Thankfulness —John Calvin

“Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things (or in heavenly places) in Christ.” – Ephesians 1:3

“The chief sacrifice which God requires at men’s hands is that they should acknowledge His benefits and be thankful to Him for them…

For if a man asks us why we are found in this world, why God has such a care for us, why His goodness feeds and cherishes us, and finally why He, as it were, dazzles us with the great number of benefits He bestows upon us, it is in order that we should yield some acknowledgement of them to Him. For (as it is said in the psalm) we for our part cannot profit him at all, neither does He require anything else of us in exchange, but thanksgiving, according as it is said in Psalm 116, ‘What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits which I have received from Him, except to take the cup of salvation at His hand and to call upon His name?’…

It is true that the Holy Spirit often sets forth other reasons why we should magnify God’s name, as (for example) the order of nature, the fruits which the earth yields, the aid and help which God gives us, and other such things. And these are sufficient matter for which to praise God. But St. Paul leads us higher here, and will have us to glorify God above all things. He thinks it is not enough to own that God has placed us in the world and that he nourishes us here, and he provides all things needful during the passing of this transitory life, but he also says that God has chosen us to be heirs of His kingdom and of the heavenly life.

We are then doubly bound to God, and that, much more closely then ignorant and unbelieving wretches are. For although they are sufficiently indebted already, yet the good He has done us in Jesus Christ is beyond all comparison more excellent and noble, because He has adopted us to be His children.”

—John Calvin, Sermons on the Epistle to the Ephesians

It is a most delightful felicitating knowledge, to know that Christ is in you — Richard Baxter

"It is a most delightful felicitating knowledge, to know that Christ is in you. If it be delightful to the rich to see their wealth, their houses, and lands, and goods, and money: and if it be delightful to the honourable to see their attendance, and hear their own commendations and applause; how delightful must it be to a true believer to find Christ within him, and to know his title to eternal life? If the knowledge of “full barns,” and “much goods laid up for many years,” can make a sensual worldling say, “Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink and be merry,” (Luke 12:19, 20,) methinks the knowledge of our interest in Christ and heaven, should make us say, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and wine increased,” (that is, more than corn and wine could put into theirs.) (Psal. 4:7.) “Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” (Psal. 116:7.)" 

— Richard Baxter

Paul’s order of salvation — B.B. Warfield

Ephesians 3:14-19 — “We note the significant order of the requests. First, the work of the Spirit in the heart; second, the realizing knowledge of the Gospel; third, the Christian life. Men sometimes seek other orders. We hear the cry around us daily of first the life, then doctrine. Paul’s order is, first the doctrine, then the life. We hear the cry around us of first know, then believe. Paul’s order is, first believe, then know…
What in detail is his [Paul’s] order of salvation? Just this: first, the Gospel is proclaimed; secondly, there is the preparation of the heart by the Spirit; thirdly, then faith and Christ’s indwelling through faith; fourthly, through this indwelling we grow strong to apprehend the truth of Christ’s love; fifthly, by this apprehended knowledge we are enabled to live a Christian life. Search and look: and you will find the same order everywhere in Paul and in the New Testament…
It issues hence into all Christian sentiments and activities. First the Apostle mentions love; “being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph 3:17) is the intermediate step to the apprehension of Christ’s love. Love apprehends love. Out of this Christ-filled and Christ-led heart, we are able to see His love and to appreciate it. Hence, next, knowledge. And then, out of this knowledge, life.
Now, observe as to Christ’s indwelling: (1) Christ may dwell in us; (2) He dwells in us through faith; (3) His dwelling in us is the source of all our knowledge of the Gospel and of all our Christian walk.”

— B.B. Warfield, Faith and Life, (“the fullness of God” sermon)

the romance of Christianity – Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“We are believers, & not the others, says Paul, because we have received this Spirit that enlightens us (1 Corinthians 2:10, 12, 14)…

Christianity is not just a message that tells you that if you believe in Christ your sins are forgiven, & then leaves you to meet the world & the flesh & the devil just as you are & in your own strength. No, it is regeneration – new birth – a ‘new man’. When you become a Christian, what happens is not so much that you add something to your life as that your life is changed.

When men & women become Christians, it is not that they put on new clothes; no, they are changed, inside & out, & the inside is particularly changed, a new creation. But remember, secondly, that Christianity is not about people deciding to change themselves. They cannot. ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?’ (Jeremiah 13:23). Let them try to do it, then they will find they cannot. We have all tried it. It is impossible.
But, thank God, there is power in this word [of the gospel] which brings forth fruit, & a part of the fruit is that it changes us. We do not decide to change ourselves but we find that we are changed.

That, to me, is the romance of Christianity. A man finds that he is ‘a new man’ and he is amazed at himself. He cannot believe it is true of him! He says, ‘Is it possible that I am the man I once was? I am the same man and yet I am not!’ The apostle Paul was always filled with that amazement at himself – ‘I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20). He had been changed…

Do you know what makes men & women Christians? It is the mighty action of the almighty God, the Creator. He takes them as they are & smashes them & makes them anew. He, God, is bringing into being something that was not there; a new disposition is put into them, a new principle of life is infused into them. God enters into their lives. The life of God comes into the soul; it is a creative act, so the New Testament says that the Christian is ‘a new creature’.

Now there is nothing more wonderful than this. I think this is where the gospel hope comes in. When we have tried & tried & tried again, only to fail, always finding ourselves back at the same point, we stop, & the world stops. Philosophy cannot help us, psychology cannot help us, nothing helps us; but then the Creator says: I will help you. I will make a new person. I will put a new principle into you. I will infuse a new disposition into you. I will make you a new creation.

There is hope there, and it is the only hope. But, thank God, it is the hope that is given in this gospel. And my assertion is that you & I are not Christians unless we have been born again; unless we know that we have received the life of God; unless we become new creatures, new creations…”

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Love so Amazing: Exposition of Colossians 1

A Personal Necessity: someone who loves us radically, unconditionally, vulnerably – Tim Keller

“Some years ago a theologian named William Vanstone wrote a book, now out of print, that included an interesting chapter called “The Phenomenology of Love.” All human beings, he says – even people who from childhood were deprived of love – know the difference between false & true love, fake & authentic love.

Here’s the difference, Vanstone says. In false love your aim is to use the other person to fulfill your happiness. Your love is conditional: You give it only as long as the person is affirming you & meeting your needs. And it’s nonvulnerable: You hold back so that you can cut your losses if necessary. But in true love, your aim is to spend yourself & use yourself for the happiness of the other, because your greatest joy is that person’s joy. Therefore your affection is unconditional: You give it regardless of whether your loved one is meeting your needs. And it’s radically vulnerable: You spend everything, hold nothing back, give it all away. Then Vanstone says, surprisingly, that our real problem is that nobody is actually fully capable of giving true love. We want it desperately, but we can’t give it. He doesn’t say we can’t give any kind of real love at all, but he’s saying that nobody is fully capable of true love. All of our love is somewhat fake. How so? Because we need to be loved like we need air & water. We can’t live without love. That means there’s a certain mercenary quality to our relationships. We look for people whose love would really affirm us. We invest our love only where we know we’ll get a good return. Of course when we do that, our love is conditional and nonvulnerable, because we’re not loving the person simply for himself or herself; we’re loving the person partly for the love we’re getting.

Obviously there are healthy people and unhealthy people; some are more able to love than others. But at the core Vanstone is right: Nobody can give anyone else the kind or amount of love they’re starved for. In the end we’re all alike, groping for true love & incapable of fully giving it. What we need is someone to love us who doesn’t need us at all. Someone who loves us radically, unconditionally, vulnerably. Someone who loves us just for our sake. If we received that kind of love, that would so assure us of our value, it would so fill us up, that maybe we could start to give love like that too. Who can give love with no need? Jesus. Remember the dance of the Trinity – the Father, the Son, & the Spirit have been knowing & loving one another perfectly for all eternity. Within Himself, God has forever had all the love, all the fulfillment, & all the joy that He could possibly want. He has all the love within Himself that the whole human race lacks. And the only way we’re going to get any more is from Him…

Why did God create us & later redeem us at great cost even though He doesn’t need us? He did it because He loves us. His love is perfect love, radically vulnerable love. And when you begin to get it, when you begin to experience it, the fakery & manipulativeness of your own love starts to wash away, & you’ve got the patience & security to reach out & start giving a truer love to other people…”

– Timothy Keller, King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus

http://www.amazon.com/Kings-Cross-Story-World-Jesus/dp/0525952101