the standard of orthodoxy
It is 12:53 PM Tuesday afternoon. I am still reading the sermons of Joseph Irons today. I can't recall the last time I got into the sermons of Joseph Irons. I thought I would quote something Irons said that I found interesting.
"I pray you, beloved, where are contingencies here, where are probabilities, where are proposals, when the sole salvation of the Church lies in three gifts, and all these three in Christ? The gift of power to Christ, to accomplish the work in His mediatorial character; the gift of persons to Christ, to be saved; and the gift of eternal life, to be bestowed upon the persons for whom He lived and died. I cannot conceive anything more clear and distinct than the interests of the Church set forth in this, as regards our salvation, that Jesus undertook it all, and accomplished it all in His own person, by His own doing and dying, to prove how much He was interested in His Church,-that her preservation and perseverance (I put them together), lay near His heart; and therefore the apostle speaks of them as preserved in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself speaks of loving His own in the world, and loving them to the end. Jesus Himself declared, "they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Jesus opens the will of the Father, and reads concerning them, that it is the will of Him who sent Him, that of all that He hath given Him He shall lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day. Again, I ask, where are the contingencies,-again, I ask, where are the probabilities and the uncertainties? All are secure in Christ, not only as to the justification and acceptance, the pardon and sanctification of the Church in the matter of salvation, but in her preservation too, surrounded as she is with evils, assaulted by Satan, carrying about her in her own bosom enough to ruin her in an hour if left to herself. Yet she is preserved, even by Christ Jesus, from the world, from sin, from Satan and self, from finally falling and apostatizing from Him, and preserved from all unto everlasting life.
Moreover, the interests of His Church are such, that He will have His Bride glorified with Himself. Her eternal glorification lays near His heart; and therefore, just before He suffers, He says, "Father, I will that those whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am, to behold my glory." That "I will" He never revokes-that "I will" can never be denied Him-that "I will" appears to be the spirit of His intercession and advocacy, now that He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high; and that "I will" encourages the faith of all that know and love Him, to expect with confidence to sit down with Him upon His throne, even as He has overcome and sat down with His Father upon His throne.
What a scene, then, is before us, as the followers of the Lamb, redeemed by His precious blood from among men, saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation, just as is recorded in Isaiah, "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory:"-preserved amidst ten thousand foes, devils, and dangers:-kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation; and then to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, enthroned with the glorious exalted Head on high, and everlastingly enjoying the smiles of His countenance. That is the doctrine of Christ concerning His Church." pg. 77 Joseph Irons 'The Standard Of Orthodoxy'
"I pray you, beloved, where are contingencies here, where are probabilities, where are proposals, when the sole salvation of the Church lies in three gifts, and all these three in Christ? The gift of power to Christ, to accomplish the work in His mediatorial character; the gift of persons to Christ, to be saved; and the gift of eternal life, to be bestowed upon the persons for whom He lived and died. I cannot conceive anything more clear and distinct than the interests of the Church set forth in this, as regards our salvation, that Jesus undertook it all, and accomplished it all in His own person, by His own doing and dying, to prove how much He was interested in His Church,-that her preservation and perseverance (I put them together), lay near His heart; and therefore the apostle speaks of them as preserved in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself speaks of loving His own in the world, and loving them to the end. Jesus Himself declared, "they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Jesus opens the will of the Father, and reads concerning them, that it is the will of Him who sent Him, that of all that He hath given Him He shall lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day. Again, I ask, where are the contingencies,-again, I ask, where are the probabilities and the uncertainties? All are secure in Christ, not only as to the justification and acceptance, the pardon and sanctification of the Church in the matter of salvation, but in her preservation too, surrounded as she is with evils, assaulted by Satan, carrying about her in her own bosom enough to ruin her in an hour if left to herself. Yet she is preserved, even by Christ Jesus, from the world, from sin, from Satan and self, from finally falling and apostatizing from Him, and preserved from all unto everlasting life.
Moreover, the interests of His Church are such, that He will have His Bride glorified with Himself. Her eternal glorification lays near His heart; and therefore, just before He suffers, He says, "Father, I will that those whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am, to behold my glory." That "I will" He never revokes-that "I will" can never be denied Him-that "I will" appears to be the spirit of His intercession and advocacy, now that He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high; and that "I will" encourages the faith of all that know and love Him, to expect with confidence to sit down with Him upon His throne, even as He has overcome and sat down with His Father upon His throne.
What a scene, then, is before us, as the followers of the Lamb, redeemed by His precious blood from among men, saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation, just as is recorded in Isaiah, "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory:"-preserved amidst ten thousand foes, devils, and dangers:-kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation; and then to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, enthroned with the glorious exalted Head on high, and everlastingly enjoying the smiles of His countenance. That is the doctrine of Christ concerning His Church." pg. 77 Joseph Irons 'The Standard Of Orthodoxy'