your next church meeting.

-D.A. Carson The Cross and Christian Ministry,p.130-131

Eternal Importance of the Church

The church, of course, is the only institution with eternal significance. If anyone ought to transcend the limitations of merely temporal allegiances, then those who constitute the church should.

-D.A. Carson The Cross and Christian Ministry, p.117

Gospel and Leadership

The Christian leader today not only must teach the gospel, but also must teach how the gospel works out in daily life and conduct. And that union must be modeled as well as explained.

-D.A. Carson The Cross and Christian Ministry, p.111

Leadership by Example

The Christian leader must not only preach the message of the cross and live life in the light of the cross, but must foster genuinely Christian living. Mere orthodoxy is not enough; Christians must live out their creed. The gospel of the crucified Messiah must transform not only our beliefs but our behavior.

-D.A. Carson The Cross and Christian Ministry, pp. 108-109

Seeing God's Glory

The bottom line is this: The problem is not that God is not here or that he is inactive; the problem is that we don’t see him. Our perspective on life is often tragically godless. We miss the one thing worth seeing, the glory of the ever-present God. When this happens, our lives are not built on the foundation of God’s glory, which was intended to give our lives a starting point and a destination, a reason to get up and the strength to go on. Every aspect of my existence was meant to be filled with the glory of God. Everything I think, every decision I make, every word I speak was meant to be shaped by a humble acknowledgement of his claim on my life. I was created to live for his glory.

- Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, 98.