Of First Importance

“Christ Jesus—the High Priest and Intercessor, the sympathizing Brother—is the only medium of prayer. There is no access to God but through Him. And if there be not an honouring of Christ in prayer, we can expect no answer to prayer.

The great encouragement to draw near to God is Jesus, at the right hand of God. He is our interceding High Priest, He is our Advocate with the Father, our Kinsman-Redeemer within the veil. Coming through Him, the poorest, the vilest, the most abject, may approach the throne of grace with lowly boldness.

The all-powerful, all-helpful, all-loving, all-tender Saviour and High Priest, is waiting to present the petition, and urge its acceptance, and plead for its answer, on the basis of His own infinite and atoning merits.”

—John MacDuff, The Throne of Grace

“I do not know when I am more perfectly happy than when I am weeping for sin at the foot of the cross.”

- Charles Spurgeon

“It cost God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious wills cost Him crucifixion.”

- C.S. Lewis, Daily Quote on Twitter

“Biblical salvation lies not in an escape from this world but in the transformation of this world. . . . You will not find hope for the world in any of the religious systems or philosophies of humankind. . . . The Biblical vision is unique. That is why when some say there is salvation in other faiths too, I ask them — ‘What salvation are you talking about?’ No faith holds out a promise of eternal salvation for the world — the ordinary world — that the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”

- Vinoth Ramachandra, quoted by Timothy Keller, in The Reason For God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 224.

“The Father . . . Son . . . and Holy Spirit glorify each other. . . . At the center of the universe, self-giving love is the dynamic currency of the Trinitarian life of God. The persons within God exalt, commune with, and defer to one another. . . . Each divine person harbors the others at the center of his being. In constant movement of overture and acceptance each person envelops and encircles the others.”

- Cornelius Plantinga, quoted by Timothy Keller, in The Reason For God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 215.

“God is the ultimate musician. His music transforms your life. The notes of redemption rearrange your heart and restore your life. His songs of forgiveness, grace, reconciliation, truth, hope, sovereignty, and love give you back your humanity and restore your identity.”

- Paul David Tripp, A Quest for More (Greensboro, NC; New Growth Press, 2007), 145.

“It is finished! (John 19:30)

Has Christ perfected and completely finished all His work for us? How sweet a relief is this to against all the defects and imperfections of all the works which are wrought by us.

There is nothing finished that we do. All our duties are imperfect duties; they come off lamely and defectively from our hands. O there is much sin and vanity in the best of our duties.

But Jesus Christ has finished all His work, though we can finish none of ours. And so, even though we are defective, poor, imperfect creatures in ourselves, yet we are complete in Christ. His complete obedience being imputed to us, makes us complete, and without fault before God.”

—John Flavel, The Fountain of Life