Reformation

"Peace if possible, truth at all costs." —Martin Luther

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“Post tenebras lux” is a phrase in Latin from the Protestant Reformation that means “after darkness, light.”

“The phrase ‘post tenebras lux’, a rallying cry of Protestant Reformers, refers to the rediscovery of biblical truth in a time of spiritual darkness. Because the darkness of heresy and immorality constantly creeps in, the church must always be seeking to rediscover the light.”

           —Ligonier

We are in a what seems to be a corporate time of trial in the Church, a forfeiture of truth in exchange for comfort and unbiblically defined “love”. Though things appear bleak at times, Scripture tells us how the story ends and who the Victor is—we can fight the good fight knowing that.

Psalm 30:5b

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

“Weeping may endure for a night; but nights are not for ever. Even in the dreary winter the day star lights his lamp. It seems fit that in our nights the dews of grief should fall. When the Bridegroom's absence makes it dark within, it is meet that the widowed soul should pine for a renewed sight of the Well beloved.

But joy cometh in the morning. When the Sun of Righteousness comes, we wipe our eyes, and joy chases out intruding sorrow. Who would not be joyful that knows Jesus? The first beams of the morning brings us comfort when Jesus is the day dawn, and all believers know it to be so. Mourning only lasts to morning: when the night is gone the gloom shall vanish. This is adduced as a reason for saintly singing, and forcible reason it is; short nights and merry days call for the psaltery and harp.”

         —Spurgeon

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ball the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:23-25

So…if you follow us on Instagram, you know the origin of this design (memes, of course). But no worries if not—it’s pretty self-evident that jello salad molds were proof of man’s fallenness. 🤢

Sometimes we think things are a good idea and they’re not, right?

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Proverbs 14:2

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

RC Sproul on Total Depravity:

“The doctrine of total depravity reflects the Reformed viewpoint of original sin…Some people assume that the term original sin must refer to the first sin—the original transgression that we’ve all copied in many different ways in our own lives, that is, the first sin of Adam and Eve. But that’s not what original sin has referred to historically in the church. Rather, the doctrine of original sin defines the consequences to the human race because of that first sin.

That is, as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, the entire human race fell, and our nature as human beings since the fall has been influenced by the power of evil…Therefore, original sin has to do with the fallen nature of mankind. The idea is that we are not sinners because we sin, but that we sin because we are sinners.

The idea of total in total depravity doesn’t mean that all human beings are as wicked as they can possibly be. It means that the fall was so serious that it affects the whole person…It affects our minds and our thinking; we still have the capacity to think, but the Bible says the mind has become darkened and weakened. The will of man is no longer in its pristine state of moral power. The will, according to the New Testament, is now in bondage. We are enslaved to the evil impulses and desires of our hearts. The body, the mind, the will, the spirit—indeed, the whole person—have been infected by the power of sin.

I like to replace the term total depravity with my favorite designation, which is radical corruption…The Reformed view is that the effects of the fall extend or penetrate to the core of our being. Even the English word core actually comes from the Latin word cor, which means ‘heart.’ That is, our sin is something that comes from our hearts. In biblical terms, that means it’s from the core or very center of our existence.”

https://solagratia.co/collections/encouragement-week-tees