God’s Two Books

Deuteronomy 29:29 – The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this law.

Things Revealed vs. Secret Things

David Murray writes:

God’s Private Book contains the things that He has decreed will happen or not happen from beginning to end of time. They include all the events of tomorrow, when and how we will die, the end of the world, the names of the saved, and so on. As its name suggests, this is a private book for God’s eyes only. He has not revealed the contents, will not reveal them, and we must not enquire into them either. God keeps that book behind the counter and forbids us from trying to look into it.

God’s Public Book is what He has revealed in the Bible, which, as Moses said, is all we need to know, believe, and do. It’s on the counter, open, and available for study.

In God’s Public Book, God often expresses a desire for certain things to happen that do not actually happen because He has not written them in His Private Book. For example, God desires all people keep His moral law which does not actually happen.

God also forbids things in His Public Book which He has decreed to happen in His Private Book. For example, in the Bible God forbids betrayal and murder and expresses His desire that no one be a victim of this. Yet, in His Private Book He ordained that His Son be betrayed and murdered (Acts 2:23)… His Public will is “thwarted,” but His Private will never is.

Between Two Thieves

like its blessed Master, is always crucified between two thieves—legalists of all sorts on the one hand and Antinomians on the other; the former robbing the Savior of the glory of his work for us, and the other robbing him of the glory of his work within us.” – J.H. Thornwell, ‘Antinomianism’ in The Collected Writings of James Henley Thornwell (Richmond: Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1871) p. 386

Miscellaneous Quotes (102)

quotes“The very heart of worship, as the Bible makes clear, is the business of expressing, from the depths of our spirits, the highest possible honor we can offer before God.” – R.C. Sproul

“Just as a leopard CANNOT change its spots and a camel CANNOT go through the eye of a needle (both are impossible) MAN cannot change the human heart – BUT GOD CAN. That is our only hope as we pray for and reach out with the gospel to lost souls.” – John Samson

“Without regeneration, God would just be hosing off the pig and watching it head right back for the muck.” – Dan Phillips

“Let your souls delight in communion with God while you are on earth, since you look for your happiness in communion with him in heaven. ” – Thomas Boston

“The only rightful response to the display of God’s perfections must be to give Him glory.” – Steven Lawson

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” – Elisabeth Elliot

“It is entirely the work of grace and a benefit conferred by it that our heart is changed from a stony one to one of flesh, that our will is made new, and that we, created anew in heart and mind, at length will what we ought to will.” – John Calvin

What is a Christian? One who, by the grace of God, can declare that he justly deserves the wrath of God, save for the mercy of Jesus Christ alone. He casts aside all hope in his self-righteousness and puts away all pride in his own goodness. One who is glad to be regarded as spiritually bankrupt, a poor sinner, saved by the free grace and righteousness of Christ and, by the sheer mercy of God, yields in allegiance to Him alone as LORD and sovereign. In a word, one who “glories in Christ Jesus and has no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil. 3:3)

“Students, I would encourage you — the next time you encounter someone at school who declares you to be bigoted or immoral for your faith, respectfully ask them 1) how they know their morality is superior to others? 2) by what authority do they establish morality for the rest of us? … By calling you immoral they obviously think they know the standard of right and wrong for everyone. If more Christians took this line of reasoning it would demolish the arguments and pretensions (2 Cor. 10:5) of the modern thought police in one fell swoop.” – @Monergism

“The natural man dislikes the whole idea of revelation. Why? Because he is wise and prudent, so full of his own intellect and understanding. The Gospel … is not something that man has thought of or achieved, but something that comes out of the mind of God … it is altogether from His side, and man contributes nothing to it.” – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“Grace is favor shown to the undeserving; and the more we grow in grace the more we perceive our undeservingness, the more we feel our need of grace, the more sensible we are of our indebtedness to the God of all grace.” – A. W. Pink

“Evolution is a fairy tale for grown ups.” – Dr. Greg Bahnsen Continue reading