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NASB | James 1:5 ¶ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 1:5 ¶ If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. |
Subject: Scripture alone? |
Bible Note: Dear Parable, Piper's quote was from his book, "The Supremacy of God in Preaching." His primary proof texts in the first couple of chapters included 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2; 1 Peter 4:11; Romans 10:14-15; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 1:17; and Hebrews 13:17. I cannot explicitly answer that request in regards to Tozer, since my notes only include the quote. However, it would not be presumptuous to assume that his conclusions arose from similar passages. Indeed, these conclusions properly reflect the sense of the Scriptures on this aspect of the topic. In Reformed thinking preaching is considered one of the "means of grace." God dispenses grace through the preaching of His Word. If memory serves, Thomas Watson asserted that additional "means" included reading, meditating on, and godly discussion/deliberation of the Word. (I'll leave it to you as an exercise in Bible study to search out the supporting Scriptures behind Watson's assertion.) In Him, Doc "Question: How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the Word? Answer 1: When we desire to sit under a heart-searching ministry. Who cares for medicines that will not work? A godly man does not choose to sit under a ministry that will not work upon his conscience. Answer 2: When we pray that the Word may meet with our sins. If there is any traitorous lust in our heart, we would have it found out and executed. We do not want sin covered, but cured. We can open our breast to the bullet of the Word and say, 'Lord, smite this sin.'" --Thomas Watson (1620-1686) |