It matters where you attend church. It matters very much who your pastor and teachers are and what they believe and teach. Sound religious instruction is invaluable. It is essential to one's Christian walk. Here are two quotations, the first from
Charles Hodge, the second from
Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, which set this idea in its proper light. The Charles Hodge quote was furnished by the
Banner of Truth.
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| Charles Hodge |
"The most natural method of appeasing conscience is the promise of reformation. Particular sins are therefore forsaken, and a struggle, it may be, is maintained against all others. This conflict is often long and painful, but it is always unsuccessful. It is soon found, that sin, in one form or another, is constantly getting the mastery, and the soul feels that something more must be done if it is ever to make itself fit for heaven. It is, therefore, ready to do or to submit to anything which appears necessary for this purpose. What particular form of works it may be which it endeavors to weave into a robe of righteousness, depends on the degree of knowledge which it possesses, or the kind of religious instruction which it receives." (Emphasis mine).
The Lloyd-Jones quotation comes from his series, preached during the 1960s at Westminster Chapel in London, on
Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
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| D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones |
"The cardinal error into which many tend to fall is to think of ourselves as Christians in terms of our believing and our holding on, instead of looking at ourselves in the way in which Scripture always presents the position to us... There has been so much emphasis upon decision, receiving, yielding, being willing, and giving ourselves that salvation is regarded almost exclusively in terms of our activity... Many are in trouble simply because they do not realize the truth concerning the new birth... Nothing is more glorious than the doctrine of the rebirth; and this is obviously the work of God in us through the Spirit. We do not give birth to ourselves, we are not reborn because we believe. We believe because we are reborn." Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Romans - The Perseverance Of The Saints) (Emphasis mine).
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16). (Emphasis mine).
