“Either Scripture will be the lens through which you view the world or the world (science, politics, worldview, etc) will be the lens through which you view Scripture. Ultimately one or the other will be your authority.” – Rachel Miller

“If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.” – Tim Keller

“Salvation comes from the Trinity, happens through the Trinity, and brings us home to the Trinity.” – Fred Sanders

“The world has ever opposed the church and always will. The struggle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent is not only perennial but perpetual… It is more than time that the church be reminded that militancy is of its essence. When a church ceases to be militant it also ceases to be a church of Jesus Christ. The church on earth is glorious, not in spite of its militancy, but precisely because of it.” – R. B. Kuiper, The Glorious Body of Christ, 14, 33.

Note: The author is using a historical theological term known as the distinction between the “church militant” and “church triumphant” and as such is not advocating violence.

The militancy of the church spoken of here is not talking about violence, as Dustin comments in his post. “By the ‘Militant Church’ or fighting church, we mean all the faithful who are still upon the earth struggling for their salvation by warring against their spiritual enemies.”CUF

“The violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12—The “violent” are men of eager, impetuous zeal, who grasp the kingdom of heaven—i.e., its peace, and pardon, and blessedness—with as much eagerness as men would snatch and carry off as their own the spoil of a conquered city. Their new life is, in the prophet’s language, “given them as a prey” (Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 45:5). There is no thought of hostile purpose in the words. Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

“Believer, when you are on your knees, remember you are going to a King. Let your petitions be large.” – C. H. Spurgeon

“The only reason I can give under heaven why I’m a Christian is because I’m a gift of the Father to the Son, not because of anything I’ve ever done or could do.” – R.C. Sproul

“When you pray for unconverted people, you do so on the assumption that it is in God’s power to bring them to faith.” – J. I. Packer

“No man shall be in heaven but he that sees himself fully qualified for hell.” – Robert Traill

“I would never have been saved if I could have helped it.” – C. H. Spurgeon

“Our salvation depends on God’s covenant, rooted in eternity, foreshadowed in the Mosaic liturgy, fulfilled in Christ, enduring forever. No wonder Hebrews calls it ‘so great a salvation’ (Heb. 2:3).” – Sinclair Ferguson

“A congregation who prays for their pastors will be a better-fed congregation than those who do not.” – Alistair Begg

“Since Jesus is God, then He’s got to be great enough to have some reasons to let you go through things you can’t understand.” – Unknown

“God demands 100% faultless perfect obedience, and if you can’t do that, you better find Someone who can do it for you.” – Greg Francis

“God’s office is always at the end of our rope. Bring a man to the end of himself where he sees no hope of righteousness by his actions and he is then ready for the good news of what God has done for sinners in the Person and work of Christ. There is something to be pardoned even in our best works. Even our tears need to be washed in the blood of Christ.” – Ray Ortlund

“If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.” – R. C. Sproul

“Nothing built for the glory of man will survive God’s scrutiny. But what is done for His glory will endure forever.” – R.C. Sproul

“Grace is the sufficient, efficient, indispensable and unerring cause for practical holy living, for obeying the written word of God. It isn’t our ‘get out of obedience’ card.” – Dan Phillips

“The Devil is God’s Devil (to summarize Martin Luther) and never operates outside the Lord’s decree. John Calvin tells us, God’s decree of evil is not ‘bare permission — as if God sat in a watchtower, awaiting chance events, and his judgments thus depended upon human will’ (Institutes 1.18.1). That God rules over Satan without Himself being guilty of sin is a hard truth, but it is also comforting. It tells us that what we suffer from the Devil, his demons, and all evil, is not purposeless but will lead to our good and God’s glory.” – R C Sproul

“The Bible is not a road map for success in life. It is not a moral improvement program. It is actually a Divine rescue plan. From the opening words, ‘In the beginning, God…’ it is a message from God, about God, and His plan to save all those who trust in the Person and work of His Son. And the message can be summed up in one word – SUBSTITUTION. Though all mankind has committed high and cosmic treason against God, living in open defiance of Him in word, thought and deed, His love drove Him to send His Son to save all those who will trust in Him. And He did it – and He did it all! Someone else lived the life we should have lived, and died the death we each deserved. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ and on the cross, He took the punishment due to us, as our Substitute. He rose again from the dead and even now, sits on the throne of the Universe. He will return to Earth again and be seen as its rightful ruler. All who repent and trust in the work of this One, the Savior-Redeemer, are forgiven of all sin, and more than that, receive His very righteousness as a gift. What a message this is – ‘grace to the undeserving’ from start to finish! His work completely pardons sinners (not merely puts them on probation). God saves His people by grace alone (apart from human merit) through faith in Christ alone (apart from human works), all to the glory of God alone. Sadly, that is not a message many have heard, even from the pulpits of our land, but it is the central message of the Bible – the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.” – John Samson

“It’s natural to want mercy for yourself but justice for others. It’s natural to be very aware of the sin of others, yet blind to your own. If we are ever going to be people of mercy, we need bountiful mercy ourselves, because what stands in the way of our being a community of mercy is us! … to the degree that you forget the mercy you’ve been given, it is easier for you to not give mercy to others. I daily need God’s work of mercy in order to do his work of mercy.” – Paul David Tripp

“When God closes His holy mouth, I will desist from inquiry.” – John Calvin

“What is the best safeguard against false doctrine? I answer in one word, ‘The Bible: the Bible regularly read, regularly prayed over, regularly studied.’” – J. C. Ryle

“The man who wins may have been counted out several times, but he didn’t hear the referee.” – H.E. Jensen

“God just doesn’t throw a life preserver to a drowning person. He goes to the bottom of the sea, and pulls a corpse from the bottom of the sea, takes him up on the bank, breathes into him the breath of life and makes him alive.” – RC Sproul

‘I am standing vigilantly on the precipice of eternity speaking to people who this week could go over the edge whether they are ready to or not. I will be called to account for what I said there.’ – John Piper

“Upon a review of the past year, I desire to confess that my unfaithfulness has been exceedingly great; my sins still greater; God’s mercies greater than both… My short-comings and my mid-doings, my unbelief and want of love, would sink me into the lowest hell, was not Jesus my righteousness and my Redeemer.” – Augustus Toplady (31st December 1767)

“The preacher who stands in the pulpit should study the text of Scripture diligently and examine as much as possible the original languages in an effort to get an accurate understanding of the text. If he relies solely on his intellect, he is doomed. He must also allow the wind of the ages to blow through his mind. When he comes to a text, he will want to know what the greatest minds in the history of the church have understood about it. If he relies only on his own understanding, he will miss the insights and counsel of those who might be far more knowledgeable and wiser than he. We all must examine our opinions and see if they are just that—opinions—or whether they have some solid foundation in truth.” – R.C. Sproul

“The church is full of sinners. In fact, I know of no other organization in the world that requires a person to be a sinner in order to join it. However, while all hypocrites are sinners, not all sinners are hypocrites.” – R.C. Sproul in his commentary on John

“Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.” – John Owen

“Evangelism without church planting is like milking a cow without a bucket.” – Craig Ott

“If you want to see what judgment looks like, go to the cross. If you want to see what love looks like, go to the cross.” – D.A. Carson

“To will is of nature, but to will aright is of grace.” – Augustine

“He was conceived by the union of divine grace and human disgrace. The King of Kings sleeping in a cow-pen. The Creator of oceans and seas and rivers afloat in the womb of his mother. God sucking his thumb. The Alpha and Omega learning his ABC’s. He who was once surrounded by the glorious stereophonic praise of adoring angels now hears the lowing of cattle, the bleating of sheep, the stammering of bewildered shepherds. He who spoke the Universe into being now coos and cries. Omniscient Deity counting his toes. From the robes of eternal glory to the rags of swaddling clothes. The omnipresent Spirit, whose being fills the galaxies, confined to the womb of a peasant girl. Infinite power learning to crawl.” – Sam Storms