Jeff Pollard

Posted by

0

FALLING INTO SIN

“For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me” (Rom 7:11 ESV).

“God’s commands, promise eternal life if one keeps them; and yet they lead to death, since everyone violates what God ordains. This happens when sin deceives a person and uses the law as its instrument” ESV Study Bible (ref#125, p2169).

“It is certainly wrong to feed a lust, even in the imagination. It is quite contrary to the holy rules of God’s words. ‘The thought of foolishness is sin’ (Pro 24:9)” Jonathan Edwards (ref#377, p23).

“As a man that walks in the sun is tanned before he is aware, so are the souls of men sullied and defiled by carnal company before they be aware. For the more accustomed to them, the less odious they seem; so, little by little, our spirits are shaped and fitted for such a sin” Thomas Manton (ref#375, p16).

“Temptation always talks about happiness, fulfillment, gratification, delight, comfort, pleasure, excitement, and the like. It can involve good things or foul perverse things: either way, temptation always lures the flesh to believe its promises instead of God’s Word” Jeff Pollard (ref#372).

“[T]he person who does anything with a high hand reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him” (Num 15:30-31 ESV).

“If we would make peace with the world, the world would let us alone. If we could be content to walk in the ways of sin, Satan would give us no disturbance. But because grace has rescued us from his dominion, and the love of Jesus constrains us to live to Him alone, therefore the enemy, like a lion robbed of his prey, roars against us” John Newton (ref#376, p20).

“[T]emptation promises satisfaction. But when it leads to sin, only two responses exist: repentance and faith in Jesus Christ or damnation, no matter how ‘happy’ one is on the way to eternal hellfire” Jeff Pollard (ref#372).

Posted by

0

SATAN’S HATRED

“Satan, is ever awake and walking his rounds, seeking whom he may surprise. And if Satan be always awake, it is dangerous for the Christina at any time to be spiritually asleep; that is, secure and careless. The saint’s sleeping time is Satan’s tempting time” William Gurnall (ref#378, p26).

“Satan is full of envy and enmity, and that makes him very studious to suit his snares and plots to the tempers, constitutions, fancies and callings of men, so that he may make them as miserable as himself”Thomas Brooks (ref#379, p31).

“He hates the Lord’s people, grudges them all their privileges and all their comforts, and will do what he can to disquiet them because he cannot prevail against them” John Newton (ref#376, p18).

“Satan and his horde of devils are highly skilled in the art of temptation, and they excel at persuading believers to sin, and then accusing the same believers before God, mercilessly tormenting their consciences. It is a hideous process with profound consequences” Jeff Pollard (ref#372).

“Though sin wars, it shall not reign; and though it breaks our peace, it cannot separate from his love” John Newton (ref#322, p132).

Posted by

0

TEMPTATIONS

“Temptation itself is not sin; but temptation is the invitation to sin, and the wages of sin is death” Jeff Pollard (ref#372).

“A temptation in general, is anything that for any reason exerts a force or influence to seduce and draw the mind and heart of man from the obedience that God requires of him to any kind of sin. In particular, it is a temptation if it causes a man to sin, gives him opportunity to do so, or causes him to neglect his duty” John Owen (ref#373, p4).

“Temptation plays to the evil desires and idolatrous cravings that still live in my heart. Temptation appeals to my selfishness and greed. Temptation targets my laziness and impatience. Temptation hooks my materialism and discontent. Temptation goes after my desire to have my own way and write my own rules” Paul David Tripp (ref# 190, Nov 29th).

“Every man is haunted with special temptations—temper, sex, age, custom, calling, company, course of affairs” Thomas Manton (ref#375, p15).

“For all its pretty lies, all temptation is the original promise that cannot be kept. The devil’s temptations are always thoroughly man-centered and custom-crafted for the individual” Jeff Pollard (ref#372).

“The heart is corrupted by objects that we take in by the senses, as it corrupted Eve. [It] dealt with her first by the sense: the forbidden fruit was full in her way, then the devil sets upon her. He knows how to tempt by awakening the inclinations of our own body against us” Thomas Manton (ref#375, p14-15).

“[L]et the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa 55:7 ESV).

“When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple” (Ps 65:3-4 ESV)!