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USER COMMENTS BY “ THOMAS SULLIVAN ”

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2/16/13 4:53 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Why Were Our Reformers Burned? For Their...
J. C. Ryle

1
comment

“ Who is sufficient for these things? ”
Not long ago I read through page after page of Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Then I listened to two different audio narrations of this title. Here I was faced with a type of Christianity that is impossible for human nature unaided by Divine grace. But I admit there is no natural attraction to read about someone being burned at the stake for the cause of truth, a martyr beating his breast with one hand till it was burned to a stump (John Hooper). Then thinking of Watt's hymn, must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, when others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas. There is only one conclusion, only the Spirit and the Truth can enable anyone to endure and overcome. Still the meditation is what I feel I need to flatten my own pride and lay me in the dust to realize afresh, apart from Me, ye can do nothing. John 15:5

2/9/13 7:19 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Justification By Faith Alone Through Grace...
C. H. Spurgeon

2
comments

“ Lordship Regeneration ”
There are those persons who say that can't believe in Lordship Salvation. So, let us call it Lordship Regeneration. What do I mean? In the new birth,the mind is enlightened, the will is renewed Ephesians 2:1, the enmity of the heart (Romans 8:7)is slain and the affections are changed from hate to love towards God. So if you have a "saint" who claims that he has been born again but won't bow to Jesus, still hates Him, and his mind is still in darkness, his profession is a lie and the moment he got to heaven, it will feel like hell to him anyway, because his heart would still prefer the company of devils. Spurgeon would never have taught that someone who has been justified by faith still has had nothing done to his depraved heart. God deals with both the bad RECORD and the bad HEART. But with this modern generation of professing Christians, they have mixed up justification and regeneration so if you tell them that they must bear fruit - which is an effect of the new birth, they cry LEGALISM. As if regeneration was a forensic term.

2/8/13 5:55 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Brown University's student health plan will...
Sean E. Harris

4
comments

“ History of Brown University ”
It is interesting how far colleges have fallen. This University was founded by our Baptist fore-fathers such as Isaac Backus in the late 1700s. Even as late as 1962 there was an excellent PHD dissertation that really made me a student of the Old School, New School Presbyterian debate written by Earl Pope at Brown University. (New England Calvinism and the Disruption on the Presbyterian Church in 1837) I have a postal route right on the borders of Calvin College, another school that ceased to be orthodox even in the late 1920s.

2/5/13 7:02 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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(This sermon is no longer available)

“ A lot to think about ”
At 6:30 in the message Pastor Sturm asks if there is more to our Christian life than being against same sex marriage. Then he rightly stated we should pray against the spread of Islam in our country. I have been wondering. Maybe the Muslim religion gaining the ascendancy is going to be the way God will both judge our nation for the light we have thrown off AND as the way He will punish the rampant spread of homosexuality? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_in_Islam Do we have any guarantee that God will not punish America by another nation, if He punished His own people in the Old Testament by the Assyrians? Isaiah 10:5. The words of the puritan William Gurnall have always sobered me. Take heed of inventing new sins lest you stir up God to invent new punishments. (2)It is amazing that someone in leadership is both pro-Islam and pro-homosexual. They can't both be predominant. If you doubt this, see how they fare in Uganda.

1/1/13 8:08 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Mortification of Sin: John Owen Volume Six...
Frank DeJuana

1
comment

“ Another great overview ”
There is one absolutely crucial statement in this part of Owen's work that Mr.DeJuana reminds us of. Mortification is a means to the end of our salvation not the cause and effect of it. I know how it is with myself, especially when I get to chapter 9 and Owen talks about the dangerous symptoms of any lust, (1)its inveterateness. If the foundation is not properly laid, than Owen will pierce too you deep with the lancet, and assurance will flee. The process will be attempted out of servile fear, aiming to gain God's acceptance instead of obedience OUT OF this evangelical motive. Owen understands this thoroughly. ref. Application of the Glory of Christ SID=931214382410 and SID=12100822434010 on SermonAudio. Rabbi Duncan said of Owen's treatise, Indwelling Sin "be prepared for the knife." But M'Cheyene rightly said with every one look within, take ten looks to Christ.

11/25/12 4:43 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
The Child of God Walking in Darkness -...
Paul Dowling

3
comments

“ Help for those in Despair ”
Yesterday morning I woke up quite depressed due to a trial my wife and I are going through with our son. I despaired of any counsel and thought if God doesn't speak to me through His word, there is no where else to go. I put my copy of Max MClean reading the Psalms on my mp3 player and lay in bed meditating through the first 25 Psalms until I was calm. Last night I continued through chapter 55 and wanted to hear a sermon on the same. Since the title of this sermon is the same as a title of a Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680) book, and I like Irish preachers, I burned it to CD and we listened to it on the way to church. I was not disappointed in the least, thanks so much. I will have to listen to more of Pastor Dowlings sermons. It is interesting that the other sermon comment mentions two of my pastoral heroes - Albert Martin - my friend and now neighbor, and George McDearmon who we call, The General.

10/21/12 10:47 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
The Gospel Will Be Preached - Matthew 24:14
Pastor Bala

1
comment

“ Great Sermon! ”
One week ago{I trust it is o.k. to share this comment}I was sitting down with Albert Martin in his study and we were reflecting on the indefatigable labors of Pastor Bala in India. He told me that he believes that Bala's ministry, church building, shepherding, translating, and overseeing,-in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, is the closest thing he knows in this day to what would illustrate a modern apostolic ministry. In our own church when we read his ministry updates, we continually marvel how he can do so much. But Paul reminds us it is the strength of Christ that enables us to do the Lord's work and we pray that God would continue to be with this dear brother for years to come.Great to see him again two weeks ago here in Grand Rapids as well.

10/20/12 10:04 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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(This sermon is no longer available)

“ What is Preparationism? ”
I believe the misunderstanding here is that the term preparationism is supposed that conviction of sin is the cause, and regeneration is the effect. But this is not what the Puritans taught. They taught that the law work was just what God does antecedently to regeneration to show a person his innate inability to believe, to repent, and act. He may suppose he knows this, but God allows him to struggle in his self righteous efforts to come to Christ out of MERCENARY motives so that he will learn that if God does not mercifully interpose he will inevitably perish. It is the act of God to convince natively obdurate and asleep sinners that they are sick and then the Physician becomes precious. It is objected that it is a discouragement to thirsting sinners who want to come. They would argue that real thirst and real desire is already a sign of regeneration. A sinner dead in sin can only hate God, he cannot thirst after him. His desires for sin therefore can only be a selfish desire to escape punishment, not to have Christ rule over him. see SermonAudio SID=5101012463110 and SID=51010131775

10/15/12 10:45 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Hospice Hell
Joey Faust

19
comments

“ Interesting but a question ”
The hospice workers appear to be guilty, but the question arises on the other hand: do we Christians sometimes unnessarily prolongue the natural death process of our loved ones? I noticed that 1/5 of the book, Thoughts on Religious Experience, by A. Alexander written in 1842 deals with the death bed of the believer with the aim to as he says get his hearers to "let go of their too eager grasp of this world and become familiar with death and the grave." Or as Paul Washer well said, we spend more time praying the saints out of heaven than praying for them to prepare to enter there. I was just wondering if we as Christians are in error as well? This world is not our home, but we are so loathe to let go of its grasp on our affections. Wouldn't we profit by learning from the experience of Christian and Hopeful as the crossed the great river?

9/22/12 5:42 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Jack Schaap of First Baptist Hammond Facing...
William J. Sturm

1
comment

“ a needed warning ”
I have listened to both of your news in focus updates about Jack Schaap and really appreciate the solid warnings to pastors etc. What is so sad about this story is there are numerous reports that his predecessor fail in this sin as well. It makes me very thankful for how serious my pastors are when counseling ladies in the church. I agree with you that one of the problems may be that these churches don't have a plurality of elders and lack real accountability as well. May God keep us very careful and sober. I listened to my own narration of John Owen on Indwelling Sin (available on S.A.) on the way to work this morning and think it so necessary I have decided to start narrating it again just to improve the recording - and warn my own heart!

9/18/12 5:57 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
The New Calvinism Considered
Jeremy Walker

6
comments

“ Jonathan Edwards - misunderstood ”
Pastor Walker touched on something that is quite important in this message. The New Calvinists have a Calvinism that is closer to Edwards's thought than Calvin's. But I would add, a misunderstanding of Edwards. In 1962 Earl Pope wrote a PHD. dissertation with the title "New England Calvinism and the Disruption of the Prebyterian Church in 1837. In the future a budding theologian could write on "The New Calvinism and the Disruption of the Reformed Baptist Church." Both have strands of their theology that had a misinterpretation of Edwards at the root. Around 1837 it was Edwards on Imputation and the extent of the Atonement, and disinterested benevolence. In our day the beauty of God is held forth, as Edwards would have appreciated, but Edwards evangelism is either misunderstood or jettisoned. Ref. the pastoral discussion in front of an audience between John Piper and Iain Murray. {A God-Entranced Vision of All Things: 2003}both are Edwards students, but one simply would have no use for Edwards' sermons such as "Pressing into the Kingdom," or "The Manner in Which Salvation is to be Sought." This is a partial explanation why these "New Calvinistic" churches are so full of "converts."They really DON'T believe in total inability. This affects the "worship."

9/16/12 7:16 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Report on Trip to Dominican Republic for...
Mark Chanski

1
comment

“ thanks for the report ”
I was thankful to hear this since we were very interested in your trip. Our son Jonathan was in Santo Domingo at the time and we were nervous about hurricane Isaac. Of course, being a typical 15 year old, he stood on the shore and took videos, wanting to see a real wind blast. Obviously since we are so fond of IBSJ church, I hung on every word of your report. Pastor Salvador Gomez is so dear to us! T M S P.S. Delta has the easist connections to SDQ out of Grand Rapids these days -1 stop Atlanta.

9/3/12 5:25 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Killing Remaining Sin
Dr. Joel Beeke

10
comments

“ About William Ames ”
Response to Don: Dr. Beeke is a very busy man so I don't think he would mind me weighing in on your question about William Ames. Dr.Beeke is about to release a new book that is a compendium of Puritan works gathered together as a systematic theology. The book link is here. http://www.heritagebooks.org/a-puritan-theology-doctrine-for-life-pre-order/ William Ames is not well known for one reason, a lot of what he wrote was still in Latin. But my understanding is that one of his Latin works was translated and quoted from in this new work when dealing with the subject of the Puritan and that which precedes conversion. I have yet to see this new book, but have perused the table of contents and amazed Dr. Beeke finds the time to write so prolifically, head a seminary, and preach from place to place. On the subject of mortification, I hope to narrate as many unique Puritans on this subject as I can find. So far I have done John Flavel, John Owen, Thomas Manton, Stephen Charnock and I can't remember if there were others T M S www.puritanaudiobooks.com

9/1/12 6:33 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison MI

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Sermon:
Arguments and Directions for Hearing the...
Andrew Gray

1
comment

“ The Youthful Andrew Gray 1633-1656 ”
What made such an impression on me when reading through this sermon was that Gray never even lived to see his 23rd birthday. All of his sermons were taken down in shorthand from his wife. His ministry only spanned three years but already had made some impact on the public in his day. It is as thorough in its application as most puritan works that marked this great period in church history.

7/17/12 5:09 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Spurious Religious Excitements: Temporary...
Robert L. Dabney

1
comment

“ What Causes False Conversions? ”
This subject has intrigued (or even frightened me)since the first time I read Lloyd-Jones exposition of "Not Everyone that Says Unto Me Lord,Lord" - {False Peace} back in 1981. Soon after I read about a Treatise on the Religious Affections, by Jonathan Edwards where his biographer, Alexander, said that if you can read this book and still believe in your conversion, you may well have the highest assurance of your faith's reality. Over time I discovered the searching treatments of this subject by Thomas Shepard, Thomas Goodwin and others. What makes this article by Dabney stand out is his superb command of the English language, his expertise in moral philosophy and his observations of the surrounding history during the "revival" meetings of persons like D.L. Moody who lived in his day. In its analysis it is as penetrating as Jonathan Edwards, in its language it may surpass him.

6/30/12 5:19 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
The Atonement 1 of 4 The Centrality Of The...
Albert N. Martin

3
comments

“ MidWest Conference 1984 ”
These 4 sermons were preached at the 2nd annual Mid West Conference in Bluffton, OH. in 1984. The year before he had preached the 4 powerful sermons "God's Word to Our Nation." But I am bold to say that there are not 4 sermons on the Atonement preached with more passion and excellent delivery than these. Pastor Martin was 50 years old when these were preached and was at his best as a preacher at this time. There is also great application, as well as doctrine here.

5/16/12 5:46 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
New Calvinism Examined
Chris Hand

5
comments

“ Helpful Warning ”
There is a lot here that is helpful and the analysis is as needed as it is correct. My concern about the New Calvinism and even the direction we "Reformed Baptists" are going in is that there are few conversions that testify of knowing anything of Bunyan's Slough of Despond. Too many find it very easy to come to Christ as if they knew nothing of total inability. Such books as "The Anxious Inquirer" - J A James, or "A Guide to Christ" by Solomon Stoddard, "Forgiveness of Sin" - John Owen - I am afraid they would question the purpose of their being written. The idea of "Pressing Into the Kingdom" - Jonathan Edwards, or "The Manner in Which Salvation is to Be Sought" are relics of the past that modern Calvinists would dis-relish. There is an error somewhere, and I fear - as Joseph Alleine wrote "The error is in the foundation." (An Alarm to the Unconverted).

4/29/12 4:43 PM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
Those Whom God Hates He Is Often Pleased To...
Jonathan Edwards

3
comments

“ What a Title! ”
I can't even imagine a pastor in our day picking this title for a sermon. I think an appropriate sub-title would be God Gives Riches to Reprobates in His Wrath. After reading 5 of these sermons this week, Edwards has laid my pride where it belongs, in the dust. Thomas - the narrator.

4/24/12 6:27 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
If the Business of Ministers Was to Gratify...
Jonathan Edwards

2
comments

“ Nearly a Prophecy ”
In reading this sermon, a number of thoughts went through my mind. This was preached 275 years ago, what would have went through the mind of Jonathan Edwards if he was to witness the health and prosperity gospel, the rejection of Lordship salvation, and the carnal Christian teachings of our day. If the sermon was applicable in the 1730's, where does that leave us now? TMS - the narrator.

4/6/12 6:08 AM

Thomas Sullivan

| Jenison, MI

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Sermon:
The night the lights went out
Rev. William McCrea

6
comments

“ Great explanation of the plagues ”
I was drawn to Pastor McCrea's preaching this week because I was counseling a friend who was in fear that he had committed the unpardonable sin and pointed me to a sermon here. I was impressed and immediately went to the site's recommended sermon. I have listened to it several times especially the powerful exhortation about the blackness of darkness at the 33 minute mark of the sermon. I sent the link to several friends, including my friend A N Martin with a note that this is how preaching in our Reformed Baptist churches used to be but rarely now have the same life or death earnestness. Any solid description of hell should make even the most assured Christian tremble to the bottom of his feet, and so this sermon does. Thanks, of course we feel in your debt for moving our (too often)cold dead hearts and may God bless your ministry.

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